Quinn Coleman

and no, I didn’t misspell ‘lucky’ on the first try, why do you ask…?

As we race toward the finish line with another book, I just wanted to pop in and say how thrilled I am to never read this book again. (At least, not with a red pen and scrutinous eye)

I mean that with so much love…

I can’t be the only author that goes from enjoying reading and editing and writing and reading and editing and rereading and writign adnr readreading angdjgd…

Until none of the words makes sense anymore and you’re like ‘please Lord let the time loop end’.

I truly do adore this book, and I love visiting with the characters. But now that book 5 is talking more and I’m having a blast getting deeper into that, that’s all I want to focus on.

(At least it’s the same series I’m excited about, and not another of the 500 in my queue…)

I’m also just so pumped to SHARE this book. It’s become such a glorious, heart-aching, gut-punching creation, and I can’t wait for it to be out into the world.

Which is wild to think about; just a few weeks ago, I was seriously struggling with the balance of ‘I’m writing this because someone special needs to read about a boy who handled church hurt and coming to terms with his sexuality–even if that person was just me’
and also…
‘I can’t be the only one, right?!’

Because let’s face it:

Do I want to publish this make millions of dollars? To fit into trends? To get popular? No.
Do I still want people to read it? I mean, yeah. At least a few.

So when I finally hit 3 pre-orders (And I don’t think one is my mom, but it might be…)(hi, mom!)
that was an exciting moment.
not to mention–wheeze–when another post blew up on Instagram and I went from a steady 3ish thousand to 5.6k.

like…

whut?

So yes, it finally feels real that Ben and Simeon are not only launching into the world soon, but they’re going to be well received by at least a few folks.

In celebration, here’s a snippet below, where I left off this morning doing some edits.

And…

if you scroll below it…

there might just be a snippet of book 5, Russell’s sequel, that you can sneak peek…

---

SUSPENDED
(Out 8.14.26)
Simeon

We reach our building a minute later, still with Benji who’d gone the whole way with us. Maurice asks how the bike is treating him, to which Benji simply says, “Great, thanks.”

Maurice doesn’t look offended. He just smacks Benji on the back and jogs up the steps of the building and goes to class. I know he’ll save me a seat, so I turn to Benji. “He gave you his bike?”

“Yeah.”

“That was nice of him.”

“It was.”

This is so very incorrect. What’s happened to him and how can I fix it? “Are you alright?”

He blinks a few times, staring through me. “Yeah. Sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize. You’ve seemed a bit low today.”

His shoulders droop with an exhale. “I’m okay.”

“Anything planned this week?”

“School. More farm work.”

He’s still here answering my questions, but he’s a hundred miles away. I step closer to him; his gaze focuses better, but barely. “Benji. What can I do to help?” I whisper.

His silver-green eyes bounce between mine. “Nothing.” The word is a rasp, a low, broken sound. He reaches toward his bracelets, pulls one, then releases.

This won’t do at all. I lift my chin. “Friday evening. You’re coming over for dinner, and we’ll do homework.”

That finally brings forth a flicker of life into his face. “What?”

“You made such a fabulous breakfast for me; I want to see what else you can do. And I need to do some studying. Next weekend will be a madhouse with Halloween, so I have some things to get done.”

Benji makes my entire day when he smiles. It’s not a big one, not nearly like the grins I’ve received a time or two. But it’s enough; it’s perfect. “Okay. Yeah, I can make something. Do you and Jackson like mac and cheese?”

“Jackson would eat it for every meal if he could.”

“Can we invite Noah?”

I’m enamored by his growing enthusiasm. “Yes, absolutely.” Pointing sternly, I offer my best serious face, but it’s hard to do when I’m smiling. “But I do have to get things done. We can gab after.”

He nods. “Study session and dinner. Got it.” Benji takes a small step back, his smile never fading. Before he gets too far away, his fingertips tap my elbow. “I hope you have a good afternoon. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”

He’s turned and headed down the path by the time I snap out of it and go up the stairs, potentially late for class, but I couldn’t care less.

---

POINT OF VIEW
(Russell’s sequal, out spring 2027)
Russell

Jay passes me in the kitchen as I’m getting TJ’s bag packed. Her bare feet pad away.

They come back. She taps my shoulder. I look down to my fiancée offering me my deodorant.

I snort but take it. “Am I that obvious?”

“Yuh got the nervous sweats,” she says, standing on her toes to tuck a few more diapers into my diaper bag. After I see Zane, I’m picking up Thomas for breakfast; he’s texted me daily since we scheduled it a week ago to tell me how excited he is.

“What’s the difference between nervous sweats and other sweats?” I ask, uncapping the deodorant.

Jay leans forward and literally sniffs me. “Onions.” I cap the deodorant once I’m done with it.

She uncaps it and uses it.

This is too normal for us.

“Do you ever think we’re too weird?” I ask.

Jay tucks the small bottle into her back pocket. “Nah.”

“You know you’re going to forget that’s there.”

“Probably.” She follows me to the living room, where TJ’s enjoying tummy time and squeaking to herself.

Jay hops around and crouches suddenly in front of TJ with a gasp. “Love!”

TJ shrieks and kicks her feet, and Jay giggles, picking up our girl and bouncing her lightly. “Are yuh ready! For some Daddy! Daughter! Time!” TJ squeals, tiny fists flying around.

I smile and kiss TJ’s hair, then Jay’s. “Daddy’s ready for Daddy daughter time.” Jay grins up at me, swaying dramatically side to side. “What’re you excited to do today?”

The question is a change of pace we started a few months ago, pre-baby. As many things we had to do, so much of it was stressful. Figuring out house stuff, job stuff, baby stuff. Prepping for a brand new life while still living with our parents. Panicking that I wasn’t ready financially and scared that I wouldn’t be able to support my family.

Then one day, Juliet asked me, “What’re yuh excited to do today?”

I nearly blurted my to-do list: oil change in the truck, picking up a stroller after all the research we did, a phone call with Alan I was dreading.

But I stopped and thought about it.

I replied, “I’m excited to get a stroller, because I’ll get to see our baby in it soon on our walks around the neighborhood.”

From that point, we look for the positives. Because even in the chaos we found ourselves in, there was always something good to look forward to.