A Very Merry Foxemas
Released: November 2015
Publisher: Foxe Press
It will be available in print,
too, any day now
BLURB
Skyler
Foxe and his friends take a break from solving crimes in this fluffy holiday
treat. Four humorous and hot short stories make up this delectable holiday fare
that is sure to warm hearts and sheets this cold winter season.
Skyler
Foxe Fictional Interview
Q:
Thanks for talking with us today, Skyler. Can you tell us a little about
yourself?
A:
Well, my name is Skyler Foxe, I’m twenty-five, I’ve lived all my life in
Redlands California, and I’m just finishing up my first year of teaching high
school. And it’s been a very challenging year. I don’t know how much to say…
Q:
We know about the troubles at the school. And your own, well, coming out…
A:
Okay. Right. So that was a load of awesome sauce…not! Actually, it all started
when I found my principal’s son at a gay dance club. He was dead. And…well…at
that point I didn’t know my principal Wesley Sherman all that well, but it was
his son! And I know how my mom would have felt, and I was there when my friend
Sidney—she’s a detective with the Redlands Police department—I was there when
she had to tell him. That was just awful! And ever since I felt compelled to
investigate crimes.
Q:
And what happened? Did you solve it?
A:
Oh yeah! I had help from my friends…
Q:
This is the SFC I’ve heard so much about. Now what exactly does that stand for?
A:
Oh. It’s just…a really bad joke that got out of hand. We don’t really have to
talk about that, do we?
Q:
It’s just that we’ll be using the term frequently in our talk and I wanted to
make sure the readers understood.
A:
*squirms uncomfortably* Well…it…it stands for the, uh…the… “Skyler Fuck Club.”
It’s a not very funny joke that one of my friends Jamie coined—
Q:
Is he an SFC member?
A:
Yes. I mean…Okay. It means that these guys were once hook-ups and then became
friends. Just friends.
Q:
And how many is that?
A:
Three. No, four now. But that’s it. There’s Jamie Ewing, Philip Price, Rodolfo
Gamboa de Guerrero, and Dave Caruthers. I mean that’s the only people we are
calling SFC because there’s a lot more, but…uh…can we move on?
Q:
Yes. So, the SFC help you solve crimes?
A:
I ask them to help sometimes. They are really great at coming when I call. And
they’ve gotten me out of scrapes, too. I sort of call them my Scooby Gang.
Q:
But let me get this straight. You’re an English Lit teacher, right? At a high
school? James Polk High.
A:
Yes! It’s the same school I attended, as a matter of fact. Go Polk Panthers!
But, uh. I seem to get into all kinds of trouble. Murder and such. I don’t mean
to! I really don’t. But they involve people I care about and, well. I’m just
not satisfied with what’s called investigating around here. …Don’t tell my
friend Sidney I said that. She’s the police detective. Sidney Feldman. We’ve
known each other since we were nine and she’s been my best bud all through my
childhood and adulthood. She definitely doesn’t like that I investigate
but…tough! I do a decent job. I’ve always figured it out even though…well, even
though I got into dire straits because of it.
Q:
You mean your life was threatened?
A:
A couple of times. No, wait. Every time, I guess. Strange what you forget.
Q: Let’s move on. I understand you were in the closet prior to this year.
A:
Only to my work colleagues. And my mother. I just didn’t parade it at work but
it turns out people knew anyway. And when I was kind of forced out then my mom
found out. That was…fun. I know she had to know sometime but it’s not nice to
be outed when you didn’t plan it.
Q:
How did you deal with it?
A:
Well, my friends were there for me. I broke up with my boyfriend for a while
because it was his fault, but we got back together and it’s fine now.
Q:
And then there’s something about a GSA? What’s that?
A:
Now that is the Gay-Straight Alliance at school. It’s for kids who are gay or
just gay friendly. Allies. And the gay kids do need allies at school. Not just
for protection, but to show the other kids that there’s nothing wrong with
being LGBT. I sort of started it. Well, I was in the closet at the time so I
didn’t become a sponsor till later. But I’m totally involved now. Mostly
because I wish we had had something like that when I was in school, and because
of some particular teens in my sophomore class who…well. I don’t know if a
teacher is supposed to play favorites but I really connect to those
fifteen-year-olds. And there are two boys in my class who…let’s just say they
really needed the GSA. And they have excellent friends from that class who
support them. I’m really proud of all my kids.
Q:
Are there many gay kids there?
A:
Oh yeah. You’d be surprised. In every school. No matter where you live, the
administration can’t stop you if you want to start a GSA at your school. If you
follow all the rules of the school when it comes to starting a club—getting an
adult advisor on board like a teacher, coach, or librarian, perhaps forming and
submitting a constitution with your application and other rules (check your
school manual), then the administration has to allow it. Forming a GSA club is
protected under the Federal Equal Access Act. Under California law, AB 537,
your school is legally responsible for protecting you from harassment and
discrimination. If you’re looking for all the facts and information and
resources for starting a GSA at your school, start at GSAnetwork.org.
Q:
Thanks for that. I also understand that you have a relationship with the
football coach. Tell us about that.
A:
Yeah. Well. It’s not something I was looking for. I was perfectly happy with my
current lifestyle. That is, I wasn’t really interested in a boyfriend, settling
for one man. I enjoyed hooking up…oh. Wait. Can we edit that part out? I don’t
want to come off as a slut or anything.
Q:
It’s not really something we do.
A: Oh. Well…shoot. Okay. You know what? I’m not ashamed of it. No one should be! That’s just the way some people are and that's the way I was. Until Keith. Keith Fletcher. He also teaches biology. I know. Get all the jokes out of your system. But it kind of happened while investigating the strange goings on at the school. And we just…meshed. He’s a real sweet guy and I really like being his boyfriend.
Q:
Is it strange dating someone you work with?
A:
I don’t really work with him. He’s a football coach and biology teacher. That
doesn’t really relate to what I teach. But I know what you mean. It’s nice when
we can get together for lunch. I thought at one time it might be too much of a
good thing but I like seeing him during the day. I know how sappy that makes me
sound, but so be it!
Q:
What’s he like?
A:
Keith is tall. A foot taller than me, at least, and really good-looking. Broad-shouldered.
Kind of built like a linebacker but maybe a bit more svelte. He’s ten years
older than me but that doesn’t seem to matter. He’s got black hair and light
blue eyes, like a husky’s. And he’s got that permanent beard stubble look which
in my opinion is very sexy. He looks pretty much like an underwear model. It
embarrasses him when I say that but it’s the truth. My friend Jamie calls him
“Hunk-on-a-Stick.” But he’s not all looks. He’s extremely intelligent and
patient, and very athletic. He almost went pro out of college but he hurt his
knee, so he went for a biology PhD instead. Pretty dreamy, huh? Smarts and good
looks? Yeah, I consider myself pretty lucky.
Q:
He sounds wonderful. I’m jealous. Do you think you’ll get involved in more
murder investigations?
A:
Gosh, I don’t think so. I mean, how many people can I know that will be
murdered? Kind of looks suspicious right? Jessica Fletcher did it! Ahem. But in
all seriousness, I really have no intention of doing anything like that. I just
want to teach school, mentor my kids, and repeat till retirement.
Q:
So if something suspicious came along, you wouldn’t investigate?
A:
Why? What have you heard? I mean…I don’t know. I guess I might. Never say never
and all that. Rudyard Kipling said, “Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's
your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.” I wouldn’t wish trouble on
anyone, but if it happens, I’d like to think that I’d be there to help.
ABOUT
HALEY
Haley
Walsh writes the Skyler Foxe Mysteries, a thrilling, humorous, and romantic LGBT
romp with men, music, and murder. The books are in print, digital, and now
audio! Skyler is in his first year as a high school English teacher in his
hometown of Redlands California. It’s tough enough in high school, but try
being a young, gay high school teacher in a redneck county in southern
California. Of course, Skyler Foxe thought teaching English Lit was murder. Wait
till he falls into the real thing. Try the latest book, a holiday novella
called A VERY MERRY FOXEMAS.
With
a long history in the arts in Los Angeles, Haley Walsh spent a good part of her
early years involved in the theatre and as a freelance graphic designer. Later,
she turned a long-time hobby of writing novels into a career and lives a double
life as a medieval mystery author under another name Jeri Westerson while living the other
half as Haley Walsh, writing about her gay amateur sleuth, high school English
teacher Skyler Foxe. Skyler Foxe
Mysteries
FIND
HALEY HERE
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