Today I’d like to welcome Hope Ryan, author of The Geek and His Artist! I have a great interview with Hope below, plus a giveaway. I hope you enjoy Hope! 🙂

Blurb:

Simon Williams spends his lunch periods drawing his geek and trying not to think about the terrors waiting for him at home. He needs to get away from his abusive father before he suffers the same grisly fate as his mother. Because he’s learned the hard way running away doesn’t work, he’s counting the days until his eighteenth birthday.

Jimmy Bennet should be spending his lunch studying so his senior GPA is good enough to get him into college, but he can’t seem to focus thanks to his distracting artist. When he’s given the opportunity to tutor Simon in Trig and discovers Simon’s home-life nightmare, he wants nothing more than to get Simon out of danger. This need becomes more urgent when Simon comes to school the Monday after their first date with bruises, but it takes a broken leg before Jimmy can convince his boyfriend the Bennets really want him.

But the danger Simon thought was past shows up at the most unexpected time, and he must stand up to the fears he’s held so long to protect not only himself, but the man he wants to spend his life with.

What books have most influenced your writing most and why?

I have a few that have really being instrumental in my writing. The Stand and Lord of the Rings are at the top, but I have to give props to the Harry Potter books, as well as the Percy Jackson series, especially when it comes to YA.

Have you based any of your characters on someone you know, or real events in your own life?

*grins* Well, now, don’t we all do this, at least a little? In fact, both Jimmy and Ronnie in The Geek and His Artist are based on two of my high school friends whom I am still friends with. Jimmy and Ronnie are amazing guys and when I sat down to write my geek, Jimmy just popped up and I knew he was the right guy for Simon.

Have you ever read a book more than once?

Oh yes. I have quite a few I’ve gone back to more than a few times. All of the above books are definitely on the list. Along with quite a few M/M stories. When I find a story I love, I definitely want to revisit it.

Cats or dogs?

Both? Seriously I have a pretty little puppy and a tuxedo cat, who’s a complete jerk (as most cats are). I still love ‘em.

Vanilla or chocolate ice cream?

Cookies and cream or mint chocolate chip. I don’t like convention. 😉

 

One of your favorite quotes:

“Not all those who wander are lost.” From The Lord of the Rings. I’m a wanderer. I love going, love seeing, so that one really strikes a chord with me.

Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover?

I have a few books in hardcover and a few paperbacks, but I have to admit to being in love with my e-reader (In my case, my tablet.) I like being able to carry an entire library with me at one time. Especially since I read as fast as I do. I remember once, *mumbles* years ago, packing for a vacation and a good half my suitcase was made up of paperbacks for me to read while I was there. This is so much easier!

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

Most of the time, right at my desk. I have a window just past my monitor and lots of lovely green trees and sun to look at when I need to glance up. Evening sees me most productive, but I can get inspired pretty much any time of day.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I’m seriously torn. I’d love to live in England. My family is originally from there and I’d love to be across the pond. On the other hand, the Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington) are amazing and I loved it when I lived out there. I think either would be amazing.

If you gave some of your characters an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say?

I think both Jimmy and Simon would thank me. Simon’s story needed to get out and he needed a happy ending. I think they’d both tell other teenagers who are being abused, in the closet—or both—to remember that fear, while perfectly understandable, should be something you work to get past. It’s hard. Simon is well aware of this. But it’s so much better on the other side.

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Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for chances to win a paperback copy of Geek and $25 to spend at Harmony Ink! Each comment below also qualifies you for an entry to the giveaway. One reader today will win a Geek character trading card of your choice!

Giveaway:
The Geek and His Artist Giveaway

You can get Geek here:

Harmony Ink Press ◊ Dreamspinner Press ◊ Amazon ◊ AllRomanceebooks ◊ Kobo ◊ Barnes & Noble

Harmony Ink: http://www.harmonyinkpress.com/books/the-geek-and-his-artist-by-hope-ryan-288-b
Dreamspinner Press : http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6460
Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/Geek-His-Artist-Hope-Ryan-ebook/dp/B00Y7J19RS

AllRomanceebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegeekandhisartist-1803714-149.html

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-geek-and-his-artist

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-geek-and-his-artist-hope-ryan/1121994538

About Hope:

Hope Ryan is an out-and-proud bisexual, wife of a loving guy, and mother to three, including an amazingly brave gender-fluid son. She loves to write about the tough stuff, but also wants to see her characters happy in the end. She feels strongly about showing there is hope for everyone, no matter where you come from, how you identify your gender, or who you love.

Hope likes to play board and card games and can often be found playing God with her Sims, or running around, fighting monsters in a virtual version of Middle Earth. Her TV and movie preferences lean towards anime, sci-fi and fantasy, though she’ll never turn down a good happily-ever-after love story either. As long as there are explosions or action, she’s happy. She loves to read books of all kinds, though prefers stories about love in its many forms.

Find Hope at her website (http://www.hoperyan.com), email her (hoperyanauthor@gmail.com), or on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/hoperyanauthor).