A warm welcome to author Jake Wells visiting us today to talk about “Sometimes Love Lasts:”and the charity that is attached to this release!
Welcome Jake 🙂
How exciting that “Sometimes Love Lasts” is being hosted by “Love Bytes”. I’m sincerely hoping that being bitten will compel your readers to want to purchase my book!
Dani, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to be a guest on your site. I’m kind of a newbie to this social media gig so feel free to cut me off if you recognize my tendency to ramble.
People have recently been asking me why I write. The simple answer is that it not only gives me an opportunity to disappear into my head, but by imposing myself into my characters’ lives, I’m able to become anyone I want. Take Rone Forrester for example; good-looking, intelligent, compassionate, witty….. who wouldn’t want to be him? And, for a few hours, when I sit down at my computer, he’s who I become. The opportunities are endless. In fact, I sometimes have to really hold my imagination in check. It’s difficult, given the limitless possibilities, to resist the temptation to dawn a red cape, leap tall buildings and seduce any stud of my choosing. (Wait….maybe a plot bunny in the making…..)
Anyway, back to Rone. I was on the Stairmaster one day and in an attempt to distract myself from thinking about how badly my legs burned, his imagine popped into my brain. I saw him as clear as day; jet black hair, crystal blue eyes, brilliant smile and sculpted chest. I wasn’t exactly sure why he had invited himself into my head but seeing him was such a welcome diversion to otherwise concentrating on not throwing up that I went with it. He was high school age, an obvious athlete and, my initial impression was that he didn’t seem to have a care in the world.
Too easy!! Not only did everyone have problems but my work out had to be extended another twenty minutes. His life had to include some angst.
Well, because this fantasy was of my own making, I knew without question Rone was gay. I just wasn’t aware of his struggles. Then, from out of the blue, I began to consider the problem of homelessness gay teenagers.
I had recently become very concerned the Los Angeles LGBT center was 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 contemptable lifestyle. Therefore, the number of gay youth finding themselves suddenly homeless is increasing at an alarming rate.
With my hands clinging desperately to the handles on the Stairmaster, Rone’s life story suddenly revealed itself to me in its entirety; a homeless gay teen overcomes insurmountable obstacles. Now, it was just a matter of spending the next several months putting it to paper.
Borrowing from my book’s 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.
At the risk of sounding like an overly enthusiastic teen, it would be “awesome” if you would consider reading “Sometimes Love Lasts”. If you need additional incentive, let me take this opportunity to share with you the fact that all the royalties from my book’s sales will be donated to the Homeless Youth Project at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. I feel like I have led a very privileged life and being able to make this donation gives me a chance to play some of my good fortune forward.
Buy Sometimes Love Lasts here:
Perhaps you would consider joining me in this endeavor. Consider the following:
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).
Thousands of LGBT youth in Los Angeles are in desperate need of our help. They are young, disenfranchised, frightened and without resources. The Los Angeles LGBT Center is doing important and vital work on behalf of these youth but their programs depend on the generosity of donors to exist. If you would like to join me in supporting Youth Services at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, please consider making 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 your donation is specifically directed to Youth Services.
https://lalgbtcenter.nationbuilder.com/jakewells
Thank you for your consideration. Your generosity helps to save lives. ‘
Oh yeah…… and I hope you enjoy my book!!
Look for me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jake.wells.16568, or contact me via e-mail:
jakezacharywells@gmail.com
Best Wishes,
Jake
You’re a new author, to me, so i’m putting you on my TBR list.
Good luck with your release!
(Your post was touching. I hope I live long enough to see that centers such as the one in Los Angeles are no longer needed.)
Thank you!! I really hope you enjoy my book. The plight of homeless gay youth may not be factually depicted in my story but their situation is heart wrenching for me and I really hope my book succeeds in making a difference in their lives!
Best of best,
Jake