BLOG TOUR: Bud by Russell J. Sanders (Excerpt + Character Interview)

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Bud

Author: Russell J. Sanders

Publisher: JMS Books

Cover Artist: Written Ink Designs

Release Date: December 1, 2024

Pairing: Transgender MF love story

Tense/POV: First person/past tense 

Genres: Contemporary interracial new adult romance

Tropes: Transgender love story

Themes: Transgender sexual awakening, acceptance of self and others

Heat Rating: No sexual content

Length: 65 000 words/336 pages 

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

Goodreads

Buy Links

JMS Books  |  Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Is young dancer Shelly Sheridan transgender? What does that mean?  

Will Shelly’s new guardian, the uncle Shelly’s never met, understand? What’s next in Shelly’s life?

Blurb

Suddenly homeless, young dancer Shelly Sheridan, heartbroken at Christmas, is taken in by an uncle Shelly has never met and didn’t know existed. The burly ex-Marine uncle and his husband welcome Shelly with a shower of love and acceptance. Their friend Estrella, a retired ballet star, is enraptured by Shelly’s dancing.

Shelly makes a new friend the first day of school in this strange place but isn’t happy, feeling out of place and very different from the other boys. The new friend eventually suggests something Shelly didn’t even know was possible. Could Shelly be transgender?

When Shelly embraces this new idea, problems immediately arise. His former nanny doesn’t approve, and the trustee of his mother’s estate fights Shelly’s newly formed decisions.

With his new family’s unconditional love, Shelly hopes all will be well. It’s Christmas once again, and it will be a merry one if Shelly’s problems go away, and Christmas works its magic.

Excerpt

We barely got through the front door before Greta scooped me into her arms. 

I finally pulled away so I could look Greta in the eyes. I was gonna tell her to back off. I’d had enough of whatever she was doing — loving, laughing, crying, whatever. I had to get upstairs to text Mimi. I was gonna give her an earful for ruining our special time. But I saw the deepest heartache in Greta’s eyes, deeper than I’ve ever seen in anyone’s.

“I’m so sorry, Liebchen. She loved you so much. You were her treasure.” And then she thrust something into my hand. “Keep this. Keep it safe. She would want you to have it.”

I opened my fingers, and there was the ballerina necklace. Why are you giving me my mother’s necklace? And what is all this you’re saying?

And then I heard the booming voice. Unmistakable. My mother’s lawyer. Mr. Stern. Standing in the arch leading to our living room. Commanding the world in his dark gray three-piece suit. He musta had a closet full of those suits. He never dressed any other way.

Why is he here?

Looking over half-glasses, he ordered, “Come here, son.”

I’m not your son.

He held out his hand, his fingers gesturing I should follow him. His face was stern, like his name, not a trace of a smile. Greta gave me a nudge in his direction. I followed him into the living room. He pointed toward the sofa. “Sit.”

Greta, right behind me, lowered me onto the soft sofa cushion. She sat next to me, closely — like she was protecting me. Shawn too, who I had forgotten was even there, followed and sat in the chair facing us. Mr. Stern towered in his dark suit, his grim face hovering. That face didn’t bother me. He always looked like that. Angry.

“Sheldon, I have some news for you,” he said. “I don’t know how to say this, but I’ve always felt bad news is like a Band-Aid. Yank it off, and it doesn’t hurt as much. So I’m just going to say it.” He paused — a long time.

What is all this yank it off stuff, if he isn’t going to tell me? It can’t be as bad as he makes out. My mother probably is going to be gone longer than the two days Greta said she’d promised.

“Son, your mother’s car slid out of control tonight. She was going up the mountain, the road must have been more slippery than she planned for — who knows? — and she lost control.”

What? I yelped. “What hospital is she in? Take me there. Now.” The anger I wanted to text her was gone, replaced by worry.

Mr. Stern held his hands up, palms out. He patted the air like he was motioning for me to sit, although I hadn’t gotten up, and he was not even close enough to touch me. Greta put her arm around me. Even Shawn, I noticed, looked sad.

“Boy, I’m sorry. Your mother’s dead.”

Uh-uh. Not possible. Mimi’s in Park City. She’s at a client meeting.

“You hear me, son? Amelia died tonight.”

“No,” I lunged at him. “You’re crazy. My mother’s with her client. She made Shawn take me to the ballet. Very important meeting.” I beat his body with both fists until I suddenly stopped. I stood a moment. “Somebody’s told you a lie, Mr. Stern.”

Mr. Stern was playing a joke or he’d been given bad intel, as they say, or something, at least, was wrong, very wrong. My mother was not dead.

“Sheldon,” he said, “you’ve got to face it.” As he pushed me back to the sofa, he said, “Your mother, Amelia Sheridan, is gone.”

Greta leaned over and talked in my ear. “It’s true, Liebchen. I wish it weren’t, but it is.”

Greta would never play a trick on me like that. If she said it was true, it was.

I screamed. A blood-curdling wail. A scream that coulda woke the dead. Neighbors miles around musta heard it.

When I stopped, I stopped. I wasn’t wasting another tear because it wouldn’t bring my Mimi back. I remember thinking, “Lord –” I didn’t even believe in God “– please put my life back together. I’ll go to church. I’ll be the best little Mormon boy I can be. Just bring Mimi back to me.”

But God wasn’t listening.

CHARACTER INTERVIEW

NAME OF CHARACTER: Shelly Sheridan

What impression do you make on people when they first meet you? 

I’m really kinda shy. I think it’s because my mother, Mimi, was such a strong person. I was very close to her. And when I’d meet other people my age, they didn’t like me much. Maybe it was because I was different from them. But Mimi always loved and accepted me. 

How about after they’ve known you for a while?

It wasn’t until I opened up to some of the people my age I met that I started believing they could like me. For who I am.

Tell me about your best friend.

I never, ever, thought I’d have a best friend. Then this guy sorta pushed himself on me—literally. He even had to apologize later, but since he really was sorry and I knew I was part of the problem, I decided he was okay. He started texting a lot. I mean so much that I had to ignore some of his texts. But he kept on and before I knew it, we were totally best friends.

What’s the most important thing in your life?

Dance. I’m a ballet dancer, and dance is my language, my identity, my heart. 

What are you most afraid of?

Letting people in. My mother and I were so close that I never thought I could be that close to anyone else. But you know, I found out the hardest way ever that life doesn’t stay the same, and we have to roll with the changes. When you have happen to you what I went through, you learn that you can’t stay in the past. You have to keep going. That’s a lesson I didn’t want to learn, but I had to.

What do you value the most?

My family. When you meet an uncle you never knew existed, find out he’s married to someone you weren’t expecting, and they both live with a beautiful retired ballerina, you want to run screaming. That’s just too much to take in. But then you learn that all three of them love you like you’re the most important person in their lives. That’s something you can’t ever toss away.

Favorite food?

I guess I’d have to say anything Estrella cooks. Besides being a beautiful dancer and almost my grandmother, she is a fantastic cook. And since she’s from Mexico, her Mexican food is dope. I mean it is the best stuff you’ll ever put in your mouth. Especially her empanadas.

What was your first thought or impression when you met the person you fell in love with?

That he would never in a million years like me—as anything other than a dance partner. Kwon is a god. I mean, literally, he is perfection…coppery-colored skin, gorgeous eyes, golden brown hair, piercing dark eyes that can see right through me. Jay-Kwon is everything I could ever hope for.

What do you like most about the person you fell in love with?

I could say that we share the same passion. Dance. But if I’m being honest, I have to say that what I like most is that he accepts me for who I am. And that’s a big, big thing, because I’m not like most girls he could have. But he doesn’t care. He likes me.

About the Author  

A life spent in Texas led to a relocation adventure, and native Texas author Russell J. Sanders now resides in Las

Vegas, Nevada. He and his husband were compelled to set out for parts unknown, and that led them to Vegas, where they are supremely happy. But they don’t stay put. They’ve traveled the world, journeying to England, France, Italy, Japan, India, Bali, Jakarta, Toronto, Quebec City, Nova Scotia, Vancouver, Alaska, and Hawaii. And his novels are infused with locations as near as Ft. Worth, Chicago, Houston, and Las Vegas and as far away as Halifax. Who knows where he will lead readers next?

But one thing is known, there will be Mexican food. Russell’s on a quest to check out the Mexican cuisine in places both near and far. The not-so-good he has tried was in Wyoming; Jakarta, Indonesia, though, has some pretty decent enchiladas. The quest is to try, not to always be satisfied at what is found. So this Mexican food loving teacher, actor, director, singer, chef, and author loves adventure. And mostly, Russell’s goal is to tell the world, through his writing, that we are all put on this earth to love one

Author Links

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