About the Book:
Asher Brock’s last summer of youth is far from ideal. His hopes for the future, including an escape from his constricting Ozark Mountains hometown, seem increasingly fragile as he faces hurdles of poverty and abuse, all while coming to terms with being gay. Raised by an alcoholic single mother, he clings to his noted intelligence as an escape to a better life. But it will take more than brains, namely strength of character and aspiration, for him to navigate the months bridging to his senior year of high school.
The pregnancy of his recent girlfriend, his half-brother’s aggressive bullying toward him and the increasing presence of his long-absent father create a season of turmoil, spurring unease and self-doubt. But with support from family and friends and an opportunity for love, as well as the shedding of generations of secrets, Asher sees beyond preordained fate, and starts to realize the opportunities in his grasp.
Purchase Links:
Author Interview:
1: Tell us a little about yourself and what got you in to writing?
I was born and raised in the Ozark Mountains of southwest Missouri, which is where my stories, to date, take place. That said, I haven’t lived in that area since I graduated from college and currently live just outside Washington, DC and work in communications for an advocacy nonprofit.
2: Do you have a favourite time and place where you write?
Often it’s when I’m in bed, before I go to sleep. It helps me wind down a little, and work the stories out of my head. Then, when the lights go out I’m often thinking through what’s going to happen next, or filling out parts of the plot that might be missing.
3: Where do your ideas come from?
People I grew up around and the communities and stories of the Ozarks drive a lot of it. That area has beautiful scenery, a rich history, indulgent food and extremely kind people. But it also has a lot of poverty, lack of access to educational opportunities and following the drastic decrease in passenger train usage in the middle of the last century it is riddled with small towns that sit largely abandoned and boarded up. All this together creates in my mind little narratives that I occasionally put into writing.
4: Do you have a plan in your head of where the story is going before you start writing or do you let it carry you along as you go?
There is usually a general outline floating around in my head, but the details and sometime event the final destination work there way out as I’m writing. For example, a story I’m working on currently has changed a little in each of the last three days as I’m writing and thinking about how to make the story more compelling.
5: What genre are your books and what drew you to that genre?
Evidently I’m dabbling in genres a little. My first, “Summer’s Second,” which released on Dec. 13, 2022 is an LGBTQ young adult book. I’m gay, so that’s where the LGBTQ came from, and even as an adult I enjoy a good coming-of-age story, so that inspired me to write one of my own. My second novel, “Chicken Dinner News,” releases on June 20, 2023 and is a literary fiction work. I’ve actually been working on it for more years than I’m willing to admit, and it comes from my desire to write stories that tell of ethical or moral conflict.
6: What dream cast would you like to see playing the characters in your latest book?
This is a tough one for a young adult book, because they keep getting older. A couple years ago, when I first started writing “Summer’s Second,” I thought the actor Conner Jessup would be ideal as the lead, but he’s like 28 now, so not the best choice for an 18 year old. Now, I could see Noah Schnapp in that role, with maybe Kate Hudson has his mother.
7: Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors?
I read a fair amount, though I feel like it’s not as much as I should. I have a tendency to read the classics, as I feel Jane Austin and Charles Dickens are just as entertaining and timely now as they were 100-200 years ago. But I’m also a big fan of Cormac McCarthy fan, as dark of much of his work; Richard Russo; Geraldine Brooks; and John Steinbeck.
8: What book/s are you reading at present?
I’m currently reading “The Town of Babylon” by Alejandro Varela, and I recently finished “Less” by Andrew Sean Greer. They are both well written LGBTQ+ books, but I haven’t personally connected with them as much as I had hoped I would.
9: What is your favourite book and why?
This is something that seems to change over time, but one I’ve read that I think about a lot of is “At Swim, Two Boys” by Jamie O’Neill. It’s an Irish novel set around the 1916 Easter Rising. It’s coming-of-age, it’s awaking sexuality, it’s turmoil in the world around them, and it really moved me. I keep waiting to hear they are turning it into a movie or something, but that has yet to happen.
10: What advice would you give for someone thinking about becoming a writer?
Obviously, the first step is to just start writing, but be brave in your editing. Go back, cut stuff out, be true to your plot, don’t overburden it. Self-editing can be really challenging, but it’s necessary and you have to be willing to remove that perfect turn of phrase if it’s just not going to work. Also, read it out loud. I always read out loud to myself, because that’s when I’m going to catch the most glaring issues with flow and language.
11: What are the best Social Media Sites for people to find out about you and your work?
My Facebook, www.facebook.com/jeffbillingtonauthor, and Instagram, www.instagram.com/jdbillington/, accounts are where I am most active, though I also have Twitter, https://twitter.com/jeffbillington, but am less engaged there.
About the Author:
Jeff Billington grew up on a farm in the Ozark Mountains of Southwest Missouri, surrounded by animals, family, and local lore. His adult life has included stints as a journalist, communications director for a member of Congress, and working for environmental and advocacy nonprofits. He currently lives in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC.
Reading Nook 