Lessons from the Launch

I'm giving myself a week to obsess about the launch of Carousel of Questions. (Sorry if I'm getting annoying.) Come August 1st, I will calm down and move on to writing my second novel. (Will it be a sequel? Uh, oh. Cliffhanger.)

Continuing my obsession, I have learned a lot in the past twenty-four hours of publication.

First lesson: hitting the "Save & Publish" button on KDP was not the finish line. It's more like that point in a marathon where they have the cups of water. CofQ went live; I thought I could finally rest. Instead, I have spent the day trying to figure out how to set up my Author's Page on Amazon. (No luck. I always end up right back at the CofQ page.)

Temporarily giving up on that, I went ahead and set up my Author's Profile on GoodReads. No hiccups there, thankfully. It's set up and looks great!

Second lesson: it's not always easy to articulate who you are. When I went back to work on my Author's Page, I realized I had no idea what I would say. Do I write it like an online profile? Do say something witty? Do I write it like a resume? Do I write it like a biography? Do I keep it short, or flesh it out? I really don't know. Who am I as an author?

So, I temporarily gave it up again.

Third lesson: your book has a life of it's own. Now, I'm going door-to-door across the internet asking people to read it, review it, retweet it, etc. I just wanted to get my book "out there." Originally, I focused YA LGBT blogs since my intended audience is young adults dealing with their own question of identity. Now, after my first official review and several unofficial reviews, I'm finding out people of all different backgrounds are relating to Francis' journey of self. That shocked me because I thought this novel would appeal to a niche market.

There is still so much for me to learn, but I am loving every step of this journey. It's been great to invest in my own dreams, and I love that I can share this journey with you.

Thank you!
JG

Like Christmas Morning!

I'm a guy who loves To Do Lists. At the moment I have three in front of me. One of the tasks today was to reveal the cover for Carousel of Questions on all of my social media accounts while KDP reviewed my manuscript. However, KDP beat me to it, publishing my manuscript to Amazon early this morning.

Literally, it feels like Christmas!

Now, I wanted it to feel like Christmas for all my followers as well with a cover reveal, but I'm sure you've peeked. (Ok, I actually probably texted a picture of the cover to you in my excitement, but let's pretend I didn't).

So, imagine it's Christmas morning. You're coming down the stairs in your pajamas, anxiously waiting to unwrap all your presents. You look at your Kindle tree and you see this:

A smile breaks across your face. It's better than you expected! You can't wait to crack it open and read it!

Sadly, this book isn't going to magically appear on your Kindle or Kindle App. (I haven't figured out Santa's secret.) However, you can buy Carousel of Questions through Amazon for immediate download.

I hope you enjoy my novel!
JG

P.S. - I would also like to give a shout out to Web Crafters, who designed this cover and formatted the ebook. Working with them was such a great experience. I am thankful for their expertise, enthusiasm, and efficiency. I can't wait to collaborate on future writing projects!

Attitude of Gratitude

It would be nice if my book sold a million copies. The thought, however far out it is, has crossed my mind. Thankfully, I have many family members and friends who keep me grounded. I definitely have had momentary "delusions of grandeur" (thank you Wicked for the inspiration). 

Coming back to reality, my novel probably won't sell more than a handful of copies. I will probably not be a household name, either.  Surprisingly, the closer I get to publishing, the more content I become with this. 

First off, I never want writing to be my job. Don't get me wrong, I love having it as a hobby. I love running with (you can read this as obsessing about) my latest idea, no matter how crazy (cliche) it is. I'm not doing this to make money (even if it is a dream in the back of my mind). I'm doing this because I felt that I had a story to tell. That story developed into Carousel of Questions, which I hope can one day help someone balance their faith and LGBT identity (who knows, it may reach people beyond that). 

Second, I don't think I'm ready for any sort of fame, fortune, or public recognition. I know my ego can get out of hand. I know I can get caught up in superficial things, especially cars. If I ever become famous, I want to be like Robin Roberts or Ellen DeGeneres. I want to always be smiling, help others as much as I can, and inspire people to be the best version of themselves. Cheesy, yes. But that is how I would like it to be. I don't want to face the same pitfalls of many child or young adult celebrities. (Real talk, if you know how J.K. Rowling or any of the Harry Potter cast stayed humble, I would love to let in on the secret). 

Third, I don't want this to be a dream that explodes into reality only to quickly fizzle out. I have loved every step of the journey in writing Carousel of Questions. I honestly don't want it to be over. I don't want to lose sight of how it felt to be sitting at my computer bleeding (thank you Ernest Hemingway). I loved learning more about myself, and I know there is still so much to figure out. I have loved the conversations I've had with complete strangers. I've loved the sense of accomplishment I felt upon finishing my first draft. Simultaneously, I loved the frustration of realizing it was crap and going through it again (then repeating the same process of accomplishment, frustration, and revision over and over again until now).

All in all, I am super excited about the present reality. I'm that baby who has learned to crawl and is so ecstatic. I don't yet realize all the joy that is to come when I learn to walk, or run, or even jump. I'm so grateful for all of you who have supported me along the way. 

Thank you!

JG

Beginning the Conversation About Balancing Faith and Sexuality

Growing up Catholic made it really difficult for me to come out. In fact, it was my personal struggle of balancing my faith with my, then newly understood, sexuality that inspired my upcoming novel, Carousel of Questions.

Anyone on the LGBT spectrum faces a carousel of questions regarding their identity when they come out. Who am I? Will I be accepted? Am I the only one like this? What will the future hold? For those on the LGBT spectrum who grew up in a religious family, those questions multiply. They question their creation, their moral being, and their afterlife. They question whether or not God made them this way. Am I disordered, as some Christians say? Am I just the way God intended me to be, as other says?

When coming out, this carousel ride of unanswered questions can feel like a prison. Navigating the inconsistencies between Christians is difficult, scary, and lonely. All of a sudden, you go from being an active member of your church to an outcast. Friends turn their back on you, not knowing how to help. You feel lost and confused, left yearning for that familial sense of belonging.

So, what do you do?

In my novel, Carousel of Questions, you'll  follow Francis Maggiano's attempt  to balance his faith and sexuality. Francis has, so far, successfully avoided the thought of being gay, but Adam Jackson, the Adonis of Dreux Creek High School, brings everything Francis believes into question with the invite: "Wanna go with me to Adoration?"

We all, at one time or another, have to deal with our own carousels. Stay tuned to see how Francis deals with his.

Enjoy!
JG

Carousel of Questions

Rejection is never easy. It's debilitating. It's a doorway for doubt and insecurity to creep in, and when they do, they haunt you with questions. These questions hit you below the belt, forcing you on your knees. While you're down, they circle you, mocking you until your confidence is broken.  

Sure it sucks, but it was in the grasp of rejection that my manuscript found its title: Carousel of Questions.

When a publisher rejected my manuscript, doubt and insecurity came rushing in. The manuscript I was so proud of quickly became garbage. It wasn't good enough, so I wasn't good enough. Before I knew it, I was caught in a dizzying carousel ride of questions. I was spinning faster and faster. There was no end in sight. And then it hit me: this is what Francis is dealing with!

Recently, Francis Maggiano has felt disconnected from his family and his Church community. He's done everything he's supposed to do. He stayed out of trouble, made good grades, and remained active in his youth group. However, he continues to feel isolated and different than everyone else. It's now the second semester of his senior year. Instead of walking down the halls of Dreux Creek High School with confidence, he is lost in the crowd wondering who he is, where he'll go to college, and what he'll do for the rest of his life.  

When a new youth minister starts working at Our Lady of the Creek, Francis does what he can to survive until graduation, even if that means being one of two seniors in his youth group. Francis doesn't complain though. Elizabeth, at first, isn't too bad, and the other senior, Adam Jackson, is the captain of the swim team, is in all AP classes, and has confidence Francis can only dream of. The carousel of questions gets faster when Adam asks Francis to Adoration. Can Adam help Francis answer the questions of life? 

Have a great weekend!

JG

Writer's Cat

It's safe to say we've all had our fair share of Writer's Block, whether it's trying to write a paper for school or trying to write a piece for publication. It happens. Personally, I brew a fresh pot of coffee and pray for inspiration. Sometimes it works. More often than not, I have to deal with another obstacle: Writer's Cat.

While I'm readying the cream and sugar, this little guy, Murphy, inhabits the warm keyboard and decides to take a little nap. If he isn't occupying the keyboard, he is plopped down in front of the screen chasing the cursor. Thank God I didn't splurge and get the touch screen desktop!

How do I remedy this? As far as napping on the keyboard, I invested in a wireless one. Sure, I look stupid walking around with a chunk of plastic, but at least I don't have to worry about deleted material or ajfdojigelsl (cat gibberish). As far as attacking the cursor, I've given up. I let him have his five minutes of entertainment. At around that time he's bored of the fact that it hasn't moved and finds some other mischievous thing.

Writer's Cats do have their perks though. Murphy has somehow communicated with me to take need breaks during long typing spells. And by breaks I mean he wants to play fetch or needs a treat. He's a great critic telling me when a scene is trash or golden. And he's downright adorable!

Don't lose sight of your goal, push through obstacles (or patiently wait for them to move), and write on!
JG

Genesis

December 2013 - The new year was fast approaching, and with it the pressure of picking a New Year's Resolution. I've had my fair share of "Eat Healthy"; "Workout Daily"; and every other "Be a Better Person" resolution. I wanted something different. I wanted something that I might actually enjoy and stick with.

I had no idea what I was putting myself up to, but I settled upon writing a book in one year's time. 

Obviously it took a little more than a year. Let's be honest, I had no idea what I was doing. I wrote my first scene and sent it to one of my best friends. Her email might as well have been a death glare. She said it was trash. (Ok, she didn't say that, but I'm sure that's what she thought.)

 I sat down to write it all again. I was so proud of the second draft. It was fifty pages. I sent it to a printer and held it in my hand like it was a bar of gold. I shared it with another friend. She let the red ink fly. 

This cycle continued for a year and a half. Write. Share. Revise. Edit. Share. Scrap. Rewrite. There was no pattern. I just kept growing the story and pruning the dead ends. And finally, the end is near. Soon I will publish my first novel and go on to start the journey all over again. 

Enjoy,

JG