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!

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