Ryan Field's Blog, page 532
September 18, 2011
Interview With MM Good Book Reviews...
I did an interview with MM Good Book Reviews last week about hopping genres. It was a topic I've been thinking about for a long time, and when they asked, I figured I'd take advantage of the opportunity. It's especially important to me with a new release I have coming out titled, A YOUNG WIDOW'S PROMISE. Although there is a mm sub-plot, the main characters are m/f...and it's a historical. And it's also very tame...pg rated and has a very low heat level.
And please check out the rest of this web site, MM Good Book Reviews, not just my interview. If you like, you can even skip my interview and check out the rest of the site and I'll be okay with it. I think these people are doing an excellent job with the entire site. And you can see there's a strong passion behind their hard work.
And please check out the rest of this web site, MM Good Book Reviews, not just my interview. If you like, you can even skip my interview and check out the rest of the site and I'll be okay with it. I think these people are doing an excellent job with the entire site. And you can see there's a strong passion behind their hard work.
September 16, 2011
Follow Up: Do Literary Agents Tamper With Gay Characters?
I posted about whether or not literary agents tamper with gay characters earlier this week here. I also made it clear this has never happened to me and I've been writing LGBT (and "Q")for almost twenty years. I even added an update to my post, linking to a smart post written by agent Kristen Nelson over at Pub Rants.
I'm still following the story. There's no need for me to comment on it either. I have a rule: unless is happens to me personally, everything else is all hearsay and not worth listening to. I learned that in pre-law, but that's another post.
Check out this link to read an agent's POV, here. I've never queried this agent; I know nothing about her. Her response is interesting.
There are other links, with statistics and more opinions. But I don't want to bore my readers to death, and I think these are the basics and explain it best.
I know this isn't part of the discussion. It's in no way related to anything I just mentioned. But what really surprises me is that I just posted about a fantastic YA LGBT (and "Q") author, Hayden Thorne, who writes excellent YA books and has one of the most professional online personas I've seen in a long time. And I'm not even an agent. If I were an agent, I think I'd be checking her out to see if she has any material that the public might be interested in reading. She's on my TBR list next in line, as soon as I finish reading my latest Fannie Flagg book. And if you're reading this post and you're tired of what's been published...or has not been published, as the case may be...in YA LGBT (and "Q") fiction, I suggest you take the time to check her out and give her a shot and try something new.
I'm still following the story. There's no need for me to comment on it either. I have a rule: unless is happens to me personally, everything else is all hearsay and not worth listening to. I learned that in pre-law, but that's another post.
Check out this link to read an agent's POV, here. I've never queried this agent; I know nothing about her. Her response is interesting.
There are other links, with statistics and more opinions. But I don't want to bore my readers to death, and I think these are the basics and explain it best.
I know this isn't part of the discussion. It's in no way related to anything I just mentioned. But what really surprises me is that I just posted about a fantastic YA LGBT (and "Q") author, Hayden Thorne, who writes excellent YA books and has one of the most professional online personas I've seen in a long time. And I'm not even an agent. If I were an agent, I think I'd be checking her out to see if she has any material that the public might be interested in reading. She's on my TBR list next in line, as soon as I finish reading my latest Fannie Flagg book. And if you're reading this post and you're tired of what's been published...or has not been published, as the case may be...in YA LGBT (and "Q") fiction, I suggest you take the time to check her out and give her a shot and try something new.
Historical Research: Writer's Digest
I read this at Writer's Digest...a place all writers should check out...and since I've been talking about my new release, A YOUNG WIDOW'S PROMISE, which is a historical, I figured I'd share.
As I've stated many times, I don't do historicals often. I prefer pop culture and usually stick with that sub-genre across the board. But this particular historical kept hounding me and I knew I wouldn't rest until I got it out of my head.
But it wasn't easy. A lot of the research I did was from personal knowledge. I grew up not far from where the novella is set and most of the facts were things I'd known all my life. But I did have to fact check many things I didn't know.
There were several scenes where the young widow served cold iced tea. But that was a small-huge mistake on my part. I discovered iced tea wasn't served, at least not officially, until much later. So she started serving cold well water instead. I also had to do a lot of research on old fashioned health remedies. This was more open; every family had their own remedies. But it wasn't easy to research a lot of the ingredients used.
But the most difficult part about writing a historical, as far as I'm concerned, is that history isn't always repeated with complete accuracy. And you find yourself fact checking until you can't see straight. And even then, you're not completely certain it's right.
The article below helps. I wish I'd read it before I submitted my book because it would have made things a little easier for me. But, at least from what I can see, I got it right so far. It came from this web page.
Man, I flat love good historical fiction. When it's done right, it's like taking a magical vacation to a different time, another land. Whether it's Victorian London, the Australian Outback, or the American West, quality historical fiction has the ability to bring a story to life in ways nonfiction never will. But no doubt about it, if you want to write good historical fiction, you're going to have to research.
Michael is excited to give away a free copy of his book to a random commenter. Comment within one week; you MUST leave your e-mail in the comment somewhere or else we will not be able to contact you; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you've won before.
Guest column by Michael Zimmer, author of THE LONG HITCH,
a Five Star Western (August 2011), as well as seven other Western
and historical fiction novels. Publishers Weekly called THE LONG HITCH,
"…a clever story that packs some nice twists. Best, however, is Zimmer's
carefully drawn, historically accurate portrayal of the characters…"
Visit Michael's author website here.
GOOD RESEARCH REQUIRES VIGILANCE
That's not necessarily a bad thing if you're already fascinated with a certain era, and it can be a lot of fun, but good research requires vigilance. No matter how knowledgeable you may be on a certain subject, in all likelihood your story is going to include a large cast of young and old, male and female, saint and sinner – individuals who will stray regularly outside your field of expertise. Which means, whether your character is a blacksmith, a shopkeeper, a detective, or a college professor, it's going to be up to you to gain at least a working knowledge of their respective fields so that they can be accurately portrayed. That rings doubly true if your readers are also familiar with the subject. It's an unfortunate fact of fiction that nothing distracts from a story quite so glaringly as a plot filled with simple mistakes.
DETAILS BRING A STORY TO LIFE
At the same time, nothing nudges a story above the norm like those tiny little gems of details that add vividness to the scene. Most readers can probably already guess that a general store in 1910 Alabama might have a pickle barrel, or an old hound or two dozing in the shade under the front porch. But describe a just-beginning-to-rust stamped tin ceiling, or the clattery sound of a crank-handled cash register closing a sale, and you've added a spot of unexpected color to what might otherwise have been an old, familiar black and white portrait in a reader's mind.
BEWARE INACCURACIES
Sometimes, even what seems obvious can be incorrect. Want to give a wagon train scout an 1873 Colt Peacemaker on his journey to the Montana gold fields? The odds are that if you date your story any earlier than 1875 or '76, you're going to be perpetuating a myth already heavily solidified by decades of Hollywood films that would have you believe the only firearms that existed at any time in the Old West were .45 Colts and Winchester rifles. In case you're curious, the 1873 Colt was first produced for military contract, and wasn't offered to the civilian market until nearly two years after its 1873 debut. Similar discrepancies exist for a wide variety of other patented applications in which the familiar date and the actually year of production can differ greatly.
Other fallacies that have crept into the collective conscious? A stagecoach pulled by horses is certainly possible, especially in the East, but west of the Mississippi, a hitch of sturdy Missouri mules would more likely be correct — although there are maddening exceptions to to just about every rule. How about having your hero or heroine exit an 1850s hotel, race down the steps, and enter a car? Actually, you'd probably be okay. The term car, a shortened version of carriage, has showed up at least as early as the 1840s. On the flip side of that, hailing a "cab" can be dated even earlier. A cab is a shortened form of the word cabriolet, a type of horse-drawn carriage popular in 19th century Europe. But be careful. The word "taxi," from the French taximetre, doesn't seem to have come into vogue until late in the 19th century.
OCCASIONALLY, YOU CAN NUDGE THE FACTS
These tidbits of information and insight into the past, if interwoven carefully into the plot so as to not distract from the flow of the narrative, can set a novel apart from its competitors – always a good thing when you're looking for an agent. But finding this information can be painfully difficult. Nonfiction sources are always your safest bet. No matter how highly regarded a fiction writer is for his or her attention to detail, it's never a good idea to count on him or her for total historical accuracy. The very nature of the game – fiction — dictates that we all have to nudge the facts occasionally. The one possible exception I can think of might be Margaret Mitchell, who is credited with having one of the most historically accurate novels ever written in Gone With the Wind. But GWTW took years to research and write, and not many of us have that kind of time to devote to a single story.
Even first-person reminiscences and journals should be viewed with suspicion. Recollections written too long after the fact are prone to memory lapses, and journals can reflect a person's prejudices as much as the subject matter. On the other hand, some things can't be found anywhere else. The price of a peck of corn in Cincinnati in 1890 will have more than one source … somewhere. What a person thinks about the cost of that corn probably won't.
Analytical reviews on just about any subject (including the price of corn in Cincinnati) aren't difficult to find, even if they can be a little mind-numbing to get through. University Presses are great sources for this kind of information, although it's important that an author who wants to portray a historically correct perspective be aware that the biases that can slant a period journal can also exist in academic writing. There's a reason they call it Revisionist History, and it doesn't have anything to do with fresh information coming to light. Is there anything wrong with that? Maybe, maybe not, but it would be inaccurate, not to mention a discredit to both the past and your story, to base a historical character's views solely upon modern-day revisionist theories.
As much as possible, facts should be checked, then double-checked. I wince every time I find a mistake in one of my earlier novels, then I wince again when I think of the mistakes I've yet to discover — not to mention all those waiting to be made. But it happens, and I guess about all any of us can do is to keep on trying our best, and hope that our efforts are recognized, and appreciated, by our readers
Keep writing, keep submitting, and good luck to all of us!
Michael is excited to give away a free copy of his book to a random commenter. Comment within one week; you MUST leave your e-mail in the comment somewhere or else we will not be able to contact you; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you've won before.
As I've stated many times, I don't do historicals often. I prefer pop culture and usually stick with that sub-genre across the board. But this particular historical kept hounding me and I knew I wouldn't rest until I got it out of my head.
But it wasn't easy. A lot of the research I did was from personal knowledge. I grew up not far from where the novella is set and most of the facts were things I'd known all my life. But I did have to fact check many things I didn't know.
There were several scenes where the young widow served cold iced tea. But that was a small-huge mistake on my part. I discovered iced tea wasn't served, at least not officially, until much later. So she started serving cold well water instead. I also had to do a lot of research on old fashioned health remedies. This was more open; every family had their own remedies. But it wasn't easy to research a lot of the ingredients used.
But the most difficult part about writing a historical, as far as I'm concerned, is that history isn't always repeated with complete accuracy. And you find yourself fact checking until you can't see straight. And even then, you're not completely certain it's right.
The article below helps. I wish I'd read it before I submitted my book because it would have made things a little easier for me. But, at least from what I can see, I got it right so far. It came from this web page.
Man, I flat love good historical fiction. When it's done right, it's like taking a magical vacation to a different time, another land. Whether it's Victorian London, the Australian Outback, or the American West, quality historical fiction has the ability to bring a story to life in ways nonfiction never will. But no doubt about it, if you want to write good historical fiction, you're going to have to research.
Michael is excited to give away a free copy of his book to a random commenter. Comment within one week; you MUST leave your e-mail in the comment somewhere or else we will not be able to contact you; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you've won before.
Guest column by Michael Zimmer, author of THE LONG HITCH,
a Five Star Western (August 2011), as well as seven other Western
and historical fiction novels. Publishers Weekly called THE LONG HITCH,
"…a clever story that packs some nice twists. Best, however, is Zimmer's
carefully drawn, historically accurate portrayal of the characters…"
Visit Michael's author website here.
GOOD RESEARCH REQUIRES VIGILANCE
That's not necessarily a bad thing if you're already fascinated with a certain era, and it can be a lot of fun, but good research requires vigilance. No matter how knowledgeable you may be on a certain subject, in all likelihood your story is going to include a large cast of young and old, male and female, saint and sinner – individuals who will stray regularly outside your field of expertise. Which means, whether your character is a blacksmith, a shopkeeper, a detective, or a college professor, it's going to be up to you to gain at least a working knowledge of their respective fields so that they can be accurately portrayed. That rings doubly true if your readers are also familiar with the subject. It's an unfortunate fact of fiction that nothing distracts from a story quite so glaringly as a plot filled with simple mistakes.
DETAILS BRING A STORY TO LIFE
At the same time, nothing nudges a story above the norm like those tiny little gems of details that add vividness to the scene. Most readers can probably already guess that a general store in 1910 Alabama might have a pickle barrel, or an old hound or two dozing in the shade under the front porch. But describe a just-beginning-to-rust stamped tin ceiling, or the clattery sound of a crank-handled cash register closing a sale, and you've added a spot of unexpected color to what might otherwise have been an old, familiar black and white portrait in a reader's mind.
BEWARE INACCURACIES
Sometimes, even what seems obvious can be incorrect. Want to give a wagon train scout an 1873 Colt Peacemaker on his journey to the Montana gold fields? The odds are that if you date your story any earlier than 1875 or '76, you're going to be perpetuating a myth already heavily solidified by decades of Hollywood films that would have you believe the only firearms that existed at any time in the Old West were .45 Colts and Winchester rifles. In case you're curious, the 1873 Colt was first produced for military contract, and wasn't offered to the civilian market until nearly two years after its 1873 debut. Similar discrepancies exist for a wide variety of other patented applications in which the familiar date and the actually year of production can differ greatly.
Other fallacies that have crept into the collective conscious? A stagecoach pulled by horses is certainly possible, especially in the East, but west of the Mississippi, a hitch of sturdy Missouri mules would more likely be correct — although there are maddening exceptions to to just about every rule. How about having your hero or heroine exit an 1850s hotel, race down the steps, and enter a car? Actually, you'd probably be okay. The term car, a shortened version of carriage, has showed up at least as early as the 1840s. On the flip side of that, hailing a "cab" can be dated even earlier. A cab is a shortened form of the word cabriolet, a type of horse-drawn carriage popular in 19th century Europe. But be careful. The word "taxi," from the French taximetre, doesn't seem to have come into vogue until late in the 19th century.
OCCASIONALLY, YOU CAN NUDGE THE FACTS
These tidbits of information and insight into the past, if interwoven carefully into the plot so as to not distract from the flow of the narrative, can set a novel apart from its competitors – always a good thing when you're looking for an agent. But finding this information can be painfully difficult. Nonfiction sources are always your safest bet. No matter how highly regarded a fiction writer is for his or her attention to detail, it's never a good idea to count on him or her for total historical accuracy. The very nature of the game – fiction — dictates that we all have to nudge the facts occasionally. The one possible exception I can think of might be Margaret Mitchell, who is credited with having one of the most historically accurate novels ever written in Gone With the Wind. But GWTW took years to research and write, and not many of us have that kind of time to devote to a single story.
Even first-person reminiscences and journals should be viewed with suspicion. Recollections written too long after the fact are prone to memory lapses, and journals can reflect a person's prejudices as much as the subject matter. On the other hand, some things can't be found anywhere else. The price of a peck of corn in Cincinnati in 1890 will have more than one source … somewhere. What a person thinks about the cost of that corn probably won't.
Analytical reviews on just about any subject (including the price of corn in Cincinnati) aren't difficult to find, even if they can be a little mind-numbing to get through. University Presses are great sources for this kind of information, although it's important that an author who wants to portray a historically correct perspective be aware that the biases that can slant a period journal can also exist in academic writing. There's a reason they call it Revisionist History, and it doesn't have anything to do with fresh information coming to light. Is there anything wrong with that? Maybe, maybe not, but it would be inaccurate, not to mention a discredit to both the past and your story, to base a historical character's views solely upon modern-day revisionist theories.
As much as possible, facts should be checked, then double-checked. I wince every time I find a mistake in one of my earlier novels, then I wince again when I think of the mistakes I've yet to discover — not to mention all those waiting to be made. But it happens, and I guess about all any of us can do is to keep on trying our best, and hope that our efforts are recognized, and appreciated, by our readers
Keep writing, keep submitting, and good luck to all of us!
Michael is excited to give away a free copy of his book to a random commenter. Comment within one week; you MUST leave your e-mail in the comment somewhere or else we will not be able to contact you; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you've won before.
September 15, 2011
A Young Widow's Promise: Book Description
I just finished the book description for the new civil war romance, A YOUNG WIDOW'S PROMISE.
This is raw; the unedited version. But I wanted to see how it looked in print before we made any changes.
Felecia Roundtree is thirty-seven years old, she's already lost her husband in battle, and prays each morning her two young sons live to see another day. With her own two hands, she's turned the front of her property at remote Locust Point, NJ, into a burial ground for unknown Confederate prisoners of war, hoping someone will return a kind gesture to her own loved ones. Then one morning in August, just after she has a vision of her dead husband, three Confederate prisoners of war turn up at her doorstep begging for mercy. One is near death; the other two aren't much better. Though she's reluctant at first to help the enemy, she offers them food and shelter, and then eventually begins the romance of her lifetime with a young Confederate named Calvin. When she learns a deep dark secret about the other two Confederates, she's not sure what to think. Felecia has no idea she's even falling in love. Nor does she realize she's preserving an important part of American History. But she's true to her promise every step of the way.
This is raw; the unedited version. But I wanted to see how it looked in print before we made any changes.
Felecia Roundtree is thirty-seven years old, she's already lost her husband in battle, and prays each morning her two young sons live to see another day. With her own two hands, she's turned the front of her property at remote Locust Point, NJ, into a burial ground for unknown Confederate prisoners of war, hoping someone will return a kind gesture to her own loved ones. Then one morning in August, just after she has a vision of her dead husband, three Confederate prisoners of war turn up at her doorstep begging for mercy. One is near death; the other two aren't much better. Though she's reluctant at first to help the enemy, she offers them food and shelter, and then eventually begins the romance of her lifetime with a young Confederate named Calvin. When she learns a deep dark secret about the other two Confederates, she's not sure what to think. Felecia has no idea she's even falling in love. Nor does she realize she's preserving an important part of American History. But she's true to her promise every step of the way.
Happy Birthday Prince Harry
I pilfered these pics from the Huffington Post. But the Huffington Post called Prince Harry a "goof ball." And I think that needs to be addressed somewhere.
As far as I'm concerned, the Huffington Post has no room to talk. As far as objective journalism goes, they suck. If I didn't have an AOL e-mail account, I'd drop AOL completely. And I personally think most of their journalists are goof balls who don't have a clue as to what real journalism is.
When I see images of Prince Harry I see a guy who looks like he likes to have fun. I see a guy living in a fish bowl he didn't choose to live in. I don't see a goof ball, not by any means. And I hope he has a lot of extra fun on his birthday, and I hope someone gives him an extra nice birthday present he'll never forget.
Finns Point National Cemetery: A Young Widow's Promise
I've heard it said around the interwebs authors aren't supposed to talk about their books...in the sense they aren't supposed to explain themselves, or their books, and readers are supposed to get what they are trying to do through the reading experience.
I get that. I tend to agree with it. But sometimes authors have to explain certain things about the book so readers will get the full concept of what they are buying. Especially if the author is known for writing in one sub-genre and the author is crossing over into another.
I'm not talking about content and storyline. That should be up to the reader to judge. What I'm talking about are things like sub-genre and heat level. I try to get all this into the book description when I submit to a publisher. But it doesn't always work out quite the way I wanted it to work and I try to add more information here on my blog so there are no misconceptions.
I have a new release coming out soon. It's a novella that's titled, A YOUNG WIDOW'S PROMISE, and it's a historical romance. I don't write historicals often. I don't read them often. When I do, they are usually civil war historicals. And this time, A YOUNG WIDOW'S PROMISE, is not (I repeat, not) highly erotic. There are a few steamy love scenes. But they are extremely tame and the story revolves more around love and the main character's emotions than her sex drive. And though I will try hard to get this into the book description, I might be explaining it here for a while. The book just went to edits and we'll be going through many rounds before it's ready to be published. And I've already edited it about 100 times myself, checking for historical accuracy and believability. Yes, it's fiction, but it has to be believable, too. And I think this story could have happened.
I could have used a pen name with this novella. The main characters in A YOUNG WIDOW'S PROMISE are straight. And I'm known for writing highly erotic m/m books. But there is a m/m sub-plot, with an interesting twist because the book is set during the civil war. And the main reason I didn't use a pen name is because I just don't like doing it. I realize I may be shooting myself in the foot. But I'm willing to take that chance in order to keep it real. I always write because I love the story I'm writing, not because I'm thinking about how much money the book will make or many books I'll sell. (I think I just heard a publisher scream.)
A YOUNG WIDOW'S PROMISE is a story that's set in a quirky place called Locust Point, NJ. This is fictional. But it's not far from real places that have been noted in history with regards to the civil war, like Finns Point, NJ, and Fort Delaware. I know these places well, Ft. Delaware and Finns Point and Fort Mott, because I grew up not far from them in Salem County, NJ. And this story has been in the back of my mind for a long time...since I started jogging at Finns Point almost 20 years ago...and I finally decided to get it out there.
I will post more, in detail, especially about Fort Delaware and Finns Point. The most interesting thing about Finns Point is that there's a small cemetery there where they buried confederate prisoners of war in unmarked graves. They came from Fort Delaware. I've seen these graves many times in person. And the history behind them fascinates me, and always makes me a little sad. And, frankly, I'm also explaining all this in such detail because I want the historical police to know this isn't just a whim and I didn't make it all up. Especially those who shall remain nameless, and don't even live in the US or know a thing about real US history.
If you live in the surrounding area and haven't been to Fort Delaware, Finn's Point, or Fort Mott, it's an interesting day trip. And only about 100 miles from New York. All of quiet Salem County is rich with history and there are plenty of things to see.
September 14, 2011
Sit Back and Enjoy Something Nice
And it has nothing to do with erotica or happy endings. I came across a nice author blog the other day.
Here's the link.
Check out all the posts on this blog. And, as far as blogs go, it's very well done. Simple to navigate and the posts are never too long...which I'm working on getting right sooner or later.
People prefer short blogs posts. And I've heard that if you take up more than half the page, you lose them fast.
Here's the link.
Check out all the posts on this blog. And, as far as blogs go, it's very well done. Simple to navigate and the posts are never too long...which I'm working on getting right sooner or later.
People prefer short blogs posts. And I've heard that if you take up more than half the page, you lose them fast.
New E-Book Web Site: E-Book Eros
I don't know much about this site because it's so new. But it sounds and looks interesting from what I've seen so far.
It's called E-book Eros: Burlesque for the Brain. I know a lot of the romance crowd isn't going to like this. But I think there's room for everyone. And it's all a matter of perception anyway.
So check out this new e-book site. You have to admit "Burlesque for the Brain," is extremely clever.
Some of My Favorite M/M Authors...
I don't like to review other books on this blog. But once in a while I like to mention a few M/M authors I like to read.
One of them is GA Hauser. Here's a link to Amazon. I think she nails it in every respect. And though her style and content is very different from what I do, I love the fact that she takes me away from my own world. Isn't that what fiction is all about anyway?
I also like Michele Montgomery. Here's her link. Michele has a unique voice and a unique approach when it comes to m/m fiction-romance, and I find her characters to be extremely emotional and deep. I also think she takes chances a lot of authors might not take. And I've never been disappointed when I'm finished reading one of her stories.
Another is Jeff Erno. I think he writes from the heart. And that should be enough for anyone to like his books. Here's his link.
There are a lot of others I'll mention in the future. But last and certainly not least is Rebecca Leigh. She writes everything, from m/m to f/f. I think she has a bold style and she knows how to draw the reader into the story. I've been in a couple of anothologies with her and I've enjoyed her work so much I've checked out other things she's written. Here's her link.
One of them is GA Hauser. Here's a link to Amazon. I think she nails it in every respect. And though her style and content is very different from what I do, I love the fact that she takes me away from my own world. Isn't that what fiction is all about anyway?
I also like Michele Montgomery. Here's her link. Michele has a unique voice and a unique approach when it comes to m/m fiction-romance, and I find her characters to be extremely emotional and deep. I also think she takes chances a lot of authors might not take. And I've never been disappointed when I'm finished reading one of her stories.
Another is Jeff Erno. I think he writes from the heart. And that should be enough for anyone to like his books. Here's his link.
There are a lot of others I'll mention in the future. But last and certainly not least is Rebecca Leigh. She writes everything, from m/m to f/f. I think she has a bold style and she knows how to draw the reader into the story. I've been in a couple of anothologies with her and I've enjoyed her work so much I've checked out other things she's written. Here's her link.
September 13, 2011
So They Added a "Q" to the End of LGBT?
At least that's what I just read in three different places today.
The "Q" means "queer/questioning," which I'm not so sure I like. For me, the word "queer," like the word "fag," is a lot like the "N" word is to people of African Descent.
And no one told me about this new "Q", and I'm the "G" in LGBTQ.
From what I gather after I tweeted and did a status update on FB, no one told a lot of LGBT people.
We should know these things first. So if there are anymore letters added to LGBTQ, we want to know about it first.
Frankly, I'm not certain I'm going to use the "Q." I can live with "questioning," but I'm not sold on the "queer" part yet.
The "Q" means "queer/questioning," which I'm not so sure I like. For me, the word "queer," like the word "fag," is a lot like the "N" word is to people of African Descent.
And no one told me about this new "Q", and I'm the "G" in LGBTQ.
From what I gather after I tweeted and did a status update on FB, no one told a lot of LGBT people.
We should know these things first. So if there are anymore letters added to LGBTQ, we want to know about it first.
Frankly, I'm not certain I'm going to use the "Q." I can live with "questioning," but I'm not sold on the "queer" part yet.
