Ginger Scott's Blog - Posts Tagged "reed"

Inside Reed's Head

I have had a few readers ask some great questions about what's going on inside that jock head of Reed Johnson, and tonight I had an idea. Reed actually did a great character interview over on SubClubBooks, and I thought I should probably share it here, too!

The link has been updated, so I will post the interview below (NOTE: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!):


Hi Reed, welcome to THESUBCLUBbooks. Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us.


Reed, tell us what went through your mind the first day of class when you realized whom you were talking to (the girl from the gym) when Nolan told you her name?

Honestly, I felt like a real dick. I panicked a bit because I thought she might call me out on the shit we said behind her back. But when she didn’t bring it up, I relaxed a little, figured she didn’t hear us. Then she told me the story behind her name, and the entire time she was talking I was thinking about how wrong Tatum was about her and how cool she was to hang out with and talk to.

The day you and Nolan were doing your science project at your house and Sean commented that he found Nolan cute; your response was “Hmm, you think so?” Can you tell us what you really thought about that comment, and the why to your response?
Yeah, that kinda surprised me a little, too. When he said that I felt a little possessive, sorta like I saw her first. I thought about it later that night when everyone left, and the more I thought about Sean asking her out, the more it pissed me off. But then Tatum called and said she wanted to see my house…and check out my bedroom…so, yeah…I sorta forgot about Noles for a while after that. I’m not proud of it now, but I was a teenager and the shit Tatum was willing to do was redic!

It is clear that your relationship with Tatum was mostly physical but did you ever love her?
I thought I did at first. But I was 15 and getting blowjobs in the middle of desert parties. Every dude in our school was jealous of me, wanted to be me. I had it all. Everyone loved me and girls would go on and on about what a cute couple Tatum and I were. I don’t know…it sounds really lame now, but it just felt like that’s what I was supposed to do, who I was supposed to be with. When my brother was in high school, he dated college chicks—lots of them! I guess I didn’t really know any different, and the attention felt really good. I get it now, though. I know that wasn’t love. Hell, I didn’t even really know her. I couldn’t tell you what music she liked or how she treated her grandparents or what her favorite family vacation was…I didn’t care.

Was it really only when you danced with Nolan that you realized you liked her more than a friend?
Looking back, no. I knew wayyyy before then. I think I knew it the second she kissed Sean. I saw her through the bus window. I never told her that…huh, I guess she’ll know now. I was pretty pissed off that week they first started going out. I was kind of a prick to Sean, too, when he would talk about her. I always played it off like I was stressed about the football scouts or irritated with Tatum, but truth was I didn’t like hearing about him making out with Nolan.

When Nolan confronted you at the pool and spilled her heart out that she had secretly been in love with you over two years while you were dating the person that bullied her. What did you feel and think about her declaration?
Honestly, I just wanted to grab her and kiss her right then. I just wanted to fix everything, but I had no idea how. It’s sort of a shitty excuse, but I never really had good relationship role models. My parents fought just as much divorced as they did when they were married, but they weren’t big confrontational arguments. My mom would make little digs about my dad’s clothes or how he spent too much time hanging out with former football players and mechanics. She was always trying to make him into some society guy, but that’s just not who he is. And when she’d start picking at him, he’d just leave. Sometimes for a day or two. So when Nolan laid into me—totally deserved, by the way—I just sort of froze. Honestly, her courage just made me love her more.

How bad was it for you seeing Nolan and Tyler together?
Oh, man. That was the worst. I never liked that guy. He reminded me of my brother, all image and shit. He was fake nice, but I knew all he wanted to do was get into her pants. But she seemed so happy, and I had done nothing but make her miserable. Oh, her friends weren’t shy about letting me know what an asshole I was. I tried to ignore her for a while, get over her. But Tyler kept showing up at shit, and every time I saw him touch her I just wanted to punch him.

What are your feelings on your mom’s dislike towards Nolan? Will you ever defend Nolan and confront her (your mom) on how she treats Nolan?
I know I’m going to have to. I thought my mom would just get over it, warm to Noles. She’s impossible not to love, so I don’t get it. My mom just has this idea in her head, like she always wanted to marry me off to some other family name or something, like kings and queens or something. Like I said, that’s why she and my pops don’t mix well. He’s grass stains and beer and she’s white linen and expensive wine. But she’s going to have to get over Nolan eventually, because I don’t plan on ever letting her go.

Is Nolan your first and only love?
Huh? I guess so. I thought I was in love with Tatum, and I had a crush on Jaden Kessler in kindergarten, but yeah…Noles is the only girl I ever loved.

Why did you let Calley and Tatum sign your cast and visit you while you recovered at your mom’s house, if you knew how it would make Nolan feel? Did you do that on purpose?
Put that on the long list of dumb shit I did that I wish I could take back. Tatum was relentless. When I got settled at my mom’s, she showed up the first day. I made excuses to get her to leave the first few times, but my mom really liked her, so she always let her in. I think she was hoping we’d rekindle some sort of romance. When she came with Calley once, Calley was actually the first one to sign my cast. You haven’t met Calley, but she’s sort of one of those chicks that just does whatever she wants. She grabbed a pen and started doodling crap on my cast before I could say anything. Then Tatum got all whiney about how she wanted to sign it, so I let her. I didn’t really think it was a big deal, but I can see how it would be to Nolan…or at least now I can. I was pretty depressed for a while after the accident. I did a lot of dumb stuff.

After the accident you totally shut down, but you especially made Nolan’s life a hell by your cold attitude towards her. Did you avoid her so she would end things with you? Why?
I was scared. I had this perfect life planned out and when I thought I might not ever get to play football again, it scared the shit out of me. That’s all I was, all I knew. I felt worthless. And here Nolan was, just loving me anyway. I felt guilty, like I was letting her down. And then she started talking about trading her dreams in for mine. I didn’t want to be the reason she didn’t go to ASU, like she always wanted, or why she didn’t work with kids, which she was so totally meant to do. I think somewhere in my screwed up head I wanted to try to get her to break up with me, because I knew I couldn’t do it. I was too selfish.

Did you then, and do you now regret the way you treated Nolan after the accident?
Yes. Seeing her cry is the single most painful thing I’ve ever experienced. I said some things that I don’t think I’ll ever make right. But I’m never going to stop trying.

Do you think you have redeemed yourself on how bad you treated Nolan? And do you think you have taken her love for you for granted more times than once?
I was a stupid teenager, and if I could go back and smack myself a few times, I would. But that’s not how life works. I got lucky. I took Nolan for granted plenty of times. And somehow, she still showed up when I needed her, gave me her heart and trusted me not to break it. I can’t fix the past, but I sure as hell can earn the future.

Between the accident and all those months the two of you had been apart (because of you poor attitude) Did you ever stop loving Nolan?
No. Never. Not once.

SUDDEN DEATH QUESTIONS:

What song that describes your feelings for Nolan?

It’s funny, but it’s actually one of Nolan’s favorites—it’s called “Stars” by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. It just feels like us, like I can’t breathe without knowing she’s ok.

Favorite feeling?
Anticipation

What would you change from the past? (if you could)
The time I said something that made Nolan feel like she wasn’t good enough.

Nolan is…..?
Everything

Kissing or cuddling?
Kissing. Definitely kissing.

Favorite image?
Nole’s smile, the one she gets when she’s busting my balls. No, wait! The one she gets when she first realizes I’m there.

Nolan or football?
Nolan. Every time.
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Published on July 17, 2013 23:33 Tags: author, contemporary, ginger-scott, going-long, indie, new-adult, reed, romance, waiting-on-the-sidelines, ya

Waiting Gets a New Look!

Waiting on the Sidelines will always be my baby. I love that book with all my heart, so I feel a little bit like I'm sending it off to the prom in this post. The book is getting a little cover refresh. Nothing too crazy, but I think it gets a little more of the mood in the mix. I'm working on getting it updated on the Goodreads entry (thank you, Librarian status friends!). But in the meantime, here's a little taste. You can also find the new cover on Amazon, Smashwords, and very soon on B&N, Apple, Sony, Kobo and more (seems it takes a little time to ingest).

Waiting on the Sidelines New Cover

I hope you all like it as much as I do! I'm busy working on my new project, but should be at a place where I can reveal the title soon...and then maybe just a little tease. Thank you all for reading...I'm honored!
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'Blindness' Cover Reveal

I'm so excited to share this with everyone. It's the 'Blindness' cover reveal! Book will be live in February - please feel free to shelve it like crazy now, though. I'll let you all know when pre-orders are up on Barnes & Noble and iBooks.

In the meantime, here's the cover and synopsis:


It takes a while to know who you really are. And when you lose your way, sometimes it’s hard to find it again.

Charlie Hudson was on the verge of figuring that out when her dad—the only parent and friend she ever had—died suddenly. She was barely 18, and she was alone. So she went for easy—playing life safe, running away from a home that harbored nothing but bad memories and challenges and loving a man who would take her away from it all forever.

It’s funny how chance takes over when you need it most. And that’s exactly what brought Cody Carmichael into her life. A former motocross super star, Cody was now happy to be living the blue collar life, spending his days finishing up school and his nights under the hood of some classic car, just trying to keep everything his father taught him alive. Cody and Charlie were living parallel lives, until they finally collided. And the moment he smiled at her, Charlie knew he was the one who would change everything. But was she willing to take the risk?

Cody saw through it all. He saw her—all of her. But would letting him in be too much to take? And if Charlie let herself love him—really love him—could he love her back?

Cover for Blindness by Ginger Scott
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