Friday, February 2, 2018

Scratch Track by Eli Lang - Blog Tour with Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway



Hello, I’m Eli Lang.  Welcome to the blog tour for my contemporary m/m romance with rock stars, Scratch Track.  Join in on the discussion in the comments and have fun!  Thanks for stopping by!

About Scratch Track

Being a roadie isn’t everyone’s idea of a dream job, but it’s all Quinn wants. He loves touring, loves getting to hear amazing music every night and, more than anything, loves being someone the band members of Escaping Indigo can lean on.

When Quinn joins the band in the recording studio, it’s supposed to be fun, but it only seems to remind him of doubts he thought he’d left behind—doubts about his brother’s death, his place with the band, and his ability to care for and support his friends. So when his ex, Nicky, tumbles back into his life, Quinn’s completely unprepared.

The failure of his past romance with Nicky is yet another strike against Quinn’s confidence. But Nicky’s unassuming kindness makes it hard for Quinn to resist a new entanglement. Quinn isn’t sure they won’t make the same mistakes again, but he wants a second chance, even if that means facing the past, learning to let his friends support him, and proving to Nicky that, this time, he’ll be someone Nicky can rely on.


Exclusive Excerpt
Of course, it ended up being me who was stressed that evening when I went to get ready for my . . . what? Date? We were just two guys going for dinner. But it seemed almost like a date. It felt like it was important.

And I could still picture the blush on Nicky’s face, the nervous twitch of his fingers, his focus anywhere but on me when I asked and he decided how to answer.

And I could still feel him in my arms, that refreshed memory, something I’d never thought I would get to have again. There was something between us, still, whether either of us was sure what it was yet or not.

So maybe we actually were going on a date. Maybe we weren’t. It almost didn’t matter. I was going to be tense either way, and either way, I wanted to look good. Wear the right thing. Whatever that was.

This was a harder challenge than I’d imagined, though. It wasn’t like I’d brought any nice clothes with me to a recording studio, knowing we were going to be hanging out and catching quick meals after long days. T-shirts and shorts and jeans and a couple of hoodies in case it got cold. That was basically always my wardrobe, and it had never occurred to me that I might need something else. Not for this trip, at least.

Ava wandered into my room and sat on my bed, her phone in her hand. I was standing in the bathroom and could see her reflection in the mirror.

“This isn’t your room,” I said, half-gentle, half-exasperated.

She raised her head and glanced, pointedly, around the room, at the mess Tuck and I had already managed to make in a few short days. I hadn’t exactly helped by strewing my clothes everywhere while trying to figure out what to wear. “I’m well aware,” she said, a slight dry edge to her voice.

“Tuck isn’t here either.”

Her eyebrows crept upward. “I see that.”

I dropped my hands to the counter and took a deep breath, then turned around to face her. “Sorry. I’m sorry.” I was being a jerk. The nerves were getting to me, and she was being kind enough not to say anything too harsh. “Why are you here?”

She slipped her phone into her pocket, crossed her legs in front of her, and leaned forward. “Tuck said you were in here freaking out. And that you probably needed a girl’s help.” She held up a hand. 
“I’m not going to get into how sexist that is. I already told Tuck. He knows better than to say something like that again.”

I eyed her up and down. She was wearing a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off and a faded logo emblazoned on the front, and jeans that had holes not only in the knees, but up the backs of her thighs. “I’m not sure you were what he meant by that, either.”

She laughed, tipping her head back. “No, probably not. Probably he’s hoping I’ll call Cara and she can assist you over the phone.” Then her expression went more serious, and she lowered her voice, so I knew she wasn’t joking anymore. “What’s the matter, Quinn?”

I sighed, and plopped down on the other bed. I dropped my hands between my knees. “I asked Nick out. To dinner.” I flicked my gaze to hers, then looked away. “And I was trying to find something decent to wear. I’m all . . .” I sighed and shrugged. “I didn’t even notice Tuck come in. I didn’t see him. I’m . . .” This time I gestured at the clothes.

Ava leaned forward a little bit more, and reached out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. It was too long—not like I’d let it grow out because I liked it that way, but like I’d forgotten to get it cut. It was long enough to have a slight curl, and pieces were tickling my chin and getting in my eyes. Her touch was gentle, pushing the strands back, smoothing out the places I’d ruffled up with my fingers.

“Why do you need something nice to wear to go out with Nicky?” She pulled her hand away and sat back.

I opened my mouth, closed it, tried again. “I think it’s a date.”

She smiled, softer than before. “I saw Nick earlier. He was, like, floating a fucking foot above the ground. It’s a date. Or he thinks it is. Or he’s hoping for something from it.” She narrowed her eyes. “How can you not know if it’s a date if you’re the one who asked? Do you want it to be a date?”

I hesitated. I didn’t know how to answer either of those questions. I shrugged instead. “I don’t know. But I do know I want to look good for him.”


About the Escaping Indigo Series


Escaping Indigo is a busy band, whether they’re playing edgy rock music in a darkened theater, touring the country together, or meeting up with other musicians at a summer festival. And they’re always writing new melodies, new riffs, and new lyrics to tell their stories.

Micah, a drummer, is hoping to leave the memories of his old band behind by going on tour with Escaping Indigo as a stagehand. But there he meets Bellamy, the lead singer, and he finds himself tangled in a romance that makes him face everything he’s lost.

Ava, drummer for Escaping Indigo, is hoping that time away from the band will give her a chance to sort through her complicated feelings for her best friend, who’s in love with someone else. But a chance meeting with a beautiful woman leads to an unexpected romance that makes Ava rethink her plans for her future.

From unrequited love to finding your way, old friendships to lost dreams, surprising secrets to unexpected encounters, Escaping Indigo has a song to suit.


About Eli Lang

Eli Lang is a writer and drummer. She has played in rock bands, worked on horse farms, and has had jobs in libraries, where she spent most of her time reading every book she could get her hands on. She can fold a nearly perfect paper crane and knows how to tune a snare drum. She still buys stuffed animals because she feels bad if they’re left alone in the store, believes cinnamon buns should always be eaten warm, can tell you more than you ever wanted to know about the tardigrade, and has a book collection that’s reaching frightening proportions. She lives in Arizona with far too many pets.

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Scratch Track, one lucky winner will receive an ecopy of Escaping Indigo and Skin Hunger! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on February 3, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!


1 comment:

  1. Congrats and good luck with the release =)
    humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete