2024 seems to be just zipping along.
We are just a couple of months away from it being four years since the pandemic became a global crisis. It's almost hard to believe that moment is so far in the rearview mirror. For the most part, people don't find silver linings when recalling the pandemic. For me, the stay-at-home situation provided me an opportunity to clean like mad and to find something I had scribbled down years and years earlier. Those hand-written pages could have been discarded, but on a whim, I typed them up. Those became the first two chapters of Extracurricular. I had no intention of writing books. It was just erotic smut at that point. But my life changed forever. I was captured by writing. After writing for the enjoyment of it, I began posting almost three years ago.
This week I wondered if I had reached 2,500 pages of material. After adding it up, I have surpassed 2,700 pages. That should be frightening — since I had no intention of book writing becoming a hobby. But it has become a huge reward in my life. I enjoy creating these characters. The fact that readers have come along for the ride with me is simply extraordinary.
Four years ago, there was no Jakob, no Cooper, no Laramie, no Corey and Aiden. Although these characters are just fictional individuals that live on the computer screen, I'm glad they are in my life, unreal as they are. It's astonishing how sometimes a character just takes off and their story starts to write itself. It's a joy as an author.
I've learned a lot, often from readers. A reader taught me that people in AA are encouraged not to date the first year. I included that in the story, further bringing authenticity to Lance's story. I learned there is no period in Dr Pepper. And I've learned a lot of personal stories that readers have been gracious enough to share with me. I feel we are friends and certainly connected.
I thought when Extracurricular ended, that was it. But then I wanted to write more and flipped the script to make Trent the protagonist instead of Mike. Lance became fascinating to me and was soon a favorite character, and in time I wanted to tell his story. It should have just been a trilogy, but it happened again with Jakob. Then Cooper. Then Laramie. By the end of Book Six, I knew Aiden and Corey could have a different kind of love story, one of friendship, so I challenged myself to write it.
Things have changed since my college days. The world is more understanding and progressive, but I'm quite confident that people's feelings aren't dramatically different. Everyone goes through personal struggles and their own worries. Those insecurities and quirks in each of us are what makes the characters in my books feel real to me.
In this latest chapter, Aiden fucks someone for the first time. That's a universal feeling — the ball of nervousness and excitement and anxiety that such an act entails.
Click here to read Chap. 7 of A Bed, A Desk and My Unfortunate Soulmate.
The transition from adolescence to young adult is fraught with peer pressure and uncertainty. The desire to be your own person and yet fit into society is typically not an easy procedure. I've enjoyed watching Aiden find himself at college. He's gone from a loner in high school to being a principal figure in building a second family on campus. We feel for him wishing he could have something that can't change, yet somehow he and Corey make it work, creating a kind of love in a different way.
The further we get into the story, the more the characters are developing. Forrest and Manny are becoming more interesting to me, so much so that I have made them principal characters. (When I was outlining the book, they didn't even exist.) I'm enjoying figuring out Ace's and Geoff's flaws and strengths, wondering where to take them. Is someone growing on you?
It was a long chapter. I hope you found something in it you liked.
Book One, Extracurricular
Book Two, If It Weren't For the Two of Us
Book Three, Hi, I'm Lance
Book Four, Ascension: Jakob's Ladder
Book Five, Coffee at 9
Book Six, Laramie
Book Seven, Say Goodbye to Sparkleland
Book Eight, A Bed, A Desk and My Unfortunate Soulmate
All I'll say this time is that again regardless the gender of who Corey ends up with, both of them are working out in their minds their sexuality. But I wonder if there is a dark side to Corey, it's like oh I like girls but Aiden will do for sex and Aiden is I want Corey forever and as you mention in this post cant' change that yet is getting love and sex from him. Reminds me of Trent and Lance and their partners yearly action session. I know this might annoy the purists but I had the same experience and I keep in contact with the guy, but I don't love him, yet he is married and they just had their final 4 th child, yet over the past 30 years, we have had sex estimated 15 times. We love each other but we don't in the traditional way. I'll live the moral views up to others, but my partner, male, just thinks whatever and we are only slightly open, rarely pursuing other men, but it happens, not often, but does. Maybe that's the way C & A are going because even if he isn't gay, clearly Corey does not see what he and Aiden do as gay. Must my observations.
ReplyDeleteThe condom part of the story brought back horrible memories of a time before self scanning!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, wasn't the boys' condom-buying scene wonderful? Even WITH self-checkout they managed to experience pretty much the full trauma of it!
DeleteGlad that Aiden is, at least for the time being, moving on. I think Corey needs Aiden to be more dominant. As Aiden builds his confidence with Donny, I think we will see him be more dominant, not just sexually, but as a person. As this happens, I suspect Corey will come to terms with his feelings for Aiden. Not just as friends but someone he is totally in love with. He'll also admit to himself that he is at least bisexual, but probably gay. He has supressed this because he doesn't want to let his mother down the way his father did. It'll be interesting if he starts fantasizing about being Donny when he masturbates in the next chapter.
ReplyDeleteWow wow wow. That was a fuckin hot story, Timothy. WOW .... I had to jerk my cock several times. I hope Corey and Aiden might finally fuck.
ReplyDeletejt
I hate that Corey and Aiden have distanced themselves from each other. Just when you thought they had a breakthrough with the blowjob it seems they took 5 steps back and are back at square one by the end of the chapter. Corey is obviously not fully straight and it seems he no closer to figuring out that he doesn’t need to be labeled, Aiden is his soulmate, sexually and in every other way as well. But now Aiden has out that barrier up to protect himself and is focused on getting Corey laid, and Corey is digging in further that he is “straight”. I understand it takes time to figure these things out but as a reader who is rooting for that love to finally blossom to its rightful potential, it’s frustrating. Great chapter as always.
ReplyDeleteI’m not getting it. The story is mind blowing brilliant writing but also teasing. I agree Corey is at least bi sexual. If say down the track Corey went hey all I’m gay and decides Aiden is for him, I hope Lance does not become the villian and try to stop it.
ReplyDeleteHaving lived several versions of these college relations that you so excellently describe I'm hoping Corey and Aiden find a comfortable enduring friendship. But I'm not seeing them as romantic partners at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree with that other poster, what will be the role of Lance if any? I appreciate his wanting to protect Aiden's feelings, but what if he actually interferes in stopping the other two from becoming a couple. Interesting to contemplate. Like Mitch, Forrest as the ex villain grows on you.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to get an insight on how you work with the characters. You asked if any characters speak to us, to me they are all interesting. The mystique of people and how they think is extremely interesting to me, that pairs well with how you often only give a small glimpse into characters further away from the main story.
ReplyDeleteOne particular character that speaks to me is SLATER. You managed to make that name sound negative, it might be a classic bully name in TV but still, well done. I like how you portrayed him this episode, the journey to better yourself is lengthy and you made that a bit more clear when you included how he still has outbursts at random people. It's good to know he is still on a healing journey, as it felt like he had a complete personality change.
J.
Loved the chapter. Won't debate Corey's sexuality as I feel surprises are in store. Maybe many of us would like to see the two together. But I also like some comments on the blog here. I too was having a relationship with a man in college who was straight. Thing is, we still keep in contact even though he moved to Australia with his wife, but although we don't have a sexual relationship when we catch up, he does not see our almost non-stop sex as roommates at all as a big deal, and despite that we still got high marks for courses. I never brought up the subject years after we graduated but he did and I felt embarrassed but he just went I liked it, I have no issues with what we did. Will Corey be a little like that? Only thing is I didn't feel hurt or used, it just stopped, we went to jobs and stayed in contact, including six wonderful months on assignment in London before returning to New York. So I'm hoping whatever the outcome is with Corey, there will be no drama. While men may move on to a lifetime with a woman, I have no doubt there are so many Corey's in the world working out what they are.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. I had similar experiences with a very sweet 'straight but not narrow' roommate who summed it up by saying: "there's nothing wrong with affection." Just as you wish for Corey, no drama.
DeleteYes see the issue becomes people read my experience and pull the morals card. My friend and I have worked this out, yes the wife knows, yes she ok with it, no one is in denial and I can't say I'll never have sex again with him, but probably won't because I don't feel that attraction, but I do love him as a friend. Then when it is found out by my 'friends' I'm moving to Australia to be with them they will freak out. Point is, the job I want now I have dual citizenship, is there not in the USA. That's why Tim's story I can relate to, but someone posted Lance might interfere. I appreciate Lance's experience with Trent and how his life goes but yes agree I hope he does not come between Corey and Aiden.
DeleteI'm liking Slater a lot, it's like he's moving past his aggression as he pays a price. But is he gay? It's like Mitch I don't suggest cheat on your partner, but I have never disliked him. Finally, this Lance thing that I see in comments, I don't see him becoming a villain but he did advise Aiden what could happen after Lance's fixation on Trent, so yeah never thought that's where the story could go, but I hope not especially on the off chance Corey and Aiden do decide to be a couple.
ReplyDeleteI'm liking Donny, but Aiden seems like a player with a revolving door and Donny might want someone more serious.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on those 2700 pages, Timothy! They've sure enriched my life, with your ever-growing roster of ever-loving characters who, unlike so much of the supposedly gay-themed fiction we're getting, living out issues that I recognize as central to what it means to be gay here and now. Can't thank you enough!
ReplyDeleteI'm going opposite I am attuned to Ace he sounds like he's a good person. I loved how Corey is giving Slater another chance. As for how things end up, I'm team Corey and Aiden together forever but anyway whatever happens.
ReplyDelete