Leta Blake's Blog, page 60

Pop Confessions #mileycyrus #taylorswift #katyperry

So, yeah. I grew up listening to alternative music and generally kept my pop love on the DL because, you know, it wasn’t cool to love O-Town or the odd Celine Dion song. But I’m gonna be forty before we know it and I’ve got no cool left to lose. And thus I will tell you that I absolutely love these songs. Not even ironically. Full-on love them.

1. 

2. 

3. 

While I love the first two, I’d give them both up to listen to “All Too Well” on repeat forever, frankly. I wish I could find a quality version of it on YouTube, but this is the best I can do. Her Grammy performance of it was pretty good, if hoarse, in my opinion. I almost posted it, but I prefer the album version.

Trans* Research: Knowing The Story #trans* #writing

So, I’ve been working on what I envisioned as a rather simple, summer love novella with a Trans* MC. I wanted her Trans* identity to be secondary to the love story.

However, as I’m researching, and reading compelling things like THIS ARTICLE, I find myself tempted to make the story something I hadn’t intended. I thought, “Oh, I could have the MC volunteer in the city, working with trans*people who aren’t in as good a situation as she is in.”

And I still might, but if I do that, I have to make sure the book doesn’t get preachy, because that was never, ever, ever the point of what I wanted to write.

So, yes, I have to know my story. That is imperative when writing.

By the way, that’s a good article up there. Check it out!

“If you’re in the mood for a little Olympic glory, this story is perfect!” – Cold War by Keira Andrews | 3 Chicks After Dark

If you’re in the mood for a little Olympic glory, this story is perfect! It has everything you need: high tension, high stakes competition, undeniable attraction, and totally hot, steamy locker room encounters.

via Cold War by Keira Andrews | 3 Chicks After Dark.

Writing Like a Painting #layers #amwriting

This isn’t even the kind of painting I’m talking about, but these cute, newlywed husbands are really enjoying painting their new home, aren’t they?

Does anyone else do this? I have found that usually on my first pass through a scene, my brain is working so fast that my fingers can barely keep up. Usually this means the scene is mostly conversation and moves quite quickly from one topic to another without natural pauses or any description of behavior/action/setting.

The next pass–or layer–has me slowing the scene down, having the characters take their time with their conversation, giving them more realistic and natural responses and segues. The third layer of the scene is usually even more of the same. Slow it down even more, expand on the conversational asides, bring it all back around to the topic at hand, and and nail down the right words.

The fourth pass adds the body movements, like standing up to get more coffee, or brushing hair from foreheads. Making sure if someone is hugging someone else, that they aren’t doing it for an unnatural length of time, or if they stand up, that they aren’t standing there looming over the other characters for paragraphs of dialogue.

The fifth pass is usually more of the same. Realizing, “Oh, wait, I sort of over-explained that position. No one cares where his hand is exactly.” That sort of thing.

The sixth pass is when I add in the setting. What does the room look like? Sound like? What are my characters looking at? What are they seeing, tasting, smelling?

This is a bit time consuming, and I really envy writers who seem to do this all on the first go, but I really just can’t. I’ve come to see my scenes like paintings. You have to get the broad strokes down first, and then go back over it with different brushes to get the details right.

Training Season can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, ARe, and Smashwords. And also on iBooks.
Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.
When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.
But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

ROUND TWO! VOTE TODAY! I’m Up For January, 2014, Author of the Month Finals (Jan. 1-31 Reviews) |

VOTE TODAY! January, 2014, Author of the Month Finals (Jan. 1-31 Reviews) |.

Round Two! And somehow my name is still on the list! Click above to vote for me as Author of the Month!

“Highly recommend this m/m romance with one hot alpha male & his sexy figure skater!” Ann’s review of Training Season #ebook #gay #figureskating

“It seemed every new chapter exposed the reader to new facets of their lives and every one of them was interesting!”

“I would highly recommend this book to anyone loving m/m romance with one hot alpha male and his sexy princess figure skater!”

“4.5 Amazing Stars!”

Goodreads | Ann’s review of Training Season.

Training Season can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, ARe, and Smashwords. And also on iBooks.
Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.
When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.
But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

Issendai’s Superhero Training Journal – Sick systems: How to keep someone with you forever

Issendai’s Superhero Training Journal – Sick systems: How to keep someone with you forever.

This outlines how it works really well. In fact, you could build a villain from this outline, fellow authors. It’s sadly a very realistic starting point.

Training Season Nominated! VOTE TODAY! January Author of the Month – Prelims Round 1 Jan. 1-15 Reviews |

VOTE TODAY! January Author of the Month – Prelims Round 1 Jan. 1-15 Reviews |
Oh my goodness! I’ve been nominated (by virtue of the five sweet pea review earned by Training Season) for Author of the Month at Mrs Condit and Friends Read Books!

Click the link above to vote for me!

Training Season can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, ARe, and Smashwords. And also on iBooks.
Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.
When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.
But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

A Teacher In Pink Panties? Not My Business? #trans* #gay #equality

A few days ago, a male teacher from our local school system was found passed out alongside the road. He was arrested and the next day the papers reported the arrest. This seems appropriate. They also reported that he was dressed as a woman, wearing a tan bra, bra inserts, and pink panties.

I sat down with my eight year old daughter because while she doesn’t attend the school this teacher taught at, I had no doubt that it would still be the talk of her school come Monday. It’s a small town and something like that in the paper is going to bring out the bigots.

I said, “There was a teacher who was arrested for being passed out drunk on the side of the road.”

Bird said, “Oh, no, that’s not good. A teacher shouldn’t do that. It’s a bad example.”

“The newspaper also reported that he was dressed as a woman and was wearing a bra and pink panties. What do you think of that?”

She shrugged. “Not important.”

“Do you think they should have put that in the paper?”

“No. It’s not anyone’s business what color underwear someone has on, or if they’re dressed in girls’ clothes. Maybe he’s gay, or maybe he’s not. Maybe he just feels more comfortable in clothes like that. Maybe it’s just who he is.”

“Do you think what he wears has anything to do with how he treats his students or if he’s a good teacher?”

“No. His clothes are his business. Now…drinking until he’s passed out on the road? That’s a bad example.”

My eight year old gets it. Sadly, based on my Facebook feed when it all happened, grown adults don’t. Someone asked whether or not other people thought it was appropriate for the newspaper to release that information, and I was appalled by how many people thought the man’s cross-dressing outside of school was relevant to his job as a teacher. There were so many iterations of, “If he’s teaching my kids, then it’s information I want to know about.” Why? Because his pink panties are going to jump out and molest your child? Puh-lease.

Now, as my kid says, drinking until you’re passed out on the side of the road? Not a great example. His panties, though, are none of my concern.

A Teacher In Pink Panties? Not My Business? #trans* #gay #equality

A few days ago, a male teacher from our local school system was found passed out alongside the road. He was arrested and the next day the papers reported the arrest. This seems appropriate. They also reported that he was dressed as a woman, wearing a tan bra, bra inserts, and pink panties.

I sat down with my eight year old daughter because while she doesn’t attend the school this teacher taught at, I had no doubt that it would still be the talk of her school come Monday. It’s a small town and something like that in the paper is going to bring out the bigots.

I said, “There was a teacher who was arrested for being passed out drunk on the side of the road.”

Bird said, “Oh, no, that’s not good. A teacher shouldn’t do that. It’s a bad example.”

“The newspaper also reported that he was dressed as a woman and was wearing a bra and pink panties. What do you think of that?”

She shrugged. “Not important.”

“Do you think they should have put that in the paper?”

“No. It’s not anyone’s business what color underwear someone has on, or if they’re dressed in girls’ clothes. Maybe he’s gay, or maybe he’s not. Maybe he just feels more comfortable in clothes like that. Maybe it’s just who he is.”

“Do you think what he wears has anything to do with how he treats his students or if he’s a good teacher?”

“No. His clothes are his business. Now…drinking until he’s passed out on the road? That’s a bad example.”

My eight year old gets it. Sadly, based on my Facebook feed when it all happened, grown adults don’t. Someone asked whether or not other people thought it was appropriate for the newspaper to release that information, and I was appalled by how many people thought the man’s cross-dressing outside of school was relevant to his job as a teacher. There were so many iterations of, “If he’s teaching my kids, then it’s information I want to know about.” Why? Because his pink panties are going to jump out and molest your child? Puh-lease.

Now, as my kid says, drinking until you’re passed out on the side of the road? Not a great example. His panties, though, are none of my concern.