Welcome to author Bryan T. Clark and the tour for his latest release, Diego’s Secret. Bryan writes M/M Romance with an emphasis on moral dilemma. His multicultural characters and riveting plots embody real life, filled with challenges, personal growth, and, of course, what we all desire—love. Bryan’s joining us today for a short interview, and there’s a giveaway too, so be sure to check out those details below.

Tell us a little about Diego’s Secret, your recent release.

This is a book about two opposites-Winston Makena, age 32, is rich and successful, but finds no joy in life after the death of his beloved husband Parker LeBlanc. Seeking solace in the gardens that Parker designed to surround their estate, he finds a new love interest in Diego Castillo, the 25-year-old gardener trained by Parker to maintain the property. However, Diego has a secret life: he is not just a closeted gay man; he is also an illegal Mexican immigrant. The two men meet by chance in Parker’s garden and share their memories of Parker. It is a story about falling in love when you least expect it.

What did you do before you became a Romance Writer?

I was in law enforcement. Specifically, I was an Internal Affairs Investigator for the bulk of my career. The last couple of years before I retired, I switched over and worked in Background Investigations, investigating all new Officers coming into the department.

What, if any, personal issues do you wrestle with when you write?

Oh God, how do I answer that without giving away too much of who I am? That certainly would not be a pleasant experience for my audience! It might make a great Self-Help book though! After being in law enforcement for nearly twenty-eight years, I feel its greatest toll on me, is my inability to trust someone. I have seen a lot of hurt, and disappointment. So, in answer to your question, one of the biggest issues that I wrestle with is allowing my characters to take that leap of faith and blindly trust enough to follow their heart, instead of their brain.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

I guess finding the time to just write. There are so many other components to being an author that takes you away from actually writing. I find that when I can get in a couple of days in a row just to write for five to six hours, that’s when it starts to flow naturally. I know when this happens because the characters are talking and doing things faster than I can write them down. When I can get to that spot, it is heaven!

Where do you like to write? What is your routine?

I am very much a routine kind of guy. I’m usually in the office by seven-thirty with my second cup of coffee. I like to read emails, connect with fans and take care of the business end of things before opening up the creative part of the brain. When I do start to write, I need it quiet, just me and my characters. My office is located on the second floor of my home towards the very back of the house, so I hear very little of what might be happening in the house at any given time. I can write for about an hour at a time, taking breaks to stretch, eat, and deal with things that have to be dealt with at the moment in the house.

How important is marketing and social media for a new author?

Marketing and utilizing social media to get your work out there in the world is important. With today’s technology, we all have access to thousands of people via the internet. But it takes time and energy to reach them. To help me, I have a wonderful assistant who takes care of the many administrative tasks that come up from day to day. This is mostly to enable me to stay in the creative mindset and write. Writing and marketing are really two completely separate beasts. Most people who are good at one, aren’t necessarily good at the other. Also, self- promotion is very difficult for a creative introvert.

One last question. What advice do you have for other writers?

First and foremost, writing a book is hard work, and if done right, takes a long time. But, if you are seriously bent on writing that story deep within you, then, just write the story, DON’T try to write a book. People think there are all these rules in how to write, and they just don’t know where to start, so they never do anything. Get your story on paper and then develop it into the next great novel! If you’ve never written a book, join a writer’s group online, read books on character development and how to strengthen your plot, take a writer’s course, do something to understand the industry and what goes into developing a great story. It’s rarely the story itself, it’s how it is told.

About the Book

Universal Buy Link

Cover Design: Krista Lynn Design

Length: 80,921 words

Blurb: Can love conquer our deepest secrets and fears?

Are the challenges worth the struggle?

Eight years ago, at the age of seventeen, Diego Castillo came to the United States illegally from Mexico. Working long hours in the family landscaping business, he now shares a tiny apartment with his two machismo brothers in Southern California. Diego has worked hard to keep his desires for other men a secret from his brothers. He’s worked just as hard to keep his undocumented status a secret from the world he now lives in.

Thirty-two-year-old Winston Makena is beautiful, intelligent, and intimidating. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but no amount of money can relieve the enormous grief he is suffering from his husband’s sudden death. He is one of Diego’s best accounts and lives a life in stark contrast to his gardener’s. Winston’s wealthy upbringing has influenced his ideas, leading him to certain biases.

Winston believes he could never love again. Diego believes that his family’s lives depend on him keeping his secrets. What neither of them know is that the heart knows no such boundaries. Will social divisions, ideology, and secrets destroy both their chances for happiness?

Can love really conquer all?

About the Author

Bryan Thomas Clark is a funny, loving, family-oriented, and proud member of the LGBTQ community. After twenty-seven years in law enforcement, Bryan retired in 2015 to focus on his writing full time. Behind his computer, working on his next novel, Bryan writes Romance with real emotions that represent the moral dilemma that his characters face in their pursuit of love. He brilliantly weaves real life situations filled with difficult challenges, where his vibrant characters experience personal growth, and of course, what we all desire, lasting love.