Ryan Field's Blog, page 542

E-book Prices: .99 or 12.99?

I'm taking off my writer's hat for this post and putting on my reader/consumer hat. Late last night I was shopping for a new e-book to read. I just finished "The Help" and loved it. This means the next book I read will probably be disappointing at first. I always get into it eventually. But at first I'm still missing the previous book I finished and comparing it to the new one. And a book like "The Help" is a tough act to follow.

For the most part, I shop on Kobo for my e-books. I have two Kobo e-readers, the one with e-ink and the Look Book that's back-lit. Both have wireless and I'm set up to just push a button and buy what I want.

But it's not as easy as that. First, Kobo's product descriptions suck. I don't even like the way my own books are described. Unless I'm doing something wrong (which could be the case), I can't find reviews while shopping, I can't find out how long the books are, and the book descriptions are always cut off. And this pisses me off, because my office and main computer are in another part of the house. And when I'm not working...which I'm usually doing all the time...I want to be as far away from the computer and my office as possible. Reading is down time for me. This is also why I don't want or need an iPad. I only want a dedicated e-reader, without e-mail or anything else so I don't wind up writing and working instead of reading for pleasure.

And with the poor product descriptions on Kobo e-readers, I either have to decide to buy the book and hope for the best or wait until the next day and do some more research on it. I usually opt for waiting...unless I know the author and I've read her before.

The other thing that surprises me is the price of e-books. My own books are priced from .99 for back-listed books to, I think, around 6.00. As far as I know, unless we're talking about my books being sold on e-bay (which I don't get), I don't have any e-books out for more than seven dollars.

Only that's not the case with all e-books. If you check out what big publishers are charging for e-books you have to wonder what they are thinking. And then you have to decide do I really love and want this book enough to spend 12.99 (or more) when I can spend .99 - 7.00 for a book that's just as good. I know I'm never disappointed with my 4.99 Debbie Macomber e-books. Most of them are better than the e-books I've spent 12.99 on. And nowadays there are plenty of .99 e-books that are, in fact, just as good.

I don't want anyone to think I'm cheap, or that I'm against authors making money. I am an author and I know how hard it is to make a buck. I'd settle for 9.99 for an e-book. Even this is expensive when you think about how it all adds up. But I'd do it without complaining. But there's no way I'm going to spend 12.99 or more unless I really have to have the book. I did pay 12.99 for "The Help." I had to have it. But I didn't have to have Fannie Flagg's new novel, and I didn't have to have Patterson's new novel, and I didn't have to have Anne Rivers Siddons new novel. I wanted them. I really did, large publishers. But I'll live without them until they come down in price.

And that's a shame. I think authors are going to suffer because large publishers either aren't aware of what people who read e-books want or care about, or because large publishers just aren't paying attention to what's happening. All business people learn the importance of selling in volume; it's basic. But you can't sell in volume if something is too expensive.

I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. Last night I passed on three good e-books that were 12.99. And a lot of this had to do with principle. If they'd been 9.99 or less, I would have ordered them. But until the large publishers realize that people who read e-books don't screw around, I can live without them.

Topdatingsites.com: 10 Unrealistic But Common Romance Novel Storylines

I received this interesting e-mail from topdatingsites.com. Top as in most popular, not as in most dominent (smile). I wanted to share them because each one is something I'd like to read...over and over again...as long as there's a happy ending.


10 Unrealistic but Common Romance Novel Storylines
Reading fiction is a great way to relax and escape to somewhere else for a while. Many times we feel our life is mundane and not very exciting. Losing ourselves in the pages of a good book is a fun way to spend our free time. Romance novels take escaping to a new level and add the spiciness of imagining yourself in the character's shoes or negligee as it were. Unrealistic storylines are a little harder to get into, but still offer a fun read. Check out these 10 totally unrealistic but common romance novel storylines.

1.Virgin bride: This is an extremely common storyline in romance novels. Boy meets girl and sometimes there are issues that keep them apart at the beginning. Then they fall for each other and it gets romantic. Then something tears them apart and it looks as if they aren't going to have a future together. Then they decide they can't live without each other and they get married and she is a virgin.
2.Wealthy stranger: It always seems to be a wealthy good-looking stranger that comes into her life. He has some high-powered job, but never seems to be doing it. He is used to getting what he wants and she's not interested. He pursues her because she's not falling at his feet like other women have. He wins her over and they live happily ever after.
3.Lost on a deserted island: It may not always be an island, but it could be somewhere remote where either he or she can't leave and they are forced together. The proximity is too much and they give in to their passion for each other. They get rescued and try to separate. After being apart for a while they realize they can't live without each other and they get back together for good.
4.Hero rescuer: The main character runs into trouble, like a fire or hurricane. She is rescued by a fireman or coast guard officer and sparks fly. Then he takes on a protective role over her, but she is a strong independent woman and doesn't need anyone to take care of her so she runs away from him. She finally realizes that she doesn't mind being taken care of or that she doesn't want to live without him.
5.Financial trouble: Our heroine is having trouble with her family's business. The hero plays a related role like a businessman coming in to profit from getting her family business or a competing company. They fight and think they hate each other, but they discover that there is a fine line between love and hate. Then he has a change of heart and helps her out instead.
6.Romeo and Juliet: Such a famous and great story that it has often been retold and reimagined in a variety of ways. Our story can be set in modern times or in historical romances you can even read romance novels set back hundreds of years. The basis of the story is of course the families not getting along and the kids fall in love. Fortunately in romance novels they end happily ever after, not dead.
7.Angry Kiss: The two main characters meet and somehow instantly hate each other. They are thrown together for various reasons, business dealings or personal. They argue all the time and never agree on anything. Very common is the man getting so mad or frustrated with the woman that he says something mean or off-color and she slaps him. He is either caught off guard or expecting it, but he rushes in to kiss her and she resists at first and then finds herself enjoying the kiss.
8.Childhood friends: This is a very common storyline. Maybe they were neighbors or in elementary school together and were great friends. Then one of the other moved away. Years and years have gone by and for some reason or another they end up back in their childhood home and reconnect. This time they are just friends.
9.Ugly duckling: Our two main characters knew each other growing up and she was awkward and gangly. She grows up to be a beautiful woman. Sometimes she doesn't know how to show it. She is in a serious job and tries to dress like a guy. Then for one reason or another they end up back in the same place and at first he doesn't notice her or even remember that he knows her. She knows him though. Then she breaks out of her shell for some fancy occasion. Her beauty blows him away and he can't take his eyes off of her. He then realizes he knows her and they get together.
10.Arranged marriage: This is just as it sounds. For some reason two people were promised to each other. Be it in a royal family or a religious thing these two people have to come to terms with marrying a stranger. Usually the break up happens because they decide that they are not going to let someone else decide whom they are going to marry. They start out thinking they won't like each other and then they find that they are a perfect match.

Release Day: Another Regular Bud

ANOTHER REGULAR BUD was just released today. This is a short story, not a novel, and it's priced accordingly. All the product details are explained here on the publisher's web site, and it can also be purchased at most popular web sites where e-books are sold.

If anyone has questions, please feel free to e-mail me in private. When it comes to erotic romance, I know how important the word discretion is. This is why I know I'll never see most of my readers showing up for book readings and book events. You guys like to keep it on the down low, and I fully respect that. And your personal privacy is extremely important to me.

New Release Novella: The Virgin Billionaire's Sexcellent Adventure

Just wanted to post a quick note to let readers know this is a novella, not a full length novel. It's about 20,000 words long and I'll post more in an upcoming post. Again, this is a novella and as far as I know it will be priced accordingly. But you all know I have no control over how anything is priced. I'm just assuming right now. It's often hard to tell on some web sites whether an e-book is a short story, a novella, or a full length novel, and I don't want anyone disappointed, thinking they were getting a full length novel.

It's happened before with me and other authors. And I try to head it off here at the blog first.

Ravenous Romance Cover Preview: The Virgin Billionaire's Dream House

I know. The Virgin Billionaire novella hasn't even been released yet. But I just received this cover preview for the Virgin Billionaire's Dream House and wanted to share. I have no idea yet when the release date will be. But once again, the cover artist over at Ravenous Romance nailed it all the way around.

I'll be posting more on Friday about the new release, Another Regular Bud.

Shooting One's Self in One's Foot...

I've been writing gay fiction and gay romance for twenty years now. I was around long before the Internet, and if the Internet disappeared tomorrow I'd still be around for another twenty years.

And I've seen a lot and heard a lot in that time. I've seen authors, agents, editors, book reviewers, and publishers come and go like Presidents (about two to four years is usually the time frame for them to come and go). I've seen all the trends and all the hype. But the one thing that always surprises me is when I see authors going after other authors, especially in the same genre.

It's happened to me a couple of times, where authors have attacked me without having a solid reason. And while I don't really give a damn one way or the other what they think, I have a photographic memory and I never forget. It's not about forgiveness because these people are nothing to me. Total dismissal isn't that difficult for me. I have no emotional connection to them and never will. And each time this has happened to me all it takes is a quick google search for me to "get" what they are all about. And it's never very impressive.

I would imagine that all authors feel the same way I feel. And when they are attacked, they don't forget either. So the next time you feel like attacking another author in public, step back, take a deep breath, and think about whether or not you really want to put something out there that will never go away.

And, trust me, it won't go away. To take this a step further, I even have trouble forgetting authors who attack other authors I love. I've seen this happen before, too, and I've never forgotten the authors who did it.

No Benefits for Gay Couples in the Military

Interesting.

No benefits for gay couples in the military. And even though I shouldn't be surprised, I always am. The emotional/psychological aspects are bad enough. But a lot of people don't realize the financial limitations of being a gay couple.

Read this article below for more info. It's well written and far more detailed (and less emotional) than I would be.

(San Diego) – Gay service members from Army soldiers to Air Force officers are planning to celebrate the official end of the military's 17-year policy that forced them to hide their sexual orientation with another official act – marriage.

A 27-year-old Air Force officer from Ohio said he can't wait to wed his partner of two years and slip on a ring that he won't have to take off or lie about when he goes to work each day once "don't ask, don't tell" is repealed. He plans to wed his boyfriend, a federal employee, in Washington D.C. where same-sex marriages are legal.

He asked not to be identified, following the advice of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a national organization representing gay troops, including the Air Force officer, that has cautioned those on active duty from coming out until the ban is off the books.

"I owe it to him and myself," the officer said of getting married. "I don't want to do it in the dark. I think that taints what it's supposed to be about – which is us, our families, and our government."

But in the eyes of the military the marriage will not be recognized and the couple will still be denied most of the benefits the Defense Department gives to heterosexual couples to ease the costs of medical care, travel, housing and other living expenses.

The Pentagon says the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act – which defines marriage for federal program purposes as a legal union between a man and woman – prohibits the Defense Department from extending those benefits to gay couples, even if they are married legally in certain states.

That means housing allowances and off-base living space for gay service members with partners could be decided as if they were living alone. Base transfers would not take into account their spouses. If two gay service members are married to each other they may be transferred to two different states or regions of the world. For heterosexual couples, the military tries to keep that from happening.

Gay activists and even some commanders say the discrepancy will create a two-tier system in an institution built on uniformity.

"It's not going to work," said Army Reserve Capt. R. Clarke Cooper, who heads up the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights group that sued the Justice Department to stop the enforcement of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. "Taking care of our soldiers is necessary to ensure morale and unit cohesion. This creates a glaring stratification in the disbursement of support services and benefits."

Cooper said he also plans to marry his boyfriend, a former Navy officer, in a post-repeal era.

The Obama administration has said it believes the ban could be fully lifted within weeks. A federal appeals court ruling July 6 ordered the government to immediately cease its enforcement. After the Department of Justice filed an emergency motion asking the court to reconsider its order, the court on Friday reinstated the law but with a caveat that prevents the government from investigating or penalizing anyone who is openly gay.

The Justice Department in its motion argued ending the ban abruptly now would pre-empt the "orderly process" for rolling back the policy as outlined in the law passed and signed by the president in December.

The military's staunchly traditional, tight-knit society, meanwhile, has been quickly adapting to the social revolution: Many gay officers say they have already come out to their commanders and fellow troops, and now discuss their weekend plans without a worry.

The Air Force officer says he has dropped the code words "Red Solo Cups" – the red plastic cups used at parties – that he slipped into conversations for years to tell his partner he loved him when troops were within earshot. He now feels comfortable saying "I love you" on the phone, no longer fearful he will be interrogated by peers.

One male soldier, who also asked not to be identified, said after Congress approved repealing the law, he listed his boyfriend on his Army forms as his emergency contact and primary beneficiary of his military life insurance in case he dies in Afghanistan.

He said when he was transferred to South Korea, he and his partner had to pay for his partner's move.

"But we were able to stay together," the soldier wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press from Afghanistan. "During the move, I realized I needed to make sure my partner in life was taken care of if something, the worst, ever happened to me, especially knowing I was about to deploy."

The soldier said when he added his boyfriend's name to the paperwork as a primary beneficiary and identified him as a friend, the non-commissioned officer in charge shut his office door and told him: "Unlike the inherent benefits to being married in the Army, such as housing and sustenance allowances, our life insurance and will don't discriminate."

Same-sex partners can be listed as the person to be notified in case a service member is killed, injured, or missing, but current regulations prevent anyone other than immediate family – not same-sex spouses – from learning the details of the death. Same-sex spouses also will not be eligible for travel allowances to attend repatriation ceremonies if their military spouses are killed in action.

Gay spouses also will be denied military ID cards. That means they will not be allowed on bases unless they are accompanied by a service member and they cannot shop at commissaries or exchanges that have reduced prices for groceries and clothing, nor can they be treated at military medical facilities. They also will be excluded from base programs providing recreation and other such kinds of support.

Military officials say some hardship cases may be handled on an individual basis. Activists warn such an approach will create an administrative nightmare and leave the military vulnerable to accusations of making inconsistent decisions that favor some and not others.

Military families enjoy assistance from the Defense Department to compensate for the hardship of having a mother or father or both deployed to war zones and moved frequently.

"It strains a relationship when you're gone for over a year," said Navy medical corpsman Andrew James, 27, who lived two years apart from his same-sex partner, who could not afford to move with him when he was transferred from San Diego to Washington. "But straight couples have support so their spouses are able to be taken care of, with financial issues, and also they are able to talk to the chain of command, whereas gays can't. They don't have any support at all financially or emotionally, and that is really devastating."

He said he was lucky that his relationship survived and now that he is in the Reserves, they are together again in San Diego.

The benefits issue came up repeatedly during training sessions to prepare troops for the policy change.

"There are inconsistencies," Maj. Daryl Desimone told a class of Marines at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, after being asked about benefits for gay military personnel. "Anyone who looks at it logically will see there are some things that need to be worked out in the future."

The military's policy denying benefits to same-sex couples could change if legal challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act prove successful. The Obama administration has said it will not defend DOMA in court.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department filed a legal brief in federal court in San Francisco in support of a lesbian federal employee's lawsuit claiming the government wrongly denied health coverage to her same-sex spouse. The brief said the lawsuit should not be dismissed because DOMA violates the constitution's guarantee of equal protection and was motivated by hostility toward gays and lesbians.

Literary Sex In Mainstream Fiction...

We hear about sex scenes in erotica and erotic romances being scorned, judged, and laughed at all the time. There's even a web site devoted to this.

But we never hear about that ever so tasteful and oh so literary sex in mainstream fiction being judged...anywhere. This is partly because there isn't much sex in literary/mainstream novels...unless of course it involves something dramatic like incest or rape and it sheds a negative light on sex and garners a great deal of emotional publicity for the author. And this is also because the traditional gatekeepers in publishing don't go for sex in literary/mainstream novels. No sex for them. No fun for them. My own personal opionion is that they either don't like sex, or they don't have it. Maybe no one wants to have it with them. And if you ever see photos of them you'll understand what I mean.

But the fact is that sex is a huge part of most lives. Like it or not, it's there...even if you aren't getting it. And if it's done the right way, it doesn't have to be a negative. I do think there are a few literary/mainstream novelists emerging who are getting it right. John Irving always wrote good sex scenes in his novels. But there are still the same old authors writing the same old literary sex scenes that were written years ago. And no one ever laughs at them or mentions they didn't get it right.

Sex is also subjective. There are people who don't like reading about sex, and that's fine. But there are also people who read literary/mainstream novels and they wonder why a certain scene didn't contain any sex, especially if it would have read so much better with a little sex. And if it did contain a sex scene why the hell was it so damn cheesy.

This is why I added my own little sex scene in The Virgin Billionaire: Revenge, where the main characters, Jase and Luis, have this little game they play called "Literary Sex." Here's an excerpt below, with examples. I've edited a few words and abbreviated the scenes because this is a pg rated blog. But the gist of the scene is there in full.

"Because you want my manhood right now," Jase said.

Manhood/member is big in literary/mainstream sex.

Luis laughed. "Oh, I see. You want to have literary sex tonight." They hadn't had literary sex for a while, not since they'd gone to a long, drawn out literary book reading with Ben and Percy down in the East Village. When they returned home from the book reading, Luis invented a new sex game. He called it literary sex, where they talked dirty the way characters in literary novels talked when they had sex. Where a penis was politely referred to as a member, an anus was tastefully referred to as an opening, and tea-bagging was just brushed off as "going down."

Another abbreviated excerpt from the same scene with one of my all time favorite literary/mainstream phrases:

Luis smiled and said, "Take me now. Do the deed, Jase. I want you to do the deed to me."

I personally love the phrase "do the deed." It gets me every time. I read this in a New York Times bestseller very recently and I was amazed there are still authors using it. And what amazed me even more was that no one mentioned it in any reviews and no one so much as smiled. Personally, if anyone ever asked me if I wanted to "do the deed" I'd laugh so hard the mood would be over.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post on pg rated sex scenes in romances.

Housing Discrimination and Gays

I have a guest house on my property that I've been renting out for nine years. So far, I've been lucky to have had excellent tenants each time. The first one lasted two years, the next one six, and the most recent lasted one year.

And I'm now searching for another tenant and going through the showing stage all over again. And this article caught my eye. I can tell you that I've never been discriminated against for being gay as a renter. And I've rented plenty of commercial space for businesses over the years. In fact, I've never experienced discrimination as a gay man, not in hospitals, in restaurants, or on any retail/public places. But evidently it happens. I will add, however, I've never inquired about renting space in a place where I felt there might be a problem. I've always been extremely cautious and intuitive about these things and I've never placed myself in a situation like the one below.

Question: My bff & I share an apartment and the lease ends next month. She asked her boyfriend if we could stay at his house (we would pay rent). He said yes but last minute reneged when he found out her roomie was a gay man (me). Is this housing discrimination?
-Homeless Will & Grace

Hey Will,
What a creep! He was all gung-ho when he thought 2 hot gals would be parading around his house all day in see-through nighties. No wonder he was so quick to agree to this. He thought he was Jack & you two would be Janet & Chrissy…..but instead he got Janet & Chris. Oops!



As much of a sitcom as this sounds like, this is no laughing matter. Your lease is ending. Your housing plans fell flat. You are about to be homeless. Worst of all, your bff is boinking a bigot. But to answer your question, is this housing discrimination? Nope, its not.

The reason for this answer is that the property is his personal residence. And he has every right to pick who gets to live with him. Even if you offered to pay rent, that place is still his home. It is not against the law for a homeowner to be picky about who he shares his personal space with.

However, if this house was strictly a rental property, this could qualify as discrimination because it would be subject to fair housing laws. But it gets a little sticky in your situation. First you would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt there was discrimination on his part, which is not easy to do, especially since you have the burden of proof. Secondly, even if you had proof, depending upon where you live, it may not be actionable because housing laws do not always cover LGBT community.

At any rate, I would ask your current landlord if a month-to-month lease is possible, so you can have some time to figure out your next step. Alternatively, if your bff moves in with her bigoted boo (alliteration!), can you replace her with a new roommate so you can stay? You two are probably attached at the hip, but even Will & Grace had to eventually split to lead their own lives…

I think the real tragedy of this situation is not the housing dilemma so much as it is that your bff would date such a blatant homophobe. I suggest you downgrade her from 'best friend forever' to just friend.

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Herman Chan, a realtor, has appeared on HGTV's House Hunters, My House is Worth What, and as a commentator on other networks. Realtor Magazine called him the "Internet Sensation Videoblogger." Chan's columns on real estate will alternate with his video blogs on real estate every Tuesday on 365gay.

What I'm Reading Right Now...

You'd think I'd be reading m/m fiction. But the fact is I don't always read m/m fiction. I've always had eclectic taste and I enjoy almost all genres. My least favorite are science fiction and historical. But when they've been different, I've enjoyed a few of them, too.

I just finished The Help and left my rating on goodreads. If you need links to know more about this book, you haven't been following the trends of great fiction lately and I suggest you do a quick search on amazon. I also believe this is the kind of book new authors should read from a purely subjective POV. It's about as well written in style and form as a novel can get.

And I'm about to start a new novel titled Trapped, by Michael Northrope. It's YA, and the cover copy caught my attention. I'll link to this one once I get started. I'm looking forward to it because I love these new YA crossovers.