Activist/Author Nathan James on Homosexuality & Writing @ AtBaP

For the month of DECEMBER, All the Blog's a Page (AtBaP) is looking at homosexuality and writing, and we have five wonderful writers who marry the subject into their writings in engaging, page-turning ways!

Last, but definitely not least, we spotlight Nathan James, activist and author of Check Ride, among other great reads.!








About the book: Gilbert Savage is a young, hot pilot for AirEast, a New York City charter airline. When his friend and fellow pilot, Mario Freeman offers him an orientation flight, or "check ride", in the company's big new party jet, Gil readily accepts.

A hair-raising near-miss with a light plane on landing brings hidden passions between Gil and Mario to the surface. As they go beyond the mile-high club, the errant light plane pilot schemes to get the young lovers fired. The son of the CEO, the Cessna pilot, has an evil agenda. Will the lovers weather the storm and take their budding relationship to new heights, or will they crash and burn?



For December, I got greedy and asked the panel THREE questions: How have your works been received by readers of all orientations....In the stories you have written and are planning to write, what ideas and themes do you see reoccurring that shed light on homosexuality....At the end of the day, if there was one thing you wanted your readers to remember in regards to homosexuality, what would that thing be?



In answering the question, How have your works been received by readers of all orientations, James replied, "I have been very well received by the LGBT community, and much to my surprise, I've been getting feedback from straight women, as well! I hadn't expected that, but I have since become aware that there is an interest in gay lit which extends beyond the gay/lesbian community. I have been privileged to participate in discussions and panels during which I've learned that the gay/lesbian genre is evolving into something that can stand on its own as a literary art form."



To read the rest of Nathan James' responses, head to All the Blog's a Page! And definitely check out our other guests this month: Monica Nolan, Lee Hayes, Eternity Philops, and J.M. Snyder!



ALL THE BLOG'S A PAGE (AtBaP) - Where everything relates to writing[http://alltheblogsapage.blogspot.com]

Branding, Editing, Writing, & ME at BlogTalkRadio Today!

Today, the radio show Tale It Like It Is [link] will have yet ANOTHER one-hour special on author branding/writing with me and author and TILII host Samara King.

Time: 4:30 CST

Place: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/samaraking

On tap for convo: discussion on using social networking sites to promote your writing and setting writing goals. If you have ANY questions about writing or editing, come and bring them with you! We're all about camaraderie and sharing of information.

If you can't make it, that's OK. I will post up the program on my LISTEN tab @ shonbacon.com!

What Inspires YOU to Write?

Come check me out at BLOGGING IN BLACK [LINK] today for my short reflection piece, WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?

Recently, I was interviewed by my publisher, Lady Leo Publishing, and in the interview, I was asked, “Who/what inspired you to write?” My response was three-fold - life inspires me to write; what I fear inspires me to write; what I don't know inspires me to write.

@ BiB today, I go into a bit of detail as I talk about each of these three inspirations.

To read my piece, head to Blogging in Black [http://www.blogginginblack.com] and LEAVE YOUR OWN THOUGHTS!

YA Author Coe Booth Talks to ChickLitGurrl

ChickLitGurrl Talks to young adult author Coe Booth about her latest novel, KENDRA!





INTERVIEW EXCERPT


CLG: Both KENDRA and your debut novel, TYRELL are young adult novels - what initiated your desire to write novels for teens [and for those who love a good read]?

CB: I’ve always wanted to write for teens. Even when I was writing my little pretend “novels” in elementary school, the main characters were always teenagers. The teen years have always held a special place for me. I guess it’s because there’s so much going on then, so many important decisions and so many heightened emotions. I find it very exciting to write about teens because they go through so many experiences, and often for the first time.



CLG: You're walking down the street and you feel like a million bucks - what song plays in the background?

CB: “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé. That song always makes me laugh!


CLG: Many people believe that good writers are also voracious readers. What are three of your favorite books, and why do they make the list?

CB: My favorite books are THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD by Zora Neale Hurston, THE SOUND AND THE FURY by William Faulkner, and OF MICE AND MEN by John Steinbeck. I love books with real characters and authentic dialogue, and in all three of these books the characters are unforgettable and the dialogue just jumps off the page. These books are REAL!



Check out the rest of Coe Booth's interview @ ChickLitGurrl: high on LATTES & WRITING!



ChickLitGurrl: high on LATTES & WRITINGChocolate-caramel lattes + Women writers = ONE GREAT TIME![chicklitgurrl.blogspot.com]


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Homosexuality & Writing: Lee Hayes, Editor of Flesh to Flesh

For the month of DECEMBER, All the Blog's a Page (AtBaP) is looking at homosexuality and writing, and we have five wonderful writers who marry the subject into their writings in engaging, page-turning ways!

Today, we spotlight author Lee Hayes, who has taken a turn as editor for the steamy, raw collection of gay erotica, Flesh to Flesh!









About the book: Erotic is defined as arousing, or designed to arouse, feelings of sexual desire. In his latest effort, Lee Hayes, the award-winning and highly-acclaimed author of Passion Marks and the thriller The Messiah, steps out of the box and adds to his writing credentials as editor of the highly anticipated erotic anthology Flesh to Flesh, released on the Simon and Schuster imprint, Strebor Books International. Taking a page from Strebor International’s founder and New York Times bestselling author Zane, Hayes, picks up the torch and provides an electrically charged and unapologetic look into the sexual lives of gay men—a world once considered taboo and forbidden.



For December, I got greedy and asked the panel THREE questions: How have your works been received by readers of all orientations....In the stories you have written and are planning to write, what ideas and themes do you see reoccurring that shed light on homosexuality....At the end of the day, if there was one thing you wanted your readers to remember in regards to homosexuality, what would that thing be?



In answering the question, "How have your works been received by readers of all orientations," Hayes began his reply by stating, "In general, my books have been received surprisingly well by people from all walks of life. One of the things that I try to do is try to create whole and fatally flawed characters, just like in real life. I don’t focus on sexuality as an aberration; my characters aren’t struggling with their sexual orientation, they know who they are and their homosexuality is just a part of their lives. So, when you create real people with real issues that folks can relate and connect to, then the reader usually gets caught up in the lives of the characters, not just their sexuality."



To read the rest of Lee Hayes' responses, head to All the Blog's a Page! And definitely check out our other guests this month: Eternity Philops and J.M. Snyder!



ALL THE BLOG'S A PAGE (AtBaP) - Where everything relates to writing[http://alltheblogsapage.blogspot.com]

Author Eternity Philops Talks about Homosexuality & Writing

For the month of DECEMBER, All the Blog's a Page (AtBaP) is looking at homosexuality and writing, and we have five wonderful writers who marry the subject into their writings in engaging, page-turning ways!

Last week, we premiered the topic with author J.M. Snyder; this week, we have the lovely, talented Eternity Philops, author of Visions of a Cryptic Mystery: Volume One!



About the book: VISIONS OF A CRYPTIC MYSTERY: VOLUME ONE is Eternity Philops' first accomplished collection. A debut of her unique writing style and talent, VISIONS showcases a diverse compendium of poetry and short stories born to Philops' over an extensive period of time.

Divided into concentrated segments, Philops' literary assemblage encompasses works expressing love, life, and loss. Each piece is a real world reflection of the Black lesbian experience: feel the intense sensations of a woman's divergent physical attraction; look on as two lifelong friends reflect on the path not taken. Submerge yourself in the poetic prose of unconditional love, unfortunate loss, and all that's inbetween.

VISIONS VOL. ONE will take readers on a journey that delves into their own emotions and passions. From the sexual to the spiritual, Philops' creative imagery and metaphoric verse brings to life one's own imaginative and emotional senses.


For December, I got greedy and asked the panel THREE questions: How have your works been received by readers of all orientations......In the stories you have written and are planning to write, what ideas and themes do you see reoccurring that shed light on homosexuality......At the end of the day, if there was one thing you wanted your readers to remember in regards to homosexuality, what would that thing be?

In answering the question, "How have your works been received by readers of all orientations," Philops replied, "The response to my book has been overwhelmingly positive, from readers and reviewers, straight and gay. Though I dedicated it to Black lesbians, the raw emotion behind the poetry and short stories is familiar to anyone. I also like to think that my unique writing talent attracts readers. I try to be different, to stand out among other writers with my style.

"Even in cases of disagreement on the issue of homosexuality itself I have still had a positive experience. There was an instance where I submitted myself and my work for review. The reviewer was unfamiliar with the content or my orientation, and upon finding out, he actually considered passing over me because I am gay. In the end he decided that exposing writers was far more important than his personal views, which I of course agreed with completely. The experience was an encouraging one in that this person did not let his personal prejudices cloud his opinion of me as an author. Too often it happens the other way around."


To read the rest of Eternity Philops' responses and to take a peek into her book, head to All the Blog's a Page!


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