Teach Me by Sloan Johnson
on Nov. 25th, 2014
Genres: M/M
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Two words stripped Austin Pritchard of the privileged life he’s used to. The moment he uttered the words, “I’m gay,” he realized there is no such thing as unconditional love. Now, he’s gone from traveling the world with his family to living on the streets trying to figure out how he’s going to stay in school.
A chance opportunity changes everything. Austin impresses the foreman and lands a job, but even more, he catches the eye of David Becker, who is determined to teach him that true love doesn’t come with strings.
The only thing David had as a child was love. His family struggled to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. That has driven him to stay focused on his goals; become a tenured professor at a university and save enough money to build a home of his own. It’s not until he sees an insecure college student working on his new house that he realizes that he hasn’t planned on someone to share his life with. He’s about to learn that everything he’s already accomplished is nothing compared to the task of making Austin see that he is worthy of love.
TBA: “Hi, Sloan. Thanks so much for talking to me today about your new book. I just finished it and I really loved it. What inspired you to write an M/M book?”Sloan: “It actually started with another story that’ll come out next year. There will be times when I’ll hear something and think it’d make a great story. In this case, as I thought about it, I saw it as two men rather than a man and a woman, so I went with it. During the process of writing that book, I found myself much more comfortable with my writing and loved the different scenarios afforded to me through writing m/m. Of course, it also helps that it’s my favorite genre to read.”
TBA: “Who was your inspiration for David and Austin?”Sloan: “State Street, the area where much of the book is set, is home to a lot of homeless men. One day, I was walking down the street with my family and the idea started to grow. I spent some time working on a food cart down there years ago and got to be friends with many of the homeless men who just wanted to make it from day to day.”
TBA: “The story touches on a young man coming out and the devastating way some parents handle it. Was that hard for you to write?”Sloan: “It really was. While I’m not blind to the fact that there are so many families out there who react this way, I know it happens every day. It was hard, first of all, because I hate thinking that there are young men and women whose families can turn their back on them so quickly, but also because I felt I needed to do the situation justice. I wanted it to feel real.”
TBA: “I think you did a really great job. I know not everyone has a great support when coming out. Keeping it spoiler free, what can you say to the readers about the age difference in Austin and David?”Sloan: “It’s life. Yes, there is an age difference, but when you meet someone and have that chemistry with them, it just doesn’t matter. And in this case, I think both of them had something to learn from the other.”
TBA: “To someone that hasn't read a Gay Romance, say one of your readers of your other books, what is something you could tell them to persuade them to try Teach Me.”Sloan: “A love story is a love story. The key is to not think about what is beneath a character’s clothes and try to appreciate the story. If you pick it up and still feel it’s not for you, that’s perfectly okay, but give it a chance.”
TBA: “So, about you. Here comes the fun part. Tell us something about yourself that we may not know?”
Sloan: “I always hate these questions, lol. I can talk about my characters all day, but when it’s time to think and talk about myself, I freeze!
Okay, so something people may not know about me…
I played violin for 8 years when I was younger and have recently started playing again, at my daughter’s request.”
