The Love that Binds Us by Phoenix Blackwood

 Please welcome Phoenix Blackwood author of The Love that Binds Us

Phoenix Blackwood will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

The Love that Binds Us

by Phoenix Blackwood

 

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GENRE:   LGBTQIA+ Coming of Age

 

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INTERVIEW:

What or who inspired you to start writing?

The Surviving Youth Trilogy is greatly inspired by my life experiences, as well as experiences of those around me. I started writing when I was pretty young, around 12 years old, and that’s when the universe of this story was created. It looked very different then than it does now, but that’s when the characters started coming to life.

What elements are necessary components for this genre?

The thing I love about contemporary fiction is that it’s a pretty wide genre – you can go pretty much anywhere in the world with it. No worldbuilding is necessarily required, just pick your setting,  jump right in and write. In my opinion, contemporary works best when it’s character-centered – focused on what makes people tick and how their lives play out. There’s always room for an unexpected twist.

How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

The world in which The Love that Binds Us takes place started out as a way for me to vent my emotions on paper, creating a character that understood me and what was going on in my brain. These characters evolved as the years went on, turning into something much larger than life. I dabbled in writing bits and pieces of the story, but I didn’t truly sit down to write Alex’s story until after my first book was finished a couple years ago.

What expertise did you bring to your writing?

I bring in a lot from my day job. I work at a residential care facility for kids that look a lot like Theo and Alex, all of which have their own stories to tell. While The Love that Binds Us isn’t based on any one kid’s story, I have a lot of experience that informs how my characters may react in specific situations.

What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

When I was around 12 years old, my family fostered a 7 year old girl who became my sister. She was abruptly removed from my home after about a year, and that’s when I created Theo. Alex came in when I began to understand my own sexuality, and initially she was based on my then best friend. They’ve both changed so much since then, but these major turning points in my life really influenced how this story played out.

As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

Book 3 is currently in process and will be out next year! After that, I have a few other projects in mind, some of which I’ve already pitched to Cinnabar Moth. We’ll see what the future holds!

If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?

Out of everyone, I think I’d really like to be Harriet. She has a knack for bringing people together and has a whole community built around her. She cares deeply for her friends and does everything she can to make them feel as though they belong.

Can you give us a sneak peek into this book?

“Walking through the threshold of Theo’s house was like a weight lifting off my shoulders, all the tension of home and school falling away. This was what home was supposed to feel like. I flopped down on the couch and Theo joined me a couple minutes later with two mugs of tea, handing me one. I leaned into them as they wrapped an arm around my shoulders after turning the television on to the latest show we’d been binging. This felt so safe, so calm. A feeling I rarely got in my own home. Always on edge, an internal dissonance telling me that I wasn’t good enough. Here, I was everything I was supposed to be.”

When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

A good friend of mine encouraged me to submit a short story to an open call from Cinnabar Moth – the publisher that had him employed as a voice actor. They loved my story, and when I posted about finishing my first book, The Secrets that Kill Us, they made a full request. I was signed for a full trilogy within a week, it felt so surreal but was also one of the best feelings I’d ever had.

Do you outline your books or just start writing?

I’m 100% a pantser! I made an outline for my first book, and quickly threw it in the trash as I was writing. The Love that Binds Us was written completely without an outline.

How do you maintain your creativity?

On my days off from my day job, I try to sit down and write at least 1k words a day. This helps me take things in bite size pieces where if I’m really feeling it I can write more, but gives me a good stopping point if I can’t focus well that day. I always leave off in the middle of a scene though, that way I have a place to pick up and get back into it. If I end a chapter or scene, when I come back to it I have a hard time figuring out where to go next when I start writing.

Who is your favorite character in the book? Can you tell us why?

            I think Theo’s always going to be my favorite. They’re very different from me, but as I was growing up they were the character that I used to explore my own identities. I fooled myself into thinking I liked guys in highschool, Theo had a boyfriend. I realized I liked girls in college, Theo’s boyfriend turned into a girlfriend. I realized I was trans, Theo wasn’t a girl anymore either. They were a safe way for me to test the waters, and I’ll always love them for that.

BLURB:

 

From the outside, Alex has a perfect life. She has a partner who loves her, gets good grades in school, excels at most sports, and has a big heart. From the inside, Alex’s life is anything but perfect. She hasn’t spoken to her father in years. She’s hiding the fact that her once-best-friend now-romantic-partner Theo is trans and nonbinary from her homophobic mother. Bullies are harassing her and Theo at school, taunting and shoving. It’s all becoming too much for Alex to bear.

Things take a surprising turn when Alex’s mother discovers her relationship with Theo. After Alex is thrown out of her house and taken in by Theo’s foster family, Alex can live honestly. For a while, things start to feel manageable. Alex finds a new group of friends. She navigates what “family” means beyond her mother and sister. She even considers forgiving her mother’s past mistakes. But forgiveness requires honesty. Secrets Alex’s mother has been keeping are surfacing, trying to bind Alex to misery. As Alex learns the full truth of her mother’s past mistakes, she will need the love of her chosen family and friends to gently bind her life into a shape that keeps her whole.

 

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EXCERPT:

 

I sat on my bed and pulled Theo down to my level, kissing them on the forehead. They sat down with me and kissed me on the lips until they were leaning over me and my hands were wrapped around the back of their neck, pulling them closer. They were so soft, always so tender. I focused all my attention on the kiss, so much so that I didn’t hear the small squeak of my door opening. Theo pulled away suddenly, jarring me and forcing me to look in the direction of their gaze.

 

Leah had opened the door. She stood there with her mouth open, her face frozen in wonder and confusion. She’d known Theo since we’d become friends, I bet she had never imagined finding us kissing when she opened my door.

 

Theo and I looked at each other in horror. The secret was out, how were we going to get her to keep quiet? We should’ve been more careful. We’d gotten too comfortable.

 

I signed for Leah to come sit between us on the bed. My face got hot as she sat and tears brimmed in my eyes. My mom could never, ever find out - Leah knowing was so dangerous.  She looked up at me with wide eyes and signed, “Boyfriend?”

 

Theo must’ve seen the panic rising up in me, because they took over. They gently rested one hand on her shoulder to get her attention and then explained, “We love each other. I’m not a boy, but I’m still her partner. I’m like a boyfriend, just minus the boy part.”

 

Walking through the threshold of Theo’s house was like a weight lifting off my shoulders, all the tension of home and school falling away. This was what home was supposed to feel like. I flopped down on the couch and Theo joined me a couple minutes later with two mugs of tea, handing me one. I leaned into them as they wrapped an arm around my shoulders after turning the television on to the latest show we’d been binging. This felt so safe, so calm. A feeling I rarely got in my own home. Always on edge, an internal dissonance telling me that I wasn’t good enough. Here, I was everything I was supposed to be.

 

We watched television until Seth–Theo’s brother–made his way down the stairs and started rummaging through the kitchen to start dinner. The house was quickly filled with smells that made my mouth water - meat searing in a pan, vegetables being chopped, pasta water boiling. I sat in the scents until I couldn’t take it any longer and my stomach growled, causing me to get up and make my way into the kitchen.

 

Seth shot me a sly smile. “Probably another ten minutes.”

 

I pouted, staring at the food and willing it to cook faster.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Born and raised in New England, Phoenix has always been a creative – whether it’s painting or writing. From a very young age, Phoenix has envisioned and created characters, writing them into existence and exploring them through visual arts. Having graduated to first-time short story author, Phoenix is embarking on a journey towards novel writing as they finally bring characters they’ve known for years into the world. Phoenix is neurodiverse and intersex and hopes to bring more representation to both topics with their writing. They believe in creating relatable characters that people can find themselves in and empathize with.

 

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Love-that-Binds-Us-ebook/dp/B0BNC6VFPD/

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

 

Phoenix Blackwood will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4540