Returning to Writing: A Year in the Rearview

Pexels dziana hasanbekava 7063763It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly a year since I last put my thoughts into words on this platform. It feels both like a blink of an eye and a lifetime. The white page in front of me seems more intimidating than it did a year ago, but as I type, the familiar rhythm is returning, reminding me of the joy and solace I find in writing.

Life has a way of throwing curveballs, doesn’t it? For those who have been with me for a while, you’d recall the frequency and enthusiasm with which I used to share my thoughts, musings, and stories. It was as much a passion project as it was a form of therapy. But, as with every journey, there come detours and pauses.

A New Chapter in a New Condo

One of the most significant changes in my life was the decision to sell my house and move into a new condo. Anyone who has ever moved residences knows the magnitude of this undertaking – the endless packing, decluttering, the emotional heaviness of parting with memories tied to a place, and the simultaneous thrill of crafting new ones. This transition, though an exciting one, was certainly more time-consuming and draining than I had imagined.

Health First

Amidst the chaos of moving, my health decided to chime in. Without delving too deep into the specifics, the past year saw me grappling with health issues that demanded both my physical and emotional bandwidth. It was an eye-opener, a period of introspection, and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Writing, though my solace, took a backseat as I navigated this unfamiliar terrain.

Looking Forward

With all that said, I find myself in calmer waters now. The health storm has passed, and the new condo feels more like home every day. With these hurdles behind me, I am elated to announce that I will be returning to regular blogging.

To my ardent readers, here’s a little treat to look forward to: Over the hiatus, while my blogging ceased, my writing in the background did not. I’m thrilled to reveal that there’s a completed book in the editing stages — a gay Christmas romance novel. More details will follow in due time but know that it’s a piece of my heart and soul that I can’t wait to share with all of you.

And for those who have been patiently waiting, I have some exhilarating news to share: the final installment of the Ghost Oracle Series is nearing completion! It’s been a profound adventure, crafting this tale and sharing it with all of you. Every twist, every character, and every spectral encounter has been leading us to this culminating moment. I’m as excited as you are to see how the story concludes and to share that experience with each of you. Stay tuned for further announcements, cover reveals, and release dates.

Here’s to the grand finale of our ghostly adventures (though Nick and the gang may return for future adventures)!

Gratitude

Before signing off, I’d like to express my deep gratitude. To those who sent messages, checking in, offering support, or merely sharing their stories – thank you. Your warmth and understanding served as a comforting balm during challenging times.

As I embark on this new chapter (pun intended), I hope you’ll join me. Whether it’s life updates, thoughts on the world, or snippets from my upcoming book, the journey promises to be an enriching one.

Photo by Dziana Hasanbekava

Returning to Writing: A Year in the Rearview Read Post »

Review of The Long Run by James Acker

Long Run cover imageBlurb:

Two track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut.

Sebastian Villeda is over it. Over his rep. Over his bros. Over being “Bash the Flash,” fastest sprinter in South Jersey. His dad is gone, his mom is dead, and his stepfather is clueless. Bash has no idea what he wants out of life. Until he meets Sandro.

Sandro Miceli is too nice for his own good. The middle child in an always-growing, always-screaming Italian family, Sandro walks around on a broken foot to not bother his busy parents. All he wants is to get out and never look back.

When fate—in the form of a party that gets busted—brings these two very different boys together, neither of them could’ve predicted finding a love that they’d risk everything for…

Review

Going in, I thought this was going to be a sweet YA romance story about two boys in their senior year of high school, but it turned out to be much more intense than I expected — intense in a good way. There are definitely some tender, sweet and silly moments between our two flawed protagonists, and I enjoyed the strong chemistry between them. But there are also some darker and grittier moments as well — the kind that makes your heart ache and brings a tear to your eye.

The long run offers a tantalizing glimpse into the lives of two teenage boys who are navigating their senior year when they discover each other. The story is told via a dual POV, and I loved how it allowed us to see the situation from both Bash’s and Sandro’s perspectives, both of whom spoke in distinct, original voices. I also enjoyed traveling with Bash and Drove during their journey of discovering themselves and each other and overcoming the various obstacles placed before them. And through this process, we also witness their inner growth and insight, a difficult but beautiful process.

The character arcs were exceptionally well done, with plenty of growth not just among the boys and their budding relationship but also among their families. James Acker really seems to understand the teenage soul—the longing, the self-doubt, the challenges, the melancholy, the self-awareness, and the confusion. The Long Run is an authentic look at what it feels like to be a teenage boy and all that it entails.

The author tackles a lot of subjects with this book: hiding one’s authentic self, dysfunctional families, pretending to be someone you’re not, sexual awareness, self-discovery, parental neglect, self-acceptance, bisexual awakening, and toxic masculinity, resulting in a profound, authentic and raw read. There’s a lot of depth in this introspective story, and I ended up loving this engrossing novel. Recommended!

What I loved:

❤️ All the Feels

🎭 Family drama

✌🏼 Two perspectives

🤔 Thought-provoking characters and themes

⛹️‍♂️🤾🏽‍♂️ Two lovable high school jocks who find each other

✍️ Amazing character development

🧑🏽‍🔬 Dro’s and Bash’s connection/chemistry was just 👌

Review of The Long Run by James Acker Read Post »

Goodreads Giveaway for Keeping Corey

Keeping Corey Book CoverI’m very excited to inform you that I just created a Goodreads Giveaway for my upcoming book “Keeping Corey,” a Young Adult LGBT contemporary that takes place at a hockey academy. I’m giving away 20 Kindle copies of the book. If you like to enter for a chance to win, you can enter here: Enter Giveaway. The giveaway only goes through February 4th so you’ll want to enter as soon as possible. The book will be published on February 6th.

Good luck!

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Keeping Corey is Available for Preorder!

Keeping Corey book cover. Young man in hockey gear stands behind seocnd young man with red hair.I am so excited! My latest book, Keeping Corey, is now available for preorder from online retailers. It’s a YA gay romance that takes place at a hockey academy and will be released on February 6, 2023. The synopsis is below:

After being outed at his last high school, Devin O’Hanlon’s parents enrolled Devin at the Grovesburg Hockey Academy, his father’s alma mater. Never mind that Devin doesn’t have an athletic bone in his body, nor has any interest in sports. The academy was supposed to be a fresh start for Devin — a clean slate where nobody knows him as the gay kid. Unfortunately, being a red-headed non-athlete singled him out with the bullies, and he found himself in the same predicament as his last school. Things only get worse when he learns that his new roommate, a transfer from another school, is a star hockey player—an incredibly hot star hockey player.

Corey Harper has been expelled from two schools. Grovesburg Academy is his last chance; if this doesn’t work out, his father has threatened to send him to military school. But Corey has no intentions of getting expelled again. This school is a new start for him — a place where nobody knows him or about his past. Despite a rough start, Corey and his new roommate Devin find they have a lot in common and soon become inseparable. But Corey doesn’t allow himself to get too close to Devin because he has a secret that nobody here must uncover—and Corey has mastered hiding his feelings. His plan is to keep his head down, do what’s required of him, and bring his academy to the championship. Can Corey juggle his junior year, hockey, a hostile coach, and his friendship with Devin, all the while keeping his secret hidden from everyone?

But when Corey’s secret is threatened to be exposed, he is forced to make a difficult choice—a choice that goes against his heart and his soul.

I had a blast writing it, and I hope you love it as much as I do. You can preorder from the following online stores:

Amazon Preorder

Smashwords Preorder

Barnes & Noble Preorder

Apple Books Preorder

Keeping Corey is Available for Preorder! Read Post »

My Newest Book is Live

Pushed under the mistletoe print AmazonI am so excited to write this – finally! My latest novel, “Pushed Under the Mistletoe” is now live at online retailers. It’s a heartwarming, small-town Christmas Novel coming in at about 47,000 words. The blurb is below:

Danny Latham is a highly sought-after wedding photographer who has just gone through the worst breakup ever — and right before Christmas. Danny was supposed to have taken his boyfriend home with him to Torch Lake, Florida, for Christmas, but that wasn’t going to happen now. Heartbroken, he instead asks his best friend, Joey to accompany him home for Christmas.

Reluctantly, Joey accepts. Little does Danny know that Joey has been in love with him for as long as Joey can remember. It doesn’t help that Danny’s family keeps trying to get them together, believing that Joey and Danny are perfect for each other.

Will Joey’s heart be able to handle a Christmas with Danny and his meddling family? Or will this be the year Joey finally comes clean and tells Danny how he really feels?

If you’d like a heartwarming friends-to-lovers Christmas romance with a couple of lovable but clueless characters, a meddling family and plenty of Christmas cheer, you’ll want to check out Pushed Under the Mistletoe.

Click to purchase Under the Mistletoe from your favorite online retailer

My Newest Book is Live Read Post »

Weekly Roundup – April 23, 2022

Weekly Roundup 2

Welcome to my Weekly Roundup where on Saturday, I post links to things I shared on social media throughout the week that I thought were interesting. I’ll also include book news, cover reveals, and more goodies.

Not a lot of news on the writing front this week as I took a wee vacation to visit family in North Carolina. We spent a good amount of time in Asheville and I must say that I absolutely fell in love with the city! It had a bustling downtown, a super-fun arts district and amazing dining. I’m already looking forward to when I can return.

This week, it’s back to work on editing my hockey novel. I also hope to get some new words written on my Magician novel (more on that in future posts.)

In case you missed it, I recently released my werewolf book, “Norian’s Gamble for wide publication and it is now available at your favorite online publishers (NOT just at Amazon): Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Scribd, Amazon, etc. You can purchase the book using the following universal link: https://books2read.com/u/bQPxNv or do a search for ‘Norian’s Gamble’ at your favorite online bookstore. It is still available in paperback format from Amazon.

Norian Cover

By the way, I also send out a newsletter about once a month where I chat about my upcoming releases, offer discounts, and other related goodies. So if you wish to receive it, you can subscribe HERE.

So on to the roundup.

Some Things I Thought Were Worth Sharing

  1. For folks who like shorter books, here are 20 of the Best Books Under 200 Pages
  2. Interesting article about Amazon: The Amazonification of the American workforce
  3. Chris Guillebeau talks about depending on yourself: Learn to Depend on Yourself
  4. For my writer friends: How to Write About the People in Your Life. Also, here are some Funny Grammar Puns That Might Be Interesting Not Only To English Teachers. There was also this article: How to Fictionalize New Technology Even As It’s Constantly Changing.
  5. Thought-provoking conversation on violence and agency: When Are Men Dangerous? On Agency, Imagination, and What a Teacher Can Do
  6. Article on Shelf-promotion: The art of furnishing rooms with books you haven’t read
  7. I enjoyed this article on Positive solution-focused media: We Need More Solution-Focused Media. Some folks may also find this helpful: How to handle a lopsided friendship
  8. Interesting article about our workforce: Work is broken. Can we fix it?
  9. An author was set to read his unicorn book to students. The school forbade it: “I never in a million years thought I’d have to defend this book.”
  10. For aspiring Sci-Fi writers: What Makes Great Sci-Fi Writing?. Also, here are some Book Writing Strategies: 10 Book Writing Tactics that End in Failure.
  11. Just for fun (and major cringe) — “Corporate Cringe”: 30 Of The Best Workplace Memes And Posts Shared By This Dedicated Instagram Page
  12. Thoughtful article about the future of work: What if the future of work is exactly the same?
  13. Brokeback Mountain fans may find this of interest: Jake Gyllenhaal Reflects on His Relationship With Heath Ledger. Also, Netflix ‘Heartstopper’ review: Alice Oseman does her queer teen webcomic a sweet service.
  14. Just for fun: Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards Launch New 2022 Season With 10 Never-Before-Seen Pics From 2021
  15. Looking for a fun movie to watch? Here are Some Of The Best Movie Plot Twist Endings.

Oh, and in case you missed it, watch Harry Styles Sing New Song “Boyfriends”

Touch of Cedar New Cover

A Touch of Cedar — A ghost in the present….a murder in the past…a time-traveling adventure: Marek puts on an old suit he finds in the attic & is transported back to the year 1870 where he has to solve a 150-year-old murder.

Weekly Roundup – April 23, 2022 Read Post »

Roger’s Weekly Roundup for April 16, 2022

Weekly Roundup 2

Welcome to my Weekly Roundup where on Saturday, I post links to things I shared on social media throughout the week that I thought were interesting. I’ll also include book news, cover reveals, and more goodies.

Speaking of book news, I recently released my werewolf book, “Norian’s Gamble for wide publication. For the first 90-days, I offered it exclusively through Kindle Unlimited as I know many people enjoy the service. I have since pulled in from KU and the book will be now available at your favorite online publishers (NOT just at Amazon): Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Scribd, Amazon, etc. You can purchase the book using the following universal link: https://books2read.com/u/bQPxNv or do a search for ‘Norian’s Gamble’ at your favorite online bookstore. It is still available in paperback format from Amazon.

Norian Cover

But next up, I’ll be releasing a gay young adult contemporary novel the takes place at a hockey academy. Editing is coming along nicely.

By the way, I also send out a newsletter about once a month where I chat about my upcoming releases, offer discounts, and other related goodies. So if you wish to receive it, you can subscribe HERE.

Just for a quick heads up, next week’s Weekly Roundup will not be published until late Sunday, or possibly on Monday because I’ll be out of town visiting family.

So on to the roundup.

15 Things I Thought Were Worth Sharing

  1. For my writer friends: How to Come Up with the Perfect Book Title There was also this article entitled: How to Shorten a Story: Writing Tips to Decrease Your Word Count
  2. Thoughtful article about the effects of Social Media on our psyche: Is social media (re)traumatizing you?
  3. Interesting article about entitlement and consumerism: The new entitlement of the American consumer
  4. Thanks to the mistrust of big tech, the creation of better tools for developers, and the weird and wonderful creativity of ordinary people, we’re seeing an incredibly unlikely comeback: the web is thriving again.
  5. Some of these images are stunning: Impressive Aerial Photographs By Cédric Houmadi
  6. Just for fun and cuteness: Times Pets Surprised Their Owners By Showing Just How Intelligent They Can Be
  7. For the horror lover: Author creates A Dark Comic Series With Lots Of Twists, Secrets, Creepy Characters And Spooky Pen And Ink Artwork, Here’s Part 4
  8. Can’t wait for this! Watch Boy Meet Boy in Full “Heartstopper” Trailer. Also, HBO Max Announced Its First Gay Superhero Project – Gayety
  9. For my writer friends: How to Finish a Novel: 10 Ways to Follow Through – Now Novel
  10. I love this collection Of The Most Spine-Chilling Things Kids Have Ever Said, As Shared In This Viral Twitter Thread
  11. These images are quite fun: Extraordinary Pictures Taken By Jeffrey De Keyser Embracing “The Absurd Human Condition”
  12. A library system announces a program to challenge the tide of book bannings
  13. Some of these caused me to cackle out loud: Times Misheard Words In Conversations Ended Up Having Hilarious Results. These are also a lot of fun: “People Who’ve Been Banned From Somewhere For Life, What Happened?”. There’s also this fun thread of: Incredibly Rude Or Weird Guests Who Made People Regret Ever Inviting Them To Their Homes
  14. The Heartbreaks and Complications of School-Age Desire: A Reading List
  15. This article chats about Six Novels with an Overwhelming Sense of Unease, Slow-Burning Menace, and Coercive Control. Also for the book lover, this article introduces Shelf Talkers, a new series in which indie booksellers around the country share their favorite reads of the moment. First up: The Bookshop in East Nashville, Tennessee

Oh, and just in case you haven’t heard about this: Elon Musk Wants to Buy 100% of Twitter for $43 Billion

 

 

Nick's Awakening Cover

Nick’s Awakening is the first book in my Ghost Oracle series.

Nick Michaelson is 16 and….

👻 He can see ghosts
🃏He reads Tarot cards
💭He gets visions of the future
🏃‍♂️He may or may not have a crush on his best friend
🔥 And ghosts come to him for help…and some, for revenge

☠️But what about when Nick needs help?

Roger’s Weekly Roundup for April 16, 2022 Read Post »

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