E.J. Wesley's Blog

Hey, gang! Excited to share a New Adult debut novel from our pal, J.L. Campbell.

J.L. is a ridiculously prolific author with many books under her belt, so I can't wait to see what she does with her NA series! Here's a little FYI about the project–

Five Things You Didn't Know About Perfection
Perfection is my first foray into the world of New Adult fiction, but it has been an educational and fun-filled journey. The story ideas grew out of a series of novels I'd already written about three mature couples. Their daughters, when they first appeared were 14, 15 and 16. Over the duration of the series, these girls appeared onstage with their distinct personalities and when I closed the women's fiction series, I had no idea there were more stories to tell.

Then, the idea of showing the growth of the young ladies took root and soon, I had three complete stories. As I've said elsewhere, my three New Adult tales were gifts that dropped into my lap, complete with characters and storylines. After reading copiously on and in this category, I got ready to take on the challenge of creating a story with a gripping plot and compelling characters.

The first book, Perfection, follows the relationship of Natasha and Karim, who struggle to forge a trusting relationship despite their challenges.

Some unique features include the fact that:
Perfection takes place on the island of Jamaica, which gives armchair adventurers an inside look at another setting and culture.Karim is a parent, which is not unique for a guy at age 22, but his circumstances do take a surprising twist. The three girls who show up frequently in Perfection are related by the marriages of their parents, so apart from being friends, they have a strong familial bond.By no means am I the only storyteller to writes from the perspective of a male, but at four-chapter intervals, the reader gets a chance to see inside Karim's head. The two main characters are sports enthusiasts, who both do exceptionally well in their chosen fields.Perfection is live at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. There's a giveaway, so if you're interested win winning a copy of both Perfection and Fixation, which releases next week, enter on the Rafflecopter.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author

J.L. Campbell is an award-winning, Jamaican author who writes romantic suspense, women's fiction, new and young adult novels. She has written thirteen books, two novellas and two short story collections.

Her novels include the Island Adventure Romance series, which currently has four exciting, stand-alone stories and features feisty women and determined men. She also writes under the pen name Jayda McTyson. She is a certified editor, who also writes non-fiction.

Visit her on the web at http://www.joylcampbell

Hey, gang! Just want to quickly share news about the epic charity auction we're running over at NA Alley. There are some unbelievable items up for grabs. And the cause couldn't be better.

Hope you'll take a minute to check it out (and hope you score something awesome!). Also, please share if you get the chance. Every little bit can help this awesome young woman.

~EJW~

A One of a Kind Charity Auction for Writers & Readers

NA Alley is pleased to announce our first industry-wide goodwill campaign. We have partnered with an all-star list of donors and the Join Queena project to host a one of a kind charity auction for Queena--an inspiring young woman, whose life was touched by tragedy.

If you haven’t already, please take a moment to watch this video and familiarize yourself with this beautiful person, her struggles, and her triumphs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SzVCDWYMtQ

Then, for five days only (April 27 - May 1st), stop by http://www.32auctions.com/QuestforQueena and bid on some epic items and bundles. Including:

Critiques from literary agents Sara Megibow & Cassie Hanjian Author education courses and consultations from Authors Training Authors, Stand up-Stand Out-Rake It In, Plot Whisperer, and more!Top rated publishing and writing software from Save The Cat, Scrivener, & Vellum.Design & promotional services from Lola’s Blog Tours, Colbert Creative Forward Authority, BookGraphics, and StoryFinds.Editorial consultations & services from respected industry prosAutographed books from bestselling authorsA VIP pass to UtopYA reader/writer conferenceAnd much, much more!Follow the event on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/1650332478528104/ and join us there for a wrap-up party full of fun and giveaways, Friday, May 1st.

For all the event details, check out http://www.naalley.com/p/auction.html

On behalf of Queena, her family, our donors, and NA Alley, we thank you for your contributions. Happy bidding! 
QUICK TWEETS
A one of a kind charity auction for readers & writers via @NAAlleyBlog http://ctt.ec/bKi4a+ #QuestForQueena

Bid now on critiques from fab lit agents @saramegibow & @cjhanjian http://www.naalley.com/p/auction.html #CharityAuction #amwriting #pubtip

Epic charity auction for writers & readers! Top writing software, agent crits, signed books, & more http://ctt.ec/beni2+

Bid on fab items & help us on our #QuestForQueena http://ctt.ec/cb92D+ via @NAAlleyBlog #charity #writetip #amwriting

Hey, gang! Popping in to say "hello again" and share a cover for an upcoming release from our good blogging friend and author, Nick Wilford.
Congrats, Nick! Wishing you all the success.
Hope the rest of you are doing great and writing lots,
EJ
A Change of Mind and Other Stories

Author: Nick Wilford
Genre: Contemporary speculative fiction
Cover Design: Rebekah Romani
Release Date: May 25th 2015
A Change of Mind and Other Stories consists of a novella, four short stories and one flash fiction piece. This collection puts the extremes of human behaviour under the microscope with the help of lashings of dark humour, and includes four pieces previously published in Writer’s Muse magazine.

In A Change of Mind, Reuben is an office worker so meek and mild he puts up with daily bullying from his boorish male colleagues as if it’s just a normal part of his day. But when a stranger points him in the direction of a surgeon offering a revolutionary new procedure, he can’t pass up the chance to turn his life around.

But this isn’t your average surgeon. For a start, he operates alone in a small room above a mechanic’s. And he promises to alter his patients’ personality so they can be anything they want to be…

In Marissa, a man who is determined to find evidence of his girlfriend’s infidelity ends up wondering if he should have left well alone.

The Dog God finds a chink in the armour of a man with a megalomaniacal desire to take over the world.

In The Insomniac, a man who leads an obsessively regimented lifestyle on one hour’s sleep a night finds a disruption to his routine doesn’t work for him.

Hole In One sees a dedicated golfer achieving a lifelong ambition.

The Loner ends the collection on a note of hope as two family members try to rebuild their lives after they are torn apart by jealousy.
Preorder Links: Amazon US, Amazon UK

Add it on Goodreads

Nick Wilford is a writer and stay-at-home dad. Once a journalist, he now makes use of those rare times when the house is quiet to explore the realms of fiction, with a little freelance editing and formatting thrown in. When not working, he can usually be found spending time with his family or cleaning something. Nick is also the editor of Overcoming Adversity: An Anthology for Andrew. You can find him hanging out on his blog or on Goodreads or Twitter.

Hey, gang! I'm back to share some great news. My author pal, D.A. Botta, has just released the fourth book in his Elyzian Chronicles saga, Hexametyr. DA has a great sense of humor and takes his craft seriously, so I have no reservations recommending this one to folks. :)

To celebrate the launch, I'm helping spread the word about the entire series, beginning with book #1, Hysterata. Here's the skinny:


Emily Hobbs is off to Salem State College when a chance encounter with a fortuneteller changes everything. Emily is transported to the realm of Elyzia and learns that she is, in fact, one of the most powerful witches in existence.

Madame Lavache, the strict headmistress of Cedalion Covenstead, has her sights set on Emily. In her desperate cling to power, Lavache attempts to protect her tyranny by invoking sinister forces, including bloodthirsty pirates and The Devil himself, to rid Elyzia of the rebellious witch.

Along with her companions – an old hermit, a small coven of witches, and their totems – Emily sets out on a collision course with destiny.

Just as the tarot foretold.

A powerful witch
A simple tarot read
And all hell breaks loose

Goodreads
Amazon
B&N



The Elyzian Chronicles 
Hysteriata - Book 1Sinfluence - Book 2Sycamortem - Book 3Hexametyr - Book 4
You can enter for a chance to win the entire series below! Here's a little more about D.A. -

D A Botta has written four New Adult Fantasy novels, The Elyzian Chronicles, and has also published a collection of poems There in Them Blues. D A is currently working on a New Adult Mystery series, Seriously Confidant, projected for debut in the fall of 2015. D A is a Fantasy Representative for NA Alley and frequents #NALitChat on Twitter. When not writing, D A plays guitar and dabbles in graphic design. D A lives with his family in Massachusetts.

http://www.dabotta.com/
https://www.facebook.com/writist
https://twitter.com/dabotta17
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6968348.D_A_Botta

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONGRATS, DA, AND MUCH SUCCESS!

~ejw~

Hello, gang. I've been VERY quiet here on the blog the last several weeks as I've worked through some things in my personal life--many of you know about it if you're connected with me elsewhere.

Anyway, I haven't jumped the blogging ship completely, I'm just try to manage things as best I can.

I cannot say how much your words of support and encouragement have meant during these rough stretches. I also want to say thank you to everyone stopping by for the Blitz and the excellent Soak-a-Bloke, Realms Faire fun.

Y'all have definitely added a spark to my week! :)

I'll be back to blogging real soon,

EJ

Hey, gang! I'm coming to you with a rare weekend post to share an interview I did recently with author L.G. Kelso. L.G. is a good friend and a talented author, plus FIERCE is a truly unique book that features a tough as nails heroine. So I know you'll love her and it!



5 Questions With Author L.G. Kelso

EJ - Your novel, FIERCE, is about a woman chasing her dream of being an MMA fighter. It's a struggle for her both inside and outside of the ring. Any similarities between her journey and your journey to become a published author? (I know I've had my ass kicked in this business more than once. :)

LG - What a great question. I hadn't really thought of it, but I think you could say yes. Tori faces a lot of doubt and negativity from external sources, and I think that is something every writer faces, no matter what stage of the publication process. Both areas get a lot of criticism, and certain MMA groups are more respected than others (similar to the various kind of publishing and stigmas still attached to them). 
If I had to give one, solid answer it would be this: Tori had to fight to become who she is and she struggles with that identity. Publishing her story was a fight in some ways, because she isn't what the market "is" and doesn't fit the market mold. I think while Tori worked to accept who she is, I had to work to accept what I wanted for the book and strive to get it. Tori tries to fit in and it's rough, in both the MMA world and the "regular" world (as she calls it), and that's because of her history and her experiences, and that same characterization did add to the struggle of publication.

EJ - FIERCE uses a confrontational sport to take on some very real and complex social issues. (Notably, the struggles of women who wish to feel empowered and be respected for their actions--not necessarily categorized by their gender first.) As a writer, what were some the challenges in bringing that to the page? Anything you'd approach differently next time around?
LG - Confrontational sport. I like that term. It's very accurate, and women aren't normally associated with "confrontation". Actually putting those struggles and issues on the page wasn't an issue. The challenge was making sure that both the highs and the lows were there, that readers would see these very real problems but also see the very real beauty of it. For being one of the most popular sports in the US right now, MMA is often misunderstood. Does it have problems? Oh, yes. So do many other male-dominated sports. But there is also lots of beauty in it, and I didn't want people to judge it solely based off the problems, but I also didn't want to sugar coat it. I did in some ways as far as language is concerned, but I didn't want to sugar-coat the issues.

EJ - You box in real life. You get five minutes in the ring to take out your frustrations on any one part of the writing/publishing process What is it? Why?
LG - Can I pick two? I just can't pick one. What would I chose:
1) The stigma associated with the various forms of publishing. I hate this stigma of traditional verses indie. I hate the misconception that indie authors are forced to go indie and don't have choices. I know most of us do, and even those that feel like it is their only choice, well, that doesn't mean their work shouldn't be seen! If anything, this publishing journey has taught me how different our tastes are and that there is little reason to judge another work when it comes to things that are subjective, because it may not work for me but it may be the best thing ever for you. The stigma goes even deeper than just the indie vs. traditional. I've seen it with digital only imprints and so on. It needs to stop.

2) Marketing. I'm not a good self-pimper (yes, I said that, just go with it). I really enjoy certain aspects of marketing-like making teasers. Time suck of my life, people. Love making teasers. And I did a program on gender-stereotypes that was really enjoyable and could fall into the marketing side of things. Overall, though, I hate being like "BUY MY BOOK!" Also, I would prefer to be writing instead of pimping, so you know...

EJ - FIERCE is technically New Adult fiction (though it could definitely fit in upper YA, because it's not erotic or overly sexy). You encountered some interesting resistance creating the main character, Tori. What do you think a writer's role is in reshaping social and reader perceptions/expectations? Can we really walk a line between authenticity--or progressiveness--and mass appeal? Or do you have to sacrifice some of one for the other? 


LG - Yes, it is technically NA (college-aged kids with NA themes) but I do feel it fits into upper YA as well. Tori is not the mold, and that was one reason that I decided the publishing route I did, because changing Tori drastically enough to fit the mold would have meant not only changing the story on a huge scale, but also would lose the ave authenticity. Tori grew up in the fighting world, and that really did create her persona. 
I do think we can walk that line. I think we do have a duty to help reshape reader expectations. If we as writers don't give readers that diversity, then how will anyone know if anyone wants to read it or not? If that's not even an option, or a very limited one, of course it's not going to have mass market appeal just because of the fact it's not greatly available. 
I do think that if you want to fit into the mold of what is currently a big deal in the mass market, then sometimes authenticity does have to be sacrificed. I, for one, can't do that. Honesty is something that is important to my writing. I'm not saying that every big name book and author out there sacrificed any authenticity, but I do think some of them have had to. The only way to change that is for writers to not being willing to do that, and that's a whole different discussion since we're talking about peoples paychecks here.
In short, I do think we can walk that line and I think walking that line is going to be the way we can, even if gradually, help grow and diversify reader expectations.

EJ - Last question, and our favorite! Where can we find FIERCE and more information on your writing endeavors?
LG - All about FIERCE--
New Adult Contemporary Sports Romance 
Tori's MMA career was taking off ... until she beat the wrong man. Her training partner, nursing a bruised ego, snapped—shattering her trust and confidence.

Three years later, Tori’s keeping her fists to herself as she struggles to put herself through college. But when a group of gangbangers hassle her at work, old habits kick in and her fists fly. Max Estrada, a frequent diner customer, steps in and gets them out of hot water, but Tori is still fired... days before tuition is due.

With no other option, she’s forced to take a desk job at her old pounding grounds, where her demons still haunt the cage and the temptation to go glove-to-glove with familiar pro-fighter, Max Estrada, is too much. The sexy Colombian draws her back into the world of MMA and revives her dreams of becoming a professional face-puncher—until Will, her old partner and current Middleweight Champion, struts back into the gym. The secret they share is an unexpected liability to his career, and he's determined to keep her silent.

With her life on the ropes, Tori will have to face the past for a shot at winning back her future, or carry the weight of a loss even greater than before.

Praise for FIERCE
"A unique twist on the fighter trope-- FIERCE is a compelling, original read with my favorite kind of heroine (a kick-ass one)."

- New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Cora Carmack

"If you're looking for a strong heroine who stands out in the New Adult contemporary world, L.G. Kelso's Fierce is the book for you. Why I loved it: A complex heroine dealing with inner and external obstacles; a romance that isn't the character's main goal (though it is hot!); powerful voice and an authentic journey into the MMA world."

-Diana Gallagher, author of What Happens in Water (Fall 2015, Spencer Hill Press)

Fierce Links: | Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | SmashWords | Pinterest | GoodReads | Website
About the Author

L.G. Kelso is a fantasy and contemporary novelist. Having grown up watching Xena and Hercules with her grandmother, she inherited her passion for all things magic, paranormal and mythological. She also has a probably unhealthy obsession with martial arts, and as a boxer she strives to give readers an authentic view of MMA in her contemporary sports novels. 
LGKelso.com | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | NA Alley| GoodReads | Pinterest | Amazon

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Hey, gang! Today I'm taking part in the 'Big C Bloghop' being instigated by our blog friend Michael Di Gesu in honor of another blog friend, Melissa Bradley. 

Melissa is currently undergoing cancer treatment, and the bloghop posts will be collected for an anthology that will be sold to help with healthcare costs for M. As well as provide donations for an organization (Gilda's Club Chicago) dedicated to helping women fight endometrial, cervical, and ovarian cancers.
Melissa has been a great talent and feisty spirit in our blogging and writing community for a long time and she needs our help. There has been a GoFundMe page established by her friends, and I know she greatly appreciates your donations and sharing.
Get well, M! We are in your corner.
~EJ
Please visit the others in the hop and show your support for, Melissa.
1.Michael @ In Time ...2.Denise Covey3.Elizabeth Seckman, Author4.Julie Kemp Pick5.Julie @ Empty Nest Insider6.tammy theriault7.Tyrean's Writing Spot8.Nicki Elson9.Jemi Fraser10.Melissa's Imaginarium11.The Girdle of Melian12.Livia Peterson | Leave it to Livia13.Scattergun Scribblings14.Life by Chocolate15.Write with Fey16.Ella's Edge17.WRITING IN THE CROSSHAIRS18.Positive Letters and Stories19.Far Away Eyes20.Confessions of a Watery Tart21.E.J. Wesley, Author22.The Cancer Assassin: Ken Wins!!!23.Donna Hole24.Aloha! Mark Koopmans says hi from HI25.Michelle @Writer-In-Transit26.Stephen Tremp27.PK HREZO28.Elizabeth Hein-Scribbling In The Storage Room29.The Murphey Saga30.Robyn Campbell31.Theresa Milstein @ Theresa's Tales32.Elizabeth Hein-Scribbling In The Storage Room33.Sweet as Honey...Hotter than Hell
(Note about my entry: Melissa is one of the funniest people I've met, so I've added a touch of humor and sarcasm to my essay just for her. :) I give full rights to this work to Melissa and allow her to use it however she sees fit.)
5 Things I learned About Cancer Living With An Oncologist
I’ve never had cancer, but I have a pretty intimate relationship with it. My wife is an oncologist, so I hear about the struggles and triumphs every day. I see how determined she is, even after logging seventy to eighty hours away from home on an average week, to stay persistent and encouraging in the face of such brutal diseases and treatments. And she tells me that most of her dedication comes directly from the courage she sees in her patients.

Ultimately, she gets to go home. Lots of people aren’t so fortunate. So, other than being grateful for whatever health I’m given every second of every day, what other things have I picked up living with an oncologist?

1. Cancer hates weekends and holidays … and pretty much every other special moment in life. It’s like a demonic Santa Claus. It knows when you’re sleeping. It knows when you’re awake. It knows when you haven’t eaten or seen your family in three days, and it doesn’t give a damn. People have it 24/7, and those people need to be taken care of 24/7. It’s a vicious cycle for everyone involved.

2. Cancer sucks. Cancer treatment can suck more—at least in the short term. What do you do to a disease that’s trying to kill you? Why poison it—and you—naturally! Seriously, it’s like Agatha Christie invented modern oncology. There are also surgeries, needle sticks, ports, and pretty much everything else evil in the world. When you hear about people ‘fighting cancer’, that’s exactly what it is in most instances. A knock-down-drag-out brawl to reclaim their health. When a doctor tells you a procedure or treatment ‘isn’t fun’ that’s code for “this will probably be worse than being mauled by a lion".

3. The psychological toll of cancer is often harsher than the physical toll. “You have a life-threatening disease. Have a great weekend!” That’s not how a typical visit with an oncologist goes down. A huge portion of cancer treatment is counseling the patient and their families. It’s preparing them and getting them the help they need for the inevitable depression. It’s educating them on treatment options (remember, some of which really suck, see #2) and side effects. It’s helping folks stare down their mortality—even for the good kinds of cancer. (See - #4) You can’t be diagnosed with the Big C and not have your insides turned out.

4. There are good kinds of cancer. Okay, poor phrasing. No cancer is good. But there are WAY worse kinds to have. Doctors get really excited when a patient has one of the good ones. It truly makes their month (sometimes year) when they get to tell a patient the goal of treatment is cure, because that’s definitely not always the case. Way too often they’re dealing in weeks and months, not years or forever, when it comes to prognosis. So they live for those appointments when they get to talk about curing a disease, not just treating it. 

5. Speaking of forever, when you live with an oncologist you quickly realize almost nothing is. Absolutes make all doctors crazy, but especially cancer doctors. They see lives yanked out from under folks like shabby rugs on a daily basis and it’s their jobs to help them get back on their feet if they can. They understand that diseases are random and unilaterally unbiased. Good people, bad people, old people, young people, smart people, funny people, silly people, loved people—anyone can get cancer. This might seem like a depressing or alarming amount of knowledge to have (and it can be a really poor party topic at times), but it’s mostly empowering. You want a VIP pass to enjoy life? Get real about how precious and beautiful it is, and how so many people are stripped of the ability to live it to its fullest.
E.J. Wesley

Remembering Tina


A college fund has been established for Tina's children. Donations to can be made here--

Hey, gang! Today marks the 3rd(!) anniversary of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. To say that this group has become a light of encouragement in our community is a gross understatement of its importance.

Like so many artists, writers are often ruled by our insecurities. Our desire to share our creativity with the world is often the very thing that terrifies us the most. Having this group of likeminded individuals--many of whom I look up to a great deal--sharing their trials and successes each month has sometimes been the only thing putting my butt back in the chair to keep writing.

So often I've felt that I was doing this writing thing wrong. That there was some piece to this cosmic puzzle that wasn't included with my set. Then, IWSG rolled around and I'd invariably find that ONE other writer who expressed exactly what I was feeling at any given time. And in our business, a small bit of affirmation can go a long way.

IWSG doesn't just give you spoonfuls of confidence and encouragement, it dishes it out in heaps. (There are over 300 members as of this post.) So if you've ever needed a boost, please click the pic below and give the group a look.

Time Marches On

My insecurity this month really isn't an insecurity, just more of a bitter fact of life. I can't control time for others, only what I do with my own. And I REALLY wish I could stop it altogether sometimes.

I live far enough from my 'growing up' home that I'm only able to visit most of my family once every 6 months (sometimes not even that). I'm the youngest of 4 children, my parents are elderly and not in great health. Every time I visit I wonder how much more time I'll have with them. My nieces and nephews grow an inch (or three) between every visit now. My siblings get a few more gray hairs and wrinkles. When you memorize everything about someone because you think about them all the time, it's jarring when your mental images no longer match up to the real thing.

I have a 15 year old chihuahua named Eddy. He has been by my side for many moves and adventures. I'm losing him, and I'd give just about anything to be able to hit a pause button and keep him with me for another 15 years. A dog that is able to grow old and die in a loving home is a lucky dog, because so many have hard, hard lives. But I'm still greedy enough to always want one more day with him.

We've lost some people in our writing-blogging community of late. People you see flash by in your feeds every day. People you've had conversations with. People who've lifted us up. We grow so accustomed to feeling their presence it's absolutely glaring when it's suddenly gone. My heart aches for their families, because I know they are feeling (x 1,000) what I am about time right now. We just need more of it with those we love. Always.

But that's not how life works. It keeps moving even if we stop.

Sometimes I listen to the wonderful Passenger song "Life's For The Living" when I get overwhelmed with these kinds of thoughts. The chorus really brings me back to the proper perspective.

Don't you cry for the lostSmile for the livingGet what you need and give what you'r givenLife's for the living so live itOr you're better of dead


Tears for what we've lost or missed are okay and good. But they won't give us any more time. It marches on and we have to try to keep up as best we can. We only have the moments we are given, and it's up to us to cherish them.

~EJW~

Hey, gang! Sorry for the blog silence the last couple of weeks. I've been busy trying to get everything ready for today's release and traveling around the country for various things. But I'm back and definitely ready to party. :)

Today, I'm officially releasing my novel Perfectly Ernest into the world. This was one of those projects that started as an interesting/fun story idea and morphed into something near and dear to my heart.

I never intended for this to be a touching story necessarily, and especially not a "feel good" story. But it somehow became those things via all these fun characters who suffer from one form of mental illness or another learning to rely on each other.

My educational background is in counseling so it's something I've always wanted to explore in my fiction. But alas, this is fiction and my character's journey is over in just a few hundred pages. So many "real" people are shackled in life by anxiety, depression, and more, and it's not something that just goes away.

That's why I wanted to donate 10% of the annual proceeds from this story to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. (www.nami.org). It's a way for me (and readers) to hopefully contribute something meaningful to the cause.

Though there is the common thread of mental illness, this story is equally (if not more so) about friendship and love. There's even some baseball and humor thrown in for good measure! My hope is that I've crafted a story that will appeal to a lot of different kinds of readers.

But enough about my thoughts! Here are the details for the story. As always, I greatly appreciate any shares, and more so all of the encouragement and support you've given me over the years. My fellow writers and this blogging community have kept me afloat through some tough times of doubt and setbacks. I'm forever grateful for that.

~EJ


A gripping story of striking out and winning big. From a distance, Ernie’s life seems perfect—he’s a star college baseball player adored by the student body and coveted by professional teams. Up close, he is a disaster. Since the death of his mother, he’s been trapped by a promise he made and forced to live her dream instead of his own. He reaches his breaking point in the biggest game of his young career and sets off a chain of events that will either define or destroy the rest of his life. 

 Ernie grudgingly joins a quirky campus counseling group that empowers him to heal himself and right his wrongs. By testing old friendships, forging unlikely new ones, and exploring an exciting romance, he begins to unravel the jumbled knot his tangled inner-psyche has become. But old rivals, mental illness, and the risk of a forbidden relationship soon threaten his progress. Will Ernie's new direction and friends be his salvation, or confirmation that he is forever doomed by his imperfections?

Perfectly Ernest is a New Adult contemporary novel with romantic elements by author E.J. Wesley. Ernest offers a smart, funny, sweet, sexy, uplifting, and oftentimes poignant perspective of one person's difficult transition into adulthood. It is a story about overcoming the demons of mental illness and struggling with the profound burden of expectations—both real and imagined. But it’s mostly a tale of friendship, hope, and love. 

**Special Labor Day Release Sale - eBook only .99c for a limited time!**
 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Paperback | Goodreads | Book Page

Praise
“EJ Wesley has written a modern day Breakfast Club.”

"E.J. tells a college love story with a real life feel. He has created a flawed and pitiful character who quickly becomes a rallying point for all the other characters of the story. Ernie is the sort of boy I could easily imagine myself being friends with in college and cheered on through life in general, but certainly the story." 

 "EJ's tale of a college baseball star and the demons he fights is powerful and captivating. Once you're involved in Ernest's world, you are invested for the ride. Fans of this genre will say EJ hit it out of the park!" Alex J. Cavanaugh, Amazon bestselling author of the Cassa series 

 "Great cast of characters. Lots of fun humor. Romance. Win! Definitely recommend!" 

 "This is not so much a "coming of age" story, as it is a "coming of self." I loved reading it" 

 "It is an inspirational, heartwarming story in which any reader is likely to get lost."

 "This story made me laugh and cry and it was so great to read something sweet and awesome from a guy."
 
“Perfectly Ernest offers an emotionally genuine tour through depression, friendship, and love.”
 
“It's wonderful when a story's voice is so strong as to drag you into someone's head so it feels natural. I devoured Perfectly Ernest.”
 
“…captured my heart from page one.”


Book Trailer  **Perfectly Ernest Social Media Shareables** Twitter
'A gripping story of striking out & winning big.' Perfect Ernest, only .99c #LaborDaySale http://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Ernest-E-J-Wesley-ebook/dp/B00MQIJZR8 #KindleBooks #newrelease

"A modern day Breakfast Club" http://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Ernest-E-J-Wesley-ebook/dp/B00MQIJZR8 Perfectly Ernest, a #NewAdult contemporary novel by @EJWesley .99c for a limited time
'heart & soul woven throughout the pages' Perfectly Ernest, a contemporary #novel about life, love, & friendship http://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Ernest-E-J-Wesley-ebook/dp/B00MQIJZR8

"an emotionally genuine tour through depression, friendship, and love." Perfectly Ernest on sale now .99c #NewRelease http://www.ejwesley.com/perfectly-ernest.html

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"E.J. Wesley has created a modern day Breakfast Club." Perfectly Ernest is a New Adult contemporary novel with romantic elements by author E.J. Wesley. Ernest offers a smart, funny, sweet, sexy, uplifting, and oftentimes poignant perspective of one person's difficult transition into adulthood. It is a story about overcoming the demons of mental illness and struggling with the profound burden of expectations—both real and imagined. But it’s mostly a tale of friendship, hope, and love. Available in print & eBook:
Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perfectly-ernest-ej-wesley/1120158212?ean=9781500755898
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MQIJZR8 **Labor Day Release Sale - eBook only.99c for a limited time!**  *The author will donate 10% of the annual proceeds of this book to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading awareness and support for those who suffer from mental illness. -------------------
"Captured my heart from page one." Perfectly Ernest is a New Adult contemporary novel with romantic elements by author E.J. Wesley. Ernest offers a smart, funny, sweet, sexy, uplifting, and oftentimes poignant perspective of one person's difficult transition into adulthood. It is a story about overcoming the demons of mental illness and struggling with the profound burden of expectations—both real and imagined. But it’s mostly a tale of friendship, hope, and love. Available in print & eBook:
Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perfectly-ernest-ej-wesley/1120158212?ean=9781500755898
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MQIJZR8 **Labor Day Release Sale - eBook only.99c for a limited time!**  *The author will donate 10% of the annual proceeds of this book to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading awareness and support for those who suffer from mental illness.