News

Great real life romance stories include:

A)  Herbert Carter and Mildred Hemmons via CNN.  Two people who typified the Tuskagee Airmen experience.  Brave trailblazers.  Mildred was the better pilot but not allowed to fly during the war.  The two carried out their courtship in the air:

Seeing each other in flight created a bond. When they flew together, it was as if they were holding hands in midair. At the end of their aerial encounter, he’d peel away, only to circle back. He’d sneak up behind her, pull in front and leave her in a trail of airwash. Her tiny craft shook mightily. She’d come to expect it every weekend.

B)  In 1995, Karen Guiterrez, a reporter for a paper in Lexington agreed to run a piece about a girl who met a guy at the Sugar Bowl and she only knew what car he drove and that he  lived in Lexington.  The editorial staff grumbled but the piece picked up steam and, well, you’ll have to click on the link to read the rest of the story.

C) Mildred and Richard Loving.  HBO is rerunning the Loving documentary today which chronicles the story of Mildred and Richard Loving’s marriage and court battle to outlaw miscegenation. On the 40th anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia decision, Mildred Loving came out and made a rare public statement.

My generation was bitterly divided over something that should have been so clear and right. The majority believed that what the judge said, that it was God’s plan to keep people apart, and that government should discriminate against people in love. But I have lived long enough now to see big changes. The older generation’s fears and prejudices have given way, and today’s young people realize that if someone loves someone they have a right to marry.

Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the “wrong kind of person” for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights.

I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about.

*****

From my inbox:

Forever would like to e-invite you to our Valentine’s Day Twitter party tomorrow and celebrate all things romance. Our favorite day of the year!

Here’s more information:

Spend Valentine’s Day with your favorite romance authors by following @ForeverRomance on Feb. 14 and use the hashtag #4EvrLove to chat with authors about Valentine memories, relationship advice, and ideas for how to spend the day (and night!) The party starts at 9am EST & we’ll have book giveaways throughout the day, so come join the fun!

 Author Participant Schedule:

• 9 am, Elizabeth Hoyt (@ElizabethHoyt)
• 10 am, Kristin Callihan (@Kris10Callihan)
• 10:30, Hope Ramsay (@HopeRamsay)
• 11:30, Stella Cameron, Darkness Bound (@StellaCam)
• 12pm, Jami Alden, RUN FROM FEAR (@JamiAlden)
• 1pm, Katie Lane, CATCH ME A COWBOY (@ktlane3)
• 1:30pm, Vicky Dreiling, HOW TO RAVISH A RAKE (@vickydreiling)
• 2pm, Larissa Ione, IMMORTAL RIDER (@LarissaIone)
• 3pm, Jennifer Haymore, SECRETS OF AN ACCIDENTAL DUCHESS (@JenniferHaymore)
• 4pm, RC Ryan, QUINN (@RuthRyanLangan)
• 4:30pm, Jill Shalvis, HEAD OVER HEELS (@JillShalvis)
• 5:30pm, Cynthia Gardner, KISS OF THE VAMPIRE (@CynthiaGarner)

Deals

From Samhain:  Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy 30% off your entire order with coupon code LOVE12 all day! pic.twitter.com/YKsTOxqv

• In a Cowboy’s Arms by Janette Kenny * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
• Demonfire by Kate Douglas * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
• Touch of a Thief by Mia Marlow * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
• The Truest Heart by Samantha James * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
• Deep in the Heart by Sharon Sala * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
• Heiress in his bed by Tamara Lejeune * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
• Heart’s at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S  (YA)
• I’ll Be Slaying You by Cythia Eden * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S
• Some Kind of Wonderful by J Minter * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S  (YA)
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S  (YA)
• Devil’s Kiss by Zoe Archer * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S

Related posts:

1. Monday News and Deals:
2. Tuesday Midday Links: News and Deals
3. Thursday News and Deals: Crime fiction overtakes romance

The bonus features on the DVD show that this film played well at the Sundance Festival but honestly, I don’t remember hearing about it when it was released. Nor much about it since then – which is a shame since it’s a lighthearted, feel good comedy/romance with some outstanding actors.

It all started with the armadillos. Harry Sawyer (Jeremy Northam) and Wayne Wayne Wayne, Jr (Steve Zahn) are two bit crooks out on a work detail cleaning up road kill in Texas. Chained together with another convict, killer Bob Maslow (M.C. Gainey), the three get into a fight and are being transported back to the prison when the driver swerves to avoid another armadillo and wrecks the van. The three escape with Bob headed one way while Harry and Steve take off in another.

They steal a beat up RV and, after it dies on the road, are discovered by Chappy Dent (William H. Macy) the sheriff of Happy, Texas. Dent hauls them into town where the confused cons are bargained down – but bargained for what? Slowly, as they explore the RV, they discover who and what the townspeople think they are – a gay couple who travel to beauty pageants helping the locals stage and produce them.

At first Harry and Wayne – now known to the town as Steve and David – plan to take the money and run but soon discover richer pickings. If they stay in town and use the pageant as a cover, there’s a chance to rob the bank for even more money. And after all, how hard can putting on a pageant for little girls be? But as the boys are accepted by the townspeople, they begin to not only own the beauty pageant but find love as well. Problem is the other escaped convict is still on the loose. When the chips are down, which side will they help and what does the future hold?

For anyone who’s only seen Jeremy Northam in his period costume movies, his performance here is eye opening. Not only can he do a convincing American accent but he manages to romance not only the female bank manager, Joe (Ally Walker) but also Sheriff Dent who charmingly comes out during the course of the movie. Watch for the gay bar/restaurant they go to and how well they end up dancing together. And even though Harry has to break the truth to Chappy in the end, Chappy still manages to get himself a guy in the form of a Texas Ranger and save the day as the robbery is going down.

Steve Zahn is hilarious as the half of the duo who gets stuck with the pageant girls and who has to learn the best way to sew sparkly hearts on to their costumes. His dance sequences – choreographed himself – look like a spastic frog on speed but by the end, his heart is in the right place and his main concern is that his girls hold the beat during their dance numbers.

And that, really, is the charm of the movie. Harry and Wayne begin as cons out for themselves and find something worth more in Happy. People who like them and look up to them and trust them to be better than they’ve ever been. As Harry tells Joe in the end, he’s never cared that he’s been a crook and he’s always been slightly fuzzy about being on the right side of the law – but there’s nothing fuzzy about the way he feels for her. And with good behavior, he can be out to prove it in 22 months. Wayne also finds love and maybe a calling putting on pageants. The funniest lesson learned is by Bob Maslow who learns that you don’t screw with a Texas female who’s competing in a beauty pageant.

It’s not the funniest movie I’ve ever seen but it does make me laugh – watch for the scene when Harry and Wayne at first think they’re circus midget tailors or listen for Wayne’s threats to misbehaving boys and his prayer before the pageant. William H. Macy’s performance is fantastic and his character’s coming out is treated with tenderness and delicacy. Another thing I enjoy is that the townspeople, for the most part, aren’t treated as Southern caricatures either. And don’t worry, no armadillos or bunnies were injured making the film. B-

~Jayne

Related posts:

1. Friday Film Review: When Harry Met Sally
2. Friday Film Review: Everyone Says I Love You
3. Friday Film Review: Broken Trail

Dear Ms. Thorne,

After I read your last historical release, The Twilight Gods, I added you to my list of authors to watch and read regularly.   The Twilight Gods was a great, historically researched novel that felt comfortably Dickensian.   While I have yet to really dig into your contemporary novels, I know you have an admirable ability to write historical novels.   I wasn’t at all worried about your latest release, and it proved to be just as good as the last one.   While it didn’t capture me as intently as The Twilight Gods did, the quality of writing was lovely and consistent.   This is so much more than a Christmas story.

The story, as many Christmas ones do, begins with a toymaker.

Abelard Bauer is a toymaker living in Bavaria in the mid-1800′s.   His work is known to be meticulous and lovely, and many people in his village buy the toys from him to put under their trees.   While toy making is his trade, what he really impresses people with is his knowledge of making glass spheres and ornaments.   Princes and shepherds, and most recently, a tiny glass minstrel.

In the same tiny, Bavarian town lives a man named Andreas Schiffer.   He knows Abelard well enough.   Haunted by the tragic death of his son, and the darkened history behind it, Schiffer is hostile towards Abelard.   Despite the fact that they share the tragedy of their sons perishing in the same accident, they also share another secret.

Their sons were lovers.

Set around the magical time of Christmas, The Glass Minstrel is the heartbreaking story of a toymaker who finds himself in the throes of depression.   The last of his family has gone from him, just after he began to understand what it was like.   It is a story of a broken friendship, of understanding, and of how loneliness affects us all.   Especially around the holidays.

Reading your novels is always a quietly uplifting experience.   Nothing immediately catches your attention, but you are pleasantly surprised by what the pages of the book hold.   By the end of the story, you are invested in the characters and analyzing their motives like you would in the best of novels.   Genre fiction is hard to pull off as something both original yet familiar, but books such as The Glass Minstrel manage to get it right.

Abelard was a protagonist I was amazingly fond of.   It’s interesting to read a young adult novel where the adults are more centered than the teenager in the story, although there were several teenage characters in the narrative.   His place in the story was simple yet powerful, and it was really touching to read about the dedication to his craft and how he missed his son.   the fact that he was an accepting father was also a nice touch.

Schiffer was the black to Abelard’s white, though not in a bad way.   Where Abelard deals with his grief by befriending a young teenager named Jakob (who is much like his son), Schiffer bemoans his fate and tries to make sense of the journal his son Heinrich left behind.   His character is intense and angry, and seeing that anger slowly disappear as he became more accepting of his son’s passing was nice.   It blended with the acceptance of what his son was, as well.

The story of Jakob was a pleasant side story that represented the love of the younger Bauer and Schiffer in a new form, although Jakob’s road to romance is not easy, and is not destined for a quick fix.   He traverses the difficult waters of liking a childhood friend that is either straight or not accepting of their sexuality, and of liking someone that, while kind, is destined to never return those affections.   Jakob’s character is the one that will resonate with teen readers the most, and I really enjoyed how real he was.   I would have liked to know him outside the pages of your novel.

Your writing was as pleasant as always, and your style remains something unique yet accessible.   Historical fiction enthusiasts especially will enjoy your attention to detail and the way you focus on characters of the middle class, as so few authors tend to do.   Another thing that I really liked about this book is the journal entries from Heinrich that began each chapter.

Our books make for good props.   It’s quite funny how everyone else sees us and commends us for being such a studious pair, with our books and notes spread out on the grass while we lie on our stomachs or sit against our favorite beech tree.   Half the time we simply write notes to each other, which we pass back and forth.   Sometimes I think we get a little too sentimental, but Stefan seems to take a lot of pleasure in it, so I try not to feel too self-conscious about being sweet on him.

- from the journal of Heinrich Schiffer

The plot was nice enough, though I think the subject of Christmas will deter some readers, despite the fact that the novel isn’t meant to be a Christmas story so much as a story that takes place around Christmastime.   The setting was also thinner than The Twilight Gods, and I found myself not enjoying it as much.   I would have liked more vivid descriptions of it, but it wasn’t so sparse as to deter readers.   Merely, I felt that it could have been done better.

For readers that are unfamiliar with LGBTQ genre fiction and/or LGBTQ historical fiction, especially for young-adults, your work is a great starting point.   Your stories are engaging and the feelings and situations you deal with are universal to all time periods.   With enjoyable characters and writing that hardly misses the mark, I enjoy your work, and think that many other people will as well.   You know how to write about LGBTQ issues delicately, yet you still manage to convey a wonderful message.   We’re just like everyone else, and that’s what is important.   B +

All the best,
John

Amazon Buy Link

We have a signed PRINT copy (US only) *and* a DIGITAL copy (no geographic restrictions) of this book to giveaway. Comment by 6am EST on Wednesday to win! (One win per person for the week of our Gay Writes giveaways, but feel free to comment on all posts to increase your chances of winning!)

Related posts:

1. GAY WRITES REVIEW: Strawberries for Dessert by Marie Sexton
2. REVIEW: The Privateer by Danielle Thorne
3. GAY WRITES REVIEW: Homecoming by Nell Stark

Ever since I started reading more LGBTQ books, the various books published by Prizm have been on my radar.   I love genre fiction just as much as literary fiction, and seeing a ‘gay’ take on the usual YA tropes is always fun.   Your book being a time-travel plot-line really had me intrigued, and I’ve always liked Egypt as a setting – especially in historical novels.

Aston and Grant are ready to call it quits.   They both did some less than favorable things in their past – Aston stole a car, and Grant broke into an office – and are stuck at Stanton School for Boys until they become more well behaved.   Aston is determined not to make a mess of himself this time, but   he gets in trouble in class on the first day with Mr. Ambrosius, his eccentric history teacher.   His new roommate, Grant, doesn’t escape punishment either.   They are sent back to Ambrosius’   office to be dealt with later.

The boys get into a spat and start throwing punches and yelling at each other.   They break a few precious objects that clutter Ambrosius’ office and start a small fire.   Ambrosius isn’t too happy, but gives them a chance to redeem themselves.   They have to travel back in time and find the ancient objects they destroyed and bring them back to Ambrosius – who is actually the wizard Merlin.   While they don’t really trust Merlin, retrieving the objects sounds a lot better than going to jail for causing so much damage.

They are first assigned to get the Eye of Ra, an amulet worn by the boy-king Tutankhamen in ancient Egypt.   Their journey there is framed with forming an unlikely friendship with the boy king in their attempt to get the amulet from him.   With the disappearance of the queen, a power-hungry royal adviser, and Aston’s budding attraction to Grant, the boys are in for a hell of a ride.

As with the other books published by Prizm, The Eye of Ra is genre fiction, so the angst and melodrama of the teen psyche are in the background of the time-travel adventure.   Aston is a decent protagonist, and Grant works well with him, but the characters aren’t that fleshed out.   Aston goes through some changes – mostly in being a more trusting and responsible person via his friendship and loyalty to Tut.   His attraction to Grant was well done, and I liked that he didn’t have much angst aside from the ‘Does-He-Like-Me’ fears that we all get.    The same goes for Grant.   I would have liked to see a lot more death from him.

King Tut I enjoyed a lot more, and felt like the humorous situations that he brought to the table were much lighter and made the novel fun.   Merlin was almost non-existent, and I really felt like his existence as the wizard Merlin was cliche.   He doesn’t have much of a background, and I really felt like you could have left him mysterious.   Or at least given him a bit more of a presence or purpose other than being the time-travel device.

Grand and Aston as a couple, however, I was much happier with.   For genre fiction like this that doesn’t focus on the romance, you can’t really expect much, but there were more than enough cute scenes and nudges for me to be satisfied with how things went.   You also left room for development in later books, which I am happy about.   The pair of them made for some of the best scenes in the book for me, and I was glad there was some establishment of relationship by the end of the book.

Time travel plots aren’t that overused in YA these days.   You don’t see too many of them marketed at older readers.   The Eye of Ra does this plot-line pretty well, and I’m mostly happy with the overall presentation of it.   Historical accuracy was just enough to make it seem real, and I actually learned some things about Tutankhamen’s rule that I didn’t already know.     Your spin on fate taking things, thus making the time-travel butterfly affect untrue, was interesting.   I liked the idea of not having to worry about the characters disrupting the flow of time, because that would have been annoying to read about over and over again.   The ending was a cliff-hanger, and while I wasn’t happy with it, it sets up the next book in the series, though it doesn’t give away the next item or destination.   The action scenes and intrigue of the Egyptian court were really interesting, and I especially liked the scenes where they went over simple customs, such as dress, the use of face-paints, and the bathroom.   The little things really made the book feel alive, and I felt like I was seriously in Egypt.

Another thing that put me off was the opening line.   The rest of the book is well edited and much more precise, but the opening line really had me questioning your ability.   It isn’t the worst opener by any means, but it could have been broken down.

When the gravel hit the small oval of polished wood on the bench as the judge called the court to order, the sound rolled through the courtroom like a thunderbolt.

This could easily be disassembled into something that flows well.   Reading it just felt really clunky, and since the beginning and ending of a book hold a lot of weight for the reading experience, I felt like it was something to address, especially considering the clunky writing there isn’t anything like the writing later on, such as this romantic scene between Aston and Grant.

I don’t know if he moved forward, or I did, or both of us at the same time, but our lips touched.   Did you ever touch a battery with the tip of your tongue and feel a tiny electrical spark?   That was how the kiss felt, tingly and warm.   It was the kind of kiss that haunted my dreams, not at all like the bruising one we’d shared back in Tut’s palace.   My jumped to attention, as if our lips were playing reveille to the troops.

A small voice spoke inside my head, telling me to back off.   Neither of us were ready for anything more than a simple kiss; certainly not on the eve of battle in the middle of ancient Egypt.

The Eye of Ra was a decent start to a new series, and it was really cool to see this average trope with a gay twist.   We need more books like that.   The characters didn’t connect with me as singular people, though their relationship was fun and written well for a side-lined romance, and the plot was exciting enough to make it a quick read.       The ending and beginning are rocky, but the majority of the novel is a smooth, light read that you will enjoy.   I really look forward to more fleshing out and development in the second installment.   C+

All the best,
John

Book Link | Kindle | Amazon | nook | BN | Borders

Related posts:

1. REVIEW: What’s New Pussycat (Wolfmates II) by Dakota Cassidy
2. REVIEW: Wolfmates: Ruff and Ready by Dakota Cassidy
3. REVIEW: Seeing You by Dakota Flint

The theme of this anthology is gay male threesomes, so I’m not sure where the title comes from. I opened the volume because it has stories by some of my favorite Dreamspinner authors (Merrow, Cullinan, Black) and because I love m/m romances AND threesome stories. Some of the stories have a HEA for all three partners together, but making that work in a short story is sometimes difficult. And some of them are just pure erotica, where three hot guys get together and have hot sex. There are worse ways to spend an evening (worse ways than reading it, I mean. Although I guess doing it would be fun too…).

“The Thank You Note” by Jamie Freeman
Army (WTF with that name?!) and Roddy are long-term lovers and they decide to celebrate their 7th anniversary by bringing in a third. The story is told in three “Acts” from each of the men’s perspectives, and starts from Army’s POV, remembering with Roddy the evening before with Aidan and how Army and Roddy met at a performance of Aida. Roddy takes over and remembers how they hooked up with Aidan through Craigslist and remembers the night, and then Aidan takes over and reveals how they get back together. This is a well-crafted story. The understated tension arises from Roddy’s hard limit on the encounter of no emotional entanglement. The characters are distinguishable and fun, the relationship themes are strong and draw the personalities together in a way that you know they’re going to make it. Grade: B+

“Not Just a Piece of Meat” by Zahra Owens
While I enjoyed the unusual professions of these men — Shawn owns a butchers shop, his partner Peter is a cook who makes take-home dinners (kinda like Whole Foods’ buffet, I think), and Karl is a butcher and their employee — the story itself is uninspired. The men are distinguishable only in that Shawn is the alpha, Peter the bottom, and Karl somewhere in the middle, literally and figuratively. They don’t have any personality quirks and there is no tension in the plot. They get together, have fun, have (I think?) double penetration of Peter (as in, two penises, one anus), although Karl doesn’t seem to realize this, have some more fun, and all move in together, done. Blah. Grade: C-

“Getting a Filling” by J.L. Merrow
Ivo goes to the dentist to get a filling, taking his boyfriend Colin with him for moral support. Ted, the dentist, is adorable and when they meet a few weeks later at a bar, they get together and “help” Ivo over his phobia by having a hot scene in the dentist chair (Ted lives above his practice and they get sidetracked on their way to his bedroom). Hygiene aside, this is a laugh-out loud funny story. Or at least I laughed out loud, probably because I have a sophomoric sense of humor.

He leaned over Ivo, the heat of his body a tangible thing. “Open wide, please.”

Oh, I’d love to open wide for you, Ted, Ivo thought. Green eyes widened, and in the corner Colin made a sort of spluttering sound. Ivo felt a sudden chill. “Did I say that aloud?”

“Oh, yes.”

And, because I can’t resist:

“Now, you’re going to feel my fingers in your mouth,” Ted began in a soothing voice.

“Yes, I always think it’s best to start with fingers,” Colin put in unhelpfully. “Especially when the guy’s nervous.”

Ivo’s jaw twitched with tension as latex-clad fingers invaded his mouth. “Try not to bite me, Ivo, if you can,” Ted murmured.

“He’s usually so good about that,” Colin mused.

This was a fun, quick read, very different from Merrow’s more weighty shorts in the Sindustry volumes. Grade: B

“1+1+1 IS 3″ by Evan Gilbert
College boys Tavian, Deangelo, and Ike all meet in a bookstore in Chicago and try to get together, but are thwarted by being college students with no place private to go. I appreciate the racial diversity (Deangelo’s black, Tavian’s…not white?), but the head-hopping and having Deangelo call their penises their “friends” was a little off-putting. A cute story, weightless, but intriguing enough that I’d like to read about their growing relationship. Grade: C

“Beautiful Friend” by Dar Mavison
Emerson organizes a three-way with his innocent, inexperienced occasional lover Gabriel and his long-time business partner, lover, and best friend Tex. The characters are beautifully drawn and the sex is smoking hot. But what this story is really about is about bucking societal expectations. Because he’s small, slight, and ethereally beautiful, Gabriel has always assumed he should bottom and that big, muscle-bound Tex and Emerson could only top. They teach him differently and do it brilliantly well. Grade: B+

“Neighbors by Day, Naughty by Night” by Devon Rhodes
Jason has just moved in with Kevin and they are very much in love. But one day, he wakes up and their friend and neighbor, Marty, is in their bed too. Jason’s pretty pissed until Kevin explains that Marty sleepwalks…right into Kevin’s bed. Kevin and Jason use this as an opportunity both to strengthen their relationship with each other and to invite Marty into their lives. The story is told in alternating perspectives. The characters are strong and interesting and the emotional tension is light but real. Grade: B

“Skunk, Bryan, Spoon (and a Badger)” by Aundrea Singer
A science fiction story that could just as easily not be science fiction. Bryan is the navigator and second pilot for Skunk, who pilots spaceships, but Skunk and Spoon have a rivalry that almost gets them all killed when the mock dogfight they’re engaged in almost turns real. Spoon’s co-pilot insists that Bryan control Skunk, which he attempts to do with sex, until Spoon shows up, reveals that he and Skunk were former lovers, and joins in. Then Bryan controls both of them with the threat of walking away and not letting either of them fuck him. Bryan is very tentative and unsure of himself until he’s caught between these two macho men and he takes charge, which is very cool to see. A cute story with very Top Gun feel to it. Grade: B

“Homecoming” by Emily Moreton
Ben comes home one evening to find Raul in bed with their third partner, Matt, who has been away for four months working as a psychologist with the FBI on a serial killer case. We learn nothing about the case and very little about the genesis of their relationship. What is important to this story is centering Matt back into their threesome, pulling him away from the horror he’s been working with for so long. It’s a good story, with great characters, although, again, the double penetration scene is a little…unbelievable, but maybe that’s just my own prejudice. I really don’t think it’s that easy. I love how they’re all so fucked out at the end of it that all they want to do is sleep. Grade: B

“Unwrapped: The Birthday Gift” by Josephine Myles
Dave wants a third for his 25th birthday, despite the fact that he’s worried history will repeat itself because he got together with Mark during a threesome with his (Dave’s) ex-girlfriend. But Mark finds Pedro for him anyway, an American visitor who is 56 (!) but still very hot. Dave freaks out a bit, but then they have amazing sex and Dave freaks out less and less and learns something:

And so I watched them kiss, watched Pedro touching Mark, and against all my prior expectations, I really enjoyed it, generous feelings warming me inside, along with a pride in Mark. A joy that he was attractive to other men, and that he was still mine. A joy that I could share out the sweet goodness of this man, but that it wouldn't diminish our relationship.

Maybe it was that I was getting a little weary of all the sex in the anthology, but the sex is bracketed by Dave’s freakouts, rather than part of it. There could have been more tension by giving the sex more emotional weight during the sex. The dialogue was also a little stilted, but the story was still fun. Grade: B-

“Bacon Bits” by G.S. Wiley
The story is told from the first person perspective of (as far as I can tell) an unnamed bicycle messenger, who lives with Patrick, a romantic, buttoned-down executive. Alex, the narrator’s best friend and former fuck-buddy comes to visit, and at first relieves the narrator by getting along with Patrick much better than the narrator had thought he would, but then embarrasses the narrator by flirting with Patrick instead. They flirt their way into bed and have hot sex, which only affirms the strength of their bonds. This story is short, compared with most of the others (although I have a hard time telling on my iPhone), but sweet. Grade: B-

“Snowbound” by Jana Denrado
Set in 1931 in an alternate universe with demons, the three characters are all demon-hunters caught in a snowstorm in Pittsburgh. We get into Temple’s head and family background a bit (his father was abusive, his grandfather more so). Fighting and sexual partners Caleb and Agni are a good unit and Temple insinuates himself to everyone’s satisfaction for the duration of the storm, during which they also do some demon-fighting. The time period is well-set and the world-building is good for the length of the story. Grade: B-

“Breaking the Habit” by Heidi Champa
Three roommates try to find something to distract themselves from their mutual pact to stop smoking and end up having sex. A very short story, but the smoking is overstated, the dialogue stilted, and the sex kinda blah. And the ending sucked. Yuck. Grade: C-

“Perform for Me” by Lori Toland
This story was a little disjointed in that it was trying to keep a secret and yet reveal it at the same time. Corey’s kink is voyeurism and he particularly enjoys watching a Dom and his sub perform at a local club. He goes week after week to watch them, then comes home to fuck the brains out of his partner, Justin. One week, though, after Justin gives him permission, Corey is invited into the show and enjoys himself immensely…until he freaks out in the parking lot afterwards. I won’t give away the obvious plot twist, but it was an interesting story about partners working with each other to satisfy all parts of themselves, even if they can’t satisfy them with each other. Grade: B-

“An American in Seville” by Lenore Black
Tony is in Seville, Spain, with his Ugly American boss and colleague. They don’t see any of the town until their last night of the trip, when they go to watch Flamenco dancing because they were given free tickets by clients. Tony, who has been numb since his wife left him more than a year before, is fascinated by the main male dancer, who is obviously in a relationship with one of the guitar players. Tony sees Alejandro and Javier outside the building when he escapes for air and they invite him into their bed. While playing with them, he realizes that yes, he actually IS bisexual and that he can’t go back to his life of quiet desperation in Ohio. There’s one line that stuck with me:

He can't imagine why he ever thought Javier plain when his face has the stern sweetness of a
Renaissance angel, his eyes warm as caramel and flecked with gold, an intangible luster to him that Tony thinks might simply be the fact that he is loved so much.

I love that. The essence of love is making someone else beautiful. This is a bittersweet and yet optimistic story, told, strangely enough, in the present tense. Grade: B

“Down the Middle” by Heidi Cullinan
This story is so different from all the rest and drew me in the most. Parker and Robbie have been together for seven years but they are drifting apart, fighting more, having sex less, and can’t seem to do anything about it, even though they both still love each other. Parker sees David at a party and begins to dominate him sexually, until Robbie catches them. Parker and Robbie end up at home, about to admit the end, when David shows up and Robbie invites him in, almost as an insult to Parker. But through their experience with David, they begin to find their way back to each other. Cullinan’s writing is emotional and evocative and oh so hot. Definitely saved the best for last. Grade: A-

To be honest, after a while, the sex all kind of blended together. It’s the emotions I’m reading for, of course, and those were strongest in the stories by Cullinan, Black, Freeman, and Mavison. None of the stories were awful and, while none stood out as brilliant, Cullinan’s came pretty close, and the overall quality of the anthology was very good. As I said, there are many worse ways to spend an evening than to peruse this anthology.

Overall grade: B

Best regards,
-Joan/Sarah F.

Book Link | Kindle | Amazon | Dreamspinner |

Related posts:

1. REVIEW: Tangle Girls (anthology edited by Nicole Kimberling)
2. REVIEW: Tangle XY (Anthology edited by Nicole Kimberling)
3. REVIEW: My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon edited by P.N. Elrod

The coverage of the eBook Summit was really interesting and I have some thoughts about Jane Friedman’s Open Road Media company that I’ll share on Sunday.

****

LA Weekly has an in depth article on gay romance.   While I appreciate the coverage, I’m really frustrated by the concept that all gay romance fiction is hypersexualized and nothing more than porn.

(The first house to take the plunge, Running Press, sent out its initial raft of books just this year.) In many ways the growing popularity of gay romance represents nothing less than a tectonic shift in a culture that says women don’t (and shouldn’t) consume porn. Hot and steamy gay-romance literature is to women what Internet porn is to men: They get off on it, mostly in secret, and keep coming back for more.

My understanding was that the Running Press books that were initially released contained very restrained sexual scenes.

****

Publishing Perspectives has a fascinating interview with Disney’s Jeanne  Mosure, Senior Vice President, Group Publisher, Disney Publishing Worldwide.   Mosure talks about why Disney chose to go with the subscription model (single books weren’t viable and they didn’t want to compete with the physical retail market) and the differences between kids and teens (teens want ebooks).

****

Bowker released the findings of a new study which included facts that reflect not only the contracting economy but also the wide variety of home entertainment choices available to the consumer.   According to Bowker, one in three Americans are buying fewer books due to the economy.   More readers are swapping or buying used, particularly the female readers.   Only a tiny percentage of consumers turn to books as a less expensive alternative to other forms of entertainment.   (2.6%).    The biggest danger to the fiction publishing industry is the decline in readership and other forms of entertainment such as video games, movies, music, and yes, social media.

Related posts:

1. Thursday Midday Links Roundup
2. Thursday Midday Links: Thank God It’s October
3. Thursday Midday Links: Rosario, One of the Best Bloggers You May Not Read

I’m an absolute sucker for coming out stories and especially, apparently, for “religious twink overcoming his background to accept who he is” stories. This film delivers quite nicely. I came to it oddly: I stumbled across a novelization of the film while cruising (so to speak) the gay and lesbian fiction section at Barnes & Noble. Being what I am, I read the end and loved it, so streamed the movie on Netflix. The ending in the novelization was actually better than the ending in the movie (a little more dialogue, a little more emotional depth), but I still wasn’t disappointed in the movie.

Christian is your typical — one might even say stereotypical — gay LA party boy: a gym rat who fucks a new guy every night and has a job as a waiter while he tries to break into acting (I think — not super-clear). (Jacqueline Bisset, BTW, still gorgeous, moonlights as his wisdom-dispensing, snarky boss.) Aaron is a Mormon from Idaho on mission to LA. He lives with three other Elders in the same apartment complex as Christian and Christian and his friends make a bet that Christian can seduce one of the Mormons. He goes after Aaron because Aaron isn’t a blatant homophobe, but Christian’s first attempt at seduction is aborted when he uses his “seducing straight guys” line of “it doesn’t have to mean anything” on Aaron and Aaron balks because, to him, his first kiss, his first sex DOES mean something. Because Aaron is for real. He really believes in his mission, he really believes that he can do some good, and he really believes that things should have meaning. He accuses Christian of being shallow, which, of course, is true, spurring Christian to undergo a Cher-from-Clueless-like shallow-person personality makeover that actually sticks and is quite cute.

When they finally get together, they are, of course, discovered, and Aaron is sent home in disgrace and shame. The emotional violence his mother inflicts on him will haunt me. I know the answer to this, but do people really do this to their children? I guess the question is, HOW can people do this to their children? How can belief overcome what should be unconditional love? How can a mother drive her child to suicide by rejecting him and then not understand that it’s her fault? These scenes were played sparingly and well.

The actor who plays Christian occasionally overacts in the really emotional scenes. The requisite scene in which he tells his own coming out story skirts the edge of farce where I kept expecting him to stop, smile, and say “psych!” which is not necessarily the response the film was attempting to evoke. But all that is nothing when confronted with his sheer prettiness. :) Additionally, the pacing is, at times, odd: slow then superfast, told, not shown — but not distractingly so. And I could have done with a little more lingering over the denouement, but then I’m a emotions-whore.

Fair warning (or, perhaps, enticement): the film is not shy about swearing and even less shy about nudity. Christian and Aaron take off all their clothes and you don’t get just discrete flank shots. While there’s no erect penises, there are certainly penises. And that’s very happy-making! :)

This movie is not a romantic comedy but it’s not a drama either, because it has its happy ending. The themes in this movie are not subtle, but they’re heartwarming and true, nonetheless: interconnectedness and community, character depth and worthiness, how we effect and affect everyone around us. The narrative does a great job of showing how one person’s small, unthinking kindness can work in others for good or ill in an ever-widening web. There are no coincidences, or if there are, they can still serve a purpose. Everything means something, in one way or another.

And love is love is love and deserves to be recognized as such. Grade: B

P.S. I watched this again with my husband and it’s just as much fun the second time around and I felt the emotions more deeply, perhaps because I was comparing it with itself, rather than with the novelization. A happy, feel-good movie with a great message.

Related posts:

1. Friday Film Review: Ninotchka
2. Friday Film Review: Say Anything
3. Friday Film Review: Rachel and the Stranger