I spent my entire childhood and teen years trying to decide if I was more girl than boy.
Back then, it wasn't easy. In the Midwest, in the 1970s, there were no role models for the kind of boy I was: basically, a boy who didn't want to be a boy, not how boyhood was seen to be in an overly stodgy and conservative culture. You simply were what you were born, and if you varied from that, you were considered odd. I've written about my experiences as a gay girly-boy in my piece for the website I'm from Driftwood.
A lot of my past experience helps fuel the character of anthrotiger transgirl Nikki Ivanov in my novel, Sinews of the Heart, now available through the Budding Moon imprint of Storm Moon Press. It doesn't help that, for Nikki and her family, what was once called civilization has collapsed. Nikki is like I was, in a way. Back when I grew up, there simply were no role models for genderqueer or trans youth; you were either a girl or a boy and you behaved the way you should, or you endured the hate of being different from the dominant culture. Nikki knows who she is, but she has no model for fighting against the opposition from her father, who refuses to accept that the biological boy Nicholas is really a girl named Nikki.
As Nikki works to resolve these issues, she first meets Kane Buckman and his family. Kane is a human boy whom Nikki falls for, but he rejects her both because she's an anthro and because he knows she's a transgirl. But another boy, Rory Lusco, makes Kane confront a fact that Kane doesn't want to face: he really does like other boys. Kane confesses to Nikki that he might love her if she behaved more like a boy. Nikki decides Kane is worth it, and begins to squash her identity in order to please Kane.
But as Nikki tries harder and harder to be a boy, she feels as if she's betraying herself. She pushes away the thoughts in her head trying to tell her that's just what she's doing; she's too in love to listen. When Kane's own fears cause him to make the same mistake Nikki is making—to bury who he really is to please someone else—Nikki finally realizes she has no choice but to be herself, regardless of who objects. She also learns that it's not so bad to be a boy sometimes, especially when you find someone who accepts you exactly as you are, genderqueerness and all.
Nikki and Kane both experience the tension between identity and acceptance, when the person you really are contrasts wildly with society and family, and even sometimes with someone you love. Both of them eventually make decisions that they feel are right for themselves, but only one remains true to the person they know they really are. If anything, I hope young people who read Sinews of the Heart come away from it knowing that they can never fully run away from who they are, and I hope they find the courage to fight anyone who opposes them for trying to be themselves.
Cody Stanford is a fan of both opera and Shakespeare, which inclines him toward fiction with strong plots and lots of thrills. He is fascinated by the arts, history, mythology, sexuality, and other elements that shape the forces and foibles of human nature. In his own work, Cody strives to combine compelling tales with interesting characters that reflect his ideas and his pointed opinions. Above all, he wants his fiction to entertain, but also to leave the reader with a feeling of satisfaction—that the valuable time a person has spent with his writing has been spent well. His latest novel, Sinews of the Heart, can be found at the Budding Moon imprint of Storm Moon Press.
It started with the genchangers, human-made genetic viruses designed to meld animal features into humans for fun, fashion, or fetish. The viruses mutated, became airborne, began changing people at random. Then came the fear, and the war. The normal humans were quickly outnumbered and outclassed, hunted to the brink of extinction, and huddled in small, fortified settlements. Their only hope for survival was that the mutants would eventually die out. But the viruses mutated again, and many of those infected found themselves able to breed. Fur-borns like anthrotiger Nikki were the first of a new generation of life on Earth, homo superior. The world belonged to the anthros.
All of Nikki's life, she was taught to hate and revile humans. But that was before she met the Buckmans, a human family trying to make it to a safe zone, nothing at all like the bloodthirsty monsters her father told her of. And in particular, the Buckman's young son Kane, who stirs feelings in Nikki she doesn't understand. Kane, though, wants nothing to do with her, and Nikki doesn't know if it's because she's an anthrotiger, or because her father insists on calling her by her birth name—Nicholas.
Blurb: Simon Roberts’ plan for his senior year is simple -- help his high school hockey team win the state championship and earn a college scholarship so he can get away from his dysfunctional family, especially his belligerent father and obnoxious older brother.
When the Central High Falcons open their season with an away game, Simon is forced to deal with the problem he’s struggled with for months -- his crush on teammate Alex Miller. After the game that night, Alex makes an unexpected announcement -- he’s gay, and in love with Simon.
Simon’s elated but scared to openly acknowledge that he’s gay, especially with so much at stake in their senior year. Now that they’re out to each other they have to decide what to do next. Should they date? Should they keep things between them secret? What about the team? Can Simon and Alex hide that they’re more than friends from the guys they spend so much time with?
Then a simple kiss is witnessed and their secret is out. The team fractures, and Simon’s family explodes as news about the gay hockey players quickly spreads. The guys must figure out how to move forward with everyone watching. Being the center of attention was in no way part of Simon’s plan for the year.
Can Simon juggle school, commitments to the team, his new relationship, and an unexpected tragedy all before the end of the hockey season?
Review: Hat Trick by Jeff Adams is the story of Simon Roberts, an eighteen year old high school hockey player from Pennsylvania. Simon realizes he has same-sex attractions but has never acted upon them. Then one night he and his teammate Alex become intimate and a relationship blossoms.
The story is far less about the actual romance of Simon and Alex and more about the challenges that Simon faces with his family and the struggle the couple has with their teammates and school when they decide to come out. Simon's mother is supportive but his father and older brother are not.
Some of the scenes that describe the hockey games were confusing to me mainly because of the sports jargon. (I've never so much as watched a hockey game of any kind and didn't know exactly what was happening.)However, I think this probably would be a bonus to a hockey fan. At least it sounded pretty authentic to me.
There was a major conflict between Simon and his father which unfolded tragically. To some, the outcome might seem a bit overkill, but I thought the story was well-paced and rather exciting. The relationships Simon had with his mother and his teammates (particularly Jackson and Leo) were quite revealing, showing us exactly who Simon is and what motivates him. I think this book will be a great addition to any YA LGBTQ library.
Jeff Adams Jeff Adams started writing fiction in middle school and hasn't stopped since. Hat Trick is his first novel. Jeff lives in New York City with his husband, Will. He plays hockey with the New York City Gay Hockey Association and writes about the Detroit Red Wings for PuckBuddys.com. When he’s not writing or playing hockey, you might find him in a theater because he loves musicals, plays and dance..
Connect with Jeff Adams on Twitter @hockeyguynyc or visit his website: http://hattricknovel.com.
Q&A with Author Jeff Adams:
If you could swap places with one of your fictional characters for 24 hours, who would you choose to be? Why? And what would you do that day?
I would like to be Simon on a game day. While I play hockey, I don’t play anywhere close to the level that Simon does. He’s good… eligible for college scholarship good. It would be thrilling to be in his skates for a day and be able to play with the skill and confidence that he does. Hat Trick has several looks at how game days are for him, including his ritual to sit at the top of the stands pre-game to center himself as well as the get togethers the team has after games. He’s part of a team that, for the most part, plays very well and has a great time doing it. It would be a blast to be him on a day like that.
What part of the story was the most fun to write? The most challenging?
Writing Simon and Alex getting to know each other in the context of boyfriends, figuring out what their first dates was a lot of fun. The two sequences I like the best are the date that Alex plans as their first big “mega date” and they travel to Pittsburgh to go to a Penguins game and go out dancing. The other one is Christmas morning, which they spend together. It’s a sweet moment and you get a good glimpse at how much these two love each other.
The scenes of conflict, however, were difficult. Conflict in a story is, of course, important to maintaining the drama, but causing trouble in the lives of the characters I like a lot is rarely among my favorite things. The conflict that goes on between Simon and members of his family was tough. I was lucky to have wonderful, accepting family. Of course, many teens who come out do not and that’s the case for Simon. It took a lot of revision to get this conflict to where my trusted beta readers felt like it was realistic without going over the top or holding too much back.
What other interests do you have outside of writing?
As I mentioned earlier, I do play hockey. I’m on two teams that are part of the New York City Gay Hockey Association and I usually play a game or two a week. There are parts of Hat Trick that were actually written at the rink when I was on a break between games.
I’ve also become a biker in the past few years. I’m on my bicycle most days for the commute to work, but also running errands and getting out on weekends for 50 or 60 miles because it’s a great way to be active, but also to get away from the keyboard to ponder plot points for a few hours.
Since I live in NYC, I get out and indulge my love of theater often. Case in point: to celebrate the release of Hat Trick, my husband and I went to see Pippin, which was on our to-see list for a few months. I’m a sucker for a musical (I think it’d be awesome if someone figured out how to make Hat Trick into a musical), but I’m also happy to sit down for a good drama or comedy too.
It’s probably not a surprise that I also read as much as I can, which is not nearly as much as I want. Writing time and reading time are often at odds with each other. I tend to read more in the winter because I’m riding the subway more because it’s too cold to be out on my bike.
Are there any LGBT charities or resources that are near and dear to you that you would like to give a shout out to?
The You Can Play Project (youcanplayproject.org) came into existence while I was writing Hat Trick. Its mission is three fold: 1) Dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation. 2) Works to guarantee that athletes are given a fair opportunity to compete, judged by other athletes and fans alike, only by what they contribute to the sport or their team’s success. 3) Seeks to challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by focusing only on an athlete’s skills, work ethic and competitive spirit.
While I was writing the book, I made the coaches that Simon and Alex deal with adhere to this principal and it was great to see that idea validated by YCP when it came on the scene in March 2012. In an effort to support YCP’s mission, I’m donating one dollar from each copy of Hat Trick sold to the organization.
I also support Cycle for the Cause (cycleforthecause.org). This three day, 285 mile bike ride from Boston to New York City supports the HIV/AIDS services offered by The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in NYC. In the four years I’ve participated, I’ve raised over $15,000 for the cause to help the Center provide crucial services for both HIV/AIDS prevention (with several programs for young people to be educated about the risks) and support for those living with the disease.
What would you like young readers to take away from your novels?
There are three things that I hope come through. First, when you find your mister or ms right, go for it. Be true to yourself and do what seems right to you. Second, never underestimate the strength and support you can draw from friends. True friends will always be there for you. Third, sexual orientation in no way impacts your ability to participate in sports. If you want to be an athlete, practice your sport and get out there and do it.
Now Available from Queerteen Press:
Hat Trick
Simon Roberts’ plan for his senior year is simple -- help his high school hockey team win the state championship and earn a college scholarship so he can get away from his dysfunctional family, especially his belligerent father and obnoxious older brother.
When the Central High Falcons open their season with an away game, Simon is forced to deal with the problem he’s struggled with for months -- his crush on teammate Alex Miller. After the game that night, Alex makes an unexpected announcement -- he’s gay, and in love with Simon.
Simon’s elated but scared to openly acknowledge that he’s gay, especially with so much at stake in their senior year. Now that they’re out to each other they have to decide what to do next. Should they date? Should they keep things between them secret? What about the team? Can Simon and Alex hide that they’re more than friends from the guys they spend so much time with?
Then a simple kiss is witnessed and their secret is out. The team fractures, and Simon’s family explodes as news about the gay hockey players quickly spreads. The guys must figure out how to move forward with everyone watching. Being the center of attention was in no way part of Simon’s plan for the year.
Can Simon juggle school, commitments to the team, his new relationship, and an unexpected tragedy all before the end of the hockey season?
.
Hat Trick Giveaway!
Jeff Adams has generously donated a free autographed paperback copy of Hat Trick for one lucky winner. To enter the drawing, please leave a comment below along with your email address.
Blurb: High school senior Michael Sattler leads a charmed life. He’s a star athlete, has great friends, and parents who love him just the way he is. What’s missing from his life is a boyfriend. That’s a problem because he’s out only to his parents and best friend. When Michael accidentally bumps into Christy Castle at school, his life changes in ways he never imagined. Christy is Michael’s dream guy: smart, pretty, and sexy. But nothing could have prepared Michael for what being Christy's boyfriend would entail.
Christy needs to heal after years of abuse and knows he needs help to do it. After the death of his notorious father, he leaves his native Greece and settles in upstate New York. Alone, afraid, and left without a voice, Christy hides the myriad scars of his abuse. He desperately wants to be loved and when he meets Michael, he dares to hope that day has arrived. When one of Michael’s team-mates becomes an enemy and an abuser from Christy’s past seeks to return him to a life of slavery, only Michael and Christy's combined strength and unwavering determination can save them from the violence that threatens to destroy their future together.
Review: You had me at watermelon lip gloss. Actually, you had me long before that. I fell in love with Christy in a heartbeat. He was so delicate and fragile yet showed such incredible inner strength. It’s hard not to care for someone who has suffered so, but even before I learned of his tragic past, Christy came across as a lovable character. The way he silently admired Michael from afar and sat in the stands to watch him practice every day was sweet. My heart about burst when he told Michael he was his #1 Fan.
Michael was a sweetheart, too. He was patient, kind, loyal, loving. He never gave up on Christy no matter how difficult or dangerous their circumstances became. He was a valiant and lovable hero. And I found it completely endearing that he was so shy when it came to physical intimacy. Christy, of course, was not sexually inexperienced like Michael, and this was a great source of stress for Christy, but Michael couldn’t have handled it more beautifully than when he told Christy what they did together was a first for Christy, too—the first time he was touched with love.
The intimate moments between Christy and Michael were very sweet. They were so tender with one another. It was cute the way Michael became flustered when Christy flirted with him. They were just so very right for each other. I especially liked the way Michael encouraged Christy to embrace his effeminate side. It was easy to see how much Michael’s acceptance and support meant to Christy.
So far I’ve used words like sweet and loving and tender to describe this book. But I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention that there were moments filled with pain and terror and struggle. Christy’s past abuse is not something that can be easily overcome, and much of the book shows the physical, emotional, and psychological trauma Christy must deal with in his everyday life as he works through the healing process.
For example, when Christy feels physically threatened, he becomes paralyzed with fear. He cannot run away or yell for help or defend himself in any way. He’s completely at the mercy of his attacker. This was very difficult for me to read, but also somewhat comforting given my past history with childhood sexual abuse. I wish I had read Christy’s story when I was a child. It might have helped me deal with the shame, guilt, and self-hatred I felt over not having run from the people who took advantage of me.
The torture Christy suffered was extreme, though it isn’t described in graphic detail. Much is left to the imagination of the reader. I am extremely squeamish when it comes to torture or gore of any kind, but the way the information was presented here didn’t cause any problems for me. It was unpleasant, for sure, but not nightmare-inducing. I think, as a reader, you have to be willing to sit through a little bit of the horror to understand Christy.
Where the story went astray for me was the way the boys dealt with homophobia. There were several LGBT teen characters in the book, and several scenes wherin one or more of these characters were bullied at school. In every case, the situation was resolved with violence or the threat of violence. Michael and his friends, Jake and Lisa, beat the crap out of the bullies, or threatened to beat the crap out of the bullies, or threatened to spread rumors around school about the bully being gay. They even went so far as to stage a fight (presumably to make themselves look tough, though their motives weren't explicitly stated). I worry that this sends the wrong message to teens who read this story. I don’t blame Michael for defending Christy, and I don’t expect him to be a saint, but when good characters do bad things, I like to at least see some consequences for their actions (realistically, they would have been suspended).
On top of the sweet love story and the portrayal of the struggle it takes to overcome childhood abuse, there is a whole other element to this book. It is very much a thriller, complete with multiple psychopaths on the loose attempting to abduct and/or kill various characters. This element of the story felt a bit over the top to me, but I will admit that it added a great deal of suspense and fast-paced action. I found it difficult to put the book down each night (though I had to because of its long length). Maybe “over the top” isn’t the right word. Rather, it changed the tone of the story from “serious, real life drama” to “entertainment”. Based on the forward, I wasn’t expecting that, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
If you enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I think you'll enjoy Omorphi, too.
Blurb: The day fourteen-year-old Asher receives a Minolta camera from his aunt Sharon, he buys the last roll of black-and-white film and takes his first photograph—a picture of a twisted pine tree. He’s so preoccupied with his new hobby he fails to notice his dad’s plan to move out, his increasing alienation from his testosterone-ridden best friend, Levi, and his own budding sexuality. When his little brother drowns at the same moment Asher experiences his first same-sex kiss, he can no longer hide behind the lens of his camera. Asher thinks it’s his fault, but after his brother dies, his father resurfaces along with clues challenging Asher’s black-and-white view of the world. The truth is as twisted as the pine tree in his first photograph.
Review: I loved this book. So much so that, despite having to work the next morning I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish it. Teens everywhere, gay or straight, will relate to Asher, Garrett, Levi, Jennifer, and Kayla. There are so many different personalities in this book, each one so realistic I felt as if I knew them personally.
Asher is struggling to accept his parents divorce, especially when his father leaves his mother for another woman. His younger brother, Travis, annoys him, but as you find out from the blurb alone, his brother dies right at the same moment he has his first kiss with another boy. And I mean literally right at that moment.
What follows is a beautiful story about truths and lies. What is the truth? How do we know who is telling the truth and who isn't? Asher's friendship with Levi starts to fade when his friend becomes a member of the football team, and though Kayla is so different from him and doesn't want to fit any mold, she appears to be the one person who understands him the most.
I love that Asher uses an old camera to capture his photos rather than a digital camera. There's just something so much more special about taking a photo that way. His care in taking the photos is shown very carefully on the page.
In the end, I found myself standing in the open field with the sun hot on my head and neck and arms. I studied how the bark turned black when the sunlight was directly behind it, how the longer I stood there, the longer the shadow grew on the ground. I watched how the clouds changed beyond the tree. Last summer, I had hoisted Travis up to perch on the flat part of the curve. HIs legs were longer now; he could probably scramble up there on his own. I circled the tree again with the camera against my face.
The sun grew a shade brighter. I could actually see the veins on the bark through the viewfinder. I held the camera steady and adjusted the zoom. An internal light warned red until I pressed the button halfway down. The camera whirred and focused for me, and the twisted trunk of the pine tree came clear in the square of the viewfinder. The red light blinked and turned green. I felt the pinch of a mosquito on my forearm and a trickle of sweat running from my hairline to my jaw., but I didn't brush either away. I took my first picture. That afternoon I used the whole roll on that pine tree.
I'm very happy that there will be a sequel because I want more of everyone. I want to know what happens between Asher and Garrett, and if Asher ever confronts his mother and father with the truth about Travis. Needless to say I was shocked when at the VERY end you find out a secret.
And reader's are left with the biggest question of all. When it comes to Travis's death, whose fault was it really?
Jessica Freely can't resist a wounded hero. As a reader and a writer, her favorite stories are of soul mates finding redemption in each other's arms. Married to the love of her life in a beautiful relationship based on mutual goofiness, Jessica also warps minds as an instructor in Seton Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction MFA program. Her dog, Ruthie, doesn't seem to care that Jessica's an award-winning and best-selling author in multiple genres. She just wants to play tug of war with Jessica's pages.
Connect with Jessica Freely on Twitter http://twitter.com/jessicafreely or visit her website: http://jessicafreely.com
Q&A with Jessica Freely:
Tell us something we’d be surprised to learn about you.
I'm a Buddhist. I took the precepts five years ago at Still Point Temple in Detroit and I sit zen every morning.
If you could travel back in time and tell the teenage you one thing, what would it be?
Oh yeah, this is a good question. Okay, teenage me, listen up: The people who are telling you that your dreams are unrealistic mean well, but they're underestimating you. Ignore them and go for it.
Tell us about your cover design. Is there any symbolism from the story reflected in the cover?
Shout out to the awesome Paul Richmond, the cover artist for All the Colors of Love. I told him about my idea for the cover: a superhero with a rainbow cape poised to take flight against a backdrop of blue skies. Paul took that concept and ran with it and I love the result. Dressing our hero in jeans and a T-shirt was absolutely the right move. To me, the cover captures the idea of someone who has confronted evil, prevailed over hardships, and now looks forward to a bright future.
In what way is your story unique compared to other books in this genre?
As far as I know, it's the only LGBT YA science fiction romance that includes among its supporting characters an aquatic plant-man with a twenty-foot tail and molecular biologist who's been reincarnated in the body of a pleasure android.
What did you like to read when you were a teenager?
I liked books where the characters went through a lot of intense emotions. Being a teenager was a wild ride. Everything that was happening was happening to me for the first time. Sometimes it felt like the world was coming to an end and sometimes it felt like life couldn't get any better but whatever the feelings were, they were big. I sought out stories that could engage those powerful feelings and release them through catharsis.
I don't think everyone gets that about young adult fiction. The folks who think the books are too dark don't seem to understand that those extreme situations offer teenagers a way to safely explore and work through the emotional extremes that come along with adolescence.
What would you like young readers to take away from your novels?
I hope to entertain readers with a story that makes them laugh, cry, and think. Young people are always getting a lecture from adults. Enough. You're entitled to just enjoy something without it being about learning a lesson. .
Now Available from Harmony Ink Press:
All the Colors of Love
It sucks being the son of a super villain. At home, Harry spends half of his time getting medical treatments and the other half tied up in his father's underwater lair. It was different when his mother was alive, but she disappeared when Harry was six. He can't seem to stay out of trouble at school, and his new roommate, Antonin, thinks he’s a spaz, but somehow Harry has to find a way to stop his father's evil plans.
Antonin Karganilla wants to become a comic book artist, but other than that, being gay is the most normal thing about him. His uncle is an aquatic plant man, his aunt is a molecular biologist back from the dead, and his mom is an overprotective pain in the butt. Antonin's in boarding school and it's starting to look like he and this Harry kid might have a lot in common... and that means a whole new set of problems.
Gift Card Giveaway!
Jessica Freely has generously donated a five dollar gift card to the bookseller website of choice for one lucky winner. To enter the drawing, please leave a comment below along with your email address.
Cody Kennedy Raised on the mean streets and back lots of Hollywood by a Yoda-look-alike grandfather, Cody Kennedy doesn’t conform, doesn’t fit in, is epic awkward and lives to perfect a deep-seated oppositional defiance disorder. In a constant state of fascination with the trivial, Cody contemplates such weighty questions as: If time and space are curved, then where do all the straight people come from? When not writing, Cody can be found taming waves on western shores, pondering the nutritional value of sunsets, appreciating the much maligned dandelion, unhooking guide ropes from stanchions, and marveling at all things ordinary.
Connect with Cody Kennedy on Twitter @CodyKAuthor or visit Cody's website: http://www.CKennedyAuthor.blogspot.com
Q&A with Author Cody Kennedy:
What part of the story was the most fun to write? The most challenging?
There were two fun parts to write in Omorphi and both center around Christy misunderstanding American colloquialisms because he is Greek. In the first instance, Christy, Michael, and Michael’s best friend, Jake, are having dinner at a diner and Christy asks what a twink is. Understanding that Jake is straight, Michael and Jake go through a series of hilarious exchanges in explaining the etymology of twink.
In the second instance, Jake’s parents take Christy, Michael, Jake, and Christy’s cousin, Sophia, out to dinner. Sophia’s restaurant of choice is a gay club. Jake’s father is mortified that he’s dining at a gay club with a flirtatious waiter who won’t leave him alone, and Christy is fascinated, never having imagined such a place. When Christy notices the dance cages suspended high above, he asks if they have animals there. Michael tells him they have bears, they’re extremely dangerous, and Christy should never, ever try to pet one.
The hardest part of the story to write was Michael’s reaction to seeing Christy’s paintings. Christy is an incredible artist and part of his therapy is to write or paint about what has happened to him. Though Michael knows Christy is a survivor of abuse, the magnitude of what Christy endured doesn’t hit him until he sees Christy’s graphic art. It upsets him, he tries to stifle his revulsion, horror, and grief for Christy, but is overwhelmed. He’s a track and field athlete so he goes for a run to try to dispel the unbidden emotions. The run only serves to heighten his emotions and he collapses in the center of the field and rails at the heavens. He can’t comprehend how, among other things, someone could deny a child the inalienable rights to safety, security, to grow and learn, and to be loved.
What does your main character like to read?
Christy is a fan of Edgar Allan Poe and believes that Poe’s macabre stories and poems describe his life. He is also a fan of Harry Clarke’s illustrations for Poe and has recreated a number of them in his paintings. In each one, he has replaced the victim’s face with his own and in one painting he has gone so far as to paint the following stanza from The Pit and the Pendulum into it: “I shrank back but the closing walls pressed me resistlessly onward. At length for my seared and writhing body there was no longer an inch of foothold on the firm floor of the prison. I struggled no more, but the agony of my soul found vent in one loud, long, and final scream of despair.”.
Do you have a nervous habit when writing? A guilty pleasure when writing
I talk to myself, and to my characters, and to my story in general, which is ironic because I stutter and can hardly speak. When I write dialogue, I mouth what I’m writing and sometimes spout something like “Christy would never say that. Erase that [stuff] and start over. Have you bothered to get to know your characters, Cody?” Or I’ll write a particular action and decide that it’s all kinds of wrong. Next thing you know, I’m asking Michael “That’s wrong. What are you doing?” Or I’ll write a scene about a bad guy and end it with “You are so freakin’ mean! I hate you!” Then nod to self. “Job well done.”
Is there one genre of YA that you would love to write but haven’t? (example: paranormal, contemporary, fantasy)
Who doesn’t want to a write a paranormal story? Yes, I have one in mind. Shocking, I know. I would also like to pen a historical novel. I have outlined a story about the young children and teens who worked tirelessly to restore art and books after the museums and libraries in Florence, Italy were flooded during the Arno River flood in 1966.
What would you like young readers to take away from your novels?
Hope, courage, and the will to live and love. You are not alone. You are not invisible. You are essential, you are rare, you are precious. Never be afraid to love. Love is that indescribable link that inspires the heart and mind to grow wings. No matter your appearance, personality, or circumstances, there is someone out there especially for you. Somewhere, someone is looking for exactly what you have to offer. Anything is possible. Sometimes “anything” is a little freaky, but when you dare to allow yourself to believe that anything is possible, then it absolutely is. Dare to imagine, dare to believe.
Now Available from Harmony Ink Press:
Omorphi
Όμορφη
Όμορφη. Ómorphi. Greek. Meaning pretty
Pretty. adj. /pritē/ Pleasing by delicacy or grace
High school senior Michael Sattler leads a charmed life. He’s a star athlete, has great friends, and parents who love him just the way he is. What’s missing from his life is a boyfriend. That’s a problem because he’s out only to his parents and best friend. When Michael accidentally bumps into Christy Castle at school, his life changes in ways he never imagined. Christy is Michael’s dream guy: smart, pretty, and sexy. But nothing could have prepared Michael for what being Christy's boyfriend would entail.
Christy needs to heal after years of abuse and knows he needs help to do it. After the death of his notorious father, he leaves his native Greece and settles in upstate New York. Alone, afraid, and left without a voice, Christy hides the myriad scars of his abuse. He desperately wants to be loved and when he meets Michael, he dares to hope that day has arrived. When one of Michael’s team-mates becomes an enemy and an abuser from Christy’s past seeks to return him to a life of slavery, only Michael and Christy's combined strength and unwavering determination can save them from the violence that threatens to destroy their future together.
It started with the genchangers, human-made genetic viruses designed to meld animal features into humans for fun, fashion, or fetish. The viruses mutated, became airborne, began changing people at random. Then came the fear, and the war. The normal humans were quickly outnumbered and outclassed, hunted to the brink of extinction, and huddled in small, fortified settlements. Their only hope for survival was that the mutants would eventually die out. But the viruses mutated again, and many of those infected found themselves able to breed. Fur-borns like anthrotiger Nikki were the first of a new generation of life on Earth, homo superior. The world belonged to the anthros.
All of Nikki's life, she was taught to hate and revile humans. But that was before she met the Buckmans, a human family trying to make it to a safe zone, nothing at all like the bloodthirsty monsters her father told her of. And in particular, the Buckman's young son Wade, who stirs feelings in Nikki she doesn't understand. Wade, though, wants nothing to do with her, and Nikki doesn't know if it's because she's an anthrotiger, or because her father insists on calling her by her birth name—Nicholas.
When eighteen-year-old Hunter Jackson and his half sister, Ashlin, return to their dad’s for the first winter in years, they expect everything to be just like the warmer months they’d spent there as kids. And it is—at first. But Chance, the charismatic and adventurous boy who made their summers epic, is harboring deep secrets. Secrets that are quickly spiraling into something else entirely.
The reason they've never met Chance’s parents or seen his home is becoming clearer. And what the siblings used to think of as Chance's quirks—the outrageous stories, his clinginess, his dangerous impulsiveness—are now warning signs that something is seriously off.
Then Chance's mom turns up with a bullet to the head, and all eyes shift to Chance and his dad. Hunter and Ashlin know Chance is innocent...they just have to prove it. But how can they protect the boy they both love when they can’t trust a word Chance says?
Seventeen-year-old Luke Chesser is trying to forget his spectacular failure of a love life. He practices marching band moves for hours in the hot Texas sun, deals with his disapproving father, and slyly checks out the new band field tech, Curtis Cameron. Before long, Luke is falling harder than he knew he could. And this time, he intends to play it right.
Since testing positive for HIV, Curtis has careened between numbness and fear. Too ashamed to tell anyone, Curtis can't possibly act on his feelings. And Luke--impulsive, funny, and more tempting than he realizes--won't take a hint. Even when Curtis distances himself it backfires, leaving him with no idea how to protect Luke from the truth.
Confronting a sensitive topic with candor and aplomb, acclaimed author J. H. Trumble renders a modern love story as sweet, sharp, and messy as the real thing, where easy answers are elusive, and sometimes the only impossible thing is to walk away.
A young person’s sixteenth birthday is an important rite of passage that’s celebrated in the land of marionettes. A quarterly dance at the king’s palace for recent celebrants marks the highlight of a teenager’s year, where youngsters of all classes are invited to mingle and dance and enjoy themselves, forging new friendships and potential romances, all of which are expected to shape their lives for the better.
Benedict is a boy from a privileged household. Spoiled and taught his role as the future benefactor to those less fortunate, he’s grown up with specific strictures on how to behave toward others, and he’s learned to look to his elders for unequivocal guidance.
Just before the next dance at the king’s palace—a dance where Benedict, having just turned sixteen, is invited—a few strange things begin to happen. First, there’s the matter regarding Jeremy, Benedict’s friend, who lives in a poor cottage with his mother and grandmother in the woods. Jeremy’s not only been acting oddly, but also is missing some of his marionette strings. No amount of prodding from Benedict yields answers, and the more he tries to delve into things, the more Jeremy pushes away.
Secondly, there’s the matter regarding birds insisting that Benedict go to the palace to find the lost prince. With nothing but a key and obtuse instructions to go by, Benedict attempts to humor the birds but gradually realizes that the answer to the mystery of the lost prince could very well be a lot more personal than he’d first believed, especially when he sees Jeremy somehow being involved in it.
Senior Dustin Ericson and his best friend Kadie have an unspoken agreement to never reveal they are gay. Dustin recently broke a school record in tennis and enjoys a new rise in popularity, but he’s still afraid of what everyone else would think if they knew the truth about who he is.
When Dustin gets asked to a prom after-party by Ryan, the guy he's had a crush on since junior high, he can't refuse. Ryan thinks Dustin and Kadie are dating, but Kadie refuses to be Dustin's prom date until Dustin tells her Ryan is bringing Alyssa to prom ... the girl Kadie has a crush on.
Dustin and Kadie plan the perfect date, including all of Ryan and Alyssa’s favorite food, music, even colors. Sometimes Dustin wonders if he is normal, and sort of feels like a stalker when he realizes he knows a lot more about Ryan than Ryan knows about him.
But prom night doesn’t go well at all. Dustin drives with Kadie in the passenger seat while Ryan and Alyssa tear each other’s clothes off in the back. Dustin feels ashamed he could have imagined making out with Ryan instead. He hates having to hide who he is, and Kadie feels the same. Will things ever get better?
Sixteen year old Aine lives in the Colony, and his whole life was decided before he was born. In two years he will marry the girl next door, Brin, who was assigned as his Other at birth. Then he will be given a position in the Colony's workforce that best suits his talents. Each night he takes four pills, like everyone else in the Colony, and he knows the pills keep them safe and their world in order.
Everything is fine. Perfect, in fact. Until Aine accidentally drops one of his pills.
Terrified, he tries to hide the mistake, but when he dreams for the first time in his life, he discovers all he's been missing. What scares him more than not taking the pill, though, is how alive his dreams make him feel. Because it isn't Brin he dreams of but his best friend Kyer.
Another boy.
Suddenly Aine's world turns upside down, and he doesn't know what to think or who to trust. All he knows for sure is he's falling in love with Kyer, which is forbidden by the Colony's Code, and he will do anything to protect their budding relationship.
Even if it means defying the Overseer and leaving the Colony behind.
Simon Roberts’ plan for his senior year is simple -- help his high school hockey team win the state championship and earn a college scholarship so he can get away from his dysfunctional family, especially his belligerent father and obnoxious older brother.
When the Central High Falcons open their season with an away game, Simon is forced to deal with the problem he’s struggled with for months -- his crush on teammate Alex Miller. After the game that night, Alex makes an unexpected announcement -- he’s gay, and in love with Simon.
Simon’s elated but scared to openly acknowledge that he’s gay, especially with so much at stake in their senior year. Now that they’re out to each other they have to decide what to do next. Should they date? Should they keep things between them secret? What about the team? Can Simon and Alex hide that they’re more than friends from the guys they spend so much time with?
Then a simple kiss is witnessed and their secret is out. The team fractures, and Simon’s family explodes as news about the gay hockey players quickly spreads. The guys must figure out how to move forward with everyone watching. Being the center of attention was in no way part of Simon’s plan for the year.
Can Simon juggle school, commitments to the team, his new relationship, and an unexpected tragedy all before the end of the hockey season?
Torrant Shadow and Yarrow “Yarri” Moon grew up sheltered in Moon Hold, a place where Torrant’s goddess gifts were meant to be celebrated, and love of any form was a thing of beauty. Unfortunately, in Clough, within a stone's throw of Consort Rath, having beliefs of that sort will get your family killed.
Grief-stricken, Torrant and Yarri are suddenly alone against the elements and a world that would rather see them dead than see them safe. Torrant's goddess gift, which had previously been used for truth and healing, must be honed for violence and protection if either of them are to survive. When Torrant, Yarri, and their new friend Aldam reach safety, will Torrant be able to put this part of him aside? Or will Triane's Son grow to fight the forces that forged him?
High school senior Michael Sattler leads a charmed life. He’s a star athlete, has great friends, and parents who love him just the way he is. What’s missing from his life is a boyfriend. That’s a problem because he’s out only to his parents and best friend. When Michael accidentally bumps into Christy Castle at school, his life changes in ways he never imagined. Christy is Michael’s dream guy: smart, pretty, and sexy. But nothing could have prepared Michael for what being Christy's boyfriend would entail.
Christy needs to heal after years of abuse and knows he needs help to do it. After the death of his notorious father, he leaves his native Greece and settles in upstate New York. Alone, afraid, and left without a voice, Christy hides the myriad scars of his abuse. He desperately wants to be loved and when he meets Michael, he dares to hope that day has arrived. When one of Michael’s team-mates becomes an enemy and an abuser from Christy’s past seeks to return him to a life of slavery, only Michael and Christy's combined strength and unwavering determination can save them from the violence that threatens to destroy their future together.
It sucks being the son of a super villain. At home, Harry spends half of his time getting medical treatments and the other half tied up in his father's underwater lair. It was different when his mother was alive, but she disappeared when Harry was six. He can't seem to stay out of trouble at school, and his new roommate, Antonin, thinks he’s a spaz, but somehow Harry has to find a way to stop his father's evil plans.
Antonin Karganilla wants to become a comic book artist, but other than that, being gay is the most normal thing about him. His uncle is an aquatic plant man, his aunt is a molecular biologist back from the dead, and his mom is an overprotective pain in the butt. Antonin's in boarding school and it's starting to look like he and this Harry kid might have a lot in common... and that means a whole new set of problems.
Aaron Downing is broken, barely clinging to the hope that one day, he will be normal again. His life remains a constant string of nightmares, flashbacks, and fear, but he perseveres and starts college, determined to move on.
Then Aaron gets assigned to work with Spencer Thomas for his programming project. Aaron doesn’t want Spencer to think he’s a freak, but as he gets to know his new deaf friend, he figures out he doesn’t need to be “normal.” If he could just learn to control his fear, that could be enough to find his footing again.
Or so Aaron thinks until his parents begin talking about institutionalizing him to give his brothers a more stable life. He searches desperately to find a way to cope or even to fake normalcy. But his new shrink’s instability makes conquering his demons that much more difficult, and his attraction to Spencer threatens to send Aaron spinning out of control.
Adapted as a YA edition of the novel Aaron by J.P. Barnaby.
100% of the author's royalties are being donated to help homeless LGBT kids find safe shelter.
The day fourteen-year-old Asher receives a Minolta camera from his aunt Sharon, he buys the last roll of black-and-white film and takes his first photograph—a picture of a twisted pine tree. He’s so preoccupied with his new hobby he fails to notice his dad’s plan to move out, his increasing alienation from his testosterone-ridden best friend, Levi, and his own budding sexuality. When his little brother drowns at the same moment Asher experiences his first same-sex kiss, he can no longer hide behind the lens of his camera. Asher thinks it’s his fault, but after his brother dies, his father resurfaces along with clues challenging Asher’s black-and-white view of the world. The truth is as twisted as the pine tree in his first photograph.
Evan Drake needs to be a role model to his younger brother Brandon, and although he’s a star on his high school basketball team, there’s more to him than meets the eye. He’s interested in many things, including drama and singing, and when he joins drama club, he meets Noah Sheridan, and he’s pretty interested in him, too. Noah is a super smart, cute but nerdy kid who has written a high school play about two gay students who attended Boyne City High twenty years ago, and who in real life, fell in love with each other. When the drama department elects to use the play for their high school musical, Noah urges Evan to audition for the lead role. Evan ultimately decides he wants to be in the play, but when he shows up to audition, it sends shockwaves throughout the school. His teammates are furious, and so is his best friend Bryan. As Evan and Noah grow closer, Bryan gets more traitorous, and it seems he wants nothing more than to see his former friend broken down.
But as Nikki tries harder and harder to be a boy, she feels as if she's betraying herself. She pushes away the thoughts in her head trying to tell her that's just what she's doing; she's too in love to listen. When Kane's own fears cause him to make the same mistake Nikki is making—to bury who he really is to please someone else—Nikki finally realizes she has no choice but to be herself, regardless of who objects. She also learns that it's not so bad to be a boy sometimes, especially when you find someone who accepts you exactly as you are, genderqueerness and all.
Sinews of the Heart
