Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Grayality organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Author Carey PW will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Donβt forget to enter!
And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Garyality
by Carey PW
Genre: LGBTQIA Contemporary Romance
Synopsis
Love knows no gender.
Pate Boone, a twenty-six-year-old transgender man, embarks on a new adventure when his childhood best friend, and yes, ex-lover, Oakley Ogden, convinces him to escape their hometown in hopes for something new.
They land in Cloverleaf, a tiny rural town in Montana, so that Oakley can care for his granny who is battling breast cancer. She pressures the two young men to enroll in a nearby college. Pate immediately becomes enthralled with Maybelle, a young, vivacious freshman to whom he fears revealing his transgender identity. Still, he finds it impossible to resist Maybelle, even after he meets her ex, Bullet, a large, violent man determined to keep Pate away from βhis girl.β
But there are others who accept Pate immediately, like Stormy. An outdoorsy, rugged freshman, Stormy warns Pate away from Maybelle and Bullet, but Pateβs too infatuated to heed these warnings.
Oakley tries to support his friendβs new love but finds himself entangled in his own emotional calamity when he unintentionally falls for Jody, a gay and ostentatiously confident drag queen. This new relationship awakens deep internal conflicts in Oakley as he struggles to accept his bisexuality, lashing out at Pate and causing friction between him and Jody.
Oakley must decide if he can overcome his insecurities so he doesnβt lose the love of his life. And Pate must discover if the love between him and Maybelle is strong enough for her to accept him as a transgender man, or if she will break his heart.
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Enjoy this peek inside:
βDo you not realize that all these things you do hurt me?β he asked.
βI apologized for that. I thought we were over that,β I pleaded.
βThen you call me your boyfriend, but you donβt tell your parents,β he continued. βAnd you know that people around here already know about us, yet you wonβt hold my hand at lunch. Not to mention that you still wonβt touch me.β
I looked down in shame. βI told you itβs hard for me.β
βSo when does it get hard for me, Oakley? How long am I supposed to date someone who seems repulsed by me?β
I shook my head. βI donβt know what to say. You know Iβm straight.β
Jody wiped some tears from his eyes. βMaybe thatβs the problem. I shouldnβt be wasting my time on a straight guy, or at least a guy who keeps insisting that he is straight. I told you upfront that we could be friends and that if you wanted to pursue this, then you needed to be ready to actually do it.β
βAre you breaking up with me?β I asked desperately. Jody finally made eye contact.
βNo, not yet anyway. But Iβm not waiting for you, Oakley. You need to figure this out because my heart isnβt a tool for you to figure out your sexual orientation.β
βI promise. Iβll try harder. Donβt give up on us yet.β I grabbed his hands.
Jody smiled and went to touch my cheek with his hand, but I pulled away. He shook his head in disappointment.
~~~~~
Interview with Author Carey Pw
Do you have any tattoos?Β Where? When did you get it/them? Where are they on your body?
Β Β Β I have a lot of tattoos. I was too scared to get any in my twenties because people kept swaying me against it. Finally, I just decided to be myself.
Β Β Β I have a lot of patchwork tattoos on my arms. I have several Mario characters but mostly villains like Bowser, Gumba, and several of Bowserβs children. I also have the Skull Kid from Majoraβs Mask on my left forearm. I have an owl on a tree on my right upper arm that I got the day that I defended my dissertation for my Ph.D. in 2013. The owl stands for wisdom. I have a monkey holding the Chinese flag on my upper left arm with the Great Wall of China behind him. I am a monkey in the Chinese zodiac and lived in China for three years, so I wanted something to share that part of my journey.
Β Β Β My legs are horror themed. I have Jason, a critter from Critters, Billy the Puppet from Saw, Slimer from Ghostbusters, the Elite Hunting logo from Hostel, and Peachfuzz from Creep. I also have a classic American traditional skull and dagger tattoo.
Β Β Β My most meaningful ones would be my hand tattoos because they show my identities. On my right hand, I have an asexual cupcake. On my left, a nonbinary cat. Written above them are the words, goth and punk. I also have the years when I came out tattooed on my upper fingers. I love displaying my pride.
Is your life anything like it was two years ago?
Β Β Β Two years ago, we were deep into the pandemic, so yes, my life is different now. Probably the most noticeable difference for me would be my physique. I was less than two years on testosterone, and now, I have facial hair and a leaner, masculine build. I feel way more congruent in my body. I also got into baking two years ago as a way to stay busy during the pandemic. Now, itβs one of my favorite pastimes. I also came out as asexual in 2020, which brought a lot of relief to my life. I have one kidney now, too since donating one this past December. In many ways, I am a totally new person; in others, I am completely the same.
How long have you been writing?
Β Β Β Third grade is my first memory of writing and learning that I loved it. But other than writing for some school assignments, I donβt recall writing in my free time until high school. I wrote a lot of poems to sort out the depression and gender dysphoria I was experiencing at the time. I started writing novels in college, but I got discouraged after graduation and didnβt write for ten years! Finally in 2013, I wrote another novel that was a fictional work about my experiences in China. Itβs only been within the past two years that I started writing heavily. I hope to keep that up because I feel like itβs been a missing element in my life.
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
Β Β Β Do the work and donβt give up. Writing is a lot of work. Itβs not just writing the draft, but itβs hours of editing and revisions. Also, it takes time to write blurbs and query letters and other promotional materials. Marketing is probably the most time-consuming part. I never expected to spend so much time on social media! For me, I treat it like another job. I have to devote the hours and meet my deadlines. I also did a lot of research and continue to research this industry.
Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.
Β Β Β Itβs not just a lovey dovey romance. The characters are young, but their conversations reflect deep, intricate issues around sexuality and gender identity. Donβt get fooled by the new adult genre. This book may offer something to people of all ages.
~~~~~
About Author Carey PW
Carey PW (he/they) is a debut author, college instructor, and mental health counselor. Carey is currently completing his next manuscript, Acing the Game.
Carey lives in Montana, and identifies as nonbinary, transmasculine (AFAB) and panromantic asexual. Due to the lack of resources in rural communities, Carey has discovered that writing about his lived experiences is a therapeutic outlet for him and hopes that his readers relate to his own personal struggles and triumphs shared through his charactersβ narratives. Carey is particularly interested in exploring relationship conflicts around sexuality and gender differences. He has also worked as a high school writing instructor and college writing instructor, earning a B.A. in English Literature, a M.Ed. in English Education, and Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education all from the University of Georgia. In 2020, Carey earned his second M.Ed. in Counselor Education and works as a licensed clinical professional counselor, LCPC. He has a strong passion for working with the unique mental health issues of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Readers can learn more about Carey from his blog, www.careypw.com. When he is not writing, Carey is busy training for marathons, parenting his six cats, sharing his culinary talents on social media, serving on the board for the nonprofit Center for Studies of the Person (CSP) and learning photography.
Carey PW loves to hear from readers. You can find his contact information, website and author biography at http://www.pride-publishing.com.
Other links:Β Blog / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
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A fabulous tagline.
Thanks. It was inspired by my husband. He stayed with me after I came out as transgender and transitioned. He proved to me that love knows no gender. π
Thanks for hosting!
Thanks for hosting me π
Thanks for the great giveaway! I canβt figure out how to post my own comment so I had to reply to someone elseβs
You are welcome. π
Good looking man on the cover and a beautiful backdrop
Haha, yes, I’ve gotten several comments about the handsome guy on the cover. I love that the background looks like Montana.
Sounds great.
Thank you. I hope you enjoy it.
I really love this book cover and synopsis, Grayality is a must read for me and it is on my wish-list. Thank you for sharing the author’s bio and book details
I’m glad you are interested in Grayality. I can’t wait to hear what you think.
thanks this sounds pretty interesting
I’m so happy that you think so. I hope that you give it a whirl. π Carey PW
I really like the cover and think the book sounds good.
Thanks so much. I hope you consider checking it out. π
Sounds like a great book.
Thanks. I hope you check it out.π
This sounds like a very creative accomplishment! Is it your first book and did you self publish?
This is my debut novel, and it was published through Pride Publishing.
is there a certain in of day that you like to write
I feel like I write best on Sunday mornings. I am not in a hurry and write while enjoying my coffee. However, I will do some writing after work in the evenings, but I am often tired. I do not write too much on those nights, but just enough to make progress.
was it hard to chose the cover
It was a little hard. I didn’t think on it too much. I shared the three options with my husband, and he chose this one because he felt that it resembled the character Pate more. I agreed.
have a great Friday
Have a wonderful weekend! π
hope you are having a creative weekend
I am making a new cupcake recipe today. It’s a rosemary cake. Tomorrow and Monday, I’ve got lots of writing planned π. I hope you are enjoying your day.
thanks this sounds like a great book to read
I’d love to hear what you think π
Great interview, I enjoyed the excerpt and Grayality sounds like a wonderful book to read!
Thanks for sharing it with me and have an amazing week!
I’m so glad that you liked it. I hope you have an awesome week, too π
hope you have a wonderful week
great excerpt sounds really good
Thanks, and I hope you are having a great start to your week! π
is there an author that inspires you
I don’t really have favorite authors that I follow. I like to randomly select books to read versus seeking out certain ones. I also enjoy reading indie authors, too. I would say all writers inspire me because it takes guts to write and put your work out there.
thanks this sounds like a pretty interesting book
Thank you. π
week went quickly, happy writing
Have a great weekend! π
Sounds fantastic!
Thanks. I hope you give it a go. I’d love to hear what you think. π
best wishes with the book
Thank you π
have a great Sunday
I hope you had a good weekend. I certainly enjoyed my Sunday of writing, exercise, and cooking. π
I like the cover! It sets the stage for the book.
Thanks. I was so glad that they captured Montana in it.
Sounds like a great read.β€οΈβ€οΈππππ€ ππ
Thanks. I hope you consider giving it a go. I’d love to hear what you think.
I like reading “About the Author”
Thanks, I actually rewrote that part several times. I wasn’t sure what to share.
another hot Tuesday here
another hot day here
Not too agonizing here, but I am a fall and winter person, so I can’t wait for things to cool down.
sounds like a wonderful book, thanks
Thank you, π
thanks this does sound really interesting
I hope you enjoy it. π
Happy September everyone! I am so excited fall is on its way! What is your favorite season?
Fall and winter are my favorite. I am already super excited for pumpkins, Halloween, and cooler weather. I’ve only been waiting for it since January.
This is so true and much needed today. Love doesnβt know a gender. Love is for everyone.
Love can come up in many different places. I’m thankful every day for my wonderful husband who loved me in woman form and now loves me even more in male form.
does the hot weather affect your writing
I live in Montana, so it does get hot around July and August, but summers are short here. It’s one of the reasons I moved here. It does not affect my writing, but it certainly impacts my running.
This book sounds like a great read.
Thanks. I hope you give it a read. π
have a wonderful long weekend
You, too π
did you always want to be a writer
I knew I wanted to write since I was about nine years old. I wrote stories for my third-grade class, and my classmates loved them. That’s where the inspiration began.
best wished on the book
Thank you π
what are you looking forward to this fall
I am looking forward to it all. I love the fall. I love cooking winter squashes, I love baking pumpkin and gingerbreads, I love the cool weather and shorter days, just anything! I’m also a big fan of Halloween and horror movies. It’s also a time of year when we don’t travel much, which I enjoy, too. I like things slowing down, and I can certainly get more writing done. π
The excerpt sounds promising. I can feel the characters’ angst and heartbreak.
Thanks. I hope you consider giving it a read. π
Thanks for hosting. Sounds like a great book.
Thanks, I hope you consider reading it. I’d love to hear what you think. π
This looks like a timely and fun read
Thanks. I hope you give it a read. π
Thank you for a chance to win! Looks like a great book!
Good luck! I hope you consider reading it. π
was it hard finding a publisher
For this novel, I think I sent it off to around fifty places then waited. I sent this manuscript to Pride Publishing in June last year and received a contract in September. Was it hard? I would say that it was a lot of work and was time consuming, but not necessarily hard. I researched a lot of publishers and followed their instructions for sending a manuscript. For my upcoming novel, I only sent it out to eleven places and had a contract within a week, so that one was way easier.
Sounds like a really interesting book!
I hope you give it a read and let me know what you think. π
This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.
Thank you. I hope you give it a read. π
have you started any other books
Yes, I have. Acing the Game is in the publishing process now with Extasy Books. I am working on Book One for a series that I hope to get ready to send to publishers in December.
The synopsis sounds interesting.
I enjoyed reading this well done excerpt!
Thank you for sharing this.
I am so glad you liked it. π I hope you consider reading it.
how old were you when you started writing
Basically, I started when I was nine, but I didn’t make it a serious thing until after high school when I wrote my first novel. I would also add that it didn’t get really serious until 2020 because now it’s basically another job and that’s how I treat it.
have a great weekend
Have a wonderful weekend π
do you write while on vacation
If I am at home, definitely. I look forward to vacations and holidays to be able to write. I travel a lot for marathons, and I don’t write on those trips because I’m usually tired after running.
this sounds like a great read
Thank you π
do you write while on holidays
Yes, I do. In fact, I plan to write on holidays. We usually do not travel because holiday travel is usually busy. I enjoy waking up and writing while I enjoy a cup of Death Wish Coffee. I usually have a cat or two snuggled up next to me.
congrats on the book hope all is going well
Thanks. I hope you are well, too.
do you tend to write more certains times of the year
I used to mostly write during the summers and winter break. I am college instructor, and those were my less busy times. However, now I am writing all year. I am a marathon runner, and I travel a lot from May to August, so it has become harder to write a lot during those months. Winter is easier because I don’t travel.
It sounds like it is an inspirational book.
It is loosely based on my own experience and inspired by my relationship with my husband. π
was it hard gettin gpublished
It took a lot of work and time. I sent this book off to around sixty places before getting a contract. For my second novel, I sent it to eleven places before getting a contract. I had to research publishers and format it the way they specified. Some wanted chapter by chapter summaries. It takes a lot of work and paying attention to detail.
is there an author who inspires you
I don’t have a favorite author. I enjoy reading different authors. They all inspire me because it takes a lot to write and put oneself out there.
Do you enjoy camping?
No, I am not much of an outdoorsy person. I do enjoy trail marathons sometimes, but that’s about it.
is there a quiet place to go to write
I just write in my living room. I live in a rural town, so there’s not a ton of noise here.
do you write more in the fall or winter months
I write a lot more in both the fall and the winter because I travel less, but I do get a two week holiday in December, which makes writing easier. Plus, those are my favorite seasons. My novels are typically set in fall and winter.
do you have a favorite author or book
I don’t have a favorite. I like to read different genres and authors. I also like supporting indie authors. I enjoy anything by Oscar Wilde and Christopher Moore. I love randomly choosing books, though.
this sounds like a really good book to read
Thank you! π
another week gone by, happy writing
Have a great weekend!
if you could meet any famous person who would it be
That’s a hard question. It would be cool to meet Tim Armstrong. I love any musical projects he has done. But I never know how famous people are in real life, so I don’t know how it would truly be to meet them. They could be totally different people.
Good luck to the author! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks π
are you a full time writer
No, I work full-time as a college instructor and mental health counselor. However, writing full-time would be awesome!
best wishes on the book
Thank you!
how many books have you written
I have written two unpublished books, and two published books. One of those is in the publishing process now. I am finishing up my first book in a dark fantasy series.
was it hard choosing the title for the book
Not really. I don’t recall thinking much about it. I just thought about gray areas of sexuality and the word sexuality itself and combined them.
thanks this sounds like a great book
Thank you!
do you ever get writers blocks
have a wonderful weekend
You, too π
great cover and title
Thanks!
thanks again for the giveaway
You are very welcome π
What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
The hardest part was probably the description of Pate’ suicide attempt because it hit home for me. I struggled a lot with my mental health when I first started transitioning.
do you use the same person to design all your covers
My publisher’s artists designed it. My new publisher is going to design the book cover for my next book. It isn’t really something where I can choose an artist.
thanks again this sounds good
You’re welcome π
Interesting
Thank you! π
was it hard to find an editor
My publisher provided me with an editor. I really liked working with her, too. I definitely appreciate the ways she helped me improve my work. Editing is one of my favorite parts of writing.
thanks have a wonderful weekend
You, too π
do you have any hobbies
I have lots of hobbies. I run marathons and am running my 82nd marathon in Spokane today. I cook. I have cookbooks for each season that are organized by desserts, meal prep, pizzas and side dishes. I like reading, of course. I’m working on getting into art, too.
sounds like you have an interesting life
Thanks. I enjoy making new goals for myself and challenging myself in new ways.
do you write while on vacation or just relax
No. We usually travel for marathons, and they are usually short trips. I don’t bring my computer or writing with me. However, if it is a staycation, I will totally write a lot. I love doing that!
thanks again for this wonderful giveaway
You are welcome!
are you currently writing any other books
Yes. My next novel, Acing the Game, is currently in the publication process. It is about two married men who decide to experiment with polyamory. I am working on the first book of a dark fantasy/romance series. Characters possess powers from various animals and can morph into animal forms. It contains the tropes of good/evil, forbidden love, and chosen ones.
hope you are having a great week
I hope you are, too.
TGIF have a great weekend
hope you are having a great weekend
Great interview! Congrats on your new release.
Thank you so much π
hope you are having a great Sunday
I hope you had a great weekend!
sounds like a fun one
Thanks! I hope you try it out.
I like the cover! It sets the stage for the book.
Thanks! I like that it has a Montana scene behind him.
Thank you again for the giveaway!
You’re welcome!
thanks again for the awesome giveaway
You’re welcome.
hope your week is going well
Thank you!
week is going quickly
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
I would have told myself to go for it. I always loved writing and even wrote my first novel (unpublished) when I was 20. I never seriously pursued getting published until this novel. I would tell myself to follow my dreams.
do you prefer hot or cooler weather
For me, the colder the better. I do not enjoy hot weather or too much sun. I am a little sensitive to the sun. Growing up in Georgia, I do not miss the hot weather at all.
another week gone by quickly, have a great weekend
When did you discover you have the gift of writing?
In third grade. We wrote our own stories throughout the year, and we would read them in class. They always saved mine for last because everyone thought mine were the best. Everyone would clap and cheer for me when I finished. It made me want to get into it.
well we got our first snow of the season this morning
No snow here, yet, I can’t wait.
hope you are enjoying your Sunday
Where do you get your ideas for writing?
I just get them from life mostly. This novel and my upcoming one, Acing the Game, are directly inspired by my own life. My current WIP is a dark fantasy, but I’m a horror fan and always loved good villains, so those passions inspired me.
Do you reward yourself with something special when finishing a book?
Not really. I always have so much going on. I finished a book yesterday but went immediately into other tasks that needed to be completed that day. I guess I have the reward of knowing that I’m done.
thanks this sounds like a very enjoyable read
Thank you!
are you more of an early riser or a night owl?
I’m an early riser. I go to bed anywhere from 8pm to 10pm. I’m up at 5am or 6am. I exercise in the mornings, too.
Did you get a lot of encouragement when you decided to become an author?
Not really when I was younger. My parents thought it was just some hobby. However, my husband has been completely encouraging. I read him my novels while I write them.
best wishes with this book
Thanks!
do you prefer coffee or tea?
Coffee, for sure. I only drink black coffee. Death Wish Coffee is my favorite.
what type of movies do you like, I love any british or australian crime shows
I watch a variety. Horror movies are my favorite, and I like seeking out rare ones. I also enjoy good dramas on serious issues. Comedies and action movies can be fun sometimes. I would say documentaries would be my second favorite after horror. I love learning about various social issues.
do you have a favorite dessert
I like anything with icing like cakes and cookies. I bake a lot, and I love my fall recipes. I made pumpkin cookies this past weekend. I make gingerbread cake, gingerbread cheesecake, and pumpkin cheesecake. I make eggnog cinnamon rolls. They’re all very good.
Have you ever started a book that you decided not to finish?
Not recently, but I didn’t finish one that I was writing when I was around 21 years old. I got busy and never returned to it. I can’t find it now unfortunately. I guess it’s lost.
do you prefer beer or wine
I prefer wine because it’s less filling. I like reds with cabernet as my favorite.
trick or treat
Have a good Halloween!
another new month, happy writing
Thank you! I’m mostly editing currently. I am working on edits for my upcoming release and my WIP that I just finished. π
our weather today is snowing and cold, hows yours
I’m not home right now. I’m in Seattle, and it’s chilly and raining βοΈ
do you enjoy winter sports
I’m not into sports. I run and lift weights on my own, though.
we have snow already, do you?
Yes, I drove 16 hours in snow yesterday driving back from Seattle.
definitely winter here snowing and windy today, what a mess
what are your thoughts on daylight savings time, I hate it
The same. I want it to go away. I hate always changing the time.
What part of the book was the most fun to write?
Probably the last few chapters. The characters growth comes through, and they triumph over their challenges. The novel contains a lot of angst, so it is good to see them surmount their obstacles.
what type of music do you like
I listen to a lot of different ones, but my favorites are punk, folk punk, 80’s new wave, German synth, and indie/alternative.
do you take a winter vacation
I get the last two weeks of December off, but I do not go anywhere. I love staycations. π
its -29 here this morning I am thinking I need to live in a warmer climate
It gets that temperature here sometimes, too, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything warmer. I love the cold. π
Do you do anything special to treat yourself after finishing a book?
I really should, but I don’t. I often work 11 hour days for my main job, so I’m always rushing around. I do things that I enjoy like cooking, running, and watching movies, but I don’t do anything celebratory.
what is your main job? or is it writing
I work at a college. I am a human services instructor and mental health counselor.
thanks for this giveaway and best wishes with the book
Thanks π
Congratulations on your book! Beautiful cover and what a tanled love triangle!
Thanks π I hope you check it out.