The Thing - More texts between Deacon and Mark

Welcome to The Thing, where J.A. Rock and I give away a copy of Mark Cooper versus America (available January 28) to one astute reader who keeps abreast of all the Prescott College related stuff we post on our blogs and answers a tricky question on January 24. You can find details here. We'll be posting texts between the characters, excerpts from Prescott's student newspaper, characters' homework assignments and more!

First up today, Mark has difficulty concentrating in class. 

Then, when Deacon invites him to lunch, he reveals his difficulties with a local barista. More on that in the book! 

You guys, check out J.A. Rock's blog for more texts and fun stuff, and remember to check back here between now and the 24th, since we'll be introducing more characters from Mark Cooper versus America

The Thing: Texts from Deacon and Mark

Welcome to The Thing, where J.A. Rock and I give away a copy of Mark Cooper versus America (available January 28) to one astute reader who keeps abreast of all the Prescott College related stuff we post on our blogs and answers a tricky question on January 24. You can find details here. We'll be posting texts between the characters, excerpts from Prescott's student newspaper, characters' homework assignments and more!

Yesterday on our blogs we introduced met Mark and Deacon, our two main characters. Mark: Australian, less-than-fond of small town Pennsylvania, and way more concerned with sex than academics. Deacon: studious, responsible, and rather fond of angry bunny Mark.

J.A. and I have NSA'd our way into Mark and Deacon's private text conversations, and this is what we've found. In the first one, Deacon wants Mark to sneak into his fraternity house -- Phi Sigma -- without getting spotted by the rival fraternity next door -- Alpha Delta, where Mark is a pledge. 

And here Mark sends Deacon a heartfelt text, after being sent on a pledge retreat in the woods and drinking a few too many beers.  

 You guys, check out J.A. Rock's blog for more texts and fun stuff, and remember to check back here between now and the 24th, since we'll be introducing more characters from Mark Cooper versus America. 

The Thing: Deacon

As part of The Thing, J.A. Rock and I will be posting little character intros for Mark Cooper versus America. Say hello to Deacon! 

Student Snapshot - by Simon d’Angelo, Sophomore Staff Reporter.

This week’s Student Snapshot is Deacon Holt. Deacon is a Junior. He’s studying Engineering, is a member of Phi Sigma, and, for the over 21’s, also works at O’Malley’s Bar downtown.

Sd’A: Any advice for this year’s Freshmen on how to succeed at Prescott?

DH: It’s a good school. Study hard, don’t blow off your classes, and ask for help if you need it. You’ll do fine. Also, the best time to do laundry is when everyone else is eating.

Sd’A: Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.

DH: Well, the laundry thing took a while. Look, it takes some time to get a handle on college life. It can be tricky to find the balance between studying, and working, and partying when you’re new.

Sd’A: What about some advice to any Freshman considering rushing?

DH: Pick your fraternity carefully.

Sd’A: Are you referring to the famous rivalry between the Phi Sigs and the Alpha Delts?

DH: Not at all. I’m just saying that before you decide to pledge to a fraternity, you should make sure that you’re a good fit. Some fraternities have a focus on academic achievement. Some have a focus on community service. And some have a focus on...on other things.

Sd’A: Point taken. Thanks for your time, Deacon.

The Thing! Also, win things!

Welcome to the J.A. Rock and Lisa Henry Joint Mark Cooper Versus America Happy Birthday Giveaway Multi Hemisphere Blogapalooza. Or, as it will be known from now on, “the thing”.

So here’s the thing.

Want to win a copy of Mark Cooper versus America? It’s out on the 28th of January, but we’ve got fun stuff lined up from today -- J.A.’s birthday -- right through until past release day -- Lisa’s birthday! We couldn’t have planned it better. Seriously. We couldn’t. We don’t plan well at all.

The details of the thing:

From today, January 16 (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, J.A.!) right up until January 24 we’ll be running some fun little character interviews and interactions on Facebook, and also on Twitter, and cross posting to our blogs. Then, on January 24 we’ll ask you a question that relates to something we’ve posted during the week. You can send your answers to us via email, or via private message on Facebook or Twitter, or by carrier pigeon if you have one just fluttering around. Then, on the 26th, we’ll announce our winner!

Why the 26th? Those of you playing from the southern hemisphere might recognise January 26 as Australia Day. And in a book about an Aussie boy, how could we ignore that? So one lucky winner gets a copy of Mark Cooper versus America. And you will probably all get a lamington recipe, so you can celebrate the day as was intended.

On January 27 we will be over at the Blog of Sid Love, being interviewed, and also giving away another copy of the book.

On January 28 we’ll be over at Boy Meets Boy Reviews, celebrating Release Day (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LISA!) with another giveaway.

And on January 29th, we’ll be at Joyfully Jay, doing the same.

But if you missed the chance at those four giveaway, check out our blogs on the 28th -- Release Day! -- for a fun frat quiz. Are you an Alpha Delt or more of a Phi Sig? Or should you even be in college at all? Leave us a comment telling us which character you’ve matched, and you’ll enter the draw for another chance to win the book. That will be drawn on February 4, once J.A. and Lisa have come down from their birthday cake-related sugar highs.

So that’s the thing. And here’s the blurb for the thing:

Mark Cooper is angry, homesick, and about to take his stepdad’s dubious advice and rush Prescott College’s biggest party fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi. Greek life is as foreign to Aussie transplant Mark as Pennsylvania’s snowstorms and bear sightings. So, when the fraternity extends Mark a bid, Mark vows to get himself kicked out by the end of pledge period. But then he’s drawn into Alpha Delt’s feud with a neighboring fraternity.

Studious Deacon Holt is disappointed to learn Mark’s pledging Alpha Delt, his fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa’s sworn enemy. Mark is too beautiful for Deacon to pass up an invitation for sex, but beyond sex, Deacon’s not sure. He wants a relationship, but a difficult family situation prevents him from pursuing anything beyond his studies.

Mark and Deacon’s affair heats up as the war between their fraternities escalates. They explore kinks they didn’t know they had while keeping their liaison a secret from their brothers. But what Romeo and Juliet didn’t teach these star-crossed lovers is how to move beyond sex and into a place where they share more than a bed. That’s something they’ll have to figure out on their own—if the friction between their houses, and between Mark and America, doesn’t tear them apart.

Coincidence? Yes.

It’s funny how we don’t like coincidences in fiction. When the hero on the run in the apocalypse just happens to find that truck with the keys still inside, or the one house in town not looted for supplies -- well, you might as well get the creaky mechanism rolling and lower the god from the machine onto the stage, because I'm done. Which is funny, because coincidences happen all the time in real life.

I think it’s because fiction has an obligation to make more sense than reality.

Lately my co-writer J.A. Rock and I have moved on from fighting about Australian versus American English. Now we’re doing this thing where I pick characters from our books and name them after her close family members. Whose names I don’t know.

Seriously.

So far I’ve managed to do this four times. I’ve named characters after her brother, her cousin, her father, and a dog she had when she was a kid. Best part of that? The character I named after her dog is a dog character.

So, while I try and figure out if I’m just psychic or am developing a combination of godlike and/or superhero powers, I’m also just going to enjoy the ride.

Oh, and in case anyone is wondering, this is why the dedication in When All The World Sleeps reads: To the real Kenny. Because we feel bad.

Me, for naming such a terrible character after you. And J.A., for not telling me a lot sooner.

I think that means she's a worse person than me, right? 

EDITED TO ADD: Make it five times. Picked another cousin today!