Welcome to Jackson Bend

 It’s not like I have a lot of other written work in this genre, but I always refer to my books as the “Jackson Bend series.” As I have often stated, I never intended to continue this beyond my first book. Extracurricular had its open-ended conclusion, and after feeling unsatisfied, I decided to switch protagonists to complete the tale. Then the third book was supposed to wrap it up as a trilogy.

Then those side characters just grew on me. I’m planning Book Seven and Eight to be written at the same time (we’ll see if that is a good thing).

If I seem to identify with the familiarity of the same characters — much like the fondness we might have for a favorite television series — I assumed others might as well. To me, it makes it easier to jump back and forth in timelines when it suits the plot. Whether it be via flashbacks or just starting years in the past (such as Laramie’s and Jakob’s books), those secondary characters make strong figures for their own stories. But it all takes place in the same city.

We just needed to get Laramie there. We knew he would. We fell in love with him (along with Cooper) in Coffee at 9, so we knew he eventually had to arrive in Jackson Bend. And now it’s happened.

Click here to read Laramie, Chapter 7.

If I have detractors, they aren’t overly vocal. Some might claim I’m in a rut using the same setting with all my stories. But it is serving my inspiration well, so I doubt if I make any great effort to change it.

Lance and Jakob have moved to Von, of course, but their stories began in Jackson Bend, so we can consider them hometown boys.

What I like about this chapter is Laramie’s sense of escape. He now has a feeling of freedom. For so many gay people, that is like lifeblood. Those with wonderful, accepting families don’t feel that pull like others do. Sometimes it is just getting out of a certain house. For others, an entirely new place to live is what is needed. Personally, if I had to live with my parents, I’d need to stick my head a noose. Not that I don’t love them, but I would definitely need my own space.

A reader asked if writing the darker chapters, such as the previous one, is hard. It can be. I’ve learned to love the characters I have created. Thankfully, in these types of situations, I knew it leads to a better scenario. The harsher moments have to happen for Laramie to get to Jackson Bend. And he now is. Besides, if everything is gumdrops and butterflies, it isn’t really a good story. It certainly wouldn’t be relatable.

It's nice to get Laramie to where he belongs. He now has a new life — and new men — ahead.