Matthew Lang's Blog, page 14

Marriage Equality Inquiry Extended

The House of Representatives has quietly extended the deadline for it's public submissions for it's Marriage Equality Inquiry until the 20th of April 2012. This means that if you haven't already submitted your views on Marriage Equality, you should take their survey here.

If you're wondering what sort of things you might want to say, I suggest looking no further than this post on Single Dad Laughing. It's a very touching story, and was posted as a direct response to a previous post: I'm Christan Unless You're Gay. I'll put an excerpt here:

Hello Mr. Pearce,

I am the Christian mother of a 15 year old teenage boy and about a month ago he came home from school with a copy of your article "I'm Christian, unless you're gay". The teacher gave his class a homework assignment to read it and write a 500 word essay about "what it meant to them".

He came home and showed me your article and asked me what I thought about it. I read just the title and became furious at his teacher and at you (even though I know you had nothing to do with her handing out the assignment). Anyway, I confiscated it from him and told him he wasn't to do anything with it till I had a chance to read it first.

And then I got madder and madder as I read it as I felt like it was a direct attack against our beliefs and our Christian religion and that it was promoting homosexuality, a practice that around here is a huge "sin".

I gave my son an earful about homosexuality and God and told him that he could tell his teacher that he would not be participating and if she had a problem, she could come talk to me and then I threw the article in the trash. My son didn't say anything just walked into his room and shut the door.

Long story short, a couple hours later it was supper time and I still hadn't seen him come out of his room. I didn't expect it to be that big of a deal to him but I went and knocked and told him to come out, he didn't answer so I opened his door and he wasn't there, he had left the house and gone somewhere. Of course I got more mad and tried to call him but he sent it to voicemail. I sent him a text and told him he better get home and he was grounded.

This is the text he sent me in return: "I don't care. I'm at my friends house writing that essay and I'm not coming home till you read it."

I think you would have seen steam coming out of my ears if you saw me. I started preparing to go talk to the school . . . → Read More: Marriage Equality Inquiry Extended

Mass Effect 3: The War Asset Number Crunching

**WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR MASS EFFECT 3**

So earlier this month I promised to do a number crunch to see if it is possible to get the best ending in Mass Effect 3 via the single player game alone, as has been claimed by Bioware's Jesse Houston. Whether the endings are actually any 'good' is a subject of debate, although my feelings are fairly well summed up by this Game Front article, but I wanted to see if Bioware's claims were true given their own statements, not our judgements. To that end, I asked Bioware via twitter if their definition of 'Best Ending' was the Synthesis ending, and to date have not received a reply.

The reason I asked is because there has been some debate on the internet as to what constitutes the 'best' ending, with the common consensus being that it is the one where Commander Shepard lives. Although there are  16 confirmed ending variations, although the variations are very slight. Regardless, this is not a discussion about the merits of the ending–rather a question as to whether the 'Best Ending' is possible.

The reason this is questionable is because players, by and large, have defined the best ending as the ending where Shepard lives–i.e. where you get the cutscene showing Shepard is still alive. This ending requires an effective military strength of between 4000 and 5000 if you have a high enough reputation (importing an existing ME3 character required) or 5000+ if you do not have a high reputation score. So allowing for a second play through (which is a requirement I would consider unsporting, but in line with the letter of Bioware's claims), the question is: Can you get over 4000 War Assets in Single Player alone in the base game inclusive of currently available base game DLC? Or taking into account the 50% war readiness: Can you get over 8000 War Assets in a Single Player Game without playing multiplayer

In short: No.

Even if you go back to play through Mass Effect 1 and 2 and make specific choices with the sole aim of maximising your war assets, the best you can get in a single player game is 7729, and without playing any multiplayer to change your war readiness, that gives you a war readiness of 3864.5 (depending on rounding).

In Mass Effect 3, you can get a total of 4819 War Assets irrespective of previous game choices in Mass Effect 1 and 2. This requires taking Diana Allers and using the right Paragon/Renegade choices in her interviews, supporting the militarily effective side of any citadel conversation, doing all the side quests in time and scanning all planets.

You can get up to 2910 points more depending on . . . → Read More: Mass Effect 3: The War Asset Number Crunching

MLR Press: Call for Submissions, Christmas and Australia Day Shorts

MLR Press is currently having an open call for Christmas and Australia Day short stories:

Australia Day:

There's more to Australia Day than hunks in swimwear...but hey, it's nice to look at

Australia Day is the Australian version of July 4, it's when the whole of Australia drops everything and PARTIES to celebrate ALL THINGS Australia. It's fireworks, festivals, food, beer, ferryboat races on Sydney Harbour, you name it… It's their national day. Every city puts on the most amazing celebrations.

So here's your chance if you've always wanted to write a story about Australia, help us celebrate Australia Day! Imagine the stories you can write about HOT Aussie men in iconic Aussie locations/scenarios:

- Surf Life Savers on Bondi Beach - Jackaroo horsemen in the Outback - Drag queens and HOT men at Sydney's party of parties the Gay Mardi Gras - Lovers snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef - Romance in Melbourne, the Paris of the southern hemisphere - Opera at the Sydney Opera House - The mystical Ayers Rock and the Red Centre - Love in a hot wool-shearing shed on a sizzling Queensland - A steamy crocodile safari in Darwin

Now that you're tantalized with the possibilities…here's the details:

Stories should be between 5k and 40k

Any subgenre you'd like (but MUST be set in Australia around the celebration)

Due November 5, 2012

Submissions should be sent to special_submissions@mlrpress.com

Christmas Stories:

Christmas Memories (2011) by Matthew Lang

H-oohhh-H-ohhh-Holiday Time! Let's celebrate MLR style! From the sweet to the scorching, the winter holidays have it all. Whether it's Thanksgiving, Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, or New Year's Eve – no matter the holiday if it's in the winter months, let's celebrate it!

Stories should:

- Be set around a winter holiday between Thanksgiving (US) and New Year's Eve - Be between 5k and 40k - Any subgenre is welcome

Deadline for submissions: August 15th, 2012

Submission should be sent to winter_holiday_subs@mlrpress.com.

Marriage Equality: Have Your Say

On Thursday 16 February 2012, the Selection Committee asked the Committee to inquire into and report on the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012 and the Marriage Amendment Bill 2012. One of the things being considered are the views of the community–and as such, every one of us needs to speak up and share our stories and views. As my friend Dan Whitthaus found on his national tour of Australia, homophobia is a very real concern for Australia as a society, and the benefits of combating it are backed up by scientific research. Not only would it decrease the amount we spend on mental health, it would also have a marked impact on bullying, boost our economy–and possibly tourism–and perhaps most importantly, stop Canadians being able to call us a country of backwards homophobic bigots.

Of course, the first people to jump on board have been everyone from the homophobic right, and for the sake of our collective mental health, we all need to take action now. So if you do nothing else, please take 5 minutes to go and take the online survey and give your feedback to the committee and tell them why equality is so important. So stop reading my site and go on over. Go. Now. Right now.

On Saving the Universe: Mass Effect 3 Review

Mass Effect 3, Bioware's (alleged) finale to the Mass Effect Trilogy hit the shelves this March as one of the year's most anticipated games. It has been lauded for it's improved action sequences, branching narrative and there's also currently a petition out there demanding that the ending be changed–after it already was changed due to a furious reaction when the original ending was leaked onto the internet.

Design and Aesthetic

Mass Effect 3 is stunning visually, with both environments and characters rendered in gorgeous detail which far surpasses those from Mass Effect 2 or 1. Frankly, I'm a bit amazed the aging Xbox can cope with the rendering, even across two discs. There is still some texture pop, but overall the graphics make the game feel like an interactive movie, and the addition of an additional combat-minimalist, narrative style of gameplay gives that option additional weight. The locations are also a far cry from the repetitive interiors of Mass Effects past (do not talk to me about Dragon Age 2), with every location that you visit unique in design and flavour–even the N7 side missions take you to uniquely designed levels that may have a cohesive design style, but are a far cry from the 'same base, different filling' that was hidden behind the old 'pre-fab building' excuse in earlier games.

Musically, the Mass Effect Soundtrack is a joy, although at some times it pushes to the forefront in a rather intrusive 'here's the soundtrack' moment, most notably in the early cutscenes with Kaiden/Ashley. Still, the sound design in Mass Effect 3 is generally supurb, swelling beneath the action or drawing away to heighten the impact of the story.

Gameplay

Perhaps the area that has received the most tweaks since ME2, Mass Effect 3′s combat is generally a faster paced experience, with a better variety of enemies, and improved AI that makes the battles just that little bit more difficult. It's also worth noting that squad powers have been tweaked in unexpected ways beyond the multiple evolution options provided, so it's worth double checking before sinking points into the very familiar warp ammo, which now combines with biotics rather than being the go to for bypassing enemy defenses. Despite the AI improvements, I still find one of the best tactics for dealing with combat is biotic crowd control, as sinking points into fast power recharge means you can donate singularities left right and centre do deal with most threats, and the new ability of all classes to carry all weapons has made the sniper rifle a weapon of choice for just about any situation.

There are also notable absences in gameplay–no hacking code, no memory games with circuit boards and a much streamlines scanning system. Bioware has also added a mechanic that makes scanning both more rewarding, and something that you have to stagger out over the course of the game, rather than a tedious chore, which is a nice change.

Narratively, the early game is a lot of fun, with the game delivering both the complex choices, emotional gut wrenching moments of joy and horror, and the resulting consequences of your ME1 and ME2 actions in all their glory. Tiny, insignificant moments from the first game will jump out at you, and of course, the characters who survived both games will show up to make your game easier or harder. Actually, they mostly make it easier.

In terms of your squad, Bioware promised a tighter squad experience with much more banter, and they have certainly delivered. No longer confined to one room, your companions (with the notable exception of Shadow Broker Liara, who leaves her room only rarely) will wander around the ship from mission to mission, and talk to themselves as much as to yourself. They will also take shore leave and chat to you on the Citadel, amongst other places, which gives them a much greater dynamism than previously experienced.

Of course, depending on how you play, it's possible to go through the game with a total of three potential squaddies–a restrictive playstyle that might just impact on the game's outcome.

***WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD***

Bioware has a tendency to create darker narratives where you have choices between being nice and nasty, and the path of being nice typically reaps the greatest rewards, and this is true of the Mass Effect series. Playing generally nice certainly provided me with one of the better outcomes, although there were a number of noble and idealistic choices that come back to bite you in the ass.

Unfortunately however, the story seemed to unravel just a bit at the end of the day. Mass Effect 3 came with the promise of epic confrontations, with Shepard recruiting armies across the galaxy for a final battle at earth–only the player sees no direct results of their recruitment. It has since been revealed that there is indirect results dependent on a military strength score, but there are no story based interactions or consequences once you have your various allies on side–at best you see a cut scene of space ships flying into battle, but past that–nothing. In Mass Effect 2, the upgrades to your ship and the loyalty of your crew had a direct impact on whether or not you lived or died in the Collector base–you knew that if you hadn't put on new shielding someone would have died, or if you sent the wrong squadmate into the ventilation shafts someone would die–someone did die. If you arrived to late people died. There were experiential consequences. In Mass Effect 3 we don't see those consequences. You don't get any game changing experiences in the final battles from getting the geth on side along with the quarians, you don't see Krogan assaulting reaper forces on earth if you cure the genophage, and at the end of the day, no matter how big a damn hero you are, Shepard either dies or gets separated from his crew and loved one(s)–there's no chance of a heroic victory or happy ending for Shepard and his partner (if he or she has one). There's also no climactic final battle (i.e. no boss fight) on the scale of Saren or the Human Reaper. You talk to the illusive man and toddle off to whatever form of death or unhappiness awaits you. And that…was a bit of a let down.

The Human Reaper AKA final ME2 Boss

Bioware has always been about great narratives, and the gameplay in ME3 has certainly lent itself to fantastic narrative stories, but it almost seems as if gameplay was sacrificed for this. In the final mission, I powered through a series of urban streetfights around earth, got cut up by reaper weaponry and…nothing. I didn't get to fight a reaper. I didn't get to take down a reaper. I didn't get to cut through Harbinger like a hot knife through butter. I didn't get to see my combined fleets make Harbinger cry in defeat. I didn't get to *feel* like I'd earned an ending, or done anything heroic. And while the ending was certainly noble sacrifice and noble sacrifice and noble sacrifice (with a dose of near noble sacrifice), I didn't get a chance to savour victory. For all the promises of universe changing endings and a grand finale to the end of Shepard's journey, Bioware really failed to deliver. We've since been told that of the team of 15 writers, two locked themselves away and worked on the 'ending' without revealing it to anyone, resulting in the choice of red green and blue light that currently exists (with nothing else). The problem is the ending works as a story ending–if Mass Effect was a novel, the ending would be fantastic. As a Hollywood movie the ending is a little disappointing, but as a game, it's terrible. I'm a firm believer that the story must fit the medium, and in this case, I believe Bioware has missed the mark. There's just no agency for the player, and despite the background game mechanics, it feels as though you have failed, regardless of what you do. In short, Bioware has crafted a game series where players invest a minimum of 100 hours to save the universe–only to feel like they haven`t saved the universae at all. And regardless of the intended plotline, or the explanation of that plotline, evoking that feeling in a player is a failure in game terms. Even in Dragon Age 2, where you couldn't bring peace, you could at least battle to save what you could and achieve a victory of sorts.

More recently, Bioware has admitted that the ending 'may have needed more closure', and in an unprecedented move, gamers are now complaining to Fair Trading organisations, claiming that the hype and advertising around the Mass Effect 3 game was deceptive and misleading. In order to show this isn't about gamer entitlement, a large number of fans have raised a staggering large amount of money requesting that Bioware 'fix' the game, with over 70K being raised for Childsplay so far.

Personally I feel most gypped by the collectors edition, which included a number of substandard weapons, a Doctor Who reference in the form of a useless Kei-9 mechanical dog–who literally does nothing except wander around your armoury–and the day one DLC already included. Seriously, aside from the metal tin and artbook (which I didn't really buy the collector's edition for), I could probably have got the same gaming experience if I'd purchased a standard edition and bought the DLC separately, and it would have cost a hell of a lot less.

The GLBT Experience

After 2 games, you can finally get some man on man love. Although not in the picture, also note that ME3 sees the return of Dragon Age's BiowareUnderwear(TM)

So it's been a long time coming, from claims that sex with monogendered aliens was not lesbian sex per se, and that the lack of a man on man romance was due to a lack of gay men in the development team (while one of the sound engineers was apparently a monogendered alien), through revelations that both Kaiden and Ashley were orginally intended to be romanced by Shepards of either gender, to claims this would be addressed in ME2 (and never was), to hearing that it would NOT be addressed in ME3, to that it WOULD be addressed in ME3, there's been a lot of hullaballoo about whether or not Bioware allowed latent (or blatant) homophobia on behalf of their perceived audience to self censor same sex content in the game–viewed by many as a step back after the inclusion of it in Dragon Age: Origins (albiet in a fairly camp, stereotyped fashion). However, after posts such as this started appearing online, Bioware went back to the more inclusive representation of life, indeed going one step further and including two NPC romances that are specifically same sex only, with characters who are well rounded and non-stereotypical of current media portrayals. In this at least, I'm happy to say Bioware got it right, although I'm quite certain that some straight homophobic  schlub is probably going to complain that he's not comfortable with the fact that gay people exist in his playthrough, but well, I consider that a life lesson. Gay people exist. Sometimes they help you get Galaxy at War assets. Deal with it.

That said, Mass Effect 3 is still a good game, and we have been advised that further DLC to continue playing AFTER the end of the game is being created, which lends credence to the idea that there's at least more to this game if not another game in the works–after all, you do get told in the epilogue that just one more story of Commander Shepard will be told. Apparently, that initial ending I mentioned? Could still be the ending, coming via DLC in a month or so according to one internet leak. I have to admit I hope this is the case, as I kind of feel that Mass Effect 3 really needs an expansion–like a Tales of the Sword Coast or Throne of Bhaal.

So with that still up in the air, here's a few thoughts on the game that didn't fall into any category above in the main review. Expect more spoilers.

Garrus/Tali was awesome. And damn funny.
Drunk!Tali was even better.
Where was the mission to Palavan? The leadup to ME3 stated we'd get to visit it as a location, but it never showed up in a quest.
The take back Omega quest hinted at in the Dark Horse Comic in the collector's edition was notably missing as well. Can we get that as DLC please? That would be awesome.
The Citadel Defence Force. You spend a game building it up and then when you finally get to the Citadel in battle…nothing happens. I'm sorry, but what?
Kei-9: Can the dog be more than an extra bad pet that wanders around the room please? Can we get to use it's bomb sniffing capabilities? Also the security to the war room, which probably disguises a loading screen a la ME1 elevators, with banter from the two soldiers guarding it, seemed to be a lead up to the Normandy being attacked in the fashion of the collector attack. Will that also be coming in DLC?
Tuchanka was awesome. Now where can I get more Thresher Maws?
It's interesting that importing a save where your male Shepard was romancing Kaiden via the ME1 hack, does give you some different dialogue (partially voiced) with Kaiden.
It is currently uncertain if it possible to achieve the so called 'best' ending on a first playthrough without playing multiplayer. I'll be crunching numbers at some point, but it currently appears to not be possible without hacking the game, which would belie Bioware's claim that the Single Player Experience is truly stand alone, and that the 'best' possible ending is achievable in Single Player alone. Of course, if the above rumours of DLC are proved accurate, then this could all change, but we'll have to wait and see. If the rumours are not true and the end is the end is the end, then I won't be particularly happy as a gamer.

All in all, I try to view each piece of work in the light of the medium it is created in. As I said, if Mass Effect was a book series, I'd have been happy with the ending (although I'd have written an epilogue for it), but as a game, I was vastly disappointed, and as a game becoming a movie, I question its viability. Still, Mass Effect is and remains one of the richest stories out there in the gaming world, and as a game supporting visibility of three dimensional queer characters, I'm happy to pay for it.

Just maybe not the collectors edition next time.

This just in: Disappointed ME3 players are now getting refunds for the game, which is going to hurt Bioware's profits. So the question is: would you go so far as to get a refund? If a new DLC ending comes out will you get it? Would you get it even if you had to pay for it?

 

In Memorium: William Neale

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On Tuesday March 13th, we lost one of the MLR family, and well loved author, William Neale, who passed away after a heart attack in the home he shared with his partner of many years. I never met William (better known as Bill) personally–as a fairly recent entrant into the game I only knew him virtually, as a presence on the other side of the emails of encouragement, advise and wisdom. My thoughts are with his partner on this day.

William was the author of 6 books, including the novel Home, winner of the 2010 SensualReads reviewers' choice award.

Summa Gone and New Opportunities

God I feel like I haven't sat down to write properly in ages. It's probably the whole Midsumma festival thing. Having recently moved back into the inner suburbs I was not only able to make my first Midsumma appearance as an author at Hares & Hyenas' Word is Out festival–well okay, second counting the banQuetPress Anthology launch, but first appearance as an Official Festival Guest (capitals not optional), and also got to go to a lot of events I would otherwise have missed out on. So to all my writing, geeky, queer, Canadian and just plain awesome friends I've spent time with over the past month: thank you, I love you all. It's almost sad to wind down and notice the weather changing away from the blistering hot days of sunburning intensity, but it's also been a joy to be able to sit down and crack open my Prophecy file and start writing again. I will conquer you yet elusive second book!

Also, I have recently been asked to do a reading at the brand new, extra funky, literary bar/cafe, The Moat, as part of a Meet The Residents night hosted by SPUNC (Small Press Underground Networking Community), and  Writers Victoria. It's a free night, and an opportunity to meet fellow writers and publishers in Melbourne's Indie Press scene, and looks like it'll be the start of a fun night–and an awesome series of happenings at The Moat. Details below–hope you can make it!

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When: Thursday 16th of February, 5 PM

Where: The Moat Bar & Cafe, Basement 176 Little Lonsdale Street,

Price: Free

More Information Writers Victoria

Matthew Lang Live: Other Worlds of Radio

Matthew Lang will be live on blog talk Radio's Other Worlds of Romance net radio show on the 16th of January @ 11 PM(American Eastern Standard time), or the 17th of January @3 PM Australian Eastern Standard time.  He'll be reading an excerpt from The Secret of Talmor Manor, and will also be available for questions. He'll also be giving away an ebook copy of the novel to one lucky listener.

So if you'd like to hear him read live, win a book, or just ask a really embarrassing question, tune in and chat to one of the hottest young authors on the m/m scene!

Technical details: You can listen live at the the show's website, call in to the show (see webpage) to lodge a question or head to the show's chatroom. Basically, come hang out and immerse yourself in mystery.

Midsumma is here!

It's hard to believe, but it's that time of the year again–the weather is starting to get hot and sweltering, and it's looking like the heavens will bucket down on us for another wet year, but you have to make gay while the sun shines, and Midsumma is back for another season of art, culture, and just plain partying fun–and while you might find Matthew at any of the other events (except the naked camping one, as he doesn't do that sort of camping to well), you'll definitely find him at the following events, so grab a ticket, come on down to Hares and Hyenas and say hi.

Novel Conversations - Midsumma Premiere Event

A Word is Out favourite makes a welcome return, as we present five authors of recent Australian fiction reading a section of their choice, with an open Q&A to follow.

Authors include Andrea Goldsmith, award-winning writer of Reunion, The Prosperous Thief and Under the Knife, among others; Geoffrey Knight, author of erotic adventure novels including The Curse of the Dragon King, The Cross of Sins and Riddle of the Sands; Matthew Lang, author of modern gay gothic novel, The Secret of Talmor Manor; and Steve Dow, ex-Melbourne, now Sydney-based journalist and author, who will read from his satirical e-novel paean to Sydney, All Sorts (available from Amazonand iTunes); and speculative, genre-defying writer Kim Westwood, author of The Daughters of Moab and The Courier's New Bicycle.

Hosted by Crusader Hillis and including a public Q&A at the end of the session.

Where: Hares & Hyenas

Date: Wednesday 25 January

Time: 7:30pm

Price: Full $15; Conc $10; Group 6+ $12 +BF

Season pass: Full $150; Concession $100

Click book for the entire Hares & Hyenas season to purchase a season ticket to attend all H&H events.

Duration: 60 mins approx.

Info: www.hares-hyenas.com.au

banQuet 2012 Book Launches

banQuetpress is thrilled to launch two new collections of stories, poetry and art which showcase sensual, edgy and sweat-inducing tales of GLBTIQ desire, romance and erotica. These contemporary collections are brimming with provocative queer protagonists who push all the hot buttons and shove all the boundaries of sex and sexuality!

Enjoy an evening of spoken word performances from contributors and pick up your signed copies. Bookings essential – limited capacity.

Where: Hares & Hyenas

Date: Friday 3 February

Time: 7pm

Price: Full $15;Concession; $10 +BF

Season pass: Full $150; Concession $100

Click book for the entire Hares & Hyenas season to purchase a season ticket to attend all H&H events.

Duration: 90 mins approx.

Info: www.banquetpress.com

Tofurkey with Karenna Colcroft

I don't know about you, but I'm not quite ready to give up on Christmas–I'm stuffed, probably a few kilos heavier than I was this time last month, and still have leftovers in the fridge. So for the final touch of Christmas this year, please welcome the amazing Karenna Colcroft, who's new book, Tofurkey and Yams, is now out at MLR Press.

Story 3 in the  to Real Werewolves Don't Eat Meat series, I asked Karenna what the story behind the story was.

It's part of my Real Werewolves Don't Eat Meat series. Book one in the series, Salad on the Side, which MLR Press released in June, introduced us to Kyle Slidell, vegan turned werewolf (who still refuses to eat meat, even in wolf form) and his mate, Tobias Rogan, the too-serious pack alpha who's afraid to be seen as weak. Book 2 in the series, Veggie Burgers to Go, will be out soon. When I saw Kris Jacen talking about Christmas stories that some MLR authors were doing, I said I wanted to write a story about Kyle and Tobias's first Christmas together, and she told me to go for it. So here we are.

For those who are curious, Tofurkey and Yams takes place about three months after Veggie Burgers to Go, or about six months after Salad on the Side.

Does this mean you can give us a sneak preview of Veggie Burgers to Go?

A member of the Boston North Pack is attacked by humans who say they were hired by a shifter. The same night, Melia, the wolf who changed Kyle Slidell, returns to Boston. The pack suspects Melia of arranging the attack, but Kyle believes someone else is behind it. He just doesn't know who.

The next day at the regional alpha meeting in Pennsylvania, Kyle finds his answer. Saul Hughes, another alpha, has a long-standing grudge against Tobias. Saul claims Tobias is too weak to control a pack and makes it clear that he wants control of Boston North. But no one suspects how far he'll go to get it.

So, aside from your books—which everyone should buy—what do you think is a failsafe Christmas Gift?

I think you can't go wrong with a gift card. I know a lot of people think those cards are impersonal, but honestly if you don't know what to buy for someone, what's wrong with letting them choose for themselves? You don't have to buy a card for a specific store; you can get them a prepaid "credit card" gift card that they can spend wherever and however they want. 

What do you love best about this time of year?

The way my younger daughter enjoys getting ready for the holiday. I'm kind of a humbug myself; if you read Tofurkey and Yams, the way Tobias views Christmas is pretty much my viewpoint. But my daughter still gets excited about it and loves to decorate the house and talk about all the presents she's giving people—and pets—and that makes the holiday better for me.

What's your best Christmas Recipe for dinner party success?

Make hubby take care of it. He's a great cook!

What the heck is Tofurkey? Does it really exist? Is it yummy?

Tofurkey is tofu "turkey". It does really exist; it's a vegan alternative to turkey. I used to have a friend who was vegan, and tofurkey was his Thanksgiving dinner of choice, as well as his usual Christmas dinner. I've never tasted it, so I don't know if it's yummy or not.

Want to find out? Check out Tofurkey and Yams today!

After an autumn spent recovering from the deaths of two friends, Kyle is ready for the Christmas spirit to make everything better. His grand plans to make his and Tobias's first Christmas together a special one crash down when Tobias rejects them and then leaves town. Kyle follows him to the pack's hunt site, where he tries to bring back the joy of the holiday to Tobias's life.

Do you have any tips for post Christmas recovery? I don't know about you, but I've eaten far too much!

The best tip I can give is to exercise. Whether it's taking a walk outside (if you're someplace warm enough to do that), visiting the gym, or walking in place in your living room, try to get at least 15 minutes or so of exercise a day, more if you're a regular exerciser. It will take care of that extra holiday food, plus help battle post-holiday let-down. 

All good advice, and given that I'm in summer right now, I might have to try for that walking thing.

Find out more about Karenna and her books on her website; friend her on Facebook at  or follow her on Twitter @KarennaColcroft.