DECEMBER 2010 M/M ROMANCE NEWSLETTER
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Welcome to our newsletter. We hope the content on this page is both informative and entertaining. We welcome feedback; you can send it to the Newsletter Editor. Also, please visit the Dreamspinner Press blog! Follow the blog to see author posts, book excerpts, contests, and other news from the press about M/M romance. Enjoy!
Ariel Tachna, Social Networking Coordinator, Dreamspinner Press
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AUTHOR INTERVIEW |
Why did you decide to write romance stories?
I like stories that speak from, and to, the heart—deep calling to deep. I suppose that makes me a romantic, or as my husband often says, a sap.
It seems whatever I do, whatever situations in life I find myself dealing with, I always look at it in terms of how it effects my relationship with my husband, Herman Chin. My love relationship guides all things in my life. So when I write a story, no matter what the topic or setting, I always approach it from the viewpoint of having the love relationship at the heart of my story, and everything else revolves around it like moons around Jupiter.
I believe that love relationships are the most precious things we have, the hardest things to attain and maintain. So in the meat of a story, if you place a love relationship in jeopardy, the protagonist stands to lose the most. The stakes are highest in romantic stories, and I like gambling with high stakes.
Where do your ideas come from?
I can't read a book or watch a movie without thinking: If I were writing that, how would I do it? I always approach any story with the idea that I would center it around a strong, gay protagonist who has a high level of integrity.
But my true inspiration comes when I combine two or more established ideas together to create a new spin, something not done before. For instance, during the time I was re-reading The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren, I was also watching a daily program the Tennis Channel had on how tennis coaches influence teen players on the professional tennis tour. The two topics came together in my head, and a flash went off. That flash eventually led to my writing Match Maker, the story of a gay tennis coach, guiding a straight teen on the pro tour.
I believe that this combining known things together is how we all come up with inspiration. There are no new ideas, only different combinations of old ideas.
How were you introduced to M/M fiction?
I was given a copy of The Front Runner back in the early 1980s. It changed my life, particularly how I saw myself as a gay man. It was a powerful experience for me. That was quickly followed by Mary Renault's The Persian Boy. It's hard for me to say which had the greater influence on me. I loved and hated them both. I say hated because they both ended tragically.
Since then, I've wanted uplifting stories about everyday gay and lesbian characters where they achieved their goals, find happiness, and win in the end. I wanted stories that inspire me, stories that would make me proud to be gay. And really, was an occasional happy ending too much to ask for?
But I rarely, if ever, found uplifting gay stories. So I decided to write my own, the kind of stories I wanted to read. I figured if that's what I wanted, chances were that there were others out there who were looking for the same thing.
What are five of your favorite books/series?
That is such an unfair question. I'll list some books by some of my favorite authors, but really, I love everything these authors write.
1. Close Range by Annie Proulx
2. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
3. Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway
4. The Lover by Marguerite Duras
5. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
Why did you decide to try to publish your stories?
For two reasons. First, because it is only by demanding that one publishes one's stories, that you push yourself to learn your craft well. That is, if nobody ever reads them, there is no incentive for a writer to write well. It is only from the knowledge that others will read and judge my work that inspires me, day in and day out, to improve, to learn my craft better. And believe me, there is nothing like harsh, public criticism, to make me want to be the best writer I can be.
Secondly, I like to think that other people, both gay and straight, will enjoy reading my stories. I freely admit that I have a rather small following, but judging from the emails and comments on FB and Twitter I've received, many readers have more than enjoyed my stories. My stories have shined a light on aspects of their lives to the point where they found inspiration from them. And what more could an author ask than that, except perhaps a few more zeros on the amount of my next royalty check. ;-)
Alan Chin enjoyed a twenty-year career working his way from computer programmer to Director of Software Engineering, but he lost interest in computer science when he began writing fiction. He walked away from corporate America in 1999 and never looked back. Since then he has traveled to over forty countries, scuba dived the Great Barrier Reef, tracked black rhino in the Serengeti, and dined in most of the capitals of Europe. Oh yes, and he's published three gay-themed novels and two screenplays.
You can visit Alan's web site and his writers blog. You can also e-mail Alan.
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Win an eBook copy of your choice of one of this author's works. Clues are available in author bios on our web site.
This author has lived in Spain, the Phillipines, and the Middle East, and has written five novels for us, including two BDSM titles.
E-mail the Newsletter Editor with your answer. A winner will be chosen randomly from the correct answers. Contest ends the last day of the month.
The correct answers to last month's question: This author lives in the second most isolated city in the world and has written one of our most popular contemporary sports novels. Sean Kennedy.
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"I've learned a lot in the last year, Joe."
Joe felt Duncan's words, rather than heard them. That was because there was a rushing noise in his ears as the blood pumped fiercely around his body. His loud panting didn't help, either. Or was that Duncan's panting he could hear? He hadn't been able to distinguish between the two of them ever since Duncan's head slid down his body and Duncan's breath surrounded his erection, and ever since Duncan's lips sucked slowly and greedily around his balls... Ah yes, and that would be why he felt Duncan's words so keenly.
Duncan sucked more enthusiastically, at the same time as swiping his tongue around the base of Joe's cock. "Did you hear me?"
Joe replied as best he could, his back arching and his skin shivering with the pleasure. "Hn." It wasn't the most coherent speech he'd ever made, but hell. He was in bed. Naked. Making love with Duncan. Who the hell could manage public speaking as well?
Duncan sighed. It stirred the nest of pubic hairs at Joe's groin. "You want to hear exactly what I've learned?"
Joe thought that was possibly the very last thing on his current list of Things To Orgasm To, but Duncan did so love to talk. To share. "Yes. Please."
Duncan shifted, but he kept up his tongue bathing. He slipped a hand under Joe's balls and stroked gently at the soft skin behind.
Joe yelped; his head swam. "That's one of the things, isn't it? Don't bother with telling me about that one. Just... do it again."
Duncan chuckled, and obliged. "Not just the sex stuff. Though I confess I was startled to find out just how much of a slut you are."
"No way!" Joe gave another yelp, of protest this time, his face hot with embarrassment. Then Duncan slipped a fingertip further back and brushed at the entrance to his ass. "Yes way," Joe amended. I am a slut, I am. "Now. Please. More." He wasn't entirely in control of the words that spilled out, nor the way his thighs tensed, lifting him off the mattress.
"Uh-huh." Duncan nodded and laughed again, his loose hair brushing over Joe's bare belly. "But I meant what else I learned about you. About me. Us."
"You couldn't talk about this over dinner?" Joe was groaning now. Duncan's tongue lapped back along his inner thighs and his lubed finger slipped to the first digit inside Joe's ass. "A time and a place, you know."
Duncan wriggled and sat up beside him. He was just as naked, his skin shining with the soft sheen of sweat. He kept his hand at Joe's ass, but now he was looking down at him. His other hand drifted to Joe's face, stroking along Joe's jaw. "Like... how every time and every place, I want to be with you. How it's only really good if I am with you. Or know you're on your way to join me. Or thinking of me. Or waiting for me when I come home, stripped naked and lying on our bed with your wrists strapped to the headboard and a leather harness on your..."
"That was just the once," Joe interrupted, quickly. The heat had spread from his face over all his skin. When can we do it again?
Duncan smiled. "I know. I just wanted to tell you...something." His eyes looked large and mellow. Maybe a little moist.
What the hell? Joe knew he hadn't been listening carefully enough. Obviously, Duncan was worrying about something; Duncan was distressed; Duncan was unhappy with their relationship and would likely pack his bags and leave him one day, because Joe wouldn't—couldn't—understand him properly...
"Stop that," said Duncan, quite sharply considering he was also concentrating on fingering Joe's ass. "Joe, this is not bad news, you hear? I know that look, it's your panicking one. Your 'Duncan is a mystery to me and one day he'll grow tired of me' look. It's not going to happen. You're the best. The best for me."
Joe tried to recapture the coherency thing, but it was elusive. Duncan had just brushed that delicious little spot, and if he could just crook his finger one more millimeter to the left... "I'm not. Not really. You deserve..." What could he say? How could he say it? "Someone who can talk to you. I can't do it as well as you can. Say what I feel."
Duncan dipped his head and his lips brushed at Joe's ear. "Idiot," he whispered. "That's what I've learned. That's what you do."
"Huh?" Joe managed to lift an arm and slide it around Duncan's waist. If he tugged carefully, he could pull his lover down on top of him and then... well, they'd work the logistics out when they came to it.
"You talk to me in all sorts of ways. And tell me how you feel." Duncan kissed gently at his neck, his free hand sliding down Joe's chest, flipping his nipple as it went. "It's been a year of finding out about you, of getting used to each other. Moving in; living daily life. But you've never doubted it, have you? Never questioned it was what you wanted. Never bullied me, denied me or disrespected me."
"Of course not." Joe was puzzled. Close to climax, sure, but with enough sanity left to be bemused, too.
Duncan sighed, but it was a happy sound. "You look out for me; you put me first; you share decisions with me; you listen to me. You don't realize it, do you? Don't realize what you give me. What I need."
Joe sighed. The crisis seemed to have passed. Well, it was probably never there at all. Duncan's voice was soft and rich, it was never a problem to listen to him. He was wise in all the ways Joe wasn't; outspoken in all the ways Joe never could be. That went without saying, didn't it?
"Your eyes change when you look at me; your hands reach out for me when I pass." Duncan's hand ran over Joe's belly, his fingers curling slowly around the thick cock. "You want me. You enjoy me. Everything you do speaks to me. Everything you are." He chuckled again and his words became muffled as he slid his lips back over Joe's cock. "Especially the lying on the bed with the strapped wrists and the harness thing."
Joe moaned in protest again, but it was in rhythm with Duncan's mouth and fingers. He reckoned he was doing the slut thing again, too. His climax was coiling slowly, burning in the base of his groin, throbbing inexorably toward the end of his cock and the leaking pre-come that glistened there...
With a sudden yell, he came. He arched up, his heels digging into their much-maligned mattress. Come started to spurt into Duncan's hungry mouth, hot and thick, evidence of his ecstasy and relief. Threading his fingers through Duncan's hair, he held on tight, shuddering with each spasm. He groaned. Muttered some nonsense. Moaned softly as he started to come down from the impossibly delicious high.
"And of course," said Duncan, his voice muffled through his laughter, "especially that kind of conversation!"
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To the Max
By Julie Lynn Hayes
"..an interesting read that unfolded in an unusual way"
Cassie at Joyfully Reviewed
Vamp Camp
by Wynn Wagner
"Vamp Camp was an excellent read that kept my attention until the very last page."
Literary Nymphs Reviews
Lily White Rose Red
By Catt Ford
"Catt Ford weaves together murder, mobsters, secrets, and lust to deliver a detective novel unlike I've ever read. Lily White Rose Red reminds me of the noir detective films of the 1940s (the era in which the story is set), albeit with a few delicious twists that wouldn't have made it to the silver screen back then. I fell in love with Lily White Rose Red's snappy dialogue, it's smart, hard-boiled detective, and a certain suspect said private dick just can't resist. Lily White Rose Red is a fast-paced, energetic story, one that kept me reading into the late hours of the night. Grey's humor is infections and I can't express enough how much the banter in the book charmed me. Like all good detective stories, everyone is more than they seem on the surface, and it was a delight to peel back the layers not just of Grey, but everyone else in the novel."
Shayna at Joyfully Reviewed
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Warriors and Healers by H.J. Brues
When Dr. Daniel Ugarte arrives from Spain to work on the Apache reservation, he meets Jeff Redbear, a Native American social worker, and Sean McCallum, the local sheriff. The men come from three different worlds, and they have little to no common ground until an immediate, unexpected attraction sparks between them.
Facing the growing desire is just the beginning of the obstacles they will face: Daniel's past makes him blind to Jeff and Sean’s feelings for him and terrified of standing in the way of their love for each other; Sean has to fight his present worry of not being strong enough to protect the men he loves; and Jeff’s pride and fear of future rejection make him push Sean and Daniel away before they get too close to his heart.
But the strength of the love that blooms between them is the worst of their fears, because it will take as much courage to run from it and go on living empty, meaningless lives as it will to fight for the happiness they might never reach together.
Ariel's thoughts: I picked this up because I love anything to do with Native Americans and always have. What I found was a delightful tale of the clash of three cultures: Native American, mainstream American, and European. As Daniel, Jeff, and Sean learn to work together, live together and love together, they reveal the best and worst of themselves and their worlds.
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NEWS |
The following books will have signed copies available to the first 20 customers:
Butterfly's Child by Alan Chin
Fish & Chips by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux
Trusted Bond by Mary Calmes
Relationships 201 by Alix Bekins
Infected: Bloodlines by Andrea Speed
The Matelot by Ariel Tachna
The following authors will host Meet the Author events at Dreamspinner Press's Facebook Fan page this month. All Meet the Author events are from 1 to 6 pm EST unless otherwise noted:
Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux - December 4
Alix Bekins - December 18
Scotty Cade will be signing his new book, Final Encore at the following dates and locations:
Now Voyager Bookstore in Provincetown, MA, on Dec 4, 2010 at 1:00 PM
Farefaction Theatre Company in Atlanta, GA, on Dec 10 at 6:30 PM
Outwrite Bookstore and Coffee House in Atlanta, GA, on Dec 11 at 2:00 PM
Join Ariel Tachna, Nicki Bennett, Julie Lynn Hayes, Trina Lane, Lori Toland, Jonathan Treadway, and Scotty Cade at Bishie Con in St. Louis, MO, Dec 17-19.
CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS
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In order to give all our potential authors the best service and attention, Dreamspinner Press no longer accepts simultaneous submissions.
See the Open Calls for Submissions page for further details.
Limited Calls for 2011
Riding Double
Edited by Anne Regan
The romantic allure of the cowboy is unparalleled. These sweaty, dusty icons of the West, past and present, still melt hearts and speed pulses, whether the man's wearing a ten-gallon hat, chaps and spurs, or nothing at all. We want to read about how love softens the most hardened country rider and how passion fires the most stoic ramrod's blood. Give us romance with a Western flair, because in this anthology, these men will be riding double into the sunset.
Submission Deadline: Dec. 31, 2010
Publication Date: February 2011
Single-book anthology story length: 3,500 - 12,000 words
Manuscripts shorter or longer will be considered but will have to be extraordinary.
Follow general Submission Guidelines for instructions and formatting.
Send all submissions to submissions@dreamspinnerpress.com. List the anthology title in the subject line of your e-mail. Ex: Riding Double anthology submission
Uniform Appeal
Everyone loves a man in uniform. From the Armed Forces to civil service, it's often a matter of logistics to balance work and love in life, and these men are specialists, up to the task of finding romance amidst crime, fire, and military service.
Submission Deadline: Feb. 14, 2011
First Time for Everything
2011 Daily Dose
From true love's first innocent kiss to finally getting down and dirty on the kitchen floor, there's a first time for every sort of cherry to be popped. Whether discovering the ravenous thrill of sex or the heartwarming power of romance, these men are going to take the plunge and try something new—something romantic or kinky, daring or safe, passionate or relaxed, even comforting or scary—all in the name of love.
Submission Deadline: March 11, 2011
Cross Bones
Ahoy, me proud beauty, shiver me timbers! I ask ye to sail me jollyboat on the high seas, lubber, but will ye dare to accept? On offer be a pirate's life full of danger and risk, and not just to yer neck, but to yer very virgin heart! There's many a bodice to be ripped—or perhaps I should say many a codpiece to be snapped—and should ye be graced enough to cross bones with a corsair, don't be an addlepate! Heave ho, lad, handsomely, and show him how ye bury yer treasure!
Pirates didn't only sail the high seas in historical times. Modern-day renegades and futuristic rebels are just as ripe for adventure and plunder. No matter the time, place, or circumstances, bad boys steal affection as often as they salvage treasure, and in these stories of romance, a rogue's black heart always conceals a center of gold.
Submission Deadline: May 23, 2011
Higher Learning
Enter the hallowed halls of higher learning, where there's a lot more to life, sex, and love than what these men can get out of a book. They'll give English a slip of the tongue, practice their Interpersonal Communication skills, and learn about the birds and the bees in Biology. Join them as they see why flexibility is important in Phys Ed, figure the odds of finding the perfect mate in Statistics, flirt and woo each other with poetry in Literature, and discover why Chemistry is a double entendre.
Submission Deadline: Aug. 15, 2011
I'll Be Home for Christmas
2011 Advent Calendar
It's the most fervent dream of the holidays: to have a life full of blooming romance and enduring devotion with love, joy, and even a touch of lust to warm the cold winter nights. No matter what holidays are celebrated, the idiom holds true: home is where the heart is.
Submission Deadline: Sept. 12, 2011
Two Tickets to Paradise
A vacation is exactly what these men need to find love in their lives. It may be about looking for a little fun, gaining a fresh perspective after a breakup, or building up the nerve to take the plunge. Whether they travel by plane, train, or automobile, none of them want to go it alone. They're hoping romance will be the ticket to finding paradise in another man's arms.
Submission Deadline: Dec. 30, 2011
Continuous Call
Dreamspinner Press is accepting submissions for our in-house genre Timeless Dreams, romantic M/M historical fiction with happy endings. While reaction to same-sex relationships throughout time and across cultures has not always been positive, these stories celebrate M/M love in a manner that may address, minimize, or ignore historical stigma. You can visit the rough and tumble Old West, travel the ancient kingdoms of desert sheikhs, see the black and red lacquer of the Far East, or dance in dramatic Regency England. No matter where or when, in the romantic worlds of Timeless Dreams, our heroes always live happily ever after.
Manuscripts of any story length may be submitted. You must follow general submission guidelines for short stories for proper consideration. Please list "Timeless Dreams" in the subject line of your submission.
Dreamspinner Press is accepting submissions for our in-house genre, Bittersweet Dreams, stories of M/M romance with nontraditional endings. It's an unfortunate truth: love doesn't always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.
Manuscripts of any story length may be submitted. You must follow general submission guidelines for short stories for proper consideration. Please list "Bittersweet Dreams" in the subject line of your submission.
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DREAMSPINNER PRESS |
Launched in May 2007, Dreamspinner Press offers quiet romance, supernatural passion, out-of-this-world lovers, kinky explorations, and heated dreams—a little taste to whet your appetite for romantic homoerotica. We hope you take a little time to be enchanted, romanced, and loved by enjoying the publications of Dreamspinner Press.
We appreciate your patronage! If you have feedback, please e-mail to contact@dreamspinnerpress.com or mail to Dreamspinner Press, 4760 Preston Road, Suite 244-149, Frisco, TX 75034, USA. Thank you!
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