No! Jocks Don’t Date Guys by Wade Kelly #Blogtour #Guestpost #Giveaway

‘No! Jocks Don’t Date Guys’ (Jock 2) by Wade Kelly will be published by Dreamspinner Press on December 14th, 2015 and is 294 Pages long.

RGR received a copy of the book for an honest review. You can check out the review HERE.

We are very happy to host Wade Kelly for the beginning of her Jock 2 Blog Tour. Welcome everyone and check out this much anticipated sequel. We hope you are as excited as we are about Chris and Alonzo’s story and about Jock 3 already being in the works. As a special treat, Wade has written a guest post about writing what she knows. You can find out which parts of herself she has found in the different characters of her books and if you leave a comment on this post for her, you will be entered to win one of three $10 Amazon GC. If you leave a comment at ALL 8 stops of the tour, you can also win a signed paperback AND eBook of the winner’s choice AND a $10 Amazon GC. More Giveaway Details, The other Blog Tour Stops and the Guest Post below. Good Luck!

What is a sexy soccer stud supposed to do when “following family tradition” falls 180 degrees opposite his closeted ideal?

From birth, Chris Jackson has been schooled on how to land a cheerleader. After all, his father married one, and his father’s father before him. Heck, even his older brother married a stereotypical cheerleader the summer before Chris went off to college. For two years, Chris dodges invasive questions about relationships by blaming his lack of female companionship on grueling practices and heavy coarse loads. But his lack of interest in girls should’ve given his family a clue. It isn’t until Chris mentions meeting a boy that his father’s synapses short-circuit.

Alonzo Martin is anything but a buxom blond. From his black hair, combat boots, and trench coat to his nail polish and guyliner, the mysterious introvert isn’t easily persuaded to date. Alonzo’s insecurities keep Chris at arm’s length, but Alonzo’s painful past might meet its match in the charismatic jock’s winning smile and sense of humor.

When opposites attract, only cheerleaders and gummy bears can help overcome fear and family tradition.

Pre-Order the book at Dreamspinner Press | ADD to Goodreads TBR

“Writing What I Know” by Wade Kelly

They say a writer should “write what they know.” Perhaps this is because you are familiar with it and therefore can (in theory) articulate it better than writing about a topic or setting to which you are completely unfamiliar. I get it. And I would say I think it is good advice, especially for those starting out because it gives new writers a place to start and spring off from. Although I would also argue that not everyone’s brain is wired to write about the things they know because sometimes the fantastical takes over and you have aliens or elves lurking through some dark forest on another world. I don’t think we all live those types of “familiar.” However, I do think we can still take “what we know” into the fantastical realm and base characters, settings, and circumstances on what we know. It doesn’t have to be verbatim.

As many already know, I am not a gay man. So how do I write characters who are out of my realm of experience?

I write what I know: Emotions!

Men and women both experience emotion. Sometimes they are reflected in different ways, and to lesser degrees, but I believe emotion is still there. So I go with it! In trying to think about what kind of post I wanted to start my blog tour with, I had to think about what I wanted to talk about throughout the tour. I don’t want to be boring, and I don’t want to talk solely about excerpts of my new book and give away spoilers. So I came up with a mini “blog tour style” writing 101.

Compared to many out there, I am a veteran author. I’ve been published for 6 years. I’ve written and published 7 novels and 3 short stories. (Don’t Google to find them all because 1 novel and 2 short stories are no longer in circulation. I’ll bring them back soon!) I shouldn’t think of myself as a novice because I’ve learned a LOT throughout the years. If you don’t know me, I struggle with self-doubt all the time! I think I’m boring and I wonder who would ever read what I write. However the stance is unfounded when my newest novel hit the best seller lists on DSP and All Romance Ebooks before it was even OUT. Yes, that’s right! I don’t think it would happen if I didn’t have an amazing group of readers and fans who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. This has made me rethink how I see myself and I came up with the fact I am no longer a novice. I need to “put on my big girl panties” and step up.

I look up to writers like Amy Lane, Mary Calmes, Rhys Ford. These are classy ladies and they write extremely well. They are not novices. They strive to be solid writers who portray poise and grace as well as knowledge and advice. Maybe they don’t see themselves that way but I do. I strive to be like that. I want to be someone who someone else looks up to in the future. So this blog tour is a mini Writing 101 for those who want to know more about my process because they aspire to have 7 novels out in a few years. Some people write faster than me, but I hope my quality will get me some points in light of my slow pace.

Anyway….

On the first stop of this tour I want to talk about writing what I know because essentially it is what I do. I write different parts of myself in to my characters. When thinking about this new novel No! Jocks Don’t Date Guys I realized Chris is my happiness.

Ellis Montgomery has my quiet affection. He can love without flowery words and grand gestures. He’s patient and understanding and optimistic. *Character in My Roommate’s a Jock? Well, Crap!

Cole Reid is the embodiment of my sarcasm. I was specifically called a “cynical fatalist” several years ago by a friend and when I was writing Cole I thought, “That him!” So I wrote all my Debbie Downer moments into his personality. *Character in My Roommate’s a Jock? Well, Crap!

Robin “Rob” Mongomery explores my faith. I feel like he does all the time. What is it I believe? What is it I’ve been taught? What do I think about God? Religious beliefs are complex and therefore I find working it out through a character’s voice helps. Rob is a work in progress as am I. He IS a character and developed as such. I’ve not done everything he’s done either. *Character in My Roommate’s a Jock? Well, Crap!

Nick Jones was my stupidity. Sometimes, I’m just plain stupid. I can do stupid things and say stupid things. Sometimes listening to myself talk I would wonder how I’d even finish ONE novel let alone SEVEN. It is because I can rewrite! When speaking it’s all live action and there are no rewrites. I took my less that aware mind and gave it to Nick. He’s not so swift on the uptake and has to figure himself out slowly. (Note: I was not a sexaholic like Nick was.) *Character in Names Can Never Hurt Me

Grant Adams is my insecurity (and you have to wait until March to meet him.) He is the things I can’t believe about myself. Am I worth loving? Will life really work out? Can I simply let go and allow things to happen. (I am rather controlling at times) *Character in Bankers’ Hours.

Flynn Brewer representedII growth, maybe. He had to learn and grow as a person. He had to open his wings and figure out what he wanted in life. I think that was me trying to search my own self, my own soul. *Character in Misplaced Affection

Doug Archer is my anger. I am not sure how that happened and it wasn’t planned, but I can look back and see it plainly now! Holy cow, how did I write these characters with different sides of my emotion without even thinking about it at the time. I really didn’t. It came out of me. I was in a state of insecurity over the summer when I wrote Grant, and I am in a state of anger and frustration as I write Doug. (Poor Doug.) Doug is in JOCK 2, but he is also the main character in JOCK 3, so I hope you like him! *Character in No! Jocks Don’t Date Guys

Alonzo Martin is my vulnerability I suppose. (If I had to define him.) He’s unsure, but willing to take a step of faith that Chris will love him no matter what. Everyone has vulnerability in them. It takes the right partner to protect them. *Character in No! Jocks Don’t Date Guys

And this brings us back to Chris Jackson. He is my joy. Chris is my Pollyanna, pie-in-the- sky happiness that will not be shaken because of bad circumstances. He shines no matter what. Some say I have a great smile and to those I say “Thank you!!!!” I saw a picture on shutterstock of my “Chris Jackson” and I fell in love with his smile. It radiated joy and happiness to me and so I wrote that happiness. *Character in No! Jocks Don’t Date Guys

So far, I’ve completed 8 novels. (Bankers’ comes out in Marchish) Of those 8 JOCK 2 is my favorite. I just love Chris Jackson! And I adore Alonzo Martin. The novel is fun and sweet and everything I think a romance should be.

I hope you like it as much as I do. And even if you don’t, I hope you can appreciate my attempt to write my emotions into characters.

Thank you for stopping by.

~Wade

As a thank you. Leave a comment for a chance to win an Amazon gift certificate. I am going to take all the names from all the comments from all the blog stops and put them in a drawing. I have 8 stops including this one. The more comments you make then higher your chances of winning. I will have 3 winners of a $10 gift certificate, and for those who comment on ALL 8 STOPS, I will enter them into a grand prize drawing good for one autographed copy of the novel of their choice (Including Bankers’ Hours coming up in March), an eBook of your choice, and a $10 gift certificate. I am willing to mail things to other countries so don’t let that stop you!

Again, Thank you for stopping by!

Wade Kelly lives and writes in conservative, small-town America on the east coast where it’s not easy to live free and open in one’s beliefs. Wade writes passionately about controversial issues and strives to make a difference by making people think. Wade does not have a background in writing or philosophy, but still draws from personal experience to ponder contentious subjects on paper. There is a lot of pain in the world and people need hope. When not writing, she is thinking about writing, and more than likely scribbling ideas on sticky notes in the car while playing “taxi driver” for her three children. She likes snakes, can’t spell, and has a tendency to make people cry.

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