Guest Post: Kerry Freeman

Kerry Freeman and I have a lot in common, starting with the fact that we’re both born-and-bred Southern girls and huge baseball fans. So needless to say, I’m thrilled to host today’s stop on her blog tour for her latest release, the baseball-in-the-South-themed Pine Tar & Sweet Tea. Take it away, Kerry!

Why I Love the Braves

Simple. They’re the only true Southern team in the MLB.

“What?” you screech. “What about the Marlins and the Rays?”

First: the Rays will always be the Devil Rays to me, just like Pluto will always be a planet (fodder for another post). Second: Sure, Florida is in the Southern U.S., but most Southerners don’t really think about Florida when they think of the South. Florida’s kinda like its own deal and is just Southern by association.

“Okay, well surely the Texas Rangers are Southern.”

Nope, no they’re not. They’re TEXAN. Texas is its own region. They’re not North, South, East, or West. They’re Texas, by God, and don’t you forget it. Just ask anyone from there.

“Fine, I’ll give you that one. How ‘bout the Washington Nationals?”

Wow, you’re really stretching here, aren’t ya’? Yes, DC is below the Mason-Dixon Line. So is Maryland, but the only place I’ve seen Maryland called Southern is Southern Living (and awesome magazine, btw, if just for the recipes).

“But didn’t the Braves used to be in Boston and Milwaukee? Those aren’t Southern cities, are they?” you ask in righteous indignation.

And the Braves aren’t there anymore, are they? *sticking out tongue* Because they were meant to be in Atlanta. It’s just like a romance novel. Team longs for One True City. Team hooks up with other cities, who just let Team down. Team finally meets the One True City, and they live happily ever after, amen.

And it’s ATLANTA. I LOVE Atlanta. When I get independently wealthy, I’m going to buy a Braves season ticket (okay, maybe I’ll buy my husband one too) and a swanky condo and live in Atlanta every baseball season. You may think I’m joking, but I’m so not. It’s on my if-I-ever-win-the-lottery list, right under “pay off all debt” and right before “fund niece and nephew’s college education.” Okay, I’ll move the college education up.

“So I guess this means that the Atlanta Falcons are your favorite NFL team.”

Nope, that would be the Tennessee Titans. I’ll live in Nashville during football season. 🙂

Thank you so much Shae for having me on your blog! And everyone, please visit the tour kickoff post to enter the super-duper tour giveaway.

Pine Tar & Sweet Tea
by Kerry Freeman
Buy at Loose Id

After playing eleven years in the Minor Leagues, Coach Matt Hawley has returned to his tiny Alabama hometown to lead his old high school baseball team to their first state championship. At the other end of the state, René Días, who left the Major League after one season, is getting his team ready to defend their state title for the second straight year. One is in the closet. The other is between relationships. Neither has any intention of hooking up at the state tournament.

Then they see each other.

Pre-game lust turns into an intense one-night stand neither man can forget, and when their best friends embark on a romance, Matt and René are thrown together again. This time they decide it won’t be for just a single night. But the fear of disappointing his minister father and shaming his family forces Matt to keep one foot in the closet, even as he and René find their lust is maybe something more. He’s going to have to make a choice between his family and his freedom.

Kerry Freeman was born and raised in Alabama, and she grew up swearing she was going to get the hell out of Dodge the instant she could. Turns out Dodge ain’t so bad, and she never left. Alabama’s version of a city girl, she married a country boy, and the adorkable couple lives in a small town with their two socially awkward dogs.

Kerry loves to write about love, and it turns out most of the voices in her head are men. She also loves to write about the South, so most of her stories end up there, one way or another.

A tomboy and a geek from way back, Kerry has a day job but dreams she will one day write full time. She has a weakness for yaoi, Japanese stationery, YA, and ginger-haired singers from Britain. She owns an impressive t-shirt collection. Nowaki & Hiroki are her homeboys.