The Education of Ryan Gregori – Preorder Today

It’s been a long journey, but it’s all come down to this.  Today, I am pleased to announce my debut novel, The Education of Ryan Gregori.  Available in both print and digital, TEORG is a coming of age story about striving to be more than the sum of one’s experiences, while searching for the most elusive type of love: the kind that comes from within.  The Kindle edition is available for preorder today!

Both the Kindle and print versions will officially release on Wednesday, September 6.  An audiobook will follow later in the year.

And I need your help to make this book launch—hell, this whole experiment—a success.  More about that in a minute though.  First, take a look at the stunning, powerful, gorgeous cover created by the incredible team at damonza.com:

Intrigued yet?  Click here to preorder.

I’ve been sitting on this beauty for about two weeks, and I’m thrilled I can finally share it with you.  No, the novel isn’t science fiction—take the cover as a metaphor.  As I mentioned, TEORG is a coming of age story, and as such the themes of growth and personal metamorphosis are central.  The top-notch design team took that and ran with it, and I couldn’t be happier.  Here we find a young man, vulnerable in his chrysalis.  Who and what will he become?  The position of the body is not exactly fetal, it’s more—stricken? Grief-laden? Defeated?  Pensive?

Hopeful?

So, what is it about?

Glad you asked!  Here is the officially back-cover blurb:

When 19-year-old Ryan walks away from a car accident and is forced out of his dream apartment on the same night, he feels his life spinning out of control.  Just when it seems he’s regained his footing, the sudden death of Darren, his best friend and crush, sends him reeling toward a harsh realization: in order to survive his new world, he’ll have to leave the naïve, cautious version of himself behind.

With the help of sexy former rival Brandon, and spicy coworker Meredith, Ryan embarks on a journey of self-discovery and reinvention.  But as he navigates friendship, heartbreak, betrayal, and grief, he might just burn more bridges than he builds.  All of it begs the question:

Will he emerge from his metamorphosis as a butterfly? Or a hideous moth?

Ryan’s education is ultimately a story about striving to be more than the sum of one’s experiences, while searching for the most elusive type of love: the kind that comes from within.

Maybe the cover makes a little more sense?  Maybe you’re ready to take the plunge and preorder now?

What it is, what it isn’t

While TEORG was inspired by a number of things that actually happened to me as a young gay man in Northern Colorado, it is not a memoir.  Every word of this book is fiction.  The characters are amalgamations of real people I’ve known and imaginary one’s I’ve dreamed, so much so that it would be impossible to draw a direct line between fictional characters and real-life people.

And a lot of the stuff that happens in the book?  It’s just plain made-up.  Never happened.  Honestly.

Take this story as completely fanciful.  I prefer it this way.  For a while, many years ago, I considered writing this as memoir.  I’m glad I didn’t.  It turns out real life put on the page is kind of. . . boring.  And complicated.  And personal.  And doesn’t wrap up neatly into a novel with a gorgeous cover.

How you can help

First and foremost, please consider preordering!  Every order before release day helps my search rankings for the day the book actually comes out (September 6).  You’ll also help me climb the Coming Soon charts in my respective search categories.

As an indie author, I’m going to rely heavily on word of mouth to get news of this book out there.  Please consider sharing this post to your social media pages with the handy Share buttons below.  Help me talk it up!  Many of you have been with me since I set out to finish the project in earnest two years ago.  Many have been with me even longer.

To those of you who are newer here, you’re just as valuable.  Help me shout this out to the world.

The best part?  The Kindle version is only $2.99 until release day.  You can’t even buy a large coffee for $2.99!  No Kindle?  No problem!  If you’ve got a computer, a tablet, or a smart phone, you can read it using the free Kindle App.

Have I convinced you now?  Click here to preorder.

If not, well. . . Stay tuned.  I’ll be posting more about TEORG in the coming days, including an excerpt from the first chapter.

Thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who has come alongside me on this journey so far.  Your readership—your friendship—continues to be an inspiration.

And now your thoughts.  What do you think of the cover?  Do you have other questions about the novel?  Let me know in the comments below.

As always, thanks for reading!

Gregory