Teaser Friday?

Failure to Launch

My schedule tab gets a lot of hits on the blog. But I've abandoned my schedule completely because my brain apparently can't follow it, and this story has been bugging me since I saw this picture of Misty Copeland.

Failure to Launch (working title maybe) is much, much tamer than AFC (not because of AFC, mind you. Sandrine's prequel is coming at some point and it will be just as crazy, just as out-of-control, just as violent and chock-full of moral ambiguity and really bad people, as is Fuel). But beware, though, if you know anything about me by now, it's fair to assume that FTL will NOT be an easy story LOL.

Anyway, here's the synopsis:

He’s the next big thing.

With more than fifty thousand people following his irreverent social media account and the popularity of his YouTube channel, Charlie Dara landed the opportunity of his dreams when a well-funded media company offered a production partnership. Everyone he knows thinks he's the luckiest guy in the world, but the way he's dealing with the mounting pressures of new-found fame is threatening to derail it all...

She was the next big thing.

Nikki Johnson lost dance and a coveted spot with the Los Angeles Ballet to alcohol two years ago. But with a supportive family and a successful rehabilitation program, she has crawled up from the shambles of that past life to chase new dreams. And avoid old habits...

A minor fender bender puts them on a collision course.  

A friendship grows quickly beneath a strong connection. An intense attraction quickly ignites into the kind of consuming passion most people only get to fantasize about. But her old struggles and his growing ones pose a threat to reality.

What happens when the one you crave the most is too dangerous for you? When what you desire might be your downfall?

Do you fight love? Or fight for it?

**SUMMER 2014**

Why is cheating the special snowflake of bad things? *Secret's out...so this needs no spoiler alert*

So, I'm noticing a trend in the reviews LOL...and I expected it, obviously.

I made a joke to a few people that the violence in AFC wouldn't be a problem because the cheating would distract from it regardless of how violent it was. I probably could've thrown in a beheading or two or three and still the cheating would've overshadowed it. And I get that. I really, really do. Some people just can't tolerate it.

And I'm not going to defend the cheating, and this book isn't about making it okay. It's about Jesse, and also how he and Drew reconnect. But I was (and am) going to write about it, though, because I've never seen it as being so taboo that it has to stay out of stories. I just wanted to write it differently than I often see it used in writing. Normally, I see it as: hero/heroine has been cheated on and is brokenhearted and has trust issues. And then that's how said brokenhearted person ends up with heroine/hero. Perfectly fine storyline. Very, very true to life storyline.

Well, Shonda Rhimes changed all of that for me with Scandal. She gave me the lady-balls to follow through with my own idea I'd been thinking about for ages, which was that the hero and heroine might cheat with each other and well...yeah...the story wasn't going to take any other trajectory. And before Scandal, it happened on SATC (Big and Carrie), One Tree Hill (Lucas and Peyton) and Gossip Girl (well that was just a clusterfuck of cheating). The Vincent Boys is one of my favorite books EVER, and I loved how Abbi Glines just went for it, and especially between characters where the cut was so deep. I appreciated the risk. Karina Halle is coming out with a book that looks very adulterous.

I could've made some insincere, heavy sense of guilt between them to make them "better people," but why? They're already decent people! In fact, they are great people...who made poor decisions for incredibly selfish reasons (so, like...humans).

I say all of this not to turn you off, which I'm sure I have LOL, and not even necessarily for sympathy, but because Drew and Jesse are supposed to be human, a deeply flawed species, and humans, even the good ones, do hurtful things to other humans, especially stuff that doesn't rise to the level of bodily harm or harm to human life (mind you, the two people do innumerable good things for each other and other people, too. It's probably a HUGE flaw in my thinking, admittedly, but I just don't get how the act of cheating on Lydia negates everything Jesse does in the entire book).

 Did cheating make them unlikeable? Oh, sure. But nobody is always likeable, and maybe wanting someone you should not and acting on it is more common than we're comfortable with?

And a temptation to upend your life completely for that other person? Real thing.

I read this secret on Post Secret recently, maybe like two weeks ago:

Anyway, I didn't write this to change anyone's mind. AFC is still my favorite thing I've written to date, and I'm certainly okay with controversy. I welcome all opinions and feelings. I enjoy reading them, no matter what! But sometimes I see a trend that I just can't help reflecting on.

Although, I'm incredibly curious about the reaction to the topic, I say all of this only for the insight into my thinking, and not to argue with your feelings as they are yours, because I'm only here to write about humans and humanity (not role models, not moral guidelines, and definitely not heroes) and that definitely includes the morally reprehensible parts. And a lot of us are intrigued by those parts. There's a reason Scandal, Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, Dexter, Mad Men and Weeds had/have cult-like followings. The writing is amazeballs (not even comparing little ol' me), the action is great, BUT one could also argue that they're popular because of the antihero nature of the leads. People love antiheroes. I certainly do. Jesse is very antihero-leaning.

None of us is good 100% of the time in real life, but moral ambiguity in fiction is quite fun for me.

And I've seen male leads and fictional boyfriends and hearthrobs get away with all kinds of things that are so incredibly sociopathic and criminal and cruel and cause so much emotional pain (hello Damon Salvatore), but for some reason most things are allowed and forgiven as long as they fall short of cheating. So, we reconcile bad traits/behavior with good ones all the time, but why is this seen as such an un-redeemable thing no matter what else someone does? I started talking about this on Facebook, and I love talking to y'all so please don't hesitate to drop a note, as I said I am curious.

Stuff

I'm apologizing now for the absurd number of posts from me this week! It's blog tour time and I'm not writing a story right now so I'm bored as hell during my free time. I'll try to keep it under control LOL.

1 - When I start writing again, I'm writing a prequel to AFC about Sandrine and Emilio Estrada at some point. You are going to meet a completely different person than you met in AFC. You'll see how this man changed her life, for good but dangerously, too.

2 - Go visit Tattooed Book Review for some cool facts on AFC and enter the giveaway!

JESSE?

I think I just found my most perfect Jesse (fine, not-so-perfect 'cause of the tattoos), but I have a board where I'm collecting Jesse's. http://www.pinterest.com/ajajajsand/a-fighting-chance-stuffies/ 

Also this guy is gorgeous, and I need him in my life...like now.

A Fghting Chance's blog tour schedule

Here's where Jesse and Drew will be all week! Alejandra won't be though...lucky for you. 

http://atomrbookblogtours.com/2013/12/17/tour-a-fighting-chance-by-a-j-sand/

A Fighting Chance buy links

Thanks, everyone who picked up AFC yesterday!

Here are the links:

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I8SIL8E

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00I8SIL8E

Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00I8SIL8E

B&N link coming soon!

A Fighting Chance will most likely go live on Amazon first and sometime in the afternoon of FEBRUARY 4TH, 2014 (I'm on the East Coast of the U.S., so my afternoon might differ from yours, depending on where in the world you are), but I'll post links as I catch them, in the comments. B&N takes a little longer, so I'll post those links a little later. Remember, though, Kindle apps exist for like every device!!

Tomorrow is the big day!!

I get that it's February and it's the month of lovey dovey heart-shaped stuff and whatnot, but if you're like me and adrenaline and anxiety and cray cray are more your speed, A Fighting Chance is the book for you! LOL!

Note 1: there are some differences between the (soon to be) published version and the Advanced Reader Copy, as there often are with books, and it went through one last proofread/edit to get the final kinks (errors, inconsistencies, weirdness, hot messes out). Please remember that many reviews you'll read over the next two weeks or so, particularly on the blog tour, are based on the ARCs, and will hopefully be noted as such. I say that so that no one yells at reviewers over things.

Note 2: I hope you're excited! I hope you're anxious! No, I can't give you an exact time, but I'll try to keep an eye out for links.

TWO DAYS!!!! AFC's teaser trailer.

AFC's teaser trailer because lazy person. LOL. Wait, no, not true.

I'm keeping details pretty quiet but not because of anything special. 

Just because I'd rather the book just take on its own life and meaning and whatnot. 

Enjoy.