The Gay Book Guy Chats About Books

Grant Wood: A Life by R. Tripp Evans

2010-10-29T13:40:00.000-04:00

"...Give a child a piece of paper and he will not ask questions. He will make drawings. This will not mean he is queer..." Grant Wood, 1930

You may not know the name Grant Wood , but chances are you do know his iconic painting American Gothic. The famous portrait of a man holding a pitchfork, standing next to a woman with perhaps one of the dourest faces around, is used over and over again to convey the very heartland of America. Wood was known as the “Artist in Overalls” and was hailed by many as one of America’s most famous regionalist artists. In an era where artists were subjected to questions as to their manliness, especially if they assumed European artistic characteristics, Wood was skillfully able to give the American art world just what they wanted, a truly Ameican painter.

The irony here is that the man the public thought they knew, and who was profiled as being rather plain and ordinary, was neither. In truth, he was a rather complex man who skillfully hid his real self, not only from the world, but more often than not, from those close to him. Wood, the son of a stern, larger than life Quaker father, was a also a closeted homosexual, and this "secret", and his reflections of life as he felt it, found a means of release in his paintings. Since Grant Wood: A Life (Knopf,2010) is truly the first biography of Woods to be accomplished without objections from his sister Nan, R.Tripp Evans is able to reveal things that heretofore had only been gossiped about.

In this thoroughly engaging biography, Tripp Evans, an art historian and college professor, reveals Woods, the man, by referencing his life through his art. Starting with his first works as a child, conceived while in the family's cellar, Wood displayed a creative bent that would make otherwise mundane objects or common subjects the stuff of wild imaginative exploration. As he matured, his pictures often conveyed disquieting images that revealed fantastic stories,especially if you take the time to look more closely. It is by revealing these wonderful details and back stories that Evans makes this biography transcend the routine recounting of a life, and makes it a real page turner.

Although American Gothic might be the portal by which you can most readily enter Wood's world, it is through the many other works illustrated and discussed in this volume that you begin to know the man more completely.

For instance, take a look at the painting From Bohemia (1935) where all the figures are without eyes, or the portrait of his Mother, Woman With Plants (1929) wearing a broach that pops up elsewhere, or the extremely fascinating Parson Weems' Fable (1939) which depicts the young George Washington with the exact same head that appears in the famous Gilbert Stuart portrait. The book is filled with wonderful color and black and white illustrations of these and many more works, so the treat is truly yours. The only frustration you may have is wanting to see the paintings as they hang in a gallery. So, read the book, and make it a point to find them. I know you'll want to.

As you read this fascinating account of an often misunderstood man, you will also discover more of the real Grant Wood by learning about his extremely close relationship with his mother and sister. This trio know as "we three" not only protected Wood from life's cruelties, but always nourished his creativity.You will also learn a great deal about American culture at the turn of the century and into the 30s, and I bet you'll respond like I did, and keep saying to yourself, "I never knew".

Whether you're an art aficionado or just plain curious, this book will truly open your eyes. Don't hesitate. Get yourself a copy of Grant Wood: A Life as soon as you can. Tripp Evans also has a web page you can visit for more information about the book. Go to http://www.grantwoodalife.com . Enjoy

If you want to hear my recent interview with R. Tripp Evans, follow this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/myqmunitybooktalk and scroll down to the show dated 10/21/10

Next week I 'll be reviewing Linda Morganstein's My Life With Stella Kane. Until then-keep reading, and when you've finished the book, pass it on.

Robert Jaquay, The Gay Book Guy, for
MyQmunity.com

The Perfect Family by Kathryn Shay

2010-10-18T18:09:00.000-04:00

"When we were little Mom read a book aloud to us. In it kids could be who they are. William could have a doll and you didn't have to marry a prince." from Free to Be You and Me, Jamie Davidson

As I write this review, we’ve just ended our annual celebration of National Coming Out Day. Unfortunately, we are also mourning the deaths of several gay teens who felt that being gay is harder than staying alive.

Little did I know as I was searching for the next good read, that I would find a book that seemed to be written for this particular moment in time. It is called The Perfect Family(Bold Stroke Books, 2010) and the author’s name is Kathryn Shay.

In the world of stressors, coming out to family and friends is monumental. If you've gone through it, it is one of the hardest things ever. Add to that the difficulties facing young people who are trying to find their place in the world, especially in a high school setting, and you have all the ingredients for something to go awry.

When you start to read The Perfect Family, you are introduced to a family whose life seems to be almost picture perfect. They are just ending a vacation together, and upon their return, they'll resume their lives as usual. Every member of this tightly knit group not only care for each other, but trust each other completely. There are no secrets, or at least everyone thinks that.

Jamie, the youngest son is extremely popular at school, and has lots of friends. He finds himself attracted to other boys, and wants to believe it is ok. Although he wants to share this with others, he's not sure how.

Luke Crane is a jock, and plays on the football team with Jamie's brother Brian. Nothing about him says gay, but after a few times in each other’s presence, Luke indicates to Jamie that “we have more in common than you think.” I mean, this was a daydream when I was in high school. Jamie has clearly found his opportunity to be who he is.

Love follows quickly, and the boys decide to go on a date. Because of the family's belief in telling the truth, when asked who Jamie is going on a date with, he tells his mother about Luke. Maggie, his mother, tells the father, but knows his religious beliefs will be in conflict with his son sexuality. Jamie eventually tells his brother, and although the news that he is gay is unexpected,, Brian is angry at him for not telling him first. And so it goes.

Kathy Shay takes her story and develops it smartly, building the tension, but never to the point of overload. This is Jamie’s story, to be sure, but this is also the story of a family in turmoil. Each member has issues of their own to reconcile, and although the process is painful and slow, the outcome, we hope, will be good. The story also depicts the intolerance and blindness created by religious dogma, the loss of friendship, and the way families can be torn apart by a misunderstanding. It's a full bag.

In talking with the author, I was told about the genesis of this book. Although it is a work of fiction, she has a gay son who came out to her in much the same way Jamie does. In writing this novel, Karthryn Shay not only pays tribute to the power of love and understanding we’d like to think everyone possesses, but to the importance of being yourself, regardless of the pressure to conform. I thank her for writing this book, as I know it will help change the way people feel.

You owe it to yourself to read this book, for its message is very powerful. If you know a parent, friend or a teen who is struggling with this issue, recommend or give this book to them.

Listen to my chat with Kathryn Shay by going to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/myqmunitybooktalk

Next up I will be reviewing Grant Wood by R. Tripp Evans. I will be chatting with him as well, so check http://www.myqmunity.com/ for details.

Until next time-take a cue from the Gay Book Guy, and read a book then pass it on.

Robert Jaquay,
for MyQmunity.com

All Lost Things by Josh Aterovis

2010-09-13T13:01:00.004-04:00

What an absolute pleasure it is to begin a new book and have it totally absorb you, gnaw at you when you put it down, and urge you to pick it up again so you can find out what happens next. This is what I experienced while reading Josh Aterovis’ splendid mystery All Things Lost (P.D. Publishing, 2009).

I learned about Josh's book via this year's Lambda Literary Award nominations. All Things Lost was one of the five finalists for Gay Mystery, and although it did not win the award, it is a book that begs to be talked about and read.

Beginning with Bleeding Hearts (P.D. Publishing, 2002) Aterovis introduced his readers to Killian Kendall, a gay, amateur teen age detective with a knack for solving crimes others can't. He is a wonderfully likable character, and his "less than professional" approach to a crime is all a part of the fun we have while reading.

All Things Lost is the third installment in the Kendall Mystery series. If you haven't read the previous books, don't worry. This is a stand alone book, and Aterovis sets the stage for us in its early chapters by bringing us up to date with all that has preceded it. You won't be lost for a minute.

When the book opens, Killian and his “brother” Kane are in a car accident. The other driver is a man named Shane Novak, and when Killian learns that he is a private detective, it takes Killian no time at all to approach him for a job. Novak has heard of Killian's reputation as a “super” sleuth, and decides to hire him as an apprentice. The partnership that develops is terrific, with a wonderful teacher-student dynamic at play.

Killian and his lover Asher have had a falling out, and are no longer together. Feelings are still strong however, and when Asher befriends a strange young man named Caleb, Killian is driven to find out what that relationship is all about. Caleb is dark and mysterious. He is also a young man who has been terribly abused by his hateful father, or so he says.

The mystery starts with the sudden death of Caleb's father in a house fire. It is immediately deemed suspicious, and when the father's charred body is discovered, it is determined that he was murdered. Caleb becomes the prime suspect, and Asher asks Killian to help prove his innocence. The plot now thickens.

Once this story line is established, this books takes off like the wind. We follow Killian's process of determining who the real killer is, and his path is filled with delightful twists and turns. To make the book even more fun, the author adds a special ingredient to the plot by dipping into the realm of the supernatural.

We learn that Killian is a Sensitive, meaning, he can communicate with the dead. Not only does he see his dead friend Seth, who assists him in solving the mystery, but he has a run in with a ghost, who, we learn, is seeking his help. Just what for is yours to discover.

The good new is, nothing ever seems hokey. The author engages you with well drawn characters, a nice tight plot, and he takes the time to have things make sense. When the plot draws to its action-packed conclusion, we are immensely satisfied.

Because this book deals with older teen characters, it feels at times like a young adult novel, but that is not a bad thing. If I were wearing my librarian hat, I'd certainly recommend it to younger readers, especially with the positive portrayal of its gay characters. That being said, if you are a veteran mystery fan, whatever your age, you will be very pleased with the quality of the story, and the way the mystery is laid out. All Lost Things is a top notch mystery that will keep you coming back for more. I recommend this book highly.

If you are interested in learning more about this exciting author, you can follow this link to his web page: http://www.joshaterovis.com. I will be talking with Josh on one of my upcoming MyQmunity Gay And Lesbian Book Talks, so check the MyQmunity web page for date and time. I will be chatting with Josh this Saturday, October 2 at 11:30 a.m. ET. Tune into the MyQmunity Gay and Lesbian Book Talk by going to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/myqmunitybooktalk/2010/10/02/myqmunity-gay-and-lesbian-book-talk-with-host-robert-jaquay

Until next time, find a good book to read-and then, pass it on.
Robert Jaquay
MyQmunity.com

Above Temptation by Karin Kallmaker

2010-09-04T11:11:00.002-04:00

“For to tempt and to be tempted are things very nearly allied... whenever feeling has anything to do in the matter, no sooner is it excited than we have already gone vastly farther than we are aware of.”-Catherine the Great

When you pick up a book by Karin Kallmaker, you can count on several things. It will have great characters, a terrific plot, and usually just enough romance in it to keep you wanting more. It is no surprise to me that Karin Kallmaker has been dubbed the “Queen of Lesbian Romance". She delivers a consistently good read, and never lets her readership down. She has written over 30 books and has a devoted following. Her books have won the Lambda Literary Award and Golden Crown Literary Society award. She is also committed to publishing exclusively in the lesbian market, and has been a driving force in this market's success. The bottom line is that she writes very good books.

Her latest novel, Above Temptation (Bella Books, 2010) is yet another winner. One of this author's trademarks is giving her readers complex characters that pop out of the page and into your "reality" the minute you meet them. You learn about the things that make them tick, and thus, you care about them. It has been said that her protagonists are “the kind of indestructible and talented women we all dream we could be”. In her acknowledgements, the author dedicates the book "to all the women who set out every day to right wrongs in the real world..." With that point of view, you know from the very start that this book will offer you something very special indeed.

In Above Temptation, she tells the story of two women who work in a fraud detection agency called Sterling Fraud Investigations. Kip Barrett is an investigator who is known for her extraordinary diligence and ability to sniff out even the most obscure elements of a case. Even though she knows she is good at what she does, she never relaxes her standards. However, in a very short while, the challenge of a lifetime is coming her way.

Tamara Sterling is the out of the closet, high profile CEO of the company. Like Kip, she is very good at what she does, and also observes extraordinarily high professional standards. It is her job to make sure that everything runs smoothly, and she does this very well. Also like Kip, she is unaware of the personal conflict she is about to face. Yes, each of these women are "superwomen", but they both are missing one significant thing in their lives, and that is someone to love and care for.

Under ordinary circumstances, these women would have little to do with one another, but something is happening within the company, and Tamara “hires’ Kip to investigate. Large sums of money are being taken from the company and are being transferred to bogus accounts. It is Kip's job to find out who is doing this. The caveat here is that this must be a stealth investigation, as any knowledge of it will send ripples throughout the company.

Soon into the investigation, Kip starts to have her doubts about Tamara, as her investigation starts to indicate that she could be the prime suspect. This is not only an ethical dilemma but a personal one, as we soon discover the fact that there is the hot romantic coal of attraction burning beneath the surface of both women. What will Kip do as she struggles with temptation and is torn between her call to duty and her emotional needs? What will Tamara do?

This book is also a thriller, as the two women are forced to go "under cover" and seemingly subvert their usual ethical standards in order to find the culprit. The potential damage to them professionally and personally is great. We follow the details of the investigation, which are thoroughly given, and, like in any good mystery, join the search for truth.

What Kallmaker does so nicely here, is integrate the sexual tension between the two women seamlessly into the ongoing story line. As the tension mounts, so does our desire for something good to happen to these two women. We feel their struggle, and want a happy ending. Will we get out wish? Ah, dear reader, that's not for me to reveal.

Don't hesitate to discover this talented author's gift for storytelling in Above Temptation. This is an exciting read, with lots of action and a yummy romance. I bet you'll become an instant Kallmaker fan, if you're not already.

To hear my conversation with Karin Kallmaker about how she got started, and why she writes and a lot more, just click the blogtalk link!

Listen to internet radio with myQmunity-Book Talk on Blog Talk Radio

Next week I will be reviewing All Things Lost by Josh Aterovis. This book was a finalist for this year's Lambda Literary Award in the Best Gay Mystery category.

Until then, happy reading.

Robert Jaquay,
http://www.myqmuntiy.com/

What We Remember and The Road Home by Michael Thomas Ford

2010-08-29T21:14:00.000-04:00

I first met Michael Thomas Ford soon after the publication of his very popular book of essays called Alec Baldwin Doesn’t Love Me.(Alyson, 1997). I found him to be witty and charming, as well as a damn good writer. Little did I know at the time that he was at beginning of what has become an extraordinary career?

Ford has published over fifty works for Young Adult and Adults, and seems to spawn new ideas for books rather quickly. Not only does he excel in the gay romance genre, but writes horror books and mysteries as well. He has also added his take on the Jane Austen craze, with the publication of Jane Bites Back (Ballantine Books, 2009), and has a soon to be published work about zombies called Z (Harper Teen, 2010).

What We Remember (Kensington, 2009) was recently awarded the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Mystery, and it is a book that is wonderfully told and cleverly plotted. What starts out feeling like yet another domestic drama quickly turns into a mystery that keeps us guessing until the very end.

In the other work I am going to talk about, The Road Home, there is a mystery as well, and one of the characters says “mysteries need to be solved”, and another answers, “not always…isn’t it enough that we’ve figured it out?”

It is with the figuring out, as well as finding out what drives the characters to do the things they do, that makes this book as enjoyable as it is. Of course the mystery is fun to solve, but what we get in addition makes it an even more compelling read.

What We Remember tells the story of two families, the McClouds and the Derrys. They have been brought together through marriage and friendship, and the interweaving of lives is a significant theme here.

When the story begins, we learn that Dan McCloud, who was a police officer in Cold Falls, NY, has been missing for 7 years, and is presumed dead. He sent his wife a letter indicating that he was sick and was going to commit suicide. Although no one really knows for sure, the family and others have moved on, with various degrees of success.

With the sudden discovery of his body, all evidence indicates that he was murdered, and his oldest son James becomes the prime suspect. The arresting officer is the son of Dan’s best friend, and is James’ brother in law. Of course this creates tremendous tension within the families. Did James do it? Who else could it have been?

We discover, as we read on, that the key to unlocking the mystery is less about the how than it is about the why. What We Remember is told by alternating the past and the present, a device that reveals a great deal about the why.

Perhaps the most interesting character in the book is Dan’s youngest son Billy. He is the gay brother, addicted to drugs and alcohol, and is clearly the black sheep of the family. That being said, he is the one whose memory is the most reliable. He is the one that brings this story to its stunning conclusion. To say any more would spoil the mystery.

This book is an engaging and fun to read page turner. You get a lot more than you might expect, and that is a good thing. I recommend it highly.

The Road Home (Kensington, 2010) tells an entirely different story, containing the familiar elements of Ford’s very popular Last Summer and Full Circle. Yes, this has all the ingredients of a gay romance, but it is much more. This is a book about an inner journey of self-discovery and the life changing decisions that occur as a result .

Photographer Burke Crenshaw is forced to return to his family home in Vermont as a result of a serious car accident, which happens on his 40th birthday. As a result, Burke is not only confronted with his past, but is given the opportunity to reflect on his future. Just what is he going to do with his life?

While there, Burke meets Will, who is the son of a man Burke had a crush on in high school. Will becomes Burke's companion, and eventually they have sex. Burke is conflicted, not only by the age difference, but with the realization that Will is at odds with confronting his sexuality, considering the societal price he feels he would have to pay. After all, Burke is comfortable with himself..or is he?

Ford adds a wonderful cast of characters to the story. There is a deliciously dandified gentleman named Gaither Lucas, a woman named Lucy, who is Burke's father's companion, and a librarian named Sam. All of them add a rich texture to the plot, making it fun and exciting. There is also a delightful segment devoted to the Radical Faeries, which is enchanting and magical.

Burke rediscovers his passion for photography and happens upon a curious mystery as a result of some old Civil War prints. There is a bit of a ghost story here as well, which is one of the things which made this book even more of a page turner for me. So you see, this book has a lot of things to offer, all the while giving you the opportunity to think about your own life. What a bargain!

I so loved this book, that it made me want to go back and fill myself full of Michael’s previous works, and I think you will too. So, which ever one you start with, you won't be disappointed.

I spoke with Michael on the MyQmunity Gay and Lesbian Book Talk show, and, as I mentioned above, he is preparing to launch yet another offering, a young adult book called Z. Call it a book about zombies, and like the others, you'll find out it's about a lot more.

Listen to my chat with Michael by following the link from the MyQmunity Arts Facebook page, or going directly to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/myqmunitybooktalk

Next week I will be reviewing Karin Kallmaker's Above Temptation (Bella Books, 2010

Until then, happy reading.

Robert Jaquay,
MyQmunity.com

Photographs of Claudia by KG MacGregor

2010-08-20T15:11:00.002-04:00

"There are always two people in every picture; the photographer and the viewer."
Ansel Adams

KG MacGregor has been writing for several years now, and her books have garnered many awards along the way. She won the Lambda Literary Award for Women's Romance with her book, Out of Love, and has received several Golden Crown Literary Society awards as well. Her most recent work, Photographs of Claudia (Bella Books, 2009) is her 13th novel, and one that carries on her tradition of finely crafted story telling.

Photographs of Claudia is first and foremost a love story, one that will move you, excite you, and have you eager to find out what will happen next. It has wonderfully drawn characters and caricatures (notably the future mother-in-law) populating its pages. In a section about the book on her web page, KG MacGregor indicates that some of the characters in this book are drawn from real life, and although it is not necessary to know this as you read, it is evident that her characters mean a lot to her.

This novel's central character is Leonora or Leo Westcott. She is an accomplished photographer who has learned her trade from her father. Although he is dead, it is clear that Leo honors him ever time she works behind the camera. One of her points of pride is that she learned the techniques of creating masterful pictures well before the age of digital photography.

Don’t be mistaken, she has developed her own skills admirably, and has plenty of work to do, but she does not have the recognition she deserves. One of the challenges she is given by her friends is to advance herself by applying to a special workshop for studio photographers. They feel she needs to put herself out there. This is a competitive process which requires a complete portfolio of her work, and she will need to find a suitable subject.

Leo is so committed to her craft that she seemingly has no time for a relationship. She resides quite comfortably with her cat Madeline, and her days are filled with assignments.. She does have wonderful friends, who, like friends are wont to do, would like to see her happily involved with someone. However nice this might seem, the time never seems to be right for her.

Leo first encounters Claudia Galloway quite by chance, while she is on a job photographing school children. Claudia is doing an internship with Leo’s friend Sandy, and exhibits this remarkable ability to have the children under her care behave while other children don't. This impresses Leo, but what impresses her more is Claudia herself. It is evident, as her friend Sandy is quick to point out, that Leo has been smitten by this woman.

What follows is the story of a relationship that is cautiously and lovingly developed. Claudia appears to have no issues with Leo’s sexuality, and, in fact seems to feel most comfortable with her and her friends, even more than her own. Their friendship/relationship develops, and soon Claudia becomes the model Leo uses to develop her portfolio. Mind you, it is Claudia that suggest this!

One of the things that keeps Leo from pursuing Claudia is that Claudia is engaged to be married. Her fiance is particularly hateful, and obviously wants Claudia to follow him wherever he goes. However, as she and Leo become closer, it is quite evident that Claudia is struggling, not only with her pending marriage, but also with her desire to be able to be her own woman.. The good news is that it is quite evident that a major shift in self awareness is taking place within her, and rather than anguish over it, she follows her heart to find out what it is she really wants out of life.

One of the nicer qualities this book possesses is its pacing. Although our wish to have something happen between the two women accelerates as they get to know each other better, nothing really happens until the time is right. This is a love story that wants to have a happy ending, but, to the author’s credit, we’re given a few twists and turns to keep us guessing. As with any good romance, are hearts are always wanting the best to happen.

The book also deals with the photographer’s craft, emphasizing the relationship between the subject and those who will view the work once completed. It is certain that the author researched this aspect thoroughly, and you are bound to learn something new from Leo's sessions with Claudia. I know I did.

Since this is the first KG MacGregor book I’ve read, I am going to recommend you start with this one. If you find her writing and her storytelling as fine as I did, then you’re in for a treat. There are twelve books before this one, and a new one on the way. She is best know for her romances, but she has also delved into the area of suspense. No doubt they are exciting reads as well.

To learn more about this engaging author, you can go to her website http://www.kgmacgregor.com/.

To listen to my conversation with KG

Listen to internet radio with myQmunity-Book Talk on Blog Talk Radio

Next week I will be discussing a delightful book by author Michael Thomas Ford, What We Remember (Kensington, 2009). This book won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Mystery.

Until then, happy reading

Robert Jaquay,
http://www.myqmunity.com/

The Blue Moon Cafe and Tales from the Sexual Underground by Rick R. Reed

2010-08-12T15:52:00.005-04:00

In 1764 a novel was written by Horace Walpole called The Castle of Otranto. With the publication of this work a new genre was born; the Gothic novel. The book was also written in the literary and artistic period known as the Age of Romanticism. This was a time when artistic sensibilities were often primal, and authors, as well as other artists, wore their hearts on their sleeve Many times these works included characters that showed fear and apprehension towards life and their surroundings. In short, they were exquisitely sensitive individuals, and were often out of place in the world they lived in. These works were often highly romantic as well.

Over the years this genre has taken on many hues, and one of them is that of the paranormal romance. One has only to watch an episode of True Blood or read any of the “Twilight" books, and you know that this type of thing is extremely popular.

Now, although we as GLBT folks can find a certain sense of fulfillment by imagining ourselves in these predominantly straight situations, we no longer have to do so. Fortunately for us, there are authors among us who have taken up these themes and situations and infused them with decidedly gay colors, usually with exciting results.

One such author is Rick R. Reed, who has written a wonderfully chilling horror tale called The Blue Moon Cafe (Amber Quill Press, 2009). Not only will this little gem chill your heart, but it will make it beat a bit faster due to its highly romantic elements. And it doesn’t stop there. This is not the romance of unfulfilled desire, where lovers just seem to miss the opportunity to connect over and over, but it does have a sexual tension that will keep you wanting to intercede. It is a highly erotic tale as well. That being said, the sexual elements serve to enhance the work, and never overshadow the super story that is being told.

The place is Seattle, the time is the present, and something horrific is happening to gay men. It is August, and the moon is full. The first character we meet has no name, but it doesn’t take us long to find out that it is not a man. We experience a stalking and a brutal murder through the eyes of a killer on the prowl. This is decidedly creepy. As the scene ends, we are psyched for what will follow. What is it? Could it be a werewolf?

The next character we meet is Thad Matthews, an unemployed gay man, who after a day of mundane chores, decides to get out and try a new restaurant, a place called the Blue Moon Cafe. This handsome, ginger haired guy is also unattached, so going out also means being every ready for that elusive chance encounter with another man. I guess we all know what that's like.

Soon after entering the restaurant, he meets Sam, an intriguingly seductive man who is dark, hairy, and, exceedingly handsome. They meet, they flirt, and they have sex (all in good time by the way). Nothing is hurried here, as this is where a wonderful romance takes hold.

Everything should be perfect, but it’s not. Sam is reluctant to commit. Thad is hurt but determined to give Sam his space. We meet another character named Jared, and now we have the makings of a interesting love triangle. Yummy stuff, right?

As the mystery develops, the brutal murders continue to happen. The beast has been seen, and one of the people who sees him is Jared! It doesn’t take long for us to start to wonder, along with Thad, if there is some connection between Sam and the murders? Sam and his family disappear during the full moon, and that is when the killings take place. Even though we sense what is happening, we are really never sure.

As with any good horror story, we are carefully lead along, and we become detectives trying to solve the mystery. The plot twists and turns in such a way as to keep us off guard After all, isn't that what we love about horror stories? The added bonus here is the love story. It is a wonderful one, as well as hot. No wonder Thad has a hard time trying to let Sam go.

What Reed possesses is a true gift for writing a good story that keeps you fully involved. He writes very well, and it is obvious that his way with words and images has not only made him successful in this medium, but will keep you coming back for more. If this is your first Rick Reed book, or one that you've been waiting for, don't miss it.

Moving now to his Tales from the Sexual Underground (mlspress, 2010), we really have an opportunity to experience Rick Reed at his literary best. His prose is smooth, his images precise, and his sense of humor, even when the topic is hardly funny, is refreshing and well placed.

These “tales” come from a weekly column which appeared in a weekly entertainment magazine in Chicago called Nightspots. As he says in his intro to the collection, “I wanted to write about people who were not just out, but out there, people who lived their sexual lives in ways most of us could only imagine…” He is true to his word.

Most of the sections are short, and cover things like: Cyber Infidelity, Craigslist, The Truths and Myths about being a Slut, and several segments about the dynamics of being HIV positive. Depending on your bent, as well as your sense of humor, this collection will keep you reading just to see what’s going to happen next. There are serious moments, but mostly everything is told in a witty gay style that will have you laughing more than not. Although this is a departure from his usual fare, these stories give a terrific insight into the world of an author, and to the gay world in general., especially in Chicago. I recommend it highly.

Listen to my conversation with the author, Rick R Reed, called "the Stephen King of Gay Horror". Just click the link below.

Listen to internet radio with myQmunity-Book Talk on Blog Talk Radio

Next week I will be talking about best-selling Lambda Literary and Golden Crown award-winner KG MacGregor and her new book, Photograph's of Claudia.

Until next time, happy reading.

Robert Jaquay,
http://www.myqmunity.com/

The Children of Mother Glory by C.M. Harris

2010-08-04T16:39:00.002-04:00

"People shouldn't commit suicide because this is all there is; we should commit life because it may be all we get. This is heaven and hell. And it does kinda have its moments of grandeur, doesn't it?"-Suzy Gilmore

I am so grateful to Amy Dawson Robertson for leading me to this absolutely wonderful author and her equally wonderful book. She told me it deserved more attention, and, by golly, she is absolutely right. C.M Harris's The Children of Mother Glory (Spinster Ink, 2009) is yet another great first novel and deserves the distinction of being called a Great Read/Must Read.

When we first meet Glory Potter she and her friend Emma gaze fondly at the new church being built. This is the church her father will preside over, and quite unexpectedly, it will become hers to watch over after his death. The church represents the heartbeat of a community called Gulliver. This town is small and remote, and is a place where everyone knows each other (or at least they think they do). Most of the town's residents are adamant in their desire to keep a healthy distance between themselves and the world at large, and they do a darned good job at it. They share their lives with each other (unless they can’t), struggle with the “sins” aligned with being human, and have true inspiration to guide them, that being their church and their minister, “Mother” Glory.

Now, don’t let this scare you off. Fundamentalism and being “different” don’t usually mix well, but C.M. Harris craftily plays off these people and their rules of conduct, quickly showing us that regardless of the rules, differences will always emerge. As always, these differences create conflict, and it is their resolution we are most interested in. This congregation, known as Potterites, becomes the reference point for all that follows. We are introduced to quite a few characters throughout this delightful work, but it is the queer ones who become the novel’s true focus. That being said, I am convinced this book will resonate within us all.

Covering a hundred year span, this work is told in four sections, each focusing on the lives of four diverse individuals and the people they know. Everyone is connected in some way, especially to the past. As we might expect, Glory Potter, even in death, has become a significant component in how they live their lives. They are never far away from her influence, and it is for us to determine how good or bad that is.

The novel begins in the early years of the twentieth century, and as I said above, introduces us to our title character. She is strong willed and capable of almost anything, but, she also has a secret. She is drawn to her friend Emma, and eventually falls in love with her. Of course, regardless of her true feelings, because of her role in the community, she must suppress them. As we get to know her we experience her inner conflict, and we also witness her determination and need to set her desires aside and be the true leader of her flock. Given the time depicted, we understand, but we desperately want her and Emma to be able to brave it out and declare their love for one another. Alas, we know better. The heartbreaking resolution they must choose sends a ripple through time. As we finish the beginnings of her story, we are now ready to meet her “children”.

Jumping ahead in time (1942) , we are introduced to Sebastian or Seb Brickman, who is on his way to an interment camp for Conscientious Objectors. Here is a young man who listens while Mother Glory declares from the pulpit that the devil is waiting for the “tick in his wires” to scoop up those who covet. She continues by saying, “And no, we cannot ever truly cast off our desires while we remain on earth. But we must silence our appetites.”

Seb, however, is possessed by an “itchy appetite’, and although he hears these words, when it comes to his desire for another man, he becomes willing to create that tick, and ultimately pay the consequences. He eventually returns to Gulliver and hides his secret until it is no longer possible to do so. Is there acceptance in this strict community, or merely tolerance? Seb's story is yet another important layer in this intricately woven tale.

Moving to 1983, we are introduced to Danielle Clancy, who is the granddaughter of Emma. Although she also experiences the same internal struggle as Mother Glory and her grandmother, she isn’t beyond sending anonymous crush notes to Angela Klinshoffer. Angela, to her, is the “impossible lovechild of Greta Garbo and Boy George”! And she is not the only girl who Danielle desires. At one point, she makes it her business to seek counsel from Seb Brickman, as she feels she is like him. As her character develops, we understand her need to break away from the judgement of others and leave her family, her friends, and of course, the church. In this segment we witness the bravery of not only following your dream, but following your heart as well.

The book finishes with the remarkable story of Diana Bower. Diana started her life as Darrell, and makes the penultimate societal sacrifice in her need to bravely celebrate her difference. Diana is also a black woman, so this adds a visible difference to her already remarkable aura. She is a lovely, understanding person, someone we'd surely like to know. It is by being true to herself that she frees herself from the fearful bondage of self that could make her feel "less than". By bringing the book toward its conclusion by introducing this character, C.M. Harris beautifully closes the circle first drawn by Mother Glory in the beginning. As we witness intolerance softened by time, and as the real world totally penetrates this once closed society, we look back to this tale's beginnings, and see that love, however manifested, will always prevail.

In the end, The Children of Mother Glory accomplishes what it set out to do, and more. Somewhere, (and I dare say everywhere), in this grand book, we as GLBT folk can find ourselves and bear witness to our own struggle for peace within. Once again, I found a treasure for you to enjoy and savor. It will carry you forward like the wind, and even though the ending is extremely satisfying, I bet you’ll be hungry for more. I'm also certain you'll be eager for her next book, I know I am.

Listen to my BlogTalkRadio interview with C.M. Harris, Go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/myqmunitybooktalk , or go to the MyQmunity Tampa Bay Arts page on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/myQmunity-Tampa-Bay-Arts/106938482675160?ref=ts after tonight.

Next week I will be talking about Rick R. Reed's The Blue Moon Cafe, and Tales from the Sexual Underground. This extremely popular author has been dubbed "the Stephen King of gay horror"-need I say more?

Until next time, happy reading.
Robert Jaquay,
MyQmunity.com

Lake Overturn by Vestal McIntyre

2010-07-23T15:19:00.005-04:00

“She awoke, swam up the opposite side of Lake Nyos, and emerged from the water with a groan and a rumble. A few villagers woke and sat up in bed, wondering, Was it a dream? Seconds later their breath was taken from them, and they fell back onto their pillows.”-Lake Overturn

Hot on the heels of Lake Overturn ((Harper Perennial (PB) 2010, Harper Collins(HC) 2009) winning this year’s Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Fiction, I knew it had to be the next good read on my every growing list. What I didn't know was that it was going to be a great read!

Prior to winning this award, Lake Overturn was given the distinction of being dubbed Best Book of the Year by the Washington Post, as well as becoming a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice. No small potatoes!

Prior to this praise, I was not sure it would grab me, for it seemed that the story would be about a remote place, somewhere I really wasn’t sure I’d like to visit, and probably populated with people I could care less about. Wow, I was so wrong.

What makes this work click, and why should you speed your way to your bookstore or library and grab a copy, is because it is not remote at all. Lake Overturn is one of the most engaging “can’t put it down” books I have ever read. It is filled with wonderful characters, has a style of writing that is simple and compels you to think as you read, and most of all, I believe that anyone can relate completely, regardless of the locale or the class of people depicted.

Lake Overturn gets its title from a rare natural phenomenon whereby carbon monoxide, which has built up under a lake bed, finds an opening, releases the gas, and literally creates a “lake overturn”. The actual incident described in the book was the second such occurrence, this time in 1986 at Lake Nyos, Cameroon, West Africa. It resulted in the asphyxiation and death of over 1,700 people. When it happened again, it was still a mystery.

Our story takes place in Eula, Idaho, which is a small town not far from Boise. Eula, in all probability, is much like McIntyre’s own home town of Nampa, Idaho. This place is populated, for the most part, by ordinary people, has a considerable Mexican community, and is a place where one is more likely to live in a trailer park than a home. At one end of the town is Lake Overlook. If there is an upper class in Eula, they are most likely here.

Structured like a Victorian novel with an omniscient narrator who is never intrusive, the beginnings of Overturn set the stage for all that will follow. We are introduced to more than a dozen different characters in rather rapid succession. Like in Dickens, you may have to keep your wits about you at first, but McIntyre makes it work so well that you soon remember who’s who and what's what. There are seven labeled sections to the book, all depicting some aspect of the scientific method. What is being tested here? Where will it all lead? Oh yes ,this is something you will want/need to find out.

We meet Enrique, along with his neighbor Gene, who is a strange boy exhibiting many autistic behaviors. These boys enter a Science Fair intending to “explain” the mysterious happenings in Cameroon. Enrique also discovers he likes boys, which is another “mystery” the book explores.

Then there is Connie Anderson, mother of Gene, and one of the book's strongest characters. We eventually learn, through some misguided pursuits, that she is willing to sacrifice her own happiness for others. She is a woman of God and is determined to live her life according to His rules. Various religious convictions, practices and beliefs inhabit the narrative, but the author never ridicules them, even though you might expect it or find yourself wanting to.

Next up is Wanda Cooper, and her brother Coop.These two are quite the pair! Wanda’s story has the possibility of breaking your heart, for regardless of her place in society, she is a woman who truly wants to change for the better. Will she succeed? What price does she have to pay? All these questions and more concern us.

Although there are many many others, I will end with Leni and Chuck. Leni, who is Enrique’s mother, cleans homes for a living. She is a single parent, and life has not been easy for her. She also has another son, Jay, who has been raised by others,but currently resides in her home like a guest. She meets Chuck, a man whose wife is dying of cancer, and whose daughter, Abby, is another wonderful character we keep guessing about. Chuck “invites” Leni into his lonely life by romancing her. How this relationship plays out and how it affects others is a significant aspect of the book.

The scenes change rapidly as these people’s stories unfold, and I think you will feel the same way I did as you read. I kept wondering how the title of the book relates to the story at hand, especially since the book has little to do with an actual lake overturn. What we feel, as we progress, is a sense that there are lots of things bubbling under Eula’s surface. Many are not shared or seen by others. Many things are felt that only we know.We are never sure when and if they will erupt. Will life's circumstances change for these people, or are they going to live out their lives wondering if? Is there a change in us that will come about as we move toward the end? Could be.

Once again, I assure you that once you start this novel you will have no choice but to finish it. It is truly grand in scale, but it becomes so personal that you will hardly know how big it actually is. Obviously Vestal McIntyre has won me over, and I know the same will happen to you.

Good news. I have scheduled a Blogtalkradio interview on 7/22 with Vestal McIntyre, something I'm terribly excited about. Please listen in by going to blogtalkradio.com and entering myqmunityblog talk in the search bar, or, for those of you who follow us on Facebook, you will receive a link. It will also be available after broadcast as well. I hope you enjoy it.

Want to learn more about Vestal McIntyre? Visit his website at http://www.vestalmcintyre.com/ .

So until next time, discover Lake Overturn and enjoy the read. You won't be sorry.

For my next book I am going to review The Children of Mother Glory by C.M. Harris.

Robert Jaquay,
MyQmunity.com

The Bigness of the World by Lori Ostlund

2010-07-17T07:41:00.002-04:00

"However can you understand the bigness of the world if you do not see the ocean?"-Ilsa Martin Lumpkin

Like a few of the other books I reviewed of late, I discovered Lori Outland’s The Bigness of the World (The University of Georgia Press, 2009) as a result of its being nominated as a Lambda Literary Award finalist. This work also received the prestigious Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction in 2008, which resulted in its publication by the University of Georgia Press.

Let me say it outright: this book is such a good read that I am a wee bit afraid that I might smother it with praise! For praise it deserves. Ms. Ostlund, who I will dub as a consummate wordsmith, has the ability to instantly draw you into each story with such precision and ease that you might actually think this is your world too. Let me explain. Every story feels like it is being told to you by someone you know, someone you’ve know or thought about, or better still, someone you think you’d like to know.

It is obvious that her experience as a teacher in Spain, Malaysia and New Mexico becomes the canvass on which she paints her simple and oftentimes touching pictures of people and how they transact life, not only with each other, but with the world at large.

The title story opens the book, and we are introduced to Martin and Veronica. He is ten, (a number that reappears often in the stories), and she is eleven, going on twelve. These two delightfully precocious children live in a household with parents who are busily engaged in activities that, to their children, seem “nebulous at best”.

Because the parents are rarely home, the two children are put under the care of Ilsa Maria Lumpkin. The children adore her, and love her amusingly idiosyncratic ways. In one scene, we are told that Ilsa sings Chinese opera to them as. Their parents question this, and Martin and Veronica reveal that she really isn’t singing in Chinese, “she just makes it up.” Much to their dismay, Ilsa is let go for a silly indiscretion, and the children are now left, as they are suddenly old enough, to find more about these stranger called parent, and about Ilsa.

As this tale unfolds, and in the others that follow, we are introduced to many musings on words and how they are used, something that makes the book a continuously delicious read. We also discover the irony inherent in many of our dealings with others, and are given a variety of insights into what people would like their world to be, and how it really is.

How Martin and Veronica view their parents, and, in turn, the world at large sets the stage for an entire cast of characters that inhabit the ten other stories that follow. We get to meet other children, their teachers and parents, as well as just plain folks who happen to cross paths at the same point in time.

Another story, Idyllic Little Bali, finds a group of Americans tourists in Yogyakarta, Indonesia gathered together, drinking, and telling each other about their "oddest brush with fame." A man named Martin joins them after he is stopped on the street, and he lets them know that "Ted Bundy used to be my parents' paperboy?", obviously unsure of their intent. It now becomes Martin's story, and what a story it is. Clearly still waters run deep with him as he slowly sheds his awkwardness with the others. As a result of a rather hastily made decision, and in his absence, Martin becomes their friend, but he never knows it.

I could continue, story by story, but why spoil the fun of discovery? With titles like, Talking Fowl With My Father, Nobody Walks To The Mennonites, and The Children Beneath the Seat, you can only imagine what this talented, witty story teller will reveal next.

Humor abounds in these wonderful stories. I found myself laughing out loud on many occasions. There is also a considerable amount of discomfort to be found here as well, but it is a discomfort that comes from our knowing exactly how someone is feeling, even if that someone happens to be a child. We were all there once in one way or another, and it is this quality, I believe, that makes this particular collection of stories truly memorable.

Is this a Lesbian book? Not in the traditional sense. Clearly there is a lesbian sensibility present, and there are certainly many references to being so, some that are truly hilarious. I’d rather say that these slices of life are about us, whoever we are. What really matters is that this book is a rare find, one that I know you will love, so don’t miss it.

Next time I am going to be reviewing Vestal McIntyre’s Lambda Literary Award winning Lake Overturn.

Remember, books not only entertain us, but they open windows to our lives-so, happy reading.

Visit MyQmunity.com for previous reviews and other interesting LGBT things to do, and tune into my Gay and Lesbian Book Talk show on BlogTalkRadio.com/myqmuitybooktalk. This week I will be talking with Amy Dawson Robertson, author of Miles to Go. Don't miss it.

Robert Jaquay,
MyQmunity.com

Miles to Go by Amy Dawson Robertson

2010-06-30T13:29:00.001-04:00

"Soldiers who are not afraid of guns, bombs, capture, torture or death say they are afraid of homosexuals. Clearly we should not be used as soldiers; we should be used as weapons."~Letter to the editor, The Advocate

One of the pleasanter finds while scouring the universe for the good read, is a newly published novel by “newcomer” Amy Dawson Robertson called Miles to Go (Bella Books, 2010)

It is labeled as a "Rennie Vogel Intrigue", which indicates that there are more works to follow, and which will focus on this wonderfully drawn title character. Women readers will love this character, and justly so.

Rennie Vogel is a tough woman who is loyal to her country, and to that end, has spent years honing her skills as an FBI counter terrorism operative. She is ambitious, but knows all to well that the government is reluctant to include women because of their inherent inability to perform as men do. Ready for a fight? The training for this field of endeavor is rigorous, and we soon discover that Rennie is in top form, often outperforming all others.

As the book opens, we find that Rennie is being considered for a newly formed Counterterrorism Tactical Team, CT3, and because the agency is required to include women, she is competing with other women for two available positions She clearly stands out above the rest, and is a likely candidate, however, in all likelihood she would be selected as alternate. This does happen, but there is surprise awaiting her. The team leader feels that the best woman should run a race with the man who scores lowest on the team. This delights Rennie and clearly pisses the one man chosen to compete. In a wonderfully exciting chapter, you’ll find yourself rooting for her, as she musters all the energy of Wonder Woman to cross the finish line first.
Even though she has proved herself over and over again, she is made to feel that if anything goes awry during a mission, she will be held responsible. And, although she feels confident, this “curse” is always in the back of her mind.This idea haunts her, but becomes her impetuous to succeed at all costs.

Although this is truly Rennie’s story throughout, Robertson introduces other fascinating characters by telling their story in parallel time. This works well, as it not only builds the excitement level, but tickles our imagination as to what we think will eventually happen.

Rennie and her team are deployed on a mission to wipe out an Iranian radical named Ahmad Armin. He is a former nuclear physicist who was convinced to defect by the CIA, but as a result of the agencies' involvement at the time of Mossadegh, he embraces a nationalist ideology that leads him to the thought of eliminating all US involvement in the area, and the world. He also makes headlines with the kidnapping of an American journalist, as well as the assassination of this brother. He is clearly the enemy.

Early on in the mission, Rennie's whole company is wiped out by a surprise sniper attack, and the woman who was deemed their albatross has to carry out the mission solo. Because of her particular skills, as well as her determination and quick mind, she accomplishes the impossible. While doing this, she discovers the kidnapped American, and decides to include her rescue in her mission.

Now, one of the things we learn about Rennie is that she is has had to suppress her private life in such a way as to only have furtive and unsatisfying encounters with other women. She is a loner, carries a lot of familial baggage, and has replaced her loneliness with her job. This is about to change quite unexpectedly. The woman she rescues possesses something that Rennie is drawn to. The journalist Hannah is drawn to Rennie in a quite unexpected way as well.

One of the impressive things about this book is the author’s ability to convey sexual attraction and desire without unnecessarily interrupting the exciting story line. And exciting it is. This is a thriller, and although we soon expect that all will turn out in Rennie’s favor, the challenge of keeping us in suspense is met with success.

Will Rennie and Hannah have a future? Will Rennie’s career be affected by her unorthodox behaviors? Alas, this is where you need to step in and pick up Miles to Go to find out.You will be very pleased you did, and will want to follow Rennie as her life unfolds in future novels. Amy Dawson Robertson has created not only a winning heroine, someone who we will come to love and respect, but a terrifically exciting read as well. Enjoy!

Next time I will be review Christopher Rices’s newest work, The Moonlit Earth, so stay tuned.

Stop by the MyQmunity.com website and listen to my first BlogTalkRadio show with James Magruder, author of Sugarless. I am hoping to be able to do the same with Amy.

Until next time, happy reading..
Robert Jaquay.
MyQmunity.com

Sugarless by James Magruder

2010-06-14T18:10:00.004-04:00

“Hell is not hot. Hell, when I visit, is a cold, barren plain where mistakes are permanent and mothers and lovers go missing.” Rick Lahrem

In the pursuit of our identity as LBGT folks, most of us, depending on our age, had precious few resources at our fingertips to guide us in our jouney of self-discovery. For me, and earlier generations, there weren't many books or other resources. We truly had to "go it alone."

I am sure we all can tell the story of when and how we became aware of our differences, and likewise, we can tell the story of how much of a challenge it was for us to even conceive of “coming out” let alone doing it.

Today, whether you are an adult or adolescent, there are coming out books galore,and among these are those that are categorized as “coming of age” novels or bildungsromans. It is my distinct pleasure to introduce you to one of the very best I've even encountered, the super first novel by James Magruder, called Sugarless (Terrace Books, 2009).

Magruder tells the story of a young 15 year old named Rick Lahrem (rhymes with Harem), who, as the story opens, lives with his mother stepfather and stepsister Carla in a picture perfect suburb of Chicago. It is a “quirky” family, but one that I’m sure you can all identify with.

His step father Carl is an apelike licensed psychologist who occupies much of his leisure time in his “booger chair while making Rick life miserable. His sister Carla is a sexed up “burnout with low-slung torpedo tits” who can do no wrong, and his mother Marie, lost in her everyday household world, becomes transformed through the love of Jesus. This conversion is a significant component in the drama that unfolds.

Then there is Rick, who is feeling the surges of his sexual awakening, and is decidedly different. As he so aptly puts it, “Different is the kiss of death in high school”. However, for Rick, having the inclination or willingness to live his difference catapults him into an adventure that not only sets the stage for the rest of his life, but offers him that glorious moment when he understands just who and what he is.

One of Rick’s differences is his absolute love for Broadway musicals. Although he has never been to one, he got bitten by the bug while watching the Tony Awards (this is so familiar to me!). Whenever he can, he takes the opportunity to go to his favorite record store and carefully select his next “friend”. The process simultaneously excites and overwhelms him, as he is especially careful not to let anyone know he is indulging himself in this way. God forbid, he gives away the fact that he is a “show fag.”

Rich is a sophomore in high school, and one of the graduation requirements is to pass two quarters of Oral Communication. The adventure I spoke of begins after Rich reads a touching story in speech class and is summoned to the school’s performing arts office to speak with the instructor, Mr. Wegner. Wegner, and his student assistant Miss Schuette recognize his talent, and suggest that he join the competitive speech team, and in particular, participate in the Dramatic Interpretation category. To this end, he is given a scene from Mart Crowley’s Boys in the Band! And this, dear reader, is where the fun really begins.

The experience of Rick embracing this assignment in preparation for competition is not only a laugh riot, but this 8 minute exercise becomes the path to his enlightenment. Now, in order to for this to happen, the author adds a wonderful, yet controversial element to the story.

On one of his excursions to purchase yet another cast album, Rick meets Ned Bolger. Ned is a teacher from another school, but more significantly, he was one of the judges for Rick’s first completion. He not only believes in Rich, he excites him. To say that he seduces Rick would clearly bypass the reality of Rick’s own desire. Rick is ready, and what better choice than his being with someone who not only shares his love of musicals, but “inspires” him to do his very best.

From this point toward the transformational ending, James Magruder captures our attention every step of the way. Although this may not be our particular story, it is still ours to relate to. The writing is crisp and the images the author captures are very real. In other words, not one moment is wasted. You may find yourself torn at times as to the propriety of Rick’s relationship with Carl, but oddly enough, it is so matter of fact, that it works without offending.

Not only will you laugh a lot, but I bet you’ll get a few lumps in the throat along the way. The characters are wonderfully drawn, and the pacing of the book obliges you to read until you find out just what happens. I actually finished the book and began reading it again, not only finding it as good as I thought it was, but even better.

As I said, Sugarless is James Magruder first outing as a novelist, and he is currently working on his next. You owe it to yourself to pick this one up, so don't delay.

Until next time, Happy Reading!

Robert Jaquay
http://www.myqmunity.com/

Chatting with Radclyffe, (L.L. Raand) author of The Midnight Hunt

2010-06-07T09:39:00.014-04:00

After reviewing L.L. Raand’s The Midnight Hunt, I was able to connect with author Radclyffe, and chat with her a bit about the book and other things. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

RJ: Hi Rad, I just posted my review of The Midnight Hunt (Bold Strokes Books, 2010), which, as you will see, I loved. Before I get into specific questions about it, I’d like to ask some other questions. My desire here is to introduce you to the readers of this blog, and perhaps give something new to those who have already read you-but would like to know more.

I lived in Albany, NY for 30 years, and it appears that you live in nearby Valley Falls, is that the area where you are from originally? You use the Albany setting in Midnight Hunt, and it was such a treat knowing just where your characters were.

Rad: I grew up about 40 miles north of here in Hudson Falls. One of my romances, When Dreams Tremble, is set in Lake George, New York and loosely based on some of my experiences when I was a teenager working up at the lake. My current work in progress—another romance (Desire by Starlight)—is set in Vermont, approximately 40 miles east of where I currently live. While I don’t always set my works in areas where I live or have lived, I do try to choose locales with which I’m familiar because it’s easier to infuse the story with the small details that make the setting come alive for the reader. In many of my works, the setting itself is an important part of the work.

RJ: You have your own publishing house, Bold Stroke Books (  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/ ), would you share about it and its inception?

Rad: Bold Strokes Books grew out of my lifelong love of gay and lesbian literature and my desire to be part of the process that defines and supports so much of our lives.

RJ: I know from your bio that you are a retired surgeon, and I know you are not the only surgeon turned author, but what prompted you to make the shift? Was the writer in you active during your other career-or did the author in you take over the surgeon?

Rad: I wrote my first full-length work when I was still a surgery resident, and I have written actively for the last 30 years. Writing never interfered with my surgical career, or vice versa. However, I didn’t start my own publishing company until I was ready to retire from surgery. Three full-time careers is more than anyone can handle!

RJ: I love your personal “discovery moment” after reading Anne Bannon’s Beebo Brinker. I’ve so often heard that reading Well of Loneliness is the moment when many women find out the secret desire the harbor is not theirs alone-what was it about Beebo that spoke to you?

Rad: I was young—only about 12, and beginning to realize that I was different than other girls my age. I didn’t have a framework or point of reference for that difference until I read this book, and realized that although I didn’t know anyone else who felt the way I did, these characters were proof that I might one day meet someone else like me. Of course, I loved Beebo’s rebellious nature and her bravery in striking out on her own, and her refusal to give up on love even though the path had been a difficult one. She w:as a hero. Her creator, Ann Bannon, remains one of my heroes to this day.

RJ: I find it fascinating to “go back in time” and discover the literary treasures that influenced us. Do you think today’s readers should take the time to do this? I mean, I myself want to read Beebo Brinker?

Rad: I know quite a few readers who have “discovered” lesbian fiction in recent years and have read many of the earlier works and enjoyed them. It’s always important to place works in context, because as you know, gay and lesbian works did not get published in the 50s and 60s with the kind of “happy ending” that we see today, or even the frankly affirming characterizations that we’re used to. Nevertheless, these very talented authors manage to create positive images for their readers, and for that reason, I think these books are still quite enjoyable.

RJ: I hope this is not a duh question, but by taking on the name Radclyffe, is this your homage to her and this important work?

Rad: I chose my pseudonym over a decade ago when I was posting a fair amount of fiction online and wanted to have a recognizably “lesbian” identity. I think it’s a cool name and I relate to it very strongly—and of course, Marguerite Radclyffe-Hall Is one of my literary heroes.

RJ: My dear friend, who happens to be a straight woman, mentioned to me that her mother suggested she read Well of Loneliness, and she remembers it as one of her favorites? Does this surprise you? Do you find that you have a significant “straight” audience, or is that hard to tell?

Rad: I don’t really have any way of knowing the breakdown of my reader demographics, but I do know that I have received encouraging e-mails from self-described straight women as well as straight men.

RJ: I suppose it is somewhat difficult for young people today to understand the kind of “I am not alone” moment you describe after you read Beebo Brinker, do you think it is still a lonely road for many?

Rad: While I think we’ve made great strides in the last 40 years since Stonewall, we still have a long way to go. I get e-mails every single day from readers who tell me that my books and those of the authors I publish are a lifeline for them. Many of them are just coming out and don’t have access to a support system to help them. Our literature provides validation, comfort, and hope to many.

RJ: Here's a question from a former librarian: Do you think a special section or some identification should be created for GLBT books? Or, should they be integrated into the collection so as not to create a

Rad: This question comes up often in regards to bookstores—what matters most to me is that readers who need and want our literature can find it. If that means shelving them separately in a LGBTQ section, then I have no problem with that. What I’d really like to see is a double shelving process—a lesbian romance in the romance section as well as the LGBTQ section, for example. However, understanding that bookstores and libraries may only purchase one copy, I’d vote for easy identification so readers can find us.

RJ: You clearly have a devoted readership. I imagine that you hear from them, and they relate their stories to you. Do you also get inspiration from these revelations, or are most of your ideas from your own experience and, of course, your imagination?

Rad: My stories pretty much come from my own imagination, dreams, and fantasies.

RJ: There is also a listserv, ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Radclyffe-writings/ ), devoted to your works, and although I just joined, it seems as though this forum really opens you up to a whole other dimension of reader involvement. Is this where you test-drive some of your writing-or just a way to stay in touch with your readers?

Rad: I’m always interested in reader feedback as a litmus of what the reading public is interested in— literature is a dynamic form of communication, changing as our culture and society changes. A lesbian romance from 50 years ago looks quite different from a lesbian romance today. I do not, however, write “for the audience.” I write the stories that interest and excite me, and am grateful when readers enjoy them. My Yahoo list is a way for me to communicate with those readers who have supported me, many of them for years, but I don’t alter what I’ve written as a result of feedback. I certainly think about comments that have been made, but in the end, an author must write what moves them.
RJ: Ok, now I am going to shift to The Midnight Hunt. In your Hunt You Tube Video ( http://www.llraand.com/L.L_Raand/Videos.html  ) you talk about asking your readers to take an adventure with you, to go on a journey-and discover that they are on the same path together. As I said, you have a strong following, were you concerned that this new outing would possibly alienate them?

Rad: No, not at all. I felt that some readers might have the preconception that they would not “like” this kind of story because traditional romances are the most popular form of the genre and this is a paranormal romance. My hope was that the readers who weren’t sure that this was something they would like (or who were pretty sure they wouldn’t like it) might give it a try if they understood that at the core, these are still the same kind of characters that I always write, dealing with the same kind of issues, and falling in love.

RJ: You chose to write under yet another pseudonym for this series, and although I know the reason why, could you tell the readers of this blog why you did this?

Rad: Paranormal romances are pretty big departure from traditional romances—I felt this change was large enough to signal to my audience to expect something different, and I did this by using a new pseudonym. There is also a large contingent of readers who really like paranormals but who would not read traditional romances. Again, by changing my pseudonym, I avoid the confusion that might be associated with my other pseudonym.

RJ: I know after the review was published, I heard from a couple of people who siad that they didn’t usually go to books with werewolves and vampires in them., but said that they thought they would give it a try after reading the review? Are you finding this true as well?

Rad: Yes, fortunately, I’m hearing this lot, which makes me very happy. All you can really ask is that readers give your work to try. Some will discover that they like it and others will find that they prefer different authors. We’re fortunate in today’s world to have many fine authors writing for the gay and lesbian community, as well as the reading world at large.

RJ: In choosing this particular genre you choose to focus on the wolf-were. I took a mild swipe at the Vampire “phenomenon” in my review, and happen to love the wolf theme. What made you chose the wolf-were for your main character?

Rad: My goal in this series is to write about a variety of preternatural species, including Vampires (I like dark heroes and Vampires are nothing if not dark). However, I think any series needs a strong core, and for me it’s Were society. It makes sense to me that the Weres would spearhead the movement toward social equality and civil rights because they live in community. They have children, they have a strong affiliation to their pack, and in my world – they are psychically and physically connected. And I know from my readership that many of the emotional and psychological attributes of Weres as I write them are very popular—the heightened sense of responsibility, loyalty, protectiveness, and devotion to the mate.

RJ: I found the idea of having another self just below the surface, and having it aching to emerge quite exciting. Is this a way for you to speak to those of us who have that other self inside us, begging to come out, along with all the conflicts, if we chose to do so?

Rad: The parallel is obvious between the preternatural species (the “others” who are different, and thus persecuted for their difference) with being gay. I felt this was important and something readers would be able to resonate to. But I also wanted to explore the fundamental dichotomy between our animal natures and the effects of socialization and civilization on how we express ourselves physically, sexually, emotionally, and psychologically. This was my way of exploring our more primitive natures.

RJ: Sylvan is such a marvelous character,and her inner struggle keeps the tension at a peak. She also is clearly responsible to her duties as the Alpha. You say that she is a typical Radclyffe character.What does that mean?

Rad: Sylvan is a hero in the archetypal sense—highly responsible, self-sacrificing, brave, valorous, as well as stubborn, unyielding, at times inflexible. She’s both easy and hard to love. Anyone familiar with my work will “recognize” her, and quite a few readers have drawn parallels between Sylvan and two of my most popular characters—Cameron Roberts, the Secret Service Agent in the Honor Series, and Reese Conlon, the sheriff in the Provincetown series.

RJ: Hunt's other main character, Drake McKennan,  and she is a medic. Any chance there’s a bit of you in her?

Rad: I don’t think so—Drake is far more patient and calm than me. I think there’s a little bit of the author in every character, if we write characters who ring true. How else can we instill them with genuine emotion if we don’t draw from our own? While none of my characters are ever autobiographical, but some are a little bit more of me than others.

RJ: You actually have at least two pairs of women moving towards a possible relationship, as well as a good amount of frustrated desire leaking out from your characters, and you add the extremely pressing issue of having Sylvan mate-less. Interestingly, Sylvan is less concerned about this “need” than those around her. Do you feel it is in our nature to seek a mate, regardless of the trials and tribulations we may face,or should some of us be free to move with the Pack?

Rad: On the whole, I believe that humans are social animals and we are driven to connect to individuals and greater society. Of course there are variations within that spectrum, and some individuals may do very well without “a mate.” However, if the drive for “union” weren’t a strong force for the majority of the population, I don’t think romances would be as popular.

RJ: Your books have a strong sexual content, and it appears that one comes (no pun here) to your works expecting this. I know the authors who blazed the trail for you could not get away with being this explicit-why did you choose to do so?

Rad: I by no means intend any criticism of the pioneering authors who came before me, and there are many reasons why their works were written the way they were. When I began writing, I wanted to show that the love between women was sexual and physical as well as emotional—that our love is every bit as passionate and consuming and rewarding as that which exists between a man and a woman. As a lesbian, I desire women physically just as I admire and respect them, and I believe those feelings should be reflected in our love stories.

RJ: You have several series, and now are starting a new one. Does the idea to create a series happen as you write, or do you plan this out in advance?

Rad: Some of my series are planned, and others evolved after the first book was written. Even with the planned series such as The Midnight Hunt, I really concentrate only on one book at a time with just a general idea of where the other books will take us. One of the most exciting things about writing is the unexpected direction that our stories take as they emerge.

RJ: Clearly, among your readership, there are those who are fond of a particular work. Is there one that stands out among the rest? Is it fair to ask if you have a favorite?

Rad: I do not have a favorite. There are things I like about every book, and there are definitely some that I like more than others, but I couldn’t pick out one and say this is it. Among reader favorites are the Honor and Provincetown series, Fated Love, Passion’s Bright Fury, and Turn Back Time.

RJ: You are such a prolific writer, and I'm sure there is someting new on the horizon. Would you share with us what that might be?

Rad: My next book--Trauma Alert--is due for release July 15, 2010. I'll be launching it in Provincetown, MA with a reading and signing at Now Voyager Bookstore, July 3rd. This is the first in a new series of stand-alone romances featuring first responders. This one features a trauma surgeon anda firefighter.

RJ: Thanks Rad for sharing your time with me. I look forward to Trauma Alert, and am also eager to read Blood Hunt, which is next in your Midnight Hunter series.

Rad: Thank you Robert.

Read more about Radclyffe and L.L. Raand at http://www.radfic.com/ and http://www.llraand.com/ .

Until next time, Happy Reading.

Robert Jaquay,
MyQmunity.com

The Midnight Hunt by L.L. Raand

2010-05-28T18:07:00.005-04:00

“For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack."
~ Rudyard Kipling

As you might recall, my first “encounter” with the author Radclyffe was when I reviewed The Best Lesbian Romance Fiction 2010 (4/21). She was the editor, as well as author of one of the featured stories. This brief exposure made me want to read more.

I made contact with the author, and received a variety of her works, and then I had to make a decision as to which one I’d review first. Not an easy choice.

To call this woman prolific is an understatement. She has written many romance novels, romantic intrigue novels, lots of short stories, and has edited anthologies of romance and erotica. Needless to say, when I mentioned to my “boss” that I would be doing a Radclyffe book, her clearly knowledgeable response was, “she’s a bit steamy, you know!”

So back to the choice I needed to make. Thinking I would pick a work from her Justice or Honor Series, I noticed that I had received what I soon discovered to be the first book of a brand new series. Not only that, it would be her first outing into the realm of Weres (as in Werewolves) Vampires and the like.

We’ve been flooded of late by a glut of vampire focused books, television shows and movies. With the Twilight Saga priming itself for yet another cinematic installment, I thought, what a good time to introduce a “steamy” tale of yet another species of beings-the Praetern. They are human in appearance, but have the ability to transform themselves into wolves in a heartbeat. Add to that the fact that protagonists are predominantly woman, and happen to engage in woman to woman sex, and you have the formula for an erotic romance that puts these other works to shame. I mean, drool all you want over Robert Pattinson (I don’t), but this tale would make the celluloid melt if turned to film.

The Midnight Hunt (Bold Stroke Books, 2010) is written by Radclyffe under the name, L. L. Raand, and if this first installment doesn’t make you eager for what follows, well, I guess I don’t have a clue as to what would. It engaged me from the start, and, I’ve got to tell you, steamy is an understatement! Don’t get me wrong, steamy is good, and if you take away this element, you still have an engaging tale of love, undying allegiance and a deep-set internal struggle.

These Weres, indistinguishable from us while in human form, had been living among us undetected for centuries. As this story begins, they are known, and, as a result, are a feared minority. As we all know, dealing with humans is difficult, so, naturally this species attempts to seek certain rights as well as protection. Perhaps this is a thinly disguised commentary on our struggle for civil rights, but that is not the books sole intent.

Instead we are given a truly powerful story of love and desire. It is set in the present day, and uses Albany, NY as its locale. Much like the Indian tribes that habited the area during the seventeenth century, the Pratean species have their own packs. The species is made up of Weres, Vampires, Mages, Fae and Psi, and this tale concentrates on the Adirondak Timberwolf Pack, which is made up of Weres, and its Alpha or leader, named Sylvan.

Sylvan is fiercely protective of her charges, to the point of denying her own needs as a Were. She will fight for them, kill if she has to, and even die for them. She is so vigilante that she denies herself a significant primary need, and that is one of sexual fulfillment. She is also being called upon by her pack to mate-something she has been reluctant to do,until, and here is where the story gets really interesting, she runs into a human named Drake McKennan.

McKennan is a Medic, and meets Sylvan when she attempts to render medical assistance to a young girl who has been brought to the hospital emergency room. It is this meeting that triggers a whole series of events that brings the two women, who should be adversaries, together in a most unusual way.

Add to this a strange outbreak of Were fever among humans, a Protean adversary named Max, who wants Sylvan’s seat of power, a spunky reporter who must get her story, and several woman who vie for Slyvan’s love, and you have a book that you will find hard to put down.

Raand sure knows how to pace her incredible love scenes, allowing you to catch your breath in time for the next one, but, most importantly, she knows how to tell a good story.

I, am looking forward to the next installment, called Blood Hunt, which is due this Winter, and I think you will too. So, push those Twilight Twinkies aside, and treat yourself to real passion.

Next week I will be reviewing James Magruder’s wonderfully quirky coming of age novel, Sugarless.

Author Alert: I will be posting an interview with Radclyffeasoon-so stay tuned. I'm excited!

Until then, happy reading.

Robert Jaquay,
http://www.myqmunity.com/

Please send suggestions or comments to reviews@myqmunity.com .

Silver Lake by Peter Gadol

2010-05-21T11:32:00.007-04:00

" If you have no wounds how can you know if you're alive? If you have no scar how do you know who you are? Have been? Can ever be? "-- Man, The Play About the Baby by Edward Albee

There has been a considerable amount of good press for Peter Gadol’s Silver Lake (Tyrus Books, 2009), and it has been selected as a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction. One of the things that captured my attention is that it is labeled as being a “psychological thriller”. Reading the blurb on the dust jacket, I thought this would be a nice departure from the other books I've talked about recently. It is true that this intriguing novel involves a “mystery”, but that is merely the device the author uses for the more important things this novel has to offer.

So, don’t expect Agatha Christie, although there is a suspicious death, and lots of clues along the way. Instead, expect a much deeper exploration of the main character’s inner selves. This seemingly "perfect" couple has a lot going on under the surface, and what happens to them is presumably meant to be a catalyst for change. However, depending on how the story rests with you, that aspect is clearly debatable.

Being his sixth novel, and returning to a familiar Los Angeles setting, Godol gives us the tale of two men, Carlos and Robbie, partnered for twenty years, and seemingly having it all together. The story starts in a somewhat idyllic fashion, with a long meandering first sentence that sets the scene perfectly. All should be well. However, it does not take long for their comfortable routine to be jarred significantly.

Into their lives, quite unexpectedly, or so we initially think, comes a mystery man. His name is Tom, and although he enters the picture as a result of having his car break down, we eventually find out that his being there is no accident.

Robbie is the first to meet him, and Tom’s energy and allure are immediately felt. How could Robbie be taken is so fast? Is there something here we do not know? Carlos also meets him, and seems to step back and let Robbie enjoy this strangely alluring individual. Of course, we immediately want to know why.

Initially it is a bit of a challenge to accept Tom’s quick infusion into the lives of these two men, but soon skepticism turns to understanding. Little by little, a murky story unfolds, filled with secrets and deceptions. Carlos has met Tom before, and although it takes a while for us to find out when and how, it is immediately clear that their meeting is to be kept a secret from Robbie. This is the beginning of a long line of secrets. Now the plot thickens.

A lot happens between Tom and Robbie in a very short while; tennis, talks, and finally an evening together that turns decidedly ugly. At a dinner with the two men, Tom gets very drunk, and in a sharp change of mood, he becomes very dark and brooding. He tells a story of a man who holds a woman and her boy captive and with a knife against the woman’s throat and the man utters this horrific statement; “Your kid or your eyes.” What does this mean? Tom abruptly switches moods, and suggests that the three of them engage in sex. Yikers!

Most of us would, after collecting our hearts from the floor, do our best to move this guy out the door. Not so for Robbie and Carlos. They soothe him and insist he spend the night. What happens next sets the story ablaze, and becomes the hook of this book. Sometime during the night or early morning Tom hangs himself. Now, the question that propels the action forward is, once again,” why?”

Rather than bring Robbie and Carlos close, the shock of this single event creates an incredible chasm between them. It causes each partner to go to places they may not have otherwise gone. Carlos is driven by the fierce need to keep his secret, and Robbie completely retreats into a world that is consumed with finding out why Tom did what he did, and more significantly, just who Tom is/was.

The two men drift farther and farther apart. They barely share the same physical space, and their minds are always elsewhere. Robbie finds Tom's personal telephone book and uses that to connect with Tom's past via the people he knew. Carlos, engages in an odd relationship with a young man named Gabriel. This connection in particular, dramatically brings us to the pivotal moment in the book

This is a clearly a book about secrets and lies. The phrase, “We’re only as sick as our secrets” is clearly understandable within the context of this story. Loneliness, even within a relationship, is another significant theme presented in the book. The officer who is there to check the crime scene first makes the statement that Tom must have been terribly lonely. 'Why so lonely?’ This question is asked repeatedly. Will we ever know?

Gadol weaves a story that compels us to join the investigation. I must admit, there are times when it feels as though we are being manipulated to feel and think things that have no bearing on reality-but, in my mind, reality is so often distorted in this book that it's clearly the author’s choice to keep us guessing.

Appearance versus reality is something that we keep bouncing between as we read. It is often hard to figure out what to believe, even when the “truth” is supposedly revealed. I am not saying that this is a bad thing, as it certainly keeps our minds engaged.

This book was the recent selection for the Outings and Adventures Men’s Book Club, a group that meets monthly in Tampa or St. Petersburg (http://outingsandadventures.com/) I sensed that it would be a good discussion book, and could not wait to hear what the others had to share . No one disliked it, and everyone found lots to talk about. There was a lot of speculation as to who these guys are, what they become, and why this single act of violence creates a storm in their lives that either ruins them, or redeems them. (Yes dear reader, you will be the one making the choice).

I don’t think I need to issue a spoiler alert here, so I won’t go into details, but the book gives us one ending, seemingly the one we are expecting, and then, stops the action, rewinds the tape, and unfolds an entirely different finale. To me, this was jarring-clearly something meant to shake up our thinking, and I am still not sure how well I like it. However, it is effective, especially in churning out all types of reactions within us.

Bottom line, Silver Lake keeps you engaged, provokes you, confuses you, and frustrates you. It will be yours to decide whether it satisfies or disappoints. All in all, it is definitely good read.

Care to share? Write me at reviews@myqmunity.com. Next week, something different from a well know writer of Lesbian Romance, Radclyffe,writing as L.L.Rand . The Midnight Hunt launches a new series and a new genre. You will love it!!!

Until then, happy reading.
Robert Jaquay,
MyQmunity.com

A Chat with Robbi McCoy author of Songs Without Words

2010-05-14T09:59:00.000-04:00

Hello again.Sometimes when I finish a book, questions to the author come to mind, and usually I just speculate as to what the answers might be. After I read Robbi McCoys Songs Without Words, I had the urge to drop her an email, and ask those questions. She gratiously answered me, and I wanted to share her thoughts with you.

RJ: Robbi , thank you for giving me the opportunity to ask you a few questions about yourself so I can share you with our readers. I put together a few questions. They are not in any particular order, but I would like to publish your answers in conjunction with my review of your book-if that ok with you?

I thought I’d ask a few questions about you as a writer, and then have us talk about Songs Without Words. First off, I really loved this book and want to congratulate you on writing a story that is interesting on many levels.

I see that you began your writing career with Late Bloomers: Awakening to Lesbianism After Forty. Of course my curiosity drives me to ask if this is a particularly common experience for lesbian women-discovering themselves whilst in the role of being a wife or mother? Was it your hope that you would help others to “cross the line”?

RM: Actually, I’ve been writing since I was a teenager and have published short stories and magazine and newspaper articles in the past, then two non-fiction books prior to my first novel being published by Bella Books in 2009.

I think it’s very common for lesbians to follow a traditional path of marriage and children prior to coming out to themselves. I’ve known quite a few such women personally, including some who were clueless about their sexual orientation well into their forties, despite a lifetime of sometimes obvious evidence. That experience fascinates me. Both Late Bloomers and Waltzing at Midnight grew out of that fascination. Being gay can be a struggle and it can take decades to overcome the conditioning we are subjected to as children and young adults. I think of this process not as a change that takes place but as an awakening to one’s authentic self. The prevalence of late bloomers may be diminishing now as homosexuality in general becomes better understood and less stigmatized, but the late-bloomer scenario still happens, as coming out is ultimately a highly personal journey for each individual.

RJ: Do you hope to achieve the same result when people read your stories, or is it just the shared experience that you are conveying?

RM: Shared experience, yes. I just want people to enjoy my stories and hopefully be emotionally moved by them. There have been some readers of Waltzing at Midnight who have thanked me for telling “their” story. I think people find comfort in the thought that someone else has felt what they’ve felt and gone through what they’ve gone through, especially when it’s something difficult.

RJ: You indicate in your webpage bio that writing fiction is your “first love”. Why so?

RM: I’ve always loved to read fiction and writing it is an outgrowth of that love. I devoured novels from an early age and became an English major in college because I couldn’t turn away from my love of literature. Fiction is such a powerful, limitless vehicle for self-expression, and often a way to turn a small bit of chaos into order. Order is beauty—choosing just the right word or isolating an emotion so that you and the reader share a brief but profound moment of understanding, that’s such a satisfying feeling.

RJ: I suppose this is a tiring question to be asked, but where do you get your inspiration from? In other words, are your stories born entirely from your imagination, or has ‘real life” ignited the fuse? I am also fascinated by the process of creating and writing. Do you become your characters, or, is the character you?

RM: Story ideas come from many sources, from within and without, and are usually a combination of both. Waltzing at Midnight was born out of pain and anger at my personal experience with homophobia. Beyond that, it isn’t my story at all, but it helped me to turn anger into something more positive. It’s an optimistic story. Songs Without Words was loosely based on personal experience, but would be unrecognizable to any real-life participants.
To answer your other question, about whether I become the characters or to what extent a character might actually be me, it varies. I identified very closely with Jean in Waltzing at Midnight. Not in her circumstances, as I’ve never been married or a mother, but in her emotional journey, and there were times while writing it that I felt very much like a woman falling in love. In my next novel, Not Every River, you won’t find me no matter how hard you look.

RJ: Does your “other job” keep your mind fresh, or are you constantly being challenged by the urge to write?

RM: I love to write, but have almost no time to do it. Life is constantly interfering. I’m looking forward to retirement and the novelty of being a writer on a more regular basis.

RJ: Robbi, one of the things that impressed me most about Songs Without Words is your choice to go into rather detailed commentaries about art, music, and the written word. You also spend a good chunk of time discussing what it is to be an artist. I thought it rather daring, perhaps because I was expecting something totally different as I must admit, that before I read your book, or any lesbian themed story, I thought that the story would merely be a devise for sex, sex, and more sex. Is how you write a departure from what is expected in a lesbian romance novel or, is this expected and you just dare to be different?

RM: Thank you for calling that “daring.” I’ve heard less flattering descriptions. The ongoing discussion of art, what it is and what it means to be an artist, is crucial to Harper’s identity. Her story is about discovering her voice as an artist, or, as Hilda says, more poetically, the song her soul wants to sing. If the reader is going to understand Harper at all, she needs to accompany her on that journey.

I can’t say what is expected in a lesbian romance, but I do believe that generally it is more about love than sex. People have said that Waltzing at Midnight was also a departure from the norm in that it was more a journey of self discovery than a romance. I suppose you could say the same for Songs. I feel that a certain degree of self-knowledge and self-acceptance is a requirement to becoming happy and fulfilled in life, and finding the right person to love is a natural extension of that. I don’t think love is a stand-alone aspect of a woman’s life. So, to me, falling in love is larger than how you interact with that other person, and it is definitely larger than sex. As to what the readers want, that may be completely different, but all I can do is tell the stories I have to tell and hope they resonate with people. One thing I appreciate about Bella Books is the lack of constraint regarding subject matter within the context of the romance genre. Our readers are mostly lesbians, but they are by no means a homogenous group, so why should their stories be?

RJ: Tell me about the musical nature of your work-one of the things you have done on your website is to provide us not only with a listing of all of the music used in Songs, but links to the actual music itself. Readers may not know this, so I will refer them to the page. Did you ever consider a companion disc-as your book is so very musical-it almost begs that you provide it with sound?

RM: Thanks. That’s an interesting idea. It would be fun, but I’m not a musician, so producing such a thing would be a daunting undertaking and far beyond my talents.
RJ: You present a mythological parallel to Harper’s journey with Chelsea by citing one of the greatest mythological tales of all time--Orpheus and Eurydice. What prompted you to do so?

RM: I love mythology. The story came to mind, so why not use it? I’ve always enjoyed how fiction builds on literary tradition, how it becomes cumulative. Coming across something like that is like seeing an old friend. One of my favorite books of all time is James Joyce’s Ulysses—old friends galore there! There are no new stories, just new ways of telling them. To me, that’s great fun, but I do wonder what Homer would make of Joyce.

RJ: It also appears as though you know a good deal about being a librarian (as I am one too). Are you or have you ever been?, or is it just that you know and admire them?

RM: I’ve spent a lot of happy days in libraries and have known a few librarians, even loved a couple, but have never been one, no.

RJ: One of the things you chose to do is tell your story by using what I’ll call flashbacks. Why not tell the story in one continuous line?
RM: If you mean why not tell the story of Harper’s past chronologically rather than playing stump the reader by jumping all over the place, well that was the biggest challenge of this book. I did try it chronologically, but it didn’t work. The past is designed to provide a running commentary on the present, adding up, I hope, to an understanding of how Harper came to be the woman she is. Real life doesn’t travel in a straight line with structured beginnings and ends. That’s one of the themes of the story, that Harper took an indirect path to get to the point she is when the story opens. We also don’t experience the memories of our lives chronologically. What is happening in the present triggers memories in random order. But, really, I didn’t do it just to be contrary.

RJ: This is a me just needing to know: On page 80 of Songs, in the midst of your discussion about art and artists, Hilda makes this statement: “There is no way to create a sentence that properly displays the process of thinking, feeling and remembering several things at once.”
I’m not sure this is true, so I wanted to ask if you are familiar with Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time? To me, the gift Proust possessed was the ability to capture it all…or am I deluding myself?

RM: What she means is that words on a page have to be read in sequence. There’s no way to superimpose one sentence on another. I’m not familiar with that work, but James Joyce is a master of stream of consciousness and comes about as close to capturing the thought process as anyone I’ve read. Even he can’t give us two thoughts simultaneously. But he does a reasonably good job of capturing the way our minds flit about in sometimes bizarre and wonderful ways.

RJ: Ok, I could probably ask you loads more, but I will stop here.

RM: Thank you for the kind words and the thought-provoking questions, not to mention the opportunity to talk about my writing.

RJ: And thanks again to you Robbi McCoy. I know your readers are eagerly awaiting your next book.

Of course, even while transferring this post for you to read, I had several questions more, but, I am happy that I asked the ones I did. I am looking forward to Not Every River, which is due out in August.

Please visit Robbi's website: http://www.robbimccoy.com/ and discover more about this wonderfully personable and talented woman.

Until next time, may your days be filled with wonderous reading.
Robert Jaquay
MyQmunity.com

Songs Without Words by Robbi McCoy

2010-05-07T20:37:00.018-04:00

“If male homosexuals are called ‘gay,’ then female
homosexuals should be called ‘ecstatic.’” – Roberts’ Rules
of Lesbian Living by Shelly Roberts

I was especially eager to read Robbi McCoy’s wonderfully rich and entertaining Songs Without Words (Bella Books, 2010), because books which include music as an integral element of the plot really appeal to me. I had never read any of Robbi’s books before, so I didn’t know what to expect and I’m ever so happy that I took the plunge.

In this book, I was thinking I’d encounter a relatively thin story line while waiting for episodes of torrid women to women sex. (My, oh my, was I wrong!) Instead I found that Songs Without Words is delightful, heartfelt novel of love lost and love regained. It is filled with feeling, and expresses serious inner conflict, but above all else, it makes you think as well as feel.

I was impressed by Robbi McCoy’s decision to make what could have been a routine lesbian love story into a work that has layers of incredible richness in it. Don’t get me wrong, Songs Without Words is most definitely a love story and a bonafied Lesbian Romance. It is chocked full of longing and desire and has all the elements you are looking for, but there is a difference. In my opinion, the author took a risk, and, to me, it pays off greatly. This book engages in several discourses about the nature of art and artistry, about words versus music, and even throws in a pinch of mythology as well. As a result, Harper, and those she encounters, has wonderful depth. These are people I would really like to know.

We are introduced to Harper Sheridan, who is a librarian by day. This is a profession she seems to love, however we soon find out that Harper is really an artist. Actually, she is an artist in the making.. She loves music and is an amateur musician who plays the cello. On top of that, she is deeply fascinated by what makes an artist tick, and she is ever so hungry to find out just what that is.

As the story begins, we learn a good deal about Harper. One of the things we discover is that she is attempting to “get over” a love affair with a woman named Chelsea Nichols. This is not an easy feat. Clearly it was a special romance. It not only lit the fire of love within Harper, but, perhaps, it is this love that gives her the drive to be truly free in the pursuit of her artfulness.

As I said earlier, a good portion of the book is devoted to the pursuit of her artistic sensibility, which, in the hands of a different author, could easily be clouded by more carnal pursuits. It seems clear that Harper is a woman with talent, but she has often suppressed this aspect of herself. Deep within her lies a need to break loose and truly be free. The only way she can do this is through her art, and we want her to succeed.

Harper is also engaged in a project which aims to discover the specific artistry of several women who have devoted themselves to the pursuit of art-however elusive that may be. It is an exercise she engages in seemingly as a “project”, but we soon learn that this is one of the avenues to Harper’s self discovery. In many ways it becomes another way to discover the artist within.

In an interesting bit of narrative, we are told the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. The story talks about a love that is tested by the ability to trust and “not look back”. Trust is one of Harper's issues, and she wonders if she can trust enough to let go of her need to know the "whys" of life. What is it that Harper is looking for? And why does she believe that having a particular woman in her life will complete her?

We also discover that Harper is extremely practical, or at least tries to be. She decides that she actually sets a date in the near future when she will “find time to meet a fascinating woman and fall in love”. Who will this “fascinating woman” be? Will it happen when she wants it too? Well, if you think I am going to spoil it by telling you, forget it. You will need to read this book in order to find out.

Bottom line: if you are looking for a book that will stir your senses as well as your mind, you can’t miss with Songs Without Words. It is a delicious way to get to know an author, and will make you eager for what her next book will offer.

Please check back in the next few days, as I hope to publish an interview with the author. She seems like a fascinating woman who I hope you will get to know better.

Care to comment? Write me at reviews@myqmunity.com. Tell me what you think as well as what you think I should be considering.

Next week I will be talking about Silver Lake by Peter Gadol. Until then...Happy Reading
Robert Jaquay,
MyQmunity.com

The River in Winter by Matt Dean

2010-05-01T00:23:00.009-04:00

“WHO is now reading this?
May-be one is now reading this who knows some wrong-doing of my past life,
Or may-be a stranger is reading this who has secretly loved me,
Or may-be one who meets all my grand assumptions and egotisms with derision,
Or may-be one who is puzzled at me.”
-Walt Whitman *

In my quest to find books that rise above the ordinary and worth our precious reading time, I perused the list of nominations for this year’s Lambda Literary Awards. (They are given out on May 27th). Since 1989, the Lambda Literary Foundation has presented awards to “the finest lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans literature available in the United States.”

To be nominated as a finalist means that a book has gone through a rather rigorous examination process, in effect, those that make the finalist category, are considered to be among the best.

With that in mind, I looked at all of the works listed in the category of Best Gay Fiction, and chose
The River in Winter by Matt Dean (Queen’s English Productions, 2009). I did this for several reasons, but mostly because I was taken by the title and more so by the information I found on the author's web site http://mattdean.info/

As I read this intriguing and very well written novel, I began to like it more and more. Matt Dean has a wonderfully fluid style. I also found that it was hard to put down, and I cared about what was going to happen next. This is a good thing.

The story is about a journey taken by the main character, whose name is Jonah, and it is a deeply personal and oftentimes anguishing one. He is a man filled with self loathing, sadness, and self doubt. He has lost his lover Tom, who apparently was a man so unhappy with his life that he drank himself to death. This appears to be the biggest wound in Jonah's life.

Having Jonah as the main character’s name had to mean that there should be some parallel to the biblical Jonah. Is it because the Jonah in The River in Winter eventually believes he is a sinner (because he is homosexua)l? Does he feel he is considered by others to be the Jonah who brings bad luck to those around him?, Or, is he “swallowed up” by the circumstances of his increasingly more miserable life, needing to have that life die in order to be transformed? The answer, my friends, is yours to discover.

Quite by accident, in the opening chapter of the book, as he is commencing yet one more journey on the river he loves, Jonah meets Spike, a man he does not know. This meeting results in a rather strong sexual encounter, and begins a relationship that encourages Jonah to seek a self he did not realize existed. He soon engages in a series of increasingly more dangerous physical and emotional encounters with others. In fact, he is driven to do so with practically every man he meets.

The next relationship that begins to take hold of him is with a man named Eliot, a counselor who immediately senses Jonah’s turmoil. He not only befriends him, but Eliot soon becomes the one person Jonah begins to trust above all others. Ah, but should he?

We always know how Jonah reacts to other men. Seemingly simple encounters in Jonah’s mind quickly turn into lustful fantasies. Handshakes are warmly felt, a body in close proximity generates heat that is felt and sexualized. Clothing conceals what is desired. In fact, we sometimes remember the other characters in the story more by Jonah’s carnal feelings for them than by their other attributes.

As the story moves forward, it becomes more and more obvious that Jonah desires and needs to be forgiven for his “sins”, both real and imagined. He eventually discovers that perhaps what he needs most is for someone to take care of him, to love him without strings attached. Who will that be? Will it be the ex-porn star Spike or the seemingly compassionate counselor? Or will it be the one person Jonah falls in love with but cannot have? Or, pray tell, will it be himself?

One of the interesting aspects of The River in Winter is that music becomes an important through line, but not just any music. Special attention is given to the String Quartets of Beethoven, specifically the sixteenth, as well the Grosse Fugue, which was originally intended as the final movement for quartet No. 13. We also discover that Jonah is musical, and has written music for poetry he has been collecting over the years. Eventually he sets out to add music to a set of poems written by a “friend” who was grieving the loss of his brother through Aids. . This is the friendship that eventually becomes the most significant one in the book, and it is fascinating how the author draws us into the hope of its consummation. (BTW, I would love to have heard this music, especially the one called f**k)

Not everything in this book is comfortable, nor is it meant to be. One of the more unsettling themes is the desire to subvert ones homosexual leanings through a belief in God and the power of prayer. Come to find out, the author had this conflict at some point in his life. Hopefully, he did not experience the same betrayal as Jonah did. It would be interesting to see how you feel about it, and its effect on the story line.

All in all, The River in Winter is a very satisfying read, and one that I feel will stay with you long after you turn the final page. Let’s put it another way, after The River in Winter, I am really looking forward to what comes next from Matt Dean.

Please let me know what you think about this book or about my commentary by writing me at reviews@myqmunity.com .

Next week’s book is Songs Without Words, a new lesbian romance by Robbi McCoy.
Until then, I wish you a week filled with good reading.
Robert Jaquay,
MyQmunity.com

* this quote is found at the beginning of The River in Winter and comes froms the Calamus section (#16) of Leaves of Grass

Best Lesbian Romance Fiction 2010

2010-04-21T15:24:00.012-04:00

“Some women can't say the word lesbian... even when their mouth is full of one.”
Kate Clinton

Little did I know when I began my journey into the world of lesbian romance fiction, that my search would lead me to an intriguing variety of variations on the subject of love? I also discovered a genre that would not only entertain me, but, quite frankly, quicken my pulse, shorten my breath, and compel me to come back for more. Perhaps I am a closet lesbian, but as I've said before, the rule for me is a good read.

One of the reasons I picked up a copy of Best Lesbian Fiction 2010, is that, save for a few other excursions into the realm of lesbian themed fiction, I have had little experience with it. While searching for a good place to start, certain key names stood out about the rest, like Radclyffe's.

Who to choose from? Where to begin?

Starting in 2009, best selling lesbian author Radclyffe has been editing this anthology of lesbian romance fiction published by Cleis Press. Each volume is published with the purpose of representing the best short lesbian fiction to be found in that particular year. Let's say this, you won’t find tales like these in Family Circle! (although the thought is tantalizing.) Au contraire.

The first volume was extremely popular, and subsequent ones are eagerly anticipated. Now I know why. Quite simply, the writing is uniformly excellent, and the stories are quite wonderful and, ok, they're HOT! They are guaranteed to quicken the heart and start all sorts of visceral reactions. Who knew? You may have, but this guy felt more steam coming out of my psyche than comes from a radiator.

Reading the preface to this volume, I was immediately drawn by the description of love as "one of those rare experiences that engage us on every plane-the mind, the heart, the spirit, and the body." As the editor goes on, she states that "Love has been likened to psychosis; albeit mostly a pleasant one-making us forgo our ordinary caution and rationality, sometimes risking heartbreak and disappointment, in order to share our deepest selves." Ok, I was hooked-what romantic soul wouldn't be?

As the stories unfold, the many different aspects of love are portrayed within finely crafted tales. These stories are about "falling in love, being in love and of remaining in love-for a moment or a lifetime". They explore the nuances of women-women love in such a way as to truly represent all types of women; young, older and more seasoned, lonely, butch, femme, in effect, everyone.

The collection begins with a story by Evan Mors called When We Almost Met. Such an interesting premise here: the character speculates on the “what if” scenario of connecting with the woman she loves long before she actually does. There are chance meetings galore and perhaps missed opportunities, yet in hindsight, they all lead to that one special moment which is now.

Another story, Hard to Hate Her, lets us in on the “secret” a newly divorced woman discovers about herself as she just so happens to encounter her former husband’s new wife. Talk about turning the tables!

As a lover of opera, I was particularly taken by Queens Up by Andrea Dale. Not since the exciting poker game in Puccini's “Girl of the Golden West”, has a card game carried such high stakes. There’s a bit of gender bending here as well, which makes the story all the more fun.

Sweetness abounds in a story set in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is called You Are A Full Moon Without Clouds, and is written by Pamela Smiley. This is a gentle story of the challenges set forth by an Asian culture's perception of the love between two women. But, as we all know, love always seems to find its way.

The volume ends with a story by Radclyffe, All In. Here we find someone alone at 3 a.m., in a hotel bar, and feeling “a kind of loneliness that went deeper than any physical diversion could assuage.” Oh my! The lesson here is one of wanting and waiting for the “one” who truly stirs your heart.

So, have I enticed you? I could go on, but that would take away from your reading pleasure. There are sixteen stories here. Each one with a different flavor, something for every taste. There is a story about vampires, teens in love, butch love, and everything in between. I don't think there's one bad one in the bunch.

The aspects of love are as varied as we are. I encourage you to find this book, and delve into it like I did.

So, cher reader, until next time-I remain, as always, just another gay guy with a book in hand. Happy reading.

Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman

2010-04-10T11:46:00.007-04:00

"The art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity."
Walt Whitman

Welcome Reader. My intention is to have this blog become a place where I can share my thoughts, feelings and such about books, and pass them on to you. I will talk about books I’ve just happened on, ones I cherish, or ones I’ve heard about and just want to get to know.

The focus will be on GLBT authors and books. I’ll recommend works by and about gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and anyone else out there who calls us community.

I spent my career among books; reading them, reviewing them, and recommending them to others. I am always searching for the "Good Read". Will my good read be yours? I hope so. I know tastes differ, but the bottom line for me is the book itself and ultimately how good it is, how well it is written, how inventive, how illuminating, and finally, how satisfying. In short, is it worth my time? Is it worth yours? Not a tall order methinks. The good news is, they’re out there, just waiting to be found, and that's where I'll come in.

For my first offering, I decided to entice you with a stunning little gem with a curious title: Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman (Picador, 2007).

In my not so humble opinion, this book is undoubtedly one of the finest books I've ever encountered. From the first sentence it had me. I often had to stop and take a breath as I devoured this magnificent prose. Ok, I’ve been called breathy before, but I paused so often while reading because this book displays a style of writing that I have rarely encountered elsewhere.

Now before I go on, I need to make a confession. I am, among other things, a self proclaimed Proustian. Not a bad thing, but people do think me a bit peculiar because of it. Simply put, Marcel Proust often stands apart in the world of literature, and has set a literary standard many authors aspire to. So, what does that have to do with this book, you ask?

Call Me By Your Name possesses a very Proustian sensibility and style. I thought only Proust could take a given moment in time and literally describe every thing that was going on simultaneously and how it affected the senses. But I was wrong.

Aciman, obviously a lover of Proust, manages to evoke the same sensibility, and here’s the neat part, make it his own. Imagine that! To call it delicious is, in my thinking, an understatement, but that is what it is, simply scrumptious. And, it is so much so that your taste buds will never tire of the verbal delicacies spread out before you.

Call Me By Your Name is a love story, and it weaves a tale of a young man’s “infatuation” with someone older. The boy’s father invites young academics to his summer home in Italy every summer to revise their manuscripts before publication. They are carefully selected, and, although it happens yearly, this time it turns into something totally different, or so it seems.

When Elio, our young narrator, meets Oliver for the first time, you know something special is going to take place. Oliver appears to be aloof. This drives Elio crazy. The more distant he becomes, the hungrier Elio becomes.( Are you getting the picture?) Clearly this is a tale of obsession, and what unfolds is a story that gets more and more exciting as you read. You will desire the possibility of their finally connecting ,so much so, that you can hardly stand it anymore. Well, that’s what happened to me. Will it happen? How will it happen? And, ultimately, what does it mean? (See, I told you it is going to be good!) If this book doesn’t make you swoon, well, what can I say?

Here’s an example of the writing: “The thud my heart gave when I saw him unannounced both terrified and thrilled me. I was afraid when he showed up, afraid when he failed to, afraid when he looked at me, more frightened yet when he didn’t. The agony wore me out” No, my dears, this is not Jackie Collins, but its super hot! (Yowie!)

One of the things Aciman has, is the ability to make his story transcend the obvious. For, even though it is character specific, it becomes universal. We feel, we relate, we become. What more could you ask for?

So, dear reader, now that I’ve wet your mental whistles, I hope you get yourself a copy and find out for yourself what a tasty morsel I’ve invited you to savor.

I can’t wait to hear you share. Until next time then, I remain just another gay guy with a book in hand. Happy reading.