Great news guys,
From the offset, I knew I’d be revisiting Brayden and Julian before completing Dumbstruck, the first book in the mini-series. What started as a one-off short story about two boys meeting at a rest stop; I imagined it would be a simple, quick project to kill some of the creative desire between editing larger work. However, in the insignificant amount of time I spent with the boys, I had unwillingly grown attached even after saying I would not. There was so much potential for further expansion, and I wanted to see our protagonist Brayden fall helplessly in love with this stranger called Julian. Alas, comes Dumbstruck - Part 2, a novella that carries the tale forward, and we get our first look at the town Julian lives in, and watch the boys' relationship flourish. Keeping with my new formula, I’ve been trying to add more adventure to my stories and filtering out some of the drama to create an equal layer of realism, but something readers can get excited about. My wish is for the folks who are reading to feel the thrill, drama, and enterprise that the kids are experiencing. I believe Dumbstruck - Part 2 has achieved this exploit, taking the boys along on a journey of hope and discovery as I further lay the path down for additional sequels in the future. So, without further ado, I am pleased to announce that Dumbstruck - Part 2 will be out on February 19th 2021 for you to enjoy. Stay tunned as I reveal the offical launch date. If you have yet to read the first book, I encourage you to grab a copy so that you can follow the boy’s journey as they go from strangers to lovers over the course of my newest series.
Below, I’ve compiled some fun tidbits to get you acquainted with the world and its people before the launch date. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to reach out, though there may be a delay today as it is my birthday. Anyway, let’s get to the fun stuff.
Best,
D.K.
Synopsis:
Brayden, a gay 14-year old boy, travels to Millers Point on a surprise quest to see Julian. A journey of a lifetime awaits Brayden as he sets off on an adventure across thousands of miles of dense forests, bare tundras, and populated cities to meet with a boy he met during a one-night camping trip. Though the boys have kept in contact since summer, unforeseen circumstances prevented Brayden from seeing Julian. All he wants is for the friendship to reach a new height and for young Julian to acknowledge that they are going steady. Join the two young boys for another night of fun, cutesy, and believable romance that will make your heart swoon. You can't fault a guy who is willing to travel thousands of miles in misery to see the one he loves.
The setting:
Once again, I’m introducing you to a small proportion of my fictional world, which would geographically span somewhere between Los Angeles and Vancouver from north to south and as far as Los Vegas in the east. You could say I have re-envisioned the entire west coast of the United States. However, here everything we see are phantom islands and fabricated cities that I have poured hours into creating realistic human development hubs with a rich history. One of these places is a small primary fishing settlement called Millers Point. The village draws inspiration from many Canadian towns, but it also has a touch of Scandinavian appeal. Formally a fishing colony, Millers Point was built upon the shores of a fjord, but it has never seen the commercial success of the big city Acreage across the bay. I believed Dumbstruck 2 set up a lovely location for further expansion and offered some neat adventures forthcoming.
Rapid Fire Questions:
Q. What inspired Dumbstruck Part 2?
A. Apart from the story being unfinished and with-it having the potential to continue, the idea of Brayden traveling thousands of miles by rail and turning up unexpectedly at Julian’s made me wonder how the arrival would be taken. I guess that was the original motivation, but maybe I was consuming too much of Boy In Space & The Mighty Ducks at the time, and it inspired some hockey and a Canadian vibe. These two influences set the tone for the story; Boy In Space set the dreamy quality, and The Mighty Ducks franchise set the adventure elements.
Q. What’s your favorite scene of the newsiest book?
A. Maybe I have a love for gay teenagers falling helplessly in love when out on a night of mischief and bonding. So, there is a segment in the middle of the newest novella where the two boys cycle around and visit a few locations, one of them is fit for two young kings without spoiling the scene. The scene was inspired by my travels with my boyfriend when we traveled to Denmark at the start of 2020. Something personal made it into the book in a fictionalized way.
Q. Do you have a favorite character from this book?
A. Actually, I do; my favorite is not the protagonist or love interest, but a side character that we meet only for a brief time near the start of the book. I won’t name anybody, but this character crosses over into one of my other stories, and it was nice to include him in the final version. The mysterious character can be found in the train terminal scene if you are interested in reading to find out.