I'm so happy that Dawn is having me today on the Reading
Nook! I'm Sara York, and my new book, Pray The Gay Away, is out. It's the first
book in the A Southern Thing series. This project was a little different than
most since I did the photography, the cover, and wrote the book. Quite a bit
much when you think about it. But this project from start to finish was all
mine, and I felt the weight of the responsibility.
Jack and Andrew's story started to take root in October
2013, just when Kindle Alexander had her book, Double Full out. I loved Colt,
and his character influenced my writing significantly when I started working on
this story.
The emotions required for Jack and Andrew were deep, filling
my every waking moment for weeks on end. When they meet, Andrew is ready to end
it all, but Jack with his sweet personality and loving spirit saves Andrew,
showing him that all isn't what it seems to be. But Andrew's parents are harsh,
trying to prevent him from seeing Jack.
Jack knows Andrew is special from the first time they meet,
but convincing Andrew that he's not going to take advantage of him proves
difficult. Both boys have a lot of issues to work through if they want any type
of relationship.
Blurb - Star football player, Jack Miller, had it all. The
perfect family, looks, girls hanging on his every word, and the respect of most
people in his town. But one thing was missing--a man to be his own.
When Andrew Collins showed up in small town, conservative
Sweet, Georgia, he looked more scrawny mutt than high school senior. Andrew's
plan was to keep his head down and graduate high school, leaving his family
behind to start his real life.
When he meets Andrew, Jack thinks he's found heaven, but
reality holds him in check until one night when his lips gently slide across
Andrew's and fireworks go off.
As lust and something a little deeper brings them together,
compelling them to take chances, people start to notice. Then the unthinkable
happens, and Jack's parents find out he likes guys. The battle lines are drawn
and they vow to pray the gay away.
Excerpt
When Jack pulled
up outside Andrew's house, the front door opened and Andrew's dad stepped out,
his face severe. The look cooled Jack's enthusiasm. Then Andrew stepped onto
the porch and a shiver raced through Jack. Andrew was just as beautiful as Jack
remembered. He hadn't been dreaming up the details. He'd been spot on. Jack
blew out a breath, hoping he could keep his desire under control for a while
longer.
Andrew nodded
and Jack watched as father and son shook hands. To anyone else it might have
looked like a friendly gesture, but Jack saw the menace behind the move. Andrew
was in trouble, and he probably wouldn't be out of trouble for the rest of this
year.
Jack made sure
the passenger door was unlocked and sat up straight, not leaning over to give
Andrew a peck on the cheek like he wanted to. He kept his hands on the steering
wheel too. He'd heard over and over again that nice boys didn't put their hands
in their laps. It took him years to figure out what the old church ladies
meant. Then he was disgusted that they'd said that in front of everyone,
including the girls. When he was younger in church school and had his hands in
his lap, he sure as hell wasn't jacking off. The old biddies didn't know, or
care, that they were shaming kids that didn't need to be shamed. But Aaron
would probably be pissed if he knew Jack had grown slightly hard just seeing
Andrew walk to his truck this morning.
"Hey, good
to see you," Jack said as Andrew settled in the seat.
"Yeah."
Andrew's eyes flashed to his dad before he buckled in. Jack took his cue and
didn't say another word until they'd pulled from the driveway and were headed
to school.
"Did you
have a good night?"
"Yeah. I
slept like a baby. I think it was the food. I felt so full."
"Remind me
later and we'll stop by for another burger."
"My mom
will know. She has a tight reign on my money."
"We'll work
something out. Trust me, you don't need to go without McDonalds forever."
They both
laughed and Andrew looked like he relaxed a little. Jack studied his profile,
taking in the angles and dips of his face. He was thin, almost too thin. Jack
turned the truck toward a donut shop near the high school.
"Hey, where
are we going? I know school is that way."
"I need a
donut."
"Oh."
"Come on.
It will take us two minutes to grab one. Just stay in the truck so I can keep
it running."
Jack dashed into
the store and picked up a muffin and two glazed donuts. He handed the bag to
Andrew when he got back in the truck. "Split the muffin with me. I had a
taste for it, but I can't eat it all."
Andrew looked at
him funny but opened the bag and inhaled deeply. Andrew's stomach rumbled and
Jack wondered if his parents were depriving him of food to teach him a lesson.
He'd heard of parents doing that. Being exceedingly strict, not to cause their
child to lose weight, but as a form of control.
The paper bag
crinkled and Jack smiled as he heard Andrew chewing. He looked over and saw
that the entire muffin was gone. Andrew's eyes went wide as he glanced in the
bag.
"Shit, I
ate the whole thing."
"Don't
worry. I'm fine. Have a donut. The family who owns the store has a secret
recipe. You have to taste them to see if you can figure out their secret
ingredient."
"Here, you
take your donut just to make sure I don't eat it."
"Okay."
Jack took his donut and chowed down as he pulled into the parking lot. The
donuts really were the best. "So, what do you think the ingredient is?
"Heck, I
don't know. I was too hungry to figure it out."
Jack's anger
spiked, but he covered it. "Hey, let me see your class schedule."
Andrew handed
him the sheet of paper detailing his classes. Jack looked at fourth and saw
that Andrew and he wouldn’t be eating lunch together.
"Shit, you
have first lunch. That sucks. I have third. I wanted to eat lunch with
you."
"It's
okay."
"Damn. At
least first period is in the same wing. I'll walk you to class."
"You don't
have to."
"I want
to."
Jack jumped out
of his truck and waited for Andrew to climb down. His cheeks were pink and his
eyes didn't look so hollow. Jack was proud of getting some food into the boy.
After school, he'd bring Andrew home and feed him something. Maybe he could
make a pizza or something else with a huge number of calories that would hold
Andrew over for the night.
Andrew stayed
beside him through the parking lot, but as they approached the school, he
started to move slower. Jack turned around and lifted a brow. "What are
you doing?"
"You can go
ahead and talk to your friends."
"No way,
buddy. We're going to walk in there together. You're my friend from Atlanta.
I've already told four people and it has spread through the entire school by
now. If you don't take pity on me, and at least pretend to be my friend, I'll
look like a total dickwad jerk."
Andrew's lips curved up and Jack's heart soared. He was
putting way too much into this. In his secret thoughts, the ones he never
shared with anyone, he already thought of Andrew as his. The boy wasn't his,
and he probably wasn't interested. Andrew had yet to show any interest other
than just being nice. Jack would have to win him over and show that they could
be more than friends before school ended in May. He didn't know exactly what he
wanted, but he knew he needed Andrew by his side to accomplish it.
Pray The Gay Away is available at most online retailers.
AllRomanceeBooks - https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-praythegayaway-1429822-149.html
Writing is Sara
York's life. The stories fight to get out, often leaving her working on four or
five books at once. She can't help but write. Along with her writing addiction
she has a coffee addiction. Some nights, the only reason she stops writing and
goes to sleep is for the fresh brewed coffee in the morning. Sara
enjoys writing twisted tales of passion, anger, and love with a good healthy dose
of lust thrown in for fun.
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