Insane About Books: Guest Post by Jaye Frances The Possibilities of Amy and Review/Giveaway

Friday, September 21, 2012

Guest Post by Jaye Frances The Possibilities of Amy and Review/Giveaway

Thank you, Michele, for hosting me today on Insane About Books with my New-Adult romance novella,The Possibilities of Amy.

As a teenage girl going through adolescence (lo, those many years ago . . .), I remember the self-conscious uncertainty of dating—trying to figure out which shoes to wear with my sister’s sweater, how far on the left to part my hair, and whether the smoky blue or the glittery green shadow would best highlight my eyes. Frankly, as an adult, I still have many of these same concerns, though they don’t carry the same weight or consequences as they did when I was an insecure, wanting-to-be-noticed senior weaving a path through the crowded hallways of Washington High School.

Yet as chaotic and awkward as it seemed from my innocent perspective, in hindsight, I recently realized how painful it was for at least one of the guys. He told me about it during a high school reunion we both attended, and after putting myself in his shoes, I decided to put myself in his head—and heart—and “The Possibilities of Amy” was born.

The story of “Amy” is told from the point of view of Dave, a high school senior, who spends his days in the company of his two hormone-crazed buddies. In typical male fashion, they imagine themselves irresistible to the fairer sex, spending countless hours bragging about fantasized sexual conquests. But all that changes when Amy, an out-of-state transfer student, arrives on campus. “Amy” contains some suggestive language and is best suited for a mature/adult reader.

In the following excerpt, Dave is sitting in an empty classroom, thinking about the conversation he just had with his pals, Pete and Mark. After finding out that Pete is taking Amy out on a date, Dave begins to imagine the worst . . .

Here’s an excerpt:

I had spent most of the lunch hour sitting inside an unoccupied classroom that would soon become Senior English. Outside, half the school’s population was milling around the campus, the constant drone of a thousand conversations in seductive contrast to the tomb-like quiet of the empty room.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Amy going out with Pete. I felt as if some malevolent specter had reached deep into my gut, indiscriminately ripping and tearing, mutilating the very fabric that held me together.

I looked across the sea of empty desks. Amy’s seat was toward the back. I sat six rows in front of her and three across. It was the worst possible arrangement for contact. We might as well have been living in separate cities.

“Maybe he’ll get sick.” I said it out loud, surprising myself. I turned around and checked, just to make sure I was still alone. I finished the thought under my breath, speculating about the probability of making Pete physically ill with sheer willpower: Maybe he’ll inhale some fumes in chem lab and puke his brains out.

I wondered if he would cut his afternoon classes and use the time to get ready for his date. I was sure he would use The Checklist. Last year he had given me a copy (for my own good, he’d told me), and then insisted we review it together. So I knew every detail, including item number eight: tucking a fresh Trojan (ribbed for her pleasure) in the picture slot of his wallet. A year ago, it had been fun, calling out item number six or thirteen, like it was some kind of code, then smiling at each other, knowing no one else had any idea what we were talking about. But this was different . . . Pete was getting ready to seduce Amy.

Number one on The Checklist was car cleaning. He would spend an hour vacuuming and washing his ‘62 Chevy Impala. Then he’d hand-polish the satin silver exterior until it gleamed, hoping to impress her with the last traces of an orange and yellow sunset reflecting off the deep luster of the Chevy’s metallic paint.

After arriving to pick her up, he would escort her to his car and open the door for her—not because he was a gentleman, but to watch her legs swing in. Before closing the door, he would wait until she sat back into the butter-soft tuck and roll, to see her reaction as she felt the leather against her skin. Pete believed all girls loved the feel of leather against their skin.

Number fourteen on The Checklist was to get her sitting beside him from the very beginning of the date. And if he sensed a bit of hesitation or shyness, he had devised a method to bring even the most reluctant into compliance. Feigning thirst, he would detour through McDonalds to pick up a Coke. He would order only one—a large—and then taste-tease, holding it back, making her slide over to take a sip. He’d often bragged about this technique—his “strategy” he called it.

After parking near the back of the drive-in, he would make idle chitchat, careful not to reveal his agenda with any sudden moves or accidental groping. He’d told me that keeping his hands to himself—even throughout the entire length of the first movie—would lull any girl into believing his intentions were trustworthy. Then, five minutes into the second feature, he would begin.

First, he would softly stroke her arm, his touch light and relaxing. Hypnotic, he called it. After several minutes, his other hand would fall easily, naturally to her thigh. He would rest it there, testing, confirming his presence was not a trespass. Then moving slowly, his fingers would inch their way closer.

I lowered my head until it rested on the desk. It was heartbreaking—knowing that tonight, my precious Amy would be with Pete. But the larger truth was downright crippling: She had accepted Pete’s invitation, which meant she probably would have accepted mine.

Here’s a brief synopsis:

Amy is the ultimate trophy girl—gorgeous face, killer body, and a vivacious personality. But there’s something else about her, something that makes her even more special. Amy is new. A transfer student from out of state, she’s starting her senior year without knowing a soul. And that means she’s up for grabs, available.

Infatuated from the moment he sees her, David is determined to meet Amy, and if the fates are willing, to spend the rest of his life with her. But his shyness prevents him from approaching her—until his friends devise a contest to determine who will be the first to prove their manhood by seducing her.

The Possibilities of Amy is available now on Amazon in kindle eBook

Meet Jaye Frances

Author Bio: Jaye Frances is the author of The Kure, a paranormal-occult romance novel, The Possibilities of Amy, a coming-of-age story of high school romance, The Cruise-All That Glitters, a humorous adult satire about a single guy hoping to have a romantic encounter at sea, and The Beach, a sci-fi fantasy about a man who is given the opportunity to receive his ultimate wish—and lives to regret it. Her next book, scheduled for a November 2012 release, is titled Love Travels Forever, a collection of poignant short stories and essays. She is also a featured columnist for the NUSA SUN magazine. Born in the Midwest, Jaye readily admits that her life’s destination has been the result of an open mind and a curiosity about all things irreverent. When she’s not consumed by her writing, Jaye enjoys cooking, traveling to all places tropical and “beachy” and taking pictures—lots of pictures—many of which find their way to her website. Jaye lives on the central gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, four cameras, and several hundred pairs of shoes. For more information, visit Jaye’s website at www.jayefrances.com, or Jaye’s Blog at http://blog.jayefrances.com

Thank you Jaye for guest posting on my blog today!!

My Review

Title: The Possibilities of Amy
Author: Jaye Frances
Publish Date: Published March 17th 2012

Synopsis:

Amy is the ultimate trophy girl—gorgeous face, killer body, and a vivacious personality. But there’s something else about her, something that makes her even more special. Amy is new. A transfer student from out of state, she’s starting her senior year without knowing a soul. And that means she’s up for grabs, available. Infatuated from the moment he sees her, David is determined to meet Amy, and if the fates are willing, to spend the rest of his life with her. But his shyness prevents him from approaching her—until his friends devise a contest to determine who will be the first to prove their manhood by seducing her. This coming-of-age story about high school dating and relationships contains mature language and situations, and is best suited for a Mature/Adult reader.

You would never know that The Possibilities of Amy was written by a female. Jaye Frances captures the inside of a teenage boy’s mind to a tee.

This story definitely brings back high school memories. Everyone has that special “someone” that they admired from afar. The fear of gaining the courage to speak to them, to smile at them, and the fear of not being noticed plays throughout David’s mind. Everyone has been in this situation before, even if they don’t want to admit it. A first crush forever stays with you, even after the years of time. All of this is present with this story. It was refreshing to be inside a teenage boy’s mind for once, and experience his feelings.

The story does have some adult content, but wouldn’t that be normal for a teenage boy? As David struggles with his courage to talk with Amy, fate takes over and he does land a date with Amy. I completely enjoyed this book, and found that Jaye has completely captured the emotions of David. That takes creative writing skills. Who knew that boys have feelings too? (haha)

My Over All Rating: