GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: You Are The Reason by Renae Kaye
Our good friend, Renae, has joined us to celebrate the upcoming release of her latest novel, You Are The Reason (releasing on 7th August). She’s shared some Character Bios so you can meet the main characters, David Pederson (Davo) and Lee Brennan. Nice to see we have a Sydney Swans supporter in there, Renae. 🙂
And there’s a giveaway too!
Character Bios for You Are the Reason, by Renae Kaye
One thing that a lot of experienced authors rabbit on about, is marketing your brand when you wish to do something with your writing. As a new writer, you look at the marketplace and freeze, completely lost in the maelstrom out there, wondering how you are ever going to compete with the more experienced brands.
Do I have a brand? Hmm – I would like to say it is developing. I don’t like to pigeon-hole myself, but when you pick up a Renae Kaye novel or story, I like to think that you have a certainty of what is inside.
#1 – Australian. And more specifically, Western Australian. It’s where I live, it’s where I love, it’s where I write.
#2 – Funny, or at least humorous. I tried to not write it once, and it crept in regardless. (Or irregardless, as Penelope would say).
#3 – Less-than-perfect men, and more than likely blue-collar workers. It seems I have a type, and no, I don’t plan to change it any time soon.
#4 – I would like to flatter myself, and say “A well-written story.”
One thing you will probably find a lot of from me, is the opposites-attract type of story. I’m a big fan of them, and believe that they work well in real life. My own marriage is one of opposites, and it brings its share of problems as well as solutions. You Are the Reason is a book of opposites. Not only do my guys go for opposing football teams (which could be fatal to a relationship), but they are also opposite in how they view the expression of their homosexuality.
So below, I give you a summary about my guys, and you can see if you think they will fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw…
Name: David Pederson. Dave to family, women and in the workplace. Male friends get to call him Davo.
Age: Twenty-seven.
Gender: Male.
Sexual Orientation: Gay.
Hair: Dark brown, cropped short.
Eyes: Brown.
Physical Description: Average. Average height, average weight, average looking. Clean cut.
Tattoos, piercings or other identifying marks: None.
Clothing: Jeans and a shirt. Average. Blacks, whites, blues. Average. No loud colours or style. Average. Blendability the aim.
Occupation: Salesperson for a sheet metal fabricator.
Family: Mother, Father, two brothers and one sister (all younger).
Lives: By himself in a small townhouse in the suburbs.
Drives: Usually the company van.
Hobbies, favourite activities: Enjoys watching football (Melbourne Football Club), plays indoor cricket, hangs out at The Tav with his mate Jake on the weekend, or with his friend Thor.
Personality: Honest, straight-shooter. Can admit he’s a dick, but has little intention of changing his ways. Enjoys masculine pursuits and stays away from anything that could be construed as girly. Doesn’t do relationships. Has a fear that hanging out with anyone who is obviously gay (one of those gays) will rub off on him.
Quirks: Owns a Magic 8 Ball and consults it for all major decisions in his life.
Name: Lee Brennan.
Age: Twenty-one.
Gender: Male.
Sexual Orientation: Gay.
Hair: Bright cherry-red, rather long on top.
Eyes: Brown.
Physical Description: Slender. Average height. Bright hair. Slightly femme. Reminds Davo of a pixie.
Tattoos, piercings or other identifying marks: None.
Clothing: Bright colours. Enjoys deep reds and bright greens. Dresses stylishly and in the latest European styles. Occasionally likes to slip into a dress and heels – and can pass as a woman.
Occupation: Dental assistant. Volunteer counsellor.
Family: Mother, Father, an older brother and sister. (His sister is world famous). One nephew and niece.
Lives: With his parents in a mansion by the river.
Drives: WRX.
Hobbies, favourite activities: Avid football fan (Sydney Swans), enjoys foreign films. Volunteers at a youth centre for gay and trans kids.
Personality: Sparkling and selfless giving. Always attempts to help people in this world. A great listener and encourager. Completely at ease in his sexuality and expression.
Quirks: Is never on time.
About the book
Davo’s a pretty average guy. He has a decent job, owns his own home, and spends his weekends at the pub. He fully accepts that he’s gay, but doesn’t want to be one of those gays, who are femme and girly. He likes football and other masculine pursuits, and firmly avoids anything that could be seen as femme—including relationships that last beyond fifteen minutes.
Then Davo’s friend and gay idol not only gets a boyfriend, but also adopts a baby girl. Davo is seriously spooked and scuttles down to the pub in fright. That’s where he meets Lee, who is cute from her cherry-red hair, to her pretty little dress and pointy red shoes. Davo is charmed—but how is that possible? He’s gay. Isn’t he? Then Lee tells him he’s actually a guy—he just likes to wear women’s dresses occasionally. Thoroughly confused about an attraction that’s out of character for him, Davo begins the long journey to where he can accept himself without caring what everyone else thinks.
Giveaway
Click here or on the image to enter the Giveaway.
Buy Links
Dreamspinner Press
About the author
Renae Kaye is a lover and hoarder of books who thinks libraries are devilish places because they make you give the books back. She consumed her first adult romance book at the tender age of thirteen and hasn’t stopped since. After years – and thousands of stories! – of not having book characters do what she wants, she decided she would write her own novel and found the characters still didn’t do what she wanted. It hasn’t stopped her though. She believes that maybe one day the world will create a perfect couple – and it will be the most boring story ever. So until then she is stuck with quirky, snarky and imperfect characters who just want their story told.
Renae lives in Perth, Western Australia and writes in five minute snatches between the demands of two kids, a forbearing husband, too many pets, too much housework and her beloved veggie garden. She is a survivor of being the youngest in a large family and believes that laughter (and a good book) can cure anything.
How to contact Renae:
Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.au
Website: www.renaekaye.weebly.com
FB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9
Twitter: @renaekkaye