Leta Blake's Blog, page 83

Correction to Prior Post re: Andrej Pejic #girl #androgynous #trans

In a prior post on Andrej Pejic, I said:

Oh, and, yes, though Andrej models women’s clothes and appears feminine in his day-to-day life, he prefers to be called a boy (because he is) and so I’m using the right pronoun to talk about him.

But Anastasiya popped up in comments with the following printscreen from Andrej’s ex-boyfriend’s Tumblr:

But then itswhatever? pointed out in another comment the following Tweet from Andrej:

@AfterTheFashion @MTVstyle@TheGaloreMag well actually its whatever at this point, no need to be nitpicky  — 

Andrej Pejic (@Andrej_Pejic) February 09, 2013

And reported: “That was Andrej’s reply to someone who asked the gender pronoun preference. Maybe in Andrej’s personal life, Andrej prefers “she”. As far as we’re concerned, since we’re not in Andrej’s personal life, this doesnt apply to us because professionally it looks like Andrej has decided to have it be “whatever” “

***

So, here on out, when discussing Andrej, I think I’ll just try not to use pronouns at all, until I read some statement or definite gender identity comment from Andrej. Or maybe I’ll go with the zhi and hir gender neutral ones.

Regardless, thanks to Anastasiya and itswhatever? for their links, discussion, and opinions!

Review: Joyfully Jay Loves Love’s Nest! #review #mmromance

1. Jay over at the lovely Joyfully Jay review blog has weighed in with her opinion on Love’s Nest!

2. After reading over her review, well, *facepalm*, apparently, we failed to include a front page attributing the inspiration for the book to the classic tale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

3. Regarding the Spanish names and the Spanish words–the original tale does not have Spanish roots, but when constructing our retelling, the magical photos we found most inspiring (1, 2, 3) to the construction of the fairyland were all of places in Spain. That led to the book feeling infused with Spanish inspiration and so we went with that in the names and the use of some Spanish terms.

Crystal Palace in Madrid, Spain

SMP, Harmony, and What To Do? To Expand Trans* Story Or Not? #publishing #help #amwriting

Earlier this summer, I saw an anthology submission call on Storm Moon Press’s for a Trans* story. The call was due October 30th and I had a very long percolating idea that I believed would fit it fairly perfectly. Feeling excited and inspired,and finding myself with an unexpected free day earlier in the summer, I banged out around 9k of a rough draft, knowing that I’d need to flesh it out, slow scenes down, etc, by about 10k more words to make the story work.

A few weeks ago, SMP announced in a blog post that they were reorganizing anthology submission calls. Their reasons were understandable and sound, so I support their decision. At the same time, I looked at my little story and thought, “Now what do I do with you? It was on my calendar to have you ready to submit by October. Now the due date has been pushed to June 2014. Do I really want to just put you aside for that long?”

I decided that I would do just that, focusing on what I am supposedly committed to finishing this year: ’90s Coming of Age Novel (real title to be revealed when it’s, ya know, done).

But then a week or so ago a friend asked me, “Hey, you know your Trans* story? Do you think it would work to turn it into a Young Adult book? Maybe expand it out to 45k instead of just the 20k originally planned? Because Harmony Ink is looking for YA Trans* novels/novellas, and based on what you’ve told me about this particular story, it seems easy enough to age them down a bit, de-sexify it in terms of how hot the single sex scene is, and expand the scope.”

So, I took a look-see. And, yes, I could do that. It would be a completely different story in some ways. She’s right that I’d have to tone down the sex scene, but there is only one, and that had been something that concerned me about whether or not SMP would accept it, because (I could be wrong!) I think they are usually a little more heavy on the erotic material.

Part of me thinks, “You should do this. What do you have to lose?”

The other part of me answers, “Time on ’90s Coming of Age Novel for one.”

After all, there is a big time commitment difference between a 20k short and a 45k novella. And, well, that sex scene I’d be toning down is kinda hot and I’d hate to kill it. But it might be for the best. Hmm.

But, here’s another thing to consider, if Harmony turned it down, which, you know, let’s keep it real, is likely to totally happen, then SMP does have a YA imprint, right? Oh, except they’ve closed their doors to unsolicited submissions at this point, I think. Does that apply to their YA imprint? I should email them and ask. That might make a difference for me. If I’m going to expand this thing into a YA novel/novella, then I would want to make sure I had multiple options for submissions. I’ve got self-publishing plans for other books but this particular story was never intended for that and so, as much as possible, anyway, I’d like to keep it in the “to be submitted” pile.

Oh, and that brings up the whole pen name thing. Would I need a new one for YA books? Lord knows the sexy fairy tales aren’t targeted to teenagers. So many things to consider! So much priority juggling if I do this!

Thoughts? Opinions? Personal thoughts you’d like to share about your experience with either press? Feel free to email at “leta dot blake dot author at the mail of g” if you want to share anything privately.

Trans* Research: What Makes a Woman Real #trans #lgbt

So, I’ve been reading a lot of Trans* blogs as I’m doing research for a book. I know that I’ve always heard that there is infighting in the QUILTBAG community, but I have to admit that, from the outside looking in, I’d really mostly seen supportive, politically correct statements.

Well, I take that back. The amount of misogyny in the QUILTBAG community is pretty staggering and depressing at times, and the application of all that gynophobia and internalized homophobia to effeminate gay men is pretty damn disheartening to see at times. I had to stop interacting with a fellow author once because of all of his nasty comments about women and effeminate gay men. (And, no, I’m not naming names, but I also promise that it’s probably no one you know, because he’s only got one book out and it isn’t in the romance genre.)

But, for the most part, the men and women I interact with are incredibly supportive of diversity, various expressions of gender and sexuality across the entire spectrum, and mainly invested in each person’s happiness and right to express themselves as they feel and see themselves to be, regardless of what parts they do or don’t have, or what society says is okay.

So, I was pretty surprised to find that there is a pretty big rift in the Trans* community about, well, penises of all things. I stumbled on a blog–that I’m not going to link here because I don’t really want to stir up any drama or excessive trouble–in which the author, a post-operative MtF woman, ranted and railed against people who represent themselves as trans*women but say they want to keep their penis. Why is that?

To quote:

As long as you have that thing hanging between your legs you will never be a woman you always will be a Tee-Gee nothing more. 

and

They will never be women, and never be real. It’s a lifestyle for them, Transvestite Extreme.

Wow! Okay, then. Gosh.

Let’s be nasty about it, why don’t we?

From what I understand, the anger comes from a conflict between the transsexual community and the transgender community. The offense seems to be the use of the term Trans* as an all-inclusive, catch-all for transsexual, transgendered, transvestite. The transsexual community position is, and has always been, that once the operation is performed, they are now the correct gender, and are a woman or man, depending on the direction of the transition. Post-op, they are no longer trans.

There seems to be some conflict with the transgender community on this front, because they have a “trans forever” rallying call in which they embrace the way they straddle genders, or flow between them, or live in one and then another, or perhaps fully embrace the entire process of transitioning but still want to identify as someone who had once been another sex biologically.

The concern seems to be that this will affect laws for post-operative transsexuals, reducing the likelihood that they will be able to change their sex legally in various areas, and reducing their acceptance in the world as “real women” (or “real men”, I guess).

Thus, the don’t want to be lumped in with those calling themselves Trans*.

By the way, this is what I’ve gleaned from reading, so if you have additional insight or information, feel free to share it in comments! I’m definitely interested.

Anyway, things have gotten nasty, obviously. What strikes me as kind of sad, though, is the outright dismissal by some transsexuals of the existence of transgendered people, claiming that they are nothing more than Transvestites Extreme–i.e. just people who get their rocks off by really hard-core performances of the other gender. The implication that these people are just playing pretend in order to be cool, get attention, or get off is disappointing, alienating, and, in my humble opinion, incorrect. Gender is fluid and the dysphoria attached to Trans* can be of infinitely many degrees.

There was also a comment about how real women don’t want a penis and how only a man would want a penis. It went on to imply that in order to be a real woman the idea of having a penis must be an awful one, and anyone who wanted to keep their penis wasn’t a real woman at all.

Real woman. Wow. What an idea. Interestingly, women who are born biologically female have struggled forever with what it means to be a ‘real woman’. Are you real if you’re slim enough? Have big enough breasts? Are you real if you’re fertile? Or are you only real if you’re attractive to  biologically born males? What makes a woman a real woman? Having a baby? Having a penis inserted into her vagina?

When is a woman real?

I don’t think that a vagina–born or made–is the definition of woman. I think the concept of woman exists in a multitude of forms and I definitely think some of those forms can involve possessing a penis.

As for whether or not a real woman would want to have a penis? Well, as a biologically born female and a mentally/emotionally identified woman, I can say that I wouldn’t necessarily want a full-time penis. But I’m down with a penis I could have, say, two days a week. I can think of all sorts of things I’d do with it. There are several women and many men I’d be happy to apply it to! And, no, I don’t want a strap-on. That won’t do. I want a flesh and blood penis, a set of balls, and a prostate, complete with all the nerve endings. And I’ll take it two days a week, please? Thank you. Where can I pick that up?

But, seriously, women want all kinds of things in life, and who am I to say, “Oh, you have a penis, you’re not a real woman.” What on earth is that about? I mean, that’s like, “Oh, you’re only a real woman if you have a uterus and can carry a child.” Well, then, I guess I’m not a real woman since I had that thing cut out a few years back.

Vaginas don’t a woman make, for what it’s worth.

And, uh, I’m done rambling now. Feel free to throw in your .02 on what makes a woman, what makes a man, and what makes a person REAL.

Music for Love’s Nest: Episode Two #music #soundtrack

In this second episode of Music for Love’s Nest, the following set of songs helped to inspire the characters, their feelings and motivations, and their emotional beats. Again, I tried to stick to music that also supported the world-building, so I preferred epic, magical sounds, music that supported rhythm and dance, as well as songs that felt like taking flight or reminded me of birds.

1.  This song helped me to craft some of what I felt Mateo was going through emotionally.

Love Love Love by Of Monsters and Men

2. 

The Dance by Charlotte Martin

3. This performance of Suede–not the album version–was also on the playlist.

Suede by Tori Amos

That’s all for Episode Two! More later this week!

Fanworks Friday: I’m Not A Hero by Gabi #teenwolf #stiles #allison

I am not certain because Tumblr is sometimes confusing with attributions, but I think this art is by drragons.

Allison has really become one of my favorites and a truly kick-ass heroine in so many ways. Any flaws she has I attribute to Jeff Davis and his lack of skills in storytelling, not to the character herself. I don’t usually do that, but when it comes to Jeff Davis, I do. The guy can’t write his way out of a paperbag…that he wrote himself into. But I still love the show. Though Jeff thinks emotional continuity (or continuity of any kind) is for losers, apparently. Whatever, whatever, watch this gorgeous vid below by Gabbi. If Allison isn’t enough of a draw for you, it’s also got Stiles. And who doesn’t love Stiles? The end.

I’m Not a Hero by Gabi

(Stiles + Allison, but not Stiles/Allison)

Don’t forget! Today is the last day to comment to win for a free copy of Love’s Nest!

Music for Love’s Nest: Episode One #music #soundtrack

So,  I almost always have songs that become a kind of soundtrack to any book or novel that I write. In the case of Love’s Nest, there were quite a few songs and I decided to make a little series with some of the songs just for fun.

The following set of songs were part of the inspiration behind the visual world-building. There are a lot of avian aspects to the world of Love’s Nest and songs that made me think of flight or birds were all played together when working out scenes of fairyland description. Also, of course, anything that made me think of fairy tales or magic.

1.

The Supine by Andrew Bird

2. 

Your Bones by Of Monsters and Men

3. 

Such A Common Bird by Ane Brun

*ETA Some songs do story-hop and can be used as inspiration in more than one story/book in my life, but some songs get so ingrained as being part of that particular book that I can’t hear them without being sucked into that universe all over again and they absolutely can’t be used in a soundtrack for another book.  It’s weird. Am I the only one like this? Let me know if you do this kind of thing, too!

Don’t forget! August 16th is the last day to comment to win for a free copy of Love’s Nest!

Biting My Nails And, Oh, So Curious! Ginn Hale – The Rifter Series #fantasy #amreading

Biting My Nails And, Oh, So Curious! Ginn Hale – The Rifter Series #fantasy #amreading.

Click above to read about my current obsession with Ginn Hale’s book series, The Rifter!

Below is fanart for the series! There really needs to be more!

Kyle, as rendered by alirodina at deviant art.

Andrej Pejic Is Way Prettier Than Me (And Probably You) #model #androgyny

When I was in NYC, eating a cupcake with a friend in the West Village, I looked up to see a beautiful woman walking toward me talking on her cell phone. As I listened to my friend talk about the story she was writing about a man who was into the falcons that nest on some big tall bridge somewhere (um, the details escape me now, I’m sorry!) , I thought rather absently, “That girl looks a lot like Andrej Pejic.”

Then the realization set in.

Holy crap, it was Andrej Pejic!

Now, I have no idea how many people would recognize Andrej Pejic as he randomly sauntered with his boyfriend down a sidewalk in the West Village, but I froze mid-reply to my friend, and stared–probably rudely and open-mouthed–as he walked by, thinking, “Wow, he’s so beautiful. He’s the most beautiful girl I’ve seen today. No, the most beautiful girl I’ve seen since I got to NYC. And that’s saying something.”

He didn’t look too impressed with my gaping, which I should’ve really controlled, but I was in shock, people! And his boyfriend didn’t seem to care at all. He walked on by with this, “Yeah, this beautiful guy? He’s my guy. Yeah, that’s right,” swagger that was all “eat your heart out bitches, you’ll never be as gorgeous as him.”

And I won’t be.

And you probably won’t be either.

It’s just not going to happen.

But he’s nice enough to get his picture made a lot and to be a kinda famous model, so feel free to scroll through this Tumblr and or this tag get your fill of his prettiness. Between awesome cupcakes, an awesome friend, and an Andrej Pejic sighting? That was a successful day in NYC, my friends.

Oh, and, yes, though Andrej models women’s clothes and appears feminine in his day-to-day life, he prefers to be called a boy (because he is) and so I’m using the right pronoun to talk about him.

 

ETA: Okay, according to Anastasiya in the comments, this is a printscreen from Andrej’s ex (?)  boyfriend Remy Duran’s Tumblr. (By the way Andrej was with Remy when I saw him in June, and I assumed they were together, since they looked together, but what do I know? I was fame-adjacent on the street for like 10 seconds. Ha!) So, perhaps Andrej does prefer female pronouns? In future posts, I’ll try to just not use any pronouns, though, until I see a direct statement from Andrej.

 

Uh, did I already post about this here? I’m suddenly having the feeling of deja vu. Oh, well, can never have too much Andrej! Enjoy!

1. 

2. 

3. Pretty recent pics he put on Instagram.

Don’t forget! August 16th is the last day to comment to win for a free copy of Love’s Nest!

Raisin Girl: A 50th Birthday Celebration for Tori Amos #toriamos #music

 

I’ve been trying to figure out how I want to celebrate Tori Amos’ upcoming 50th Birthday (!!!) because it seems like a year to mark, a milestone of some importance for a musician that I truly love. I saw on Facebook today an announcement of something I’d definitely do if I lived in NYC. But, alas! So, let me share it with you!

Are you going to be in the New York City area on Sunday August 18th? Are you sort of in the area? Then you should attend this Tori Amos tribute (and birthday celebration) concert!!

The show starts at 9:30pm at Joe’s Pub (one of Rolling Stone’s 10 Top Clubs in the country), featuring some of New York’s best downtown singer/songwriters and caberet artists, performing songs spanning Tori’s entire career. Also, some of the proceeds from the ticket prices will go to RAINN. 

 

MORE INFORMATION HERE AT JOE’S PUB!

ETA: Also, don’t forget that you can LEAVE A COMMENT HERE between now and August 16th for a chance to win a free copy of Love’s Nest, my latest book with Keira Andrews.