Placida Island’s gentle ocean breezes and rolling surf beckon to those who wish to reside in remote tropical serenity.
TWO men living in self-imposed exile.
Wearing twisted ropes of mutilated skin on his back and carrying devastating damage in his soul from severe childhood abuse, Matthew North lives alone in a rustic cabin on the shore, avoiding human contact.
Gender fluidity his perceived “crime” against family and friends, Vedie Wilson flees his childhood home so he can freely express his identity.
THREE persecutors seeking their warped view of justice.
Vedie’s past refuses to stay in the faraway city he left behind when family members, intent on forcing him to change, steal him from his island home.
TOO MANY scars to count.
Their beautiful faces masking deeply scarred souls, Matt and Vedie live in hiding from the world and each other.
Can they unite and embrace each other’s painful pasts, leaving the scars behind to find love?
Vedie
Mateo stands in the dark shadows close to the building and somehow looks hot, not creepy.
“Mateo, why’re you here?” I don’t sound too friendly, but then, me and him aren’t friends.
“Guess I’m in the mood for dessert.”
The dude’s studying me like he’s never seen a boy dressed in girl’s clothes. When he’s done gawking, he tilts his head and asks in a cool voice, “You in drag tonight?”
“Nah. I’m not in drag.” I stare him in the eye and add, “This is just how I feel right now.” And I wait to see if me being dressed like a lady might be a deal breaker.
He’s checking me out, but his eyes are spooked, just like they were when I brought him his first drink at the Tiki Hut. I’ve seen eyes like his before—right off the bat, they make me think of Mrs. Diaz, my downstairs neighbor back when I was in middle school. She had the exact same look in her eyes on the day of the drive-by shooting near Ryan Playground…the day her little Rosita got shot in the back of the neck.
It’s nighttime, so I can’t tell if his eyes are dark or light, but they’re as hollow as an empty cardboard box dumped on a city sidewalk. And it’s like there should be blood smeared on his chin or sprayed across his forehead, because the look on his face screams, “I got jumped!” But there’s no blood and no city sidewalk and no Mrs. Diaz hollering in the alley and no shiny black car peeling away with a screech. I can’t see anything around us except for the pretty tropical, nighttime sky and palm trees blowing gentle in the breeze—the shit I came down here to no-man’s-land for.
I’m lying… That shit’s nice, but it’s not why I came here.
Warm sun and clear skies dotted with tall palm trees and smiling vacation faces—all fine in my book—aren’t the true reasons I went south. The real deal is I’m here to get away from up there. And I’d bet my sorry life that handsome, broken Mateo here, with his “I’ve been through hell” eyes, came to Placida Island for the same damn reason.
Mateo stands in the dark shadows close to the building and somehow looks hot, not creepy.
“Mateo, why’re you here?” I don’t sound too friendly, but then, me and him aren’t friends.
“Guess I’m in the mood for dessert.”
The dude’s studying me like he’s never seen a boy dressed in girl’s clothes. When he’s done gawking, he tilts his head and asks in a cool voice, “You in drag tonight?”
“Nah. I’m not in drag.” I stare him in the eye and add, “This is just how I feel right now.” And I wait to see if me being dressed like a lady might be a deal breaker.
He’s checking me out, but his eyes are spooked, just like they were when I brought him his first drink at the Tiki Hut. I’ve seen eyes like his before—right off the bat, they make me think of Mrs. Diaz, my downstairs neighbor back when I was in middle school. She had the exact same look in her eyes on the day of the drive-by shooting near Ryan Playground…the day her little Rosita got shot in the back of the neck.
It’s nighttime, so I can’t tell if his eyes are dark or light, but they’re as hollow as an empty cardboard box dumped on a city sidewalk. And it’s like there should be blood smeared on his chin or sprayed across his forehead, because the look on his face screams, “I got jumped!” But there’s no blood and no city sidewalk and no Mrs. Diaz hollering in the alley and no shiny black car peeling away with a screech. I can’t see anything around us except for the pretty tropical, nighttime sky and palm trees blowing gentle in the breeze—the shit I came down here to no-man’s-land for.
I’m lying… That shit’s nice, but it’s not why I came here.
Warm sun and clear skies dotted with tall palm trees and smiling vacation faces—all fine in my book—aren’t the true reasons I went south. The real deal is I’m here to get away from up there. And I’d bet my sorry life that handsome, broken Mateo here, with his “I’ve been through hell” eyes, came to Placida Island for the same damn reason.
Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of young people who are challenged by the circumstances of their lives and relationships. She has a great affinity for the tortured hero in literature, and as a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with tales of tortured heroes and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She has NineStar Press to thank for providing an alternate place to stash her stories.
Her books have been featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine and have won Rainbow Awards for Best Transgender Contemporary Romance and Best YA Lesbian Fiction, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, an Indie Fab Award, a First Place Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, a First Place Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Award for YA Fiction, among others.
Mia Kerick is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology. Contact Mia at miakerick@gmail.com or visit at www.miakerickya.com to see what is going on in Mia’s world. You can also check in with Mia at https://twitter.com/MiaKerick and https://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick.
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Thanks so much for bringing to our attention another great book out there to read. I appreciate hearing about them since I have so many readers in my family.
ReplyDeleteHi James. I think Scarred is the right book for a reader who believes every person has a right to live their lives in their own unique way and not just according to the "rules" of society. Thanks so much for commenting.
DeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteGood morning! Thanks so much for hosting me today for my rerelease of Scarred! It's an emotional read, it will make you think, and I am so excited to see it looking better and reading smoother than ever before!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like it will be a really emotional book. I cannot even fathom having to live your life like that. I just want to hug them!
ReplyDeleteHi Sue. Matt and Vedie have different types of scars-some you can see others are inside their hearts. Through time and trust and loss, they learn to trust one another. They need your hugs!
DeleteThanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Chelsey. Thanks for checking out Scarred's blurb and excerpt. I hope you give it a try!
DeleteI liked the excerpt, thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Rita. The excerpt you read is an important moment in the book, when Matt first sees Vedie dressed in the clothing that calls him and he accepts Vedie just as he is. I hope you check out the book! Happy New Year!
DeleteEnjoyed the synopsis and excerpt. Sounds like a terrific read.
ReplyDeleteHi Katie. It is a rerelease and the first time around it won a Rainbow Awards, so I think it will hold your interest! Thanks for commenting!
DeleteIt sounds so sad, yet compelling. I can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are going to give Matt and Vedie's love story a chance!
DeleteEnjoyed the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteThis excerpt shows you the moment Matt lets his guard down enough to let Vedie into his life. An important moment indeed!
DeleteThis sounds like a very interesting book and I enjoyed the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteHi Sherry. I'm glad you liked the excerpt and blurb. This is a story I love - with characters that grab you and make you feel their joy and pain. Thanks for your comment!
Deletesounds like an interesting book.
ReplyDeleteHi Lori- I think Scarred is a different kind of book- definitely not your average romance. I hope you give it a chance!
DeleteThanks for the giveaway; I like the excerpt. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Cali! I'm so glad you liked the excerpt. It is an important moment in the book. I appreciate your stopping by to comment and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
DeleteSounds great.
ReplyDeleteHi Dale. Thanks a lot and I hope you check it out!
DeleteThe excerpt sounds good can't wait to read this.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited that Scarred is in your 2019 reading plans!
DeleteLooks great. It sounds like an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteHi H.B. Thanks so much for checking out my Scarred excerpt!
DeleteLove the setting of the story.
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of the tropical getaway, but Matt and Vedie are there to hide from the world! Thanks, Sheila, for stopping by!
DeleteSounds like a deep book. Like the synopsis.
ReplyDeletesounds good!
ReplyDeletemia2009(at)comcast(dot)net
I would like to give thanks for all your really great writings, including Scarred, and wishing the best in keeping up the good work in the future.
ReplyDelete