A review for THE PROMISE OF LIVING

Thank you, Jack, for taking the time to review my novel! Go to his blog because he is a great lover of books. Mahalo nui loa!
https://jackdanfabbooks.wordpress.com

Genre: LGBT, Coming-of-age, Young Adult, Contemporary

Rating: 3.5 / 5

“Despite the grounded daily activity of milking the herd . . . Ryan knew something terrible was about to happen.”

Ryan has been having visions. They come to him at random intervals, showing him suicide and murder. Will those visions save the man he loves?

Ryan Colton’s boredom of Wilson’s Ferry is shoved aside when he gets a vision of a murder of a high school peer. With the help of city boy, Skylar, he discovers how to control his visions in an attempt to uncover the truth behind the murder. While Ryan is in Boston, he comes to terms with his sexuality, embracing his identity for the first time.

I’ve not read LGBT fiction before. I’ll be honest, I was expecting to read explicit material – limbs akimbo and private parts waving. I breathed a sigh of relief when this was not the case. The characters’ orientation was not central to the story; it could have been taken out and the narrative would have stood by itself. This is what good LGBT fiction should be. A story about people who also happen to be gay. As a gay man myself, the book felt very authentic in its dealing with the issue of ‘coming out’ and handled the feelings of a person accepting themselves very well. This coming-of-age story has a well thought-out plot that threads everything together smoothly and the descriptions of small town life is clear, without unnecessary embellishment.

The writing is superb. There were a few lines that felt a little messy, such as “He grabbed his own books under his right arm and left.” It’s clear what was meant but the two directions did distract me from the natural rhythm – momentum – that was nicely built up throughout the story.

The characters were relatable and felt very authentic. If I was to sum the book up in a single word it would actually be ‘authentic’. There was no extravagant event included for the sake of entertainment. It was a real story about real people.

The Promise of Living is a book I wanted to read. Whenever I had to be somewhere, I wanted to take it with me. I needed to know what happened next. If you’re looking for your next read, here it is!

“I love you, Ryan. I’ll always remember the blond trombone player in the farmer t-shirts and the red John Deere cap.”

I was kindly gifted a Kindle version of this book, by the author, in return for an honest review. Thank you very much to J. Lee Graham.

Another interview regarding THE PROMISE OF LIVING

Many thanks to Christy for setting up this interview! It's a great blog! 

I had a blast doing this. 

A great comment on THE PROMISE OF LIVING

A reader recently e-mailed me regarding my novel THE PROMISE OF LIVING. I was very moved and grateful. Mahalo! 

"It is just absolutely wonderful.   On so many levels.

It is so cleverly and engagingly written, compelling the reader to see what is going to happen next!   

It is so meaningfully written:  with so many fundamental life issues, challenges, lessons/teachings, wise insights and guiding light woven gracefully into the characters and storyline.

It is touching and poignant, in that your many references hearken back to our era of childhood and adolescence (e.g., Steve Mc -Who???!....I had to laugh...what a perfect reference to Steve McQueen, and all I could think was: what youngster today would know who he is?!).   

So in this way, I think your story actually serves two populations:   young adults who may be grappling with all of the complex issues you raise...and those of us who have come into our adulthood with some regard...and much poignant reflection under our belts...and yes, still many questions.

You have a fabulous gift for creating a strong sense of place.   I could smell, feel, see everything vividly, and the eerie components to the story made my skin crawl.   Great job!"

A touching Review

Thank you to BhamGhostwriter for a touching review on my YA coming of age novel THE PROMISE OF LIVING. 
This is on my Amazon page for the novel. 

Quite possibly the saddest HEA gay novel I've ever read

By BhamGhostwriter on August 11, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition Amazon Verified Purchase

With its vague metaphysical motif leading the way in some respects, I was truly finding myself totally absorbed in this extremely well-written and otherwise quite realistic coming-of-age novel. Having read the Amazon editorial piece and the extant reviews (one of which mentioned the HEA ending referenced in MY review title), I thought I knew exactly where the story was going and with whom I would be traveling as the plot proceeded in that direction. Then, just past the novel's halfway point and totally out of the blue, the author figuratively - but savagely - kicked me in the gut and stabbed me in the heart. Down for the count, I turned off the Kindle and let it rest on my pounding chest. Jeez! After making a real investment in how I thought this would turn out, I was left completely bereft of that emotional investment; I decided I couldn't finish reading the book. I poured myself a glass of Merlot to calm my nerves and my hurting heart.

A few minutes later however, I felt that by picking up the book again - in the way readers' minds sometimes work - I could thereby take the grieving Ryan into my arms and hold him. He needed someone; he needed me (since I had been through what he was going through). Or, perhaps more likely, I needed him; I needed to continue holding onto him (since I had been through what he was going through). Still, even with such rationales, did it ever hurt.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm glad I decided to finish the book. And though it seemed, somehow, a little rushed and a bit like some literary afterthought, the conclusion provided a fitting and believable HEA. And I appreciated that even though it didn't - at least for me - bring comfort enough to make up for what had gone before. I honestly think the story line could have continued apace, resolving whatever needed to be resolved (the murder, Ryan's future and the question of his sexuality, the "problem" of his visions, Ryan's feelings for Dave) without having to force - midway through - the inclusion of a horridly sad turn of events.

This is one of those rare books which I found myself loving even as I felt totally let down by how it all came to be. Take from this what you will.

THE PROMISE OF LIVING REVIEW!

Many thanks to Mrs. Condit Reads Books blog for reviewing my YA coming of age novel, THE PROMISE OF LIVING. I was very moved. 
Here it is: 

Posted by Pattycake on June 29, 2013

“Ryan took a breath. “You have a code of honor, Dad, about what it means to be a man and even though I must have grown up watching it, I never even noticed it until this year. I think about that a lot. How valuable that is, and how much I admire that in you.”
GENRE: M/M, coming of age, YA
RATING: 4 Sweet Peas!

BLURB: THE PROMISE OF LIVING is a heart-rending coming of age novel of sixteen-year-old Ryan Colton and his quest for his own authenticity. Ryan’s mother died when he was young, and he and his father carve out a tenuous but trusting relationship. Ryan works on Lee Hemmer’s farm with his best friend Dave in Wilson’s Ferry, New Hampshire, a stifling, small town where, in 1975, everyone, it seems, has something to hide. Ryan has a mysterious series of premonitions and visions that reveal the darker secrets of the townspeople. His gift becomes overwhelming when he visions a murky murder at the high school and cannot prevent its occurrence. Ryan seeks the help of a Boston transfer student and a famous psychic to not only focus his gifts to solve the murder but to finally accept his own personal feelings for Dave. Ryan struggles with his own power of being different in the world and knows that the true resolution lies within him.

TRISH’S OPINION: J. Lee Graham has written a powerful and moving coming-of’age story in The Promise of Living. The blurb lays out the bare bones of the story, but you really need to read this wonderful tale to really appreciate the rich feast laid out by the author. Ryan Colton and his best friend Dave Calderwood are your typical teens growing up in your typical small town until events start to happen that shake them and the rest of the town to their very core. Suicide,murder, feelings that don’t fit what small town society decrees to be normal, and other deep secrets are brought out into the light of day, and things will never be the same again.

This is a brilliantly character driven story with a plot that starts out with a smooth flow, then grabs ahold of you and doesn’t let go until the very end. The characters are solid, credible, and face the same triumphs and tragedies that shape the lives of people in the real world. The backstory is rich with details that lay a solid foundation for the storyline without too much trivia. The writing style of the author is eloquently precise, crisp, clear, and so wonderfully down-to-earth. There is no real sex in the story, but it doesn’t detract ftom the book at all. The author displays a solid and well-researched knowledge of what life was like in that time and place with no jarring errors. There are bittersweet moments when tragedy strikes some of the secondary characters, but the book itself has a HEA ending. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this beautiful book and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fascinating coming-of-age tale.

Q&A with Jamie Deacon

I had a great time being interviewed by Jamie Deacon from England about my YA novel THE PROMISE OF LIVING. You can read the entire interview here.
You can read her review of the novel on her blog as well as read an excerpt from the book. You can also sign up for a free give away for THE PROMISE OF LIVING too. 

Book Review for THE PROMISE OF LIVING

Thank you Jamie Deacon for a terrific review of THE PROMISE OF LIVING. Jamie has a blog entitled "Boys on the Brink" where YA gay novels are discussed and celebrated! 

Part of the Review: 

The Promise of Living certainly isn’t a novel for the faint-hearted. It has more than its fair share of harrowing moments, and one twist in particular shocked me so much that I had to put the book down for a while before going back to it. For all the grimness, however, there are some tender scenes, and overall I found it incredibly inspirational.

In defiance of the tough hand fate deals him, Ryan somehow comes through his ordeal, not only stronger, but the kind of young man any parent would be proud of.

If you enjoy novels that combine the clairvoyant with harsh reality, and which don’t shy away from the more disturbing aspects of life, you may well want to give this one a go.

To read the full review, please click here! 
http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-the-promise-of-living/

Radio Interview with WRPI

Thanks to Dr. Ray Werking and the great folks at WRPI for my radio interview last Sunday, November 11. It felt like I was coming home. It was a great pleasure, and the guys there in the station had a terrific sense of camaraderie as we discussed my Young Adult novel THE PROMISE OF LIVING. Dr. Ray was so insightful and warm and it was if we were traveling on the same wavelength. He saw what I am trying to say with this particular novel, and he delighted in its refreshing themes. A big MAHALO to Dr. Ray and his WRPI team! 

CHARIS BOOKSTORE SIGNING

I had a blast at Charis Bookstore in Atlanta, Georgia on November 3, 2012. Thanks Elizabeth and all the staff there for supporting my books, especially my latest novel THE PROMISE OF LIVING. 

THE PROMISE OF LIVING

Exciting news! My new novel, THE PROMISE OF LIVING is out! All the e-versions are available on www.smashwords.com and the paperback version is on Amazon. I am proud of this one, three years in the making! 
It's a different genre than the time travel series. This is a Young Adult novel, the coming of age of Ryan Colton in Wilson's Ferry, a small town in rural New Hampshire. 

The Promise of Living is a heart-rending coming of age novel of sixteen-year-old Ryan Colton and his quest for his own authenticity. Ryan's mother died when he was young, and he and his father carve out a tenuous but trusting relationship. Ryan works on Lee Hemmer’s farm with his best friend Dave in Wilson's Ferry, New Hampshire, a stifling, small town where, in 1975, everyone, it seems, has something to hide. Ryan has a mysterious series of premonitions and visions that reveal the darker secrets of the townspeople. His gift becomes overwhelming when he visions a murky murder at the high school and cannot prevent its occurrence.

Ryan seeks the help of a Boston transfer student and a famous psychic to not only focus his gifts to solve the murder but to finally accept his own personal feelings for Dave. Ryan struggles with his own power of being different in the world and knows that the true resolution lies within him.