Some Things You May Want To Know

OKay-- we'll get to Modesto, but I'm gonna start w/book news. Those in it for the knitting and family, feel free to skim.

* Let's start with Alpha.

Warning: This book is really fucking dark.

I'm not a big fan of warnings--you see them all the time in my genre, a result of it's roots in fanfiction. For those who have never written or read fanfiction, warnings are part of the game--you warn people if anything remotely objectionable is in what you've posted, so that people can skip the shit they don't like. This has carried over into m/m and gay romance--a lot of publishers post the EXACT nature of the sexual congress on the back of the books, under the blurb. Dreamspinner doesn't do this--and I love them for it, although yes, in some cases it has hurt my ratings on Goodreads.

Hammer & Air, for instance, does not mention that there is another person for a little while in Hammer & Eirn's bed, and it doesn't mention that Eirn is, at first, uncertain what to think of this development. (It's called dub-con--dubious consent.) Some people just RAGE against this development--they claim to feel cheated because of the lack of warning--but for me, the story was all about finding the language of love through experiences, both of love and of lust, and even though there's that third character, the book, in the end, was ALL about Hammer & Eirn. Putting a warning there would have completely negated that idea. Putting a warning there would have meant a lot of people NEVER would have read Vulnerable--I know, because they told me. Putting a warning on ANY book makes the book a bunch of pigeonholed plot references, and not a real story. Literature does not have warnings. No one told me Tess of d'Urbervilles was gonna end in a spectacular personal flameout that made me want to beat the holy fuck out of someone. I certainly was not warned that To Kill a Mockingbird contained references to rape, incest, and pedophilia or that The Great Gatsby dealt in adultery in a shockingly cavalier manner. I'm not claiming I write literature--but every drop of literary knowledge I have, I put into my writing, and this genre will never be elevated if we insist on limiting it with "Warning" boxes every time we push an envelope. I believe that sincerely.

That being said, Alpha would be the one thing I've written that I'd put a warning label on. This book goes into some dark, twisted, evil fucking places--there is some portrayal of 'non-con' (rape) and some violence, and some gritty, painful shit going on in Anderson's head, and he drags C.J. right into that gritty, painful world with him. So, I guess for those who have been overdosing on my angst lately, I'd warn this one "Gritty, painful, and fucking dark and twisted. Put this one in the freezer until after you've read It's Not Shakespeare (out in October) and Clear Water (out Sept. 16th!)" Probably not your standard warning--but I don't want anyone accusing me of not being clear.

And moving on to

*** Clear Water-- It's out on September 16th.

And moving on to

***Talker's Redemption--It's also out in September.


And moving on to




***Living Promises. Some people want to know if there's a fourth one planned. Hell to the yes. There has been pretty much from the beginning--I ain't stopping now!

And now we're gonna talk about

***Shopping at Target with two small children. It's bad. Bad. Nth level bad. Bad for the pocket book. Bad for morale. Bad for their diet, because I'll buy them ANYTHING to make them give me enough headspace to remember whether I needed to buy maxi pads or laxatives in the pharmacy. (Both, actually--which could explain why I'm so cranky.) Just plain old bad. Mate will probably complain about how much money I spent today. He's lucky. With those two in tow, I could have come back with three alpaca and claimed it was a legitimate purchase. (I had a friend do that. She went to a farm to buy three alpaca and came back with seven. She claimed something about the other four being on sale, but I was like, "Whatever. Seven alpaca--you don't spin you don't knit, and you don't sell ANY animal that's either been spawned on your property or invited to live. You're going to have to invite them into your home to keep you warm. Buy me a spinning wheel and I MIGHT buy a fleece and make you a sweater.") So, anyway. No alpaca. Children not residing in my spleen after being eaten. Remembered a swim suit because mine DISINTEGRATED. Remembered toilet paper, maxi pads and laxatives. And dish soap. It was a success, I tell you--a balls out success!

And finally

***Modesto. I had a blast. My friend made me a bizarre drink featuring cucumber juice, pineapple juice, cayenne pepper, Desarano, and vodka. Our children ran around in a tight little pack and raised hell. My children slept all the way home. AWesome. Just frickin' awesome. Visiting friends can never be overrated. I mean that sincerely! Someday, I WILL visit many of you!