Spotlight & Giveaway with author Jayson James

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Justin Parker and Derrick Wilson have been best friends since meeting back in middle school. Currently they are in their junior year at Chandler High School, and living the good life as teenagers. They have great girlfriends, plenty of close friends, their own cars, and parents who are well off. As nice as things might look to an outsider, something is missing from each of their lives.
Justin has become the invisible son in the midst of his parents failing marriage. In an effort to get his parent’s attention, Justin keeps getting into trouble. So far he has been able to get away with anything without facing any repercussions, while Derrick is feeling distant and tired of what he feels is a too “perfect family”. He just wants to have a normal social life and spend time with his friends without the pressures from his family to spend time with them. With blurring the lines of friendship in the process to realizing what was missing and discovering who they really are.
Justin and Derrick take turns narrating the story of their junior year in high school and all of the events that take place in their lives. Being a teenager can be tough. Being gay can be tougher. For Derrick and Justin they are both, and life cannot get any more complicated.
What happens when two best friends cross the boundaries of friendship? Will they be able to be happy together? Will they keep their secret?

~ My review of Finding our Way ~

 

 

Justin and Derrick, in the beginning.
They are awkward yet assured in their new found feelings for one another.

 

 

 

Justin and Derrick have a secret that they revealed only to their closest friends. They are gay and are now a couple. The story of Justin and Derrick continues as they learn more about being a gay couple in their senior year of high school and the complications that arise from it. Some friends will have their backs while others simply stand on the sidelines. Other friends will be accepting and others will ridicule them.
Sometimes love is almost not enough to save a relationship and both Derrick and Justin begin to have their doubts as they watch relationships around them rise and fall. Justin and Derrick both want to have new experiences, new choices and make new friends, which leads to them questioning their own relationship. They soon discover that some of the people they consider friends have their own secrets, some darker than others. The couple begins to see how people react towards homosexuality and just how people want to deal with it and them.
Will Justin and Derrick be able to hold onto each other while their lives and secrets spiral around them? Or will they decide to step back and give up on themselves and each other?


~ My review of Tormented Discovery ~

 

Justin and Derrick (and Stacey) somewhere in the middle.
The show of support from their close knit group of friends when Justin and Derrick finally let them in on their secret is amazing. Their biggest supporter would have to be Stacey.



Justin and Derrick, finally!  "Oh No"... "Oh Yes!"
Everyone now knows about Justin and Derrick so they are off to their senior prom, together!
Out and proud with the support of their friends!!

 



Jayson James graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor's degree in Education. He was born and raised in Washington State, where he currently lives and teaches. The farthest off the west coast he has ever been was Nevada and Arizona. Whenever Jayson has the time (and money), he likes to travel, hoping to see most of the United States over the next 5 years.

After much prompting from his friends “Finding Our Way” debut in September 2012 as Jayson James first published novel. A couple months later, he wrote and released the follow-up novel “Tormented Discovery” and thanks to his dedicated editor and friend, the book released in early 2013. Jayson has at least one more book releasing later in 2013 with the same characters. Much to his delight, fans are eagerly waiting to read what happens next with Justin, Derrick and the rest of the gang.

When Jayson is not writing he enjoys reading a variety of books from different genres. He is an avid supporter of fellow Indy authors and does whatever he can to support them. Although he often denies it when asked, he also likes to draw, mostly cartooning and sketching using pencils and oil pastels. He also loves listening to music and watching movies, one or the other is constantly playing every time he is writing or drawing and even sometimes when he is reading.

Although his first published works are of the gay new adult and gay young adult genre, he plans on publishing books of other genres at some point. Such as a children’s book he has been contemplating for many years.


Justin was kind enough to answer a few questions for me, with Derrick's critique, of course!
Justin, my notes are in red. You did a nice job of writing this on your own, and you didn't think you could do it! ~Derrick
*What was going through your mind the first time you and Derrick kissed?
Holy Shit! You cannot swear in an interview! The first kiss, I couldn’t believe we were actually kissing. I was so jazzed about it! Derrick was then and still is an amazing kisser! YOU are an amazing kisser!
*Did you feel betrayed by your dad when he allowed your mom back into your lives?

Betrayed and angry. I felt like she just up and ran out on the both of us and it didn’t make any sense  to me at the time why he would up and let her come back. Although I’d like for her and my dad to be together, I now know that sometimes no matter how hard you try sometimes things simply don’t work out. My parents are better people when they are not together. I am closer with the both of them living apart than I ever was when they were together. I am glad you and your mom are doing better!

*If you could convey your feelings for Derrick with a song, what song would it be?

Definitely Bloodhound Gang’s BAD TOUCH. Seriously?! This was funny when you shared it, but I thought you were going to keep this between us? How about Savage Garden “I Want You” as we were talking about before?  Derrick and I heard that song when we were kids on my brother James's MP3 player I borrowed for a trip to Ocean Shores. We listened to that song a thousand times over the weekend sang it to each other. Looking back on that now I think although we didn’t know it, we were trying to say something to each other. Honestly, my song to convey my feelings is (and Derrick knows this) is WIND BENEATH MY WINGS by Bette Midler. Mine for you is that MAYBE I’M AMAZED song byPaul McCartney.

*Is college everything you thought it would be?

Fuck No! I think no, alone, would suffice! I had in my mind one-way college was going to be and as life has worked out in a different direction, I struggled with it for a while, but I’m dealing with it better now.

*What is your favorite breakfast?

Mmm… I love everything breakfast! I suppose my most favorite though would be pancakes, sausage and eggs.  That sounds so good!

*When you’re driving down the road, what music do you listen to?

Anything up beat! I cannot stand slow or boring music in the car. I will keep changing stations or songs until I find one that fits my mood.  Or you listen to the same song over and over again.

*We've had a lot of good movies out so far this year, which one is your favorite?

For DVD, hands down is FLIGHT. It was fucking amazing from start to finish. Beyond the wonderfully told story, I could relate to the main character struggling between doing what is right and what would be better for him.  I thought for sure you’d put PITCH PERFECT and TED. I’ve lost count of how many times you’ve had us watch the both of these! As for in theaters the only movie I’ve had a chance to see was WARM BODIES, but I really liked it! I still want to get the book… I thought the movie was okay. Please stop using the "F" word!

*What do you think about gay marriage being allowed in Washington state?

It’s a big step in the right direction and I think shows how diverse and wise the people of this state are. However Derrick and I have no immediate plans of marriage, he has agreed to take my name. Then you do agree our anniversary is in the spring? Yeah! We both realize we are still young and are not in a hurry though.  Are we?

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