What began as a bonus scene turned into a much larger project, and I drafted Hiroku in a sort of frenzied fog. But this story of an abusive, all-consuming relationship is one that I’ve been trying to tell for about a decade. It took a character like Hiroku (and Seth) to give it a beating heart.
With that said, I’d like to thank a few people who gave me the confidence to see this novel through to the end.
Truus LoveIsLove, who I emailed in a panic and asked if she thought I should self-publish, told me people would pay for my words, and it was just the type of encouragement I needed at the time.
Hollis Mohring, who was the first person to lay eyes on this story outside of my own. Your thoughtful response to my first draft helped me get over those jitters about making such a personal story, public. Thank you for your astute editorial eye and sorry (not sorry) for the feels.
Tanja Ongkiehong for her stellar proofreading abilities and Karen Ginder for reading wisely.
Maria Ana de Castro, whose knowledge of Japanese culture helped me to deepen Hiroku’s character and Dr. J. for lending her psychological expertise.
Thank you to Heather Whitaker, my long-time mentor and writing partner, for making me a better writer over the past decade and a half. Heather came in as one of my last beta readers and advocated on Seth’s behalf. She also helped me find a more fitting end to this tumultuous relationship.
It’s a bit of a risk for an author to self-publish a project, knowing there is no safety net of editors and marketing to help with polishing the novel and spreading the word, so I truly appreciate all of the readers who took a chance on me and continue to share my work with their networks. There is no greater satisfaction for me as a writer than to be read by all of you.
Hiroku’s story continues with
The Bravest Thing
High school junior Berlin Webber is about to reap the fruits of his hard work and land a football scholarship—if he can keep his sexuality a secret from his best friend, Trent, and their homophobic coach. Then Hiroku Hayashi swerves into the high school parking lot on his tricked-out motorcycle like some sexy comic book villain, and Berlin knows he doesn’t stand a chance.
Hiroku is fleeing his sophisticated urban scene to recover from drug addiction and an abusive relationship when he arrives in Berlin’s small Texas ranch town. Initially sarcastic and aloof, Hiroku finds in Berlin a steady, supportive friend who soon becomes more. As Hiroku and Berlin’s romance blossoms, they take greater risks to be together. But when a horrific act of violence tears them apart, they both must look bigotry in the face. While Berlin has always turned to his faith for strength, Hiroku dives into increasingly dangerous ways of coping, pushing them in opposite directions just when they need each other most.
Two very different young men search for the bravery to be true to themselves, the courage to heal, and the strength to go on when things seem darkest. But is it enough to bring them back together?
Purchase at www.DreamspinnerPress.com
Laura Lascarso wants you to stay up way past your bedtime reading her stories. She aims to inspire more questions than answers in her fiction and believes in the power of storytelling to heal and transform a society. When not writing, Laura can be found screaming “finish” on the soccer fields, rewatching Veronica Mars, and trying to convince politicians that climate change is real. She lives in North Florida with her darling husband and two kids. She loves hearing from readers, and she’d be delighted to hear from you.
www.lauralascarso.com
www.facebook.com/lascarso
@lauralascarso
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