Mia Kerick's Blog, page 5

COVER REVEAL THE ART OF HERO WORSHIP

Today is a big day!! It is COVER REVEAL DAY for my upcoming February 14th release from CoolDudes Publishing, THE ART OF HERO WORSHIP. And the first novel in my Mia Kerick Adult Collection, which focuses on the storyline without cutting down on passion.

 

Here’s the blurb:

Trembling on the floor, pressed beneath a row of seats in a dark theater, college freshman Jason Tripp listens to the terrifying sound of gunshots, as an unknown shooter moves methodically through the theater, randomly murdering men, women, and children attending a student performance of Hamlet. Junior Liam Norcross drapes his massive body on top of Jason, sheltering the younger man from the deathly hail of bullets, risking his life willingly, and maybe even eagerly.

 

As a result of the shared horror, an extraordinary bond forms between the two young men, which causes discomfort for family and friends, as well as for Jason and Liam, themselves. And added to the challenge of two previously “straight” men falling into a same-sex love, are the complications that arise from the abundance of secrets Liam holds with regard to a past family tragedy. The fledgling passion between the men seems bound to fade away into the darkness from which it emerged.

 

Jason, however, is inexplicably called to rescue his hero in return, by delving into Liam’s shady past and uncovering the mystery that compels the older man to act as the college town’s selfless savior.

 

The Art of Hero Worship takes the reader on a voyage from the dark and chilling chaos that accompanies a mass shooting to the thrill of an unexpected and sensual romance.

 

Preorder today!!

 

 

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS from Mia Kerick

I hope you are all enjoying the Season with those you love!!  I appreciate every one of you who reads this message!!

 

Love from Mia

 

 

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COME TO MY WINDOW wins Lesbian YA Rainbow Award, LOVE SPELL takes 4th place in Gay YA Fiction

Here is my Facebook post from this morning:

So happy that “Come To My Window” won a Rainbow Award for Best Lesbian YA Fiction. It released last January during a time of huge turmoil, which I will not go into. I wanted to just forget all about this book, as in my mind it somehow caused my troubles. However thanks to support of good friends, and Raine O’Tierney​ swooping in to save the day by listing it for me on Amazon, “Come To My Window” came into existence (with meager fanfare).

Little did I know it would make me so happy almost a year later!! :)

 

When you least expect it, expect it!!

Love Spell also did well in the Rainbow Awards, coming in 4th place for Gay YA Fiction.

Here is how it panned out in YA Gay Fiction:

 

CONGRATS, JAY!!!

Proud to be in a group so AWESOME!!

Inclination even got in on the act…

 

 

 

 

 

A GREAT DAY and THANK YOU to ELISA RAINBOW for your DEDICATION!!

 

Mia

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RELEASE DAY NOTES about CLEAN by Mia Kerick

Today is release day for my YA LGBTQ Contemporary Romance, Clean. And while there is romance, I struggle to classify Clean as STRICTLY a romance, because it is a book about social issues. In particular, it is a book about teenage substance abuse.

The two high school seniors who are the main characters in Clean are not using drugs and alcohol to alleviate boredom or to try out adult behavior or because of peer pressure. Trevor and Lanny use substances to medicate themselves—to dull the pain of difficult lives.

 

So, as the author, what would I like you to know about Clean?

First, I would like you to know Clean is very edgy. VERY EDGY. I went back and forth on whether to list it as a YA or a New Adult, but YA won out because of the two narrators’ youthful voices. This is the story of two teenagers, and although they deal with some tough stuff and experience sexual situations and abuse substances, it does not change the fact that this is a YOUNG ADULT novel. It is a mature YA novel, and edgy one, but still it was written to be read by teens and adults who enjoy books for teens.

 

Here are a few quotations about edgy YA that ring true to me:

 

“In terms of YA fiction, I think “edgy” means moving closer to adult genre fiction. Horror beyond R.L Stein, romance with a more adult view of sex, adventure with more realistic violence. It’s also more emotionally intense. There is still a big difference between what is acceptable in YA vs. adult fare, but it’s getting closer.” ~Austin Camacho

 

“Edgy to me has always been about topics that were once considered taboo. Today, some books cover illegal drug use and alcoholism but I’m seeing more titles about characters who must overcome sexual violence, are struggling with sexual identity, or must find a way to create their place in family groups. There seem to be more stories for YA about abandonment (youths living without parents), responsibility (youths who are the parents), terminal illness, and death.” ~Tony Russo

 

Secondly, I would like my readers to know that Trevor’s voice is written in the stream of consciousness style. Here are a few definitions of stream of consciousness I found online.

“In literature, stream of consciousness is a method of narration that describes in words the flow of thoughts in the minds of the characters.” Literary Devices

 

Its “purpose is to emulate the passage of thought through your mind without any inhibitors.” May Huang

 

Here is an example of how I use stream of consciousness in Clean:

 

“Laughter bursts up out of me too it just forces its way up from my gut to my throat to my lips and I can’t hold it back and I don’t even try too hard. The sound of my laughter fills up the cold shed where we’ll be drunk soon enough and he’ll forget I stopped being an asshole for a minute or two just long enough to laugh.” ~Trevor, Clean by Mia Kerick

I promise—I do know how to punctuate appropriately; at least, most of the time. But when writing in the stream of consciousness style, punctuation and grammar take a back seat to capturing the genuine movement of thoughts as they move through my character’s brain.

 

Third, I would also like to admit that I took a break halfway through the writing of Clean because the book was as tough to write as I think it might be, in places, to read. The research was intense—on the topics of head injury, drug abuse, alcoholism, and Alcoholics Anonymous, as well as on the sexual abuse of a minor—and it took an emotional toll on me. And writing the gritty downfall of two boys is not exactly fun. But the jewels I uncovered—the love, the trust, the hope—at the end of the novel made the journey worthwhile for me as a writer, and I hope for you as a reader, as well.

Finally, I suffered over the book’s title and the author’s note. Here’s why:

I do not like the use of the word clean for describing a person who does not have a sexually transmitted disease. I believe that having and STD does not make a person dirty, which is implied by calling people without STDs clean. Trevor, having been sexually abused by his guardian for the past several years, feels that he is dirty in more ways than one. He believes that he is in some ways impure, and thinks that he is also somehow dirtied by his lifestyle of drug and alcohol use. He longs to feel clean, and he considers Lanny perpetually clean. The subtitle, “Only by coming clean do they learn that they were always clean,” was added to clarify that I, in no way, am suggesting that people can be clean or dirty based on their behavior, or the status of their health.

 

And now, about the author’s note… It was my first time speaking directly to my readers (not through my characters) when not in the confines of an interview. I focused my notes on the way that many teens believe there is an immediate and complete solution to life’s problems, and it comes in the form of a pill or a joint or something you can snort or inhale. I realize that there are prescribed medications that can ease mental turmoil, and I do not intend to say that this is not true, but I believe that these medications work most effectively combined with hard work.

And now, I truly hope you are enlightened and uplifted by my fifteenth novel, Clean.

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DRUMROLL PLEASE…. COVER REVEAL VIDEO OF CLEAN by Mia Kerick

It is finally NOVEMBER 16, 2015 THE DAY OF MY COVER REVEAL for Clean!! MY YA LGBTQ EDGY ROMANCE

I think this cover might be my favorite so far. The colors, the cover model, the title and the sub-title–ALL OF IT!!

Thank you to my awesomely talented cover designer LOUIS C HARRIS for a brilliant cover and to LOUIS J HARRIS

for this AMAZING cover reveal video trailer!!!

Here is the blurb, in case you want to know who the beautiful guy on the cover is!! (He is Trevor…)

High school senior Lanny Keating has it all. A three-sport athlete at Lauserville High School looking at a college football scholarship, with a supportive family, stellar grades, boy band good looks… until the fateful day when it all falls apart.

Seventeen-year-old Trevor Ladd has always been a publicly declared zero and the high school badboy. Abandoned by his mother and sexually abused by his legal guardian, Trevor sets his sights on mere survival.

Lanny seeks out Trevor’s companionship to avoid his shattered home life. Unwilling to share their personal experiences of pain, the boys explore ways to escape, leading them into sexual experimentation, and the abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol. Their mutual suffering creates a lasting bond of friendship and love.

When the time finally comes to get clean and sober, or flunk out of high school, only one of the boys will graduate, while the other spirals downward into addiction.

Will Lanny and Trevor find the strength to battle their demons of mind-altering substances as well as emotional vulnerability?

Clean takes the reader on a gritty trip into the real and raw world of teenage substance abuse.

Here are a few reviews of Clean….

“Mia Kerick’s young adult coming of age romance, Clean, is stunningly beautiful and perfectly paced as the two young men begin their processes of healing and self-discovery. I love this book. I love just about everything about it. Trevor and Lanny are marvelous characters, and their interactions ring genuine and true even throughout the worst of their problems. Kerick adroitly merges social issues such as sexual and physical abuse, family dysfunction and addiction in a compelling and lovely story that never becomes preachy, sentimental or exploitative, and her writing style is measured and perfectly suited to her story. There are passages in Clean that are lyrical and beg to be read aloud, especially some of Trevor and Lanny’s later conversations. I didn’t want the story to end and felt a bit bereft when it finally did. Clean is most highly recommended.”

Jack Mangus Readers Favorites 5 STARS

“Kerick delivers a gripping and poignant tale in this unforgettable story of redemption, second chances and absolution. The writing will immerse readers in this tale of two young men facing their inner torment and demons. Clean will grip you to the core, strip you naked and make you believe that second chances do exist. Though classified as a young adult title, this is a story that any reader can enjoy.”

Michelle Tan RT SOURCE

“RECOMMENDED by the US Review

“Kerick’s novel is a well-paced, well-written, and thoughtful approach to teen angst and the perils of drug and alcohol addiction. As the novel shifts focus between Lanny and Trevor’s voices, we begin to see the deeper layers hidden beneath hardened exteriors, each of them revealing their true thoughts and feelings, until gradually they soften and their lives and future change for the good. Kerick is non-judgemental and compassionate, dealing with mature themes for young adults, while providing very realistic characters in Lanny and Trevor. A compelling read, Clean adds Kerick to the likes of writers who challenge us to find the hidden humanity in others. It’s a positive novel to help young adults and teenagers often ignored in the journey we all share together through the obstacles of life.”

US Review Dylan Ward

“Sigh, young love! Merely saying that I loved this novel will not be enough. I stayed up all night to read it and find out what happens in the end. I love it when I cannot guess the ending. Mia Kerick gave readers a rich text with amazing characters and beautifully written words. As a reader, you cannot ask for anything more! Ten shining stars for a new rising star!”

Rabia Tanveer Readers’ Favorites 5 STARS

If you feel you just must have this YA LGBTQ Contemporary Romance… here’s the link!!

http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Mia-Kerick-ebook/dp/B016AUC2HM/ref=zg_bsnr_10368521011_27

Mia

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New pre-cover reveal Book Trailer from the AMAZING Louis J Harris for CLEAN by Mia Kerick

And here it is!! My heart-pounding book trailer for Clean by Mia Kerick made by CoolDudes Publishing!!

I’d love to know what you think of this wonderful video creation!!!

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The US Review - 5 Stars - Clean

Clean

by Mia Kerick

Young Dudes Publishing

 

"I guess the best way to sum it up is that there's more pain lurking in his eyes than I'll ever know the truth of, because there's no way he'll share it with me. Just like I'll never share mine with him. We hide from all of the hurt, but it's cool that we can hide together."

Landon (Lanny) Keating is a star athlete whose personal life spirals out of control, trapped by alcohol and drug addiction. Once a star athlete, his academics and athletic career are quickly fading, and the one friend he has, Trevor Ladd, constantly pushes him away. Life at home is no better with his parents' focus completely on the care of his little sister, Joelle, rehabilitating from a brain injury. Lanny feels responsible for the circumstances of his sister's health, and the look of blame in his parents' eyes too painful. Consumed with guilt, Lanny isolates himself from everyone in the wake of his sister's life altering accident, turning to his addiction to free him.

Trevor Ladd is the high school rebel. His life at home is also broken, abandoned by his mother and sexually molested by his legal guardian. While Trevor seeks companionship from Lanny, they are both extremely vulnerable, trying to escape their home life while shuttering their innermost feelings from each other. Then something happens that triggers them both to finally face their demons.

Kerick's novel is a well-paced, well-written, and thoughtful approach to teen angst and the perils of drug and alcohol addiction. As the novel shifts focus between Lanny and Trevor's voices, we begin to see the deeper layers hidden beneath hardened exteriors, each of them revealing their true thoughts and feelings, until gradually they soften and their lives and future change for the good. Kerick is non-judgemental and compassionate, dealing with mature themes for young adults, while providing very realistic characters in Lanny and Trevor. A compelling read, Clean adds Kerick to the likes of writers who challenge us to find the hidden humanity in others. It's a positive novel to help young adults and teenagers often ignored in the journey we all share together through the obstacles of life.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review reviewed by Dylan Ward

Special 5 Star Review for Clean

 

 

Reviewed By Rabia Tanveer for Readers’ Favorite

Clean by Mia Kerick is the story of two high school boys who suffer from substance abuse and how they fight it. In the novel, Lanny Keating is the golden boy of Lauserville High School. He has everything a seventeen-year-old could dream of. He is a star athlete, has a scholarship for college, he is good looking and he has the undying support of his family. Everything is perfect in his life until a fateful day changes it all and now he is left floundering.

Trevor Ladd was never the star of anything. He is barely passing his classes and has issues that no one can understand. He was abandoned by his mother when he was younger and his legal guardian took him in. However, his guardian sexually abused him, and now he is a broken mess, ready to explode at the merest of touches.

When these two boys meet, they find solace in each other. They understand each other and this creates a relationship that stands on their mutual love and friendship. However, they fall into the shady world of substance abuse that almost ruins their lives. When the times comes to get clean, only one of them will be able to fight his demons and surface as a survivor. Who will it be? The Golden Boy or the Bad Boy?

Sigh, young love! Merely saying that I loved this novel will not be enough. I stayed up all night to read it and find out what happens in the end. I love it when I cannot guess the ending. Mia Kerick gave readers a rich text with amazing characters and beautifully written words. As a reader, you cannot ask for anything more! Ten shining stars for a new rising star!

 

Special 5 Star Reviews for Clean

Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Clean is a young adult coming of age novel written by Mia Kerick. Lanny Keating is entering his senior year in high school as a popular football player with strong prospects for a scholarship to a good school, but underneath the strong good looks and easy charm is a troubled young man whose family became lost because of an accident. His little sister, Joelle, ran out into traffic outside a fairgrounds, and she suffered traumatic brain injuries as a result of her accident. Her father, mother and Lanny all blame themselves and each other, and their existence is fraught with tension, recrimination and barely disguised antipathy. Lanny is drawn to Trevor Ladd, another senior, someone his parents would probably refer to as one of the bad boys at school, and the time they spend together seems to consist of an emotional push and pull, as Trevor finds it hard to show emotions or trust or feel that he’s worth anything at all. Trevor lives with an abusive and controlling guardian, a man his mother left him with years before. Carl is Trevor’s shameful secret; Carl’s house the place Trevor dreads returning to each night. Trevor and Lanny drink to ease the tension and to experience a calmness and camaraderie with each other; each finding coping with the secrets of their family life easier that way. Sometimes, they’ll smoke a joint or indulge in a schoolmate’s pharmacopia of pills, and, inevitably, Lanny’s sports and academic performance decline, leaving the mere fact of his graduating with his class in doubt.
Mia Kerick’s young adult coming of age romance, Clean, is stunningly beautiful and perfectly paced as the two young men begin their processes of healing and self-discovery. I love this book. I love just about everything about it. Trevor and Lanny are marvelous characters, and their interactions ring genuine and true even throughout the worst of their problems. Kerick adroitly merges social issues such as sexual and physical abuse, family dysfunction and addiction in a compelling and lovely story that never becomes preachy, sentimental or exploitative, and her writing style is measured and perfectly suited to her story. There are passages in Clean that are lyrical and beg to be read aloud, especially some of Trevor and Lanny’s later conversations. I didn’t want the story to end and felt a bit bereft when it finally did. Clean is most highly recommended.
 

Mia Kerick

LET’S ALL BE IN A BOOK FLASH MOB!!!!

It is difficult for me to tread on unknown pathways. Ask my kids… if they, for example, want to try rock wall climbing, they need to ask me and expect my immediate reaction of “Oh, I don’t know… is that safe? I mean, the ropes could be tied wrong and it is a long way down!! What if you get hurt? I just don’t know!” and then come back to me in a couple of hours when I have had time to get used to the idea for “yes, you can rock wall climb.” And ask my husband… he has had to gradually break me in to the idea of MANY new things–from leaving the kids to go on a cruise to buying a boat to making plans for our someday retirement–I am slow to change and to join in and to accept a brand new concept.

Doing this Thunderclap Campaign is another example of me stepping into unfamiliar waters. When my publisher suggested it, I though “Oh, dear! What am I getting myself into? I just don’t know!” But I said, “Let’s go for it.” And no, I’m not fully comfortable with asking all of my friends for help, but here I am.

The premise of the Thunderclap… well, here is the definition from the Thunderclap website. Horse’s mouth, so to speak.

“Social media is an easy way to say something, but it’s a difficult way to be heard. Thunderclap is the first-ever crowdspeaking platform that helps people be heard by saying something together. It allows a single message to be mass-shared, flash mob-style, so it rises above the noise of your social networks. By boosting the signal at the same time, Thunderclap helps a single person create action and change like never before.”

And the premise of my Thunderclap is this:

“As a parent of three teenagers and one young adult, Mia Kerick knows that communication is the key to a successful family relationship, but she is also aware that the course of daily life doesn’t always run smoothly. No matter what challenge they face, Mia’s family knows that they can talk about it and pull together. But, there are families who do not communicate, where trust has fallen to the wayside, leaving family members lost and totally alone. But there is a way out, and Mia’s message is simple: when faced with a challenge, family always pulls together.

In Clean, Lanny Keating and Trevor Ladd are unable to honestly communicate with the adults and peers in their lives They are in emotional turmoil and seek ways to escape their pain through substance abuse and to some extent, sexual experimentation. Mia’s purpose is to give teens and adults who read Clean new hope, that through the power of communication—of directly addressing their challenging issues, and talking them over with a person they trust—any one can find a way into the light.”

In other words, I’d like to put the spotlight on teenage substance abuse- the why’s the how’s and the who’s.

I would love so much for you to join in and help me to spread the word. We can be like a huge BOOK FLASH MOB!!!

https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/32691-clean-by-mia-kerick

Join in and make a statement!!! (and help Momma Mia)

Thanks!!

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