There's Something About Ari Tour Stop!

 

Buck Ellis’s future seems pretty damn bright. With a full college scholarship in hand, he’s going to ditch Bluewater Bay and pave the way for his kid brother Charlie to do the same. The only fly in Buck’s ointment is his ten-year addiction to his best friend since second grade, his true love, and his Achilles heel: Ari Valentine, Mr. Least Likely to Succeed.

But then Buck’s mother dies, changing everything, and five years later, his future is still on hold. It’s a struggle to keep food on the table, a roof over their heads, and Charlie on the straight and narrow. Buck can’t afford any temptation, especially in the form of the newly returned, super hot, super confident, super successful television star Ari Valentine.

ADHD poster-child Ari Valentine left for Hollywood and lost everything, including his bad reputation. Then the breakthrough role of his skyrocketing career lands him back in Bluewater Bay, to the stunned disbelief of, well, everyone. But there’s only one person Ari longs to impress—the only person who ever really mattered to him, the person he left behind: Buck Ellis.

 

Ohhhh, you are a cruel, cruel woman Ms. Gregg. I cannot believe that you gave us a television-style fade-to-black ending. That was so not nice … lol. While this is only the second book in the Bluewater Bay series, I am completely enamored with the series so far. In There’s Something About Ari, we meet Buck and Ari – both are men who grew up in Bluewater Bay, but whose lives took entirely different paths. Buck never left Bluewater Bay; he gave up his scholarship in order to take care of his younger brother when their mother died. In contrast, Ari fled Bluewater Bay, found his way to Hollywood and broke into acting.

Buck is bewildered when he learns that Ari is not only returning to Bluewater Bay for a role in Wolf’s Landing, but he’s also moving in next door. Ari was Buck’s best friend growing up and as their past is revealed it is easy to understand his reaction to Ari’s return. What Ari did not know was that Buck is gay and was in love with him – something Buck never revealed in fear of losing his best friend. But Buck learns that he was not the only one keeping secrets back then and his world is turned upside down when Ari tells him why he left. But is an understanding of the past enough for these two to be able to move forward toward a future together?

I loved both Buck and Ari. Ari’s outgoing personality and quirks made him easy to love. Although much more reserved, I found Buck just as lovable. He made a huge sacrifice to insure his brother had stability in his life when their mother died – it was a situation that no 18 year-old kid should ever have to deal with, yet he did so automatically. As much as I liked the guys individually, it was their chemistry and Ari’s pursuit of reestablishing their friendship that make There’s Something About Ari a 5-star read for me. Even if Ms. Greg only treated us to one sex scene, it was a hot one. Actually, considering how much damage had to be repaired to their relationship, the lack of sex was actually appropriate – no matter how much I wanted more sexy fun times between the two. I absolutely loved this book and is has been added to my reread list. I am looking forward to my next stop in Bluewater Bay already.

Hi and thanks for having me on your blog today.

Who in your personal life was the biggest supporter of your writing?

LB: My husband, the elusive Mr. Darcy. He thinks it’s the coolest thing in the world that I’m an author and he’s thrilled I’m doing something I always dreamed of. He tells all his friends and family, his employees, strangers on the street. He’s the best.

Do you prefer quiet or background noise when writing? If background noise, what?

LB: I listen to music and make playlists specific to each project. When I’m deep into writing, I don’t actually hear anything at all, only my writing voice. The real world fades away. But for inspiration, I listen to a lot of alt and indie rock, some pop, some electronic, classic rock, a little ska, and never, ever, ever country music.

Cool fact: There’s Something About Ari is dedicated to a singer/songwriter.

What is one thing you wish your readers could understand about the writing process?

LB: That authors don’t produce new books at the same rate. I’m a slow writer, even though my books are super short and fast-paced.

When did you start writing and what was your inspiration?

LB: I’ve always loved romance novels, but in this tiny subgenre of m/m, I finally found my voice. And my nerve. In 2007 I began to write seriously. I was inspired by my online friends, my mentor, and my family. Mr. Darcy really encouraged me to write.

Is there a genre or type of book that you love to read but could never write and if so why?

LB: I’m a sucker for giant, multivolume, densely woven fantasy series, like Game of Thrones, Eye of the World, The Dragonbone Chair, The Bartimeaus Trilogy, and in the lighter, funnier, more British style— Discworld. I admire authors who built complex worlds and write brilliantly diverging story lines. Dragons! Magic and sword fighting! Death and destruction! I just love that stuff.

I’d rather read fantasy than write it.

What is the most intense scene you have ever written?

LB: It’s a toss up. Either Mark saving his evil ex at the end of Mark and Tony, or Seth searching for his niece Molly in Seth and David. Finn getting the crap kicked out of him in the theatre was pretty harsh. And Caesar’s fight with the Taser wielding girl scout? That was pretty intense!

 Did you find it difficult writing that scene?

LB: No. I could relate to Seth’s shock and fear when Molly goes missing, because I’m a mother. And Mark is a Physician’s Assistant. He could never turn his back on an injured person, no matter his personal feelings. When I write about visceral emotions like fear or grief or anger, the scene are emotional powerhouses and the words just flow.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog! Loved these questions. ~LB

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When not working from her home in the rolling hills of Northwestern Connecticut, author L.B. Gregg can be spotted in coffee shops from Berlin to Singapore to Panama--sipping lattes and writing sweet, hot, often funny, stories about men who love men. www.lbgregg.com

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