Interview, Review & Giveaway. Seven days series by Andrew Grey

 

 

Can a person's life change in just one day?  How about seven?

This is the story of seven pivotal days in Evan Donaldson's life. Evan was a teenage street hustler when Father Valentin talked him into coming to Saint Bartholomew's Academy. In that one day, Evan's entire life changed. That's the day he met his roommate, Clay Mueller, and the day Evan began to live. But Evan's life would change again and again, from abuse to first love, to separation and heartbreak, and eventually to starting his own family. Through it all, whenever a door closed for Evan, a window opened, and the window was Clay.From the first day of finding faith and connecting with Clay through their relationship's twists and turns, this is a glimpse into seven decisive days and the critical, amazing way a single moment can change destiny. *goodreads.com*

This story follows the lives of Evan Donaldson and Clay Mueller and the seven most pivotal days in their lives. Loosing both his parents in a car accident was only the beginning of the sadness that would creep into this young mans life. Homeless and living on the streets, Evan makes some disturbing choices in order to survive. When Father Valentin stumbles upon him and offers him an escape and a better life at Sant Bart's, Evan is understandably skeptical. Swept away to Saint Bart's Evan finally accepts the sanctuary Father Val offers, and the friendship of his new schoolmates, including Clay Mueller. Just when Even thinks that life is finally heading in the right direction and finds solace in his new school and friends, a person in a postion of power pulls the rug out from under him.

Through Grey's eyes we follow Evan and Clay as they graduate, go to college, find a career and become men. This book was a rollercoaster ride of emotions, told majorily from Evan's point of view. Grey has a way of pulling you into the story so you are right there with the characters for every bump, bruise, tear, laugh and experience. His characters always have depth and realism and his storylines are always top notch hitting home with real life problems and issues, as well as adding likeable secondary characters to the mix. We even have the proverbial bad guy to keep it real, and when he gets his just desserts I was singing from the rooftops!

Highschool alone was hard enough; can the love and friendship that Evan and Clay developed withstand the test of time?

What I took away from this story is that not everyone can be trusted, but life is all about taking chances. You take the good with the bad and you come out on the other end stronger, most of the time. Love always finds a way, in the end.

I give this one 5/5. I must warn you, this book will have you laughing then crying, then laughing while you cry. And there is some pretty steamy guy on guy action to keep it spicey!

 

 

 

 

 

Donald Pottier and Jason Greene are barely more than boys when they meet on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. A day of crabbing soon turns them from strangers to friends, then to something more, but the boys' time is limited: at the end of the summer, Jay will leave Don and the island behind.

But Fate has more in store for Don and Jay than a summer of might-have-beens. Through eleven years of friendship, pain, love, loss, sickness, and misfortune, seven days stand out. Seven days define and shape the people they are and the relationship they share. Seven days of reunions and separations, accidents and serendipity, rejection and acceptance, disappointment and hope lay the foundation no romance can survive without unconditional love.  *goodreads.com*

In this story, we are following the lives of Donald Pottier and Jason Greene and the seven most pivotal days in their lives.

I was completely enthralled with this book from the first chapter. Donald Pottier has lived his life on the island with his mother. He has resinged himself to a life just shy of poverty, never thinking he'll have the means to go to college and make a better life for himself. Jason Greene is the proverbial rich kid that wants for nothing; except for the unconditional love of his parents. These two meet and become fast friends after Jason saves Donald from the town bullies. Friendship becomes attraction and then love as these two grow closer with every passing day. When Donald learns his mom has cancer, Jason drops everything to rush to his side. When Jason's dad learns of the affair he suddenly becomes interested in his sons life and quickly removes him from Donald's.

As a parting gift, Jason gives Donald a gift he won't soon forget.

In his final year of college, litterly weeks before graduation, Donald gets the heartbreaking news that his mother has finally succumbed to her cancer. And just like he did so many years before, Jason is by his side at the funeral. Jason offers him one more night; to love each other, touch each other and share one more night of passion. As tempting as it is, Donald wants all or nothing. So he watches the love of his life, walk out of his life, again.

This book has more ups and downs than the Texas Giant! Just when you think "Yay, they found each other again." you just get smacked with "Oh goddamn, what now!" I assure you though, that the ride is definitely worth it in the end. This book is erupting with emotions; happiness and sadness, anger and hatred, love and passion. There isn't an emotion on the spectrum that this story doesn't cover, and Grey conveys those emotions on paper with realism, heartache and determination. I told the author when we did our interview that I was dubbing him the M/M Nicholas Sparks. His stories are always bittersweet, poignant, uplifting and beautiful condensed into roughly 200 pages! 

If you need to ask, I give this one 5/5... but that's just my two cents!!

My Interview with author Andrew Grey...  

 

*Tell us a bit about yourself. Where were you born and where do you call home? I was born in Western Michigan where a number of my stories are set. I’ve worked throughout the country, west coast, midwest, and east coast. I currently live in the small historic town of Carlisle PA. I love this town. It has history, wonderful people, and an amazing sense of community.

*How much of your work is "art imitates life", and how much is imagination? There is a part of me in every story, but they are almost all imagination. I do sometimes use people I meet or know as the basis for characters, but everything else is purely form my imagination.

*How do you keep the stories fresh from one to the next? I wish I knew. There isn’t a formula to any of my stories. I get the idea and go with it. I also have a wide range of interests and experiences. I incorporate those interests into my writing, along with research.

*What are the Pro’s and Con’s to being an Indie Author?  I don’t see myself as an Indie author. Yes I write in a smaller genre, but I have a wonderful and supportive publisher and incredible readers. I think the biggest pro of working in a genre like M/M is the ability to experiment and grow. Publishers are willing to take works that are different and experimental. I have been able to grow and develop so much as an author in this genre, and its largely because of that freedom.

*Whom in your life would you say has influenced you the most?  My father. Wen I was growing up, my dad didn’t read us stories, he told us bedtime stories that he made up himself. I heard stories of Benjamin Bunny, Amelia Aardvark and so many others. I believe that being a good writer is first being able to tell a good story and I owe that gift to my father.

*What has been the most interesting comment (or review) about your book?  I got a letter form a man in new England. He and his partner had been together for decades. At the end his partner had become blind, so he read stories to him. He told me the last story he read was Love Means... No Shame and that the two of them had both laughed and cried together. It was the most moving note I have ever received from a reader and it still holds a special place in my heart. As a writer, you hope to touch someone’s life, but rarely do you get proof.

*Who is YOUR favorite Author?  My very favorite author of all time is Charles Dickens. He may have been long winded, but he knew how to weave a spell binding story.

*What are you reading right now?  I am currently reading Under the Rushes by Amy Lane. She is a dear friend and I’m enjoying the story.

*Tell us your latest news.   I have a number of stories coming in the next few months. But right now I’m most excited about By The Creek. I decided to try my had at a Young Adult story. I often wish there were positive stories of gay youth and I decided to try my hand at writing one. Its releasing January 15 under the pen name Geoff Laughton.

 

Follow author Andrew Grey at the following links:

Web site: www.andrewgreybooks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks

Twitter @andrewgreybooks

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Grey/e/B002LKEK3U/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1358040551&sr=1-2-ent

email: andrewgrey@comcast.net

A huge thank you to Grey for taking the time to share his thoughts with me.  In the coming months I will visit with this author again when I review his "Stories from the Range" series and the sequel to Love comes Silently, Love comes in Darkness releases later this year.

Grey is offering up one free ebook to one lucky winner, follow the Amazon link above and pick one of the many titles he's penned (May I suggest one of the seven days stories, or Love comes Silently).



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