Freedom (The F-Word #5) - E. Davies Page 0,74
up, Jaden sprinted into the mountains with his boyfriend at his back, his dog by his side, and a taste of hard-won freedom on his tongue.
Wait—where had the trail gone? They were at a clearing, and he couldn’t see a path ahead. He did see a slab of rock with a metal disk embedded, though.
Henry caught up with him, out of breath and laughing. “We’re here!”
“We’re… here?” He’d made it to the top? Jaden caught his breath, his smile growing. It wasn’t a huge mountain or arduous trek, but it was so much further than he’d gone in years.
Jaden’s face almost split with a smile. His cheeks hurt as he grabbed Henry and hugged him, and Henry wrapped those strong arms around him.
Home was where Henry was.
There was a bench up here, so Henry pulled Jaden to sit down and then shrugged off his backpack to set out the breakfast they’d cooked together.
As they each grabbed a bacon and egg English muffin, Henry put his hand on Jaden’s knee. His smile asked the question again with no need for words.
The hope in Jaden’s heart shone that much brighter in response. He beamed at Henry and the world that stretched beyond him. “Couldn’t be better.”
Afterword
Thank you for reading Freedom! The F-Word books are among those closest to my heart, and it means a lot to share the stories I need to see.
It was deeply important to me to write a story about a trans man post-bottom surgery, as there are still so many myths and fears out there but so few informative personal experiences about the everyday reality of phalloplasty.
If reading my work raised any questions on this or other subjects, please be aware that a great deal of negative information is deliberately propagated and be cautious about the sources of information you seek out. GLAAD is a good resource to begin learning more: glaad.org/transgender/transFAQ
Much of my inspiration came from my own life—and what a journey it’s been! I owe a great deal of thanks to my found family, who have surrounded and supported me with so much love throughout this wild ride.
I want to acknowledge in particular my tremendous debt to my elders—all those who have come before me and who fought for our rights. In particular, the little-known trailblazer Lou Sullivan advocated for medical reform on behalf of gay trans men. Without him, I wouldn’t have been allowed to live my own authentic life, much less come so far as to write this book.
There are an infinite number of possible trans identities and lives. This story is just one tiny sliver of the beautiful tapestry that is trans people. I encourage you to seek out other books to learn about them.
MM romance featuring trans men is growing more common; my previous books include Grind, Flaunt, and Forever.
There are also many brilliant nonfiction books about trans lives; my recommendations include Trans Like Me by CN Lester, decolonizing trans/gender 101 by b. binaohan, and Gender Explorers by Juno Roche.
If you haven’t already, make sure you sign up to my newsletter: edaviesbooks.com/subscribe You’ll hear about freebies and deals; new releases in ebook, audio, and print; preorder alerts; sneak peeks at upcoming books; event appearances; and other exciting news as it happens!
I also have a reader group on Facebook if you want to chat about your favorite parts of Freedom, see cute bee photos and good news stories, and keep on top of my upcoming releases with a whole bunch of lovely readers: facebook.com/groups/edavies
Always be you!
~Ed
About the Author
E. Davies grew up moving constantly, which taught him what people have in common, the ways relationships are formed, and the dangers of “miscellaneous” boxes. As a young gay author, Ed prefers to tell feel-good stories that are brimming with hope.
He writes full-time, goes on long nature walks, tries to fill his passport, drinks piña coladas on the beach, flees from cute guys, coos over fuzzy animals (especially bees), and is liable to tilt his head and click his tongue if you don't use your turn signal.
Also by E. Davies
Hart’s Bay:
Hard Hart (ebook, audio)
Changed Hart (ebook, audio)
Wild Hart (ebook, audio)
Stolen Hart (ebook, audio)
Significant Brothers:
Splinter (ebook, audio)
Grasp (ebook, audio)
Slick (ebook, audio)
Trace (ebook, audio)
Clutch (ebook, audio)
Tremble (ebook, audio)
Riley Brothers:
Buzz (ebook, audio)
Clang (ebook, audio)
Swish (ebook, audio)
Crunch (ebook, audio)
Slam (ebook, audio)
Grind (ebook, audio)
Brooklyn Boys:
Electric Sunshine (ebook, audio)
Live Wire (ebook, audio)
Boiling Point (ebook, audio)
F-Word:
Flaunt (ebook, audio)
Freak (ebook, audio)
Faux (ebook)
Forever (ebook)
Freedom (ebook)
After:
Afterburn (ebook)
Afterglow (ebook)
Aftermath (ebook)
Shared Universes:
Men of Hidden Creek
Shelter (ebook)
Adore (ebook)
Miracle (ebook)
Redemption (ebook, audio)
Rosavia Royals
Barely Regal (ebook, audio)
Coauthored with Zach Jenkins:
Sugar Topped (ebook)
Just a Summer Deal (ebook)
Audiobooks:
See all my books available in audio here:
E. Davies’ Audiobooks