Timmy's Review of Mia Kerick's "The Weekend Bucket List"!

I want to thank everyone who reads this review. I pride myself on always giving an honest review no matter who the author is, even if s/he is my friend. It’s important to me that I give people my honest thoughts because, as a teen, other teens look to my reviews to see if it’s a book they might like to read; and parents look to see if it is a good book for their kids to read. I want there never to be any surprises. Also, I work hard on not giving spoilers away. But this review may have a few spoilers because I feel it’s necessary to explain my feelings on the book.

Mia is one of my favorite people, both as an author and as a person, so this was a hard review for me to write. As always, the writing was great! I love the many ways in which she pulls her readers in with the stories she creates. Mia has a way of telling a story so you feel you are in the book with the characters.

This book was not really for me, but that doesn’t mean others won’t love it. I will explain my concerns in this review and the things I liked, and then you can decide for yourself if you feel the book is for you.

First, let me say I love the concept behind the book. A book about deep friendship and not romance is new to me. I like that this book was about three older kids learning about themselves and what their friendship means to them. That is an important life skill that even I am still working on!

My concerns about this book has to do with recommending it to teens and preteens who are still in school. I feel like the bucket list that they follow would cause kids to believe they need to do these things to be “normal.” If they never did anything on the list, they would still be normal. If I was to follow the logic of the characters from this book, I would not be considered normal. That is hard for me because it has taken me YEARS to believe I am normal. I don’t want any kid who reads this book to believe they are abnormal because they haven’t done any of these things.

Next, I’m a good student. I spend all my time either in school, at track practice, or doing homework. I know there are things I’m missing out on by doing this, but it’s worth it to me for the future I hope to have. I want to be someone important in the future and help people in some way. Again, if I follow the logic in this book, I would not be a good student because I would be concentrating on doing other things—like things on this bucket list. You can still do all the things on this bucket list AND be a good student.

Finally, about half the list contains good things to do, but the other half worries me. I cannot recommend things like getting drunk, or getting naked in public. To me, those decisions not only should wait until I’m older, but they are things that could get me into trouble!

I understand that it is a work of fiction and not a life manual, but I read books to learn, gain knowledge, and hope. I read this hoping to identify with the kids in the story and for them to help me understand that I’m normal (even if it is fiction).

Here’s the bucket list with my comments in parentheses.

          1. Go skinny-dipping (Illegal).

          2. Stay out all night (Not safe and can really worry people if they don’t know where you are).

          3. Face a fear (This is a great goal!).

          4. Sleep under the stars (I would love to do this in a safe environment).

          5. Take a road trip (This sounds like fun!).

          6. Get drunk (Not only is this illegal but not a good idea. I grew up with a father who drank a lot and it was always hard to feel safe around him. Alcohol dependency comes with stress, and it is always stressful in school no matter who you are). 

          7. Have a first kiss (This is a great goal if you feel ready and safe with the person).

          8. Run naked on the beach (Illegal).

          9. Sneak into a movie (Illegal and can leave you with a record if caught and prosecuted). 

        10. Spend twenty-four hours with no electronics (Wow! This is a good one but would be hard to do if you are still in school—almost all homework requires internet in some way). 

        11. Get pierced and tattooed (Never get a piercing by someone who is not a professional. It can be dangerous. And being tattooed before 18 is not legal for the person doing the tattoo).

        12. Say thank you to someone (Well this is something everyone should always do, especially to people who have made a positive difference in our lives in any way). 

So, you can see why I have a few concerns. I do not want to recommend to any kid that they need to do these things to be normal. However, if that person can read this and KNOW it is fiction and not take it as a life guide to be normal in HS, then I think they will like the book.

The deep friendship angle of the book is really an awesome concept except in parts where it feels like a love triangle that isn’t complete. There is tension between the characters, which is normal when trying to figure out your feelings, but I felt like it was a lead up to a romance but then it just wasn’t. I understand what Mia was trying to show, but I’m not sure it worked so well on the written page.

Overall, I give this book 3 Marbles. I would not recommend it to kids who use books to learn about life, or who have trouble finding a balance between real life and fiction. Though I don’t feel this book was for me, the writing was great, and I feel that college-aged peeps and adults might like it!

Please understand that not every book is for every person and what I got from this book may not be what you get from it. Also, if this is not the book for you, don’t let that turn you off from a really great author! I can recommend many books from this author that you may really like!~Timmy

The Weekend Bucket List is available 

in eBook and Print at Duet Books, Amazon,

iTunes/iBooks, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble

About The Weekend Bucket List

High school seniors Cady LaBrie and Cooper Murphy have yet to set one toe out of line they've never stayed out all night or snuck into a movie, never gotten drunk or gone skinny-dipping. But they have each other, forty-eight hours before graduation, and a Weekend Bucket List.

There's a lot riding on this one weekend, especially since Cady and Cooper have yet to admit, much less resolve, their confounding feelings for one another feelings that prove even more difficult to discern when genial high school dropout Eli Stanley joins their epic adventure. But as the trio ticks through their bucket list, the questions they face shift toward something new: Must friendship play second fiddle to romance? Or can it be the ultimate prize?

The Weekend Bucket List is available 

in eBook and Print at Duet Books, Amazon,

iTunes/iBooks, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble

About Mia Kerick

Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—a daughter in law school, another in dance school, a third studying at Mia’s alma mater, Boston College, and her lone son still in high school.  She writes LGBTQ romance when not editing National Honor Society essays, offering opinions on college and law school applications, helping to create dance bios, and reviewing English papers. Her husband of twenty-four years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about this, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on emotional growth in turbulent relationships. As she has a great affinity for the tortured hero, there is, at minimum, one in each book. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with tales of said tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press and Harmony Ink Press for providing alternate places to stash her stories.

Her books have won a Best YA Lesbian Rainbow Award, 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, among other awards.

Find Mia on Goodreads, her website, 

on Facebook, on Twitter @MiaKerick, and on her Amazon page.

Mia Kerick Talks About Her Keynote Speech at #EuroPrideCon and Timmy's Artwork!

Mia Kerick recently returned from her first experience as a keynote speaker, which took place in Berlin, Germany, at the Euro Pride Con 2017. It was an amazing and humbling experience, and she thanked Timmy for his amazing artwork. Check out this heartfelt, wonderful post and Timmy's amazing artwork! Please leave a comment for Mia and Timmy, two people who richly deserve all the good things life has to offer.

A note from me:

Mia, your post is utterly amazing and infinitely beautiful. Thank you for helping to give a little boy back his life. 

Timmy, I couldn't be prouder of you. You are an amazing and talented young man, and will go far in life. Your artwork is priceless.

To the both of you, and a friendship raised from the ashes of tragedy and shared pain, I commend you both for never giving up, and living life to the fullest. Bravo!

Timmy interviews Christy, Thimi, and Zero from Elpida!

Timmy interviews Christy, Thimi, and Zero from Elpída! This is the first part of a two-part post. The second part will appear on June 17th on Love Bytes! Check it out!

Don’t forget to check back to see what Michael, Jake, Sophia, and the entire cast have to say next month, Saturday, June 17th!

#Priceless

Because It's Freeing, Part IV of Raidean's story, a FREE serial read by Timmy Ashton

I'm over at Love Bytes today with a very special short story written by Timmy about an intersex character, Because It's Freeing.

It goes without saying that this story is very special to me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing it, Timmy. And a special thanks to all of you for reading Timmy's story.

Part I: And It's Only Just Started
Part II: Because It Started This Way
Part III: Because It's Time to Move On
Part IV: Because It's Freeing

Because It's Time to Move On, Part III of Raidean's story, a FREE serial read by Timmy Ashton

I'm over at Love Bytes today with a very special short story written by Timmy about an intersex character, Because It Started This Way.

It goes without saying that this story is very special to me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing it, Timmy. And a special thanks to all of you for reading Timmy's story.

Part I: And It's Only Just Started
Part II: Because It Started This Way
Part III: Because It's Time to Move On

Because It Started This Way, Part II of Raidean's story, a FREE serial read by Timmy Ashton

I'm over at Love Bytes today with a very special short story written by Timmy about an intersex character, Because It Started This Way.

It goes without saying that this story is very special to me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing it, Timmy. And a special thanks to all of you for reading Timmy's story.

Part I: And It's Only Just Started
Part II: Because It Started This Way

A Little Rant for Our Friends

I'm over at Love Bytes today with a special article about being allies for each other.

My good buddy, Timmy, talks about something very important: intolerance by people within the LGBTQIA community. Sadly, bigotry does happen and it isn’t only against people of the QUILTBAG persuasion. It happens against our allies. Heterosexism is just as much a sexual orientation and gender identity as any other letter of the alphabet soup and all are essential elements of our human identity. 

Check it out!

Slaying Isidore's Dragons Music Playlist

Timmy's 5★ Review of Slaying Isidore's Dragons!

Jean-Isidore de Sauvéterre and Declan David de Quirke II are both sons of ambassadors, and have a lot going on in their lives. Isidore is dealing with an abusive home life and the loss of his mother, while Declan is dealing with the loss of his father and assassination attempts on his mother. They meet at school, and Declan begins protecting Isidore almost immediately. As soon as Declan learns of Isidore’s troubled home life, he takes action. Isidore moves into Declan’s home and starts to recover. However, that’s not the end for them. There are Isidore’s four brothers and father to deal with, problems at school, the assassination attempts, and more! This book is one you won’t want to put down. When the action begins, it’s fast-paced and thrilling and there are mysteries to unravel. Through it all, you get to watch Declan and Isidore’s feelings evolve into a great love.

Cody’s books are the only ones that I know of on the market that are contemporary high-action. He isn’t kidding when he says Slaying Isidore’s Dragons is a teen Bourne Identity. Isidore is raw and terrified and has nothing to hold onto except Declan and his mother, Sorcha. They not only do everything in their power to protect him, they go above and beyond. While this is a story of fiction, it does represent a lot of what it takes to keep a kid safe after leaving an abusive environment, especially if the parents of the abused kid are wealthy and powerful. This isn’t only a story of hope, but a story about the extreme measures it can take to remove a kid from an abusive environment and protect him from his abusers trying to get him back—which happens in real life. Cody writes it in such a way that it isn’t based in fear, but in triumph. It’s a totally feel-good book.

I have read two books, one novella, and a free serial story by Cody Kennedy. I am in awe of his ability to tell a story in any form, and I was not disappointed when I read Slaying Isidore’s Dragons. It takes great talent to be able to tell a story based in negative events and situations in such a way that it gives hope to the reader. Cody has done that in every book I’ve read of his, but especially in Slaying Isidore’s Dragons. Coming from a troubled home myself, I really appreciate how Cody can tell stories of abused kids and still leave me feeling hope and triumph after reading it. This book, and others like it, not only help abused kids, it gives us the strength to survive and continue on. I don’t say that because Cody is a close friend, for I have said this about authors I don’t know, but hope is a very magical thing to a kid who has none. I have all these emotions that would explain it better, but it’s so hard to get it out in words.

Happiness is a hard thing for abused kids to see in their futures. It’s like that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We want it to be real, but can’t seem to actually find it. Books like Cody’s give us hope for our futures, and he does it by telling his stories without dwelling on all the negatives in our lives. It’s not that he skims over the negative aspects, because those are all there. But he shows how we can still have the elusive happiness by trusting people who are trustworthy and want to help us. So I would like to thank Cody for the time and effort he puts into his books for the kids who need it the most.

Cody has a true skill for pulling the reader into his stories. This is another way his books and others like it will save lives. They are a safe place. A place we can hide, even if only for a few hours, and imagine a world better than the one we live in. Slaying Isidore’s Dragons is so much more than a book about an abused boy. It’s an adventure.

After reading the final copy, I fell even more in love with Slaying Isidore’s Dragons. There is MUCH more of Isidore in the story now, and that made an excellent book a PERFECT book. I can now relate to Isidore and the story even more than before. It also gives the reader a little more insight into the mind of an abused kid. This is important because it will help readers understand a small part of the heartbreaking confusion that makes up our daily thoughts. I believe everyone has had hard times, but it almost seems harder to start over than it does to remain in an abusive home. It’s hard to find the real you under everything you were forced to be. It’s harder still to explain that to someone who never lived that type of hell. This book will give you some idea of how hard the “new life” can really be.

I give this book 5 marbles and would give it more if I could. It is a must read (as soon as it comes out. You can preorder it now.) Be sure to buy your own copy rather than borrowing someone else’s because you will want to read it more than once. ~Timmy

Now available for preorder in print and ebook at

Now available in print and ebook at Dreamspinner/Harmony Ink Press
Amazon   GooglePlay   Barnes & Noble   OmniLit/ARe   Beam-eBooks in Europe

Ingram Books for Libraries and Schools

A special note to the author:

I know your life hasn’t been easy, but the work you do to help save others, either through real life or your writing, is what makes you a true superhero. I can’t tell you the number of kids you will save, but I can say for sure, you have saved at least one. Here's a poem I wrote for you.

About Slaying Isidore's Dragons

5 Best friends
4 Vicious brothers
3 STD tests
2 Guys in love
1 Car bombing
&
Nowhere to run

Follow the burgeoning love of two teens during the worst year of their lives. Irish-born Declan David de Quirke II is the son of two ambassadors, one Irish and one American. He is ‘out’ to his parents but to no one else. French-born Jean Isidore de Sauveterre is also the son of two ambassadors, one Catalan and one Parisian. His four half brothers have been told to cure him of his homosexuality. Both teens have lost a parent in a London car bombing.

5 Weeks of hell
4 Attempts on their lives

3 Law enforcement agencies
2 Dead high school seniors
1 Jealous friend
&
A love that won’t be denied

Declan and Isidore meet at the beginning of their senior year at a private academy in the United States. Declan is immediately smitten with Isidore and becomes his knight in shining armor. Isidore wants to keep what is left of his sanity and needs Declan’s love to do it. One is beaten, one is drugged, one is nearly raped, one has been raped. They are harassed by professors and police, and have fights at school, but none of it compares to running for their lives. When the headmaster’s popular son attempts suicide and someone tries to assassinate Declan’s mother, they are thrown headlong into chaos, betrayal, conspiracy, allegations of sexual coercion, even murder. And one of them carries a secret that may get them killed.

5 New family members

4 BFF’s
3 Countries
2 Extraordinary Psychologists
1 Courageous Mother

&
A new beginning for two young men in love

Read Chapter One of Slaying Isidore's Dragons

Stop by Cody’s Blog with questions or comments, or simply share what’s on your mind.

Find Cody on Facebook, Twitter @CodyKAuthor, Pinterest, Tumblr, Google+,

Ello, Goodreads, & read Cody’s free serial story, Fairy

Slaying Isidore's Dragons Book Tour Kickoff - Timmy Interviews Isidore!

Welcome to Slaying Isidore’s Dragons' Book Tour Kickoff! Beginning today through April 25th, follow along for Fun Facts, never-before-seen Excerpts, Interviews, Character Interviews, interesting Blog Posts, and chances to win each of my books!

Follow Slaying Isidore’s Dragons’ Book Tour!

Now available in print and ebook at
Dreamspinner/Harmony Ink Press
Amazon   GooglePlay   Barnes & Noble

Ingram Books for Libraries and Schools

I have the great pleasure of having Timmy on my blog again and to help me kick off the book tour he interviews Isidore! This is his first character interview and he worked incredibly hard to develop questions and, as always, his questions are thoughtful and thought provoking. Isidore brought Declan along with him today and we also have the pleasure of meeting Ashley, Timmy’s sister and best friend! For those of you who have not read the blurb on Slaying Isidore's Dragons (below), Isidore is French and Declan is Irish. In this interview, Declan refers to Isidore as mo chroí which is Gaelic for 'my heart' and is pronounced me cree.  

Let’s hear it for Timmy and his guests! Take it away, Timmy!

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah the crowd goes wild!

Timmy: Thanks for joining me today, Isidore. It’s great to have you here.

Isidore: Thank you for inviting me, Timmy.

Timmy: You brought Declan with you, so I thought I’d bring my best friend, Ashley—

Ashley: Aloha!

Timmy: —Thank you for joining us, Declan.

Declan: *pauses and blushes*

Isidore: Is something wrong?

Declan: No, no. Just never done this before. It’s a little intimidating.

Isidore: Why are you intimidated? He is interviewing me.

Ashley: *cracks up*

Declan: *chuckles* Right. Thanks for having me, Timmy. I’m glad to be here.

Timmy: *smiles* Okay, let’s get started. Isidore, I know how it feels to be under the microscope and I, for one, do not like answering questions of any kind, so I appreciate your willingness to be here and the pressure I’m sure you are feeling.

Isidore: *nods appreciatively* Thank you.

::applause::

Timmy: Our mutual friend Cody says, ‘abuse doesn’t define you,’ but I have a hard time believing this. I believe in many ways my abuse not only defines me, but also made me who I am today. What are your thoughts on this?

Ashley: Wow. Start off with hard question, why don’t you.

Timmy: *glares at Ashley*

Ashley: *shrugs* Sorry.

Isidore: It is certain that what my brothers did to me is a part of me, but not all of me, nor who I wish to become. *looks at Declan* Nor is the right word?

Declan: Or, nor, doesn’t matter. They know what you mean.

Timmy: Thank you.

Isidore: Pardon. I wish to answer more.

Timmy: Go for it.

Isidore: At this time, I only begin to feel a little bit me. With Declan’s help, and my new home and mother, Sorcha, I begin to learn a little about me, who I am. I see things differently now and I see new things I have never seen before. I think it will take the little time for me to learn me. What has happened will always be a part of me, and some days are very hard for me, but I do not wish it to define all of me.

Timmy: Good answer, Isidore.

::applause::

Timmy: I have many questions I would like answered by my parents. I know I will never get those answers, but that doesn’t stop me from wondering. If you could ask your mother anything, what would it be?

Ashley: Dude, these are hard questions!

Timmy: Stop.

Declan: *laughs softly*

Isidore: *smiling* She likes to interrupt, oui?

Timmy: She wouldn’t be my Ash if she wasn’t outspoken.

Isidore: This is good. I like this. Okay. I think the questions I would like to ask my mother, she would not be able to answer. I think she found herself in a place, in a life that she did not imagine for herself or want for us, and she did not plan. She knew what was happening but could not stop it. So, like this, if she did try to answer something, it would be that she is sorry that she did not do better for me.

::applause::

Timmy: I had a friend who was very important to me when I was young. She was the only friend that didn’t hurt me and was always there for me. She died in a car accident and I struggled with her death a lot. What do you do to get through the loss of your mother?

Isidore: *sadness fills face* I miss her. I am still processing this loss. To me the pain is so great that it is hard for me. I try to focus on the good things with her and I try to keep her alive in my drawings.

Timmy: Thank you, I know that was a very hard question and I miss my friend a lot too. I have two people in my life who have helped me very much, one of whom gave me the courage to leave my past life. Do you think you would have left if it hadn’t been for Declan?

Isidore: Never. I am afraid.... No, this is not the right word. I am terrified all of the time. For me, my life is only waiting for the next pain, the next degrade of my person, the next insult, the next humiliation. I have troubles with my mind. I forget things. Sometimes I cannot know what I am to do or say. It is a constant state of...of...what is the word? Tormente?

Declan: Turmoil? Chaos?

Isidore: Ah, this is the perfect word. Chaos. This is the word in French too.

Declan: *smiles* Ill.

Isidore: *smiles* Ill, this means good.

Ashley: See? Isidore’s cool.

Timmy: *side-eyes at Ashley* Go on, Isidore.

Isidore: *looks at Declan* This cool is good?

Declan: *chuckles* Yeah, babe. It’s ill.

Isidore: Ah, okay. Thank you, Ashley. I do not believe I have ever been cool to anyone.

Ashley: You are.

Declan: You’re the coolest, mo chroí.

Isidore: *smiles* Okay, so, like this, I have no strength and, to me, I do not have the worth of a... of an... ant. I try to be a good person and I wish to be loved, but I cannot find the way to do this without Declan. I do not have the strength without him. With him, I can see a little bit of me through his eyes, the way he talks to me, the way he is always sure I am safe. I hold this close in my heart and mind, and I make the courage for me. One day, I would like to be the Isidore in his eyes.

Declan: *squeezes Isidore’s hand* You are the Isidore in my eyes, you just don’t see it yet. But you will. Give it time.

::applause::

Ashley: *looks at Timmy* Declan’s good for Isidore.

Timmy: *smiles* Yeah, he is. Isidore, I often felt like I didn’t deserve my new life and struggled with wanting to go back, not because I wasn’t happy, but because it’s what I thought I deserved. Do you ever feel this way?

Isidore: I believe the question is when do I not feel this way. It is only Declan that keeps my mind turning from this. I fall to it, he turns the thoughts back. I fall to it, he turns the thoughts back again. It is a constant work for him, I am a constant work for him.

Declan: No, you’re not. All I’m doing is showing you who you really are.

Isidore: *blushes* I wish to believe this one day.

::applause::

Timmy: Me too, Isidore.

Ashley: *one-arm hugs Timmy* You will. Promise.

Timmy: *blushes* Okay, Isidore, next question. I don’t think I will ever completely heal from everything that was done to me. It’s a part of me I can’t completely leave behind. Do you think in time you will heal?

Isidore: *sadness fills face* I wish to. I am working hard for this. I believe one day it will happen that I am better. *shifts in seat* But, like this, some holes in the heart and some small darkness in the mind will remain.

::audience awwwww::

Timmy: I agree. We get better and heal, but there are things that never go away.

::applause::

Timmy: I find it is easier for me, day-to-day, if I look at the bigger picture. I like to make goals and plan my future. What do you plan for your future? What do you want to be?

Isidore: *thoughtful* I do not see my future yet. I have a plan to stay with Declan and in my new home with Sorcha. This is the only plan I can believe for me now.

Timmy: I felt the same way when I first left. Then, slowly, I could plan a day and then two days. They sorta build when you aren’t looking.

Isidore: It is like this. Like the sun rising or the flower blooming. It is happening but we do not see it.

Timmy: *smiles* Yep, just like that. Okay, when I’m having a bad day or a hard time, one of my favorite things is when Cody or Ashley make me laugh or smile. It may be with random silliness or something real that they make a joke about. Do you feel the same way and, if so, how does Declan make you laugh?

Isidore: Oh, oui. I like to laugh. Like this, it is the good medicine. I like when Declan and Sorcha make the fun at the people who hurt me. I like when Declan asks me to do something I can do like to speak French to him though he does not understand it. I find this very funny. I ask you, would you like someone to speak a language you do not understand? This does not make sense to me.

Timmy: *laughs* Cody sucked the M off his laptop keyboard with a vacuum cleaner. It didn’t make sense to me either, but it was funnier than hell.

::everyone laughs::

Cody: *cracks up* Thanks, Timmy. Tell everyone about it, why don’t you.

Isidore: *still laughing* See? This is good. Laughter is good.

Timmy: Okay, another question. I have a much larger group of friends now than I ever had in the past. I have made many good friends thanks to social media. Along with all my new friends come new pressures. I always want to be what people are looking for, and yet I need to be me. How do you deal with all the pressure, especially now that there is a book about you and people will know who Isidore is?

Isidore: This is a good question. I feel the book puts the microscope over me and it is uncomfortable. I do not wish to be noticed. It is safer if I am not noticed. Like this, no one can hurt me. I wish to find more courage so I am not afraid, but I think the loneliness is the hardest. Loneliness is very painful. I wish to be better with people, and would like to feel that I am part of the things around me, and that I contribute to the people. So, like this, I do not have the answer except to say that I am uncomfortable with people and I wish to be better.

Declan: *one-arm hugs Isidore* You’re doing great, mo chroi. And you’re great at taking care of Caleb.

Ashley: Who’s Caleb?

Isidore: Oh. He is a friend. He is living with us now because his parents did not like that he is gay. I take care of him so he does not feel bad and have the nightmare.

Timmy: I hate nightmares.

Isidore: I do too. They are horrible. I must relive the past and I wake in pain as if they have hurt me again. It is difficult to explain, but the dreams are real to me and the pain is real to me when I wake and I cannot get the memories or the pain to go for many hours.

Timmy: I know that feeling. It takes my whole day away from me.

Isidore: It is this exactly. It is as if they continue to steal life from me. I do not like this.

Timmy: Yep. It’s really unfair that they can still hurt us after they’re gone.

Isidore: Exactly. I become very angry, then I cry, and then I am angry with me for the tears.

Timmy: Yep. It’s like a waking nightmare after that.

Isidore: Exactly. This is a very good explanation.

Timmy: Thanks, Isidore. Okay, my friend, Mel, has a question for you. She would like to know if you will tell Declan’s Alexander and Hephaestion stories to your children.

Isidore: *bursts into laughter*

Declan: *snorts* Hey, I do the best I can with what I got.

Ashley: Who are they?

Isidore: Alexander the Great and his general, Hephaestion. They were in love and Declan tells me stories when I cannot sleep. He tells me Hephaestion liked women’s clothing, including stockings and heels, but his favorite were pasties.

::everyone laughs::

Ashley: *gapes at Declan* You are cray cray.

Declan: *smiles* Hey, we do what we gotta do to keep ‘em happy, right?

Ashley: *fist bumps Declan* You know it.

Isidore: Did you know, Ashley, they have this thing called a food fight? They throw food at each other.

Ashley: Oh, yeah. We have those with jello.

Timmy: *snorts and rolls eyes* The best ones are sock fights, especially when I get them wet and throw them at you! I win!

::audience laughs::

Timmy: Thank you, Isidore, for joining me today on Cody’s blog. Declan, thanks for coming, man. And Ash, thanks for being my BFF and sister.

Isidore: Thank you, Timmy.

Timmy: Thanks for your honesty, Isidore.

Declan: Thanks for being good to him, Timmy.

Timmy: Wouldn't have it any other way and he's welcome back any time.

Ashley: Peace out.

::applause and standing ovation::

About Slaying Isidore's Dragons

Follow the burgeoning love of two teens during the worst year of their lives. Irish-born Declan David de Quirke II is the son of two ambassadors, one Irish and one American. He is ‘out’ to his parents but to no one else. French-born Jean Isidore de Sauveterre is also the son of two ambassadors, one Catalan and one Parisian. His four half brothers have been told to cure him of his homosexuality. Both teens have lost a parent in a London car bombing. 

Declan and Isidore meet at the beginning of their senior year at a private academy in the United States. Declan is immediately smitten with Isidore and becomes his knight in shining armor. Isidore wants to keep what is left of his sanity and needs Declan’s love to do it. One is beaten, one is drugged, one is nearly raped, one has been raped. They are harassed by professors and police, and have fights at school, but none of it compares to running for their lives. When the headmaster’s popular son attempts suicide and someone tries to assassinate Declan’s mother, they are thrown headlong into chaos, betrayal, conspiracy, allegations of sexual coercion, even murder. And one of them carries a secret that may get them killed.

And It's Only Just Started, Part I of Raidean's story, a FREE serial read by Timmy Ashton

I'm over at Love Bytes today with a very special short story written by Timmy about an intersex character, And It's Only Just Started.

It goes without saying that this story is very special to me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing it, Timmy. And a special thanks to all of you for reading Timmy's story.

And It's Only Just Started

Timmy Interviews Cody! Part One of a Three-part Interview!

Getting to know My Koti 

This is part one of a series of three interviews about Cody in conjunction with Love Bytes Reviews!

I have met some really cool people on Facebook and I love to soak up all the information I can about them. I like to feel I really know them. I know Cody very well, and respect him a lot. As I read interviews of him, I find that people ask him a lot of the same questions and those are mostly about his work as an author, and the work he does helping abused kids.

I wish people knew My Koti; the one who has helped me through so much of the difficult time in my life. There is so much people don’t know about him. So, on that note, I asked if I could interview him and he said yes! I had so many questions that I decided to make it a three-part interview! And he still said yes! Yay! I’m super excited!

This first interview is all about My Koti where I asked never before asked questions about him. Enjoy!

I have heard that writers do different things when starting a new book. Are there any rituals you go through when starting to write a new book?

Because I’m an organization freak, the first thing I do is ensure that all of my filing is complete. This may sound simple, but for me it isn’t. I detest filing with a passion. I create piles and am happy with my piling system...until I can’t find something. Then a bunch of keening and wailing occurs. I digress. 

Because I view starting a new project as an exciting privilege and I practice “get the worst over as quickly as you can,” I force myself to FILE. This involves a lot of self-talk. If you hadn’t let it go for so long, you’d have this done in ten minutes. But, no. You had to let it go for a month. It’s your own fault. Speed it up. 

Once the filing drama is over, I set up a binder and divide it into four categories: inspiration, notes, research, and draft MS. This is very time consuming. I use only white binders and choose a different font and color scheme for each project. I have wasted entire days setting up one binder. After I have wasted sufficient time customizing a binder, I organize the inspirational images I’ve collected on my computer by character, location, etc. I place one or two of those images beneath the plastic and it is the front cover of the binder. Finally, I select a song that fits the overall story, set it to play, open Word, and GO!

If you are sleeping and suddenly wake up with a new story or character on your mind, what is the first thing you do? 

Tell myself to go back to sleep, the idea will still be there tomorrow. True story.

There are some who say writer’s block is not real. What are your feelings on writer's block? 

Writer’s block is defined as “the condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing.” Setting aside for a moment that authorship is a profession and, as such, one does not have the luxury of being unable to write, I don’t have this problem. I was blessed with a wild imagination and, rather, I have the problem of having too many directions to go with a story. I’m oft burdened with figuring out how I can fit all the imagined options into a story. Realistically, this isn’t possible and I must choose what to keep and what to lose. I have a number of incredible talents, but the art of choosing is not one of them. Please see: keening and wailing, above.

I have heard it said that if you do something a million times you become an expert at it. Translated to writing, if you have written over a million words would that make a writer an expert? Are you an expert?

No and no. Writing does take practice and many of us have written well over a million words, but unless we hone our skills as we go and press ourselves to be ever better as we write, we won’t improve. I have been writing for nearly half a century and am nowhere near being as good as I hope to one day be. I’ll add another thought. I will never be an expert at anything. Being an expert infers that there is little or nothing more to learn about a particular subject and I won’t limit myself in that respect. Our worlds are not static. They’re ever-changing and ever-evolving things and there is and always will be more to learn about everything.

As a thirteen-year-old boy, I find that I am way different from other kids my age. Romance is something I like to read and dream about. It gives me hope and it is one reason I work so hard to heal from my past. There is nothing better to me than reading a sweet romance story. If you were planning a date, where would you take him? What would be the perfect romantic date for you? 

Is this the part where I say I don’t date? Gawwww. What a question! A walk on the beach, good conversation, and dinner on the pier as we watch the sunset. Life is hard and I suggest that spending as much time as we can making our lives peaceful and easy, the healthier we’ll be. I like peaceful and easy.

I love reading about different time periods, whether in the future or the past. I always wonder what my life might be if I was born in another time. If you could live an any time period, what would it be and why? 

I would choose to live in the future. I want to be able to fly without the aid of large machinery, to travel instantaneously, and to live in world peace. While things may get worse before they get better, I’m certain we’ll achieve world peace in the future.

I think of the future often. I hope that one day everyone will see me as normal as they see themselves. Until then, we depend on our government to keep LGBTQIAP people safe and to force people to treat us equally. In your opinion, what is the most important law that can be or has been put into place to help the LGBT community?

Certainly, marriage equality has changed not only our country, but also the world. Nonetheless, rights are not yet equal or equitable. The disparity in both instances stems from discrimination and I believe more severe pecuniary measures should be in place not only for discrimination, but for concealing, fostering, and/or being a passive party to it.

I have always wanted a pet but, other then my fish, I have not had one. Tell me about the pets you have had in your life. Are they your friends? Are they your children? Do they make you laugh? Are they there when you are upset? 

I have had every conceivable domesticated animal as a pet, each with his or her own distinctly different personality. I had a fawn Great Dane when I grew up. Psyche was the sweetest dog ever and took up more of my twin bed than I did. Pyewacket, my beautiful chocolate Siamese cat, was very fickle and aloof, but also slept on my bed at night. Her purring is indelibly imprinted in my mind. As an adult, I had a black and tan hound named Dixie for thirteen years. Her disposition was as sweet as Psyche’s was. I miss all of them dearly. Now, I have a horse and three parrots. My horse, Majic, is fun but he is spoiled and can be a jerk. Having three parrots is like having three four-year-olds. They’re a ton of work and time-consuming, but so worth it. And yes, they know instinctively when I’m upset or angry. Two of them will immediately ask “Are you okay?” This goes on repeatedly until the third chimes in with “I love you.” It’s uncanny. #BestFriendsEver

Yes! They are stockings!

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes it’s hard to sit back and look at what your weaknesses are. My strength is caring. I care about people and things, and I believe that makes me a better person. My biggest weakness is self-bullying. If I could learn to be nicer to myself, I could save myself a lot of drama. What is your best strength and your biggest weakness?

I don’t know. I try to look at the positive side of things and think that's my best quality. It seems each trait we carry has two sides to it. I’m fun, caring, and try to be kind. Because I strive to be patient in all things, I often allow others to take advantage of me. #Note2Self #Area4Improvement I wish I was not as gullible as I am and wish I had a quick wit. I’m lousy with wit. I’d say my greatest weakness is my temper if I feel someone is being unjustly treated or, worse yet, mistreated. It’s a whoa gig for me. I force myself to walk away. A friend of mine bought me a stuffed animal as a birthday gift once. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I still have it. Begs the question: Why do I still have it? :/

People say it doesn’t matter what others think about me. I say that’s a bunch of crap! It’s hard not to care when people look down on me. I know what your advice to me would be, but how do you deal with negative people in your life?

I ignore them. One of the benefits of age is that you care less about what others think of you. In caring less, you are more naturally yourself and the ease with which you function puts others at ease. As a result, less strife occurs around you. That said, when I was your age, I felt very differently. My grandfather kept having my hair cut short when I was young and I finally convinced him to let me grow it...and grow it...and grow it...and have had long hair ever since...because I can hide behind it when I’m feeling unsure of myself. That’s a secret. Please don’t tell anyone.

When I review books, I try to be careful not to hurt authors’ feelings because I know they put a lot of time and effort into their books. I understand that two of your books hit close to home for you. I can’t imagine what it took for you to write about such painful memories. How do you deal with criticism on these stories? How do you deal with what must be heartbreak when they say they are not realistic?

First, I swallow hard and stifle sadness. Second, I shake my head and decry the human race for believing that we are incapable of treating our youth so badly. Third, I smirk. Particularly at those who claim to be “in a profession” related to what I have not only written, but lived. Finally, I smile to myself and think there is nothing wrong with people disagreeing with or not liking what I write. Far be it from me to “tell” anyone anything. It isn’t my place. In the end, I try to be philosophical about it. The aforementioned said, Pollyanna is not my middle name and I welcome constructive debate when it comes to the treatment and care of abused children.

I find that though being gay does not define me, many things about my appearance might indicate that I’m gay. What parts of your appearance are unique to your sexuality?

Being Intersex, it’s difficult to tell whether I’m male or female. From a distance, I appear female, but as one comes closer, they realize I shave, etc. What follows is a lot of staring. We’re deeply conditioned, sociopathically so, to sense gender first and above all things, and it’s tough for people to adjust to. Unfortunately, staring is also one of the few things that irritates me. I want to stare back and say: JUST ASK! 

Thanks, My Koti! This is great! The second interview will be about Intersex people and what is means to be intersex. The third interview will be about how being intersex has affected him and the challenges he has met with. Stay tuned!

Omorphi ~ If you can say you can trust someone, then you are admitting...

If you can say you can trust someone, then you are admitting to something even greater than love. Trust involves all your thoughts and emotions to be given to someone to be kept safe. Trusting someone is knowing that you can be hurt so bad that you could be broken. This is why trust is word of great power. ~ Unknown

Buy Cody's books at Dreamspinner/Harmony Ink Press

Slaying Isidore's Dragons ~ It's not the dragons in my dreams I fear...

It's not the dragons in my dreams I fear; 

it's the ones I see daily and can't hide from 

that leave me petrified.~Timmy

Timmy's Thoughts About Beta Reading

I have only beta read for one person, but it was a great experience. I’m an avid reader and love being a part of a community of other readers and authors.  Being asked to beta read is a huge honor. It is an author saying that he trusts me, and values my opinion on something that is very important to them. I can’t think of a greater honor in the reading community.

I recently had a birthday and was 12 when I beta read a book that will be published in April, 2015. It was one of the greatest reading experiences I have ever had. Not because the book was perfect, mistake free, or a good read, but because what I had to say mattered. The author didn’t change things because I said to, but what he did do is listen. He looked at every comment I made and then went back and checked those spots in the book. Then he would talk to me about what would make that part better for me or why he felt it should stay the way it was. I felt like what I thought was important to him. That is a great feeling. My reading experience was important to him.

I also felt I was in the target audience for the book, so I really appreciate the time the author took to consider my comments. I am an opinionated person, but I must feel safe to say what I feel without fear of upsetting anyone. I never feared talking to the author and I never felt that I offended him even when I was saying I didn’t like something in his book. Though I am close to this author, I never felt that I had to candy coat the truth. He asked my opinion and, as I do with my reviews, I gave it to him straight.

It was due to my experience beta reading that inspired me to give writing a chance. The thought of writing a novel is daunting and a bit scary, but to know I won’t have to do it alone makes it more exciting than scary. I also think writing and beta reading helps me to know and appreciate all the work that an author goes through to write a book.

It’s a great job to have and was a confidence builder for me. ~Timmy

Memes by Timmy for Slaying Isidore's Dragons!

Omorphi receives the The Timmy Award!

Slaying Isidore's Dragons Fan Art Drawn by Timmy Ashton

Timmy Talks the Importance of Young Adult LGBTQIA Literature in School and Local Libraries

Timmy and I are over at Love Bytes Reviews today talking about the importance of young adult LGBTQIA literature in school and local libraries. Come check it out!