Parker Graham is totally content to be living his normal life.
He has everything a teenage boy could dream of: rich parents, a nice car, crazy athletic skills, the star spot on the football team, and girls from around the state chasing his every mov...
If you would've told me in 2018 that I wrote out the entire story of Parker and Miles, and then proceeded to publish it online (especially those explicit scenes...), I would've laughed in your face. But here we are!
It's crazy to me that the story is over! I had so much fun planning out the story, writing the dialogue, exploring the two boys ' relationship, and all of that stuff inbetween.
Thank you, thank you, thank youguys for sticking around the entire time. I can't believe that there are people out there that are actually interested in the boys' story and stuck around long enough to see it through. It's something that every writer dreams of, so I'm baffled at the support.
The idea of this story came to me roughly around 2017. It's been a long-ass time, and I've spent a LOT of nights tossing and turning the plot around in my head. I always knew how the two boys met, what their dynamic would look like, and what Miles would choose in the end, but the actual plot itself was a muddy mess.
I spent months picking the story up and then setting it back down. Mainly because I talked myself out of it, lol. #impostersyndrome
A lot of things were scrapped (including making Parker and Griffin twin brothers, letting Parker have a girlfriend and cheat on her with Miles, having Griffin beat the shit out of Miles at one point, etc etc) but I'm really happy with the end result here!
There's such a strong presence around clichés in YA novels today that I wanted to step away from that. Don't get me wrong, I think a few common tropes are great here & there so the reader can find something familiar, however I was determined to give this story a realistic edge.
It wouldn't have been realistic for Parker to struggle with his sexuality for so long, that the one day he finally gets a boyfriend he turns into mister happy-go-lucky and the world is all rainbows. Anxiety and other mental health issues don't get cured the moment you meet your true love. You could have the strongest connection in the world with someone and still balk at the idea of dating for awhile.
Long story short, I hope that there's aspects in the story that everyone can relate too.
Even a few chapters near the end had an intentional feeling of a clock ticking. I think every person has had an encounter with a loved one where it feels like time is escaping you, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. I hope I captured that feeling with the urgency of each chapter after Parker found out Miles secret.
Fortunately, this book isn't the end. There's still too much of this world to explore, and besides, no one has heard Griffins side of the story yet... so, if you're ready for round two, the sequel Breaking The Rules is on my profile now!
See you all on the flip side!
xoxo
*********** The Officially-Unofficial ROTG Playlist
These songs played part in inspiration & vibes for specific chapters, scenes, and lines. Please be aware that most contain explicit language.
Motorbike ~ Leon Bridges Shake The Frost (Live) ~ Tyler Childers Jungle ~ Drake Rumor ~ Lee Brice Pink Skies (Demo) ~ Wiley From Atlanta It Wasn't Me ~ Shaggy, Rik Rok Scorpio ~ Moneybagg Yo On Some High ~ Sebastian Paul Wet Dreamz ~ J. Cole Escape From Babylon ~ $uicideboy$ New Flame ~ Chris Brown Strawberry Huracan ~ MASN Give You Up ~ Jutes Goodbye ~ Boy In Space Slow Down ~ Chase Atlantic Youth ~ Daughter State Lines ~ Novo Amor Like Real People Do ~ Hozier IFHY ~ Tyler, The Creator life got crazy ~ mike. I Like That ~ Bazzi Suga Suga ~ Baby Bash, Frankie J Peach ~ Kevin Abstract You Should Probably Leave ~ Chris Stapleton Work Out ~ J. Cole Mystery Of Love ~ Sufjan Stevens Georgia ~ Vance Joy Pyro ~ Kings Of Leon Price Of Fame ~ Brent Faiyaz abcdefu (angrier version) ~ GAYLE Serotonin ~ girl in red Twentythousand ~ EXES The Beach ~ The Neighbourhood It's Called: Freefall ~ Rainbow Kitten Surprise Fire For You ~ Cannons Beach Baby ~ Bon Iver Into It ~ Chase Atlantic Dark Red ~ Steve Lacy
Or, screenshot this & save yourself the pain:
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