Leta Blake's Blog, page 84
August 11, 2013
Win Love’s Nest at Stumbling Over Chaos! #ebook #kindle #amreading
Cover by Dar Albert.
Keira and I are excited that Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos is hosting a give away of our latest book, Love’s Nest!
Simply click this link and leave a comment by August 16th to participate!
In other news, the child returns to school tomorrow and hopefully that means we’ll have a lot more regular hours around here. This could free up some evening writing time and that would be fantastic from this mother’s point of view. I’ll miss my long evenings with my kiddo, but I’ll hopefully have more books to show for it in the end. Here’s to the new school year! Cheers!
August 2, 2013
Fanworks Friday: Three Pipe Problem #sherlock
By Karadin on Printfection.
You can buy this print on a t-shirt over here at Printfection. The art is by Karadin, who also has some great Supernatural art, too.
August 1, 2013
This Book Is Brilliant. This Book Is Flawed. Calling Pomegranate. #amreading #review
This book is brilliant. The end. This book is flawed. The end. This book is real. The end. There are so many ways I could start this review and so many ways to end it. Over the months that I took to read it, I’ve written tons and tons of reviews in my head. This book was infuriating, frustrating, amazing, brilliant and beautiful. It took me a very long time to read, in part, because I had to take immense breaks from the hyper-realism portrayed between its pages. Every line is so vivid that I could see it all in my mind perfectly and it was at times overwhelming.
This book took me from hating the characters, to liking them, to growing to love them, to aching for them, but, more importantly, it then took me one step farther into forgetting that they weren’t real people. I admit this wasn’t the easiest read in the world, but the writing was so compelling that I kept on with it. The reason I say that is because it took about 25% of the book for me to stop disliking the protagonist, Sean. This was complicated by the fact that it’s Sean’s head we’re in and not liking him is a tough thing. But the thing is, Sean didn’t like himself, and that is an uncomfortable mind to be inside. It took, probably, another 25% to let go of that dislike and to move into a place where I was willing to like him. That was kind of amazing to me and a testament to this author’s skill. She moved me from one place to another with this character and did so in some pretty unexpected ways. There were some things I wasn’t sure I’d ever get past, and by the end I absolutely had.
Sean did so many fucked-up, human, annoying, wrong-headed things that hurt people, but most especially himself. At first, I couldn’t understand why he did such awful things, but as the book unravels, as you see him in more and more situations the understanding arrives. Though it doesn’t erase the desire to reach into the book and shake him.
The prose is amazing. The scenes are rendered so clearly that it’s like walking through a film, or being a ghost in the scene, living it with them. Or perhaps it is most like being actually inside Sean’s head, existing as Sean, or like you’re his best friend, more intimate even than his best friend, hearing his every thought, seeing everything in his unique way. That is, of course, what truly wonderful first person POV writing allows, and Ms. D’Souza manages it amazingly.
This next bit will cover the book’s biggest flaw: too many sex scenes. It stuns me to even write those words because I adore sex scenes. And for about the first 70% of the book there wasn’t a single sex scene that, when I looked at it honestly, I felt I’d drop. Even though there were an overwhelming number of them, sometimes one after another. Each one did a specific thing that was important for the reader and for the character. They moved the story along and there was an overarching theme to the sex scenes. However, when the theme is finally completely understood by both the reader and the character, I felt like some of the scenes became redundant. (Though they were always beautifully rendered, always intensely intimate.) Several could have been cut. There were several points when I actually thought, “Oh, man, not sex AGAIN.” And that’s a very bizarre thing for me to think because I’m a huge fan of the sex scene in books and like lots of them. I can honestly say I’m not sure I’ve read another book in my life with as many sex scenes as Calling Pomegranate contains. And, again, most of them were needed and important and accomplished something specific for the characters/plot/emotional arc.
The book is long and it was a time investment for me. It took me months to read it because of the above mentioned sex scenes–as a mom with a nosy kid, as a person who is usually reading in a place like my kid’s gymnastic’s lobby, there aren’t that many places I’m totally comfortable reading sex scenes, and my reading time is often limited, so I’d have to leave this book aside for long swaths of time.
Back to the good things: there are several reveal scenes in the book that are breathtaking in their humanity and emotional impact on the readers and characters. This book took me on a journey into these characters lives in a really intense, emotional way. And, just as one of the themes in the book suggests, growing to know these characters changed things for me. I went from thinking Sean was an asshole and that Cary was frustrating, from thinking that their sex was brutal and fucked-up, to finding the dark, sweet heart of their humanity, to understanding them and loving them like they were real people, to having understanding of their motivations like I do for my closest friends. And, well, that’s a damn triumph.
I’m severely disappointed that this book has such a limited audience. It’s a sad testament to the fact that some brilliant books will never get the audience they deserve. This isn’t an easy book to read, but it’s a book worth reading. There aren’t many people who can write like this. It’s a shame that so many people will miss out on reading Ms. D’Souza’s prose.
At the same time I understand why it might be less accessible to some people. It’s full of references and fannish love of music, movies, books. It’s got characters who are obsessed with these things in a way that goes deeper than the average joe and they use this fannish love to communicate with each other. There’s a nerdiness here that some readers might loathe and others might see as shallow–because you have to know what it is to love some media deeply to really understand how using that media to communicate can work and buy it as a valid form of communication of emotion and meaning between characters.
Regardless, it’s brilliant and I’m a little angry that I’ve had this intense reading experience and I doubt that many others will end up sharing it with me. If you do read it, let me know. I’d love to discuss it with you.
***
Buy it!
July 31, 2013
Kids Media Needs to Bring The Gay! #Disney #Nickelodeon
This is the kind of sweet gay affection I want my kid to see. You should want your kid to see this kind of thing, too.
About a month ago, I was out to dinner with my seven year old daughter and she said to me, “Mom, I know you think a lot of the characters on Disney shows are rude but what else would you change about Disney shows if you could?”
I answered, “I’d like to see more gay characters on the shows.”
She gasped a little and said, “But Mom children watch those shows.”
Cue me being completely horrified at her response. Where had she learned that? I’d always made it clear to her that being gay was no big deal in my opinion. Though, I supposed I belied that message by practicing with her a few times what would be an appropriate thing to say to a boy or girl who told her they were gay. (For the record, that is: I’m glad you told me and I love you.) Still, what on earth did she mean by that?
I said, “What is wrong with children seeing gay people?”
She twisted a little and said, “Well, some people think that’s wrong. Some parents would get mad about it.”
I said, “Yes, that’s true. But I’d rather some parents got mad because Disney did something right than these parents stayed happy because they did something wrong.” I went on and said, “Besides, I get mad at Disney because they make their characters be rude, tell lies, and do immoral things like that. I’d rather they have gay characters any day than characters that tell lies and are rude to their parents.”
She agreed with me.
I said, “Let’s talk about Austin and Ally for a minute. What if Austin was gay? Would you still like the show?”
“Well, yes, but I’d be disappointed because I like him with Ally and the whole point of the show is that they like each other but don’t know how to show it, so it would go against the point of the show if he was gay.” (Yes, I’m sure she’s only seven. I was there at the birth.)
I said, “But what if Ally was a boy?”
“That’d be cool, I guess.” But she sounded unconvinced. I knew she was far too hooked into Austin and Ally as a couple for this example to work.
“How about Austin’s friend? The redheaded one?”
“Dez?”
“Yeah, Dez. What if he was gay and liked boys? Or what if Trish was gay and liked girls?”
Her eyes lit up. “That would be so cool! That would be awesome!”
“Wouldn’t it? And Dez could get a boyfriend.”
“Well, I think Dez likes Austin, actually. But Austin likes Ally, so that’s a problem.”
“Sure, okay. He could like Austin but when it’s clear Austin likes Ally, maybe he moves on and gets a boyfriend.”
“That would be so great!”
“I agree.
That was not the only conversation I’ve had with my daughter over this sort of thing. About a week ago, she asked me, “Mom, why do your books have so many gay people in them? Why don’t you write books about boys and girls? Because that’s what I want to read.”
For the record, she never reads my books obviously because they aren’t appropriate for children. Not because they have gay people in them but because they are adult books for grown-ups. But when she asks me about what I’m writing, I give her watered down versions of the stories, so she knows they are often (usually, even) about gay people.
I have many reasons why I write the books I write and some of those reasons are really deep, psychological things that have to do with me and my personal experience of the world. They are not really reasons that I am going to explain to my seven year old. However, there are two reasons that I write these books that are for seven year old ears.
“Well, first, I’ve read a lot of books in my life–I mean a lot of books–and I’ve watched a ton of movies and tv shows and plays, and they’ve almost all been about boys and girls. The reason for that is that it hasn’t always been socially okay for gay people to be shown on tv or in movies or in books, and so most of the stories ever written or shown are about girls and boys together in some way. So that’s an old story for me. I’ve heard that story so many times in my life that I want to tell a new story, something that’s a little bit different. Because two boys together or two girls together can have slightly different problems than a boy and a girl, it makes for a new story for my brain in some ways.”
Then I said, “But there’s another reason, too. Let me ask you some questions. Have you ever in your entire life read a book about boys who like other boys or girls who love other girls?”
“No.”
“Have you ever in your entire life seen a tv show where a boy loves another boy and kisses him? Or a girl loves a girl and kisses her?”
“No.”
“What about a movie? Ever seen a movie where that happens?”
“No.”
“Now, I know that doesn’t matter all that much to you because, so far, you like boys and you are young enough that these stories of romance between boys and girls are new and fresh to you. What you see and read tells the story you hear in your own head about yourself, right?”
“Yes. Well, except I want stories where girls save the boys! I want stories like that!”
“Yes, those are really important stories, too. We need those books, as well. BUT now, just imagine you were a little girl who loved other little girls. Wouldn’t you feel really sad that there was not a single children’s television show out there that showed a girl falling in love with another girl? Or a movie? Or a book? If you’d never read a book that felt like YOU? Wouldn’t you feel really sad and like you were really different from everyone else? Like you didn’t fit in? Like maybe there was something wrong with you because you never, ever, ever saw that?”
She looked mortified and sad and like she might cry. “Yes, I would feel that way. I’d feel really alone.”
“I know. And that is part of why I write these books. They might not be for children,” (though color me ready to make that leap now that I’ve thought this through! I need to make some time for that!) “but there just aren’t enough stories out there showing two men or two women who love each other so I want to help provide stories like that.”
“Oh,” she said with greater understanding. “That makes sense.”
After this conversation, I realized that my daughter had never seen a woman kiss another woman romantically or a man kiss another man romantically. I wracked my brain trying to think of a kid appropriate show that she could watch that had such an event. There really wasn’t one. Glee is as good as it gets, and I can’t think there’s anyone who would argue that show is actually appropriate for kids. Yet, I’m tempted to watch it with her. (Oh, God, the conversations that will spark! The problematic presentation of women, high school, teachers! Ugh!) Because she needs to see that being gay is just another way of existing in this world.
For now, while I wrangle with the Glee question, I showed her this fanvideo by my friend Lola.
It has a few Kurt/Blaine kisses and at least showed her affection between men in a normalized way–as part of Kurt as a whole and not singled out of his life like it’s a big deal. If anyone has additional recommendations, do let me know. I’m all ears.
This needs to change. If I can sense the lack in my daughter who, at least for the time being, appears to be straight in orientation, then I can only imagine the massive, gaping hole that gay, lesbian, and trans kids are dealing with. Which network is going to have the balls to do it first? C’mon, guys. Disney? Nick? Be a force for good in the world and step up with some kid appropriate gay characters and programming. Starting out with the gay kid as the sidekick is a-okay, so long as he/she isn’t the butt of jokes and actually gets love interests, too. I believe this is a great time to make this step. Grow a pair and give kids what they need to change the world.
Additional, pertinent reading:
We Need More Than Glee by Amelia
July 30, 2013
Help Jess Cheer #autism #cheer
My pal Traci’s daughter has Autism and she loves to cheer. Traci let us know the following yesterday:
You may or may not know, the grants that we usually get to help Jess with cheer, from the Autism Society and the Indio Youth Task Force have both, for all intents and purposes, fallen through. So any help you can give us would be appreciated.
It is tax deductible! Thank you for your support! Without it, Jess would not have been able to do this every year!
If you feel inspired to help Jess, please go to her page and donate. Any bit helps out!
Contest for Love’s Nest! At The Romance Reviews Site! #ebook #free
You can register for a chance to win a copy of Love’s Nest over at The Romance Review Site until July 31st simply by following THIS LINK and logging in. I noticed there is another contest and you can also register to win that book, too! Why not! Free books! 
July 29, 2013
Separated only by Pseudonyms – Kathleen Tudor/D.K. Jernigan
Reblogged from Top 2 Bottom Reviews:
There's a lot of "theys" out there, and "they" have a lot to say about writing erotic fiction. Only write what you know, don't try to write from the POV of the opposite gender, stick to things you've experienced... but should we listen? The truth of erotica, and especially of romance, is that the parts are only a small fraction of what I, as a writer, need to convey.
I go back and forth between understanding that having two names is a kind of 'branding' so readers of m/m know what they are getting, to being offended that m/m romance is pulled out and set aside as something 'other', like it is somehow in need of being a separate thing, because human beings falling in love is not what folks are after. They're after genitalia. I don't know. It confuses me. Good post by Kathleen Tudor/DK Jernigan.
No way! We’re on USA Today? Crazy! #mmromance #erotica
Cover by Dar Albert.
Apparently USA Today is hosting a blog called Happily Ever After and Love’s Nest was featured as a new release. They didn’t provide a buy link, so allow me to provide it for you now!
It might be an associated blog, and it might not be a review, and it might be that many other releases were also featured, but, dude, I’m still excited. *twirl* So, yay! That was super cool! I’ll definitely take it and call it a win.
In other news, this weekend was eaten up by swim team and that’s that. I am making progress on ’90s Coming of Age Novel. I’ve also determined how I want to release it and that has freed me up emotionally to start getting excited about it. Of course, it’s probably another nine months from a release, but slow progress is still progress.
I always look like a woman about to run a bunch of miles in the early morning sun when I’m writing. I’m just that determined and eager and open to the plodding step-by-step that it will take to progress from here to there, and open to the beauty that can be absorbed with each stride forward, too. Okay, so not always, but on a good day, for sure.
July 27, 2013
#Castle of Blue Ridge – Biltmore Estate
The mister and I took Bird to Biltmore Estate for her birthday. Here are some pictures from the gardens.
July 26, 2013
Three Waves of Non-Monogamy: A Select History of Polyamory in the United States
Reblogged from elisabethsheff:
While polyamory is a sub-category of non-monogamy and the two are not synonymous, they are closely linked enough to share a common history in the United States. Polyamory is a fairly recent addition to a litany of non-monogamous relationships, some of which have directly influenced the evolution of polyamorous communities. In this post, I divide non-monogamy and polyamory in the Unites States into three “waves” occurring in the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries.
Helpful history for timeline of ideas. Pertinent to novel.
