Release Day Blitz; The Other Me by Suzanne van Rooyen

Hey Guys!
I’m here to celebrate the release of The Other Me by Suzanne van Rooyen with information about the book, an excerpt and a giveaway! Hope you enjoy it.

Author: Suzanne van Rooyen
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Release Date: 19 Dec, 2013
Length: 216 pages
Genre: YA, LGBT, contemporary

Blurb: Fifteen-year-old Treasa Prescott thinks she’s an alien. She doesn’t fit in with the preppy South African private school crowd and feels claustrophobic in her own skin. Treasa is worried she might spend life as a social pariah when she meets Gabriel du Preez. Gabriel plays the piano better than Beethoven, has a black belt in karate, and would look good wearing a garbage bag. Treasa thinks he’s perfect. It might even be love, as long as Gabriel doesn’t find out she’s a freak.

As Treasa spends time with Gabriel, she realizes she might not love him as much as she wants to be him, and that the reason she feels uncomfortable in her skin might have less to do with extra-terrestrial origins and more to do with being born in the wrong body.

But Gabriel is not the perfect boy Treasa imagines. He harbors dark secrets and self-destructive tendencies. Still, Treasa might be able to accept Gabriel’s baggage if he can accept who she longs to be.

Excerpt
Treasa

“You haven’t been on a first date yet, and you’re worried about kissing him?” Jordan sits on my bed, watching me fight with my hair.

“How do you know if you’re a good kisser?”

“People tell you.”

“I’ve only ever kissed one guy.” I twist and pin a strand into place.

“Really?” She looks at me in mirror. “Trent in grade eight?”

“Yup.”

“That’s depressing.”

“Tell me about it.” I examine my makeup. It’s not much, but at least the foundation quiets the riot of freckles across my face, and the mascara accentuates my otherwise pale eyes.

“You need to practice.” Jordan swings her legs over the edge of the bed.

“On who?”

“Me, of course.”

“You want me to kiss you?” I do a final twist at the back and jam in half a dozen pins.

“Not particularly, but I’m willing to do this for the good cause of improving your kissing skills.”

“Are you serious?”

She rolls her eyes and spins me around on the wheelie chair. “Stand up.” Jordan places a hand on my waist and another on my neck. “Lean in slowly and just let your lips touch.” She does, and her lips are sticky with gloss. “Then you pull back a little and gaze into each other’s eyes.” We do, and a startling warmth spreads up from my belly as she places my hands on her waist. “Then you go in for the real deal.”

She kisses me, her lips slightly parted, and then her tongue slips between my teeth and she tastes of toothpaste and strawberry lip gloss. I pull her closer and kiss her back. Her fingers tighten on my neck, and we’re getting really into it. Too into it. I’m not sure who freaks out first. We both pull away and don’t say anything for a few awkward moments.

“You’ll be fine,” Jordan says as she twirls a strand of dark hair around her finger. “You’re not a bad kisser. Definitely room for improvement, but certainly not bad.” Her face is uncharacteristically flushed, and her hands are shaking as she reapplies lip gloss.

Suzanne is an author and peanut-butter addict from South Africa. She currently lives in Finland and finds the cold, dark forests nothing if not inspiring. Although she has a Master’s degree in music, Suzanne prefers conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. When not writing you can find her teaching dance and music to middle-schoolers or playing in the snow with her shiba inu. She is rep’d by Jordy Albert of the Booker Albert Agency.