Cover Reveal and Guest Post: How We Deal With Gravity by @TheGingerScott

How We Deal With Gravity by Ginger Scott

Available July 2014

When her son Max was diagnosed with autism, Avery Abbot’s life changed forever. Her husband left, and her own dreams became a distant fantasy—always second to fighting never-ending battles to make sure Max was given opportunity, love and respect. Finding someone to fight along her side wasn’t even on her list, and she’d come to terms with the fact that she could never be her own priority again. 

But a familiar face walking into her life in the form of 25-year-old Mason Street had Avery’s heart waging a war within. Mason was a failure. When he left his hometown five years ago, he was never coming back—it was only a matter of time before his records hit the billboard charts. Women, booze and rock-n-roll—that was it for him. But it seemed fate had a different plan in mind, and with a dropped record contract, little money and nowhere to go, Mason turned to the only family that ever made him feel home. 

Avery loved Mason silently for years—until he broke her heart…completely. But time and life have a funny way of changing people, and sometimes second chances are there for a reason. Could this one save them both?

Guest Post with Ginger Scott:

Where do you come up with the ideas for the stories you write about?

It all starts with the characters. They paint the picture for every story. Where would this person live? What would he sound like? What kind of clothing does she wear? Is he rich or poor? Is she kind and generous or selfish and stubborn?

Once I have a good character in my head, I imagine them in a situation, and my story is born from that. For example, with Waiting on the Sidelines, I wanted to write a real tomboy—one that girls could really identify with. I carried Nolan around for years, perfecting her nuances—I probably formed Nolan more than I have any other character—pulling apart the physical things about her, like her appearance, and mashing it with the material things like her possessions, clothes and cars. And then I threw her into a tailspin—I put her in high school. Even the most sure-of-herself girl can become full of anxiety and doubt in the face of hormones, judgment, first-love and heartbreak. And that story grew from there. I wanted to watch Nolan navigate it all—and I wanted it to be, above all else, REAL.

It was the same with Blindness. I thought of the character of Cody first—a beautiful man, broken inside and out. I wanted him to have the sex appeal, but not be so aware of it—one of those quiet guys, just plugging away and trying to get by. Cody, a former motocross rider, overcomes a physical injury, and when I thought about what might make him fight to be whole again, I realized it would take finding someone just like him, in many ways. And that’s where Charlie and Cody’s love story was born.

My most recent novel, How We Deal With Gravity, was born in the same way; only the inspiration came from a subject I care deeply about—autism. I volunteer for an autism organization, and have been touched by it personally in many ways. Through my work, I’ve interviewed countless families affected by it, and I’ve learned that these people are the strongest I know. Avery’s character came first—a single mom raising a child with autism, putting herself second…always. Every inch of Avery flooded me quickly—she was strong and beautiful, but tired—so very tired. And she was human, and doubted her strength constantly. I think more than any story I’ve written, I wanted Avery to have someone sweep her off her feet—I felt like she deserved it. But Mason isn’t the perfect knight and shining armor—at least not right out of the gate. And when I finished figuring out what made Mason Mason, inside and out, their story was something incredibly natural.

I’ve been a journalist for most of my professional life, and I’ve been conditioned to find those stories that are around us—everywhere. Everyone has a story—it’s one of the first things they teach you in J-school, and I’ve uncovered, interviewed and told some amazing stories just by asking those who are willing to share. My books work the same way, but that inner dialogue all takes place in my head, a constant parade of characters all waiting for their stories to be told.