Award-winning journalist and former color guard world champion Jase Peeples has officially entered the world of young adult fiction with Twirl, a high-energy queer romance set in the intensely competitive and often overlooked world of high school color guard.Described as Heartstopper meets Bring It On, but with a color guard twist, Twirl follows Ethan, a driven senior on the reigning national champion color guard team at Landon High School. Ethans only goal is to win another gold medal, but a bold message from a rival team member, Danny, changes everything. As the season heats up, so do their feelings for each other, along with the stakes that threaten their teams, reputations, and hearts.Published by Evernight Teen, Twirl hit shelves on May 9 and quickly soared to the No. 1 spot on Amazons Hot New Releases for LGBTQ+ YA Romance.A Spotlight on Queer Teensand Color GuardPeeples, whose journalism has appeared in The Advocate, Out, and Healthline, said the inspiration for Twirl came directly from his own life in the marching arts.Peeples performed with the world-renowned Blue Devils World Class Winter Guard and is a three-time Winter Guard International (WGI) World Champion. Hes spent years teaching and designing for finalist color guards and marching bands across California. But for Twirl, it was about more than just spotlighting the sport, it was about showing queer teens at the center of it.More Than Just RivalsAlthough Twirl is being praised for its swoon-worthy romance, Peeples is quick to clarify that its not a traditional enemies-to-lovers narrative.The novel presents Ethan as gay and Danny as bisexual, identities that are central, but not sensationalized.Heart and TechniqueFor all its heartfelt romance, Twirl doesnt skip the sweat and grit of color guard competition. Peeples worked to strike a balance between the emotional arc of the characters and the physical demands of their sport.Peeples added that both plotlines were intertwined from the start: The pressures of competition fuel Ethan and Dannys challenges, but their growing feelings for each other also shape the way they handle the season. One always informed the other, and that helped keep both elements in balance.A Personal Story Told with PrideWhile Peeples acknowledges that both Ethan and Danny carry elements of his own personality, they each developed distinct identities.As queer rival-to-lovers stories remain relatively rare in YA literature, Peeples hopes Twirl will expand representation and encourage more stories that center queer joy, not just struggle.Source