Brandon Shire's Blog, page 39
April 19, 2012
Day of Silence
Credit: Jan H. Andersen, http://www.jhandersen.com
When I asked for someone to speak for me
there was silence
When I buckled and fell under the weight of words
there was silence
An army of likeminded people appeared behind me
but stood in silence
And so my hunger for love became so great
that it was silence.
For those we have lost~ B. Shire
April 16, 2012
On Writing: Beginning with the End
On Writing: Beginning with the End
April 13, 2012
On Writing: Beginning with the End
The hook in music is the riff that captures the listener and pulls them into the song, the beat and the experience of the music. It’s what gets you humming the tune days later and what brings listeners back to the artist and thememoriesthey experienced when thatparticularsong was playing. It’s one of the things I love about music.
In writing it’s a little different, but no lessimportant. Creating a hook is built on sentences, one leads to another, and another, and another. From my perspect...
April 11, 2012
Questions from readers
I'm getting more and more questions from readers so I thought I would create a blog post that answered some of the most common. If you have a question, please feel free to contact me via my website or one of my social media sites. I may answer you personally, or make a blog post about it, or both.
You stated in an interview that some of the characters in The Value of Rain where based on real people, can you tell me which ones?
Many of the characters were based on real people, the character Snow was one of them and the real person he was based on had a literal pelt of scars from his shoulders down to his wrist. Snow was a stark, beautiful young man whose voice haunted me until I gave him a voice in Rain.
When are you going to give us more about Manuel?
[Manuel is a character in Rain] All my characters speak in their own time. I have a substantial amount of research to do before he'll be ready for print. The tentative title is Manuel's Diary and will explore some of his loves and much of his family life with Nana and Julia.
Your books are so emotional, how do you do that?
I've spent a very long time as a Zen practitioner studying how emotion influences my own life and whether that emotion is based on an instant reaction to some outside event, or some a deeper understanding that moves beyond the trigger. I would like to claim a deeper understanding, but I am an instant reaction kind of person (still). When I write I construct a psychological profile of my characters. This isn't something that's formalized or written down, I'm looking at events and gauging reactions with an element of truth in how people feel and react. One of the reasons I don't often read HEA books is because they tend to overlook the elements of true human response and emotion to circumstances in order to fuse the story's happy ending into something 'believable'. To me, that feels fraudulent.
On the flips side, give me space frontiers and ten foot aliens and I'm a pretty happy camper. So, take that with a grain of salt because I like to escape reality just as much as the next person.
Both books seem to have an addled savant doling out wisdom, why is that?
That wasn't something that was planned. However, in each of our lives there is always someone around us that is giving us the words we need to hear, whether we choose to listen or not is up to us. Both characters were simply a reflection of that fact.
I don't know what to take from this, or how I feel. [A comment from a reader after reading Rain, and from another reader of Dust]
I can't tell people what to take from any of my writing, people will insert their own perceptions into the spaces between the words; this is the specific reason why my writing is sparse. If anything, I would like to see people walk away with a new understanding, and compassion for themselves and for others. We often run our mouths and base our reactions on what we see and hear, but rarely do we forage deeper beyond a person's facade for the root causes. In the writing of both of these books this has been, for me, an exercise in opening my heart, and that is never easy and never free of pain.
Your language is sometimes very harsh.
Life is harsh, welcome to reality. I won't apologize for that. If your entire view of the world is created from some preconceived notion of how you think it should be, well, frankly, my writing is not for you.
What are you working on now? What's coming up? Do you write in other genres? [combined questions]
I've been writing for about 15 years. I do it purely for pleasure (it's not my profession). I have written in several genres including horror and sci-fi. I haven't decided if I will make any of that available.
Currently I'm working on a story about a gay blind man, a segment of the LGBTQ rainbow that is almost wholly unrepresented in LGBTQ writing. This book will be more of a HEA type of novel, but let's not pull out the party favors just yet. It is still in a very raw state and from my perspective, there is always a touch of tragedy inherent in every form of beauty. So we'll have to see where that takes us.
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Again, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me on my websites or any of my social media sites. And, I want to say thanks to all for the positive comments and feedback.
Brandon
April 2, 2012
Poetry Month – Poetry and Prejudice
As many of my reader’s already know, I’m a great fan of poetry. I even dabble in a bit of it myself, though I will be the first to say that my own poetry sucks.I need to stretch my fingers a bit more when I put words on paper, which is why I have such great respect for a wordsmith that can do in ten words what it takes me in ten thousand.
I read all kinds of prose and poetry and it doesn’t have to be a specifically oriented in gender,ethnicity or race. It just has to be good; it has to tou...
Poetry Month
As many of my reader's already know, I'm a great fan of poetry. I even dabble in a bit of it myself, though I will be the first to say that my own poetry sucks. I need to stretch my fingers a bit more when I put words on paper, which is why I have such great respect for a wordsmith that can do in ten words what it takes me in ten thousand.
I read all kinds of prose and poetry and it doesn't have to be a specifically oriented in gender, ethnicity or race. It just has to be good; it has to touch me and evoke something from within myself that makes me stop and wonder why I have not noticed this before.
But honestly, there are many times when I think that the words we commit ourselves to, both in our writing and our reading, are hindered by the labels we put on it. Or should we blame marketers and publishers who value easily labelled societal segments for being neat little cubbyholes of potential sales and profit? That would be a bit too easy, wouldn't it? It would be all their fault, and not our own ingrained prejudices and petty bigotries that we don't let out to the world or, often, comprehend within ourselves.
Poetry exposes those gilded crimes, like good prose. It opens us to new possibilities and worlds, new ways of thinking, it keeps us breathless, pent up, internalized until we can stand it no more. Save with our tears and our sorrow and our joy. It shows us the chair in the forest of words.
Poetry has that effect. Because that's what its for. For change and progress and evolution.
For the soul; the one that beats, the one to come, and the one that has passed.
Photo credit: H. Keller
March 21, 2012
Helping LGBT Youth – March 2012
Every month I try to post about the two LGBT Youth organizations that I help (in a small way) with the proceeds from The Value Of Rain. Both organizations are trying to meet increasing demands with very little funding. So if you can see it in your heart to help out these groups, which work directly to take homeless LGBT kids off the street, you will do so knowing that your small contribution helped take a kid off the streets and showed him that someone cared enough to say YES, you are worthy of being loved.
GLBTAYS – DONATEIn a state that ranks as #1 for being the worst place for homeless youth, this organization fights against innumerable social, religious and monetary odds to help provide LGBT Youth with a safe place to interact, converse, learn and, if need be, helps them find a safe place to stay. Recently they launched a multimedia project called "From Behind The Mask" which shows real people and real struggles in the LGBT Youth community. It is definitely something you'll want to check out.
Saint Lost & Found – DONATE
Taking 25 kids off the street and 'graduating' two to near self independence is not an easy task. Ask the guys and girls over at St. Lost and Found and what you'll hear isn't about how hard it is, but how rewarding it is when something as simple as a "glad to meet you" changes a kid's perspective from one of desolation to one of hope for their future. But they've done much more than that and continue to help those that need our help the most.
March 11, 2012
Listening To Dust – Now Available
It's here!
Very pleased to announce that my new book Listening to Dust is now available for immediate download via Amazon kindle.
In the coming weeks we'll have it available in other ebook formats as well as in paperback.
Thank you all for your encouragement.
Synopsis:
Murder touched Stephen Dobbins when he was a young boy and left him living in a void of aching loneliness. A chance meeting with a young American chased away the fear that he would always be alone and brought him the prospect of a new existence.
Dustin Earl joined the military and escaped his small town Southern upbringing with the hope that he could give his mentally challenged brother a better life. But Dustin had never known real love, an honest hug, or a simple kiss. He considered his sexuality a weakness; a threat that had been used against those he cared about.
For eight months their relationship blossomed until Dustin suddenly returned home. He cherished Stephen, but felt his responsibilities to his brother outweighed his own chance at happiness.
Shattered, unable to function and unwilling to accept Dustin's departure, Stephen flew three thousand miles to get Dustin back and rekindle what they had. But what he would learn when he got there… he could never have imagined.
March 7, 2012
Thinking – a poem
I am thinking…
I am thinking how words turn in your gut
how they twist and rust
I am thinking how angry feels
gnawing through the skin of hope
hooking into blue desires
trying to keep hidden
so that it can wretch
when least expected
I am thinking how compassion walks
strutting in when anguish calls,
how someone called 'nancy'
and the boundaries of my heart
found their end
and gave me voice
I am thinking thoughts
are
just thoughts,
the yellow crypt
we hide in
when action seems too far.
February 22, 2012
Helping LGBT Youth – February 2012
This kind of post is important to me because it lets my readers know 1) What's going on with the money you spend when you buy The Value Of Rain (half the proceeds are donated to the two LGBT Youth nonprofits below); and 2) It also shows you how just a little time and money can have a massive impact. People tend to have this ingrained idea that their small contributions, or that the one hour they can volunteer a week, doesn't really matter in the big schemes of things. It DOES matter! It matters to the kids that have no one else to turn to. Never forget that. Here's just a few examples:
Saint Lost and FoundSince the conception of Lost N Found, they have helped over THREE DOZEN kids in the past three months. Here's an report from Rick Westbrook a.k.a. Sister Rapture Divine Cox in their latest Facebook post:
The kids have come to us in all shapes, sizes, and colors. These youths are each special and incredible in their own way. They come to us not broken, but certainly with some damage such as walls built up, trust issues, and still in survival mode. Some have been abused, starved, neglected, or otherwise just thrown to the curb.
It is our job to take them in, clean them up, make sure they are fed, and then try to get them back to some semblance of normalcy. That is not always the easiest thing to do.
They have a problem understanding WHY, someone or an agency would want to help without anything in return. We explain that they belong to a community that may not have been homeless themselves BUT it is one that understands being treated like a second class citizen. We teach them that our little ole community values them as they are, and will do anything we can to keep them safe and out of harm's way.
I have held kids that cried till they could cry no more, gone in the middle of the night to get them medicine when they were sick, talked to them about their hopes and dreams and how to make them possible.
The most rewarding moments are when you see the mood shift, when they've relaxed and realize that it is going to be OK and you see that FIRST smile. They then realize that they ARE loved and HAVE value.
I would LOVE to be able to show you pictures of them and tell each of their specific stories, but I am very protective of our youth. In the past I have shared their stories in general terms without specific names and will continue to do so.
The youths themselves each bring something different to the house and in most cases they act as a family, being very protective and nurturing of each other in spite of their differences.
We have taken calls, emails, and texts 24/7 from the metro area, and as far away as Mississippi, New Orleans, New York just to name a few. We provide any answers that we can and try to steer them in the right direction. We are a TRIAGE center, taking the youth in as soon as we can get to them.
Some left the program before we would have liked, but they moved on to the new chapter of their life with all the support we could provide. Some we have transitioned into other programs, depending on their needs. Several have found jobs and roommates AND I am happy to report that one is moving into their OWN apartment this weekend.
After they leave the program, we still take calls answering their questions about things they have never dealt with before or just to say thanks and keep in touch.
We have had a couple of training sessions for volunteers, that are then allowed to interact with the youth and assist the staff.
We have brought in different groups to have Dinner with the youths and allow them to interact with POSITIVE QUEER ROLE MODELS and it always works out great. It allows them to see that we are all different but have a common thread in the community.
We are doing good work and making a difference as promised and will continue to do so. It is YOU – THE COMMUNITY that has made all this possible with private donations, but the work is on going.
Donate or volunteer : Saint Lost and Found
GLBT Advocacy & Youth ServicesThis post is from James Robinson, Founder and Director of GLBTAYS who was just awarded has been awarded the Billy Jack Gaither Humanitarian Award. The award recognizes an individual or organization that has "shown courage in the struggle against hatred and contributed to the creation of a just society" and was created in the memory of Billy Jack Gaither who was brutally murdered in 1999 for being gay. Read more: The Daily Home – Remembering Billy Jack Gaither.
"I have been thinking of what to say today in Montgomery. Last night I received a phone call from someone here in Huntsville. He told me that he has been beaten down and oppressed by his family, by the church he grew up in, and by our society throughout his life… He said, "I've wanted to do what you are doing but I've been afraid. I am not proud to say I live in Alabama but I do want to see it change." He said, "One small voice, just like a candle in the dark, can carry a lot of weight." He said … in a very quiet voice, "We need to fight, fight, and keep on fighting in a soft way."
I think I understand what he meant by this because in order to change the hearts of people we must show them the love & kindness that exists in our hearts. He talked about Benjamin Franklin and the way he influenced France to support us in the Revolutionary War and he talked about Martin Luther King, Jr. … he told me how proud he is to know me and how excited he is by the changes he believes will happen now in Alabama because we are speaking up. He told me he would follow me anywhere and march proudly…He told me he had wanted for a long time to tell me how much he believes in me and appreciates me and that on the night before this big day he needed to tell me how important my work is and that he believes the things I say are extremely important …he asked me to watch this video and I told him I would before leaving today…Was this the man who have me his name or was this an angel with me on the phone? … or both…"
Donate or volunteer : GLBTAYS.org
