Eden Winters's Blog, page 58
August 25, 2012
Coming Soon - Part 6
Only two more days to go until the launch of M/M Authors Exposed. Today I'm introducing another member of our team, Fyn Alexander, author of the Angel and the Assasin series and Knightly Love. I'm so thrilled to be working with such a talented group of authors!
What an awesome cover! Got knights? Count me in!
For more information about Fyn, visit our new site for a full profile:
And don't forget, visit M/M Authors Exposed on Monday, August 27 to find out what we're all about.
August 24, 2012
The Friday Review - Visting the Ghost of Puppyboy by Rick McGranahan
Today's review wanders away from the normal M/M romances that I devour like there's no tomorrow, though the protagonist definitely gets his HEA.
I received my print copy of Visting the Ghost of Puppyboy the day before I left for a fantasy vacation, and spent the whole trip reading whenever I found a free moment. What a riviting book! And, get this: it's author Rick McGranahan's autobiography--and he lived a fascinating life.
Puppyboy haunts me. For a period of three days I was a part of his life. I danced with him on a raised platform, basking in the spotlight's glow. I cheered on his efforts to find true love, and held him close when what he thought was love poofed like smoke through a closed fist. I screamed, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" when he followed the downward spiral of drugs, alcohol, and meaningless sex. He took me many places, introduced me to countless people, some good, some bad, many unforgettable. I laughed when he laughed, cried when he cried, begged him to lay off the drugs, and prayed that his risky lifestyle wouldn't reap long-term repercussions. I was a mourner when Puppyboy was laid to rest, admiring his determination to stay alive, and I was there when he crashed and burned, Rick rising like a Phoenix from the ashes.
Paul became my hero when he issued that ultimatum that quite possibly saved Rick's life, and I shed many happy tears when love finally came to stay. Thank you, Mr. McGranahan, for inviting me to share your adventure. The deliberate lack of editing made this tale more personal; it's a heartfelt, uncensored letter from a dear friend, not a commercial effort. What struck me most is that the author is unapologetic. Too many memoirs are filled with regrets, but Rick McGranahan understood that this was merely a journey to be taken. It's his story and he's not ashamed of it. There's a lesson there for the rest of us: accept who you are, change what needs changing, but never forget that who you were shaped who you are today.
And the story continues. For as much as I was a part of Puppyboy's life, he's now a part of mine, and I occasionally catch myself seeing the world through his eyes. To have been so young, he imparted valuable wisdom, the greatest of which is that love is out there; it may take awhile to find it, but it's there. Visiting the Ghost of Puppyboy is a raw, uninhibited peek into someone's life, a wild ride well worth taking, and your tour guide is one of the most unforgettable characters you'll ever meet. Some review sites have distinctions above five stars, to indicate that a book is a must read and a keeper. While I don't currently have that, I will say that this is one incredible book, and I am in awe of its power. I give it five stars because that's all that's allowed on this site. It deserves so much more, and I'll be revisiting Puppyboy often in the near future.
I'm pleased to say that through reading this book and then exchanging emails, and finally meeting in person, I now count this amazing author among my friends.
[image error]
I received my print copy of Visting the Ghost of Puppyboy the day before I left for a fantasy vacation, and spent the whole trip reading whenever I found a free moment. What a riviting book! And, get this: it's author Rick McGranahan's autobiography--and he lived a fascinating life.
Puppyboy haunts me. For a period of three days I was a part of his life. I danced with him on a raised platform, basking in the spotlight's glow. I cheered on his efforts to find true love, and held him close when what he thought was love poofed like smoke through a closed fist. I screamed, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" when he followed the downward spiral of drugs, alcohol, and meaningless sex. He took me many places, introduced me to countless people, some good, some bad, many unforgettable. I laughed when he laughed, cried when he cried, begged him to lay off the drugs, and prayed that his risky lifestyle wouldn't reap long-term repercussions. I was a mourner when Puppyboy was laid to rest, admiring his determination to stay alive, and I was there when he crashed and burned, Rick rising like a Phoenix from the ashes.
Paul became my hero when he issued that ultimatum that quite possibly saved Rick's life, and I shed many happy tears when love finally came to stay. Thank you, Mr. McGranahan, for inviting me to share your adventure. The deliberate lack of editing made this tale more personal; it's a heartfelt, uncensored letter from a dear friend, not a commercial effort. What struck me most is that the author is unapologetic. Too many memoirs are filled with regrets, but Rick McGranahan understood that this was merely a journey to be taken. It's his story and he's not ashamed of it. There's a lesson there for the rest of us: accept who you are, change what needs changing, but never forget that who you were shaped who you are today.
And the story continues. For as much as I was a part of Puppyboy's life, he's now a part of mine, and I occasionally catch myself seeing the world through his eyes. To have been so young, he imparted valuable wisdom, the greatest of which is that love is out there; it may take awhile to find it, but it's there. Visiting the Ghost of Puppyboy is a raw, uninhibited peek into someone's life, a wild ride well worth taking, and your tour guide is one of the most unforgettable characters you'll ever meet. Some review sites have distinctions above five stars, to indicate that a book is a must read and a keeper. While I don't currently have that, I will say that this is one incredible book, and I am in awe of its power. I give it five stars because that's all that's allowed on this site. It deserves so much more, and I'll be revisiting Puppyboy often in the near future.
I'm pleased to say that through reading this book and then exchanging emails, and finally meeting in person, I now count this amazing author among my friends.
[image error]
August 23, 2012
Coming Soon - Part Five
I feel like a teen-aged fangirl, getting to rub elbows with some of the most talented and best-known writers in the M/M romance genre. Today's featured author has too many hit novels to name, including one that I fell in love with long ago before I ever even dreamed of writing a novel of my own. Isn't that cover gorgeous?
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Sedonia Guillone, fifth member of MM Authors Exposed. Check out Sedonia's profile on our new site.
[image error]
August 22, 2012
Coming Soon - Part Four
Next Monday myself and a few other authors will be launching a site that we hope will provide a fun place for readers and authors to hang out together. I've already introduced a few of my collaborators; today allow me to introduce Mr. Ethan Stone.
Ethan is the amazing talent behind such works as Subject 13 and Bartender, PI (is that cover hot, or what?), among many others.
Check out Ethan's full profile at our new site: M/M Authors Exposed, and don't forget to stop by there and say hello on Monday, August 27 when we go live with the site.
Ethan is the amazing talent behind such works as Subject 13 and Bartender, PI (is that cover hot, or what?), among many others.
Check out Ethan's full profile at our new site: M/M Authors Exposed, and don't forget to stop by there and say hello on Monday, August 27 when we go live with the site.
August 21, 2012
Early Literary Influences - Best in Children's Books
Welcome to Early Literary Influences - Books That Shaped My Life Volume 2. Last Tuesday I showcased the children's book Bambi, which had a profound impact on me at a very early age, teaching principles that I carry to this day. If you haven't read it, you can find that post here.
Today's literary influence is actually a series of books that captured my imagination, broadened my horizons, and gave me a healthy dose of not only great fiction, but poetry, biographies, and even geography.
The books? The Best in Children's Books series by Doubleday, published in the 50s and 60s, and featuring gorgeous illustrations to accompany wide-ranging stories.
You never knew quite what you'd get when you picked up a volume, but were pretty much guaranteed cover-to-cover excitement. If I'm not mistaken, my mother bought us the whole set, and I cherished every one.
I'm using Volume I to give you an idea of the treasures found inside the covers:
1. Abraham Lincoln - Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire
2. How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin - Rudyard Kipling
3. A Child's Garden of Verses - Robert Louis Stevenson
4. Hansel and Gretel - Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm
5. Mother Goose Rhymes
6. The Story of Gold - Maud and Miska Petersham
7. Puppet Play - Tina Lee
8. What a Magnet Can Do - Gerald S. Craig and Sara E. Baldwin
9. Animal Children
10. Angus and the Cat - Marjorie Flack
11. Pancakes for Breakfast - Grace Paull
12. This Is Australia
These books made learning fun, and I read as eagerly about a former president as I did about baby animals, racing through the book to get to my very favorite part, the "This is" feature, as in Australia, Africa, or some other faraway land.
There I was, living on a farm in the middle of nowhere, but thanks to these books, I visited exotic locales, read of other cultures, and learned the beauty of diversity way back before I even knew what the word "diversity" meant.
To my younger self, Best in Children's Books were a step along the path of creating my own stories, and fuel for a future writer's imagination. These books are now collector's items, costing a pretty penny. To me they were worth more than gold.
Tune in next week, for another installment of Early Literary Influences - Books That Shaped My Life.
PS. A dear friend asked a very key question: "Where are the books now?" To be honest, I didn't rightly know, so I called Mom. She told me she still had them but she'd thought about taking them to Goodwill. I may have caused the poor dear permanent eardrum injury when I screamed, "NO! THOSE ARE COLLECTOR'S ITEMS!!!' Long story short, these wonderful books from my childhood are now going to be a part of my senior years. I can't wait to read them again. And if anyone wonders why a m/m romance writer has a collection of children's books proudly displayed on her bookshelf? I'll say they're my grandchildren's. Yeah, that's what I'll do.
Today's literary influence is actually a series of books that captured my imagination, broadened my horizons, and gave me a healthy dose of not only great fiction, but poetry, biographies, and even geography.
The books? The Best in Children's Books series by Doubleday, published in the 50s and 60s, and featuring gorgeous illustrations to accompany wide-ranging stories.
You never knew quite what you'd get when you picked up a volume, but were pretty much guaranteed cover-to-cover excitement. If I'm not mistaken, my mother bought us the whole set, and I cherished every one.
I'm using Volume I to give you an idea of the treasures found inside the covers:
1. Abraham Lincoln - Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire
2. How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin - Rudyard Kipling
3. A Child's Garden of Verses - Robert Louis Stevenson
4. Hansel and Gretel - Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm
5. Mother Goose Rhymes
6. The Story of Gold - Maud and Miska Petersham
7. Puppet Play - Tina Lee
8. What a Magnet Can Do - Gerald S. Craig and Sara E. Baldwin
9. Animal Children
10. Angus and the Cat - Marjorie Flack
11. Pancakes for Breakfast - Grace Paull
12. This Is Australia
These books made learning fun, and I read as eagerly about a former president as I did about baby animals, racing through the book to get to my very favorite part, the "This is" feature, as in Australia, Africa, or some other faraway land.
There I was, living on a farm in the middle of nowhere, but thanks to these books, I visited exotic locales, read of other cultures, and learned the beauty of diversity way back before I even knew what the word "diversity" meant.
To my younger self, Best in Children's Books were a step along the path of creating my own stories, and fuel for a future writer's imagination. These books are now collector's items, costing a pretty penny. To me they were worth more than gold.
Tune in next week, for another installment of Early Literary Influences - Books That Shaped My Life.
PS. A dear friend asked a very key question: "Where are the books now?" To be honest, I didn't rightly know, so I called Mom. She told me she still had them but she'd thought about taking them to Goodwill. I may have caused the poor dear permanent eardrum injury when I screamed, "NO! THOSE ARE COLLECTOR'S ITEMS!!!' Long story short, these wonderful books from my childhood are now going to be a part of my senior years. I can't wait to read them again. And if anyone wonders why a m/m romance writer has a collection of children's books proudly displayed on her bookshelf? I'll say they're my grandchildren's. Yeah, that's what I'll do.
August 20, 2012
Welcome Sue Brown
Please join me in welcoming author Sue Brown, and a very attention getting topic--men. Take it away, Sue!
***
Let’s talk men.
Or rather, let’s talk about the outer coating. We could talk about what makes men tick but we’d be here all day, football, beer, and pies would be mentioned, and then it would get sexist, and someone would cry.
Probably me.
So let’s talk about what makes your toes curl.
I love eye-candy as much as the next girl, I really do. You see a gorgeous man, with broad shoulders, tapering to a narrow waist, and long, long legs… Whoa mama, I’m going to spend some time in my bunk.I’m not so much fixated by one particular look. I love blonds, red-heads, dark and mysterious, long hair, short hair and everything in between. I like most skin colour as well. It isn’t the type but the man himself.And that’s where I find it so difficult to pick my men for my books. I can’t deny that I’d probably pick Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki from three years ago as my models for every single book if it wouldn’t get boring. No, you’re right, it wouldn’t get boring.
You see, number one, they are the most gorgeous (in my head) pairing to ever walk this earth, and number two, I am naturally very lazy, and trying to find guys that I think would make a good pairing is actually quite difficult.
I could trawl Tumblr or Facebook, but if I can’t see them interacting in my head, then they don’t work. My boys have to eat, sleep and have mad passionate monkey sex together. Just being eye-candy don’t cut it. I need to see them together. Jensen and Jared made that bit easy for me—I could imagine them together because Jared spent a lot of time draped over Jensen in publicity photos. As for the eating, sleeping – just in my imagination, folks.
One of the reasons I like Dan Skinner’s work is that you see the models together. The models themselves rarely make my toes curl but the way they interact definitely does. As I’ve gained more confidence in asking for what I want in my cover art, one of my requests is for the allusion of intimacy. If the book is about two men who’ve just met, it doesn’t matter if they don’t look into each other’s eyes, or touch one another. But if we’re talking long-term relationship, then yes, it matters to me that I can see the men being together.
What do you like to see on covers? Some publishers have a fixed house style, making their books instantly recognisable. Others like my publishers, Dreamspinner and Silver have a more flexible approach to cover art, giving their authors more choice. Both systems work equally well
Recently, I was extremely fortunate that I saw the image for my forthcoming book almost before I had started, and Joem Bayawa and Dreamspinner agreed to use the image. For a lazy person like me, it was a gift.
So, men, gorgeous as you are, could you just pop over and wave at me every time I’m thinking about a new story. If you could come with a ready-made partner, and if you would agree to being on the cover of my book… Ta, very much.
Author Bio:
Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn't following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot and has got expert at ignoring the orders.
Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. The series was boring; the kissing was not. She may be late to the party, but she's made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.Sue can be found on the internet at her blog, her website, Facebook, and Twitter.
The Isle of… Where? by Sue Brown
Excerpt:Chapter OneTHE conversation had gone something like this:Alex: “You need a vacation after being stuck inside with me for so long.”
Liam: “Somewhere hot. Sandy beaches, blue sea, hot men.”
Alex: “I can promise you the beaches are sandy.”
Liam: “What do you mean? Alex, what are you planning? I know that look in your eyes. I thought we were talking about a vacation.”
Alex: “I’m offering you a vacation, moron.”
Liam: “Where?”
Alex: “The Isle of Wight.”
Liam: “Where the fuck is that?”
Alex: “The UK.”
Liam: “It rains there and the men aren’t hot.”
Alex: “Ewan McGregor, man, Ewan McGregor.”
Liam: “That’s a low blow, even for you.”
Liam’s vision of a tropical vacation with cocktails and cabana boys faded away with the tide and instead there was this, a special hell, surrounded by screaming kids and overweight moms. Alex really knew how to give his best friend a good time.
Liam leaned against the glass and sighed. Somewhere up there, Alex was laughing at him. The bastard could have given him a train ticket to anywhere; the Orient Express, for instance. The lyrics said a “Ticket to Ride,” not fucking Ryde. But no, Alex loved the Isle of Wight after a summer vacation during college and he would not be moved. So a ticket to the ass end of nowhere it was. Maybe Alex had secretly hated him all these years.
The Isle of Wight was obviously a popular destination for families, because from the second Liam had gotten on the ferry to the island he hadn’t been able to get away from whining brats. Liam wasn’t one of those men whose life was going to be completed by progeny. He liked Kathy well enough, even though he’d deny it if pushed, but she was Alex’s kid, so of course Liam liked her. Children en masse were hell on earth. Particularly the little fucker behind him.
The train eventually reached Ryde. Could any train ride be so slow? The island was the size of a handkerchief. The majority of the crowd got off, to Liam’s relief. He was particularly pleased to be rid of the evil kid who had spent most of the journey kicking the back of his seat. After days of riding this train from hell, he had no patience for some bored brat. He’d glared at the monster when the kicking had started, and then tried glaring at the mother. The woman had stared back with sublime indifference. Liam thought about moving to the seat behind the kid and kicking his seat to see how he liked it. He could just imagine how that would go down. Pervert On Train Attacks Small Child! Liam’s imagination ran wild as he visualized the headlines. It might even get on YouTube. Somebody would record it on their cell phone and upload it. Liam shuddered as he imagined the small clip going viral. His mother would never speak to him again. The nightmare had kept him occupied until the train disgorged the horrid child and his equally horrid mother at Ryde Esplanade.
For the couple of minutes it took to get to Ryde Pier Head station, Liam leaned against the back of the seat and closed his eyes. Forget the last few days riding this God-awful train. Today was the day to fulfill Alex’s request. Then he could go home and get on with his life.
His empty life.
***
Let’s talk men.
Or rather, let’s talk about the outer coating. We could talk about what makes men tick but we’d be here all day, football, beer, and pies would be mentioned, and then it would get sexist, and someone would cry.
Probably me.
So let’s talk about what makes your toes curl.
I love eye-candy as much as the next girl, I really do. You see a gorgeous man, with broad shoulders, tapering to a narrow waist, and long, long legs… Whoa mama, I’m going to spend some time in my bunk.I’m not so much fixated by one particular look. I love blonds, red-heads, dark and mysterious, long hair, short hair and everything in between. I like most skin colour as well. It isn’t the type but the man himself.And that’s where I find it so difficult to pick my men for my books. I can’t deny that I’d probably pick Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki from three years ago as my models for every single book if it wouldn’t get boring. No, you’re right, it wouldn’t get boring.
You see, number one, they are the most gorgeous (in my head) pairing to ever walk this earth, and number two, I am naturally very lazy, and trying to find guys that I think would make a good pairing is actually quite difficult.
I could trawl Tumblr or Facebook, but if I can’t see them interacting in my head, then they don’t work. My boys have to eat, sleep and have mad passionate monkey sex together. Just being eye-candy don’t cut it. I need to see them together. Jensen and Jared made that bit easy for me—I could imagine them together because Jared spent a lot of time draped over Jensen in publicity photos. As for the eating, sleeping – just in my imagination, folks.
One of the reasons I like Dan Skinner’s work is that you see the models together. The models themselves rarely make my toes curl but the way they interact definitely does. As I’ve gained more confidence in asking for what I want in my cover art, one of my requests is for the allusion of intimacy. If the book is about two men who’ve just met, it doesn’t matter if they don’t look into each other’s eyes, or touch one another. But if we’re talking long-term relationship, then yes, it matters to me that I can see the men being together.
What do you like to see on covers? Some publishers have a fixed house style, making their books instantly recognisable. Others like my publishers, Dreamspinner and Silver have a more flexible approach to cover art, giving their authors more choice. Both systems work equally well
Recently, I was extremely fortunate that I saw the image for my forthcoming book almost before I had started, and Joem Bayawa and Dreamspinner agreed to use the image. For a lazy person like me, it was a gift.
So, men, gorgeous as you are, could you just pop over and wave at me every time I’m thinking about a new story. If you could come with a ready-made partner, and if you would agree to being on the cover of my book… Ta, very much.
Author Bio:
Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn't following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot and has got expert at ignoring the orders.
Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. The series was boring; the kissing was not. She may be late to the party, but she's made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.Sue can be found on the internet at her blog, her website, Facebook, and Twitter.
The Isle of… Where? by Sue Brown
Excerpt:Chapter OneTHE conversation had gone something like this:Alex: “You need a vacation after being stuck inside with me for so long.”
Liam: “Somewhere hot. Sandy beaches, blue sea, hot men.”
Alex: “I can promise you the beaches are sandy.”
Liam: “What do you mean? Alex, what are you planning? I know that look in your eyes. I thought we were talking about a vacation.”
Alex: “I’m offering you a vacation, moron.”
Liam: “Where?”
Alex: “The Isle of Wight.”
Liam: “Where the fuck is that?”
Alex: “The UK.”
Liam: “It rains there and the men aren’t hot.”
Alex: “Ewan McGregor, man, Ewan McGregor.”
Liam: “That’s a low blow, even for you.”
Liam’s vision of a tropical vacation with cocktails and cabana boys faded away with the tide and instead there was this, a special hell, surrounded by screaming kids and overweight moms. Alex really knew how to give his best friend a good time.
Liam leaned against the glass and sighed. Somewhere up there, Alex was laughing at him. The bastard could have given him a train ticket to anywhere; the Orient Express, for instance. The lyrics said a “Ticket to Ride,” not fucking Ryde. But no, Alex loved the Isle of Wight after a summer vacation during college and he would not be moved. So a ticket to the ass end of nowhere it was. Maybe Alex had secretly hated him all these years.
The Isle of Wight was obviously a popular destination for families, because from the second Liam had gotten on the ferry to the island he hadn’t been able to get away from whining brats. Liam wasn’t one of those men whose life was going to be completed by progeny. He liked Kathy well enough, even though he’d deny it if pushed, but she was Alex’s kid, so of course Liam liked her. Children en masse were hell on earth. Particularly the little fucker behind him.
The train eventually reached Ryde. Could any train ride be so slow? The island was the size of a handkerchief. The majority of the crowd got off, to Liam’s relief. He was particularly pleased to be rid of the evil kid who had spent most of the journey kicking the back of his seat. After days of riding this train from hell, he had no patience for some bored brat. He’d glared at the monster when the kicking had started, and then tried glaring at the mother. The woman had stared back with sublime indifference. Liam thought about moving to the seat behind the kid and kicking his seat to see how he liked it. He could just imagine how that would go down. Pervert On Train Attacks Small Child! Liam’s imagination ran wild as he visualized the headlines. It might even get on YouTube. Somebody would record it on their cell phone and upload it. Liam shuddered as he imagined the small clip going viral. His mother would never speak to him again. The nightmare had kept him occupied until the train disgorged the horrid child and his equally horrid mother at Ryde Esplanade.
For the couple of minutes it took to get to Ryde Pier Head station, Liam leaned against the back of the seat and closed his eyes. Forget the last few days riding this God-awful train. Today was the day to fulfill Alex’s request. Then he could go home and get on with his life.
His empty life.
August 19, 2012
Coming Soon - Part 3
As part of the upcoming announcement about a collaborative effort between myself and few other writers, I'd like you to meet another member of the team behind M/M Authors Exposed, a site designed for authors and readers to hang out and interact. You know me, and yesterday I introduced D. H. Starr. Today I'm very pleased present my very dear friend, P.D. Singer, author of The Mountain series and The Rare Event, among other works. She's also the one who encouraged me to publish to begin with.
Read more about P.D. Singer on M/M Authros Exposed:
Wednesday you'll meet the next member of our group. Here's the weekly schedulede:
Monday - I'm hosting a guest appearance by writer Sue Brown. Be sure to stop by and say hello.
Tuesday - The second installment of my new series on Early Literary Influences - Books That Shaped My Life.
Wednesday - Meet the next member of M/M Authors Exposed - Ethan Stone.
Thurdsday - Meet M/M Authors Exposed member Sedonia Guillone.
Friday - The Friday Review - Stop by and see which book I'm showing love to this week.
Saturday - Meet M/M Authors Exposed member Fyn Alexander.
Next Sunday I'll introduce the final member of M/M Authors Exposed - Jared Rackler, followed by a writeup of what we're hoping for from the site on Monday, August 27, the day the site goes live.
Have a great week, y'all!
Read more about P.D. Singer on M/M Authros Exposed:
Wednesday you'll meet the next member of our group. Here's the weekly schedulede:
Monday - I'm hosting a guest appearance by writer Sue Brown. Be sure to stop by and say hello.
Tuesday - The second installment of my new series on Early Literary Influences - Books That Shaped My Life.
Wednesday - Meet the next member of M/M Authors Exposed - Ethan Stone.
Thurdsday - Meet M/M Authors Exposed member Sedonia Guillone.
Friday - The Friday Review - Stop by and see which book I'm showing love to this week.
Saturday - Meet M/M Authors Exposed member Fyn Alexander.
Next Sunday I'll introduce the final member of M/M Authors Exposed - Jared Rackler, followed by a writeup of what we're hoping for from the site on Monday, August 27, the day the site goes live.
Have a great week, y'all!
August 18, 2012
Coming Soon - Part 2
I mentioned a few days ago about a collaborative effort between myself and several other authors to create a place where readers and authors can interact. Today I'd like to introduce one of the co-authors of this project, Mr. D.H. Starr.
Doug is a dear friend, wonderful voice of reason, the very talented author of Meant for Each Other, Wrestling With Desire, Wrestling With Love, and Premonition, to name a few, and like me, loves chatting about books.
Check out his profile and a more complete list of works at our new site:
Doug is a dear friend, wonderful voice of reason, the very talented author of Meant for Each Other, Wrestling With Desire, Wrestling With Love, and Premonition, to name a few, and like me, loves chatting about books.
Check out his profile and a more complete list of works at our new site:
August 17, 2012
The Friday Review - A Bit of Rough and Roughhousing
In an attempt to show love to some of my favorite books, I'm making it a goal to post a review of a book each Friday. Some will be new books that I recently read, but others will have stood the test of time, with reviews that I wrote months or even years ago that still hold true today. And before you think I give glowing reviews to everything I read, I don't. I will only post reviews of books that I thorougly enjoyed and wholeheartedly recommend.
With that said, this week's featured story is the first M/M romance I ever read, Laura Baumbach's A Bit of Rough. And because I was new at reviewing and the review is short, I've added on my thoughts on the sequel, Roughhousing. I read both books long before the review date, but posted them once I'd joined Goodreads.
A Bit of Rough was the very first m/m book in a collection of that consists of about 400 at present time. Bram Lord is the strong, protective lover we all dream of, and in James he meets his match. Over the the years I've told many that the first chapter alone was worth the price of the book. That sex in the alley scene is a scorcher!
It seems right that this book was my introduction to the genre. It's a well-written explanation of why I'm now hooked on m/m stories.
Reviewed 12/17/09
Bram and James are back and so am I! So often I'm disappointed with sequels, but not this time. James is still strongly independent and Bram still growly and possessive. Long live the cave man!
Is there going to be a third book, I ask hopefully, batting my eyes at Ms. Baumbach?
Reviewed 12/17/09
Over the years, I believe I've gotten much better at reviews--at least they're wordier and go more in depth, but these were written by a tried and true fan, so I won't change them now.
Tune in next week for peek at another of my favorite books. And for the record, I now own more than 1,000 M/M romance novels.
August 14, 2012
Early Literary Influences -- Bambi
Today I'm posting the first of what I hope to make a series here at Greetings From the Trailer Park: Early Literary Influences, the Books That Shaped My Life.
Today's literary influence is Bambi. Yes, you heard me....Bambi! You remember the little spotted deer, friends with Thumper and Flower, don't you? I know, a M/M romance writer and a children's book don't seem to belong in the same sentence, and yet here we are. Of all the books I've ever read, only scriptures have had a bigger impact on my life. How does a children's book of only a few pages influence a person's life? Well, I'll tell you.
I must have been three of four years old when my mom bought Bambi for my brother, sister, and me. Along with the book came an album (remember vinyl albums?). Before I could read I listened to the album, turning the book's pages when a tone sounded. I spent countless hours with Bambi and friends and, hearing what I thought were their voices (very active imagination!), I came to view them as human.
Through Bambi I learned that it wasn't Flower's fault that he smelled bad, he was still a nice skunk. And Thumper was annoying sometimes, but who doesn't get that way from time to time? See where this is going? Through this simple little story I learned empathy, to see the world from another's point of view, and that your friends don't have to look or act like you do. And all before I could ride a bike.
I cried when Bambi's mother died, and my heart raced when he ran from the fire, no matter how many times I heard the story. Point number two. I learned early on what made a good story. It pulls the reader in, makes them feel they are there, and makes them truly care what happens to the characters.
Sadly, for my mom, the story also taught me a lesson that has lasted forty-six years, and shaped who I am today. Because I became sympathetic to these fictional characters, I decided at the age of three or four that animals were friends, not food, and every single meal for the next fourteen or fifteen years became an ordeal for my family, for my mom believed I needed to eat meat to be healthy. Once I was out on my own, that ended. I've been vegetarian for about thirty-two years now, due in large part by to a simple children's book.
I also learned to champion those who had no voice of their own, learned to respect others, and the value of protecting rights, be they for humans or our furry friends.
Never underestimate the power of words.
Today's literary influence is Bambi. Yes, you heard me....Bambi! You remember the little spotted deer, friends with Thumper and Flower, don't you? I know, a M/M romance writer and a children's book don't seem to belong in the same sentence, and yet here we are. Of all the books I've ever read, only scriptures have had a bigger impact on my life. How does a children's book of only a few pages influence a person's life? Well, I'll tell you.
I must have been three of four years old when my mom bought Bambi for my brother, sister, and me. Along with the book came an album (remember vinyl albums?). Before I could read I listened to the album, turning the book's pages when a tone sounded. I spent countless hours with Bambi and friends and, hearing what I thought were their voices (very active imagination!), I came to view them as human.
Through Bambi I learned that it wasn't Flower's fault that he smelled bad, he was still a nice skunk. And Thumper was annoying sometimes, but who doesn't get that way from time to time? See where this is going? Through this simple little story I learned empathy, to see the world from another's point of view, and that your friends don't have to look or act like you do. And all before I could ride a bike.
I cried when Bambi's mother died, and my heart raced when he ran from the fire, no matter how many times I heard the story. Point number two. I learned early on what made a good story. It pulls the reader in, makes them feel they are there, and makes them truly care what happens to the characters.
Sadly, for my mom, the story also taught me a lesson that has lasted forty-six years, and shaped who I am today. Because I became sympathetic to these fictional characters, I decided at the age of three or four that animals were friends, not food, and every single meal for the next fourteen or fifteen years became an ordeal for my family, for my mom believed I needed to eat meat to be healthy. Once I was out on my own, that ended. I've been vegetarian for about thirty-two years now, due in large part by to a simple children's book.
I also learned to champion those who had no voice of their own, learned to respect others, and the value of protecting rights, be they for humans or our furry friends.
Never underestimate the power of words.
