Book Title: Dancing in the Blue Room
Author and Publisher: J.R. Sargent
Cover Artist: Kevin Rylands
Release Date: May 23, 2023
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Tropes: Forbidden love
Heat Rating: 2 flames
Length: 60 000 words/ 264 pages
It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.
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A humorous, heartfelt, and tragic story, navigating the unrelenting friendship between two teenage boys coming of age in the rural south.
Blurb
A fifteen-year-old Kentucky boy nicknamed “Rabbit” must keep a secret. If mama finds out she is gonna kill him.
Dancing in the Blue Room, written in dual timelines by J.R. Sargent, embraces the unrelenting friendship between two teenage boys nicknamed Shorty and Rabbit. Set in rural Kentucky during the fabulous fifties, but not so fabulous for gay people, this heartfelt humorous and tragic story is personified by the allure of hot rod cars, jitterbug dancing, daredevil flying, and teenage sex. Navigating the boys’ journey through the coming-of-age years will stir the embers of baby boomers and enlighten generation Z to the carefree innocent times of bobby socks and rock and roll.
“When are you coming back again?” Gail tugged at my arm like I wasn’t paying attention.
“I’m not sure. I usually come to visit Clay, and we do things together. But I want to do things with you, too. I mean I really like you, Gail, but I don’t know what to say to Clay.”
“Too bad him and Lou Ann didn’t hit it off. Maybe he can find another girl, and we could do things together.”
“Maybe. I’ll bring it up to him.”
“Okay, we better go—Mom will be looking for me.”
We started getting dressed, and it was later than I thought when she dropped me off at Clay’s house. I went around to the back door and eased up the steps to his bedroom, and I was surprised to see him still up.
“How’d it go?”
Clay was sitting in his underwear looking at a flying magazine.
“Oh, pretty good. We skated awhile. I’m doing a little better. Then we went down by the river and were listening to music, and we had a picnic. She made some good sandwiches, then we went walking along the river until it was time for her to go home. The moon’s really bright, it was pretty cool.”
“You think you have anything going with her?”
“Oh, who knows? She kinda likes me, I think. She’s a nice girl, and I have fun with her—maybe we could double sometime?”
“Yeah, well maybe. I’m not dating anybody. Don’t really like a lot of the girls, besides I was hoping to win the model contest.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Clay was standing up and smiling. “You ready for bed?” Yeah, I’m pretty tired. Throw me that pillow, I think I’ll sleep on the pad tonight.”
“You sure? There’s plenty of room in the bed.”
“Naw, that’s okay, that mattress is too soft for me, this is better.”
“If you say so.”
Born in Kentucky, this is a debut novel for the author. In 2015, he produced, directed, and scripted a film that was accepted into the Short Film Corner at the Cannes Film Festival. He has lived in Los Angeles, taken writing classes, attended UCLA film school and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild. Currently he is researching a second novel.
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