Is it about that boy? The Shocking Trauma of Aversion Therapy received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Jeremy Gavins.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Is it about that boy? The Shocking Trauma of Aversion Therapy; published May 2018.
What’s the book’s first line?
“If a snail is crossing your garden and it has six feet to go to get to the wall, and it travels half the distance left every hour, how long will it take to get there?” asked my Primary School teacher.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Is it about that boy? is a true story of how a loveless childhood was changed, for the better and worse, by falling in love. Jeremy meets Stephen at their Catholic school in 1970. They live their gay relationship secret until a priest at school finds out about it. Jeremy is threatened with expulsion from school unless he volunteers for electric shock aversion therapy. The treatment traumatises him. To escape the torturous treatment his brain creates images of Stephen dying in a road accident. The story leads the reader through the lows and highs of his life as he struggles to live with the memory of Stephen’s death. Jeremy is diagnosed with PTSD in 1998 relating to Stephen’s death. He receives bereavement counselling. Another diagnosis of PTSD in 2011 leads to Jeremy finding out that the images of Stephen’s death are false. He proves this to be true and tries to find him. Stephen died in a road accident in 1983. Jeremy receives EMDR, ‘Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is only after this treatment in 2016 that Jeremy learns the whole truth of what happened to him as a teenager in 1972.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
When I found out what happened to Stephen in March 2011, I decided to write everything down to help me understand my past. It developed into a book over the next three years. Then it took another three years to edit.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
It is a survivor’s story that’s equal parts heart-breaking, dramatic, distressing and inspiring. It is a story of friendships, and never giving up, and the beauties of the lake district. It’s a wonderful book and amazing story that even has a happy ending!
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
Well strange that you may ask, an Option has been taken out by a scriptwriter wishing to turn it into a movie. He is at work right now. As I am the main character, both young and old, then I don’t know who would play the young me, but my choice for an older me would be Sean Bean, a true Yorkshireman.
When did you first decide to become an author?
More or less August 2014 when I showed my book to an author who said I had a good writing voice.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Yes and, though it was very hard emotional work, I am going to write two more memoirs about different aspects of my life.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I am a professional dry stone walling contractor working in the beautiful Lake District. I have doing this job for over forty years.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
I do not have a definite system. I often find I am at my most productive at 2 or three o’clock in the morning.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
Being in control is my favourite part. The hardest is the fact that I have avoided using computers for most of my life and have avoided social media as much as possible. I also still find it very difficult to stand up and talk about my book without becoming emotional.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
To look into publicity issues long before the book gets published. I didn’t realise that I could do this without having the actual book in my hands.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Yes, because I am not very good at self-promotion, marketing and publicity.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
Yes definitely. To publicise the dangers of conversion therapy as I am trying to get it banned in the UK. Also, to make the Catholic church take responsibility for what it did to me.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Bruce Chatwin.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
The Bible. If I had, the whole world would be a far more peaceful place to live for all minorities.