Renae Kaye's Blog, page 6

Day 1: Kee & Tate

Good news all around!  ​Don't Twunk With My Heart ​is finally live on Dreamspinner's Upcoming page - and so is available for preorder (here).  This story will release on the 26th of August.

​As requested, I'm submitting my guys to torture by making them do the 30 Day Writing Challenge - a question a day from here until release day.  I've looked ahead at the questions, and there's some hard ones coming.

​1.  Five problems with social media

Kee:   It forces you to be social.  People get upset if they don’t get enough likes.  It forces you to be social.  Selfies. It forces you to be social. 
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Tate:   You only have 140 characters for tweeting.  Too many people posting about things I don’t care about.  Photoshop.  Too many different platforms – I can’t keep up!  You can’t zoom in on people’s photos easily.

Cover Reveal

As a birthday present to myself, I've decided to show you my new cover.  I'm excited!

This baby won't be released until the 26th of August, but I couldn't wait to show you.
​

Don’t Twunk With My Heart
By Renae Kaye
Release date: 26 August 2016


Kee Smith isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows who he used to be—the ignored gay son who chose a blue-collar job just because no one expected it, the submissive bottom who enjoyed large, masculine jocks who put him in his place, the sleek, fashionable twink who partied all night. But after his ex-boyfriend hit Kee and called him names, Kee retired from the social scene.

Back after a year’s hiatus, Kee still doesn’t know where he fits. His friends say he’s a twunk—a twink who put on muscle and turned into a hunk—but Kee is searching for somewhere to belong. Instead of going back to his usual type, Kee hooks up with twink Tate Stevens—a fashion-industry professional who works the image hard. It proves to be the best decision he’s ever made, and not just because he’s starting to regain his sexual confidence.

With Tate, Kee can open up about his fears and confusion without ridicule. Tate has his own fears about putting on weight and getting old. It will take work to make a relationship of opposites succeed, but they begin to realize the compromises will be worth it if they can be together.

Did the gay marriage debate cost the Government power?

Did the gay marriage debate cost the government power?       
    
I’m an interested voter in my country.  I don’t consider myself well informed, and a lot of the information I come by comes (carefully shaded) by the media, but I try to keep up with the policies and the political agendas of our pollies.

But I have to admit, I’m effin’ tired of politics. 

The Americans have been at it for what seems like years.  I’m sick of the whole situation – can’t you guys just get to the polling place and vote?  Once?  Not all these little votes? 

Then the Brits have had their Brexit and Bregret – which I read about while eating my Weetbix and baguette… sorry.  In appropriate humour at odd times.  But the whole thing is a total mess over there.  Both sides of the argument agree on that.  It’s funny how people can agree on things after the fact.

Canada had a vote in there somewhere too.  I’m sure they did.  I see them beaming over their new PM.  No one likes a gloater, Canada… (LOL – only joking!  I love him and I’m super jealous.)

So then Australia has their little election—8 weeks, America.  It took us 8 weeks to declare an election, hold a campaign and vote.  See!  

Last weekend we went to the polls and we voted in our parties… and it’s a mess.  For those non-Australians, I’ll try to summarise the situation. 

We have two main parties – Liberals and Labor.  The Libs are the conservatives – now don’t get that wrong, because it’s hard to understand (LOL) – but they originally stood for the more affluent of our country.  The business, economy and white-collar workers.  Labor is for the labourers – or the more blue collar workers.  They’re supposed to stand up for Ma and Pa Factory Worker.

The Libs usually band together with a couple of more minor parties to form a Coalition and gain majority in the parliament.  We need a majority to declare a winner.

We voted on Saturday, and there’s no clear winner.  Nope.  People shunned both the Libs and Labor and have voted in historic numbers for other parties.  Before the election, the Liberals held power.  Just.  There has been a 3% swing against them and they’ve lost seats.  But the biggest problem is that many of the seats are neck and neck in the counting.  It’s going down to the line and could be weeks before we have a winner.

So now we have the fall-out.  There is no clear overall winner either, so each party needs to approach the minor parties and cut deals to gain the majority.

Meanwhile the Australia public are shrugging their shoulders and changing the channel.  They’re disinterested.
So what has gone wrong in Australian politics?  Why are people shunning the major parties?  Why are people so disinterested?  I’ve read a number of articles from political journalists recently.  Most are clearly Liberal or Labor supporters.  They try to “verbally bash” the leader of whatever party and point the finger at them to blame them for not winning.  Some journalists point to the fact that in the last six years Australia has had four Prime Ministers and the public feel uncertainty about that.  One I read today says that the two major parties have such similar platforms these days that no one can tell the difference between them.  One article talks about how Labor hasn’t the economic stoush to pull Australia back on line.  One article talks about how the Liberal leader doesn’t have the support of his cabinet.

During the election campaign there was a lot said about lots of issues.  Business tax, taxing the rich on their superannuation, the state of our health system, immigration, climate change, the national broadband roll-out….  They were all debated and talked about ad nauseam .

But, do you know what I think has been the deal breaker in this election?  The same-sex marriage debate.

On both sides.

I don’t think it has anything to do with whether you support same-sex marriage or not.  It doesn’t matter whether you agree with the plebiscite Liberals are promising or not.  It doesn’t matter whether you support either party’s stance or not.  This election was lost by both parties because of their attitude to same-sex marriage.

Are you scratching your head?  Let me explain.

It is reported widely in the media that something like 70-80% of everyday Australians support marriage equality and will vote YES to the plebiscite on marriage equality that is proposed.  To the pro-LGBT crowd this is something to celebrate.

It is reported widely in the media that the politicians don’t support marriage equality, to the point where a large percentage politicians who hold seats have publicly stated that even if the Australian public vote YES to marriage equality in the plebiscite, then their conscience means they must vote no in parliament.  To the anti-LGBT crowd this is something to celebrate.

But, to both the pro- and the anti- crowd, what message does this send?  The message it sends is “No matter what Australia wants, we’re going to do what we want in parliament, because we can.”

Politicians have sent a huge middle finger in response to what it appears the majority of Australia wants.  And this election has proved that the people are sending them their message back.  Even though the issue of same-sex marriage barely rated in the politicians’ platforms, in the media and in the minds of everyday Australians, that attitude that the parties have shown has echoed in the minds of everyone.

Why would they want a politician who doesn’t support them?  Why would they want to vote in a politician who has shown that he/she will thumb their nose at their electorate and vote with their conscience?  Because I look at these pollies with their suits and nice houses and nice cars and think, “Your conscience is about your wallet, not anyone else’s.”

Their attitude has bitten them firmly in the arse.  No one believes a word of what they say because they have shown they are not fighting for the public.  And who has shown that they are willing to fight the big boys?  These little minor parties.

The minor parties often rely on a figurehead such as Pauline Hanson or Derryn Hinch who are outspoken and rage “against the system” in their beliefs.  People are drawn to that because they think they may get something done, or support the attitudes of the public.  Or sometimes these minor parties have a single platform such as The Health Australia Party which all they care about is stopping compulsory childhood vaccines.  They have no other beliefs. 

Or sometimes these minor parties have a funny name that helps they grab votes, like the Australian Sex Party.  How many voters thought, “If we can’t have what we really want, how about we just have sex?  I’ll vote for the Sex Party.”
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So now the government needs to work out what they're going to do.  Leaderships are in the balance.  The Libs and Labor are making deals with independents who have terrible consciences and want to cleanse Australia of all Muslims, or think that they are above the law.  It’s a big mess.  A mess of their own making.

So yes, I think the government lost their power over the rights of LGBT people.  Ain’t that funny?  All those people who think the LGBT community is not important?  That their minority is too minor to care about.  Maybe the government should’ve cared a little more, hmm?
 

My ANGRY response to the Orlando shooting

Last night as I sat at my computer working on writing a romance story between two men, reports of the Orlando shooting in a gay night club began to flash up on my sites.  Facebook and Twitter lit up.  The news channels I read began rolling updates.  I watched with horror and a huge sinking feeling in my stomach as the news reports changed from “mass casualties” to “20 dead” to “50 dead, 53 in hospital.”

My first reactions:  shock, horror, grief, disbelief.

Then the initial responses from my friends on social media came rolling in.  Celebrities and politicians from all over the world made their stances which were quickly retweeted and shared.  And I became angry.  My shock and grief did not lessen.  But I became so fucking, bloody angry.

My nine-year-old son is sick at the moment.  I was up half the night with him as he has a throat infection and an ear infection.  I hugged and consoled him as he cried in pain, but at the same time my heart was hurting for the mothers who will never console their son’s again.  And why?  Because of fucking, bloody stupid people.

Friends began to post “Rest in Peace” and my anger sky-rocketed.

Rest in fucking peace?  Why should an innocent man who was out for the night and having fun, who was then senselessly gunned down, rest in peace?

No.  I say don’t rest in peace.  I say get angry.  The fury that must be boiling at the knowledge that they were targeted because of their presence in a gay bar should be turned on the ones to blame for this act of terror, act of violence, act of hatred.
Haunt them forever.

Haunt the ones who encourage, support and aspire to radical religion.  I’m not saying those who are Muslim, because I think you have a perfect right to practice your religion.  I know and adore many Muslims.  It’s those who are extremists that have not read and understood the Quran.  And I’m not saying any other religion is off the hook either.  Because you radical Christians have also had a big part to play in this tragedy.  You think you’re not a radical because you’re Christian?  Ha.  Tell me if you would invite a gay man to dinner.  Tell me if you would stand up for a black man in the street.  Tell me if you would sit and discuss your religion with a Muslim cleric in a calm and rational manner.  Tell me if you’ve supported any politician, political party or law that takes away basic rights to these sections of the community.  If the only one you answer “yes” to immediately is the last, then you’re the radical I’m pointing my finger at.

Haunt the ones who speak homophobic words in public arenas and act in ways to take away someone’s rights because they identify in the LGBT spectrum.  If you discriminate and persecute LGBT people, whether you use religion as a reason or not, you have contributed to this horror.  Being gay is not a crime.  Being gay is not a choice.  Being gay is not something that is wrong, disgusting or filthy.  Open your closed eyes, open your closed heart, and learn people.  Stop sitting in the fucking corner like a little kid and say “It’s wrong, it’s wrong.”  There is nothing wrong apart from your attitude.  You should be ashamed of yourself and understand that your actions in speaking in homophobic ways have contributed to this.  It doesn’t matter if you only told three people.  You aligned yourself to a way that is morally and humanly wrong.  And then you encouraged others to do the same.  Be haunted you selfless, uneducated idiots.

Haunt the ones who can’t see that more guns are not the answer.  Gun laws.  Gun control.  2nd Amendment.  I’m sick of this shit!  I don’t give a hoot about what some law was made over a hundred years ago.  They allowed slavery then too.  If you can abolish slavery, why not gun rights?   Can’t you see that you’re not arming the innocent people to defend themselves? But instead allowing the criminal, the mentally unstable, the angry, the radical, the extremist and the terrorist to play with fucking assault rifles!  You’re not saving yourself – you’re giving the bad guys the right to shoot you.  As an Australian I just cannot fathom how Americans can sit there and think that these shootings are not going to happen.  Cling to your 2nd amendment, cling to your rights, cling to your stupid belief that it is not the guns who kill people but the one who holds it… sure.  But then you take it on your shoulders that you have allowed this to happen.  Where a man can easily purchase a gun and walk around with it, of course you are going to have dead people and their blood on your hands.  Does Australia have guns?  Yes – but they’re illegal to the average person in the street, not easily obtained, easy to spot because not everyone has one and holy shit, if someone spots a gun in your car you can bet that you, your family and your friends will soon have the TRG knocking down your doors and confiscating all weaponry.  We too will have criminals who hold guns, but holy shit USA – never, ever, ever in the numbers that you guys have.  The criminals just can’t rock up to Walmart with a credit card and buy one.  The amount of guns on your street make the innocents die at such a rate that you have to see that your beloved 2nd Amendment just cannot continue stand.

These 50 people who died yesterday, the more that will probably lose their life over the next days, the hundreds of thousands of innocents in the world who have died this year due to crimes of terror, religion and homophobia, the innocents killed accidentally by guns and wars of others, and the hundreds of thousands who will die in the next six months of this year?  Haunt the guilty like mad!

So especially, you need to haunt the man I think is a catalyst for this action. 

Haunt the one who gives permission for their bigotry, encouragement for their homophobia, praise for their anger, support for their rights to bear arms… and broadcasts it to the world daily to make himself look and feel good. Which man has been speaking of allowing every man, woman and child to have a gun and he will support their right?  Which man has been deliberately and intentionally riling sections of the community with his hate speech against Muslims, Mexicans and Chinese?  Which man has spoken out in support of the reintroduction of discriminatory laws against LGBT people?  Which man has used his extremely powerful global platform to encourage and entice people to act physically and violently towards non-whites, non-Christians, and LGBT people?  Which man speaks without empathy, without knowledge and without a care about who he hurts?
Which man takes no responsibilities for his actions?  And let me give you a hint.  The answer is not Brock Turner, although a parallel can be made.

The answer to this tragic night isn’t simple.  Hard decisions will need to be made in order for this never to happen again.  We have a radical extremist, one with a mental problem and violent history.  We have homophobia and the rights of humans.  We have gun control.  We have people enticing, encouraging and applauding the actions of the one who carried out this crime.  We have people excusing the actions of this man.

And we also have broken-hearted, scared and horrified people.  To those who lost loved ones, my heart breaks for you.  To those who are working to heal the wounded, console the shattered, investigate the incident, and give back respect to those who didn’t deserve to have it taken away in the first place, strength be to you.  Thank you for your compassion and help.
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To those who died… go forth and haunt in anger.  A change is needed, my friend.  A change is needed.   

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Day 30: Renae's final interview withPaul & Andrew

Safe in His Heart will be released on the 2nd of May, 2016.   In an attempt to get to know Paul and Andrew, I thought that they could take the 30-Day Writing Challenge.  And they made it!  30 days worth of answers. I posted their responses on the blog daily, so scroll back if you missed some.


30.  One thing you’re excited for
Paul:  Funnily enough, the rest of my life.  I’m excited to live now.  I’m excited to get up and see what the day brings.  I’m excited to watch the kids grow, and see what Andrew looks like in fifty years.
Andrew:  That’s not fair.  That’s pretty much the perfect answer.  Now how am I meant to top that as an answer?
Paul:  You want to talk about topping?  Now?  I’m willing, ready and able.  It’s the question everyone wants answered, isn’t it?  Although, when they said ‘excited,’ I don’t think they meant in that way.
Andrew:  Oh, God.  I don’t believe you just said that.  On the last question too.  We’d nearly made it through 30 days without you taking it into the gutter.  Do you realise that you’re a parent now?  What is on the internet is on there forever.  And Lilah will be googling us before we know it.
Paul:  Oh, shit…
Andrew:  Exactly.  So maybe I’m excited for parental controls on the internet?
Paul:  That’s boring.  You need to be excited for something big.
Andrew:  How about excited that in less than 48 hours everyone can read of my love for you?
Paul:  And you said you couldn’t beat my answer.  I love you, Andrew.
Andrew:  I love you too.

​Click here to be taken to the Coming Soon page of my website to find the buy links.

Day 29: Renae interviews Paul & Andrew

Safe in His Heart will be released on the 2nd of May, 2016.   In an attempt to get to know Paul and Andrew, I thought that they could take the 30-Day Writing Challenge.  Let’s see their answers.  I will be posting their responses on the blog daily, so scroll back if you missed some.


​29.  The night of your 21st birthday
Paul:  Oh, yeah.  There were fireworks and a huge street party.  Everyone was celebrating.  We had a barbeque during the day, so we ate leftover sausages all night.  There were hundreds of people dancing with me.… What?
Andrew:  **looking unimpressed**  You were born on Australia Day.  There are fireworks on your birthday every year.  Everyone was celebrating Australia Day, not your birthday.
Paul:  Yeah, okay.  So it was pretty much like every birthday I have.  I never have a birthday party because everyone has plans, so I think I probably went to the pub and then on to a club as usual.
Andrew:  **taking Paul’s hand**  We’ll have a birthday party for you next year, okay?  I’ll specify that no one is allowed to come in any patriot clothing.  And we’ll have sushi or something really unAustralian, okay?
Paul:  **smiles**  Okay.  So what about you?  What was your 21st?
Andrew:  If I’m correct, it was mid-week, so I had to work the following day.  Mum made a chocolate cake and we had it after dinner, then we carried on as usual.  We had a party that weekend.  I remember it, because my grandmother arrived with this big present wrapped in green paper that had the number twenty-one all over it.  Grandma’s hobby was knitting, and I wondered if I would get a dorky jumper, but it turned out to be a very nice suit for work.  I was in my first year of the corporate world, and appreciated professional clothes because I was struggling to buy good quality stuff on my new but tiny salary.

Day 28: Renae interviews Paul & Andrew

Safe in His Heart will be released on the 2nd of May, 2016.   In an attempt to get to know Paul and Andrew, I thought that they could take the 30-Day Writing Challenge.  Let’s see their answers.  I will be posting their responses on the blog daily, so scroll back if you missed some.


​28.  The word/phrase you use constantly
Paul:  “ No, it’s not time for your next lot of medication.”  It’s actually sad how many times a day I need to say this. 
Andrew:  I don’t think I have a phrase.  Perhaps, “Erica, can you set up a meeting?” or maybe “No, you can’t turn the TV on.”

Day 27: Renae interviews Paul & Andrew

Safe in His Heart will be released on the 2nd of May, 2016.   In an attempt to get to know Paul and Andrew, I thought that they could take the 30-Day Writing Challenge.  Let’s see their answers.  I will be posting their responses on the blog daily, so scroll back if you missed some.


​27.  What you wore today
Andrew:  Today is Wednesday so I went to work.  This requires a suit and tie.  I wore the blue diamond tie that Paul likes, just because I wanted to see him smile.  So it was the navy blue suit and a white shirt to match the tie.
Paul:  I’m back on night shift, so it was the nursing uniform for me.  I then went to the gym, so it was gym shorts and singlet.  Then home to bed, so it was boxer shorts to sleep in.  Then trakkie pants and a T-shirt while I played with the kids, before back in the nursing uniform.

Day 26: Renae interviews Paul & Andrew

Safe in His Heart will be released on the 2nd of May, 2016.   In an attempt to get to know Paul and Andrew, I thought that they could take the 30-Day Writing Challenge.  Let’s see their answers.  I will be posting their responses on the blog daily, so scroll back if you missed some.

​26.  Things you’d say to an ex
Paul:  An ex-boyfriend?  What do they mean, things I’d say?  Do they mean beyond “Hi” and “How are you doing these days?”
Andrew:  **groans**  Oh, please don’t tell me you’re one of these guys who remains friends with all their exes and no bad feelings?
Paul:  …
Andrew:  Dammit.  You’re too nice to everyone.  Okay.  My turn.  I have two exes.  My ex-wife and my ex-boyfriend.  To my ex-wife I’d say “Hi” and “How are you today?” because we talk at least twice a week on the phone and there’s no hard feelings between us.  To my ex-boyfriend?  I guess I would be angry with him.  Because I thought I’d found the one who was worth the pain of coming out of the closet for, but instead he locked his closet door and forced me further into mine.  He really created a trust issue for me.  If he’s still in that closet, I’d perhaps tell him that being out of the closet is hard, but a lot easier too.  And then I’d tell him he was a jerk.