Lambda Literary Award winner and
finalist, Every Time I Think of You
and Message of Love now published as
paired audiobooks on Audible.com
“Their love is a force of
nature.”
– Lambda Literary Review
Author Jim Provenzano
and Narrator Michael Wetherbee’s months-long collaboration on the two acclaimed
novels bring the heartfelt love story to audiobook format.
The story of
Reid Conniff and Everett Forrester, set in 1970s-1980s Pennsylvania cities,
blends nature, disability and romance in two novels read by thousands.
For a limited time, you can receive
access codes to enjoy both audiobooks. Simply like or follow one of my social media accounts, and direct-message with a request.
Every Time I Think of You - $19.95 6 hours, 40 minutes
ASIN:
B089GWNM7L
Message of Love $24.95
12 hours
ASIN B089M9M37W
about Every Time I Think of You
1978: In a snowy Pennsylvania forest, Reid, a studious high school distance runner, meets Everett, a privileged and capricious charmer. As their lives become intertwined, Reid is swept up in Everett's adventurous world. When a near-fatal accident changes both their lives, Reid and Everett's determination to keep their love alive faces obstacles of family, time and distance.
1978: In a snowy Pennsylvania forest, Reid, a studious high school distance runner, meets Everett, a privileged and capricious charmer. As their lives become intertwined, Reid is swept up in Everett's adventurous world. When a near-fatal accident changes both their lives, Reid and Everett's determination to keep their love alive faces obstacles of family, time and distance.
about
Message of Love
In Jim Provenzano's sequel to the 2012 Lambda Literary Award-winner Every Time I Think of You, the love between two young men is put to a test. Reid Conniff and Everett Forrester have moved to Philadelphia, where college life brings them closer together. But Everett, a recovering paraplegic, is pressured by his mother to transfer to the University of Pennsylvania, while Reid stays at Temple University. Their once long-distance love becomes a cross-town romance. A twist of floral fate finds them an apartment more like a home. Between disability protests, impulsive road trips and despite a few affairs, their relationship grows. But as the early 1980s continue, a spreading crisis approaches, coming into their lives with a strange intimacy, via that one mysterious Polaroid of Everett, the one that Reid never dared to ask about.
In Jim Provenzano's sequel to the 2012 Lambda Literary Award-winner Every Time I Think of You, the love between two young men is put to a test. Reid Conniff and Everett Forrester have moved to Philadelphia, where college life brings them closer together. But Everett, a recovering paraplegic, is pressured by his mother to transfer to the University of Pennsylvania, while Reid stays at Temple University. Their once long-distance love becomes a cross-town romance. A twist of floral fate finds them an apartment more like a home. Between disability protests, impulsive road trips and despite a few affairs, their relationship grows. But as the early 1980s continue, a spreading crisis approaches, coming into their lives with a strange intimacy, via that one mysterious Polaroid of Everett, the one that Reid never dared to ask about.
Jim Provenzano is the author of Now I’m Here, the Lambda Literary Award-winning Every Time I Think of You, its sequel Message of Love (a Lambda Literary Award
Finalist), the novels PINS, Monkey Suits, Cyclizen, the stage adaptation of PINS, and the short story collection Forty Wild Crushes. Born in New York City and raised in Ashland,
Ohio, he studied theatre at Kent State University, has a BFA in Dance from Ohio
State University and a Master of Arts in English/Creative Writing from San Francisco
State University. A journalist, editor, and photographer in LGBT media for
three decades, he lives in San Francisco. www.jimprovenzano.com
Raised in Byfield, MA, Michael Wetherbee has most recently appeared
on NBC's The Blacklist and HBO's The Plot Against America. His
other work includes leads in Diplo's music video for “Earthquake” and the viral
“Zombie in a Penguin Suit”, described by USA Today as “beautiful, gory, and surprisingly emotional”. His
recent audiobook work includes The
Myth Squad books by Trevor Darby. He can also be seen in commercials for
GE
Appliances and Google. By coincidence, he shares the endearing nickname “Giraffe”
with the hero in these two novels, Reid Conniff.
Published review excerpts for Every Time I Think of You
“Their love is a force of nature ... Provenzano’s sweet humor throughout the book is what makes it such a moving and satisfying read. While he certainly brings the reader to a deeper understanding of being differently-abled, he never resorts to preaching his message. These boys are too real for that.” – Dick Smart, Lambda Literary Review
“Their love is a force of nature ... Provenzano’s sweet humor throughout the book is what makes it such a moving and satisfying read. While he certainly brings the reader to a deeper understanding of being differently-abled, he never resorts to preaching his message. These boys are too real for that.” – Dick Smart, Lambda Literary Review
“A sense of youthful, romantic optimism
... permeates the novel as a whole.”
– Erika Jahneke, Breath and Shadow
– Erika Jahneke, Breath and Shadow
“Every Time I Think of You opens readers' eyes, minds and
hearts to corners of the world they may never have realized existed. Everett's
paralysis is less metaphoric, more an opportunity to explore the effect of
disability on two growing boys who just happen to be gay. It's not easy to
write a novel about sports, gay teenagers and sex in (and out of) wheelchairs.
Jim Provenzano has done it, with grace and power.”
– Dan Woog, syndicated columnist, The Outfield
– Dan Woog, syndicated columnist, The Outfield
“With Reid and Everett, the author has
created two counterparts that complement each other beautifully. Their romance,
simple and pure, yet heated and passionate, is strikingly genuine. Furthermore,
they’re both likable, so much so that the reader can’t help but cheer for them.
Even the most jaded among us will experience a renewed faith in love and
romance after reading it.” – Christopher Verleger, Edge
on the Net
“There are so many levels of nuance to
Provenzano's story. But reading about the clever ways which they find to spend time together is
inspiring and touching. It's an exciting voyage of discovery, for them and for
readers alike. When the story takes its more serious turn, Every Time I
Think of You becomes a tale of heartbreak, courage, and healing. It's a
remarkable, uplifting story.” – David Elijah Nahmod, Bay
Area Reporter
“A beautiful story of friendship,
devotion and love, as well as a practical lesson on dealing with physically
challenged individuals.” – Eric Lind, Echo
Magazine
“Sweet, and tender, with the right
feeling for a teenage love story.”
– Elisa Rolle, Elisa Reviews
– Elisa Rolle, Elisa Reviews
“Provenzano’s characters are rich and
complex. Provenzano’s sense of pace and plotting are dead on, so things never
drag, and his prose is straightforward and never showy. It’s a well-told tale
whose aim to inform as well as entertain certainly hits the mark.”
– Jerry Wheeler, Out in Print
– Jerry Wheeler, Out in Print
“This is a unique coming of age story
replete with the surprise one feels when he realizes that he is in love. I love
the way the writer brought opposites together here—heartbreak and peace,
familiar and unknown, humor and near tragedy.” – Amos Lassen Reviews
Advance Praise for Every Time I Think of You
“Every Time I Think of You is a rare combination of delicacy and power, a story of ‘the unbearable weight of first love’ told with both innocence and urgency by its wise and charming adolescent narrator. It rekindled faded memories of the intensity of youthful desire - the mystery, the promise, the excitement, the disappointment. Intelligent, subtle, and compelling, Jim Provenzano's novel is, most of all, audacious. Bravo!” – Andrew W. M. Beierle, author of First Person Plural and The Winter of Our Discotheque
“The coming-of-age story gets a welcome and much needed shake up in Jim Provenzano's graceful and surprising novel about falling in love. Always going where you least expect it, the story is by turns heartbreaking and arousing, comic and introspective, familiar and altogether new. These are characters you'll remember long after the last page.” – Michael Thomas Ford, author of Full Circle, The Road Home
“Every Time I Think of You captures the joy of finding love for the first time, with all the sweetness, comedy and tragedy that experience inevitably entails. And it does so with the audacity and brutal honesty to admit that yes, even the broken and imperfect among us deserve to experience everything that life has to offer. Kudos to Provenzano for daring to show that disability and sexuality aren't mutually exclusive, and that crips can be just as good in bed (or elsewhere) as their non-disabled counterparts.” – Ray Aguilera, former editor of Bent Voices
“Jim Provenzano has written a tender, nostalgic tale in a simple yet elegant prose that comes straight from the heart. It's beautiful, literary, and effective without affectation. We're moved by these characters because we recognize in them our own once-believed indestructibility.” – the late Eric Arvin, author of Woke Up in a Strange Place
“Every Time I Think of You is a rare combination of delicacy and power, a story of ‘the unbearable weight of first love’ told with both innocence and urgency by its wise and charming adolescent narrator. It rekindled faded memories of the intensity of youthful desire - the mystery, the promise, the excitement, the disappointment. Intelligent, subtle, and compelling, Jim Provenzano's novel is, most of all, audacious. Bravo!” – Andrew W. M. Beierle, author of First Person Plural and The Winter of Our Discotheque
“The coming-of-age story gets a welcome and much needed shake up in Jim Provenzano's graceful and surprising novel about falling in love. Always going where you least expect it, the story is by turns heartbreaking and arousing, comic and introspective, familiar and altogether new. These are characters you'll remember long after the last page.” – Michael Thomas Ford, author of Full Circle, The Road Home
“Every Time I Think of You captures the joy of finding love for the first time, with all the sweetness, comedy and tragedy that experience inevitably entails. And it does so with the audacity and brutal honesty to admit that yes, even the broken and imperfect among us deserve to experience everything that life has to offer. Kudos to Provenzano for daring to show that disability and sexuality aren't mutually exclusive, and that crips can be just as good in bed (or elsewhere) as their non-disabled counterparts.” – Ray Aguilera, former editor of Bent Voices
“Jim Provenzano has written a tender, nostalgic tale in a simple yet elegant prose that comes straight from the heart. It's beautiful, literary, and effective without affectation. We're moved by these characters because we recognize in them our own once-believed indestructibility.” – the late Eric Arvin, author of Woke Up in a Strange Place
Published
review excerpts for Message
of Love
“The sequel to the Lambda Literary
Award-winning Every Time I Think of You reintroduces readers to Everett and Reid as they
traverse the next phases of their relationship. It is 1980 Philadelphia, and
the couple has settled into their first year at Temple University, together
exploring the city and campus and adjusting to dormitory domesticity. Message
of Love is a brilliant
retelling of young love and the transformations it undergoes as lovers grow
from adolescence to adulthood.”
– Philadelphia Gay News
“Message of Love is an earnest,
heartfelt and refreshing continuation of a young couple’s adventures that
leaves the reader excited, amused and inspired.” – Edge Media
“I loved the way they interacted and wove themselves so completely into each
other’s lives. The way it was written was pure genius on Provenzano’s part.
I’ll say it again: his writing is gorgeous and sweeping and strong.” – Boys in Our Books
“By having a disabled main character, Provenzano shows us that
the possibility of love also depends upon the people involved. If you doubt the
concept of romance, read this and watch it come back into your life. Provenzano
has created two very special characters and we love them as we read. The
writing is fresh and we certainly feel the love leave the page. I really like
when an author loves what he is saying—we sense that in his words and tone. It
takes a brave man to write about love with a disabled person yet we feel no
pity for Everett because we see him as one of us. This is a skill that this
writer has and it makes me proud to say I know him and value his writing.”
– Amos Lassen Reviews
– Amos Lassen Reviews
“The richness of its
details and the complexities of its characters will make this a story to
remember. If you are new to Reid and Everett’s story, then begin with Every
Time I Think of You. If you are familiar with that novel, then Message of Love is a story not to
be missed, a wonderfully satisfying and uplifting novel, certainly one of
the best of 2014.
“There are so many great elements
of Message of Love, the first being the time period of the story. The
80′s are well represented here and the in-depth research done by Jim Provenzano
shows. He gets the feel of the times just right, and describes with great
sensitivity the impact of Everett’s disability on their relationship, from
living arrangements to their ability to have sex. There are moments in their
relationship that just ring with authenticity...Bringing all these extra layers
and facts into Reid and Everett’s life together helps to connect the reader
intimately to their romance and growing commitment to each other.” – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
Advance
praise for Message
of Love
“Instantly compelling and richly
textured, Message of Love
is more than a sequel; it’s a highly readable novel of two young men trying to
learn to love amid the manifold distractions of college, family, and even an
epidemic.” – Felice Picano, author of
Like People in History and other
best-sellers
“Sexy and uninhibitedly queer. As a bisexual person with a
disability and especially as a wheelchair user, I found the story to be written
in a refreshing and honest tone without falling prey to the pity approach as it
relates to loving somebody with a disability. Jim Provenzano’s Message of Love successfully represents positive
crip and queer sexuality. Bravo!” – Maria R. Palacios, author of The Female King and Criptionary: Disability Humor
and Satire
“With lively, electric prose, Provenzano conjures an epic love
story. He reminds the reader that
there’s always something after the murkiest
of fates and will make the doubtful believe in romance again. Message of Love makes a
significant contribution to disability and queer literature while touching the
heart of the general reader.” – Belo Cipriano, author of Blind: A Memoir
“A vivid and accurate depiction of a moment in time and history,
Message of Love is an honest and unsentimental portrayal of the
difficulties of sustaining even the strongest relationship and is, ultimately,
an inspiring validation of the power of commitment.”
– Tom Mendicino, author of Probation and The Boys From Eighth and Carpenter
– Tom Mendicino, author of Probation and The Boys From Eighth and Carpenter
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