Today I am so pleased to welcome Alexandria Redding to Joyfully Jay. Alexandria has come to talk to us about a new release, Keeping Hope. Alexandria has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving a big welcome!

Excerpt

“So where are we going?”

“This little hole in the wall Greek place, unless you tell me you hate Greek.” Law had a few backup plans if that didn’t pan out, but he really loved the little shop and it was a local favorite. Littleford didn’t have much, but it had an amazing Greek restaurant, a hockey rink, and some great fans.

“No aversion to Greek food here. It’s been a while since I’ve had it, though.”

“This place will blow your mind. The couple that owns it uses their family recipes, and it’s to die for. I always get the combo gyro meat, extra tzatziki sauce, and they serve the pitas on these racks in the center of the table, nice and warm and man… it’s good.”

“Cool,” Jensen shifted on his seat again and at the next light, Law looked over, watching Jensen stare out the window. He did that a lot, and it was kind of endearing. Most people would be glued to their phone, but Jensen just wanted to watch the world go by, and it warmed Law’s heart.

A few minutes brought them to the restaurant, and Law felt like it took forever to find a parking spot with the amount of people already crowding the little shopping center. It didn’t help that the restaurant shared space with an organic grocery and a local coffee shop. They parked and Law got out, waiting for Jensen by the trunk before they headed inside, walking close but not touching. Law wasn’t brave enough to start the night that way. Despite knowing he and Jensen were mutually attracted, he was still nervous about the whole date thing. Jensen held the door, if only because he got there first and Law slipped inside with a quiet, “Thanks,” joining the line to the counter.

Law ordered for both of them after Jensen agreed to trust his judgment and Law paid, though Jensen tried to offer and Law waved him off. He’d overheard Karen saying she didn’t think he had more to his name than what had arrived with him. Given Law had seen packets of ramen and lots of stuff that was high calorie but super cheap in Jensen’s bags, he was pretty sure Jensen had been working up the nerve to try living on the street before he’d moved in with them. It was pretty telling that he still squirreled the stuff away, too. Law wouldn’t address it outright, he knew better than that, but he’d do his part to help, and since his parents still put money into his account on a weekly basis, that meant he could damn well pay for their dates.

At least he hoped there’d be dates. Multiple. First, he had to get through this one without making an ass out of himself.

Blurb

Littleford Fowl, Book 1

After an unstable childhood, Jensen Malone’s hard work is paying off: he’s picked up as a temporary goalie for the Littleford Fowl, brought in to cover for a player who’s out for the season with an injury, and he’s been accepted at the community college. Hockey is his first love, but he needs to stay true to his dream of being a firefighter to guarantee he’ll never be homeless again. Now that he has the chance to pursue both, nothing can stop this fiercely independent transplant from Chicago. One little problem: he’s gay, completely unwilling to stay in the closet, and hockey’s not the most inclusive sport.

Lawrence Paisey’s a defenseman for the Littleford Fowl and he’s got the brooding new goalie in his sights. The guy’s excellent in goal and has a love of hockey to rival Law’s own. Together they could whip the team into shape. Despite his studies and hockey, Law can’t stop fantasizing about Jensen. One little problem: Law needs to win Jensen’s trust to make his dreams come true.

Join Law and Jensen for a hockey-heavy exploration of college, friendship, and one another. HEA guaranteed.

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Bio

I’ve been writing fiction for over sixteen years and technical pieces even longer than that. I began my adventure into fiction within the world of fanfiction and have longed for years to make something I could spill out into the world as fully my own.

While I’ve written other short pieces, I truly wanted one work that I could call a full novel. I’ve put my entire self into writing this book and spent the better part of a year honing it into the novel I’ve presented here.

This book is a culmination of a dream for me, and I can only hope it touches someone the same way it touched me while I wrote it.

To anyone aspiring to write, I tell you do it. To anyone thinking you can’t, you can.

I suppose you came to this section looking for something more about me though, didn’t you? Well, here’s what I can tell you. I’m married to my high school sweetheart. We have two cats, a dog, and a turtle that somehow became ours over the past few years. I love animals, nature, reading, writing, and photography. Quite clearly, I also enjoy the hell out of hockey.

By trade, I’m an engineer who is presently doing database administration, coding, and reporting in support of the company I spent my late teens and twenties dreaming of working for. By hobby, I still write fanfiction. I love to game: Dungeons & Dragons, board games, video games, you name it.

Photography-wise, I love taking photos of landscapes, animals, and architecture. I enjoy doing macro photography of plants. Once upon a time, I aimed to be a professional photographer under this same name and did multiple photoshoots with local models.

As with most authors, I collect pens, notebooks, books, and everything that inspires me, so my life is a little cluttered, but that’s okay.

I end with this… dare to dream, dare to hope, and most of all, dare to be who you truly are.

Connect with Alexandria:

• Website: https://alexandriaredding.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reddingbooks
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/reddingbooks

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Keeping Hope, Alexandria is giving away a $20 Etsy Voucher! Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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