Finding Our Way

About The Book

 

 

Justin Parker and Derrick Wilson have been best friends since meeting back in middle school. Currently they are in their junior year at Chandler High School, and living the good life as teenagers. They have great girlfriends, plenty of close friends, their own cars, and parents who are well off. As nice as things might look to an outsider, something is missing from each of their lives.

Justin has become the invisible son in the midst of his parents failing marriage. In an effort to get his parent’s attention, Justin keeps getting into trouble. So far he has been able to get away with anything without facing any repercussions, while Derrick is feeling distant and tired of what he feels is a too “perfect family”. He just wants to have a normal social life and spend time with his friends without the pressures from his family to spend time with them. With blurring the lines of friendship in the process to realizing what was missing and discovering who they really are.

Justin and Derrick take turns narrating the story of their junior year in high school and all of the events that take place in their lives. Being a teenager can be tough. Being gay can be tougher. For Derrick and Justin they are both, and life cannot get any more complicated.

What happens when two best friends cross the boundaries of friendship? Will they be able to be happy together? Will they keep their secret?

Memorable Quotes

“It had not been the first time that we had said something like this to each other. It was not like guys went around saying it all the time to each other, but over the course of the years of being the best of friends; we had said it to each other. Justin had been the one to say it more often to me. It took me quite a few times before I could say it back to him. This was something much deeper and we both knew it."  -- Derrick Wilson talking about himself and Justin Parker.

"The best way of describing it is that I feel like I finally know myself. This is the first time in a long time that I don't feel like I need a drink to feel okay." -- Justin Parker

 

Music Playlist
Several people have asked about what music I listened to while writing my book. Below are the songs I listened to while writing Finding Our Way.  For the most part, the songs are listed in order of frequency.

“I Just Wanna Run” – The Downtown Fiction
“Turn Me On (featuring Nicki Minaj)” – David Guetta
“S&M” –Rihanna
“Don’t Trust Me (Amended)” – 3OH!3
“Somebody That I Used To Know” – Gotye
“Boyfriend” –Justin Bieber
“Starships” –Nicki Minaj
“Born This Way” –Lady Gaga
“Glad You Came” –The Wanted
“Do You?” – Iffy the Bad Man
“Paparazzi” –Lady Gaga
“Pumped Up Kicks” –Foster the People
“Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) – Katy Perry
“Never Say Never”Justin Bieber
“What Make You Beautiful” – One Direction
“A** Back Home (featuring Neon Hitch) – Gym Class Heroes
“Lights” –Ellie Goulding
“I Feel Like Dancin’” – All Time Low
“Firework” –Katy Perry
“We Found Love” –Rihanna
“Telephone (featuring Beyoncé)” – Lady Gaga
“Hot N Cold” – Katy Perry

Original Paperback Cover

This is the cover used for the paperback version and put onto the Kindle version.  This cover was in place from October 2011 until July 2014.

Original Kindle Cover
This is the cover the Kindle version published in September 2011.
 

Alternate Covers

These were the different cover designs made, but did not make the cut.