Jack Gunthridge's Blog

With Valentine's Day approaching, I have decided to discount the Kindle version of "Life" to $0.99. This special discounted price will be available until Feb. 15, 2011

http://amzn.com/B00300H6VI

My book has made it through to the quarter finals in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. You can now read an excerpt and give your opinion of the book. Your opinion will be read by people at Penguin Publishers.

I would appreciate any reviews that you could give me.

This is completely free.

http://www.amazon.com/Life-ebook/dp/B...

Recently I gave away 10 copies of my book. I had the cover with two scantily clad teenagers and blogged about how you should not enter this contest if you were easily offended. I did not expect the results that I got.

I am pretty sure that at least one middle school aged person won a copy of the book. Certain other people were of an age that I would consider questionable for my book as well. This then caused me to have a moral dilemma. Although I did not feel that my book was appropriate for these people, they had won a copy. I was obliged to send out their autographed copies the same as everybody else who had won.

I also had to send out their copies because, despite whatever objections I might have now, they were made from me being the age that I am now. As I remembered what I was like at their age, I saw that I had no moral ground to object.

I started to write the screenplay that this book is based on when I was in seventh grade. I revised it some throughout high school, but everything that is in this book comes from those years of my life. As I aged, all I did was polish it. This is what every author and artist does. People cannot make an objection to this book based on the fact that I am no longer a teenager. This is not a work that I would create as my present self. I adapted work from my teenage years.

I also cannot object to somebody that age reading my book when I was reading books like "The Color Purple" when I was that age. The teen market for books did not exist when I was a teenager. We read actual literature.

I have never hidden the sexual nature of this book. I think it properly reflects what teenagers are thinking and doing at this age. I think if we try to make people feel ashamed for natural thoughts and feelings that they are having that it will do nothing except hurt these people. I think that as a society we need to openly discuss some topics that might make us uncomfortable.

My book is not so much about sex as it is about the decision to have sex. I have had several discussions with people about the book. Although some people are offended by it, others tell me that today's kids have seen worse on MTV or are doing worse themselves. I have had several people admit to me that they lost their virginity when they were 13.

I know that my book is somewhat controversial. I never meant for it to be. I just think it is important to discuss difficult topics as mature adults. As always, I am willing to discuss this book and the varying opinions that people are having. If you would like to have a discussion about it, I will start a discussion group. I have tried in the past with very little success. Most people are not willing to ask questions for me to answer. I still willing, though.

Thank you.

I will be giving away 10 free copies of my book on Goodreads. It should be listed soon on the give aways page. I have made it available to people in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia.

I want to encourage you to enter, but I will do so with a word of advice. The book has been getting some good reviews with it being called a literary masterpiece. I am also being compared to J.D. Salinger. There have also been some very negative reviews of the book. I don't really care about the negative reviews. People can think whatever they like.

I am mentioning this here because I do not want to give away a copy of the book to somebody that is going to end up being disgusted by it. My book has generally been well received by people who are young and/or have knowledge of literature. If you fit into one of these types, please enter the contest. If you are easily offended, please do not enter this contest. If you do not like books that are considered literature, please do not enter this contest. You will end up hating yourself for picking up this book.

I am not going to apologize for my book. It is probably best described as "Gone with the Wind" meets "Catcher in the Rye". I wrote it to properly reflect what it is like to be a teenager. I started writing the story when I was in the seventh grade and revised it during high school. I might have published it after high school, but the story, characters, thoughts, and ideas were firmly established during my teenage years.

It is not my intention to insult the intelligence or the morals of the people who have thought negatively of my book. There has always been a wide range of opinions on works of art. I seem to be doing better with teenagers who are experiencing the same thoughts and feelings as the characters in the book than with people who are old enoug to be their parents. I am also doing better with college professors than I am with the general public. Remember that I am being compared to J.D. Salinger and not Stephanie Meyer. Enter this contest accordingly.

In response to the ratings and reviews I have been getting, I am releasing another version of "Life" in the next couple of weeks. I am putting a more plain looking cover on it. I think this will be a more gender neutral cover.

This is being done more because I have been feeling that the current covers are both more appealing to women. I think this is making guys less willing to read the book. While my book is a love story, I think guys can enjoy it as well.

I am also doing this in response to the reviews I have been getting. I am concerned over some of the controversy that my book has been getting. My book is not mature or graphic. It is not a typical male sexual fantasy. My book deals with sexual feelings. I don't deny that. There is a difference between that and it being graphic or a male fantasy. There is no sex in my book. A typical male fantasy includes sex. Jack consistently turns down sex in the book. That is not typical.

I am hoping that the new cover will make my book less like a cute love story. I think some people who are reading my book are wanting a nice little love story. While it is a love story, it is not a Gossip Girl novel. I actually deal with issues. This is not a superficial soap opera novel. I have never done that in my work. I'm sorry if some people who are in their thirties can't handle a novel of substance. What can I say? The educational system in this country is failing.

I do hope people look at the various reviews that my book is getting. I acknowledge the fact that there are some haters out there. Not everybody is going to like what I do. I am fine with that. I do object to the condemnation on some religious or moral grounds. My book is innuendo. If you find it offensive, it is because there is something perverted about you. Innuendo is only as dirty as your mind is. Innuendo is based on not saying something completely. It lets the audience complete the thought or interpret what is said.

I think you should honestly look at these reviews. The book is being called a modern literary masterpiece and is getting generally good reviews. There are a few people who are hating it. Whenever you do something different, there are going to be people who are not going to like it. I'm just asking that people give it a chance.

If you have any questions, I am still having a question and answer session. Feel free to ask me anything.