The Grass Sweeper God
by Doug Howery
GENRE: Historical Fiction
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Doug Howery will be awarding a $25.00 Amazon GC and an autographed copy of the book to one randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please note geographical restrictions apply. United States only for the physical prize. Please visit GoddessFish.com to follow the tour, remember the more you comment better your chances on winning.
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BLURB:
Sixteen-year-old Smiley Hanlon is a young woman tethered to a young man's body. In the 1950's Appalachia coal fields of Solitude, Virginia, Smiley is placed in the "Mentally Retarded Class" because he is effeminate and wears a blouse and saddle shoes to school.
Smiley is backed by his best friend, Lee Moore who protects Smiley from a father and many townspeople who hate him. Smiley has dreams of becoming an entertainer. Raised by his aunt in a juke joint, as a child Smiley sings and dances on the Formica bar top into the wee hours. Chosen as the female lead, Dorothy, in a new town production called Dorothy of Oz Coal Camp, his dream is being realized. The triumph of the play and his dream is sabotaged by his father and classmate bullies culminating in a tragic and horrific moment that changes both Smiley and Lee, forever.
Smiley and Lee flee to NYC. They learn that prejudice is prejudice whether in the coal fields of Virginia or on the streets of NYC. Smiley suffers at the hands of his real mother who is a religious zealot. She tries to change who Smiley is because he is a boil on the body of Christ. Lee suffers at the hands of psychologists who practice Aversion Therapy-electric shock treatment to cure his homosexuality.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Both Smiley and Lee become forces of change as do countless others. In 1969, Smiley Hanlon and his friend, Lee emerge as leaders of a gay revolution, the historical Stonewall Riots. The riots are vicious but the real battle will be won or lost on another continent: Solitude, Virginia.
The Grass Sweeper God is a force of nature that flows through all things...straightens out that which is bent...which is sick...
Smiley is backed by his best friend, Lee Moore who protects Smiley from a father and many townspeople who hate him. Smiley has dreams of becoming an entertainer. Raised by his aunt in a juke joint, as a child Smiley sings and dances on the Formica bar top into the wee hours. Chosen as the female lead, Dorothy, in a new town production called Dorothy of Oz Coal Camp, his dream is being realized. The triumph of the play and his dream is sabotaged by his father and classmate bullies culminating in a tragic and horrific moment that changes both Smiley and Lee, forever.
Smiley and Lee flee to NYC. They learn that prejudice is prejudice whether in the coal fields of Virginia or on the streets of NYC. Smiley suffers at the hands of his real mother who is a religious zealot. She tries to change who Smiley is because he is a boil on the body of Christ. Lee suffers at the hands of psychologists who practice Aversion Therapy-electric shock treatment to cure his homosexuality.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Both Smiley and Lee become forces of change as do countless others. In 1969, Smiley Hanlon and his friend, Lee emerge as leaders of a gay revolution, the historical Stonewall Riots. The riots are vicious but the real battle will be won or lost on another continent: Solitude, Virginia.
The Grass Sweeper God is a force of nature that flows through all things...straightens out that which is bent...which is sick...
Buy Links
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Excerpt:
Lettie sat on the twin bed with the gun and the letter in her lap. She noticed Brac’s graduation picture sitting on the nightstand. She turned it face down. She placed the love letter from Brac’s lover on top of his graduation picture. She placed Ted’s bankbook, her letter to Ted, her cat-eyeglasses and dentures beside Brac’s turned-down picture. She lay down on the bed. She stretched out and placed the gun at her side and stared at the ceiling. She thought about her children. She had never owned them, never owned herself, and now they could choose their own road in life. But she could choose when to exit this world and how. She had to get out of her head, out of her heart. Tears like the mistakes she had made in life flowed down her face. She put the gun under her ribs and pulled the trigger.
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Q & A with Doug Howery
What books/authors have influenced your writing?
Stephen King; Dolores Clairborne. John Grisham; The Pelican Brief Somerset Maugham; Of Human Bondage Truman Capote; Other Voices, Other Rooms
Tell us something you hate doing. Why?
I hate to outline my story/s. I will when I get overwhelmed, but I don’t like to because I feel it ties me down, but it is necessary sometimes.
What's your pet peeve?
People who drive like a granny.
When you are in writer mode, music or no music? If music, do you have a playlist?
No music. I like silence and solitude.
Who was your favorite hero/heroine?
Sophia from, The Color Purple.
I hate to outline my story/s. I will when I get overwhelmed, but I don’t like to because I feel it ties me down, but it is necessary sometimes.
What's your pet peeve?
People who drive like a granny.
When you are in writer mode, music or no music? If music, do you have a playlist?
No music. I like silence and solitude.
Who was your favorite hero/heroine?
Sophia from, The Color Purple.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
DOUG HOWERY has been writing both fiction and essays since 1990. His essays and familial stories have appeared in The Blue Ridge Lambda Press.
In many of his stories, as in "The Grass Sweeper God," Mr. Howery's true lode, his font of inspiration is in the passion and suffering he has experienced.
In many of his stories, as in "The Grass Sweeper God," Mr. Howery's true lode, his font of inspiration is in the passion and suffering he has experienced.
Author, Doug Howery penned the novel with insight into his own struggle for sexual identity and personal tragedy. His mother committed suicide in 1982, blaming her two sons' sexual identity in a letter and declaring herself a martyr for intolerance and social bigotry. She referred to her own sons as "Gutter Rats that Could Rot in Hell" and represents the hate and mistrust that have plagued society.
Suspense author, Maggie Grace, with the North Carolina Writers' Network writes about her cohort Mr. Howery: "What I like is the riskiness, the cutting edge of the narrative voice we hear. The moments when he lapses into descriptions of the moon, of the horse, etc. are true poetry that offers some relief from the coarseness of the story, and he places them well. He has an ear for the rhythm of the story, a natural sense of when to end--hangs fire with a new way of looking at someone or something, turning the entire chapter on its ear. I like the way he makes it impossible for the reader to stop reading at the end of the chapter."
Mr. Howery lives in Virginia with his partner of 34 years where he is at work on his next novel.
Suspense author, Maggie Grace, with the North Carolina Writers' Network writes about her cohort Mr. Howery: "What I like is the riskiness, the cutting edge of the narrative voice we hear. The moments when he lapses into descriptions of the moon, of the horse, etc. are true poetry that offers some relief from the coarseness of the story, and he places them well. He has an ear for the rhythm of the story, a natural sense of when to end--hangs fire with a new way of looking at someone or something, turning the entire chapter on its ear. I like the way he makes it impossible for the reader to stop reading at the end of the chapter."
Mr. Howery lives in Virginia with his partner of 34 years where he is at work on his next novel.
Social Links
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Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteMy God. The above, the blurb, excerpt and Doug's bio very nearly had me in tears.
ReplyDeleteIt is a dark story. It is fact-based. I never thought for one moment that my life would travel through such dark places. But it did and, I came out the other end a better and stronger person.
DeleteWould love to get your input/reaction/review once you read the entire book. There are funny parts to relieve the seriousness of the story. But, a sense of humor is subjective. The parts I thought were funny, reviewers thought were not.
Good luck to you in the contest. Thank you for your input.
Congrats on the blog tour and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting me, EskieMama. Good luck to all who have participated. I deeply appreciate all input.
ReplyDeleteI love the cover of this book, it's very vibrant and a definite eye-catcher! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post and interview! Great author/book list. And I chuckled at the the "granny driver" reply. We live in an unincorporated area and there is a popular trailhead near our house. I gripe a lot at "tourist" drivers who think it is OK to park in the road (not to the side), get out and take photos.
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds interesting, thanks.
ReplyDeleteThose were some harsh times. Plus ca change....
ReplyDeleteSounds like a really interesting and unique book. Love it!
ReplyDeleteCool cover.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the book cover!! It's so pretty. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt! :) Definitely want to read this.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a very dark and emotional read.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness it's Friday! Woohoo! Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a character driven story with many ups and downs in feels.
ReplyDelete