Ryan Field's Blog, page 508
January 3, 2012
Fred Karger's TV Commercial
In the commercial, Fred Karger is wondering if we're fed up with the Republican party. I changed the title from the way it read on youtube.
And this is because I'm actually fed up with all politics these days...with both parties, across the board. Our leaders aren't acting in the best interests of the people anymore, they can't seem to get a grasp on the concept of bipartisanship, and the only ones who seem to be benefiting from our politicians are large banks and corporations who continue to slam us with high interest rates, unfair surcharges, and more red tape than even they know what to do with. I was speaking with a real estate friend this past weekend about the problems in getting mortgages. This alone is frustrating when you consider the corruption that's still going on. I could list everything item by item. But that would take too long.
Below is an interesting TV commercial by the Fred Karger campaign. He's openly gay and running for President. What he's saying resonates with me, as an Independent voter, to a certain extent. But what I really want to hear is that the next person who sits down in the oval office will be focusing on the people who need it the most, not the people making millions of dollars a year who screwed everything up in the first place. And so far, I haven't heard anyone say this at all.
[image error]
And this is because I'm actually fed up with all politics these days...with both parties, across the board. Our leaders aren't acting in the best interests of the people anymore, they can't seem to get a grasp on the concept of bipartisanship, and the only ones who seem to be benefiting from our politicians are large banks and corporations who continue to slam us with high interest rates, unfair surcharges, and more red tape than even they know what to do with. I was speaking with a real estate friend this past weekend about the problems in getting mortgages. This alone is frustrating when you consider the corruption that's still going on. I could list everything item by item. But that would take too long.
Below is an interesting TV commercial by the Fred Karger campaign. He's openly gay and running for President. What he's saying resonates with me, as an Independent voter, to a certain extent. But what I really want to hear is that the next person who sits down in the oval office will be focusing on the people who need it the most, not the people making millions of dollars a year who screwed everything up in the first place. And so far, I haven't heard anyone say this at all.
[image error]
A Regular Bud: A Story that Still Surprises Me
When I wrote A Regular Bud as a digital short e-book, I never expected it to do what it has been doing ever since it was released.
It's been on more bestseller lists than I can name, because I don't usually keep track of these things...nor do I have google alerts set up. It's been on one web site's bestseller list since it was released. And now it's back on the publisher's bestseller list at number one. When I wrote it, I thought I was writing a little short story that would sell a few copies and I could add it to my list of publishing credits.
It constantly surprises me, mainly because I'm not sure what I did to make it resonate with readers. I've had more e-mails from this book than from anything else I've written. I'm half tempted to write a sequel, but then I have a feeling the sequel wouldn't go over as well at the original. I've been there before. Sequels don't always resonate the same way the original did.
You can check it out here at the publisher's web site. Or it can be found at almost all web sites where digital books are sold.[image error]
Book Review: Mardi Gras by A.B. Gayle
I recently did an interview with Author A.B. Gayle, so I was a little hesitant about reading her work. The interview went well, in a way that surprised me. She asked questions as if she really "got" what I was trying to do with my books. My biggest concern about reading her work was that I might not like it.
However, the minute I began Mardi Gras I knew on page one I'd found something I was going to enjoy. I can tell by the first five pages, or less, whether or not a writer knows what he/she is doing with regard to actually crafting a novel or a short work of fiction. And nothing puts me off more than lack of knowledge and skill...said bookisms, dialogue tags with too many adverbs, no dialogue tags at all, too much dialogue that doesn't help move the story forward. For those who know better, it's not always easy to spot great writing. But bad writing is as transparent as low rent origin no matter how you try to dress it up.
From the first paragraph of Mardi Gras, I was drawn into the story by A.B. Gayle's neat, clean, tight writing style. Instead of reading a mundane romance, I knew I was reading that rare combination of literature and romance combined. The next aspect that caught my attention was the setting. The entire story revolves around Mardi Gras in Sydney, Australia, which is someplace I've always wanted to go. The romance alone, for me, with respect to Australia, was more than enough to keep me reading. And the way the setting is described, in more than one place in the book, creates a detailed explanation that made me feel as though I were actually there. This is the kind of escape I'm looking for when I'm reading anything.
It's going to be difficult to get into the plot without giving out spoilers. But I will be careful. I don't want to ruin anything for those who haven't read this book. The main theme revolves around Damien, an American writer, who travels to Sydney for Mardi Gras. He's keeping his visit on the down low, because he's a journalist/blogger and he recently trashed Mardi Gras on his blog. He feels the event has drifted away from its original goals, and there's no political significance anymore. This, I believe, is something a lot of gay men can relate to these days everywhere. I'm forty years old and I've seen changes I'm not thrilled with when it comes to gay pride events. Damien, in the book, is fifty, and he seems to wish there was more integrity in these cultural events that used to mean so much to so many people. He's a character I liked from the beginning. There's nothing fake about him. He's tough, yet vulnerable.
The first surprise in the story involves a character Damien meets at the airport. This character is twenty-five years younger and he was sent to meet Damien. At first, I thought I could predict what would happen next. But I was wrong. I can't get into anymore now or I'll ruin it. Just trust me on this: you'll want to know more about this character, and his relationship with Damien, as the book progresses.
A few elements that resonated with me were things like Damien's blog, and how he relates to his blog readers and the people who comment on his blog regularly. It's a very current situation that a lot of people can relate to these days. And I don't always see this in fiction in the mainstream. I also liked the little tidbits of humor, sometimes riding the thin line of cutting edge. This is a quote with regard to Australian accents that I thought was perfect:
Even Meryl Streep had difficulty impersonating an Aussie.
Even though the story isn't too long...65...pages...I did see nice character development. Damien seems to grow warmer and more open as the story progresses. He drops a lot of his defenses. And he cares so much he's willing to settle for nothing more than an online relationship if that's what it takes to keep this young man in his life.
We'd only met physically for the first time less than twenty-four hours ago, but I knew, from months of interaction on the blog, just how stubborn he could be. If I crossed over the street before he saw me, he wouldn't follow. That would be the end; he would drop out of my life forever. I couldn't do it. No matter what had happened today . . . tonight, I hoped we could still have some degree of friendship, the ability to discuss issues that were important to both of us, even if only connected over the Internet.
Damien also seems to be planning for the future, even though he's not quite ready to admit this to himself. And he continues to grow from there. And, once again, this excerpt is an example of how wonderfully written this book is. It was one of those passages that I read more than once.
Here's something I think all of us can understand, men and women, gay or straight, when we become interested in someone younger.
This was too much information and too close to the bone. It was bad enough knowing I'd made an idiot of myself with a man so much younger than myself and now to find I came under the classification of 'one of those,' tired old men who chased boys who were barely legal.
I tried to pull my hand away, but he clasped it in both of his. "Instead, you were just so young, normal . . . ."
The author managed to pick up on all Damien's insecurities in one neat, short paragraph...and all the things I was thinking while I was reading between the lines of this book. I was actually dying for Damien, hoping and praying he wouldn't get shot down.
As for sex scenes and heat, there are a few. But I wouldn't classify this as a m/m romance with tons of hot sex. The sex that is there is appropriate to the story. In this case, anything more would not have worked with the story. And if the sex scenes that are there were to be removed, the story would still stand on its own. As I said earlier, this story has a literary feel to it in more ways than one. And when I'm reading something literary, I want the sex scenes to be incorporated in a way that makes them relevant to the story. Though I don't do this often myself, because I tend to write more sex in most books, I have done it with stories like Strawberries and Cream at the Plaza, and I know how hard it can be to make it work. A.B. Gayle did, indeed, make this work. The story didn't need anymore sex than it had.
To sum it up, this is a story where two people meet for the first time, one twenty-five years older than the other. They come from different backgrounds and cultures, and yet they have a great deal in common. But then they already know each other fairly well through an online experience, where they've already exposed many of their true feelings. It's also a story about confusion, and how online interaction can often mislead people into believing things that may or may not be accurate. As the story progresses, we feel hints of sorrow at certain points. We also feel the frustration and we want things to work out for Damien. I can't go into any more detail because I don't want to ruin the story for anyone. But if I did have a rating system, I would give this book five stars. And I will recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading m/m fiction without thinking twice.
About the author:
Unlike many authors, A.B. Gayle has not been writing stories all her life. Instead, she's been living life.[image error]
January 2, 2012
Openly Gay Candidate Fred Karger Wants to be Included in the NBC/Facebook Debates on January 8
As I receive e-mails about Fred Karger, openly gay Republican who is running for President, I will post them here. As I've stated before, I have no idea yet for whom I'm voting in the next election. But I do feel the need to at least pass the word around about Fred Karger being that he's the only openly gay candidate I've ever seen run for President. I'd like to see history be made, too. What I'm posting below is taken verbatim from an e-mail I received from his campaign staff.
Basically, he's asking a number of people, including Mark Zuckerberg, to be included in the NBC/Facebook debate this Sunday, and he's giving what I think are good solid examples of why he should, indeed, be included in this debate.
January 2, 2012
Contact: Rina Shah
rina@fredkarger.com
202-507-9583
Fred to NBC/Facebook: Let Me In to Sunday's NH Debate
We sent the letter below to all the organizers of Saturday's Debate in New Hampshire. They have not publicly released the debate criteria, so by all reasonable standards, I should be allowed on that stage.
Please read my letter below:
January 2, 2012
Mr. Steve Capus
President of NBC News
30 Rockefeller Center,
New York, New York, 10112
Chuck Todd
Political Director
NBC News,
4001 Nebraska Avenue,
Washington, DC 20016.
Mark Zuckerberg
President & CEO
Facebook
1601 S. California Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Katie Harbath
Associate Manager for Policy
Facebook
1611 Connecticut Ave NW.
Suite 300
Washington DC 20009
Betsy Fischer
Executive Director
Meet the Press, NBC News,
4001 Nebraska Avenue,
Washington, DC 20016
Re: Let Fred Karger into the NBC – Facebook Debate
Dear All:
I am writing to officially request an invitation to the NBC - Facebook Debate on Sunday January 8, 2012.
I am currently tied with Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum in two recent New Hampshire polls. New Hampshire's WMUR TV and The Boston Globe have confirmed that I have spent more time campaigning in the Granite State than any other candidate for president. I have walked precincts and campaigned all over New Hampshire during my 25 visits. I have conducted more campaign events than any other candidate during my more than 200 days in the Granite State since February of 2010. I have met with nearly every editorial board: The Concord Monitor, Foster's Daily Democrat, The Nashua Telegraph, The Keene Sentinel , The Portsmouth Herald , The Citizen of Laconia and The Monadnock Ledger-Transcript. I was the first candidate to file in person for the New Hampshire ballot. I am now only one of eight Republicans actively running for president who will appear on Michigan's GOP ballot in February, and I will be competing in other state primaries and caucuses as well.
Eight Is Enough
The overwhelming majority of Republican primary debates have included eight candidates. I am currently one of the top eight in the 2012 Republican presidential primary field since Herman Cain has suspended his campaign, Gary Johnson is seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party and it appears that Buddy Roemer is seeking the nomination of Americans Elect. I have scored 2% or 1% in more than a dozen national polls that have included me and have tied Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann , Jon Huntsman, Rick Perry and beat Rick Santorum in many of these. That is correct; I have tied all of my Republican presidential primary opponents in methodologically sound polls of primary voters except for Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.
Mark McKinnon - Harvard Kennedy School Weigh in on Debates
Mark McKinnon, former Senior Media Advisor for President George W. Bush, Global Vice Chair for Hill & Knowlton and the Reidy Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, just published an extensive research paper on the 2012 Republican Primary Debates that will be released very soon. In his 30 page report, "Going Rogue: Time to Reform the Presidential Primary Debates," Mr. McKinnon found that "the selection criteria for the 2012 Republican primary debates and forums have been constant only in the candidates excluded." The four excluded candidates were my three peers and me. The other three have let the Republican Primary: Gary Johnson, Thaddeus McCotter and Buddy Roemer. The main criteria for these debates have been polling. With the help of researchers from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Mark McKinnon has proven that "given the insignificant difference between a one percent or 2 percent polling number, particularly early in the primary calendar, it is easy to question the entire system upon which the criteria for entering into primary debates has been constructed." In his conclusion, McKinnon asserted, "The 2012 presidential primary debates went rogue."
Extensive International, National and Regional Media Coverage
Google's search engine has 1,740,000 listings for me. I have been interviewed and profiled in thousands of stories including the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Jerusalem Post, the Observer, The Guardian, The OC Weekly and Chicago Magazine. BBC's HardTalk interviewed its first 2012 Republican candidate when Steven Sackur interviewed me. Fox News, ABC, MSNBC, CBS News, New Hampshire's WMUR, The Manchester Union Leader, The Des Moines Register, Politico and The Huffington Post all regularly include me in their lists of 2012 candidates. I have appeared on CBS, ABC, CNBC, NPR, Rachel Maddow, Comedy Central and Thomas Roberts' show on MSNBC as well as hundreds more TV and radio shows.
NBC & Facebook Can Make History
The Time Has Come. I should be included in the NBC - Facebook Debate on January 8, 2012 with the other leading Republican candidates. As the only moderate Republican running for president this cycle, I have many different views on issues and many new ideas that have not yet been talked about in previous debates. As the first openly gay candidate of a major political party, my appearance on your debate stage will be historic. What a proud moment that will be for millions of Americans.
I look forward to hearing from you, and hope to see you in Concord next Sunday!
Thank you.
Best regards,
Fred Karger
fred@fredkarger.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We're sending thousands of pieces of direct mail to Independent voters with the same "Fed Up With the Republican Party?" message. Please help us send even more direct mail out to these important voters:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred's Campaigning in New Hampshire all Week
Heather from Bow, NH sent Kevin a text message yesterday:
"Just went to my town clerk and voted for Fred."
Heather goes to law school in Washington, DC and voted by absentee ballot since she will be out of state on January 10th, the day of the New Hampshire Primary.
Thank you Heather! What a great message to send the Republican Party - student support for the only moderate Republican candidate running for President.
In fact that is the closing theme of our campaign in New Hampshire.
We have a new commercial running statewide beginning tomorrow, and we'll be sending thousands of pieces of direct mail to Independent and Republican voters with the "Fed up with the Republican Party?" theme.
Fred is tied with Bachmann and Santorum
With your help, I can beat Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum in the New Hampshire Primary. The last two New Hampshire polls have me tied with them! What a powerful message we could send the country if Fred Karger, the first openly gay candidate in history, could compete with the two most homophobic candidates running for President.
Jam Packed Schedule
We were all over the Granite State this past week. Today we are off to Peterborough, Keene and end up at a House Party at 7 pm tonight, Monday, January 2nd at Bob Thompson and Mike Jacobsen's – 748 Beech St., Manchester.
We have lots of volunteers staying at the New Hampshire White House now and helping out.
Fred in the News
Here's some of the great New Hampshire Coverage we received this week:
Keene Sentinel
AOL's Patch.com
WMUR ABC TV
WMUR ABC TV
Thanks for all your help and support. We will keep you posted on everything that we have going on this final week before the first-in-the-nation Primary next Tuesday.
Five for Fred – PLEASE HELP OUT
Please forward this email to 5 other New Hampshire voters. You will be a part of history.
Thank you so much and a very Happy New Year!!!
Best wishes,
Fred
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please help us continue to get our message out. It is making a difference. Send in a contribution today by clicking on the red button below. Thank you for your support![image error]
Basically, he's asking a number of people, including Mark Zuckerberg, to be included in the NBC/Facebook debate this Sunday, and he's giving what I think are good solid examples of why he should, indeed, be included in this debate.
January 2, 2012
Contact: Rina Shah
rina@fredkarger.com
202-507-9583
Fred to NBC/Facebook: Let Me In to Sunday's NH Debate
We sent the letter below to all the organizers of Saturday's Debate in New Hampshire. They have not publicly released the debate criteria, so by all reasonable standards, I should be allowed on that stage.
Please read my letter below:
January 2, 2012
Mr. Steve Capus
President of NBC News
30 Rockefeller Center,
New York, New York, 10112
Chuck Todd
Political Director
NBC News,
4001 Nebraska Avenue,
Washington, DC 20016.
Mark Zuckerberg
President & CEO
1601 S. California Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Katie Harbath
Associate Manager for Policy
1611 Connecticut Ave NW.
Suite 300
Washington DC 20009
Betsy Fischer
Executive Director
Meet the Press, NBC News,
4001 Nebraska Avenue,
Washington, DC 20016
Re: Let Fred Karger into the NBC – Facebook Debate
Dear All:
I am writing to officially request an invitation to the NBC - Facebook Debate on Sunday January 8, 2012.
I am currently tied with Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum in two recent New Hampshire polls. New Hampshire's WMUR TV and The Boston Globe have confirmed that I have spent more time campaigning in the Granite State than any other candidate for president. I have walked precincts and campaigned all over New Hampshire during my 25 visits. I have conducted more campaign events than any other candidate during my more than 200 days in the Granite State since February of 2010. I have met with nearly every editorial board: The Concord Monitor, Foster's Daily Democrat, The Nashua Telegraph, The Keene Sentinel , The Portsmouth Herald , The Citizen of Laconia and The Monadnock Ledger-Transcript. I was the first candidate to file in person for the New Hampshire ballot. I am now only one of eight Republicans actively running for president who will appear on Michigan's GOP ballot in February, and I will be competing in other state primaries and caucuses as well.
Eight Is Enough
The overwhelming majority of Republican primary debates have included eight candidates. I am currently one of the top eight in the 2012 Republican presidential primary field since Herman Cain has suspended his campaign, Gary Johnson is seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party and it appears that Buddy Roemer is seeking the nomination of Americans Elect. I have scored 2% or 1% in more than a dozen national polls that have included me and have tied Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann , Jon Huntsman, Rick Perry and beat Rick Santorum in many of these. That is correct; I have tied all of my Republican presidential primary opponents in methodologically sound polls of primary voters except for Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.
Mark McKinnon - Harvard Kennedy School Weigh in on Debates
Mark McKinnon, former Senior Media Advisor for President George W. Bush, Global Vice Chair for Hill & Knowlton and the Reidy Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, just published an extensive research paper on the 2012 Republican Primary Debates that will be released very soon. In his 30 page report, "Going Rogue: Time to Reform the Presidential Primary Debates," Mr. McKinnon found that "the selection criteria for the 2012 Republican primary debates and forums have been constant only in the candidates excluded." The four excluded candidates were my three peers and me. The other three have let the Republican Primary: Gary Johnson, Thaddeus McCotter and Buddy Roemer. The main criteria for these debates have been polling. With the help of researchers from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Mark McKinnon has proven that "given the insignificant difference between a one percent or 2 percent polling number, particularly early in the primary calendar, it is easy to question the entire system upon which the criteria for entering into primary debates has been constructed." In his conclusion, McKinnon asserted, "The 2012 presidential primary debates went rogue."
Extensive International, National and Regional Media Coverage
Google's search engine has 1,740,000 listings for me. I have been interviewed and profiled in thousands of stories including the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Jerusalem Post, the Observer, The Guardian, The OC Weekly and Chicago Magazine. BBC's HardTalk interviewed its first 2012 Republican candidate when Steven Sackur interviewed me. Fox News, ABC, MSNBC, CBS News, New Hampshire's WMUR, The Manchester Union Leader, The Des Moines Register, Politico and The Huffington Post all regularly include me in their lists of 2012 candidates. I have appeared on CBS, ABC, CNBC, NPR, Rachel Maddow, Comedy Central and Thomas Roberts' show on MSNBC as well as hundreds more TV and radio shows.
NBC & Facebook Can Make History
The Time Has Come. I should be included in the NBC - Facebook Debate on January 8, 2012 with the other leading Republican candidates. As the only moderate Republican running for president this cycle, I have many different views on issues and many new ideas that have not yet been talked about in previous debates. As the first openly gay candidate of a major political party, my appearance on your debate stage will be historic. What a proud moment that will be for millions of Americans.
I look forward to hearing from you, and hope to see you in Concord next Sunday!
Thank you.
Best regards,
Fred Karger
fred@fredkarger.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We're sending thousands of pieces of direct mail to Independent voters with the same "Fed Up With the Republican Party?" message. Please help us send even more direct mail out to these important voters:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred's Campaigning in New Hampshire all Week
Heather from Bow, NH sent Kevin a text message yesterday:
"Just went to my town clerk and voted for Fred."
Heather goes to law school in Washington, DC and voted by absentee ballot since she will be out of state on January 10th, the day of the New Hampshire Primary.
Thank you Heather! What a great message to send the Republican Party - student support for the only moderate Republican candidate running for President.
In fact that is the closing theme of our campaign in New Hampshire.
We have a new commercial running statewide beginning tomorrow, and we'll be sending thousands of pieces of direct mail to Independent and Republican voters with the "Fed up with the Republican Party?" theme.
Fred is tied with Bachmann and Santorum
With your help, I can beat Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum in the New Hampshire Primary. The last two New Hampshire polls have me tied with them! What a powerful message we could send the country if Fred Karger, the first openly gay candidate in history, could compete with the two most homophobic candidates running for President.
Jam Packed Schedule
We were all over the Granite State this past week. Today we are off to Peterborough, Keene and end up at a House Party at 7 pm tonight, Monday, January 2nd at Bob Thompson and Mike Jacobsen's – 748 Beech St., Manchester.
We have lots of volunteers staying at the New Hampshire White House now and helping out.
Fred in the News
Here's some of the great New Hampshire Coverage we received this week:
Keene Sentinel
AOL's Patch.com
WMUR ABC TV
WMUR ABC TV
Thanks for all your help and support. We will keep you posted on everything that we have going on this final week before the first-in-the-nation Primary next Tuesday.
Five for Fred – PLEASE HELP OUT
Please forward this email to 5 other New Hampshire voters. You will be a part of history.
Thank you so much and a very Happy New Year!!!
Best wishes,
Fred
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please help us continue to get our message out. It is making a difference. Send in a contribution today by clicking on the red button below. Thank you for your support![image error]
What Do You Love or Hate About Publishers?
I'd like this post to be an open thread, where anonymous comments are more than welcome...they are encouraged. In fact, please think twice about leaving your identity this time.
It's going to be something I'll leave up for a long time, and I'm not going to comment at all on the thread. Let me repeat: I am going to remain objective...on the outside looking in. This isn't about me, it's about what readers and authors think.
What I'd like to see are comments about all publishers in general, large or small; digital first or "traditional." What you love about them. What bothers you about them. I'd like to know what you think of them...or if you even bother to notice who is publishing a book or an author. You can rant. You can praise. It's an open comment thread for all.
Please do not use this thread to trash other authors or any specific books. Please do not trash editors or literary agents or book reviewers either. That's not what it's about and I will not publish any comments that are abusive toward authors or specific books, or that single any one person out.
This is strictly about publishers and how readers/authors feel about them.
It's going to be something I'll leave up for a long time, and I'm not going to comment at all on the thread. Let me repeat: I am going to remain objective...on the outside looking in. This isn't about me, it's about what readers and authors think.
What I'd like to see are comments about all publishers in general, large or small; digital first or "traditional." What you love about them. What bothers you about them. I'd like to know what you think of them...or if you even bother to notice who is publishing a book or an author. You can rant. You can praise. It's an open comment thread for all.
Please do not use this thread to trash other authors or any specific books. Please do not trash editors or literary agents or book reviewers either. That's not what it's about and I will not publish any comments that are abusive toward authors or specific books, or that single any one person out.
This is strictly about publishers and how readers/authors feel about them.
Halfway Through Merv Griffin: A Life in the Closet
I posted about this biography earlier, . It's been taking me longer to read for two reasons: I've been busy reading other manuscripts, and I'm purposely making this bio last because I'm enjoying it so much.
I've also been following the reviews of this biography more closely than I do with other books I read. I'm still stunned by the negative reviews, which even go so far as to say the book was poorly written. Maybe these folks have different copies than I have. I'm reading the e-book. I haven't come across any mistakes that would cause me to leave a bad review.
The thing that interests me is that all the negative reviews almost sound as though they are coming from personal disappointment and hurt instead of valid, constructive criticisms. In other words, I can't help get the feeling that many who have read this book feel as if they've been told there is no Santa, no Easter Bunny, and no Good Fairy...pardon the very bad pun.
I'll be the first to admit that when it comes to all biographies I'm always a skeptic. I don't think it's possible to list every single aspect of anyone's life, especially not a complicated man like Merv Griffin who worked so hard to maintain a successful public persona. But I also believe that his public persona was very different from his private life. In a general sense, even though I doubt all the things I'm reading actually happened that way, I do believe they either could have happened or that it's very close to what might have happened.
There are certain segments of our society that always have, and still do, cover up anything gay related. It's most prominent in Washington, DC and in Hollywood. I once knew, personally, a senator who would come to New Hope on weekends with his very young gay lover and frequent the gay bars. He was a Democrat, a married man with children, and led a double life no one ever knew about. He's not the only one. As for Hollywood, the cover ups with gay men and women have been going on for years. The press knows about it and never reports it. Rock Hudson was a good example of this. And I'm sure there are still people out there who question all the things that have been written about his real life since his death.
I actually do, indeed, understand the need for this cover up. I'm not fond of it and I don't do it. But I understand it. There's still this weird judgment about gay people out there. And the reviews I'm reading about Merv Griffin's bio are classic. It's like people don't want to believe that he was a closeted gay man, who lived in private like all gay men live, and that he wasn't the sweet old bachelor we all were led to believe he was. And that's the part that bothers me the most. I don't blame Merv for keeping his gay life a secret. He did what he had to do in order to survive and keep his career.
I've read too many reviews about this bio that suggest there's something wrong with Merv's life in the closet. I'm getting the feeling that the disappointed that he was gay is so upsetting to some they don't want to believe it's true. And after reading these reviews, and seeing how disgruntled people are when they learn that Merv was gay and that he did have an active gay life that included plenty of sex, I can fully understand why he didn't come out of the closet. It would have been career suicide, especially in his day.
There are a few well known performers today that we suspect are gay and yet remain in the closet. I once saw one of them being discussed on a talk show and someone said, "He's not gay. If he were it wouldn't make sense to be in the closet nowadays." The audience laughed, the host agreed. But I know why a performer would prefer to remain in the closet, and most other gay men know this, too. Because once you come out of the closet there's no going back. And your life is going to change completely.
I'm still not sure how I'm going to review this bio. I'm waiting to see how the author wraps it up before I form any strong opinions. But I would suggest that all the readers who love m/m romance check it out. It's not escapism. It's not fantasy. But it will give you a realistic take on what it's like to be a gay man who can't come out of the closet. And, why some gay men don't come out of the closet and never will.
I've also been following the reviews of this biography more closely than I do with other books I read. I'm still stunned by the negative reviews, which even go so far as to say the book was poorly written. Maybe these folks have different copies than I have. I'm reading the e-book. I haven't come across any mistakes that would cause me to leave a bad review.
The thing that interests me is that all the negative reviews almost sound as though they are coming from personal disappointment and hurt instead of valid, constructive criticisms. In other words, I can't help get the feeling that many who have read this book feel as if they've been told there is no Santa, no Easter Bunny, and no Good Fairy...pardon the very bad pun.
I'll be the first to admit that when it comes to all biographies I'm always a skeptic. I don't think it's possible to list every single aspect of anyone's life, especially not a complicated man like Merv Griffin who worked so hard to maintain a successful public persona. But I also believe that his public persona was very different from his private life. In a general sense, even though I doubt all the things I'm reading actually happened that way, I do believe they either could have happened or that it's very close to what might have happened.
There are certain segments of our society that always have, and still do, cover up anything gay related. It's most prominent in Washington, DC and in Hollywood. I once knew, personally, a senator who would come to New Hope on weekends with his very young gay lover and frequent the gay bars. He was a Democrat, a married man with children, and led a double life no one ever knew about. He's not the only one. As for Hollywood, the cover ups with gay men and women have been going on for years. The press knows about it and never reports it. Rock Hudson was a good example of this. And I'm sure there are still people out there who question all the things that have been written about his real life since his death.
I actually do, indeed, understand the need for this cover up. I'm not fond of it and I don't do it. But I understand it. There's still this weird judgment about gay people out there. And the reviews I'm reading about Merv Griffin's bio are classic. It's like people don't want to believe that he was a closeted gay man, who lived in private like all gay men live, and that he wasn't the sweet old bachelor we all were led to believe he was. And that's the part that bothers me the most. I don't blame Merv for keeping his gay life a secret. He did what he had to do in order to survive and keep his career.
I've read too many reviews about this bio that suggest there's something wrong with Merv's life in the closet. I'm getting the feeling that the disappointed that he was gay is so upsetting to some they don't want to believe it's true. And after reading these reviews, and seeing how disgruntled people are when they learn that Merv was gay and that he did have an active gay life that included plenty of sex, I can fully understand why he didn't come out of the closet. It would have been career suicide, especially in his day.
There are a few well known performers today that we suspect are gay and yet remain in the closet. I once saw one of them being discussed on a talk show and someone said, "He's not gay. If he were it wouldn't make sense to be in the closet nowadays." The audience laughed, the host agreed. But I know why a performer would prefer to remain in the closet, and most other gay men know this, too. Because once you come out of the closet there's no going back. And your life is going to change completely.
I'm still not sure how I'm going to review this bio. I'm waiting to see how the author wraps it up before I form any strong opinions. But I would suggest that all the readers who love m/m romance check it out. It's not escapism. It's not fantasy. But it will give you a realistic take on what it's like to be a gay man who can't come out of the closet. And, why some gay men don't come out of the closet and never will.
January 1, 2012
Tasteful Male Images..."Fit Hot Guy"
If you're a fan of images of guys with great bodies that are always done in the best of taste, check out the following links.
It's called "Fit Hot Guys." It focuses on the male physique in an artistic, fundamental way I haven't seen before.
You can find Fit Hot Guys here on Facebook.
You can follow them on Twitter, here.
And here's a link to their blog, where you can see what I'm talking about up close.
I talk about authenticity sometimes when it comes to m/m romance, and how sometimes there's a lack of authenticity within the m/m romance community. I'm not getting into that anymore. I believe the truth always wins in the end, and karma has a great deal to do with that. I also think it's better to show than tell. And right now I'm pointing you in the direction of an authentic place to go, created and produced by an authentic gay man who has a passion for the male body, and who views the male body with an artistic eye and heart.
Civil Unions Now Legal in Delaware
For those who haven't been following this, same sex civil unions are now legal in Delaware. The first one took place this weekend. I know Delaware well because I grew up about ten minutes away from Wilmington, DE, in Salem County, NJ. For those who've read A YOUNG WIDOW'S PROMISE and THE BACHELOR, you've seen that I've set both books in the Salem County, NJ/Wilmington, DE area.
And when I when I was growing up there, the topic of same sex civil unions wasn't even something we discussed in private, let alone in public. And just like legalizing same sex marriage in New York, this is one step closer to getting it recognized on a federal level, where we need it the most.
1st civil unions take place in Delaware
By KASEY JONES, Associated Press – 30 minutes ago
More than 400 people, including a U.S. senator, witnessed the first same-sex civil union in Delaware on New Year's Day.
Lawyers Lisa Goodman and Drewry Fennell were joined in the union by the Rev. Patricia Downing, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Wilmington, where the Sunday afternoon ceremony took place.
Goodman and Fennell have been partners for 14 years. Goodman is a lawyer who led the advocacy group Equality Delaware's fight for the civil union law. Fennell heads the state Criminal Justice Council and formerly led the ACLU's Delaware chapter.
Read more here...
December 31, 2011
Happy New Year!!
In English, and in all other parts of the world!! Thanks for making 2011 another great year.
December 30, 2011
James Taylor- Sweet Baby James
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