A.B. Gayle's Blog, page 5

A Study of Loyalty and Forgiveness

Second Chances by T.A. Webb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Warning. You will need tissues when reading this book.

The book started off with a death. The death of a much loved mother. Immediately we see a man vulnerable, hurting, especially because he has to deal with this alone.

The main story arc focussed at the beginning around forgiving a lover who had cheated and was given a second chance, but that theme echoed in a number of ways through the other relationships with family and friends.

Mark (and possibly the author) is a man for whom loyalty is probably a stronger tie than love. The loyalty of dogs is an absolute, loyalty of people is more difficult as each character brings their own baggage and pasts into account.

There were a number of times even interactions with other family members were transformed. Yes, we can all act as assholes at times, but is one comment, one action sufficient to cut off all ties whether they be family, friends or lovers?

Time was an important aspect of the book. Dates were used to signify substantial shifts forward. On occasions this got disconcerting, and you had to pay attention, but as the years progressed, we saw how time itself allowed people these second chances.

Was the character Mark blind not to see how his friend, Antonio, felt?

Perhaps. But the point of this book is that people can change. Feelings can change. Yes, in some ways the wrap up is story-book convenient, especially the money angle, but I was more interested in the build up to this, and the longer time frame made this change realistic. It wasn't an overnight waking up and saying, "Hey, I'm gay." More it was coming to terms, honestly, with who you are.

This is one book where I didn't mind getting to know the family. Warts and all. Being in first person, we see them only through the eyes of the narrator and this is fair.

I loved the political incorrectness of the book. Yeah, he swears. Yeah, he allows his inner bitch to surface at times. Yeah, he's a gay man. Are the three necessarily connected? Not always, but in this case the narrator felt real to me.

Mark wore his heart on his sleeve as the author probably does in real life. Yeah, he ranted and raved on a couple of occasions, but that was when people hurt those he loved. He's a bear roaring his willingness to defend defenceless people.

Bullies need that. Just as kids can gang up on a child who doesn't fit in at school, siblings and their spouses and cohorts can do the same when they unite against a brother if they don't approve of him.

Yet, over time, even they gave him and were given a second chance, albeit grudgingly and suspiciously. Only time would determine whether this change of heart was real.

Because he used his own work situation and experiences so much, the world felt vividly real. I appreciated the time spent detailing his job, the issues he faced, the system he had to work in, the restrictions that were placed on what he could and couldn't do. The way even touching a child in his care was no longer allowed, despite the fact that would be exactly what they needed.

If all you're looking for in a book is character A meets character B, they fall in love, have some difficulties but end up happy ever after, then you won't appreciate all the aspects of this book. It's a story about life as much as it is about love, about giving both second chances.


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A Shimmer in the M/M Skies

Butterfly Hunter by Julie Bozza
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The way I discovered this book and Julie Bozza was eerily like the protagonists discovered the butterflies. I certainly didn't go looking. After hearing about the writer through convoluted means, I trusted my instincts rather than logic and followed a cloud of 5 star ratings that barely showed up against the plethora of five star ratings that stretch from horizon to horizon of the reading world. And I'm so glad I did.

Perhaps it was the shimmer that made her story show up, the unusual cover in a trope that depends on sex to sell.

There was sex, but it was very much the fade to black variety even if they do get to second base or even third base at times.

If I have a criticism of the book it is that at a couple of points during the sex scenes there was a gap that made me skip back a page because I thought I'd flipped over one too many. Is actual penetration that hard to include? Perhaps some nitty gritty real sex might have stolen some of the light hearted feel away but then again perhaps it could have grounded the story a bit more and made it more real. A sentence would have done me.

As an Aussie, I can vouch for the setting's authenticity. The attraction of the Australian outback is not easy to see. In the heat of the day, it's hot. Bloody hot. Shirts cling to your back from the sweat. Flies try to crawl into your nose, eyes and mouth seeking moisture. Ants are literally everywhere. Probably a good reason to sleep up on top of the Land Cruiser. Sometimes it's so hot even the birds are silent. That's when the insects start making a racket. Most city dwellers see the Australian outback as a harsh place and rarely venture out there which is a pity, because it is beautiful, and in certain lights, it's magic.

The trouble is you have to be there to experience it. Julie gives us a picture of the overwhelming magnificence of the southern skies. But I love the time just before dawn when there is an expectant hush in the air. I've only ever experienced the same thing when a baby budgie was hatching and its parents and siblings all grew quiet (a rare state in that breed) while tiny tapping sounds could be heard as the baby bird broke through the shell. It's the same in the bush. Everything goes quiet. The wind drops, the birds are silent and then the sun pokes its head above the horizon. Later, the heat of the day sucks all the energy out of the landscape, but the early morning light caresses the bush, making it unforgettable.



There is no lush grass, no soft colors, the ground is hard and unforgiving until you find a waterhole.




The wattle is our national symbol, but it can take on many forms.


As m/m writers go, Julie has come the closest so far to capturing this unique setting.

As someone whose father and sister were entomologists and actually worked for the organisations briefly mentioned, it gave me an eerie feeling of being right there.

Hunting butterflies isn't hunting Tasmanan tigers or even kangaroos. There's no guns, no villains, no drama just a gentle unfolding of the story. In fact, the analogy of their life spans, their metamorphosis into something beautiful mirrors Dave's change perfectly.

Tough macho Aussie males brought up far away from gay culture would seek the protection and company of a girl who was a mate. Uncomplicated. Unthreatening. They wouldn't even be aware they were doing it. They would assume that what they had was a normal boy/girl relationship. I found that part of the story totally believable.

I also thought the way the author handled aboriginal culture was appropriate in the circumstances and wasn't condescending in any way. Not every Australian takes the time or has the interest in accepting that relationship to the land, but for those who do, there's this special way of looking at things. Outsiders may not "get it" or they may see it as appropriating their culture, but in fact not "getting it" and ignoring that aspect is more disrespectful.

It is probably best if you read the story when you are in the right mood for it. It certainly made a welcome change for me.


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The Trouble is that there is no Hiding Place

The Hiding Place by Wayne Mansfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

YA as far as I can gather covers 12-18 year olds with similarly aged protagonists, no sex and exploring some of life's issues. If so, this book wouldn't be suitable for them which is a pity as it is a fabulous, well written, very moving book that many young adults would unfortunately relate to.

But it's not a romance. It's pure gay fiction, the sort of book I wish more m/m romance writers would read every now and then to gain a real understanding of what growing up gay is all about.

The theme of bullying is so excellently depicted your heart just bleeds for the protagonist and the author himself as Wayne Mansfield admits that many of the scenes depicted happened to him.

I think what really resonated for me were the side characters. Those that could have/should have/would have helped.

In the Author's note, he writes:

"If you know or suspect that someone is being bullied, please take the time to talk to them. They may not bring it up themselves, or want to talk about it, but knowing someone is there, to support and talk to, is often empowering."

I for one am prepared to promote the book as much as I can as I believe that is a great way to show support.

The style of writing is good, with most done in third person, however at times the protagonist slips into fantasizing and those sections are written first person, present tense. This works brilliantly and adds just the right feel to the book as you're swept away in dreams of what the world should be like.

I've never read any of Wayne's books before as I don't tend to go for dark erotica, however if and when I do read them, I'm sure I will have a much better appreciation on where those ideas come from after reading what he felt growing up.

Unfortunately, you won't go away after reading "The Hiding Place" feeling that life is now a bed of roses. As Wayne also says in his Author's note:

And it is a struggle. I can also tell you, first-hand, that these scars last well into adulthood. These scars can take the form of depression and other mental disorders, inability to form lasting relationships, trust issues, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, anxiety or anger issues, and sometimes suicide.

Sometimes I wonder if by enduring suffering and hardship and surviving, we can learn lessons and gain the strength to help others. I hope that is the case in this respect and Wayne has found the strength to survive. If this is a good example of his writing, that alone shows he has something very valuable to add to the world.

Definitely worth reading.


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All Aboard!

The Gravy Train by Barry Lowe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Barry Lowe's writing. It's tight (as befitting a guy who is a journalist in real life), he's witty, and he writes great characters who are larger than life.

Usually his books are short and they're no sooner getting up steam than they've stopped at the nearest station.

As the book was originally released as six short stories, "The Gravy Train" might get up steam and stop at stations, but the whole journey is worth taking.

In the bio, we learn that Barry has always loved Whodunits and this is a Whodunit but an adult one. It's definitely not m/m romance although there is enough sex to satisfy and a thoroughly happy ending.

Our hero is supposedly the guy on the cover, but I think that's a case of wishful thinking. I pictured Buddy as being a few years older than that. But never mind, the guy depicted is good eye candy and I'm sure Buddy would have fucked him if he got the chance. Especially seeing he got it on with just about everybody else in the book. Most of the gay guys at any rate although his gaydar wasn't always up to scratch.

Yeah, there is crime and quite a few dead bodies. At least one a chapter. There are the obligatory number of red herrings and of course we don't learn the truth until the last couple of pages.

Some of the facts that escaped our hero are blatantly obvious to the reader, but watching Buddy aka Kaden blunder along in blissful ignorance is part of the fun.

And did I mention the recipes? They're there. Not sure I want to make all of them, but there are a couple of good vegan ones.

The story makes a welcome change to a lot of of the angsty overemotional m/m stories out there. In the style of James Lear books but funnier and nicer heroes. There are numerous spots where you'll be laughing out loud.

Highly recommended if you like m/m and whodunits.

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Grilling J.P. Barnaby about BDSM

AB: So, far I've had interviews about writing BDSM with Kim Dare which can be read here, Dusk Peterson whose interview can be found  here  and Jane Davitt which can be read here. 

I've asked each the same set of questions which were suggested to me by my beta readers. It's amazing how different the answers are, but each shows the depth and dedicaton each has to portraying the scene as well as they can.
Today, I’m thrilled to be chatting to J.P. Barnaby.
AB: Thanks for participating, JP. You're probably best known for your "Little Boy Lost" and Forbidden Room series and your recent release, Aaron. Please give me some details about your next book.

JP: My next BDSM novel, entitled Painting Fire on the Air, shows how a man uses physical pain to mask his emotional pain:

His entire life, Benjamin Martin’s parents drilled into his head to take care of his little sister. One horrific night, he failed. Now, the pain he endures at the hands of his Dom blocks out the terrible pain in his heart. When Ben’s latest Dom, casts him aside like a broken toy, he manipulates his best friend, Jude, into picking up the pieces. Jude Archer has been in love with Ben for years, but his fantasies about his friend never included whipping him. Can Jude find that strength within himself to be the Dom Ben needs? When he’s forced to trade the marks upon his soul for the pain that ravages Ben, Jude learns the real definition of submission.

Some of the BDSM scene elements include fire flogging, electrostim, gang bangs, bondage, and gags. The story is told from a unique perspective, in that a lot of BDSM novels have a wise, almost omniscient Dom who takes care of the new fledgling sub and ushers him into the lifestyle. In Painting Fire on the Air, Ben has all of the experience, and he more or less pushes Jude off the high board into the lifestyle to be his Dom.
AB: What do you look for when you read BDSM?

JP: BDSM novels are kind of like an Easter egg hunt – you go through and look and look until you finally find some real gems. Sometimes, you find some that are just rotten. I look for strong, but imperfect characters, ones who grow throughout the book. I like Doms who are human and make mistakes, because Doms are human and make mistakes. I like strong subs who know how to take care of themselves. Vulnerability is fine, but a complete lack of self isn’t. My personal preference is more of a sensory experience than pain, and trust than fear.
AB: What do you try to convey when you write BDSM? 

JP: One of the main themes that I try to convey in my work is that practitioners of BDSM aren’t just looking to beat the crap out of someone, or make them feel degraded. The tenet we live by is “safe, sane, consensual” – there are others, but that’s the one that is the most widely recognized. The best players, both Dom and sub are safety conscious. The sub needs to be just as aware of their safety because scenes are a two way street. If the sub doesn’t feel comfortable with a scene, or something goes wrong he (or she) needs to be able to communicate that with their Dominant. 

What I want to show people is what it’s really like to live the lifestyle rather than just watch it from the outside. I’ve been a sub for about 15 years. I still make safe calls when I play with someone new. I still have a safe word (usually the standard red/yellow/green), and I still meet them in a public place first. 

People try what we write in our books, the sheer influx of new people on Fetlife in the last year because of the success of Fifty Shades of Grey proves that. I feel that I have a responsibility to portray the lifestyle accurately, and maybe with a bit of education so that people wanting to try can be safe.
AB: Why do you think “Fifty Shades of Grey” appeals to readers who aren’t in the scene and have no wish to get into the scene?

JP: I’ve not read Fifty Shades of Grey, to be honest. I started reading Master of the Universe – it’s fanfiction incarnation, but wasn’t all that interested, so I quit. So, the answer to your question will come from the surrounding hype. I think that the media circus around the series made it the “in thing”. Someone will go out and buy Gucci loafers or a Prada bag simply because it’s the “in thing” and it has nothing to do with the actual content.

AB: Has “Fifty Shades of Grey” helped the BDSM genre or harmed it? Is kink coming out of the closet?

JP: It’s a mixed bag. It’s certainly made things more difficult on sites like Fetlife and Recon. Now, when we approach someone, we have to determine if they’re more of a wannabe or someone with experience. On the other hand, I think it may have opened up the lines of communication in couples more. Partners who may have been afraid to discuss their fantasies can be more comfortable approaching the topic. 

AB: BDSM usually gets classified as erotica or porn regardless of the amount of sex present. Do you think this is fair?

JP: I can’t speak for all players, but for myself, the BDSM aspect of my life is sexual. However, I think well written BDSM, just like any story, is far more layered and complex than just sex. BDSM and erotica are not mutually inclusive, but categorization is only as effective as the knowledge of the categorizers. 
AB: How do you research for your BDSM books?

JP: A lot of the emotional aspects, and some of the scene work I can do from experience. For things I have not experienced personally, I discuss the granular detailing with professional Doms and subs that I have made friends with in the adult entertainment industry.
For example, the detailing for the fire flogging scenes in Painting Fire on the Air came from Dire Callahan, head of Steel Mill media, Derek da Silva, and Drake Jaden who was the sub in the scene they screened for me at IML.
AB: Is there something you feel is taboo for BDSM books? Anything you wish wasn’t as taboo?

JP: While rape, abuse, and dubcon do get marked as BDSM, they certainly aren’t – that bothers me. However, for taboos, just like in real life, as long as the players both consent and are being safe, I can’t think of anything that should be forbidden in fiction.

There are, however, things I don’t care to read. I’m not a big fan of water sports, blood play, sounding, or a few other fetishes. But, just because I don’t enjoy reading them doesn’t mean they should be considered taboo.

AB: What do you think of the proliferation of abuse fiction doing the rounds that gets perceived as BDSM? Do you see that as a problem?

JP: I think the miscategorization of rape and abuse as BDSM perpetuates a dangerous perception of the lifestyle and encourages the devaluation of subs. People outside of the lifestyle don’t generally understand that the sub has power in the relationship. By utilizing their safe word and limits list, they set the boundaries just as much as the Dom with his requirements. To portray the sub as having no power, it encourages new subs coming in to the lifestyle to give up their free will. That’s not what it’s about. Both partners always have a right to stop or to say no.
Drake Jaden AB: Why do you choose to make BDSM the focus of your stories? What draws you to that as opposed to writing a story in which the characters are just kinky or even if steeped in the lifestyle it's just a part of who they are?

JP: BDSM is only one focus. I also write other contemporary fiction. However, I like writing BDSM, especially M/M BDSM because it turns me on. I write my fantasies within the bounds of each story. When I write BDSM, I write lifestyle players because it’s what I do, and I write from experience.

Thank you so much for having me on the blog. If readers are interested in my BDSM work, my titles are:

M/M/F – The Forbidden Room & A House of Cards
M/M – Mastering the Ride & The Perfect Tree
Thanks JP for giving such great responses to my questions.
Good luck with the upcoming release of Painting Fire on Air 
Award winning romance novelist, J. P. Barnaby has penned over a dozen books including the Forbidden Room series, the Little Boy Lost series, and Aaron. As a bisexual woman, J.P. is a proud member of the GLBT community both online and in her small town on the outskirts of Chicago. A member of Mensa, she is described as brilliant but troubled, sweet but introverted, and talented but deviant. She spends her days writing software and her nights writing erotica, which is, of course, far more interesting. 

The spare time that she carves out between her career and her novels is spent reading about the concept of love, which, like some of her characters, she has never quite figured out for herself.

Web site: http://www.JPBarnaby.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JPBarnaby
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JPBarnaby

Release Party with Giveaways

P.D. Singer and I are taking over Dreamspinner Press's facebook page this Saturday 23rd March from 1pm US EDT for a very special chat because we both have titles coming out this Friday, novels that are part of popular series - Leather+Lace, part of the Opposites Attract series that includes Red+Blue and Return to the Mountain that is part of The Mountains series. 

A five hour chat has been planned to make sure that more fans can be part of the event. Expect giveaways and other surprises!

The chat is to be held at: http://www.facebook.com/dreamspinnerpress - make sure to like the page to be able to participate.

P.D. Singer and I may live on opposite sides of the planet but we have a number of things in common. Apart from the shared release date for a new book in a series, we share a deeper connection. The first person to guess what it is, will win a $20 gift voucher from Dreamspinner Press. Hints will be dropped during the party and we'll let you know if you're gettng close or not.
And the shared bond is not that we will both be giving away copies of our ebook and a signed copy of a print version! We will be doing that as well.
So, please join us as we share excerpts, introduce topics as different as restaurants, waiters, drag queens and BDSM and lots of lively discussion on all sorts of topics related to life, the universe and m/m romance.

There Once was a Master: John Preston

I Once Had a Master by John Preston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

John Preston, for me, was once all about Mr. Benson: A Novel It was the book everyone spoke about and referred to, and I enjoyed it (mostly) when I finally laid my hands on it.

Yes, it was hot, but it was fantasy.

This book should be required reading for everyone who wants to understand the dynamic between Dom and sub, simply because the author shows the different ways it can vary.

In his review, Jason Huffman-Black refers to the clinical detached style of writing, and after reading angsty emotional m/m romance it certainly comes across that way, but, again as Jason comments, after a while, you start to see the emotion lying under the surface.

Like a Dom who cares deeply for his sub but doesn't let on, John Preston cares about and understands the dynamics that can exist in different relationships.

None of these short stories are HEA. They aren't meant to be. The title of the anthology says it all. They are episodes that happen in subs and Doms lives that have meaning. Moments of growth and change.

The sex is mentioned more than shown. That's because the sex is not the point of the stories, it's the roles that are taken on and why they work for the people involved.

Each story has its own merits and its own lessons if you take the time to look at what is not being said as much as what is being said. Each may strike a different chord at a different time. They are all definitely worth re-reading.

Perhaps the story that resonated the most for me was the tale of the sub who, after losing one Master had built himself into the perfect specimen for another should he find one. The man he chose was amazed as he thought himself to be in a totally different league based on the physical beauty of this sub, but as the story goes on, you see the vulnerability beneath this brilliant exterior and the way that the Dom, simply because he understand his needs and is happy to fulfil them is the right man. The use of the word, Daddy, for once felt deserved and appropriate.

These stories are all about a man who, by submitting to the right master, grows and gains from the experience no matter how short it is.

Sometimes these subs outgrow their Masters, but the lesson is still the same.

None of these hook-ups are taken lightly. The story about the grey area between tricking and relating exposes some of the insecurities and vulnerabilities that can be much harder to deal with than the sting of a whip.

There is the insecurity of age and of weight. The torment of distance. The ongoing search for connection while at the same time keeping people at arms' length.

What makes this all the more fascinating is that it is a collection of stories that Preston admits were based on actual encounters he had along the way. The Master in all these stories is a version of himself. The stories a tribute to different subs he had. Each offering their own unique brand of submission and him gaining something from the experience and changing subtly even if he didn't appreciate it at the time. You can see a kind of search for something I don't think Preston ever found. The perfect ongoing relationship. Why didn't he? Perhaps he saw himself more as the Teacher (as much as a Master) he couldn't resist all these people he met who needed some direction in their life which he could give them. Or perhaps, if the first story is his first encounter with an M/s relationship his "Teacher" imposed this mindset on him.

He left his first Master because he feared someday thinking of him as "God". Perhaps he never wanted to be seen as such by another man. So he moved them on, forcing them out the door even if neither really wanted that.

The epilogue is also a fantastic insight into the whole concept of the meaning and place for pornography.

There is no way this book can be seen as such. Doing so would ignore the psychological dynamic that flows throughout. These aren't dolls strutting their stuff, they are real people with all their needs and insecurities even if sometimes dressed up as strengths. Particularly in respect to the narrator himself who senses the gaps in his life, but never expresses these doubts to another. You can't if you're the all-knowing Master. Permeating it all, even if John Preston didn't realize it at the time, is this innocent, although that is probably not the right word, this blissful ignorance about the insidious plague that was to kill him and probably many of these men that he depicts, fictional or real.

In those days, they wove around each other in a dance of sex and emotional jousting never realising the real danger was not in being humiliated or hurt by a whip but in being killed by something so small they didn't even see it coming.

I'm so glad we've got a record of this past age in his words.

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Grilling N.R. Walker

Today I’d like to welcome N.R. Walker, who I just discovered is another Australian writing m/m. There aren’t many of us, so it’s always great to welcome a new one and what a talented one she is. Currently, she’s in the process of getting books republished that had been with another company. In the meantime, check out her free stories and the two she self-published ones she has on Amazon.

Having never read the Twilight saga, I approached “Sixty Five Hours” without pre-conceptions toward the plot or the characters and, once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Intrigued about the person behind such great writing, I sent N.R. a swag of questions and she was kind enough to answer them. Welcome N.R.!

NRW: Thanks for having me on your blog!!  I’m excited to be here!  It’s great to be in the company of another Aussie writer!!

AB: Sixty Five Hours is described on Goodreads here as being fan-fiction. Can you give me the background of its origins? 

NRW: Yep, Sixty Five Hours started as a fanfiction.  I actually put it on my blog as a free-read thinking only a few would ever read it.  Then someone put it on Goodreads, so I added the disclaimer that it was once fanfiction so people wouldn’t yell at me.  I had no clue it would be so popular

AB: Why are you providing it for free?

NRW: I figure it was free once, so I’d just keep it that way. I’m not pro or anti publishing fanfiction, my belief is people can do what they want.  I just really had no idea it would be one of my most popular books. LOL
AB: Given that 50 Shades of Grey started out as online free fan fiction, would you be interested in getting it published by one of the "name" ebook publishers?

NRW: Not really. As I mentioned before, it was once free so I’ll keep free. I know it needs an editing overhaul, and a proper cover, and I’ll probably get around to fixing it one day.

AB: Most of the problems are just slips from past tense to present tense. I gather that the story was originally written in present and find it interesting that so much fan fiction seems to be written in present tense. Why is that? 

NRW: I've discussed with other fanfic writers, and I really think it stems from how the original books were written. HP is past tense, so the fanfic is written in past. Twilight is present tense, so the fanfic is written in present. I used to only write in present tense and now can't stand it. LOL That's the reason I changed it. Now wish I didn't because of the mistakes, but like I said, I seriously didn't think anyone would read it. 

AB: Don't worry, there aren't that many and they don't spoil the story.... What is your background in writing?

NRW: I stumbled into fanfiction almost by accident. I’d never even heard of fanfiction until 4 years ago. I was scrolling the web looking at celebrity forums and someone mentioned their favourite fanfiction.  One Google search later...  and presto!  Before I knew it, I’d abandoned my old life and started writing.

I actually had one story written (because the original story annoyed me that critical scenes were left out so I wrote them myself LOL)  before I even knew of the concept of fanfiction.  I threw the story online, got a pretty good response, so I kept writing.

I started out in het (m/f) then I found slash (m/m) and the rest as they say, is history.

AB: How much of this book is research and how much from experience. I'm referring to the world of advertising and Texans not the gay sex.
NRW: In Sixty Five Hours, not a great deal of research outside of Google. I did watch a lot of The Gruen Transfer (an Australian comedy show about advertising) but I’d hardly consider that research.  I love the psychology of advertising, and found that intriguing, but seriously, the actual advertising campaign would hardly hold water.

AB: Have you or would you set any of your stories in Australia?

NRW: I do have one planned on my to-be-written list.  It will be a country setting, which is something I’m very familiar with. I’m still undecided whether to just set the story here in Australia, or to write it using Australian English, not the American English so much m/m is written in.

AB: Do you have any specific guys in mind for Lucas and Cameron? Send photos!
NRW: Very specifically, yes.  As it was ex-fanfic, Lucas and Cameron were specifically written as Jasper and Edward, therefore Jackson Rathbone as Lucas and Robert Pattinson as Edward. 

This is the banner made for the original fanfiction, by the very talented Lisa P (we don’t own the original art. No copyright intended. It’s just for funsies, k?)  Would have LOVED to have used something similar for the newer version but there were too many copyright no-no’s. 

AB: You had me fooled. I started looking for the issue. Lol. You come from a small town in rural New South Wales, one that I would suspect is not particularly gay friendly. Are you out as an m/m romance writer there?
  
NRW: My sister and my husband know, but that’s it.  No one in my real life knows I write at all, let alone m/m.  I’m not particularly close to my family, and I’m a bit of a hermit (by choice)  so this is fine with me.   

AB: Tell me a bit about how and why you started writing m/m romance.

NRW: I loved the adversity of m/m as opposed to m/f romance. It’s just something that clicked with me.  Sure, it was hot to read, but there were complex characters, with depth and a raw honesty in what they were going through. I just loved it.  I still do.  I can’t imagine going back to m/f.
AB: Who are your heroes in the m/m romance genre? 

NRW: Oh my... really, to be honest, anyone who puts themselves out there.  Anyone who spends more time writing than they should, who pours a little of themselves into every story, who cry and laugh with the characters they create, love them like children and then put them out there for people to pull apart and crucify...

AB: Tell me a bit about your next or latest release.
NRW: My latest release, “Through These Eyes”, is the sequel to “Blind Faith”, which was rereleased just two weeks prior.  Both books are my first time in the self-publishing arena.  It’s been a very steep learning curve, but a rewarding one. I certainly couldn’t have done it without the amazing support of other m/m authors who came to my rescue.

AB: I gather both books are available on Amazon, Smashwords and All Romance Ebooks (links below). They seem to be selling very well, congratulations and I love the covers!

NRW: Thanks. Gorgeous aren't they? They were made by the amazingly talented Sara York.
"Blind Faith"
Starting a new job in a new town, veterinarian Carter Reece, makes a house call to a very special client.
Arrogant, moody and totally gorgeous, Isaac Brannigan has been blind since he was eight. After the death of his guide dog and best friend, Rosie, his partnership with his new guide dog, Brady, isn't going well.
Carter tries to help both man and canine through this initiation phase, but just who is leading who?

You can buy "Blind Faith" at:

Amazon:  Buy at Amazon
All Romance ebooks:  Buy at ARe
Smashwords:  Buy at Smashwords

"Through Your Eyes"

Six months after we last met Carter Reece and Isaac Brannigan, they're still very much in love. Moving in together, moving forward, life for these two is great until some life changing events occur. 
Isaac has a frightening setback and Carter's world starts to unravel. Things become even more complicated and start to change for both men when Isaac’s new colleague enters the picture. 
As Isaac struggles for what he really wants, it might just cost him what he needs the most.

You can buy "Through These Eyes" at:

Amazon:  Buy at Amazon
All Romance ebooks:  Buy at ARe
Smashwords:  Buy at Smashwords

Where to find me:

Blog:  N.R Walker Blog

Facebook:  N.r. Walker

Thanks to N.R. for joining me, and if you haven't read any of her books.
Give "Sixty Five Hours" a try.

Striving to Maintain or Regain Control

Prose: Memoir Writings by People with Experiences in the Sex Trades by Melissa Petro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First off, this is available as an ebook from: http://www.redumbrellaproject.org/buy...

I bought the book to gain a better understanding of the sex trade industry as preparation for writing "Prejudices" the sequel to "Mardi Gras." When it eventually comes out of contract, I hope to expand it with another novella of roughly the same length to create a full length book "Pride+Prejudices." Because prejudices are exactly what sex trade workers come up against every moment of their lives.

These stories by people within the industry aren't all-encompassing memoirs. They aren't meant to be, but they do give insight into the reasons why people get involved and the different effect it has on them when they do.

The workers have been encouraged to write about their experiences to help them regain control over who they are. For some, honing their creative writing endeavours is a possible exit strategy.

The writers themselves (some retired some still active) inhabit all shades of the spectrum, gay men, gay women, transgender, straight women. No straight men that I could see.

Topping the bill as a writer is undoubtedly Josh Ryley and his story "Fist" This could have been published as a stand alone. As fiction it would have been an enthralling read. As non-fiction it then transcends enthralling through appalling to just downright sad. More than any, this one explored the nature of the client who used the service while still firmly locked in the head of the man providing him with what he wanted. Was it what he needed? Well that's the big question.

You could smell, feel and see every moment though. The mark of a writer with talent. If this is an example of Josh's writing skills, I'm sure he could make a good fist of being a published author. Pardon the pun.

Other stories were also good in that they showed different sides of their strengths and vulnerabilities. Some were only snippets, showing the factors at the start of their journey, others the hopelessness of their isolation. And isolated they are.

The inability to make connections with people outside the industry once they were in it, ran through every story even if not directly epxressed.

The presence of drugs, the ability or inablity to kick the habit. The love/hate relationship they had with them rippled along like the tidal flow of a river under the top few inches of fresh rain after a heavy downpour.

I may revisit this review when I have more time, just to express my thoughts on the other contributions all of whom had merit. But it's worth buying just to read "Fist" providing your stomach is strong enough. Not for the physical act but because of the "characters" and "setting."

View all my reviews If you want to know more about Josh Ryley, he has his own website here.

I came upon Josh when reading his tribute to porn star and male escort, Miklos Arpad, after his recent suicide. 

The fates and fears of their co-workers prey on their minds just as much as their own experiences. They try to look after their own and advice by others like Dominick who writes a column for Rentboy go some way to keep them grounded.

A Sporting Hero comes out

Man in the Box (Uncut) - Part 1: The Perfect Man by Fergie Boy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is currently free on Smashwords, so I would recommend you make the most of that now! This is gay porn not m/m romance, so you've been warned!

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/vie...

The hero is a Scot who wins Wimbledon and promptly announces he is gay. It was written long before Andy Murray accomplished the feat, but I wouldn't mind betting he provided inspiration for the tennis and physical side of things even if not the sexual!

None of the characters are real. From what I can gather, there aren't even specific parallels, more amalgams and bits of players to create Lewis McNair's own distinct Universe.

Even though it's not meant to be instructive or even a polemic fighting for justice, anyone wondering why so few high profile gay sports people come out, only need to read this book to understand. The scenario may have been done before, but the teasing way the narrator addresses the reader, while jumping back and forth in time gives the book (and the series) a distinct edge.

There is enough sex and fantasizing about sex to glibly dismiss this as gay porn, but intertwined through this and the other books in the series is a touching tale about a number of characters. Sure, the star is Lewis and his search for the perfect man, but along the way we get to know all the people his life brushes up against in all their strengths and weaknesses.

Usually I don't like head hopping, but in this case, I was quite happy to briefly jump into minor characters' heads.

There is a lovely understanding of people's needs and wants. Their fears and fantasies. The perfect may not really be perfect but even in their imperfection, each has their own qualities.

The only negative niggle I had was the number of very explicit fantasies the characters have. Maybe that's the point though. Closeted gay men or men who have limited sexual options do spend a lot of their time thinking about sex. In detail. In great detail!

Apart from a few homophonic typos, the writing quality is fluid and easy to read so don't let them put you off. I gather from correspondence that we've had that the author intends to re-edit and re-publish the series later in the year.

Fergie Boy is the pseudonym of a writer who also publishes under the names Jack Brighton and Tom Farrell. Each incarnation writes books in a slightly different tone. The Fergie Boy stories which originaly appeared on a website Gay Boy Books are highly erotic but not specifically BDSM in nature. Tom Farrell's books fall into two categories: 'Flaming Hot Gay Erotica' and 'Flaming Hot Gay BDSM'. Both collections are softer than Jack Brighton's normal work - the 'Erotica' collection much more so. But it is still Jack Brighton - his ideas and his style.

View all my reviews