Today we have stopping by one our GRL featured bloggers tour author Andrew Q Gordon. Andrew talks about his family , shares an excerpt of his story A Closed Door and he brought with him a lovely giveaway for our readers !

Welcome Andrew 🙂

Thank you!

A big thank you to Love Bytes for not only having me as part of their GRL Blog tour line up, but also for allowing me to be a monthly contributor. I won’t go into too much about me as I ramble on enough about myself every month. But for those who’ve not seen any of my prior posts, the things that are most important to me are my husband and my daughter—my family.

Twenty years ago when I met my now husband, gay marriage, marriage equality, gay dads, etc, wasn’t even a realistic expectation. Because of that, I want to use my spot today to say thank you to everyone who reads this post and our genre. Not because you’ve bought my books—but thank you to those who have—but because you support us. As I said, my little family is the single most important thing in my life and I wouldn’t have it without all of you. The LGBTQ community as a whole could not have won the right to marry or have children without the other 90% of the population. Each of you has contributed to changing lives, my life and others, in a positive and profound way.

It seems a simple thing to buy an MM Romance or an LGBTQ book, but it’s so much more. It’s acceptance.  You don’t tolerate us, you’ve accepted us. More, you have helped us change the hearts and minds of so many others. You may not have been an ‘activist’ or someone who beat the drum, marched in the parade, wore the tee shirt, or posted the yard signs, but those only work but so much. What helped us in our fight was the fact people started to see us as just like them. Regular people. No labels.

Twenty-five years ago when I came out, GRL couldn’t even have been conceived of let alone having a fifth anniversary. It wasn’t on the backs of authors that GRL became a reality. It is real because of readers and supporters. And so, whether you’ve read my books or not, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I have two of the greatest gifts in the world that I probably wouldn’t have without each of you. For that, I will always be grateful. While that might seem hokey, sound corny or even fake, I can tell you it is truly how I feel. And I’m reminded of your gift every day.

 

Reese Dante asked me: “What is the one regret you have as it relates to your writing (story or character) or being an author.

My biggest regret as an author was not understanding how the ‘Kindle’ age worked. Gone are the days of, ‘if you publish it, they will come.’ The world of books is far more personal now for most authors. It’s about having relationships with the reader, even if they are not always one-on-one. It took me a couple years before I fully understood that lesson and I’m still trying to catch up.

My question for Melanie Hansen: What author has influenced you the most in your writing.

Book Blurb:

Outted at thirteen, Orin Merritt left home after high school hoping to escape the hell his life had become. Ten years later when a tornado destroys his childhood home and kills his parents, Orin finds himself in an entirely new nightmare. One he can’t run away from.

Blaming himself for failing the two people who always loved and supported him, he returns home and confronts his past in the person of his one-time best friend, Thomas Kennett.  Thomas not only rejected him when Orin came out, he led the group that tormented Orin into leaving.

As he struggles to deal with his grief, Orin also labors to fulfill the pledge he made to his parents before their death.  In the process, Orin learns that sometimes when you go away to find yourself, you leave the answers you’re looking for behind.

Cover Artist: Lily Velden and Jay Aheer

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing.

 

Buy Links: 

Wayward Ink Publishing:

Amazon US:

“Orin, I won’t.” Thomas stood a bit straighter and his eyes lost the sad, pleading shine. “I won’t hurt you again.”

“You can’t promise that. Things happen.” Orin watched as his words dragged Thomas back from the brink of hope.

“If you truly believe that, then there’s nothing I can do. You have to believe there’s a chance or else I can’t prove it.”

“That’s not what I’m telling you.” He locked his gaze on Thomas’s. “If I say yes, I’ll have to take down the walls I surrounded my heart with to keep it safe. Once it’s gone, I won’t be able bring it back if I get hurt. Not now.

“So what I’m saying is, think about what you’re asking me to risk. If you really love me, ask yourself if are you willing to risk what will happen to me if you can’t keep your promise.”

He knew how unfair he’d been, but self-preservation had been a skill he’d honed over the past fifteen years. He needed Thomas to know just how serious the repercussion could be for his actions.

“Orin, I . . . I . . . how . . .?” Their faces were inches apart, and Thomas moved in for another kiss.

This felt different than the first—less urgent, but no less intense. Orin trembled at the leap he was about to take. When they stepped back, Thomas rubbed his thumb across Orin’s cheek.

“I do love you, Orin. More than I can say. So much, that I’m not willing to risk what will happen if I fail you again. I don’t have that right.”

Thomas’s lips quivered and the tears welled at the bottom of his eyes. He kissed Orin’s forehead gently.

“Good-bye, Orin. Please be happy.” Without looking back, Thomas walked to the front door, opened it, and walked away.

Andrew is giving away a back list eBook of the winner’s choice.

Andrew Q. Gordon wrote his first story back when yellow legal pads, ball point pens were common and a Smith Corona correctable typewriter was considered high tech. Adapting with technology, he now takes his MacBook somewhere quiet when he wants to write.

He currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his partner of twenty years, their young daughter and dog. In addition to dodging some very self-important D.C. ‘insiders’, Andrew uses his commute to catch up on his reading. When not working or writing, he enjoys soccer, high fantasy, baseball and seeing how much coffee he can drink in a day.

Follow Andrew:

On his website: www.andrewqgordon.com,

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/andrewqugordon,

On Twitter: @andrewqgordon,

Or just email him: andrewqgordon@gmail.com

Books:

From Wayward Ink Publishing:

A Closed Door

From DSP Publications:

The Last Grand Master: (Champion of the Gods – Book 1)

The Eye and the Arm: (Champion of the Gods – Book 2)

From Dreamspinner Press:

Purpose:

(Un)Masked

Self published:

Ashes of Life