Author Visit & Giveaway: Jay Bell

JAY BELL IS HEEEEERRRRRRRREEEEE!!!!!!!!! And he brought goodies! We have an excerpt from his upcoming book, Something Like Thunder (*squee*). It's his tenth book (Congrats, Jay!) and to celebrate he has an amazing giveaway.

Cover & Blurb:

This isn’t a coming out story. Nor is it the tale of a lonely heart seeking companionship. This is about how I learned to fight.

My name is Nathaniel Courtney and I’m a survivor. I didn’t let the cruelty of others wear me down, and I’ve weathered the more subtle hardships of the heart. Love is a Trojan horse, slipping past your guard and leaving you ransacked and vulnerable. I emerged from that war not unscathed but as a new man. The only mistake I ever made was letting the right guy get away. Now I’ve got one more chance. This is the final battle, because if I fail now… I won’t. You’ll see. Just listen to my story, Kelly Phillips, and when I’m done, please don’t walk away. Take this weary soldier into your arms so we can find peace together.

Something Like Thunder is the sixth book in the ongoing Something Like… series, shedding light on past events while leading the reader toward an exciting new future.

Excerpt:

“What now?” Caesar asked, glancing around the tent. They had their own, and aside from a couple of sleeping bags, an electric lamp, and privacy, they didn’t have much to work with.

“What now?” Nathaniel repeated with an incredulous twist. “You’re ready for the next adventure already?”

Caesar grinned at him. “Sure!”

“I’m ready to sleep,” Nathaniel said. “It’s late.”

Caesar groaned, as if disappointed. Then he stripped off his shirt, tossing it casually aside before reaching for his jeans. “What about tomorrow?”

Nathaniel forced himself to focus on unzipping his sleeping bag. “Up to you. Maybe we’ll go back to Warton. But at night, this time. We’ll hang out in the graveyard, light some candles, spill some blood. Then we’ll see if any ghosts want to share their secrets with us.”

“Dude,” Caesar said. “You’re freaking me out. Seriously.”

Nathaniel smirked. “Don’t like ghost stories?”

“Nope.”

He looked over to find Caesar already in his sleeping bag, his jeans a crumpled pile next to him. He didn’t see any underwear, but that still seemed awfully undressed for a chilly spring night. Nathaniel left his clothes on and reached to turn off the lamp. A few minutes later, he started sweating. Whatever material these bags were made of, they were hardcore. He squirmed out of his to shed some clothes.

“What are you doing?” Caesar whispered.

“Getting naked.”

“These sleeping bags are hot, huh?”

“Yeah.”

The silence was thick with sexual tension, even if it was one-sided. Stripping down to his underwear this close to Caesar felt erotic. Nathaniel started to hurry, becoming aroused and wishing he had taken care of business in the communal shower room earlier. Maybe he could wait until Caesar fell asleep or—

“Hey.”

Nathaniel made sure he was back in his sleeping bag before he answered. “What?”

“You’re not alone.”

Nathaniel scrunched up his face in confusion, despite his expression being invisible in the dark. “Huh?”

“What you said earlier, about being gay. You’re not alone.”

Pep talk. That was sweet, but he didn’t need it. “Okay,” Nathaniel replied, rolling over and getting comfortable. His eyes shot open soon after. Was Caesar simply trying to cheer him up? Or was there more to it? “I know there are other gay people,” he whispered. “I told you, I’ve been on dates and stuff.”

A long pause. Had Caesar fallen asleep? No. “There was this guy I met once. Well, I didn’t meet him. I called an ambulance because my grandma was having a stroke and he picked me up— Not like that! I don’t mean he flirted with me. Ugh, I’m telling it all wrong.”

Nathaniel tried not to laugh. “You met a paramedic once, and he turned out to be gay. Unless you’ve got his email address for me, I don’t see your point.”

“That’s not what I was trying to say.”

Caesar sounded hurt, so Nathaniel made sure his voice was softer when he spoke. “Try again.”

“He was beautiful,” Caesar said hurriedly. “Even though he was only in my life a few minutes, I never stopped thinking about him.”

A guy calling another guy beautiful… That didn’t happen often. Any guy could tell if another was hot and might mention that in conversation. Johnny Depp sure is a good-looking motherfucker. Guy probably gets all the girls! Banter like that didn’t raise red flags. But a gentle word like ‘beautiful,’ was something different. Still, Nathaniel didn’t leap to any conclusions, despite being tempted.

“There’s a difference between admiring a guy and finding him attractive.”

“Sometimes it’s both.”

“But you and Steph…”

“I love her,” Caesar said. “I’m into girls. Especially her. But I’ve always noticed guys too. I used to think I lacked a filter or just hadn’t made up my mind about who I am. But I don’t wonder anymore. Like I said… Sometimes it’s both.”

Bisexual? Nathaniel felt like sighing and groaning at the same time. Over the past few weeks, he had wished more than once that they were compatible, that Caesar was gay. He should have been more specific because he got his wish. He and Caesar could be together. Except Caesar already had someone he loved. The revelation was bittersweet. Mostly bitter though.

“Nathaniel?” Caesar said.

“Hm?” he managed.

“I’m really glad we met.”

Nathaniel kept his expression neutral. When he remembered he couldn’t be seen, he allowed the pain to show. “Yeah. Me too.”

About Jay Bell:
Jay Bell never gave much thought to Germany until he met a handsome foreign exchange student. At that moment, beer and pretzels became the most important thing in the world. After moving to Germany and getting married, Jay found himself desperate to communicate the feelings of alienation, adventure, and love that surrounded this decision, and has been putting pen to paper ever since.

Author Links:
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

 Are you ready for the awesomeness of this prize pack? Here it goes...

• Any book from Jay's back catalog (excluding Thunder), in eBook or Paperback format
• A set of autographed art cards
• A $25 Amazon gift card
• A download code for any of Jay's Audible audiobooks

OMG, right? I know. All you have to do is comment below with your contact info (email, Goodreads, Twitter, etc.) and you'll be entered to win this prize pack! The giveaway ends May 26th at 9:00 PM (PST) and a winner will be randomly drawn. Good luck!