Today I am so pleased to welcome Kate Pavelle to Joyfully Jay. Kate has come to share an interview with the characters from her latest release, Sire. She has also brought along a copy to give away. Please join me in giving Kate a big welcome!

 

“Sire” is a companion book to the “Broken Gait” of the Steel City Stories. It can be read as a stand-alone, however. It was published on October 23 by Dreamspinner Press. I am Kate Pavelle, have witnessed these events, and was compelled to write about them. It it my pleasure to welcome two of my friends, Brent Kenson and Rob Kowalski. Both are seventeen, juniors at a private school near Pittsburgh, and they agreed to take few minutes out of their hectic schedule to talk to us.

 

So, guys. It’s after Thanksgiving and Christmas is around the corner. You had a busy time since September. Do you have any special insights?

Brent: Uh, yeah. I guess. I have a boyfriend now. (He smiles.)

Rob: Damn straight.

 

So, wait. All that you went through – all you take away from it is just that you’re in a relationship now??

Rob: Look, ma’am, I know you want our deep thoughts and stuff, but we have stuff to do. Kai will be here in ten minutes to drive us to the stables, and the work never stops up there. So if you want to ask something specific about the horses, maybe…?

Brent: Aww, he’s so sweet. Robbie’s been trying to protect my privacy ever since the word of the whole suicide thing spread through school. Which is patently ridiculous – I’ve never even tried anything!

Rob: You were planning it.

Brent: Planning and thinking about isn’t the same thing. Dr. Matt was pretty clear about that.

Rob: And you’re not supposed to talk about what Dr. Matt says with the press. Come on, let’s just go!

 

Wait, wait, you two. I certainly didn’t intend to invade Brent’s privacy. Don’t worry, I won’t write anything you won’t approve first. All I want to know, after all that’s happened, what’s your take-away here?

Rob. (Sullen silence, looming.)

Brent: That family loves you, definitely. That no matter how bad things are, you should be able to talk about them, and if you can’t talk to your family, then you can talk to someone else. Like Kai. Or Uncle Attila. Or Tim. Or…

Rob: Or me, babe.

Brent: Or you. Is that the sort of take-away you were asking for? ‘Cause if you wanted to hear that I regretted getting into a fight and gotten suspended, well you’re out of luck. You have to stand up to bullies, and you have to do it even if you’re scared.

 

Um… I know that, actually. I was bullied in high school, and I did stand up to them, and they did back down.

Rob: Oh yeah? What did you do?

(I shrug, embarrassed.) It was a different time, mind you. You’d be expelled for that nowadays, but my Dad gave me a folding hunting knife. I carried it to school and I cleaned my nails with it where the problem guys could see.

 

Brent: Seriously? Was that allowed? Did you get in trouble?

Uh… (I might be blushing just about now.) I asked the gym teacher to hold it for me while we were running outside. Didn’t wanna lose it in the grass. She had me meet her at the principal’s office, and they wormed the whole bullying thing out of me.

 

Rob: It sucked to lose the knife, I bet.

Oh, I got it back. I had to give my word of honor not to bring it to school again, and had to promise to ask them for help next time. Which I did a week later, when they tossed my locker and stole my calculator. Learning that it’s okay to ask for help was my big lesson at the time, I think.

 

Brent: Yeah. Me too. (He looks over my shoulder.) Kai’s here. Sorry, we have to go. There are horses to feed.

Rob: Yeah, and horses to ride! Attila said he’d let me try a jump today if I canter well.

 

Bye, guys!

I wave as they turn and walk away like they have all the time in the world. Their hands meet and fingers brush before they swing around Attila’s aging black Bronco and pile in. A guy with a long, copper-tone braid of hair waves at me as though he knows me, honks, and drives away. I just stand there, feeling stupid. I totally blew my big chance. I should’ve asked better questions, or should’ve wrangled Kai – I”m pretty sure that was Kai – into taking me to Blue Heron Acres to visit the horses. And Attila.

They dip past the crest of the black driveway and disappeared. A gust of early winter wind whirls past my ankles, chasing a stray leaf the janitorial staff never swept away.

Till later, boys.

 

Kate Pavelle can be reached through www.katepavelle.com and is on FB and Twitter. Aside from M/M romance, she writes suspense, crime fiction, urban fantasy, and historical short stories.


Blurb

SIRE-coverA companion to Broken Gait

A Steel City Story

A new transfer, Robbie Kowalski embraces his fresh start at Three Rivers Academy. Freedom from football, delightfully challenging academics, family support—Robbie is thrilled. No more fumbles, no more gay taunts, and a refreshing challenge at blending in with the kids of rich people, the sort his dad usually works for. Robbie’s even willing to work in his dad’s carpentry business to help pay tuition, especially once he gets to know his cute lab partner, Brent.

Brent Kenson, competitive rider and key man in his uncle’s stable, schemes to escape the legal career his dad has all planned out for him. He almost pulls it off too, until a scorching kiss from Robbie turns his world upside down. When Brent discovers his dad is not his real father, his world flips again, and he’s left reeling and desperate for escape.

With time running out, Robbie must find a way to help Brent confront his fear of rejection and embrace who he is before Brent takes a drastic step to end his pain—permanently.


Bio

Kate PavelleKate Pavelle is a reclusive writer, most at home in the woods hunting wild mushrooms with her dog Freya by her side and her husband nearby. When not writing, Kate enjoys telling stories to a live audience, studying various martial arts, and putting up fermented cabbage for the winter. You can reach her at www.katepavelle.com.


Giveaway

Kate has brought a copy of Sire to give away to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Tuesday, November 3rd at 11:59 pm EST.

  • By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win.  The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
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  • Void where prohibited by law.
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