BLOG TOUR: From the Universe to Me by Scott E. Garrison (Excerpt + Q&A with Author)

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: From the Universe to Me

Author: Scott E. Garrison

Publisher: NineStar Press

Cover Artist: Jaycee DeLorenzo

Release Date: April 11, 2023

Genres: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: friends to lovers, coming of age

Themes: age gap, college, family drama, in the closet, mental illness, new adult, teaching

Length: 59 500 words/220 pages

It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Goodreads

Buy Links

Publisher | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Learning to accept himself is not the only lesson the universe has planned for him.

Blurb

Eighteen-year-old Tobias Gavin is struggling to come to terms with his sexuality. For many years, the what-ifs of coming out have swirled around his head, so he has chosen to live a lie to keep from disrupting the “normal” life he has created with his family and friends.

That is until he meets Gareth David the day he enrolls for his first semester as a college student. He feels an immediate connection with Gareth…a connection that pushes Tobias to question the way he has been living his life. When Gareth coincidentally becomes Tobias’s History professor, Tobias is forced to confront his feelings and confront the universe.

Tobias must come to terms with his depression, anxiety, heartbreak, and his sexuality before he can even begin to heal his wounds. He believes that everything happens for a reason, but he learns that some experiences are meant to teach even if they cause heartbreak. Once he comes to terms with himself, he might find his knight in shining armor.

Tobias must learn to trust himself and those around him if he wants to find happiness.

Excerpt

I’m startled out of my thoughts when I hear doors open, but to avoid any more agonizing contact with Anna, I don’t glance over until I hear the deep voice of a man talking to Anna.

I glimpse Anna out of the corner of my eye and notice her entire personality has changed. She appears more alive and filled with energy. She twirls her hair between her pointer and middle fingers, flirting with the man, which goes unnoticed by him. He is standing there exchanging pleasantries with her. When he turns to look in my direction, my heart literally skips a beat.

He is beautiful.

Wow. Drop-dead gorgeous isn’t even the best phrase to describe the man standing before me. The stylish brown hair rising in waves from the top of his head looks natural and void of any hair products, like he rolls out of bed looking like McDreamy from Grey’s Anatomy on a daily basis. His light brown skin and dark brown eyes shimmer, reminding me of silky, smooth milk chocolate. Everything with me always goes back to chocolate, which is why I can’t stop looking at him as he stands next to the receptionist’s desk talking to Anna.

He isn’t ridiculously muscular, but his biceps look statuesque underneath his tight plaid button-down shirt. Dark Levi’s accentuate every muscle and curve his lower body has to offer. My mind immediately drifts to what his legs would look like if he set them free with short shorts or even his underwear. What is wrong with me?

Without even moving, he exudes confidence I only wish I could have. My mediocre body isn’t nearly as memorable as the physique standing before me. Anyone would want to talk to him, to be near his gorgeous face…touch his toned body. This man hit the gene-pool lottery when whatever higher being or the masters of the universe made him.

“Hello… Hey…. Is somebody in there?” he asks, waving his hand near my face.

My eyes adjust to his waving hand, and I realize I have been staring at him with an open mouth, looking like a brainless buffoon.

“Uuhhhh…what?!” I say like a blubbering fool.

“I asked if you are here to meet with me,” he responds with the sweetest expression, ignoring my inability to carry a conversation, which makes my cheeks burn red.

“Hahaha… I wish.” I freeze… What the fuck did I say? Oh my god, I could die. I should run out the door and lay down in the street, praying someone will take pity on me and end my suffering. I’m positive I have turned as red as the couches I’m sitting on.

He chuckles and gives me a bright and warm grin, revealing his perfectly whitened teeth. He towers over me, holding out his hand. “My name is Gareth David. I’m Dr. Richard’s teaching assistant. Who are you?”

Suddenly, an overwhelming urge to jump into his arms and put my hand through his radiantly manicured hair skips jauntily through my mind. That is perfectly acceptable for people to do, right?

I grab his hand, applying enough pressure to give an adequate handshake, so I look less like a dope.

When our hands meet, a rush of warmth spreads throughout my entire body. He glances at our hands and back into my eyes, giving me that perfect grin again. I can’t help but wonder if he observed the same jolt of energy when our hands met. The way he is looking at me makes me feel something I can’t put my finger on, but I don’t want the erotic energy to end.

After gaining my composure, I respond, “My name is Tobias Gavin. I’m here to meet with Dr. Richards about setting up my schedule for the fall semester.”

An Adonis-like smile spreads across his face, and I melt again. “Are you a freshman? I haven’t seen you around or in any of my classes.”

I look at him confused. “Didn’t you say you’re her assistant?”

He chuckles. “Teaching assistant. However, I teach my own classes and cover her classes when she is away. I know it seems weird, but Dr. Richards has taught me well. Besides, I’m almost finished with my graduate degree. I turned in my thesis a few weeks ago.”

His voice exhibits pure kindness that sends warmth through by body, helping me relax.

“May I have my hand back?” He laughs.

Shit.

My body going tense again, I realize I’m still holding his hand. I hesitate for a millisecond—my body wanting our embrace to continue—before letting go of his hand.

“I’m so sorry. I was listening to you talk and forgot to let go.” Kill me. Someone, please hire a ninja assassin to come kill me now.

Q&A with Scott E. Garrison

Tell us a little about yourself and your writing goals.

I am currently 35 years old. I’ve been married for 8 years and together 10 years with my husband, Josh. I have two dogs, Jarvis and Friday, and a cat, Meryl Streep. I’ve worked in the library field around 9 years. I love the horror genre! My favorite horror movie is the Scream Franchise, and my favorite tv show is Doctor Who. Also, I’m a huge nerd!
I like to pull inspiration from my personal life to write. From the Universe to Me is my first novel, and it was important to me to write and finish because it helped me heal and get some frustrations off my chest. I was able to tell a story that let me take scenarios from my own life and write them into this story. There are some scenes that reflect how I wish certain things would have gone in my own life. It was a little cathartic.

Congratulations on your new release. Please tell us a little bit about it. What’s your favorite aspect or part of the story? Do you have a favorite character? Who/Why?

Thank you! From the Universe to Me tells the story of Tobias and how he tackles what life throws his way, learning to accept himself, and coming out. There is a lot of good and humor in this book, but there is some dark topics as well.
My favorite part of From the Universe to Me is the vulnerability of our characters, especially Tobias, our main character. I wrote this book in a style that would allow readers to be inside our MC’s mind. I know that many stories rely on description and dialogue, but I wanted to make the reader feel something by showing them what the struggle is really like for someone who is different from what society deems “normal”. You never know what someone is going through, and I feel like this story really captures this and runs with it.
Obviously, Tobias is my favorite character. There is so much of me in him, so I have to love him, but Matt is definitely a close second. He is the epitome of a loyal and caring friend. He brings jokes and heart to the story. In my eyes, he is the perfect best friend!

Are you a planner or a pantser? How much do you know about your story before you start writing? How often does your plan change? Why does this work best for you?

I have a plan in my head, but I do not create a physical outline. For me it’s easier this way because I can be more adaptable while writing. I have a bare bones plan while writing my first draft, and then, the story really takes shape when I tackle the second draft and the drafts after that. There were plenty of times while writing that a character would do something I hadn’t planned for, which would take the story in a different direction. Sometimes, you have to let the characters guide you.

Do deadlines motivate you or block you? How do you deal with them?

Deadlines motivate me. I’m a very organized person and will almost always get a task completed way before the deadline. This is a positive and negative attribute. Positive because I won’t miss the deadline but negative because I’ll want to complete everything as soon as I get the assignment/task.

What was the most difficult part of writing this book? Why?

I put a lot of myself into this book. I had to dig deep, open up, and be vulnerable, which is never easy. I took inspiration from the good, the bad, and the ugly things that have happened to me. From the Universe to Me is 100% fiction, but I did use characteristics from people in my life to create the characters, and I used scenarios from my life to build the story. It’s difficult to show vulnerability to people you know, but even more difficult to people you don’t know, but I had to get this story out there. Tobias kept yelling at me to tell his story, so I did.

What are your favorite genres when it comes to your own pleasure reading? Do you prefer to read ebooks or print?

Horror and psychological thrillers. They are always fun and exciting to read. I prefer audiobooks because I have more time to listen, but ebooks are definitely my second favorite method of reading.

What is your writing Kryptonite?

My inner perfectionist! In the past, I would create elaborate outlines and character detail sheets, but I could never finish a project. I kept thinking that I needed to stick to outline. I wouldn’t let the story change naturally, and I wouldn’t adapt if I got stuck. It wasn’t until I let this go that I was able to write From the Universe to Me.

What were you like in high school?

I was a huge band and choir nerd. I participated in the school musicals and show choir.

About the Author

Scott E. Garrison is a debut author, who wants to share new, queer stories with the world. He currently lives in the Oklahoma City, OK area.

Alongside writing, he has a Masters in Library and Information Studies and works as a Librarian for an Oklahoma-based library system. He spends his free time reading, baking, watching movies and TV shows with his husband, and cuddling with his dogs, Jarvis and F.R.I.D.A.Y.