***Blog Tour, Review and a Q and A with J.T. herself*** Collateral Damage By J.T. Cheyanne

Synopsis

Fleeing the questions and horrific memories in Miami-Dade, Trevor Garrett accepts a deputy position in the small town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Plagued by anxiety attacks and an abhorrence to being touched, Trevor rebuffs his best friend’s attempts to set him up. He has no desire for any type of relationship; until the local golden boy strolls into his line of sight at the neighborhood dive…
Logan Andrews just wants to take care of his mama. After years of serving his country in the Army Special Forces, Logan resigns when he learns his mother is suffering from advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease. A night out with old friends turns heated when the newest deputy in town catches his attention…
When a sexually deviant killer sets his sights on the gay men in the area, Trevor is assigned the case. In a wicked twist, all evidence points to Logan. Can Trevor’s past be repeating itself? In a race against a killer, Trevor struggles to overcome his own insecurities and clear the man whose touch sets him on fire. Will he succeed or will their budding relationship become Collateral Damage?

Buy Links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FRM38RW
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FRM38RW
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01FRM38RW
Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01FRM38RW

Excerpt

Heartbroken sobs carried clearly in the late afternoon air. Few mourners circled the grave despite the fact Scottie had grown up in Rolling Fork and never left. Logan guessed the morning newspaper had a lot to do with the low turnout. The sensationalized headline screamed “Gay Man Raped and Killed.” The injustice scraped Logan’s nerves raw. Why did Scottie’s sexuality matter? He was a man, a son, a friend and yet, even in death, hate followed him for who he chose to love. 

Beside him, Logan’s mother clutched his hand and leaned into his arm. “Amen.” His mother’s quiet voice echoed the end of the minister’s prayer and drew him away from his thoughts. The fingers on his arm tightened. 

He glanced down to see her staring across the casket at Scottie’s mother. The woman sat alone, rocking back and forth in silent agony while tears rolled unchecked down her cheeks. Evelyn Rutledge didn’t care if her son was gay or straight. She loved him and she’d lost him because of hatred and discrimination. Anger scorched Logan’s insides.  

He’d spent years fighting oppression in other countries; dedicated his life to preserving freedom. But, in his hometown in the heart of good ol’ US of A, persecution and ignorance took the life of an honest man who happened to prefer sex with another man. Likely, it was the only reason he’d been attacked, brutalized and killed. 

“Sorry bastard didn’t even come back for the boy’s funeral.” Logan’s eyebrows sailed skyward at the bitterness in his mother’s voice. He covered the hand clutched around his bicep with one of his own and tried to turn her away from the graveside. She was having none of it. Logan hesitated. Intense emotion could spark an episode of confusion. He didn’t want anyone gawking at his mother if she became upset.

“Mom, you okay?” he questioned. 

She nodded without looking away from Evelyn. “When Scottie came out, it wasn’t pretty. His dad punched him and threw him out of the house. Evelyn went with him, refused to turn her back on her child. They stayed at the Holiday Inn in Jackson for a week before I convinced her to move out to the farm. When Scottie finally managed to get a job, they saved until they could afford to rent a place. Winthrop never spoke to her again, or to Scottie. He’d pass them in the street and act like they were aliens from Mars,” Stella explained. 

“A right bastard. I’d have done the same if your father had gotten on a high horse about you.” She patted his arm and turned toward the truck. While Logan led her away from the graveside, she continued to talk.

“Your daddy loved you. When I told him, he just nodded and went back to reading the paper. I found him crying a few days later out behind the chicken coop. He was cleaning his shotgun and sobbing like a mad man. He scared me right bad. Thought I was gonna have to get the shovel after him, a good bang to the head to make him see reason. But, he took the wind right out of my sails; said he was crying because he knew what you would face when you came home.” She smiled up at him through her tears.

“He’d have shot them all. Every damn one of his friends and yours if they’d upset you. He was fierce was my Christopher when his family was threatened.” Logan stopped dead in his tracks, stunned.  

“He never said a word,” he finally managed. 

“And, why should he, baby boy. It didn’t change how he felt about you, or his pride in you,” she said before tossing a glance back over her shoulder. “I don’t know what she’s going to do now. Scottie was all she had.” Concern colored her voice.

“Tell you what, mama. Get in the truck and start the air conditioner. I’ll see if she wants to come out to the farm again.” He handed her the keys and jogged over to the diminutive woman huddled in the lone folding chair. Logan went down on one knee.

“Ms. Rutledge, I’m very sorry for your loss,” he said, keeping his voice low. Watery blue eyes rose to latch onto his face. All too easily, he recognized the blank stare of grief. “I know today has been hard. Scottie was a wonderful, funny man. He didn’t deserve what happened to him.” Evelyn Rutledge blinked slowly. Coral painted lips parted on a sob and fresh tears washed her cheeks. Logan cleared his throat.

“Mom and I were wondering if you’d like to come back to the farm with us. There’s plenty of room.” 

“Scottie’s dead,” she whispered, voice broken and old. 

“I know, Ms. Evelyn, and I’m so sorry. Is anyone else here with you?” He already knew the answer. She’d sat alone at the church through the entire service; rode unaccompanied in the limousine provided by the funeral home to the cemetery and presented a solitary picture of grief during the graveside service.

She gazed at him, a shell of the vibrant woman he remembered. “I don’t want to go home,” she whispered. “It’s so empty without him.” Logan’s heart ached for her.

Review 

When I was asked to review this book I couldn't say yes fast enough. I love J.T.'S books and this one didn't disappoint in the slightest.

Collateral Damage is the story of two men. One very open about who he is. The other very reserved. Collateral Damage is full of suspense and twist and turns you won't see coming. it will leave you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what is coming next.  As always the writing and story line is so gripping you don't want it to let you go till you finish the book. I hope we get to see more from these guys! And as for JT'S next book yes please!

Giveaway 

Prize: 5 ecopies of Collateral Damage by J.T. Cheyanne

Q and A with the Author 

Hi darlins! I am thrilled to be visiting with my wonderful friend Tara and her gang at Crazy Chix Book Reviews! Thank you for hosting Collateral Damage during the book tour!
I believe you have some questions for me?

1. When did you know you wanted to become an author?
I never really thought about being an author. I used to make up stories in my head, but it was usually to help me fall asleep at night. In 2010, I was asked to join a roleplay group and write a character from a book series. During that time, I wrote an independent character for a storyline we were doing. It never occurred to me it was worthy of being published, not until an author contacted me and said I should be writing professionally.
2. Out of all your stories, which would you say was the easiest and hardest to write?
Grand Slam was the easiest to write. Once Spencer showed up in my head, he wouldn’t leave me alone. He talked all the time. I couldn’t type fast enough to keep him happy. The hardest is always the Crimson Nights Saga. Lachi and Laz are very personal characters and have a lot of characteristics from mine and V.L.’s personal experiences. And, it’s a series so you have to keep up with ALL of the details and make sure you don’t screw up things like eye color and timelines and connections to other characters.
3. Do you ever write a bit of your traits or people you know traits into your characters?
Ahh yeah. Lachi’s emotions are very much my emotions when it comes to how much he loves his angel. When I was writing his parts in Crimson Ties, it was very easy to tap into the emotion of missing his angel. He’s stubborn, just like me, too. When I wrote Spencer, his humor and love of baseball are very characteristic of my son. Kimberly Stroner is based on a dear friend as well; she’s strong and beautiful and loves her friends and family deeply.
4. What is one thing you wish more people knew about you?
That I love chocolate and accept free handouts despite my mama’s warnings not to take candy from strangers.
5. What do you love most about being an author?
Seeing the stories come to life on the page. I don’t plan out my stories. I do have a general idea where they are headed, but when I sit down to write, I don’t have an outline or a plan. The voices speak and I write. Sometimes during edits and later when I re-read the books, I’m amazed at the words on the page. I can’t believe they come out of my head. It’s the voices. They tell me what to say. And, I love holding the first print copy in my hand.
6. If you had the chance to travel to any place in the world, where would you go?
Oh geez. Well, with the understanding my wife will be going with me (cause if she’s not the answer is England every time because that’s where she lives) I would love to visit ….and I draw a blank because there are so many places I want to go. I would love to see the pyramids in Egypt, the waterfalls in Croatia, the beauty of Hawaii, the Rocky Mountains, the Scottish Highlands, the Blarney Stone and the lushness of Ireland, the wilds of Alaska and Russia, the Eiffel Tower, the Inca ruins….I really need to win the lottery.
7. Okay, here is one you get to ask yourself. What is one question you are always hoping to get asked and never do?
Will you take over writing Vishous in the Black Dagger Brotherhood? …the answer is YES. He’s one character I wish I had developed. I love him. Don’t get me wrong, I love my characters and the ones I write with my angel. Lachi is a part of me and so is Vischeral Bourne. But, V is that one character that just makes me swoon.

About the author

#1 Best Selling Author of Grand Slam, J.T. Cheyanne is a genre crosser who writes romance and paranormal in the m/m and m/f genres. J.T. Cheyanne resides in the beautiful state of Alabama. J.T. lives with her two sons and daughter. An avid reader since fourth grade, she has only just started writing her own stories. She also has several works published with her co-author, V.L. Moon.
Social Links:
Website: http://www.lazandlachi.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jtcheyannestories
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JTCheyanne
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6534660.J_T_Cheyanne