Rainbow Snippets is a facebook group where members post six sentences of a LGBT work, their own or in promotion of someone else, together with a link to the group page. The link to this post is then posted on the group page.
The idea is that readers go to the thread and sample the work of multiple authors then have the opportunity to open discussions with the authors either on their post or generally.
Today’s snippet comes from my latest release, SHADE’s CHAMPION which is a young adult book about two young people with mental health problems. Here is the blurb
Shade has been kept in the dark for eight long years. Now he’s facing a world that terrifies him. A world that seems to hold no place for him.
When the authorities are unable to find a home for Shade, Penny, reluctantly accepts him into the secure school she manages, despite thinking it’s the wrong place for him. Penny fears for his safety among the other troubled children. In an attempt to forestall the disaster she predicts will happen she appoints one of them as his champion.
Dory, an engaging seventeen year old with mental health issues, is proud to be chosen as Shade’s champion and throws his heart and soul into the job. In doing so he is forced to face the thing he fears most – his own emotions.
An unexpected friendship begins to grow into something more, until a spiteful act tears them apart and leaves them broken.
When Dory falls ill, Shade is forced to face his demons and struggles to find the strength and courage he needs to fight for the right to love, and to be there for his champion when he needs him most.
This time, Dory explains to Shade how he got his name
“It’s the name of a fish, a girl fish. They thought it was funny. They keep teasing me about being a girl.”
“Are you?” Shade sounded surprised and confused.
“Am I what?”
“A girl.”
“No, of course not. You didn’t think I was, did you? I mean… I’ve got long hair but that doesn’t make any difference. I like long hair. You don’t have to be a girl to have long hair.
Sweet snip 🙂
Thank you. Dory is a very endearing character to the point that, even though the story was originally supposed to have been told from Shade’s perspective, he completely took over.
This sounds like a really interesting story. And I’m a sucker for characters who fall outside gender norms and who are neurodivergent. Great little snippet.
Thank you. Our Dory is definitely outside the norm and also neurodivergent. Shade is less so because his problems arise from circumstances rather than birth and can be corrected to a large if not complete extent. If you like characters that fall outside gender norm and are neurodivergent at the same time you will love Ari The book is New Adult. The characters are in their teens, but there are a couple of se scenes.
Poor kid. I’m curious how Shade got his name, now.
I’ve never found out. I think it’s his real name, though, not a slave name given to him by his captor. Dory’s not the slightest bit worried about his name. He’s grown into it and it suits him. He can usually take the others in his stride. When he isn’t having a panic attack or an ‘episode’ Dory is almost always happy
Lovely snippet. I loved this book, I read it on holiday last month.
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it 😀
Heart strings pulled…
There’s a lot of that going on in this book. Dory and Shade have plenty of problems between them, but they have plenty of sunshine too.
awe! and long hair on a guy is awesome!
It’s a must have for me. If you find any of my stories without a guy with long hair it was probably written by someone else.
Poor Dory (though if my memory keeps going the way it is, that’ll be my name too).
Tell me about it. Mine’s really awful
I love how that he’s secure enough that it doesn’t bother him.