Ryan Field's Blog, page 551

Julia Child's Local Ties to New Hope, Bucks County, PA

I'm still working on the pond. It needs hydroponic plants. But I'm in the middle of reading Julia Child's bio this month. I posted something last week here. If you're a fan, I can't recommend this book more...especially if you're a fan who was left cold by the film, Julie and Julia. (I'm reading the e-book on my Kobo look book, and the photos on the back lit screen are excellent.)

Julia led a fairly mundane life up until World War II. After that, she flew in dangerous planes, crossing dangerous territory. She lived in open huts and washed her undies out in rationed water. Ironically, food wasn't a huge part of her early years, other than the fact that she had a ravenous appetite.

I'm at the part where she marries Paul Cushing Child. And though I've lived in New Hope, Bucks County, PA for almost twenty years...ten in town, nine here in my home three miles outside of town...I never knew Julia had such strong local ties to this area. Her brother-in-law, Charlie Child, who also worked in Washington with his twin brother Paul, had a home in Lumberville, which is a few miles north of New Hope. It's still a quaint little enclave overlooking the Delaware River, where tourists from all over the world pass through. There's even a general store.

Julia and Paul were actually married in Stockton, NJ, just over the bridge from Lumberville on September 1, 1946. But the reception was held at Charlie's house in Lumberville. And they would return to visit Charlie and his family many times after the wedding.

When I owned my art gallery in town, I met tons of celebs passing through. Soap star Eileen Fulton bought a silver tray from me. Lanie Kazan bought a rug. Mick Jagger stopped in, Streisand passed through the door, and the artists from the New Hope school were everyday fixtures. I've heard stories about how Jackie Kennedy dined at The Canal House, and how Jessica Savage drowned in the Canal. But I'd never heard a thing about Julia Child. And, surprisingly, there isn't much information about it on the web.

I'm in a New Release From Cleis Press: HOT JOCKS

Just got word the new anthology I'm part of from Cleis Press, HOT JOCKS, is being released. You can find it here, and here.

Interesting how this book is being released while I'm posting so much this week about sex in m/m books. This book, for a few of you know-it-all newbie authors in the m/m digital world, is the type of book I've been submitting stories to for many, many years. It's also the type of book Cleis Press has been publishing for many, many years, long before you all arrived on the scene and started preaching what m/m should or shouldn't be.

This isn't something new. We've been doing this for a long time. We're proud of our work. And I've always been proud to be a part of anything Cleis Press publishes. They are highly respected within the lgbt community.

And It's Tasty, too!!

While I'm on this kick about sex in m/m fiction, I figured I may as well post this photo. I pilfered it from my buddy Ryan on facebook. I've never actually had it (the soup), but I'm thinking of ordering a few cans and sending them to a few people who I think need it.

Why Don't I Ever Hear There's Not Enough Sex in Books?

After I finished my post about too much sex in m/m fiction these days, I started wondering why I've never read anything about books that don't have enough sex in them.

I can't tell you how many times I've purchased a romance, m/m or hetero, and I've been disappointed in the sex scenes because I thought the author was holding back. Or, more important, lack of sex scenes altogether. I never went on Amazon or goodreads and left a nasty review saying the book didn't have enough sex...but that it sure could have used more sex. I've read novels where I've waited for at least an r-rated sex scene, hoping it would come along, only to be completely disappointed. But I didn't rant and leave a one star rating. And, so far, I don't think I've ever actually seen a review...customer or "professional"...that slammed a book for not having enough sex in it.

I'm not getting into my own opinions about this. God knows, if you read most literary agent blogs and read what they are looking for, you'd swear they were all anointed vestal virgins.

I'm not slamming anyone for not writing enough sex scenes either. I'm just curious as to why books with a lot of sex scenes are always getting slammed. Evidently, there are people out there who agree with me, otherwise sexy erotic romances wouldn't be selling as well as they are. The numbers do speak loudly, and I think readers have good taste and they know what they want. I also understand that the people who read erotic romance are a discreet, honest crowd and they usually don't like leaving comments, ratings, or reviews in public. It's one of the drawbacks of writing erotic romance: sometimes your biggest defenders are the most discreet people.

I'm also not slamming readers who don't like explicit sex scenes. You have every right to dislike explicit sex scenes, and I wouldn't take that away from any of you. I know, you want more emotion...I know, you want to feel more emotion. I've actually heard your screams and cries. We all get the picture and there's nothing wrong with that. You're a very loud group. Only I don't understand the problem, when there are so many books out there lacking good explicit sex scenes.

I think it would be interesting to see a few comments and reviews about books that don't have enough sex in them for a change. Now that, in all fairness, would be the epitome of balance.

Pretending to Be a Lesbian..."A Hoax That Got Way Out of Hand"

Blogging and pretending to be lesbian? I just heard about this and figured I'd share. Below are actual articles. Here's a link. It's an interesting read for anyone who follows blogs...like me...and who has ever doubted the online identities of certain bloggers.

With a vast source...the Internet...that promotes anonymity so easily, I honestly don't see how this sort of thing can be avoided. And, I'm not all that shocked. I wouldn't be suprised if at least a third of the bloggers I've read aren't the real thing.

On Sunday, a writer named Tom MacMaster confessed that he had fabricated the online persona of openly gay Syrian blogger Amina Abdallah Araf al Omari.

Last week, his blog captured international attention (including our blog), claiming that the fictional blogger had been abducted. According to SkyNews, MacMaster lives in the UK but wrote his apology from Istanbul, Turkey.

MacMaster wrote this "Apology to Readers" yesterday: "I never expected this level of attention. While the narrative voıce may have been fictional, the facts on thıs blog are true and not mısleading as to the situation on the ground. I do not believe that I have harmed anyone — I feel that I have created an important voice for issues that I feel strongly about. I only hope that people pay as much attention to the people of the Middle East and their struggles in thıs year of revolutions. The events there are beıng shaped by the people living them on a daily basis. I have only tried to illuminate them for a western audience. This experience has sadly only confirmed my feelings regarding the often superficial coverage of the Middle East and the pervasiveness of new forms of liberal Orientalism."


Here is the original story: "while her companion was still close by, Amina was seized by three men in their early 20's. According to the witness (who does not want her identity known), the men were armed. Amina hit one of them and told the friend to go find her father. One of the men then put his hand over Amina's mouth and they hustled her into a red Dacia Logan with a window sticker of Basel Assad … The men are assumed to be members of one of the security services or the Baath Party militia. Amina's present location is unknown and it is unclear if she is in a jail or being held elsewhere in Damascus." (Link via, image via)

In case you don't feel like clicking links, here's the apology from the blog...

Apology to readers
I never expected this level of attention. While the narrative voıce may have been fictional, the facts on thıs blog are true and not mısleading as to the situation on the ground. I do not believe that I have harmed anyone -- I feel that I have created an important voice for issues that I feel strongly about.

I only hope that people pay as much attention to the people of the Middle East and their struggles in thıs year of revolutions. The events there are beıng shaped by the people living them on a daily basis. I have only tried to illuminate them for a western audience.

This experience has sadly only confirmed my feelings regarding the often superficial coverage of the Middle East and the pervasiveness of new forms of liberal Orientalism.

However, I have been deeply touched by the reactions of readers.

Best,
Tom MacMaster,
Istanbul, Turkey
June 12, 2011..

The sole author of all posts on this blog..

Ravenous Romance .99 E-Books on Amazon...

I posted earlier I have two e-books from ravenous romance that are .99 e-books.

I'm reposting again right now because of this article, and because I had a lot of comments on social media this afternoon from people who didn't know there are RR books on amazon for .99.

I don't know what other RR books are .99. You'll have to search that one out yourselves. But also remember that you can buy RR books directly from the RR website for 4.99, which is still cheaper than the amazon price. In fact, as far as I know, books sold on all publisher web sites are usually cheaper than anywhere else.

Is There Too Much Sex In M/M?

Wiki says this: Freud established sexual drives as the primary motivational forces of human life...

And I think it depends on who you are. That's why there are heat levels, so people who don't want to read explicit sex scenes on paper don't have to read them. I just finished reading Debbie Macomber and loved every word of it. There wasn't any sex, and I didn't mind at all.

But I also think those interesting souls in the m/m community who are always complaining there's too much explicit sex in m/m aren't getting any. And most likely never did.

Check Out A Few of My .99 E-books

I feel a little like Second Hand Rose...but as a reader, I'm a huge fan of .99 e-books. I'm always checking out the "Cheap Reads" section on Kobo, and I usually buy two or three books while I'm there.

And a few of my e-books are now on sale over at Amazon for .99. These two aren't even that old as far as releases go. They were published less than three years ago. I don't have any control over the way my publishers price e-books. But when I see a good deal, I'll pass it on to readers.


Here are the links:

Pretty Man (As a side note...the two main characters in this book are also ongoing characters in the Virgin Billionaire series.)

And Officer and his Gentleman

The Reality of Being Gay...

I write positive, formula love stories about gay men who live happily-ever-after. But not all of the books are fluff and sex. I often lead up to the happily-ever-after ending by going into detail about how some young gay men don't have many options or choices. I often get criticized for this, too, from those who think they know more about being gay than I do.

Yes. That's right. But it's not hard to believe when the only information most people get about the lgbt community comes from TV sitcoms and movies like Sex in the City.

I stumbled across this article below:

Gay and homeless: In plain sight, a largely hidden population
Every year, hundreds of gay youths end up on the streets of L.A. County, where they make up a disproportionate share of the people under 25 who are homeless. 'They haven't been on the streets for years and years,' an advocate says, 'so they don't look bad.'

AJ, left, 23, and his boyfriend, Alex, 21, live on the streets. "If… (Christina House / For The Times)December 12, 2010|By Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times
The city hipsters sipping expensive coffee and chatting on cellphones did not give a second look at the two young men cutting across a Hollywood courtyard on their way to bed down in a nearby park.

AJ, 23, and his boyfriend, Alex, 21, hide their blankets and duffel bags in bushes. They shower every morning at a drop-in center and pick out outfits from a closet full of used yet youthful attire.

Check Out Latest Post on "Freedom To Marry"

Freedom to Marry is one of my favorite web sites on the net. And this recent post is only one reason why.

They are working hard for equal rights, and they need all the support they can get. So check out this link, and see for yourself.


At Freedom to Marry, "discrimination" is a dirty word. That's why we're excited to partner with the cosmetics company LUSH on a new campaign to show why marriage discrimination needs to be washed away.

From June 13th through June 26, LUSH is turning its shops in North America into "campaign centers" where you can learn why marriage matters to same-sex couples and their families and sign postcards calling on members of Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.


Lush has also created the special limited edition Freedom Foamer. The Freedom Foamer is a fresh lime and grapefruit scented bubble bar that will be available online and at LUSH stores with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Freedom to Marry.

Click to buy a Freedom Foamer.

Take Action:
Send a postcard to Congress
Help to end federal marriage discrimination by filling out an online postcard that will be sent to your members of Congress.

Sign a postcard to your Member of Congress.

Kiss and Tell
On Saturday, June 18, you're invited to "Kiss and Tell" why you support marriage for all loving couples. Couples, straight and gay, will gather at LUSH stores at 11:38AM for some good clean fun and to take a stand for the freedom to marry. 1,138 is the number of responsibilities and protections associated with marriage that gay couples are excluded from by DOMA.

Click here to find a "Kiss and Tell" event near you.

Kiss and Tell Online
Can't make it to a "Kiss and Tell" event? Then, kiss and tell online. You can upload a photo and tell why the freedom to marry matters to you.

Click here to upload your photo and story.