Interview on WROTE Podcast (YouTube Channel)

Happy Wednesday everyone! This week I’m excited to share the interview I did on WROTE Podcast (learn more here), we talked about my newest novel Mu; Legend of a Lost City (get your copy here), how I came up with the idea, the legends that support the story, and the characters that inhabit this world.

We have a great conversation and a lot of fun talking about what I read as a kid, who inspires my writing and what are some of my favorite things. I hope you’ll give the 30 minute interview a watch and show some love to WROTE Podcast, because they are amazing.

Check out the interview here:

I hope you enjoy the interview. Until next time have a great week.

The Hencha Queen by J. Scott Coatsworth

Hello, Happy Wednesday everyone. I hope you are having a wonderful week. Today I’m thrilled to share that my good buddy, J. Scott Coatsworth (find out more about Scott here) has a wonderful new book out; The Hencha Queen. This is the third book in his The Tharassas Cycle.

Here is the blurb for The Hencha Queen:

SILYA COMES INTO HER OWN, BUT WILL SHE BE ENOUGH?

Silya finally has everything she always wanted. She's the Hencha Queen, head of the Temple, and is working to master her newfound talents. So why does the world pick now to fall apart?

Her once-nemesis Raven is off riding dragons, and their mutual friend (and her ex) Aik is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, a new threat menaces the Heartland from the East, and if she can't convince a reluctant Gullton city council to prepare for the worst, she may lose everyone and everything she's ever cared about.

As she uses her magic-like abilities, wit and sheer determination to try to save the city, she's joined by Raven and his new friends. Will their help tip the scales? And will they finally find out what happened to Aik as a dark storm threatens to sweep them all away?

Forget messy. Things just got apocalyptic.

Buy your copy here.

Here is the series blurb:

The Tharassas Cycle is a four book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world.

That’s all for today. Until next time have a great week.

Tea Cup Promises by Glenn Quigley

Happy Wednesday everyone. I hope you are having a great day and a wonderful week. Today I’m happy to share that my good friend, author Glenn Quigley (learn more about Glenn here) has a new book coming out on March 16, 2024.

Here are the details:

Andrew Peacock is turning forty, sleeping with an older, straight, married man, and tired of the lies. So what better time to drag everything into the open than at a party for his lover’s wedding anniversary?

Told across six instalments, three decades, and one pandemic Teacup Promises charts the key moments in the relationships of Andrew, his boyfriend Jack, Jack’s wife Harriet, and Harriet’s lover, Stephen.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Clever, unique, and emotionally compelling with rich character development" — BJ Toth, editor

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "What a story! ... I was gobsmacked how well Glenn Quigley brought the whole story together." — Goodreads review

⭐⭐⭐⭐ "…a shock I never saw coming!" – Goodreads review

Pre-order your copy here.

That’s all for now, until next time have a great week.

Why ‘Ownvoice’ Writing Matters for Readers?

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, today I’d like to talk about ‘ownvoice’ writing. ‘Ownvoice’ writing refers to books or stories that are written by authors who share the same identity or experience as the characters they write about. An example is a novel about a transgender person written by a transgender author, or a book about a refugee or migrant written by a refugee or migrant. ‘Ownvoice’ writing is not a genre, but a way of highlighting the authenticity and diversity of voices throughout the literary world. ‘Ownvoice’ writing is not about gatekeeping topics from being written by non ‘ownvoice’ authors.

Why is ‘ownvoice’ writing important for readers?

  • ‘Ownvoice’ writing can challenge stereotypes and biases in a way that non ‘ownvoice’ writing can. Many books that feature diverse characters are written by authors who do not belong to the group they are writing about (this is not a bad thing, in fact, doing so keeps stories reflective of society.). However, showing diverse characters in this way may rely on stereotypes, clichés, or inaccurate portrayals of those characters. Leading some in these communities to feel frustrated, unheard, and unseen. This can reinforce harmful assumptions and prejudices about marginalized people and erase the complexity and diversity of their experience. Non ‘ownvoice’ writing may also show these groups in an unrealistic or unnatural way that can be harmful to these people.  ‘Ownvoice’ writing, on the other hand, can offer a more nuanced and realistic representation of diverse characters, and challenge the dominant narratives that often marginalize these communities.

  • ‘Ownvoice’ writing can promote empathy and understanding. Reading ‘ownvoice’ books can help readers learn more about different cultures, perspectives, and experiences that they may not be familiar with, or that they may have misconceptions about. By reading stories that are told from the inside, readers can gain a deeper insight into the joys, struggles, hopes, and fears of diverse characters, and empathize with their emotions and situations in a real and honest way. ‘Ownvoice’ writing can also help readers discover the common humanity that connects the reader with people who are different from them and fosters a sense of respect and appreciation for diversity.

  • ‘Ownvoice’ writing can empower and inspire. Reading ‘ownvoice’ books can also have a positive impact on the readers who share the same identity or experience as the characters. For many marginalized readers, finding ‘ownvoice’ books can be a rare and precious opportunity to see themselves reflected in literature, and to feel validated and affirmed by their own stories. Celebrating their community. ‘Ownvoice’ writing can also provide role models and inspiration for marginalized readers, who can see characters overcome challenges, achieve goals, go on grand adventures, find and experience love, and celebrate their identity. ‘Ownvoice’ writing can encourage marginalized readers to tell their own stories and to contribute to the diversity of voices in literature.

‘Ownvoice’ writing is not only important for readers but also for writers, publishers, and society at large. By supporting and promoting ‘ownvoice’ writing, we can create a more inclusive and diverse literary landscape, where everyone’s stories are welcomed, valued, and heard. ‘Ownvoice’ writing can enrich our reading experience, broaden our horizons, and transform our world by bringing forward writers and novels that we might not have found or experienced otherwise.

Until next time, have a great week.

2023 Year in Review!

Happy 2024 everyone. I hope that you are all having a great start to the new year. I want to share with you my year in review. See where we’ve been and where we are going.

I launched Mu; Legend of a Lost City with my new publisher; Spectrum Books.

For the third year in a row, I had one of my short stories; Thanksgiving Pie shared in the BAQWA Presents anthology.

I released Conspiracy-A New World (Book 3) on audiobook thanks to the talented Steve Connor.

I finished my next novel, a haunting story about a neighborhood tormented by angry spirits.

I began work on my newest story, set in an alternate reality where airships sail the skies.

I continued work on the fourth novel in my Sci-Fi series A New World.

I was a guest at the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce (March 2023) and the Milpitas Chamber of Commerce (Dec 2023).

I participated in the Hayward Lit Hop with the Bay Area Queer Writers Association.

I attended several Pride Events this year: Placer Pride, Davis Pride, Sacramento Pride, and Modesto Pride.

I was a speaker at BayCon 2023.

I continued to meet and interact with several authors, who remind me of why I write.

With respect to my book sales, 2023 was my best year! Thank you to everyone who has continued to buy and support my work.

2023 wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. This year I also lost an aunt, several co-workers and a dear friend from high school.

As to not end this year in review on a low note, my husband and I celebrated 25 years together, and we marked this milestone with a cruise. We experienced the first ever Pride Night at Disneyland and we also enjoyed several other visits to the Happiest Place on Earth.

As with years past, we got together with several wonderful friends and family who we don’t get to see near enough, but we enjoy the time with them when we do get together.

For 2024 I’m planning on more in person and virtual events and I’m hoping to release at least one new work this year.

I’m sure there are several events that I’ve missed, however 2023 was a good year and here’s to 2024 being even better.

Happy New Year!

Meet The Author Event Dec 2023

Happy Holidays Scribblers, I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season. As you can see, it’s been another busy few weeks for me. Today I wanted to share that this week I was a guest at the Meet the Authors Night hosted by the Milpitas Chamber of Commerce at the Milpitas Police Department. The event spotlighted 15 local authors from all different genres. Being the only Queer Author invited, I won’t lie, I wasn’t sure how I would be received. The night, however, turned out to be wonderful, and I managed to meet some terrific people. Plus, I even sold several of my books, which is always a nice plus.

Here are a couple of photos from the nights event.

I’m hoping to do more in person events in 2024, if you aren’t following me in social media please do, as this where you can hear all about my upcoming events. Until next time have a great week and a wonderful Holiday Season.

The Great Santa Showdown (My Review)

I know it’s been some time since I’ve posted here, however I’ve been extremely busy with the lunch of my newest novel Mu; Legend of a Lost City. I’m not here to talk about that today. Today I want to share my thoughts on The Great Santa Showdown by Author Glenn Quigley (learn more here).

Author Glenn Quigley has a way of creating a world that you fall into and fall in love with. This short story has everything you could possibly want for the holiday season. You’ll smile the whole time you read this story, even as you wipe away a tear or two.

If you want a sweet holiday masterpiece then this is the story for you. If the Hallmark channel is listening here’s your next gay themed holiday movie.

As you can see I really enjoyed this wonderful short story and I highly recommend the short story. You can buy your copy here.

Well, that’s it for today. Until next time have a great day.

The Gauntlet Runner – Book Launch

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you’re having a great day. This week I’m thrilled to share my good friend J. Scott Coatsworth’s newest novel: The Gauntlet Runner. This is the second book in his speculative fiction series; The Tharaccas Cycle. If you haven’t read the prequel or the first book, then you are missing out, but luckily Scott is offering both the prequel and book one for $.99, so you can get all caught up and enjoy this terrific young adult series.

Let’s jump in to the details, here is the blurb:

A GUARD AND A THIEF. WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

Aik has fallen hopelessly in love with his best friend. But Raven's a thief, which makes things... complicated. Oh, and Raven has just been kidnapped by a dragon.

Now Aik is off on a quest of his own, to hunt down the foul beast and make them give back his ... friend? Lover? Soulmate? The whole not-knowing thing just makes everything harder.

Meanwhile, the world of Tharassas is falling apart, besieged by earthquakes, floods, and strange creatures no one has ever seen before. Aik's ex, Silya has gone back to Gullton to do try to save her people as the Hencha Queen, and Aik's stuck in a caravan with her mother and a damnable magical gauntlet that won't let him be. He has to find Raven, before it’s too late.

Things were messy before, but now they're much, much worse.

Here is the series blurb:

The Tharassas Cycle is a four-book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world.

Buy the new book here.

Pick up both the prequel and book for just 99¢:

Click here for Tales From Tharassas.

Find The Dragon Eater here.

Here is a bit about J. Scott Coatsworth:

Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were.

He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.

A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).

You can find Scott here:

Click here for his Author Website.

Find him on Facebook (Author Page) here.

He’s on Instagram here.

This is where you can find him on Goodreads (click here).

Don’t miss out on The Gauntlet Runner and don’t forget both the Prequel and Book One are on sale for $.99. You really don’t want to miss out! That’s all I have for this week, until next time have a great week.

Red, White and Royal Blue (My Review)

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you’re all having a wonderful week. Eric and I finally got around to watching Red, White and Royal Blue and today, after much consideration, I thought I would share my thoughts on this Prime Movie, based on the book Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel (click here) by Casey McQuiston. To be clear, these are only my opinions and my thoughts on the movie, so let’s jump in.

To begin, I remember when this novel first came out (May 2019) and all I could do was roll my eyes. Not because of all the attention this novel garnered, but because I felt like, here we go again, another MM Romance story written for the mass market. I asked myself, when are we going to get something different? Something interesting? Something exciting? Why are we getting another MM Romance novel? I refused to read the book because I knew exactly what this story was all about and how it would go. I’ve had to read hundreds of MM Romance books. They are all the same. Two guys meet, hate each other, are forced into a situation where they have to get to know each other, fall in love, have sex, break up (over something) and at the end get back together, and have more sex. This is the formula that all MM Romance stories follow (and I assume the same formula, all romance stories in general follow). Anyway, I wasn’t interested in reading the book, plus my TBR list is huge and filled with so many better, more interesting books, at least in my opinion.

After months of watching this novel get more and more attention, I learned that a movie based on the book was in the works. I mean, of course, let’s exploit gay men for the entertainment of straight women who get all doe-eyed when it comes to MM Romance. So again, I shook my head and did my best to ignore what I witnessed around me in the writing world when it came to this novel and soon to be movie.

Am I sounding bitter, yes, but not for the reason you may think.

As an author over the last few years I have learned about the publishing industry and watched what sells… Romance. Sadly, when we are speaking of gay novels, the only books that seem to get any attention are MM Romance novels written by people who are not gay men (if you don’t believe me here is a list of top MM Romance novels, click here, almost all written by non-gay men), which in general is fine because authors should be able to write and tell the stories they want to tell. However, because of this tendency, we are losing the writers who want to tell stories that honestly reflect their community. That is why I’m a bit salty about books and movies like Red, White, and Royal Blue.

Are you still reading this or did I lose you…?

Anyway, back to the movie. We watched Red, White and Royal Blue. For what the movie is they did a good job, however, I believe the main actors are both too old for the characters they play and sadly it showed on screen, but Hollywood loves to do this. I would love to continue to tell you everything else I despised about this movie, but there wasn’t anything else. The acting was solid, the characters were likable (if not stereotypical) and the story was enjoyable and I appreciated the overall message that the movie presented. Basically Red, White and Royal Blue is a solid movie and is one that can be watched and enjoyed (and has been enjoyed by several people I know who happen to be gay men). The movie is also a pretty accurate adaptation of the book, from what I’ve read and learned.

Am I being too harsh on the author for writing this novel, probably? Would I have enjoyed the story more if the novel was written by a gay man? Maybe. Would the story feel more real and true to life? Definitely. Would the book have ever seen the light of day if the story was written by a gay man… doubtful, but that’s how the publishing industry works. You want to sell; you write MM Romance and if you are someone other than a gay man writing the stories, you stand a better chance of getting the story out there. Again, if you don’t believe me, I suggest you review the list above again (click here).

Eric did make a comment to me about the movie after we watched and he said he didn’t care who wrote the story. He was glad to see the story out there. I had to agree with him (as I often do) seeing more stories out there like this is wonderful and appreciated.

If you want to watch an enjoyable movie with no surprises or that offers nothing new, then this is the movie for you. I would watch the movie again, as I enjoyed the movie and found it entertaining and fun.

A bit of a mixed bag today. I know I may sound harsh for my comments on the book and the movie, but honestly, I’m disappointed. I want to know when we’re going to embrace stories written by gay men reflecting their real lives and not some fetishized version presented to the masses? Sadly, I’m not sure it even matters as long as the stories get out there. Well, I hope you appreciated this review, until next time have a great week.

Pre-Order Mu and Book Release of Queer Cheer

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, did you have a good Labor Day (if you are here in the US)? Mine and Eric’s was nice, we relaxed, slept in and had a quiet day. Honestly, disconnecting and unwinding was really enjoyable and overdue. I need to do that more often. This week I have two quick announcements. The first is about Mu; Legend of a Lost City (find the book here) and the second is about BAQWA Presents; Queer Cheer (get your copy here). Let’s get to it.

As I teased last week, Mu; Legend of a Lost City will be released on November 11, 2023, and as of today you can pre-order your copy of Mu; Legend of a Lost City now (click here). So, you’ll have the book delivered right to your tablet the moment the book is released. Don’t delay and order your copy now (click here).

Enjoy the blurb:

For years, the whispers and legends of a lost city hiding in the Pacific Ocean were just that; legend. On the day Kaimi discovers his parents, the Queen and King of Mu, murdered, Mu’s most powerful weapon fired, sending a pulse rushing towards the North American west coast.

After the 2025 Great Pacific Pulse Event, or Pulse, vomited up much of humankind’s trash in the Pacific Ocean along the North American west coast. The mysterious occurrence causing the largest environmental disaster in human history, people are no longer certain there is nothing concealed in the depths of the ocean. Scientist Karen Linn and billionaire investor Michael Donovan want to find out what actually happened that day five years ago. Will Michael’s life in the adult entertainment industry and Karen’s moniker in pseudoscience keep them as social pariahs, or are they on the cusp of finding a civilization that has been kept out of our grasp, deep in the world’s largest ocean? How does the event from five years ago tie into the murder of the Queen and King of Mu? What lies under the sea may be bigger than anyone can imagine, and neither civilization may be ready for the truth.

Next up, BAQWA Presents; Queer Cheer is out now (get your copy here). The anthology launched on September 1st, now is your opportunity to pick up your copy and help BAQWA support the Rainbow Community Center in Concord, CA. Remember all proceeds from the sale of Queer Cheer will go to help the center in their good work.

Well, there you go, nice and short this week. I hope you’ll order up your copy of Mu; Legend of a Lost City (pre-order the novel here) and pick up a copy of BAQWA Presents; Queer Cheer (Don’t miss out click here). I’m so proud have worked on both these works and I can’t wait for people to kick up their feet and enjoy. Until next time, have a great week.

Mu; Legend of a Lost City – Coming November 2023

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, today is the last day of August and again I’m asking myself where did the month go? I hope you all had a wonderful August. I know there’s a lot happening, but I still hope you managed to enjoy yourselves. Today I’m excited to share with you all the current details I have about Mu; Legend of a Lost City. This new novel is the eighth full-length book I’ve written and I’m proud of not only how much my writing has improved, but how Mu; Legend of a Lost City turned out. This was a fun story to craft and holds a special place in my heart, as one of the characters is named after a dear friend of mine who passed away this last year. I hope I do the character justice and folks resonate with the story and the characters.

Mu; Legend of a Lost City is being published by Spectrum Books (find them here) and will launch on November 11th assuming there are no delays, which hopefully there won’t be.

Here is the blurb all about Mu; Legend of a Lost City:

For years, the whispers and legends of a lost city hiding in the Pacific Ocean were just that; legend. On the day Kaimi discovers his parents, the Queen and King of Mu, murdered, Mu’s most powerful weapon fired, sending a pulse rushing towards the North American west coast.

After the 2025 Great Pacific Pulse Event, or Pulse, vomited up much of humankind’s trash in the Pacific Ocean along the North American west coast. The mysterious occurrence causing the largest environmental disaster in human history, people are no longer certain there is nothing concealed in the depths of the ocean. Scientist Karen Linn and billionaire investor Michael Donovan want to find out what actually happened that day five years ago. Will Michael’s life in the adult entertainment industry and Karen’s moniker in pseudoscience keep them as social pariahs, or are they on the cusp of finding a civilization that has been kept out of our grasp, deep in the world’s largest ocean? How does the event from five years ago tie into the murder of the Queen and King of Mu? What lies under the sea may be bigger than anyone can imagine, and neither civilization may be ready for the truth.

And most importantly, here is the amazing cover for the book:

A little more about the story. With Mu; Legend of a Lost City, I wanted to write an adventure story about finding a long-lost world, but Atlantis has been done by so many authors and writers that I wanted to find a new location, one hopefully on the West Coast of North America, since I love to place all my novels in the San Francisco Bay Area (more specifically San Jose). I did quite a bit of research and learned about the legend of Mu (you can learn more here). From finding out about this lost place, I dug into the stories and tried to piece together what would work for my novel and what would make for an enjoyable read.

When it came to the main characters, I wanted to tell the story from three points of view, the first being a character from Mu itself, so that is where Kaimi Tupu came from. He is a Prince and finds his parents murdered, leaving him to become King, but all is not well in the kingdom. I wanted to respect the area of the world this city was located in so I drew from the Polynesian culture. This was a lot of fun to write about and since these people were not from any single civilization, I enjoyed making up my own society for them. I pulled bits and pieces from all over the Pacific Rim. As for Kaimi himself he wants to see the world and doesn’t understand why Mu has been hiding from the rest of the world, he loves his family and understands his duty, but has no interest in being the ruler of Mu. He’s a wonderful character and I hope people will enjoy learning more about him.

For the scientist I wanted to bring forward a person who didn’t care what people thought about her and who held true to her beliefs. The scientist is Karen Linn; she is brilliant if not a little odd and despite all that she has been through, continues to believe in her work and her abilities. Karen is special to me as this character was completely changed and written in honor of my wonderful friend Karen. The two share several of the same traits and bear a striking resemblance to each other, but with all my characters, this Karen is 100% her own person, and has her own goals and history. She’s a researcher but is still able to work a crowd to help her get what she wants. She may not always be truthful, but nothing she does is ever from malice. She’s also not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what she believes in. She will fight hard for her beliefs and the people she loves. As with Kaimi, she was wonderful to write and I hope readers will relate to her and enjoy her story.

Lastly, there is my billionaire former Porn Star. Yep, you heard that right. Michael Donovan is a former adult entertainer who now is the CEO of a multibillion-dollar company. I wanted to have a character so different from anything that people would expect, that when the idea of having a billionaire former porn star flip the bill for the mission to Mu, I had to run with it. But, as with all my characters, there is more to Michael than meets the eye. He has the heart of a dreamer and has learned (the hard way) to not care what people think of him or how he made his money. That doesn’t stop him from wanting to do good in the world. However, people will gladly take his money, but they don’t want anything to do with him as a person. Which is a shame, because Michael is a man worth knowing and learning about. I hope readers will find him as interesting and as fun as I do.

We thought it was a legend. We were wrong. The truth behind the Pulse and the lost city of Mu may end us all.

Well, there you go, my introduction of Mu; Legend of a Lost City. As I mentioned, the novel will be out November 11th and there will be more information coming, but I hope my teaser got you excited to read more about Mu; Legend of a Lost City and the characters that inhabit my most recent novel. Until next time, have a great week.

BAQWA Presents: Queer Cheer

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, how are you all doing today? Well I hope. Today I’m excited to share that I will be part of another anthology this year; BAQWA Presents: Queer Cheer (you can pre-order the anthology here). This is BAQWA’s (learn more about the Bay Area Queer Writers Association [BAQWA] here) third anthology and all the money we raise from the book sales of Queer Cheer will go to support the Rainbow Community Center in Concord, CA (find them here). This year I contributed a wonderful ‘meet cute’ story called; Thanksgiving Pie.

Here is the blurb for my short story:

When the holidays aren’t what they’re supposed to be. When you’re on your last nerve because your boyfriend recently dumped you and your family lives out of state. What are you supposed to do? Sit home alone and be miserable? That’s exactly what David planned on doing this Thanksgiving. However, he needs to pick up his less than festive meal at the grocery store. While shopping, fate and the universe decide to step-in with a chance encounter placing Fernando and his pumpkin pie right in David’s path. How will this Thanksgiving remind David that events happen around us all the time to be thankful for? Will David be grateful and open to meeting someone new?

And here are the details on the anthology:

The Bay Area Queer Writers Association presents queer cheer in a collection of tales and poems to delight readers this holiday season. Authors K.S. Trenten, Pat Henshaw, R.L. Merrill, Liz Faraim, Richard May, Vincent Traughber Meis, M.D. Neu, Kelliane Parker, Allison Fradkin, Wayne Goodman, Alexandra Caluen, Andrew Beierle and Sarah White have written short stories or poetry with a queer twist to reflect various holidays or celebrations throughout the year. All proceeds from this collection will be donated to the Rainbow Community Center in Concord, California.

BAQWA Presents: Queer Cheer anthology includes:

Queer Cheer, a poem by K. S. Trenton

Miles to Millicent, a Valentine’s Day short story by Pat Henshaw

Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire, a short story by R. L. Merrill

Cassidy’s Return, a Fourth of July short story by Liz Faraim

Dia de los Muertos, a short story by Vincent Traughber Meis

Thanksgiving Pie, a short story by M. D. Neu

Selected Poetry by Kelliane Parker

Challah If You Queer Me, a short story by Allison Fradkin

Krampusnacht, a short story by Wayne Goodman

View from the Bridge, a short story by Alexandra Caluen

Home Alone, a short story by Andrew Beierle

Selected Poetry by Sarah White

Don’t forget to order your copy of Queer Cheer here, and remember this is a charity fundraiser so we hope you’ll help us raise money for the Rainbow Community Center (learn more here) in Concord, CA. Well, there you go, another short one this week. Until next time, have a great week.

Book Announcement and Free Books

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, how are you all doing today? Are you having a good August? This week I have a book announcement to share with you and more free books for you to pick-up and collect. Let’s jump in.

This week I’m happy to share my buddy J.P. Jackson (learn more here) is releasing his next short story in his Skin Sessions series. Skin Sessions #3: Carnal Animals is available for pre-order (click here). If you enjoy sexy, dark and creepy stories this is a must-read series for you. I’ve read the first two books in the series and highly recommend them for you to read. And yes, I’ll be reading book 3. Here are the details about the series and the newest book:

This is book #3 in the Skin Sessions series. It is strongly recommended to read them in order.

Gavin Medici, the owner of The Unicorn’s Horn, is struggling with the sudden explosion of business that the incubus, Taz-rial, has brought to the brothel. Not only is the calendar book full of impending dates but finding enough free slots to get all the clients scheduled is proving impossible. Not to mention caring for a pet ghoul, ensuring the boys are all in good health, and obtaining a contractor to do repairs to the crumbling brownstone.

Meanwhile, Denham, one of the brothel’s men, is trying to get into university. It’s a lifelong dream to get a law degree and better himself. His newfound boyfriend is going to extra lengths to help him jump through all the hoops to get admitted, but Lucas has been holding back on a secret of his own.

The constant chaos ramps up even further when attempting to secure a new business license from the city council which is dead set against allowing such a sinful den of iniquity to exist.

And then there’s Dillon and Aiden, the boys who fled when the demon appeared. They are secretly plotting to send Taz-rial back to the depths of hell where the fiend belongs and save their fellow brothel workers from the demon’s grasp.

In a world slowly being ripped apart by climate change storms and a decaying social order, will Gavin and his men, accompanied by the incubus Taz-rial survive and flourish?

Pre-order Skin Sessions #3: Carnal Animals here.

Also, this month I have a couple more free books for you to pick up. I’m excited to share that I’m part of another BookFunnel giveaway. If you enjoy Sapphic Romance stories then please click the image below and browse the books. This is a great way to add to your to be read pile and the books are free.

Click the image to find out more.

Also, if you enjoy reading MM Paranormal Romance then you’ll want to join the QueerRomance Ink mailing list and pick up these four free books (including a copy of The Calling).

Click the image to find out more.

Well, there you go, I wanted to keep it quick this week, especially since I sent out a Newsletter on Monday (if you aren’t signed up for my newsletter you can do so here). Until next time, have a great week.

August Update: Where did July Go?

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you’re all doing well today. Wow, where did July and the first week of August go? It’s been a busy few weeks, so I want to share some updates with you and get you caught up on all the wonderful and exciting writing activities happening in my writing world. I’m going to try to keep this short. We’ll see how I do.

First up, I’m thrilled to share that Steve Connor (find his works here) is busy working on my next audiobook; Conspiracy (A New World, Book 3). Find Contact and Conviction as well as my other audiobooks here. It’s taking a bit of time, but I’m pleased to report he just passed Chapter 20, so he is moving along. Here is the cover for the upcoming audiobook:

Next up, did you catch my interview with Small Publishing in a Big Universe yet? They did live conversations at BayCon this year and I was excited to be one of the guests they spoke with. I enjoy hanging out with this wonderful podcast. The interviewer and the group are really author friendly and we always seem to have engaging conversations.

Here is the link to the interview (click here) and you can learn more about Small Publishing in a Big Universe here.

Coming up next, June and July were filled with me attending several in-person events. I had a great time out there talking with folks and engaging with fans and other authors. At BayCon 2023 (click here to learn more) I had the opportunity to sit on several panels, which was a blast and made the event that much more enjoyable. All the events were unique which allowed me (and the other authors I was with) to interact with groups of folks and readers who may or may not overlap, which is important when you are building your brand and need more folks to learn about who you are (and in my case the types of books I write). Here are some fun pics from the different events I attended with some of the terrific people I got to hang out with.

I have three writing updates for you today. First, my novel Mu; Legend of a Lost City is in edits with my publisher and I can’t wait to have the book out (the novel should be released in November 2023, so keep an eye open. I will be sharing more details and the new cover with the folks who are on my newsletter list, so if you aren’t signed up for my newsletter, here is the link. Second, my current W.I.P (my ghost story) is with my Beta Readers and I can’t wait to get their feedback so I can move this project forward. I’m really proud of this story as the novel has been something I’ve wanted to work on for years now, and the manuscript is finished and I believe one of my better works. And last, coming out in October, I’m part of a new BAQWA Anthology called Queer Cheer. The anthology is a collection of poetry and short stories and I contributed a Thanksgiving ‘meet cute’ short story called Thanksgiving Pie. I’ll be sharing more details in the coming weeks as we get closer to launch day.

Also, for the month of August (this link will only work until August 31, 2023) you can get four paranormal queer books for free. If you join the Queer Romance mailing list (and by extension the authors who are offering up these free books) you will receive four wonderful free books, however, please don’t only subscribe to get the free books then unsubscribe, that’s not cool and can really hurt the authors in the long run. That said here is the link to join and pick up some wonderful queer paranormal books (click here).

Finally, this week I want to share Silveira Design with you. I get comments all the time about how great my branding is, well Angela at Silveira Design created all the branding for my website, business cards, bookmarks and a few other pieces for me. She is wonderful to work with and a pleasure to have as a friend. She is branching out and expanding her business, so I wanted to give her a shout out here. I’m thrilled to see her design business grow and I can not recommend her enough. If you are looking for design services, then please check her out here.

Well, there you go. Did I provide you a quick enough update today? Did I keep it short? Let me know. There’s been a lot more happening, but I’ll save that for my next newsletter or maybe a future blog post. Until next time, have a great week.

New Book, Free Books, and Book Sales

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you’re all doing well today and having a great week. As the title said, this week I have a book announcement for you and an offer to get several free books, along with an incredible book sale, so you don’t want to miss out! Let’s get right into it.

My buddy Randall Krzak has a new book out. As I’ve mentioned several times, I’m not a big military thriller reader. However, Randy is a wonderful author and I’ve read all his books, so I’m excited to share his new book. If you enjoy military thrillers, then this book is a must buy (click here). Here are the details:

An international criminal gang, known as Diablo Corps, plans a series of devastating attacks to take over the G7 countries unless their demands are met. Secure in their hidden headquarters in Antarctica, they possess the means to disrupt the leading world economies. The CEO wants what other power-hungry people want—more power.

Will the G7 bend to the will of these rogues or will evil triumph? Diablo Corps believes their previous infiltration of the international banking system and world stock exchanges will allow them to risk all on a single gamble.

The Scandinavian Protection Agency joins forces with Bedlam to thwart the efforts of the group and restore faith. Will Antarctica become a smoking ruin or will the world suffer an economic meltdown?

Check out this amazing cover!

Looking to fill up your reading list with free books, well here is your opportunity.

If you join the Liminal Fiction mailing list, you can get all four wonderful books (click here) for free! That’s right, free! And as always, you can unsubscribe at anytime. But you won’t because Liminal Fiction is a wonderful newsletter filled with book updates, announcements, and excellent content.

Still not enough free stuff? Okay, well here are more options for free books. I’ve partnered with several other authors (on BookFunnel) and we are giving away tons of stories in different genres. There are MM Romance books, Sweet Romance stories of all types, Mystery’s and Thrillers stories, Supernatural Suspense stories, and Fantasy Books. There are books for every type of person and every taste. Click on the image below and browse the selection of books. I’m sure you’ll find something wonderful to read.

Still not enough good stuff. Okay, you twisted my arm, there is another sale happening over at NineStar Press. This month you can save 40% off all their books. Use offer code: JULYHOLIDAY at check out! Click here or on the image below.

Well, there you go, a new book, free books, and book sales! I hope you’ll check out all these great offers. Until next time, have a great week.

BayCon 2023 and Book Sale

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you are all doing well today and having a great Summer. This week I have a short up date and reminder for you. Let’s not waste time and get right into it.

This weekend (July 1–4, 2023) I’ll be at BayCon 2023, at the Santa Clara Marriott (learn more here). Not only will I be at the Lim Fic booth for the four days, but I’m going to be on multiple panels (click here for the full list and times). On Saturday, July 1st, I’ll be on the following panels:

  • First Do No Harm: Queer Science Fiction Storytelling

  • It Took Me Years to Get My Novel Published. What I wish I’d Known.

  • A Dash of Science (how much Science to put in your Sci Fi stories)

On Monday, July 3rd, I’ll be on the following panel:

  • Creating Solid Queer Characters in Sci-Fi Stories.

I’m thrilled to be on these panels, and I hope you’ll be able to come out and say hello. As I mentioned, I’ll also be at the Liminal Fiction booth in the Dealers Room for the four-day event (check out all the dealers here). So even if you don’t get a chance to come to any of my panels, you can still swing by and say hello in the Dealers Room and support all the wonderful creative and talented vendors.

Also, there is still time to get 50% off hundreds of eBooks. NineStar Press is having it’s annual Pride Sale, so hop over to their website (click here) and browse a terrific selection of queer books. This is the perfect time to refill your ‘to be read’ list. Remember to use code ‘PRIDE23’ at check out.

Well, there you go, a quick update today. I hope to see you all at BayCon 2023. Until next time, have a great week.

The Outsider

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, this past weekend, Eric and I went to Disneyland for Pride Night and as we enjoyed the night and experienced this wonderful event that Disney offered (officially for the first time). I took the opportunity to talk with folks and hear their stories and why this event was important to them. Eric and I also talked and the more I listened and heard everyone’s thoughts, even the thoughts of the cast members, I realized there was an underlying theme to the night. Not only am I going to share more of the fun pictures from the event, I’m also going to share my thoughts on what it’s like to be an Outsider in our world and finally being able to be 100% who I am even if it’s for only a few short hours.

Now, before I get started, this is my point of view and I fully understand and appreciate that my experience and observations are nothing compared to people of color, trans people of color, and even other members of the queer community. That said, I believe there is a common theme that I feel we all share and can agree on.

We are all the Outsider, that society fears.

We are the Outsiders.

Our world, as amazing and filled with wonder that it is, is skewed. Our society is set up for heterosexual members of our race. We think nothing of seeing a mother and father walking down the street with a baby buggy or a toddler. We see images of happy straight couples everywhere we look. This, to our greater society, is normal, well many of us are not ‘normal’; we are an Outsider. And as Outsiders, when we walk down a street, we don’t typically reach for our loved one’s hand to hold. We don’t typically share a kiss in public. And if we do either of these things, we are always checking over our shoulders, ensuring our safety.

We live as the Outsiders. We are the other, that for some reason people these days are terrified of.

But it’s us who are terrified. It is us who continue to live in fear. It is us who get the odd looks. The nasty comments. Why? It is this ten to fifteen percent of society, that may enjoy greater safety and freedoms, these days (for now), but none the less, we are a minority of oppressed people who in reality get a few moments of pure joy where we can let down our hair and be a hundred percent our true selves.

We are the Outsiders who live at the mercy of the Insiders. The ones who can control not only our lives, but our existence.

I can say this to you, because I live as an Outsider every day of my life. I experience outsiderness and I live in fear of losing not only my freedom, but my life. I live this on a daily basis.

When Eric and I are out in public, we never hold hands. We never kiss. People may look at us and see two gay men, but they may not be sure, because we don’t show ourselves that way. Not in public and rarely in private around our friends. This is how we grew up, and this is what stuck, because we are the Outsiders. We learned what was acceptable and expected of us.

So, when a company like Disney supports people like me (and I fully understand they are not perfect) and offers us a safe place to be ourselves and to show the world who we really are. It’s important. It’s special. And yes, it’s magical.

When Disney announced that they were doing their first official Pride Night, there was no way that Eric and I were going to miss it. Because for a few short hours we were normal. We were the norm, and no one judged us for being a couple. We weren’t the Outsiders anymore.

As we left, I heard several people make comments like; “I wish this night wouldn’t end.” And I agreed, because I knew as we walked back to our hotel (with a casual and familiar space between us) I wished we could have continued to be in that bubble where, for once, I could be my full self.

During the event, Disney put together a special fireworks display. It was about five, maybe six minutes, and the musical direction was wonderful. The fireworks ended with the song from the movie, The Greatest Showman; This is Me. As I watched, cheered and enjoyed, I also wept because the words to This is Me, always made me feel seen. Made me feel valued. Made me feel safe. It also filled me with a joy and strength to continue to write and to show the world my books aren’t about the character(s) being a member(s) of the queer community but these individuals living out in the open and going on adventures that got to happen to everyone else, but never to the Outsider until now.

Well, there you go, the point of view from an Outsider, who occasionally gets to live as an Insider. I hope you enjoyed the photos too. As you can see, we had a blast. Until next time, have a great week.

Pride Month 2023

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope your Pride month is going well. I can say for certain, this has been the busiest Pride month I’ve had in quite a while and I’ve been having a blast. As you may have seen I’ve been active at several Pride Events all over Northern California and I have a few more to go. But that’s not all, I have some additional announcements to share with you this week.

Let’s get too it.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been at several Pride events: Placer Pride, Davis Pride and Sac Pride. These were all different and all an absolute blast. Placer Pride was a smaller more family-oriented event with a lot of families out enjoying the day. Davis Pride had a good mix of folks and everyone was there to enjoy the day, despite there being a few protesters, but nothing the police didn’t handle. And much to the protester’s dismay they weren’t able to dampen the wonderful event. Sacramento Pride was a huge two-day event with thousands of people, there were times it was so crowded that you could hardly walk in the pathways, but again the staff and volunteers were incredible as were security and the police. As with Davis Pride there were a few protesters, but again nowhere near the amount they ‘said’ they would have. In a way I felt sorry for the protesters, how sad are their lives that they believe the only way to feel any value or worth is to go out and try and make other people feel bad. If they could let go of their hate and fear they might actually have a good time and enjoy life.

Here are some of the photos from all the events, as you can see we had a great time selling books, talking to people, taking pictures, having fun, and enjoying each other’s company.

And Pride isn’t over yet, coming up in July I’ll be at BayCon (in Santa Clara, CA) from July 1 – July 4, 2023. I know it’s not a Pride Event, but I’m still counting the convention. I plan to be at the conference all four days and will be on multiple panels and I’ll be at the Liminal Fiction Booth, which should be a lot of fun. This is my second time at BayCon and I’m looking forward to it. Learn more about BayCon here.

Here are all my current panels, click here.

In August, I’m looking into having a booth (with other authors) at Silicon Valley Pride which will be August 26 – August 27, 2023, learn more here. But this event is pricey, so I’m not 100% sure yet, I’ll keep you posted.

Then on September 16th I’ll be at Modesto Pride, this will be my first time and I’m excited to be there and support another wonderful community. Find out more about Modesto Pride here.

As some of you may have seen in my June Newsletter (sign up here) I’ve been working away on a new writing project. The story is coming a long swimmingly. With luck I’ll be wrapping up the first draft in the next couple of weeks. I’ll be sure to keep you posted.

Well, there you go, just a quick check in for the week. If you’re going to be at BayCon in July, stop by and say hello. I would love to see you there. Until next time, have a great week.

What’s happening? What’s Going on?

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you all had a great long weekend, celebrating Memorial Day (here in the US), for everyone else, I trust you’ve had a good week and a restful weekend. It’s been a busy couple of weeks and things aren’t slowing down anytime soon. Today I thought I would give you an update on what’s happening and what’s going on with me. As always, I want to take a moment and welcome my new Scribblers. I always appreciate hearing from you and seeing you out at events. Thanks for stopping by.

This last weekend, Eric and I had a little fun and went out to lunch and did a bit of shopping. When we go out, we are like kids in a candy store and we’re not to be trusted, but we had a good time and being out for a couple of hours was great. We even managed to buy a little something fun. We decided to add to our Lego collection and bought the Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella Castle, which was fun to put together. I built the first half, and he built the second half. I think slowly we’re going to build our own Disneyland.

What was nice about this build is that it didn’t take days to complete, but a couple of hours. It’s incredible all the tiny little pieces they give you and you have to make sure you put them together correctly or you have to take things apart and fix what you’ve already completed, or thought you completed. As with all Lego sets, we had a few extra bits, so we found a way to embellish our castle, which is always fun.

Click on the image to learn more.

Coming up this weekend, as some of you may have seen, I will be joining the wonderful group from QSac (find them here) at Davis Pride. The event is Sunday June 4th 10am – 4pm, so I hope if you are in the area you’ll come out and say hello. We had a great time last year, and I’m sure this year will be equally fun.

 

If you want to see all the events I’ll be going to don’t forget to check out my events page (click here).

Happening closer to home on June 17th 1pm – 2pm, several members of the Bay Area Queer Writers Association (BAQWA, learn more here) will be at the San Leandro Main Library (300 Estudillo Ave, San Leandro, CA) for a book reading. This is another free event and your support means a great deal, so if you have time, please come out and say hello.

On the writing front, I have Steve Connor (learn more here), back again working on Conspiracy - A New World, Book 3 (click here to learn more). Steve is back providing his voice and talent to the story and I can’t wait for you all to hear his great work. Have you read my A New World series yet? If not, you can get your sign copies here (US only) or you can find the audiobooks here and the eBooks and paperback books here. Check them out!

Also, I’m happy to report that I’m busy working on my next novel. I’m just over 40,000 words (150 pages or 16 chapters) in and I’m thrilled with how this story is coming along. I’ll be sharing more details about the story and the characters in my newsletter. Are you signed up? If not, join here and don’t miss out. I also provide my newsletter subscribers some exclusive offers.

And one more writing update. I’ve finished my next short story. It’s a Thanksgiving meet cute about two guys who meet at a grocery store on Thanksgiving Day, the story was a blast to write and I can’t wait for you to meet these two charming men.

Well, there you go, a quick check in this week. If you’re going to be in Davis, come and say hello and if you’re going to be in San Leandro, please stop by the San Leandro Main Library for the in person reading by several BAQWA Members. Until next time, have a great week.

Is it too Soon for Pride 2023?

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you’re all having a great week and a wonderful day. Is it too soon to start celebrating Pride 2023? That is the question. This past weekend, Eric and I packed up the car and drove to Roseville, CA for Placer Pride (learn more here). This year Placer Pride celebrated its second year. I was part of the group of six from QSac (learn more here) who all shared a booth so we could sell books, talk to folks, and basically have a great time. And we did! This experience was probably one of the best in-person events I’ve been involved with since the end of lock down. The weather was a little warm, but we had a bit of a breeze, which helped. But Placer Pride, for me, wasn’t about the weather or the actual event itself. The day was a chance for me to hang out with some great people and meet others. Selling my books was a plus, a big one at that, don’t get me wrong. Knowing that folks want to read something I created is always a joy.

And sales don’t always happen. Which can be a bummer. So, when I go to event I go with the mindset that I’m going to be hanging out friends and having a good time being out, and being social.

As I mentioned Placer Pride had a great turn out, after the last couple of years as events have slowly been coming back on line having the crowds out and about was wonderful. Still, being out and seeing people, talking to them, getting to walk around and visiting all the other booths, listening to the music, watching the various acts, well nothing compares to the experience. No matter how hard we try to duplicate these celebrations on line. An additional perk of not being virtual is for lunch Eric and I got a chance to try a wonderful local deli, Better Foods Deli, which is a little hole in the wall, but the sandwiches were excellent and the staff were helpful and pleasant (learn more about them here). If you’re in Roseville, give them a try. Thanks to Scott and Mark for the recommendation.

After our day of selling and chatting to community members our first pride event of 2023 came to an end, but since we had a long drive ahead of us, Scott, Mark, Eric and I headed to dinner, where I snuck in a cheeky little drink. After the long day, I believe I deserved it. As the four of us sat around and chatted; we reflected on our day and what a lovely time we had. We enjoyed the wonderful food, including some excellent desserts. Thank you, Café Bernardo (find them here). Yes, we were all tired, but the day had been good and we really enjoyed ourselves. Considering we didn’t leave the restaurant until after 8pm and our day started at before 8am, you can assume we had a wonderful time.

Happily, to start the Pride Season we got to hang out in a welcoming and joyful space, where we could be open and crazy, laugh and have fun. We got to see and celebrate with Drag Queens, and Queer Kids and their families. We got to pet puppies, listen to music and overall celebrate life. We didn’t have to put on any airs or look over our shoulders to make sure we weren’t offending anyone (not that I typically care about such things, but I do try to be careful). This is what all our days should be, and I was glad to start off Pride Season with this event. Is it too early to start celebrate Pride? Absolutely not. We should celebrate like this every day.

I’ll be at several more in-person events over the coming months. Here is my current list of scheduled events:

  • Davis Pride, June 4th

  • Sacramento Pride, June 10th–11th

  • BayCon, July 1st – 4th

  • Modesto Pride, September 16th

And there might be a few more activities coming up this year, so keep your eyes on my events page (click here), so you don’t miss out.

Well, there you go. My first Pride event for 2023 is in the books. If you are going to be in the area, please come out and say hello. I love seeing and talking to folks. Until next time, have a great week.