Five Stars for Bend in the Road

Doing the happy dance because Bend in the Road received FIVE STARS from Bookwenches reviews!
Here's a snippet (or two ;~D) from Bobby's review:
"The setting and the characters feel as real and as colorful as they would be if they were standing right before us. Ms. Barrack has developed an entire host of personable characters in this novel that will both entertain and intrigue her readers. Not only do we grow to care about the four main heroes in these stories, but we get to know almost the entire theatre troupe. From Onkle Moyshe and Tante Rivkeh all the way to Yuval’s simple sister Ruteleh and the matchmaking Malkah, these are people who will steal your affection and grab your attention as they work, play and squabble together.
"Ms. Barrack has a polished writing style that draws the reader right into the heart of the story. As I read Bend in the Road, I felt completely immersed in the world of these characters. I was so captivated that I barely took a break as I read and definitely did not want to see the end. When I was finished, not only had I been royally entertained, but I also felt like I’d learned something. And that alone would make this novel more than worth the read. Excellent job, Ms. Barrack. Thank you for sharing these stories with us."

Here's a link to the full review
Thank you, Bobby!

I'm in the Spotlight at Jessewave

I'm in the spotlight today at Reviews by Jessewave. The Link is HERE
Hope you'll drop by and leave a comment!

5 Star Review for The Sweet Flag from Jessewave

I am so thrilled to share the five star review that Jessewave gave to The Sweet Flag
The review said in part, "Jeanne Barrack weaves a wonderfully complex tale in The Sweet Flag with terrific characters that move from the past to the present without any loss of continuity. The emotion and romance in this unusual story of a love that survived centuries really captured my imagination..."

Here is the link for the entire review:
http://reviewsbyjessewave.blogspot.com/2009/07/sweet-flag.html

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/