"Thirst Trap" by Zachary Ryan

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY

Thirst Trap

by Zachary Ryan

Thirst Trap by Zachary Ryan is currently on tour with Xpresso Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

Tragedy comes in all forms, and you never know how you’ll deal with it. Four friends have all dealt with their fair share of struggles. Dillion, an aspiring writer with writers block because of his brothers sudden death, Jesse the emotional stunted drink thanks to his boyfriend’s suicide, Ivan the abused victim just looking for a place to call home, and Leo the stubborn romantic trying to get his friends to open up, while keeping his issues close to his chest.

With these four friends, they avoid all their elephants in the room like a death card agreement between Dillion and Jesse, Ivan completely hoping his abusive lover with change or even Leo focusing on his friends problems instead of his own. Can these four friends learn to embrace and accept their own tragedy or will they be stuck in the past?

Thirst Trap is a humorous coming of age novel dealing with sexuality, tragedy, substance abuse, and the most beautiful insane friendships.

Excerpt

Chapter One

Dillon

I hadn’t expected to be here so shortly between my visits, but when you feel a burn downstairs, you need to make sure you didn’t catch anything. I looked over at the stupid sign promoting safe sex, and rolled my eyes. I knew damn well the gay scene in Chicago didn’t believe in condoms. I wanted to blame barebacking porn, but I knew it was just because I was too lazy and impatient for the guy to wrap it up.

A guy came and sat next to me. He looked nervous, and I could tell that he was having a mini panic attack. His left leg was vibrating, and he was constantly checking his phone. The guy kept turning toward me. He had dirty blonde hair, a little bit on the heavier side, and had nice blue eyes. He would be more Leo’s speed than mine. I could tell the guy kept checking me out.

I was used to people checking me out. I knew that sounded cocky, but I made my money dancing on top of bars in nothing but a thong. I had to make sure I had my body in shape, my brown hair perfectly styled, and my hazel eyes needed to scream that I was going to rip your asshole apart later that night.

I smiled at him. “First time?” I asked.

He glared at me. “I’m just here for a checkup.”

I leaned back and put my hands behind my back. “Don’t worry.

You will quickly be able to push aside the internal shame of getting tested, after your fourth or fifth time.”

He didn’t say anything else. He just got up and walked across the room. I rolled my eyes. I knew he couldn’t take a joke. Maybe that was why I wasn’t a stand-up comedian. I felt my phone vibrate. I pulled it out to see it was a text from Jesse, asking if I was still coming in for a drink. He had texted the group, which consisted of my other two best friends; Ivan and Leo.

“Mr. Nelson?” The nurse came out with a clipboard. I raised my hand. “That’s me.”

The nurse looked me up and down. I knew they weren’t supposed to judge you, but I could tell that she remembered me from a couple of months back. I got up to follow her, turned to the guy that hated me. “Don’t worry, they’ll get to know your name soon enough, too,” I winked, and laughed when his hookup app notification went off.

I followed her into a room, and she asked me the same questions that I’m always forced to answer. She wrote down my answers and tried her hardest to keep her mouth shut, when I told her that I hadn’t used condoms my last couple of times. She drew some blood, and told me that they would have the results in a couple of days.

I walked out of the building to the brisk chill of a fall day. I had the night off, and I was planning to forget about this whole day and hopefully, end up in bed with a stranger for the night. I felt my phone go off, and it was my mother.

I forgot that it was our weekly phone call. “Hey mom, this isn’t a good time,” I said.

“Really?” she asked. “You continue to tell me that every time I call you. I know you don’t have class right now. You’ve sent me your schedule, and I don’t see anything at this time.”

If she only knew that I dropped out of college two years ago. “I just wanted to get this new short story done for my fiction class.”

“I’m happy to hear you’re focusing on writing instead of drinking,” she said.

I had always wanted to be a writer, but life had caused me to go in a different direction. “You’re right, mom. I spend all my nights at home being a loser,” I said.

“I can hear the sarcasm in your voice. I’m glad you only have two more semesters until you graduate college. My baby boy graduating from college.”

I could make things better and tell her that I technically have a degree in twerking and making my ass cheeks clapping together, but I knew that wouldn’t go down well with her. “You need to stop bragging about me. I think the other housewives might get pissed at you.”

Thirst Trap

She sighed. “It’s refreshing knowing that you’re doing better after everything that happened with Wade,” she said.

I knew she always wanted to bring him up, but I didn’t feel the desire to get into it. “Mom, I have to go. I’m sorry that I have to cut this short, but I see my professor coming,” I said.

“Always focusing on your academics,” she said. “I love you. Talk to you soon,” she paused. “You also need to give your dad a call.”

“Can’t you relay I’m doing well?” I asked.

Hi mom and dad, I know you’re cool with me being gay, but I dropped out of college to be a homosexual thirst trap. You still love me, right?

I rolled my eyes at the thought. “I will. Love you.” I hung up before she could say anything else.

“You had better be on your way to the bar. There’s a couple of cute boys here, and I know damn well you have nothing else going on,” Jesse had said in a text.

I responded that I would be there in a couple of minutes. I needed a good drink, and an even better lay. I didn’t want to think about the clinic, my parents, or even worse, Wade.

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Praise for the Book

“All four main characters are well fleshed out. The supporting characters are shown with depth also. I liked that it was not a Harlequin style book. Each man needs to own his issues and stop evading the causes.” ~ Richmond Reader

“If you need a group of friends story with all the feels, this is IT. I was instantly immersed in the world this group of four exists in and while it's really rough, it's also really REAL.” ~ AurenRose

“I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a lot of emotional highs and lows in their reads. If you enjoy stories about people learning what it means to “adult” in an often times cruel and unforgiving world, where even the smallest moments of happiness have to be fought for, you will enjoy this one.” ~ Sharonica

“It was enjoyable, engrossing, emotional (be prepared), and I had a hard time putting it down. Each character has their time in the spotlight, and no one overshadows another. It's a story about growing up, coming of age, and so much more. You have to read this one for yourself.” ~ Maria V.

“This is the 2nd book I've read written by Zachary Ryan; he has done a great job at writing a good book; I will definitely be reading more of his books. The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book. I loved the characters.” ~ Jeanne Richardson

About the Author

Zachary Ryan grew up in a black-and-white box in Maryland, before moving to Chicago to start a new life. There, he found that he was accepted for his misfit status–and learned that it’s perfectly normal to spend your twenties feeling lost and confused.

After a disastrous sexual encounter, Ryan stumbled on a group of true friends, or “soul cluster”, that he connected with. Through his writing, he hopes to help other broken souls out there find comfort amid the chaos.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

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"Haskell Himself" by Gary Seigel

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY

Haskell Himself

by Gary Seigel

Haskell Himself by Gary Seigel is currently on tour with Xpresso Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

Meet Haskell Hodge. At sixteen he’s already garnered some fame as a former child actor and star of a popular cereal commercial. But that doesn’t do much for him when he’s dumped at his aunt’s house in the suburbs of Los Angeles to face an assortment of neighborhood bullies.

He thinks he might be gay. In fact, he could be the only gay person in the valley, maybe on the entire planet. Even if he does manage to find a boyfriend, their relationship would have to be secret and invisible.

After all it’s 1966. And though Time Magazine claims the sexual revolution is in full swing, the freedoms straight people are enjoying don’t seem to apply to everyone. And as much as Haskell attempts to hide his true self, carefully navigating the tricky and risky terrain of being queer, he’s still taunted and teased relentlessly.

Rather than give in to the irrationality of this hate, Haskell fights back, eventually finding an unlikely outlet to vent his frustration and angst - playing a bully in a screen test for a major motion picture. If he plays his cards right, it could catapult him into Hollywood stardom.

Of course, like most things in life, it comes with a heavy price Haskell’s not certain he’s willing to pay.

Excerpt

Bonanza

That evening, Mom brought in meatballs, calzones, and a Caesar salad from Lombardi’s. I waited until we had devoured all the food before I reminded Mom of Hope’s ill-temper and childish behaviors.

“What bothers me is that Aunt Sheila hardly ever corrects her. Not even a slap on the wrist or a ‘Go to your room.’”

“Aunt Sheila does what she has to do.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “If Al Capone had been Sheila’s child, she would have sent him to bed early without his hot cocoa and biscotti and have come up with some lame excuse for his murder spree.”

“Oh, Haskell, parents may treat their children a little differently in California, and she’s not six any more. Hope is nearly nine years old. Wait and see. You’ve never had a sibling. It will be a healthy change.”

My anxiety worsened. What did I know about living with a nine-year-old? I hadn’t been with a nine-year-old since I was nine. And what would it be like living with an aunt and an uncle? I’d never lived with a “father” figure before. My dad called me periodically, like once a year, but I rarely ever saw him. Frankly, I wasn’t sure I’d get along with Uncle Ted, since all he ever talked about was baseball. What would we have in common?

I felt a headache coming on.

And then Mom did what she often did in her real estate negotiations: she sweetened the deal.

“So, you were saying that you just did an exercise where you played a villainous cowboy? Is that right?”

“Yes, and it went well.”

“I think I found you a screen test in Hollywood for a part in a TV Western.”

“Really?”

“You’d be playing a pioneer kid in the Old West who has been living alone most of his life. The Cartwrights find him wandering in the fields, and they invite him in.”

“Are we talking Bonanza?”

I was excited. This was TV’s number-one show.

“Could this lead to a regular part?” I asked eagerly.

“No, I don’t think so. Turns out the kid’s a bit twisted. Gets in fights all the time, and he ends up drowning at the end of the episode. Still, what a great way to start your adventures in Los Angeles!”

My father, Tony Pawlikowski, whom I had met a half a dozen times, had connections with the company that produced Bonanza. It was a Western about a three-time widower and his three adult sons living on a big ranch called The Ponderosa, and every week they’d face numerous challenges. Sometimes they were silly stories, such as the time when one of the sons, Hoss Cartwright, fights a tribe of leprechauns. Most often, though, the episodes were more serious. In this one, I’d be playing a maniacal orphan who apparently can’t swim.

My initial instincts? After six months in Miss Hogan’s class, I could tackle this role.

The only problem was the kid was supposed to be short and rather tough and extremely handsome. I was none of those things. I was tall, weighing less than 150 pounds. A real beanpole. I wasn’t exactly tough either, and with my big ears, I was certainly not handsome.

“Mom, I don’t think this will work out. My physical appearance is all wrong.” I pored over a description listed in the classified section of Variety. “He twirls a gun in the air?”

“We’ll get you a gun tutor.”

“There’s no such thing. Come on!”

“They have gun tutors all over Los Angeles. We’ll look them up in the Yellow Pages. An actor can transform himself into any role,” my mom said, her face gleaming, mimicking my acting coach. “If they like you, they’ll make adjustments.”

“No one is going to take me seriously as a handsome, rugged boy in town. I’m too scrawny.”

“Perfect! Your mom’s dead, remember? So, she’s not been around to feed you.”

Maybe she’s not dead. Maybe she just went to Antwerp, I thought.

“And I’d probably need to ride a horse, right? It even says here. ‘Horse riding experience necessary.’ You have to read the fine print, Mom. I’ve never ridden a horse. I’ve never even ridden a bike! I don’t even roller skate!”

“They’d probably bring in a stunt double for those scenes,” she said, dismissing my concern with a wave of her hand. “Well, if you don’t want to try out for that part, that’s fine. I have another great idea for you.”

“What’s that?”

“Sheila is good friends with the mother of a boy about your age who is also into acting. He attends the same high school you’ll be attending, so he’s someone you can hang around with when you arrive in Encino. He’s quite the talent, apparently.”

“What’s his name?”

“Her last name is Stoneman.” She grabbed a piece of paper from her purse. “And his name is Henry.”

“I never heard of him.”

Yes, I lied to my own mother. I had, in fact, seen his name mentioned in Variety. He had won a small part recently in a Disney film.

“We’ll arrange for you boys to meet, and you can take it from there. You two have so much in common. It will be wonderful.”

That night, I dug through my latest copies of Screen Magazine and spotted a photograph of Henry Stoneman. Quite handsome, wearing black jeans and black shirt with rhinestone buttons and a cowboy hat. He was in John Wayne’s last movie, so he could probably ride a horse, use a gun, and speak fluent Apache. He had eighteen film and TV credits. Eighteen!

I fell into a deep, angry, solid funk, desperately hoping my mom might change her mind and this California nightmare would dissipate into dust.

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Praise for the Book

“Haskell's endless neurotic uncertainty over who to be and what to do will captivate readers. An entertaining and perceptive YA take on the predicament of gay adolescence.” ~ Kirkus Reviews

“I have never rooted for any fictional character quite as much I did for Haskell Hodge, the hilarious, dorky, slightly histrionic protagonist and narrator of Gary Seigel's novel, Haskell Himself.” ~ Online Book Club Review

“A touching, coming of age story about a boy finding himself. The real joy of this story show is how relatable Haskell Himself is for all of us, young and old, straight or gay.” ~ Holly Kammier, international bestselling author of Kingston Court

“A must read YA novel that captures the angst, misery and frustration of being a teenager who doesn't fit in the mold. I couldn't put it down.” ~ Jessica Therrien, bestselling YA author of Children of the Gods

“A brilliant mix of hope, heart, and humor. Fans of David Levithan and Becky Albertalli will love Gary Seigel's debut novel. This wise and witty portrait of what it means to be different will have you in tears one moment and laughing the next. I wanted to reach through the pages and hug Haskell. You will too.” ~ Jill Rubalcaba, author of Every Bone Tells a Story

About the Author

Gary Seigel was raised in Encino, California, where his debut novel, Haskell Himself, takes place. After completing a PhD in English at Rutgers University, Gary taught at several colleges and universities, but his most memorable experience was a brief 12 week stint at the same high school he (and Haskell) graduated from, teaching side by side with some of the same teachers he once endured. Currently, Gary gives grammar and proofreading classes to business professionals eager to write error-free emails. He also has spent the past two decades helping employees control their inner jerk when texting or holding conversations with an impossible boss. His book The Mouth Trap: Strategies, Tips and Secrets for Keeping Your Feet out of Your Mouth, published in 2008, has been translated into over a dozen languages. He is the father of three sons and currently lives in South Pasadena with his partner.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.

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"All Boy" by Mia Kerick

REVIEW and GIVEAWAY

All Boy

by Mia Kerick

All Boy by Mia Kerick is currently on tour with Xpresso Book Tours. The tour stops here today for my review, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

For more books by this author, please check out my blog post on The Weekend Bucket List, my blog post on My Crunchy Life, my blog post on Love Spell, my blog post on The Art of Hero Worship, and my blog post on The Princess of Baker Street.

Description

Seventeen-year-old Callie Canter knows all about screwing up—and being screwed over. After her so-called boyfriend publicly humiliated her senior year, taking a fifth year of high school at Beaufort Hills Academy is her second chance to leave behind a painful past. But her need for social acceptance follows, and going along with the in-crowd is the difference between survival and becoming a target. Staying off the radar is top priority. So, falling for an outsider is the last thing on Callie’s “to-do” list. Too bad her heart didn’t get the memo.

With his strict, religious upbringing and former identity far away in Florida, Jayden Morrissey can finally be true to himself at Beaufort Hills Academy. But life as a trans man means keeping secrets, and keeping secrets means not getting too close to anyone. If he can just get through his fifth year unnoticed, maybe a future living as the person he was born to be is possible. Yet love is love, and when you fall hard enough, intentions crumble, plans detour, and secrets are revealed.

From multi-award-winning author Mia Kerick, comes a powerful, timely, and life-changing novel, which follows two teenagers nursing broken hearts and seeking acceptance, and who together realize running away isn’t always the answer.

Book Video

Excerpt

Callie

After grabbing coffee at Central Campus Café, Lauren and I gravitate to our usual seats in Post Grad Advanced Psychology class in the Tremont Building. All fifth-year students are required to attend Advanced Psych. It’s used by the faculty as an opportunity to address us all together. Lauren and I always sit in the third row from the front, between the club soccer players, of which I’m one, and a boy as introverted as he is eye candy. And we’re positioned directly in front of this guy named Willy Lerner, who’s been nuts about Lauren since the moment he first set his slightly crossed eyes on her. Who can blame him? Lauren is the picture of perfection—petite, soft-spoken, and sweet. Everything I’m not.

And we, like sheep, are herded daily from our classes to the cafeteria for dinner to Evening Study Session. We already know the route well and do our best to proceed single file, from the chute to the gathering pen, without going astray. Astray, like we went during our first senior year in high school.

By the second week of classes, the fifth-years have settled into a steady groove at our elite prep school, Beaufort Hills Academy. Advanced Psych is our first class of the day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and it doesn’t meet until 10:30 AM, the late start a show of respect for our lofty post grad status.

It’s cool how the Academy gives its high school PGs a measure of freedom. They try to make us feel almost like we’re in college, not doing a fifth year at an uppity boarding high school for screw-ups with potential. But Mom’s right when she says they don’t give us enough rope to hang ourselves here. Our need for “gradual and structured access to freedom”—a direct quotation from the BHA post grad brochure—is why we’re spending a gap year in prep school reclaiming our squandered senior years instead of doing bigger and better things at highly selective universities.

“Hang on to your desk, Carlos, ’cause I feel an earthquake coming on.” Shawn Heck is three-for-three, starting last Friday, with the pre-class verbal harassment directed at moi. At least he’s predictable.

My palms sweat and my belly churns, just like last year when I even thought about returning to school after the incident.

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Praise for the Book

“This was an incredible story about friendship, identity, finding what your heart wants and the strength to fight for your future.” ~ Teresa

“Mia Kerick tackles all the hard topics and she does it well.” ~ AussieReader

“Jayden was an amazing character, almost too good to believe honestly. I loved him, I loved every moment of his portrayal, and part of what I loved was his masculinity. He was every inch a man, and every inch a proper romance hero too. Definitely pick this one up. It’s intense, don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t call it a ‘light’ read. It’s a worthwhile read, though, and that’s just as good.” ~ Jessica Voloudakis

“This one was powerful y'all. It takes YA angst and bullying issues, and body image struggles to the next level and beyond. It's insightful and well written and just a very different kind of story but also a very important one. […] A true YA romance with important discussions and a wonderful love story. Recommend this read!” ~ AurenRose

“All Boy was an interesting read and I wondered what I would have done if I was in Callie's position and if I would have been as strong and accepting as her in the end. All Boy features a transgender character and their journey from female to male and trying to be accepted by family and friends.” ~ The Phantom Paragrapher

My Review

By Lynda Dickson

Callie is doing a fifth year of school at a private prep school in the hopes of reinventing herself after a disastrous experience in her senior year at her old school. She has the chance to fall in with Shawn and the popular crowd but finds herself more interested in quiet loner Jayden. Jayden is keeping his own secret. He’s given up his family, his home, and his softball scholarship to attend this school. And falling for Callie, or any girl for that matter, isn’t in his plans.

The story is told from the points-of-view of Callie and Jayden. Their voices are so similar it’s, at times, difficult to remember who’s narrating. Both characters have body image issues that they need to overcome. Callie is constantly putting herself down, and this becomes tiresome, especially as there is no evidence that there is anything “wrong” with her. It’s great to see the diversity in the characters – there’s even a Diversity Club at this school! However, there are also bullies, and your heart will ache for both Callie and Jayden, as they struggle to overcome the obstacles placed before them. At its heart, this book asks whether it is okay to keep secrets. It’s also about love – love for our friends and family, romantic love and, most importantly, self-love.

Warnings: mild coarse language, body image issues, sexual references, assault, LGBTQ themes.

Some of My Favorite Lines

“Shopping is not on my list of seven-hundred-and-fifty favorite things to do.”

“I don’t think either of us is particularly at ease with ourselves, and this makes it tough to be comfortable with somebody else.”

“A face and body are merely packaging for the essential stuff inside.”

“… what the crowd thinks of me is far less important than what I think of myself.”

“… it’s never too late, really. There’s no ‘too late’ to be a better person.”

About the Author

Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children - one in law school, another a professional dancer, a third studying at Mia’s alma mater, Boston College, and her lone son, heading off to college. (Yes, the nest is finally empty.) She has published more than twenty books of LGBTQ romance when not editing National Honor Society essays, offering opinions on college and law school applications, helping to create dance bios, and reviewing scholarship essays. Her husband of twenty-five years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about this, as it’s a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled people in complex relationships. She has a great affinity for the tortured hero in literature, and as a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with tales of tortured heroes and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to her wonderful publishers for providing her with an alternate place to stash her stories.

Her books have been featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine, and have won Rainbow Awards for Best Transgender Contemporary Romance and Best YA Lesbian Fiction, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, an Indie Fab Award, and a Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, a Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Award for Young Adult e-book Fiction, among other awards.

Mia Kerick is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card.

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