Redemption Reef Launches Tomorrow, 7pm GMT

Join the launch party on FaceBook tomorrow at 7pm GMT!

Get me a canoe,I want to go to the party!
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Projects Update

I'm back at my day job now, but it hasn't stopped me writing and formulating plans for new stories. This month I am Beta-ing and editing for my dear friend Jessie Blackwood, who has been working on finishing her next novel, the working title of which is 'Written Into His Heart'. We have also been writing background for our joint venture, a M/M romance with a sci-fi bent. I've been writing some Torchwood stuff (Alternate Universe)for personal amusement too, some of which may eventually turn up on my FanFiction page, which I must apologise for not updating for some time now.

I've also been reading tons, as you may have gathered. My top writers at the moment are (in no particular order) Lee Rowan, Cameron Dane and Syd McGinley. I'm also loving A.B.Gayle, Jessie Blackwood and the 'Bodyguards in Love' series by Carol Lynne.

My current 'Most Wanted' is Syd McGinley's 'Pink:Dolorosa' and my present read is a splendid non-fiction book, 'Mother Clap's Molly House: The Gay Subculture in England 1700-1830', by Rictor Norton. I also today, to my delight, picked up a second hand copy of 'Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story' by Paul Monette.

All of the books mentioned in this post are available from Amazon UK or direct from the publishers (DreamSpinner Press, Torquere Press, Cheyenne Publishing, Noble Romance Publishing, Loose Id, Silver Publishing).

Haven Falls - Cats Climbing Out of Bags

If you've been following Haven Falls you'll know now one of the secrets Lyle had been keeping. I hope what I am writing over there rings true for people currently. The subject matter is dear to my heart, since I was once the partner of a trans-gendered person.

Writing Lyle's story is proving to be challenging. I don't want to preach, especially not to the choir, but I want people to understand him and his issues, his pain, his joy and his aspirations. I thank my co-writer, Jessie Blackwood, for giving Lyle a date with Gil. I thank Gil for being so considerate, broad-minded and curious, and for having the eyes to see Lyle as he truly is.

Lyle's had good fortune in finding Gil, even if it is just a one night stand; I know not all TG people are as lucky. If you find yourself in a situation similar to Lyle's, I wish you much success and love.

Just as a side bar to the topic, in response to a recent article in 'Out', not all trangendered people feel the need to transition, to change their bodies. It's okay to be TG and NOT go for surgery. Please god don't feel pressured to indulge in hormone treatment and devastatingly expensive (and not always successful) life-threatening procedures just to fit the perceived model of 'how to be TG'!

Haven Falls Developments

A follow up to the last posting has gone up at Haven Falls. Lots of hints this time about who and what Lyle is, so if you are curious about him you will want to read this latest post (Number 94).

Speaking of Haven Falls, Andrea Speed, Jessie Blackwood and I have a shared new character on the books. Remmy Duchene, the GM for the HF online roleplay game, greed we could write him together and accepted the character concept before the embargo on any further new characters went into effect. He is called Griffin Davies. Not surprisingly, he is Welsh. We'll be introducing him shortly.

Haven Falls has a very varied population actually, reflecting the international nature of the authors involved. We have a fair few American writers, of course, but Brits and Australians also feature strongly. Follow the link on the blogroll to check it out.

'Per Ardua' released 13th August

My best friend and co-author, Jessie Blackwood, has her first novel coming out on August 13th 2010. It's a M/M Romance set in World War 2. The heroes are a wounded airman and his manservant.

I know Jessie has at least three other books in the pipeline at the moment. One of these I have already mentioned, working title 'Shunted', which we are co-writing. Another is a sequel for 'Per Ardua'. The third is a modern-day M/M Romance. Plus, she is currently also participating in Haven Falls. Her work also includes fanfiction, so go check her out at the FanFiction website too.

Jessie's book will be available from DreamSpinner Press in both paperback and e-book format from 13th August.

Ongoing projects - Update July 2010

I'm still participating in the wonderfully good fun RPG of Haven Falls. I'm also elbow-deep in a new writing project, with Jessie Blackwood as my co-author. the project's rough working title is 'Shunted'. It's a M/M Romance in the science fiction genre. It's shaping up nicely, though it looks like it's going to be a LONG story!

So many projects, so little brain

Okay, so the Whitby story is on hold whilst I do research to back it up. Other stuff I'm doing at present...

Doing the preparatory work for co-authoring a sci-fi / romance with my bestest friend Jessie Blackwood.

Squeeing over the fact that Jessie is about to have her first novel published by DreamSpinner Press.

Trying to get my head around the mechanics of 'Haven Falls' so that I can play. Looks like a very exciting and interesting project. Check it out at
http://havenfalls.yolasite.com/

Wishing I was better at writing sex scenes. Practising this. (Oh I so love to practise this!).

Getting my head around TG stuff as part of research for writing a new character.

Working on my US english so that I remember to write 'trash can' rather than 'dustbin' and 'sidewalk' instead of 'pavement' when I am writing a US-based story.

Reading lots of m/m romance and quite a bit of non-fiction stuff about gender issues, being bi-sexual, counselling, writing and other topics of interest in my real life.

So, still writing, just spreading myself a bit thin if I want to actually finish anything right now...