GRL Featured Blog: Wade Kelly
Interview with Ellis Montgomery on Release Day of JOCK 3
Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh! Back Off! That’s My Jock is OUT! Today is Release Day! I can’t believe it! You can order it HERE.
You’ve probably noticed I’ve done a number of character interviews for this tour where the characters ask ME questions. I thought it was a bit different, and hopefully entertaining. We’ve spoken with Doug Archer, Sam Garber, and Rob McAvoy. For release day, why don’t we go back to the beginning and chat with Ellis Montgomery. Don’t you think that would be fun?
If you are unfamiliar with my JOCK Series, it began in December 2012 with the release of My Roommate’s a Jock? Well, Crap! In the first book Cole Reid needs a roommate and is looking for anyone but a jock. In steps Ellis! Ellis is the star soccer player at Gettysburg College and moves in with Cole. Their relationship is history, so to say, since they were the couple in book 1. Book 2 came three years later in December 2015. No! Jocks Don’t Date Guys features a new couple, Chris and Alonzo. The plot ends in mid-October with playoffs in sight. Chris has a best friend in book 2, Doug Archer, who is featured in book 3. These book can be read out of order, but it is not recommended. For die hard fans, I also have a free short on All Romance eBooks entitled Oh, Crap! This Jock’s Getting Married.
Wade: Welcome Ellis Montgomery to the interview today.
Ellis: It’s great to be here. I’m really happy to see the progression of the characters in JOCK 3 and how we all interact. May I ask, how did you decide on the theme for this book?
Wade: Nothing like jumping straight into the interview.
Ellis: *chuckles*
Wade: I love soccer. My son played high school soccer so I paid close attention. After so many years had passed between JOCK 1 & JOCK 2, I knew I had to come up with another couple and another storyline. You and Cole had to have graduated by then. I also didn’t want to lose you. The brilliant idea of you coaching instead of playing just popped into my head. After JOCK 2, I had to thing of what to do with Doug. He’d had a rough time in JOCK 2, but his story was more complicated in my head. Originally, my story wasn’t going to be about a bisexual player, but as I wrote JOCK 2 last year, it was apparent the plot I was foreshadowing for JOCK 3 was too complicated for me, so I changed it. Since Doug was dating girls in book 2, it made sense to either have him discover his bisexuality throughout the book, or write him as a gay man who suppressed his attraction to guys and dated girls because it was easy or socially acceptable. I sort of did that in Names Can Never Hurt Me, sort of, so I went with bisexuality in a way to show it’s okay to be bi and you don’t have to be ashamed of it.
Ellis: Wow. Cool. I for one am glad you did it that way. I saw the whole soccer team pause and look at Doug to figure out where they stood on the matter of sexuality in relation to friendship, soccer, and life. Thanks for that. What cultural value to do see in writing/storytelling?
Wade: I really strive to write what I see in culture, and I think the benefit is that readers in other areas of the world can get a different perspective. Or, they can see the same perspective and not feel so alone. No matter how LGBTQ rights have progressed in the last few years, there are still people who feel isolated and alone in their sexuality. I am someone who doesn’t want that person to feel alone. New York and L.A. may be relatively same to live out, but there are still plenty of places where bullying can lead to suicide. Therefore, I think storytelling can open peoples’ eyes to situations they hadn’t dreamed of before.
Ellis: What did you enjoy most about writing Back Off! That’s My Jock?
Wade: Writing ALL my characters into the story. (Except for one.) In JOCK 2 I introduced another set of soccer players, but the main focus was on Chris Jackson and his relationship with Alonzo Martin. Since I build the surrounding characters in book 1 & 2, I could simply write the story in book 3. There wasn’t as much history to build and explanation. You knew who they were. The biggest part of “telling” came in chapter one where I give a brief summary of book 2 to catch the readers up to where I was going to begin book 3. I reminded readers what Doug did in book 2 before he steps onto the field for practice and meets the new player on the team. I enjoyed bringing ALL the characters in as major parts of Doug’s personal development. The biggest part of that was his new friendship with Rob.
Ellis: I’m really glad you wrote that. Rob has needed a friend since Russell left for Japan and I got married. I think he’s been drifting for a long time. Doug was good for him. How did you get where you are in life today? Did you suffer an absence of friendship like Rob, or get bullied like Cole?
Wade: Not exactly, but I think the similarities are there. In 2010 I lost all my friends because I wrote a book with gay characters and the church I attended at the time blamed me for the three gay kids in the church. Somehow I turned them gay even though none of them knew I wrote a book with gay characters. The main character in that book was 46 and I didn’t see how anyone would think I wrote it about them. Being alone because of narrow-minded religious zealots made me rethink how I felt about gay people. I was shunned and I wasn’t even gay. I saw a glimpse of how cruel people could be toward things they didn’t understand. I then learned over time my views differed from the one in some of the churches I’d been to. I believe people are born gay (LGBTQ, etc.), but there were others who think it is a choice. In my opinion, no one would choose to be bullied, condemned, put in prison, or killed for his/her/their sexuality. It would be much easier to choose to be straight. In a small comparison (not meant to belittle), it would be easier and more acceptable to the world for me to write straight romance. I wouldn’t have gotten thrown out of church and I wouldn’t have lost my friendships. However, I believe things happen for a reason and I choose not to do the acceptable, mainstream thing, but to stand for something meaningful. I stand for equality. I want to promote hope. I want to write about the culture we live in, and change the way people think one book at a time. In short, I HAVE felt things like Cole and Rob, but I’ve also lived experiences similar to my other characters. I may not be gay myself, but I do live the same human experience in many ways. And I write to express what is inside my heart.
Ellis: Thank you. I don’t really have any words for that. I’m glad for the part I have in your JOCK series. I remember being reluctant and shy in the first book, but I’ve grown a lot in the last few years. If my character is a part of your heart then it explains why I’ve grown to be more assertive and happier. That’s you, isn’t it?
Wade: Indeed. I’ve worked through my aggression and anger with Doug’s character in Back Off! That’s My Jock, as well as pouring my happiness into you, Ellis. Maybe in the following JOCK books, you’ll see even more happiness in your life.
Ellis: So you are saying there will be more JOCK books in the future?
Wade: Yes. I’m writing JOCK 4, and I have a plan for JOCK 5. There could be a sixth one if it comes to mind, but for now I plan on 4 & 5 for sure. Is there anything you’d like to see happen in those books?
Ellis: I’d like Cole to find personal fulfillment. I know he’s frustrated with his job. I’d like Rob to find love. And I think I’d like to see Chris have a great senior year.
Wade: I think I can handle that. These will be things the readers can look forward to in the next few JOCK books. In the mean time, read JOCK 1, 1.5, 2, & 3. For details of my free short, visit my website or email me: writerwadekelly@gmail.com
Back Off! That’s My Jock (The JOCK Series #3)
Series: Jock (Book 3)
Paperback: 290 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (August 26, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1634775627
ISBN-13: 978-1634775625
Amazon: Back Off! That’s My Jock (The JOCK Series #3)
Amazon Kindle: Back Off! That’s My Jock (The JOCK Series #3)
Defining his sexuality didn’t make sense until his best friend spelled it out.
Doug Archer did some pretty idiotic things in the first eight weeks of his junior year of college. First, he kissed his gay best friend, and second, he kissed a guy he’d mistaken for a girl. Not stellar moments for Doug. If he isn’t careful, he’ll lose his spot on the soccer team to the new freshman, or worse, he might misconstrue his new friend Rob’s overly affectionate tendencies for flirting. But if Doug isn’t bothered by another guy’s attention, and he normally dates girls, does that mean he’s gay or bisexual?
Sam Garber suppressed his same-sex attraction his entire life. His father told him it was immoral, and Sam did everything he could to bury his feelings. However, after meeting Doug at a party and kissing him, Sam can’t think of anything else. He decides dating girls is the best way to keep his secret hidden. With playoffs in sight, this is no time to think about guys in any other context than soccer. Only, neither boy anticipates the difficulty in suppressing his attraction for another jock!
Wade: I guess that concludes the interview for this guest post. Thank you, Ellis for joining me, and thank you Elisa Rolle for hosting me. Join me for more fun on the other stops of this tour:
July 27th - Caraway Carter’s Wednesday Walkabout
August 1st - Jeff and Will’s Big Gay Fiction Podcast.
August 17th - 2 Chicks Obsessed
August 19th - Prism Alliance
August 22nd - Love Bytes Reviews
August 24th - Ashley John’s blog
August 25th - Dreamspinner Press’ Blog
August 26th - Release Day! I’m on Elisa Rolle’s blog
August 29TH - Joyfully Jay
August 30th - Long & Short Reviews
August 31st - TTC Books & More
September 2nd - MM Good Book Reviews
I hope you enjoy release day as much as I will! Whoot!!!
As for the giveaways… I, Wade Kelly, will be giving away one GRAND PRIZE (items listed below) and three runner up prizes of a $10 gift card for Amazon. What you need to do is leave a comment. ALL comments are logged for a chance at the prizes. ONLY those who leave a comment on ALL eleven blog stops will be entered into the Grand Prize drawing. Last time I think there were 15 people in the Grand Prize drawing.
Note: If we’ve never chatted and you aren’t on Facebook, it is a good idea to leave an e-mail address because I need to know how to reach you. If I can’t, and I reply to your comment on the blog post that you’ve won but don’t hear from you, I have to give the prize to the next person on my list. Each comment gets you a chance in the drawing. If you leave one on each, that is eleven entries PLUS you are listed in the Grand Prize drawing. For a reminder if the rules, and where I’m stopping next, visit my blog post HERE.
Grand Prize includes all of the following:
1) One of my famous spoons in the colors of your choice
2) A $10 gift card from Amazon
3) One paperback signed from my back list (Not counting JOCK 3)
4) An e-book copy of JOCK 4, when it comes out.
5) And last, but not least, a soccer jersey for the player of your choice from the players in JOCK 3. (I’ll list them on my website along with pictures of the jerseys. They come in adult S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, & 4XL)
So there you go. If you have any questions, please let me know. Comment here or email me: writerwadekelly@gmail.com
As an aside for those who are attending GRL who may want some of my books in paperback, I will not be selling anything in Kansas City. If you want Misplaced Affection, e-mail me. Any other book Dreamspinner may be bringing, but most likely they will only have my recent books. If you pre-order it, meaning you tell me what you want and pay me, I WILL BRING IT TO YOU IN KANSAS CITY.
I can be found on:
Web: www.writerwadekelly.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wadekellywriter
Face book Fan group, The Wade Brigade: https://www.facebook.com/groups/247976895406172/
Blog: writerwadekelly.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterWadeKelly
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writerwadekelly/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5141623.Wade_Kelly
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/writerwadekelly/
Bio: Wade Kelly lives and writes in conservative, small-town America on the east coast where it’s not easy to live free and open in one's beliefs. Wade writes passionately about controversial issues and strives to make a difference by making people think. Wade does not have a background in writing or philosophy, but still draws from personal experience to ponder contentious subjects on paper. There is a lot of pain in the world and people need hope. When not writing, she is thinking about writing, and more than likely scribbling ideas on sticky notes in the car while playing "taxi driver" for her children. She likes snakes, can’t spell, and has a tendency to make people cry.
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