Mick Dementiuk's review of BEND IN THE ROAD

I am so pleased to share a review by Mykola Dementiuk, author of Times Queer, Vienna Dolorosa and other works, of BEND IN THE ROAD. Here's some of what Mick says:

While reading Jeanne Barrack’s Bend in the Road I couldn’t help but be reminded of that Yiddish story teller Isaac Bashevis Singer, whose Yiddish tales of the pre-Holocaust Europe earned him the Noble Prize. One story especially comes to mind, "Yentl the Yeshiva Boy," in which the girl Yentl, wanting to learn the teachings of the rabbis, disguises herself as a young man and befriends the other young men in pursuing this course of study. Though the latent homosexual traits are obvious to any reader, Singer shies away from exploring the relationship any further…

Not so Jeanne Barrack in her two-part novella, Bend in the Road. In Part One In the Lion’s Den, she explores a relationship between an older male, Aryeh, and Dani, a very young man.

In the other novella, Part Two, From Stage to Stage, Yuval and Tsvi are as different from each other as night and day or Christian and Jew. Yuval runs the music of the theater troupe while Tsvi is a lowly disfigured gardener in a home Yuval is visiting. Yuval convinces Tsvi to sing in the company, at least part time, as they prepare for a recital.

Each man feels he in unworthy of sexual pleasure or true physical love; in this they stand utterly alone, tormented by their sexuality, by their aloneness. No wonder there’s a feeling of lost about them, which will persist until they let another into their lives.

These two stories are exquisite, rewarding novellas...I would highly recommend these two novellas. You’ll definitely learn something from this book about a long-lived culture that now seems so short-lived before anti-Semitism reared its ugly head once again …but until then at least it was gloriously lived!

Jeanne Barrack has shown us what indeed was a fascinating way of life and that underneath all the poverty and hatred was a powerful resilience, a force of love pushing its way upwards not to the sky but directly straight to God…

Thank you, Mick. From one New Yorker to another...
Mick's website: http://www.mykoladementiuk.com

Guest Blogger - Maura Anderson

Today our guest blogger from MLR Press is Maura Anderson, putting on her editor's hat to share some points about world building in one of her favorite genres: Science Fiction and Fantasy
Hi everyone! I'm thrilled to be guest blogging on The Sweet Flag. My name is Maura Anderson and I'm both an author and an editor and work in many different romance and fiction genres.

Today I wanted to give you all some insight into what I look for and at when I edit science fiction and fantasy, specifically m/m science fiction and fantasy. After a bit of thought, I figured I'd set out my list of the top seven things NOT to do instead of telling you what to do. Because science fiction and fantasy have such a huge arena to play in, the To Do list might be really huge!

Do NOT skimp on world building.

If you don't know your world well and have rules set out for how it works, it's far too easy to either cheat the reader on the richness they would expect from a fully developed world or create problems you later need to resolve or apologize for. Even if 90% of the details of your world and its history never made it into a book, you won't go wrong by knowing that information yourself.

Do NOT limit yourself to the societal rules and values of today.

If you are building a world for your science fiction or fantasy story, don't feel you have to take today's societal rules as the rules for your world. If gay relationships are the norm in your world, treat them as so. If gay relationships are forbidden, treat them as such too. Maybe things that are crimes to humans now are sanctioned in your world. You can add richness and interest by changing societal rules and values.

Do NOT lose consistency.

The rules of your world need to be consistent and kept so if the reader is to understand and believe them. If you are inconsistent, your readers will question every rule and it will pull them out of the story.

Do NOT use modern slang without good reason

Nothing pulls me out of a science fiction or fantasy story faster than hearing a modern slang phrase tossed in when it clearly does not fit in the world. If a society has no concept of the Judeo-Christian theory of Hell and someone says "go to Hell", I'm going to be pulled out of the story and the world.

Do NOT forget logic

When you build a world, it should be internally logical. That means that if red is the color of the Gods, you wouldn't later refer to a mark of adultery as a scarlet letter. If the reader can't follow the logic of the world, they will start to only see chaos and stop trying to follow it. Or complain about it.

Do NOT skimp on description

This is especially true in science fiction and fantasy where the author can't take advantage of the fact most people are familiar with the current world and can merely emphasize differences. A richness of description and setting up the world will draw the reader in and make them love stepping away from their real life.

Do NOT substitute a rich world for rich characters

With as much emphasis as there is on world building in science fiction and fantasy, don't ever forget your characters. You still have to have characters the reader will fall in love with and care about in order for them to stay interested in the story. Even the best world ever can be tossed aside if the characters aren't strong.

That's my current list of "do NOT" items. I hope it gives you some things to think about when writing or reading your next science fiction or fantasy story!

If you'd like to see some of my work, feel free to visit my website at http:\\http://www.realmsoftheraven.com/.

MLR Press opens online Bookstore

MLR Press has opened the first phase of their online bookstore starting with ebooks sales. Once they have an inventory and a shipping plan in place, print books will be added to the store.
They're just up and running so if you have any problems, please let them know. As Jay Hartman of Untreed Reads says: "For those who like to see publishers and authors get the full sale of titles instead of a middleman (Untreed Reads raises its hand), this is really terrific news".
The direct link to purchase Bend in the Road is here
The link to the store is:
http://www.mlrbooks.com/books.php

Guest Blogger - Jason Edding

Today's guest is MLR Press author, Jason Edding

First, congratulations on the release of Dark Robe Edges: Dark Robe Society 2 inThe Edge of Desperation your second dual anthology, this time with the prolific James Buchanan.

Hello and thank you Jeanne! I think, but I'm not sure yet, the second book caused more dancing on the ceiling for me, than the first. And being teamed up with James Buchanan, just wow. I was stunned with excitement from the moment I heard.
Did you and James collaborate on your stories? If not, was there a common theme? -

No, James and I didn't. The common theme was being on the edge... In my story, for instance, each chapter has my heroes on the edge of something.

Did you find writing this second story easier or more difficult than the first?

Oh boy, easier. I swear I had it written in my head for the most part within a month of book one's release. I just had to 'write' it down then and smooth it out.

The cover is totally wild. Did you have any input in it?

MLR Press is authorcentric! I love them. Yes, I had some input. I really wanted some blue in the cover and I wanted a spaceship of some sort. When I saw the one on the cover I just fell in love with it immediately. That ship is entirely what I had imagined. I couldn't have asked for a more awesome cover.
Do you envision any more stories in this world?

Yes, should I just be blunt and say eight more? Maybe twenty? No, kidding, possibly. It's a huge world in my head, so I can just dream and wait and see what the future holds for the Dark Robe Society.

What's next for you?

I'm currently working on two contemporary stories, which I'm very excited about. These two are on the front burner for me, so more DRS stories are shifted and at rest for a while. One, and probably the most exciting for me, I'm working on, is an anthology with William Maltese and Ethan Day. The book will be titled Melting the Slopes, but I've still not thought of a title for my story yet. Soon... The theme for each of the three stories is hot alcoholic drinks and skiing. It's so much fun already. I'm very excited!

What one thing would you like to share with your fans?

I hope they enjoy my stories. I really want the readers to imagine the world and get pulled into it. But that's just off the top of my head.

Thanks for visiting here again, Jason. You've really become an old hand at blogging now! :~D

The Edge of Desperation
Blurb
Over what can love and lust win? Can they win over betrayal? Espionage? Instability? Overthrowing a monarchy? James Buchanan and Jason Edding bring us two stories spanning the universe. Jason continues the Dark Robe Society's story; Jack and Edge return and bring each other and us to the edge again while Toren and Tees share more than a common goal. James introduces us to Alad and Hirah, both out searching for something when they meet, are they the end of searching for each other? All the heroes are on an edge, but is it The Edge of Desperation?
Excerpt
Toren didn’t hesitate, but agilely straddled Tees’ legs and positioned his ass over the obvious mound. He leaned forward, moving his ass over the hardness beneath, until the length of the hidden cock was ensconced between his cheeks. Then he kissed the waiting lips, sliding his tongue in as far as it would reach. Only then did he become aware of it. That swimming sensation in his head. A friend had told him about his own experience years ago. When he had first fallen in love. Toren had his eyes closed, but it was as if flashes of lightning were popping like miniature explosions within his closed lids. He pressed his lips firmly against his lover’s, and couldn’t help but moan.
Tees opened his mouth just long enough to accept the warmth, then closed his lips around it with a soft, passionate moan. He reached down, unzipped his trousers, and released his cock as Toren’s tongue explored him. He reached down and playfully pulled down on Toren’s sagging ball sac, and then the heat of his young ass cheeks embraced his cock fully.

Dark Robe Edges: Dark Robe Society 2 in THE EDGE OF DESPERATION

By Jason Edding and James Buchanan.

Dark Robe Heart: Dark Robe Society 1 in SPACE ESCAPES

By Jason Edding and Angela Fiddler

Available now from MLR Press.

http://www.mlrpress.com/books.php

My website - http://jasonedding.books.officelive.com/default.aspx

My Live Journal page - http://jasonedding.livejournal.com/

My Yahoo Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JasonEddingGayErotica/

A Review to Treasure for Bend in the Road

Reader reviews are like precious gems to be treasured. When the reader is also a fellow author, the review is doubly treasured. Author, Z. A. Maxfield's response to Bend in the Road was sent to me through several e-mails and she's graciously given her permission to share it. Thank you, LL, for your very kind words.

I'm reading Bend in the Road and I'm only on page 35 and I LOVE these guys! I'm right where Aryeh and Dani meet and they're uncomfortable...historicals scare me like crazy but you handle it beautifully. So lyrical and lovely.

(after finishing the first story she sent this note) Oh, my what a beautiful story Aryeh and Dani have. I just loved how sweet they were. The conflict was real and scary and it was the sweetness between them that just made everything seem so right. So few m/m writers will write a character that wants to be feminine or dress in women's clothes and yet it's so perfect, how he longs for the soft things, the feminine pretty things so he can feel beautiful with his lover. Dani really touched me and made me feel all maternal. I enjoyed it very much and now I get to embark on Yuval's story.

(after finishing the book she wrote) I wanted you to know that I finished Bend in the Road. I think Yuval's story is my favorite, because I like the musical aspect of it so much! But maybe Dani was my favorite character. Wow, what a lovely set of stories; I just didn't want it to end. I LOVED these people and would very much like to follow them to America, maybe a sequel is in the offing??? *has hopeful puppy eyes*
I think people who like to read a well researched historical will love this book. Intelligent, thoughtful people will come away from the book feeling uplifted and delighted... and maybe a little educated. It's always been my desire (and I can tell it's yours as well) to put out quality work and let the chips fall where they may.
The more books like yours, the more intelligent and well plotted and the more characters are defined and real in romantic m/m, the more legitimate and delightful the books will be. I maintain romance genre books can be great books and still be erotic and romantic as hell, and romance genre readers who say they will only read het will flock like seagulls over the picnic tables at MacDonald's to read them whatever sexual identity the main character couple is. Brava, Jeanne!
Thanks so much for a great read.
LL
Z.A. Maxfield
http://zamaxfield.com/

And thank you again for falling in love with my guys!

Guest Blogger - Ethan Day

First, I must give credit where credit is due, to the list of interview questions for Ethan. All but one was swiped from MLR Press's Authors Blog. Ethan is such a fun guy and these questions are so much fun, I felt they were a perfect mix. So, thanks go to Alex Beecroft for posting them on our MLR Blog and I hope you'll enjoy sharing in Ethan's exuberance!

Ethan is a fellow Loose Id author and has had his first book, Self Preservation, published this year. His next book, Dreaming of You, comes out this May. It's also, as Ethan says, "a romance that’s bent with my style of humor."
So, here's.....Ethan!

How does your hair look currently?
In desperate need of a cut! My hair has gotten way too long and completely outta control.
What’s new in your life right now?
This whole authory thing is really new and thus far been a lot of fun. I love to write and I’m just super psyched and grateful anyone wants to read it.
How many colors are you wearing now?
All the colors of the rainbow! : )
Who was your first major crush and what was the fantasy date/scene you wanted to be with him?
Well let’s see…there was the boyhood crushes, Sean Cassidy & Parker Stevenson from the Hardy Boys series, Kristy McNichol (my first lesbian crush, LOL) & Christopher Atkins…can’t forget him and all his Blue Lagoon glory. I also had a major crush on Mark Hamilton from Star Wars. It would be a few years later before I matured to appreciating the bad boy Han Solo/Harrison Ford types. Early on I was crushing on the ‘good’ guys.
I’d have to say my first big time major crush was Rick Springfield. He was dreamy!! Ahhh, Rick. I desperately wanted Rick to get over Jessie’s Girl and just admit to himself that I was the only one for him. That movie he made, Hard to Hold, I rewound and watched the part where he ran naked over and over and over…there was definitely a worn out section in that VHS tape, LOL.
Are you an introvert or extrovert?
I’m a little of both, I think. When it comes to my love life I’m all shy and stuff. I seem much more laid back and very passive. The average passerby would never suspect the inner ravings going on in my mind. I hide my crazy really well. There are only a few close friends who have seen my crazy. Because of this, they will always be my friends. They know too much for me to allow them back into society completely unsupervised.
Get a few cocktails (or a lot of caffeine) in me and I can become very extroverted. I’m never gonna be a ‘dancing on the bar & swinging from the chandelier’ type though. Been there & done that. The things we do in our twenties, LOL! I’d say for the most part I’m pretty laid back, but I’m not really the type to hide back in a corner either.
What was the last book you read?
I read The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks a week or so ago. I loved it…thought it was great, but I found myself missing Adrien English. I kept hoping he’d stick his nose in at some point and help solve the mystery with his sarcastic wit. I really love that character. Maybe I can whine at Josh until he either writes another book or at the very least has Adrien e-mail me once or twice a month, LOL.
Who is your favorite super hero?
I actually did read a lot of comics back in the day. I’d have to say that Spiderman/Peter Parker was always my favorite super hero. He was really the first superhero that felt real to me. Superman was hot and all…so big and beefy. Oh…the Christopher Reeves of it all. Peter Parker felt like me, though…the kid next door nobody paid much attention to.
I also really loved X-Men and the Avengers. I always knew I was different as a kid. I didn’t necessarily understand how I was different, but I knew I was. Subconsciously, I think I was connecting to these stories and characters on a lot of different levels. Having to hide who you really are being the most obvious, but I think X-Men and Avengers also gave me my first glimpse at the ‘created family’. These people who had bonded together because of their differences? They lived and worked together for a common goal. It made me realize that while you may not be able to choose your relatives, you most definitely could choose your family.
Is there anything that has made you happy these days?
Being an author! Writing a book and having people actually read it. I can’t think of anything that could make me happier. I love, love, love-love doing it. It can be frustrating at times…make me want to pull all my hair out, but writing is truly my first love. To have an outlet for my over-active imagination, the bustling fantasy life, and day-dream believer inner world I reside in half the time. It really is better than sex. Or maybe it’s just that the sex going on in my mind is better than the real thing?
How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
I’m so not going here with you, LOL. There’s only one way anyone’s gonna find out the answer to this question…which of course will now be prefaced with the signing of a non-disclosure/confidentiality agreement.
What was the last story you wrote?
I’ve got four works in progress going at the moment. I have two that are nearing completion, a third Contemporary Rom/Com and a Paranormal/Historical which has turned into a bit longer book than I’d originally planned. These will definitely be out this year…assuming anyone will want to publish them, of course. I’m working on the second book in the Preservation series, though it’s not as far along. And I’m in the plotting/planning & character development for another Contemporary novel as well. I’ll be jumping into these two once I tie up the first two.
What’s the last thing you laughed about?
I like laughs. I laugh all the time…its part of the reason I write romantic comedies. It’s like having my own little party which I eventually get to share with everyone else. I don’t like to delve into the dark and dreary very often. I go there every now and again, but I like to feel good.
I like to know I’ve made other people feel good as well. Readers who’ve contacted me to let me know how much fun they had or how funny they thought Self Preservation was? I love that. Don’t get me wrong…I’m selfish enough to be happy making myself laugh, but I can’t even begin to describe the way it feels to hear that something I wrote lightened someone else’s day.
What’s the last song that got stuck in your head?
I listen to a lot of dance/club music or sugary pop music which tends to help keep me in a peppy mood. I don’t know why, but having the ‘thumpa-thumpa’ going on in the background keeps me giddy, which is generally a good mood to be in when you’re trying to write fun, frothy romance. Some say the ‘thumpa-thumpa’ is the gay mans mating call…if that’s true I must be horny all the time as well. Horny and giddy…this is totally going to have people thinking I walk around my house laughing while touching myself, LOL. I promise that isn’t the case.
Anyway…in answer to your actual question, I don’t usually get stuck on one song since I have a constant stream of music going in the background.
What’s the last movie you saw?
Quantum of Solace. Daniel Craig…now there’s a man I’d be tempted to do time for. I say tempted because honestly those orange prison jumpsuits…so not my color.
I didn’t love Quantum as much as Casino Royale, but to be perfectly honest that probably had more to do with the fact that Daniel Craig wasn’t naked in the second one. : ) Daniel Craig should just stay naked…I know, he’s a really great actor and all…but a boy can dream.
Do you buy or download the movies you watch?
I’m a Netflix baby. I used to buy movies, but with Netflix I can get practically anything I want within a day or two, plus you can watch from your computer.

Ethan is a delightful guy. And, if you can imagine it, he has still more to share! Surf on over to his Addiction to Fiction Blog and his website to learn about his contests, read excerpts, check out more info on his books and his wips.
And, please, leave a comment here on The Sweet Flag so Ethan will know for sure that "you like him. You really like him!" ;~D

Guest Blogger - Alan Chin

The Sweet Flag welcomes Alan Chin, author of Island Song to share some tidbits of his life and writing with us.
Thank you so much for being here today, Alan. Here is the blurb for Island Song from your website:
"According to the tenets of Buddhism, life is suffering, and suffering arises inexorably from desire. In my meditative novel, Island Song, the interplay between craving and pain creates the thematic backbone of this story in one man's journey from desire, to anguish, to a metamorphoses. Like most South-Sea romance stories, Island Song envelops all that is unique to Hawaii, the distinctive people, the fertile land, the mythical history. Yet it stands alone by the way it reveals a rare and dignified portrait of a gay couple struggling to satisfy love within an environment that rages against them."
Jeanne: When and where did your interest in Zen philosophy begin? What was it about Zen that called to you?
Alan: I became interested in Zen back in the ‘80s while living in San Francisco and hanging out with drug-happy people who were searching for spiritual meaning in their lives. I didn’t take it too seriously until the early ‘90s, when I gave up the drugs and began to study and practice Zen philosophy in earnest.
What attracts me to Zen is that it’s not about worshiping any kind of “God” or following a list of “thou shalt nots”. It’s about living a pain-free life. The Buddha didn’t profess to believe in a God, or even a spiritual world after death, and he didn’t consider himself a deity. The Buddha’s first law was that life is painful. The rest of his “laws” and his path is devoted to bringing a person to a place where they can live life without the pain that spawns from greed, envy, hatred and a host of other human emotions. It’s about being in balance with nature, with yourself, with the universe. And of all the different forms of Buddhism, Zen seems, to me anyway, to be the most straightforward approach.

Jeanne: In reading your website biography, you wrote that you wanted to incorporate poetry into your stories. I'm curious about this aspect of your writing. Could you elaborate a bit and perhaps share an instance of this? And, also along these lines, do you write poetry?
Alan: I’ve always admired poets, how they coin a world of meaning, imagery and beauty in a few simple lines. I try to do that with my prose, but it usually comes across as florid description, sometimes pretty good description, but I confess it falls short of being categorized as poetry. I wrote poetry a dozen years ago, but not since I started writing novels. Truth be told, I’m a pretty poor excuse for a poet (that’s not false modesty. If you read my poetry you would agree). I will spare you by not including any examples here.

Jeanne: I am envious of anyone who can travel freely. Of the places you've visited what place was the most exotic; the most fun; the one you've returned to the most often?
Alan: The most exotic was Bhutan, a rather small Himalayan country sandwiched between Tibet and Nepal. It is the last Kingdom where the Government is run by Buddhist priests. In an attempt to hold on to their traditions, they only let 2,500 visitors into the country per year. Each tourist pays $200 dollars per day just to be there above the cost of hotel and food. The country has one airport, and only two planes fly in and out of it. There were no paved roads until 1995. It is like stepping back in time a thousand years. It’s how I think Tibet was before being invaded, first by the Chinese and then by tourism. The landscape is spectacular mountains surrounding golden wheat fields in deep valleys. The people are simple, devout, and loving.
The most fun was going on safari in East Africa. Going out over the African landscape to study the million different animals in their habitat was thrilling. I’ve been so close to a male lion I could have reached up and grabbed his ear. And I got close enough to a Black Rhino that I did touch his horn. I was in a tree house when a giraffe walked up, stuck its foot-long tongue out at me, and then butted my head, knocking me down. I had no idea why he didn’t like me. Maybe he simply didn’t like writers?
The place I’ve returned to most often is Thailand. I love it there. In fact, I just got back from a four and a half month trip to SE Asia, and three of those months were spent in Thailand. I love the hill country in the north around Chang Mai and the Golden Triangle, the beaches on the islands in the south, and also the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. Thailand has everything: great spicy food, warm people, hot sunny beaches, and it’s dirt cheap. My husband and I can stay at a three star hotel for $25.00 per day and eat for less than $10.00 per day. You can’t beat that.

Jeanne: You mention that you're working on a "gays-in-professional-sports story about a gay coach and a straight teenager trying to make it on the straight dominated professional tennis tour." Can you share a bit more about this story? I think the character mix is exceptionally interesting.
Alan: The back story is two tennis professionals who were drummed out of the professional men’s tour because they were lovers and were outed. Years later they are both still lovers and living in San Francisco; one works as a tennis pro at a posh golf and tennis country club, the other is an alcoholic that give private tennis lessons to gay men. They’re both a bit miserable because they can no longer compete with the big boys. Then one of them is approached by a teenaged tennis prodigy and his overbearing, homophobic father. The teenager has a great game but is too mentally fragile to be able to make it on the men’s tour. But what will happen when an openly gay coach decides to buck the homophobic, straight-male dominated sport of professional tennis a second time to teach this boy how to compete? It will surprise you, and hopefully make you examine your own life, your goals, and what you’re willing to do to achieve those goals.

Jeanne: You've been with your partner for over twelve years -- longer than many "straight" relationships. When I interviewed Dorien Grey, one of his wishes was "that more writers...especially straight writers...[would] incorporate stable, monogamous gay relationships into their books." Do you think having such a stable relationship has enhanced your writing? And, for this hopeless romantic, could you share how the two of you met?
Alan: We’ve been together nearly sixteen wonderful years. Durning that time, Herman has been my foundation. I write, and he takes care of everything else in my life. I could not have finished even one novel without his support. Writing for me is hard, it takes all my energy. He takes care of all those little mundane hurdles that life keeps tossing at us, so that I have the time and space to devote myself to my writing. I often feel that both our names should appear on the covers of my books.
How we met? We had the same series at the San Francisco Opera, every Tuesday night. The first opera of the 1994 season I saw him from across the crowded room, and couldn’t breathe for a moment, to the point I became dizzy. He noticed me staring, hell everyone in the room noticed me staring… We didn’t speak that night, or the next week or the next. We just kept staring at each other. You see, he was always in the company of two other men and I assumed he was in a relationship with one of them. It was during the last opera of the ’94 season, the last intermission, our last chance to make contact, and I saw him marching across the room directly to me. I held my breath as he walked up, handed me his card and said, “If you’d like to have coffee sometime, give me a call.” I called the next day. We had dinner two nights later.

Jeanne: Last question. What one thing would your readers be surprised to know about you?
Alan: I’m a romantic softy. The day after gay marriage became legal in California, we marched down to the Civic Center and became the first male/male couple to be married in Marin County, California. I’m very proud of that. Not so much proud of being the first couple, but of being in the front ranks of that movement, and being able to make that social statement about our relationship. And I can tell you that even after living with Herman for over fifteen years, I got choked up while repeating the vows. It was a very emotional experience.
The other thing I’d like to share is that people can find out more about my writing at my website http://AlanChin.net and my writer’s blog http://AlanChinWriter.blogspot.com You can also read about Herman and my travels at http://HermanAndAlan.blogspot.com
Thank you for the opportunity to share with you and the people who visit your blog.
Thank you, Alan. I loved having you visit. Next time, please bring the photo album. :~D