Tyler Can't Get No Lovin'

[Anthony]

Hey There:

I've been off promoting the book and lost track of the conversation, so hello again!

I've been speaking with a lot of readers during promotions about Tyler's sex life, or lack of it. It's funny. Tyler's is always thinking or talking about sex but when Eric offers it to him, he turns him down.

The question is, do you think kids in high school are as sexually active as the media suggests or do you think kids are saving themselves for someone special?

Is Tyler the only virgin out there???

I hope this stimulates some conversation!

Much love AP

[Kit Orellana]

I think it's a misconception that all teenagers are having sex. I'm 18 and still a virgin. Out of my 20 closest friends, only 7 have ever had sex and only 2 would be considered sexually active. I know I live in 'Mormanville', but still. Teenagers in highschool are definitely not as sexually active as the media suggests

[Bror (Abrar)]

i don't have the right to say anything about this but i'm 19 still virgin kind a proud of that but i'm an Arab so that different ,although i have lots of american / non Arab friends my age , older and younger some didn't have sex yet some not that active and the active ones not like the media suggests .
i think they over doing it to make people more interesting and some just like to make the parents worry .
And if there were its matter of one or two maybe ten not a whole .

[Anthony]

Yes Kit, I graduated high school over 10 years ago and I recall that only a handful of kids were sexually active. I think that sex sells in the media because (particularly in America) it is taboo to discuss such such a subject. I wish that parents would be more open to discussing sex with their children so that television didn't have to....

[Anthony]

Initially, I had written 'Outtakes' for teens to have a gay love story that revolved around something more than sex. I wanted gay boys to have a romance that was funny, edgy, and heartfelt. I had a hard time finding books like that when I was in high school. Some of the books regarding gay life felt too clean and boring while other felt like porn. I think Outtakes takes the middle ground, giving readers a realistic take on what it's like to be gay in small-town America. At least that's my hope.

Hey Ab2y...glad to hear your take. I agree that the media needs to make it 'over the top' to draw an audience. I've had readers compare 'Outtakes' to that 90's show, My So-Called Life, which I think rings true. In that show, the main character just wanted Jordan to hold her hand, that was so important. The main character in 'Outtakes' is like that as well. He just wants a boy to publicly recognize him as something more than a friend. I've always found hand-holding really sexy. My hope is that gay kids are eventually able to hold hands in a school setting without worrying about getting harassed.

[Rogier]

hope 2