Hi guys, we have Jake Wells visiting today with his upcoming release Sometimes Love Lasts, we have a fantastic interview with Jake, we’ve nicked a bit of an excerpt and MM Good Book Reviews is throwing in a $10 Dreamspinner Press credit giveaway! So enjoy the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~

Sometime Love Lasts

Jake Wells

For Rone Forrester, life as a high school student is a roller coaster ride. Though he’s intelligent, good-looking, and athletic, true happiness eludes him. He’s lost his mother to cancer, his hypercritical father is a tyrant, and he spends most of his free time taking care of his little brother, Eli. And to make matters worse, Rone begins to have romantic feelings for his best friend, Carson Harrington.

When Rone is inadvertently outed, his life swirls into turmoil. His father’s homophobia and Rone’s embarrassment at the thought of facing Carson force him to flee to Los Angeles, where he hopes to find a safe haven. Instead, he quickly learns that every moment is dangerous for a homeless teenager. As time passes, Rone navigates through multiple challenges, makes friends who love him for who he is, works hard to achieve his goal of becoming a pediatric surgeon—with all its inherent triumphs and tragedies—and overcomes a failed relationship. Ultimately, his journey teaches him that in order to fulfill his dreams, he has to come to terms with his past.

Interview

Today we’ll be speaking with Jake Wells whose most recent book; “SOMETIMES LOVE LASTS,” will be released on Friday May 13^th.  Welcome, Jake. Why don’t you tell readers a bit about yourself to start?

First of all, I would like to thank MM Good Book Reviews for having me as a guest;   I really appreciate having the opportunity to talk about my upcoming book.  I’m a bit of a newbie to this whole social media gig so if I start to ramble please feel free to cut me off.

I guess, because I’m kind of a chameleon, my friends might have a difficult time describing me.  I’m gregarious in a crowd but very much enjoy my quiet time, I’m athletic while at the same time am kind of an academic, and am both an adventurer as well as being a bookworm.

In recent weeks, especially with the release date for “Sometimes Love Lasts” looming closer; more readers have been messaging me through Facebook.  They frequently ask me why it is that I write books.  After all, my day job working as a physician already consumes a big chunk of my life.   Well, quite simply, in addition to enjoying the process of writing, I actually find being able to sit down at the computer to be a great way to detach.  When I’m writing, I can disappear completely into my head.   There are no sick patients to worry about, no critical deadlines hanging overhead, and no authorization requests demanding my attention.  There’s just me, the stories running around in my brain, and the keyboard.  I really find it to be quite liberating.     

As a pediatrician, where did you get the urge to write MM fiction?

Ironically, I’m not sure I started out intending to write MM fiction.  In fact, though writing a book had always been something on my bucket list, I’m not sure I ever believed I would actually complete one.  I ended up writing my first novel, A White Coat is my Closet, around the time I turned fifty. Hitting that milestone forced me to acknowledge that my life was approaching the downhill slide so I thought, if I want to write a book, why not start?  And so, with a burst of enthusiasm, I began the project despite having no clue what I was going to write about.  When I made inquiries of other authors, the only solid piece of advice I was given was to “write what you know.”  As a result, the book was initially a description of some of the experiences I had during my years as a pediatric resident.  But, in the process of beginning to write, I remembered with absolute clarity that two things were actually occurring simultaneously during that period of my life.  Certainly I was working on trying to become a competent doctor, but I was also falling in love for the first time.  Though my first book is indisputably a work of fiction, once I began writing about my early life in medicine, it was impossible not to also include something about my first foray into a meaningful relationship.  The experience of falling in love for the first time was too momentously important not to be included.  What happened next was sort of unexpected.  I ended up writing a gay romance novel.  That’s how I found my stride as an author and I’ve never looked back. 

You’ve been named a top pediatrician for fifteen years running. How does that make you feel when people recognize your dedication to children?

The recognition is both humbling and gratifying.  I’ve pretty much devoted my entire professional life to taking care of sick children and am flattered by the fact that both my peers and my patients think I’m relatively good at it.  I have no children of my own so I think I probably bring a little more emotion to the job than is sometimes common.  I’m able to vicariously love my patients as a father while also being their doctor.  It’s a good fit for me.

Speaking of helping children, you recently returned from something of an amazing adventure.  Tell us some more about that?

Thanks so much for asking about one of my other passions.  I just returned from having travelled with a group of doctors and health care professionals to Tanzania, Africa.  I work with a great bunch of people.  The subspecialties represented include infectious disease, plastic surgery, general surgery, orthopedic surgery, anesthesia and, with my contribution, pediatrics.  We carry all our medical supplies with us and don’t have the luxury of any sophisticated diagnostic equipment.  Because our itinerary includes providing medical care to children in remote orphanages, when I’m treating them, it’s only me, my bare hands and a stethoscope. My work there is a life altering experience and I always return a changed person with an even greater appreciation for the wonderful life I have here.

You’ve traveled to places other than Africa and I understand some of those trips turned into adventures you weren’t expecting. What’s the strangest “adventure” you’ve ever had?

I can tell you one of the adventures that still gives me nightmares.  In my last year of undergrad, I went to Brazil as a Rotary Foundation Scholar.  When one of the local Rotary Club members learned that I had aspirations of applying to medical school when I returned to the states, he asked if I’d consider accompanying him and a team of two doctors into an orphanage in the Amazon basin.  I enthusiastically agreed.  What he may have neglected to tell me was that getting to the orphanage would require a two day canoe trip.  What I may not have fully appreciated was how truly terrified I am of snakes.  Not a good combination. As we navigated our canoes through the tributaries of the river, snakes would either lift themselves out of the water or I could see then hanging from trees.  I blamed my wet underwear on the humidity!! (the brown streaks were more difficult to explain!) 

Shifting gears, your new book, Sometimes Love Lasts, comes out May 13th.  Talk about that a bit.

I would love to.  In fact, I think I can give your readers a pretty good idea what the book is about by borrowing from the blurb.

For Rone Forrester, life as a high school student is a roller coaster ride. Though he’s intelligent, good-looking, and athletic, true happiness eludes him. He’s lost his mother to cancer, his hypercritical father is a tyrant, and he spends most of his free time taking care of his little brother, Eli. And to make matters worse, Rone begins to have romantic feelings for his best friend, Carson Harrington. 

When Rone is inadvertently outed, his life swirls into turmoil. His father’s homophobia and Rone’s embarrassment at the thought of facing Carson force him to flee to Los Angeles, where he hopes to find a safe haven. Instead, he quickly learns that every moment is dangerous for a homeless teenager. As time passes, Rone navigates through multiple challenges, makes friends who love him for who he is, works hard to achieve his goal of becoming a pediatric surgeon—with all its inherent triumphs and tragedies—and overcomes a failed relationship. Ultimately, his journey teaches him that in order to fulfill his dreams, he has to come to terms with his past.

Are any of the characters based on someone you know?

Many of the characters in the book are an amalgamation of a number people I’ve known. Rone’s best friend is a guy named Oliver.  Oliver is not any one of my specific friends but instead has the identity of many of my friends combined.  I truly believe that the three biggest blessings in my life have been that I have a supportive family, an amazing partner and incredible friends.  Almost without exception, my friends care for me unconditionally, support me through adversity and make me laugh uproariously.

In addition, through my career, I’ve been fortunate to have many great mentors.  One of the attending physicians in my book was inspired by a woman who made an indelible impression on me.  She was wicked smart and was both compassionate and caring.  I am always exceedingly proud if, as doctor, I’m perceived as being anywhere near the caliber of physician she is. 

The book is fiction, but how much did you draw upon your own experiences for the plot, setting, conflicts, etc.?

Funny you should ask…..the line between my own experiences and fiction sometimes gets a little grey.  People frequently ask me how I think of the stories I write.  The real problem is actually being able to turn my imagination off.   One minute I’m contemplating the details of some random occurrence in my life and the next minute my brain is building a story around it.  

“Sometimes Love Lasts” was the result of forging two ideas together.

To begin with, I have recently become very concerned the Los Angeles LGBT center is seeing a greater number of homeless youth than ever before.  As is frequently the case in society, we’re currently witnessing the “one step forward, two steps backwards” phenomenon.   In one respect, we’re living in an incredible time.  Marriage equality was approved by the Supreme Court of the United States and now loving, committed gay families are being afforded some of the same civil rights that have been available to straight couples for centuries.  On the flip side of things however, we are also witnessing a troubling backlash.  Embolden by the likes of people in the Kim Davis and Mike Huckabee camp, there is a segment of our population who believe that their religion is under attack and they have become passionate about seeking retribution.  They believe that being Gay is an abomination against God and they feel justified in kicking their children out of their home if they suspect them of embracing a contemptible lifestyle.   Therefore, the number of gay youth finding themselves suddenly homeless is increasing at an alarming rate.

This realization led me to my second thought; the problem of homelessness. 

Homelessness is kind of a foreign concept to me.   Certainly, I spent some of my youth struggling with coming to terms with my sexuality but my childhood was mostly idyllic.  My parents loved me.  Even though I had grown up in a small community where homosexuality was considered unacceptable, I never imagined for a second my parents would disown me were they to suspect I was gay.   The possibility of being kicked out into the streets was unfathomable.  

But, what if I hadn’t been so lucky?   What if my parents had been bigoted homophobes and I had found myself tossed out like yesterday’s garbage.  How would my life have been different?  How would I have survived?  What would have become of me? 

Somewhere in the process of trying to reconcile these two issues, Rone’s life story came bounding into my head. Then, it was just a matter of spending the next several months putting his story to paper.   

It’s obvious that the plight of homeless gay youth is something that you’re very passionate about.  In fact, your publisher informed us that you are donating all your royalties to support the Los Angeles LGBQ Center’s homeless youth project.  Can you tell us a little bit about the work they do?

Far too often, school and home are two of the most dangerous places for our LGBT youth. They are twice as likely to be physically attacked, kicked, or shoved at school; 28 percent of LGBT youth drop out of school because of harassment. After coming out or being discovered, many of our LGBT youth are mistreated or thrown out of their homes. Tragically, fleeing the trauma suffered at the hands of classmates and parents means choosing an even more dangerous option for survival: life on the streets. A staggering 40 percent of the 6,000 homeless youth (ages 24 and younger) on the streets of Los Angeles every night identify as LGBT. 

No other organization offers a wider range of programs and services to help LGBT youth build lives that are healthy, equal, and complete. The Los Angeles LGBT Center is an entry point for youth making the transition from the streets to independent living. Its school and community outreach programs help create safe and affirming spaces for young people to thrive.  

The Los Angeles LGBT Youth Center on Highland—open seven days a week—offers a place to stay for a night or up to 30 nights, three meals/day, clothing and support groups. Youth can also access a charter high school; GED and college prep program; and an employment preparation, training and placement program. The Center exists to provide whatever support youth need to get off the streets.  

In addition, the Center offers medical care, counseling, a 24-bed Transitional Living Program (TLP) where youth can stay for up to 18 months, and affordable apartments for the youth who graduate from TLP. More than 90% of youth exiting the TLP have secured stable housing, and employment and/or scholarships to post-secondary institutions that enable them to live independently. It also offers all LGBT youth (ages 24 and younger) the help they need to achieve their full potential through the Center’s LifeWorks program, which provides one-on-one mentoring; a charter high school for LGBT youth who don’t feel safe or comfortable in traditional schools; college and trade school scholarships, workshops, social activities; and the world’s largest free conference for LGBT young people (Models of Pride).

It sounds as if the Los Angeles LGBQ Center is doing incredible work on behalf of these youth Jake.  Should any of our readers be inclined to want to support this effort, is there any way for them to donate directly? 

Absolutely.  Thousands of LGBT youth in Los Angeles are in desperate need of our help.  They are young, disenfranchised, frightened and without resources.  The important work the Los Angeles LGBT Center is doing to help them depends on the generosity of donors to exist.  If any of your readers would like to join me in supporting Youth Services at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, they can make a tax deductible donation directly to them.  This can be easily done by going to the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s website.  The Center has created a link associated with my name to ensure their donations are specifically directed to Youth Services.

https://lalgbtcenter.nationbuilder.com/jakewells

That gives us a lot to think about Jake.  Thank you so much for spending part of your day here and best of luck with the release of “Sometimes Love Lasts.”  Should any of our readers have any additional questions for you, how do they get in touch with you?

They can Look for me on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/jake.wells.16568, or can contact me via e-mail: jakezacharywells@gmail.com

Thank you again for hosting me.  This has proven to be a really fun experience.

Excerpt

“Hey, man, what are you up to tonight? You think you can give me a hand with my biology? That membrane-transport shit is kicking my ass.”

I gave him a sideways glance along with a cocky smirk, and tried to ignore the warmth that spread through my body as the result of having him touch me. “Dude, weren’t you paying attention in kindergarten? That stuff is remedial.”

He gave me an almost panicked grimace before realizing I was just teasing him. “Yeah,” I continued, “I can give you a hand. The concepts are potential ass kickers. It’s just a matter of understanding how the lipids embedded in the cell membrane maintain an electrochemical gradient and how they regulate the passage of solutes.”

Carson came to a dead stop and looked at me disbelievingly. “I swear, Rone, if you weren’t my best friend, I’d fucking kick the shit out of you. Couldn’t you at least make it sound difficult? How does your brain suck that shit up so effortlessly?” He shook his head as he slowly resumed walking. “Pisses me off. Do you have a computer plugged in between your ears or something?”

I bumped his shoulder with mine, rationalizing that it was nothing more than a playful gesture, and ignored how much I craved more extended physical contact. “Not my fault Einstein happens to have been my great-uncle. Someone had to inherit his smarts. It would have been a shame to let them go to waste.” I let my smile spread freely across my face. “We’ll work out some system of payment. I’ll help you with your biology, and you can carry my books to class.”

“Asshole,” he retorted before slapping the back of my head with his open hand, then taking off at a slow jog. “Here’s a better deal—you help me with my biology, and I’ll let you suck my dick.”

He looked over his shoulder an instant before launching himself through the door of the locker room and laughed at the joke he had made at my expense. Of course, his comment hadn’t been intended as anything more than an innocent wisecrack: typical locker-room banter, the sole purpose being to embarrass and to entertain. Intellectually, I knew he was joking, but emotionally I felt like I had been kicked in the gut. Did he suspect something? Was he suspicious that I was harboring a dark secret? Was he apprehensive that I was using our friendship to disguise an ulterior motive? The blood drained from my face, and I suddenly felt as nauseated as I had out on the practice field. I looked around and desperately tried to determine if anyone had overheard his teasing. I was terrified that my attraction to Carson had suddenly become evident to the entire world.

Relieved when a rapid inspection of the surrounding players’ faces assured me that no one had even been paying attention, I responded with what was, in these situations, the requisite gesture: I smiled and flipped him off. The smile, however, was a complete façade. I still felt nauseated. With herculean effort, I tamped down my escalating anxiety attack and followed him through the door. Even though the higher-functioning part of my brain dismissed his comment as having been an innocent joke, I was still a little anxious walking up to him.

I shouldn’t have worried. When he looked at me after having pulled off his practice jersey, he was all smiles. “So what time works for you to study? If you want, you can come by my place. In fact, why don’t you come for dinner? My mom said something about making lasagna tonight. You know how much she loves the challenge of trying to fill us both up.”

His invitation was so enthusiastic and heartfelt that I could see the patented Carson excitement sparkling in his eyes. I felt my heart flutter. I longed to accept his invitation by drawing him into a strong bear hug, but I held back. Careful to try to mask my crushing disappointment, I replied in as carefree a voice as possible, “Thanks, but it would probably be best if you just came to my house after you’ve eaten. Dad is going to work tonight, so I can’t leave Eli alone. You know how protective Dad’s become of Eli since Mom… well, you know.”

Now it was Carson’s turn to hide his reaction with a mask of ambivalence. “That’s completely cool too. You just let me know what time.”

Having been my friend so long, Carson was keenly aware that my mom had died of an aggressive brain tumor three years before. She had been as much a mom to him as she had been to me. As younger kids, we had practically lived at each other’s house. The pain I felt from having lost her continued to rip through me like a dull hunting knife sawing through my heart.

Because Carson had also experienced her loss, though to a lesser extent, I felt reasonably comfortable revealing to him how much sadness I continued to feel.

I stared at the padlock on my gym locker but was blind to the numbers. Unable to focus, I just kept spinning the dial between my fingers. I whispered, more to the locker than to Carson, “I didn’t think it would still suck this bad.”

About Jake

Jake Wells was born a dreamer.  He dreamed of distant lands, of trying to make a difference in people’s lives, of falling in love, of writing a book, and of all things chocolate.  Imagine how fortunate he feels to have seen most of his dreams come true.  He’s adventured through the far corners of the world, has a successful career practicing medicine, and shares his life with an amazing partner. Though eating chocolate continues to play a prominent role in his dreams, the icing on the cake has been writing about falling in love in a world where equality is only beginning to be embraced.

When he’s not playing doctor, Jake can usually be found traipsing local hiking trails with his dogs near his West Coast home, in the kitchen trying to replicate some sumptuous dish he saw on one of the cooking channels, or sipping a glass of fine red wine with his friends.

Facebook| e-mail: jakezacharywells@gmail.com

Giveaway!

Win a $10 Dreamspinner Press credit!