Leta Blake's Blog, page 86

Cory Branan/Matrimony/Gaslight Anthem — Nashville, 3/6/2013

Hmm. Sometimes I write a title in a draft post and I think what I have to say is so memorable there is no way I’ll forget it. Obviously, I wanted to write up about my show experience in March. And yet…I have no idea what I’d planned to say.

So, let me just hook you up with three of the songs I heard from each band. Totally worth buying all these musicians.

Cory Branan “Girl Named Go”

Matrimony “Obey Your Guns”

Gaslight Anthem “Bring It On”

Release Day! Wed, July 17!

Here we go, babies! Everyone who is always coming to this blog looking for “sex with fairies” (yes, I see you in my stats! 14 to 20 of you a day!) are in for a treat! The next book is about…dun, dun, dun! Fairies! And, yes, sex is had with the fairies! Whoot!

Cover by Dar Albert.

The blurb:

Part of the Tempting Tales series

There’s no greater mystery in the kingdom than how Prince Mateo’s sisters wear out their shoes each night while locked away in their chambers. Using old magic, Mateo discovers their secret and follows them through a portal to an enchanted world of fairies and lusty delights. Ópalo has waited years for his male human, and he knows Mateo is his destiny. Mateo soon succumbs to the pleasures of the flesh, but as their worlds collide, Ópalo has to risk everything to win his man forever.

A Romantica® male/male erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

This story is based on The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but has an entirely different feel, and not just because of the fact that it has two heroes. We have been notified that this upcoming Wednesday, July 17, will be the day, folks! So check back then to find out more!

All Ze Gay Music Videos!

Steve Grand’s All American Boy.

So, Steve Grand has made quite the sensation lately by being one of the first out gay men in mainstream country music. His music video for the song All American Boy was self-produced and resonating with thousands of people, gay and straight, around the world. This video is worth watching if for no other reason than Steve Grand is amazing looking and has his shirt off a lot. BUT it’s also a really beautiful story. So, watch it. (Also, can we please be so grateful that the guy at the end wasn’t a big dick about it all? Such a relief.)

Anyway, this has me remembering other music videos featuring gay men.

First up, Jay Brannan, of course.

Young Love by Eli Lieb. Which, honestly, eeeeee!

Know of any others? Hit me in the comments!

Forever by Haim

This music just makes me glad summer is here. Heat, sweat, pool water, chlorine, bicycles, shorts, bare skin. Mmm.

So Easy

I am so easy. I literally saw this picture and was so drawn in by the charisma of whoever this person is that sought out more info on him, discovered he is a singer-songwriter of some nice, cliche music, and I’m in like Flynn.

Some dude who goes by Mikky Ekko even though he has a perfectly good name that his mama gave him.

One of his cliche songs that I’m not listening to because I’m so easy.

Oh, and Happy 4th to my fellow Americans! Hope you’re enjoying a day of hot dogs, family, sun, sparklers and fun!

Writer Wednesday: Painting Rain by Dev Bentham

Today we have Dev Bentham’s latest Painting in the Rain! I want to acknowledge that I owe Dev an apology. This was supposed to go up last Wednesday, but I was traveling and despite assuring her it would indeed go up, I completely spaced on it and failed to do so. I’m sorry, Dev, and I hope that putting it up this week makes up for it a little bit.

What are your names? And tell us a little about yourselves?

Mike Malone: “Hey, how’s it going? I’m a social worker, here in Bayport for a summer job working with at-risk kids. Until I met Gabe, I was having a hard time being here. I guess when I applied, I thought a small town on the Oregon coast would be more gay-friendly than the little Northern Wisconsin town where I grew up.”

Gabe Thompson: “I was born here so the small town attitudes don’t surprise me. As an artist, I guess I’m used to being an outcast. But it’s been hard on my son, Trevor. He’s still angry that a couple years ago I divorced his mother and came out.”

How did you meet?

Mike: “Like Gabe said, Trevor’s one pissed off kid. He’s been acting out enough to have his parents enroll him in my program.”

Gabe: “Right. Mike’s my son’s supervisor, which is a little awkward, to say the least. We met when Mike came over to talk about Trevor’s behavior—he’s turned into an adolescent Casanova, probably in reaction to me.”

Was it love at first sight?

Mike: “It was something at first sight. He took my breath away.”

Gabe: “There I was, talking with my son’s social worker and all I could focus on was Mike’s eyes. I couldn’t believe this gorgeous young man was interested in a middle aged guy like me.”

Mike: “Oh come on, I’m older than I look. There’s less than ten years between us. Besides, thirty-five isn’t exactly over the hill.”

Gabe: “It’s damned close. But I’m glad that doesn’t faze you.”

What do you believe is your worst or most frustrating quality? What about his?

Mike: “I think Gabe doesn’t give himself enough credit. He’s a very accomplished artist—you should see his work. He’s really good. I think my worst quality is that I’m overly cautious, or at least I was with Evan. The poor kid deserved better from me.”

Gabe: “You can’t blame yourself. What happened to Evan wasn’t your fault. The thing that frustrates me most about myself is that I’ve tried hard to be a good father and I think I’ve failed.”

Mike: “I don’t know about that—I think you’re a great dad. But I’ll agree with you that the thing that drives me most nuts about you is Trevor. The kid’s a terror.”

Gabe: “He used to be a fun to be around.”

Mike: “I’ll have to take your word on that.”

What is your best quality? What about his?

Gabe: “Mike’s a solidly good guy. He’s great with the kids, even Trevor, and he’s so very sane.”

Mike: “Thank you. That’s nice of you to say. But she also asked about your best quality. Are you trying to be modest?”

Gabe: “Hardly. But I like thinking about you more than about myself. I think my best quality might be persistence. I’ve stuck it out here for fifteen years in order to be a father to my son. That’s got to be worth something.”

Mike: “It is. And I think Trevor will appreciate it down the road. I’d have to say that your best quality is your imagination. I love your house because it’s like walking inside your brain—all those whimsical creatures everywhere. It’s enchanting. As for my best quality, I don’t know, maybe that I care. I really want life to be better for those kids. Not just the gay ones, but maybe especially them.”

If you could have one wish come true, what would it be and why?

Gabe: “That Mike would stay here on the coast.”

Mike: “Yeah. There’s a job opening up here. I’d like to get it and be able to stick around.”

***

Now let’s talk to Dev!

What makes your current offering a different and compelling read?

This is my first dual third person narrative story. In the past I’ve written from one character’s point of view—either in close third (Moving in Rhythm and August Ice) or in first (the Tarnished Souls series). While I love the more literary narrative styles that those points of view offer, I really enjoyed getting into the heads of both characters. This book is also more wildly romantic than any I’ve done before, perhaps because it’s in a more standard romance format or because it’s set on the Oregon coast, an area I find deeply romantic.

This is also the first story I’ve written that has a kid at the center and I’m delighted that came out on Fathers’ Day. I can’t imagine a more perfect timing for the release.

What is the most rewarding aspect of writing and/or publishing? The most terrifying/frustrating?

I love hearing from people who’ve enjoyed my books. One of my goals for publishing was to have people outside my circle of friends read my work. Now that that is happening, it’s both the most rewarding and the most terrifying aspect of writing—that people I’ve never met will either love or hate the stories I write.

What was your favorite thing about writing these characters?

I love how different these men are from each other. Mike’s a Midwestern kid, just out of graduate school and ready to start his real life. Gabe’s nine years older, an art school dropout who’s spent the past fifteen years compromising himself because of an experimental one-night stand that made him a father. Their experiences couldn’t be more different and yet they’re both aching for the same kind of whole-hearted relationship.

Lastly, provide us with covers, blurbs, buy links, and where you can be found on the web!

Amber Allure

Amazon

aRe

Find Dev on the web at http://www.devbentham.com or email her at devbentham@yahoo.com and follow her on twitter at @DevBentham.

Each Character Is His Own Self

I wonder if I made this guy a character if he’d be willing to discuss his feelings about and motivations for having this cat on his head? I hope it’s not anything we’d need to consider fading to black over. *shudder*

I’ve been writing for a long time now and almost every character I’ve written has been more than happy to share everything about their sex lives in rather graphic ways. That’s why I write erotica and romantica. My characters have always liked to overshare.

Until one of my more recent books! My latest character is quite shy and very vanilla. While he’ll tell me a little about the sex he’s having, it’s not nearly so graphic or wild as some of the other characters I’ve written. He’ll go into it some, but when pushed he just sort of clams up. So, I haven’t pushed him much and just let the scenes stand as they do. They aren’t fade to black for the most part, but they are not nearly the same degree of graphic that I usual end up writing.

My friend asked me why this was the case and wondered if I was trying to tone things down. The reason is the character. I’m not trying to tone my writing down, not at all. It’s just this particular character has a lot of reluctance and so I don’t push him. It’s a good reminder that our characters aren’t entirely of our design. They don’t do what we say or what we want. They are their own creatures.

I had another character who was pleased as punch to tell me all about the sex he was having but when it came to his emotions and motivations? He wasn’t interested in sharing. Which, uh, made things quite difficult let me tell you. It also made for a lot of rewrites. *shakes character hard*

What about you? Every had an experience of a character not giving you information that others have spat out willingly?

Sacrilege

I have been thinking about this video for days, including while replying to my post about being an ally. It’s fascinating and so well done. Be sure to watch to the end.

Managing Expectations: Stalking Dreams & LHNB & Stalking Novel

First off, wow! I’m so happy with the response to Stalking Dreams! I am thrilled that so many people read the story and enjoyed the offering. I’m happy, especially, with the generosity of readers and the enthusiasm with which they greeted the story. I’m even happier that so many folks are looking forward to the novel set in the same universe and I absolutely can’t wait to get in the trenches to finish it. So, thank you, readers! You made this girl happy!

Now, regarding the novels that will be set in this universe. I wanted to take this opportunity set clear expectations because, as was evident with Stalking Dreams, when readers are expecting one thing and are delivered something else, there is an element of possible dissatisfaction. (Side note: I definitely learned a lot about readers’ expectations for this event, which will be good should I choose to participate next year.)

In the comments for Stalking Dreams, some people mentioned that they believed it to be the first few chapters of the novel that I couldn’t finish in time to submit to the event. In actuality, the first novel is set before Stalking Dreams and will cover the beginning of River & Shane’s relationship, the trauma of being stalked, and learning to trust someone again. It will also explore the mystery of River’s stalker’s identity and there will be an in-novel resolution to many of the initial problems.

The second book in this universe will, indeed, as speculated, cover the events of Reed’s wedding and will resolve the issue of River’s stalker’s identity once and for all. Stalking Dreams fits smack in the middle of these two novels and was intended to stand alone there. There’s no doubt that the presentation of these stories, in terms of order, is problematic, but, as I mentioned elsewhere, given my responsibilities (full-time day job, motherhood, wifeliness, friendships) in addition to my writing, there was simply no way to have the first novel completed by the LHNB deadline.

In addition, several people mentioned wanting to see Kelly Maybedog’s (yay, Kelly! so grateful for you, lady!) written prompt play out exactly as it was written. I cannot promise this. I do intend to employ the prompt to the best of my ability, but hopefully readers will be generous (as they were with Stalking Dreams) and give the muse a little leeway in terms of how the actual beginning of River & Shane’s relationship takes place.

All in all, I’m incredibly in love with this universe, and I’m hopeful that when the time comes, some of you readers will fall in love with it, too. Thank you again for your generosity, your time, and your confidence in me. May this year bring me much writing time. May I write like the wind. May the books pour forth without too much wrangling. And may the force be with me.

Thank you all! You’re the best!

Objectified Scotsman

This made me think of that Tumblr blog where they have a weekly romance cover of an objectified Scotsman. Love that kind of thing!