AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & GIVEAWAY: Leigh Jarrett
As we venture into the second week of our blog-iversary celebration here at the Banter our featured Spotlight Author is LGBTQ romantic fiction author, Leigh Jarrett.
Leigh and I met through QUEERcentric Books Blog when she and the founder accepted me to be one of their original Contributor/Reviewer’s. Over my year with QCB she was a constant supporter of my work, as well as me starting and operation my own blog.
Needless to say when I thought of authors for my spotlight feature I immediately thought of Leigh. But not for the reason you may think. In fact our relationship had nothing to do with it. Well, maybe a tiny bit.
As QUEERcentric was making the decision to close its sight down she mentioned she had been working on a book for quite some time but did not know if she should continue with it. She explained to me the subject matter, plot and asked if I might take a look at the first few chapters.
Then she said, “What you say will determine if I am going to continue with it or not.” *gulp* That’s a LOT of weight to be put on someone’s shoulders!
As she shares the books storyline and our conversation(s) here, I am humbled that she accepted my words and will be continuing to bring this novel to fruition. Indeed she is accurate in that I chose her today because of this. I firmly believe this is a story that needs to be told. As a survivor I KNOW it MUST to be told!
I hope that you will keep a look out for Leigh’s release and recommend it to all those who you feel will value the book for what it is. A SURVIVOR'S journey!
And with that - Here is Leigh!
"I am so pleased Kimmers asked me to contribute to her site, suggesting I share the underlying topic of a book I've been wrestling with the writing of, on and off, for almost three years now. Why so long? In a single word, gut-wrenching. Immersing myself in this particular character's mind and emotional state has proven to be truly exhausting. Much more than I've ever exposed myself to in all the years I've been writing.
My workdays are short. There are frequent bouts of tears, lengthy breaks—and hugs and kisses from my wife. The book has even been shelved numerous times over the years when the dark fingers of depression somehow found their way back up from the pages, through my fingers, to my mind.
The subject matter encompassing and pervading the romance and existing relationship between these two men is one of male sexual assault. An uncomfortable subject, I know, but one that needs to be discussed. It is real, and it is happening as you read this. Which is, I suspect, the reason why Kimmers asked me to write this post. I passed her the first few chapters of Shadows On My Soul a few weeks back, to get her take on what I was working on, as I value her opinion immensely …and she has been encouraging me to finish writing the book ever since.
Being that I write in the LGBTQ fiction world, both of my main characters are gay men, one closeted, one not, but it should be noted that sexual assault directed against gay male victims is only slightly higher than for heterosexual males. The higher incidence though, is due largely to the fact that gay men can become the target of anti-gay violence perpetuated by other men. The assaults often involving a higher level of violence, use of weapons, and multiple assailants. Punishment in the form of rape. Retribution for being born queer.
Think about that for a moment. Sexually assaulted, simply because of whom one is attracted to and whom one is drawn to fall in love with—begin a life with …start a family. These stories need to be told both in fiction and as real life happenings. They need to be brought to light. These men need to be heard."
As part of her stop today Leigh Jarrett has graciously left one of our lucky readers 75% off her complete Tekla Senior High series.
Shadows On My Soul Blurb:
Derek Lawrence was a player. There was no other way to phrase it. He'd been unstoppable since coming out in high school. Guy after guy, conquest after conquest. He wasn't looking for any kind of commitment from anyone, except maybe, his best friend and business partner, Justin Leary. But that was different. Completely platonic. Best friends and nothing more. Never anything more. Not that it had always been that way, but back in high school, Justin had just about died laughing when an implication surfaced that his feelings for Derek went beyond friendship. The confirmation of what Derek already knew to be true had crushed him, and he'd buried his feelings, along with any hopes of Justin ever becoming his partner on a romantic level.
It had been eighteen years since he'd first laid eyes on Derek. Senior High. Tall, dark, and incredibly confident. They'd become inseparable from the start, but Justin had never anticipated they'd still be spending practically every waking moment together all these years later. After high school, Derek had approached him about starting a business together—the tone of his voice and his habit of invading his personal space, touching, and tugging at his belt loop …he'd been incapable of refusing. Not if there was even the remotest of possibilities that Derek would ask him again …ask him if his feelings ran deeper than friendship. The answer would be different this time. He'd screwed up in high school, laughing in Derek's face, instead of drawing him in. Kissing, tasting—attacking his mouth. Instead, his sexuality and feelings had remained hidden from the only man he'd ever loved.
Until that night—the night everything changed. One targeted act of violence and his world crumbled, his secrets exposed. His love revealed during the aftermath of violation—and shame.
His life with Derek would never be as it was again.
Leigh Jarrett is unabashedly queer, quirky, and passionate. Lover of antique stores, the smell of lye and oil as it turns to soap, and the sound of ocean breezes passing through the ancient Douglas firs of Vancouver Island's Cathedral Grove.
In her hometown of Kelowna, BC, Leigh can be found nestled up with her fabulously supportive wife, her trusty laptop, and their persistent treat seeker, Miss Mimi-dog, affectionately nicknamed "Muffin Head."
Having been bullied as a child for being "different," writing, and publishing LGBTQ Romantic Fiction has given Leigh an opportunity to express her uniqueness, inspired by the LGBTQ community she now calls home. Her contemporary works highlighting their struggles, while celebrating their diversity, and affirming their most basic of human rights—to love and be loved. And her Sci-Fi, Paranormal, Fantasy, Horror works simply sharing the uber perpetual "weird kid" geek residing within her.
Please consider joining Leigh's mailing list: http://eepurl.com/xuhej
