Labelling

I would like to direct my fellow authors to this excellent blog posting from D J Manly.

I am not terribly 'au fait' with the jargon writers use to define themselves. Recently I have started saying I write Romantica (Romantic Erotica), I write M/M Romance. I write smut. I write soft porn. I write not-so-soft porn. I write Romance, I write Love Stories. I write Science-Fiction. I write Fan Fiction. I write Historical Romance. I write Fantasy. I write Horror. I write Adventure Stories. I write Thrillers. I wish to hell I could write a good Police Procedural (Ed McBain is my hero). I WRITE. Don't care what your opinion is of the genres I write in, I just care about the quality, content and ethics of what I produce. I like to see the English language used well, correctly, expressively, thought-provokingly. I'm a spelling, grammar, punctuation and proof-reading hard-liner.

Just me off on a little rant, because I hate people who point at others and sneer in order to inflate their own egos. Grow up and get over yourselves, cos you aint all that honeys!


Thanks to D J Manly for voicing what quite a few authors have been thinking and feeling lately.

(First published by me on The Artisan Author.

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 Update

Those of you who have been reading the 'soap' which is the Haven Falls free read may have noticed that it's writers have been on a break for some time now. The blog owner, Remmy Duchene, has had a lot of stuff to deal with in the 'real' world and this has left the blog somewhat in limbo. Too, various contributors have either also had 'Life' or have been writing to deadlines for publication, or working on other 'paying gigs'.

Remmy has now posted the following message to readers:

>>>HAVEN FALLS IS CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH MAJOR UPDATES AND CHANGES. PLS VISIT US AGAIN IN THE NEW YEAR FOR MORE! lt;<.. After much deliberation, I've decided to start Haven Falls over. The new and improved Haven Falls will be unveiled in the new year. Please check back then.

I have decided to take down my stories for now, until it's clearer how the site will be moving forward. I do, though, feel that the Haven Falls Project is a terrific idea and I hope to contribute further in the new year, either with my existing characters or with someone new for you to grow fond of. I wish Remmy and the other HF writers all the best for Xmas and the New Year. Will see you all, readers of HF included, soon, all being well.

More of the fabulous Syd McGinley

Dr. Fell Volume II: Found by Syd McGinley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I am now a huge fan of Syd McGinley's work. This second volume of the collected Dr. Fell stories is fabulously true to 'Lifestyle' (BDSM) and to 'power exchange' relationships (D/s)- not the BS the 'in crowd' would like you to believe, but the honest 24/7 stuff. Dr.Fell, whilst being a Dominant, is also human. He lives, loves, loses, finds, cocks-up, makes up; in short he is realistic and believable.

Please have a read, especially if you want to understand BDSM or D/s. This is an accurate reportage as well as a damn fine series of novels. Start with Volume 1 though if you haven't already read it.





View all my reviews

Terrific M/M BDSM read by Syd McGinley

The Complete Dr. Fell Volume I: Lost by Syd McGinley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I love this book! I read one heck of a lot of M/M stuff and this stands out in the crowd. It provides an accurate, realistic portrayal of 'power exchange' relationships (D/s) and the meaning they have for those involved. I like Dr. Fell because he's human, flawed, trying his best to deal with grief and has friends around him who are both true and loving.

This isn't an instant gratification novel(though there is plenty of sex to keep it floating if that's your interest). It's a biography for a fictional character, and at times it feels more like a collection of short stories assembled in chronological order. (If you have bought any of the short stories as e-books previously you will find that they repeat here, but the book is a great read and can be had in paperback format - I adore owning REAL books!).

If you liked this then you will definitely love the next, 'Dr.Fell Volume Two: Found'. Trying myself to acquire 'Pink: Dolorosa' presently but struggling to locate a copy. Thank you Syd for a terrific set of believable characters and a down to earth setting that works so well.



View all my reviews

15 in 15 minutes

This is a literary meme... List 15 authors who have influenced your writing in 15 minutes. These are mine, only there are more than 15 of them and it's taken me more than 15 minutes to collect them together:


Influences on my Erotic Romance writing in particular

A.B. Gayle, Jessie Blackwood, Lee Rowan,
Cameron Dane, Remmy Duchene, A.N. Roquelaure,
Russell T. Davies, Galadriel1010, wereleopard,
Leslie Feinberg, Andrea Speed, J.J. Levesque,
Dhillon Khol, Angl and Rina, Elizabeth A.Lynn,
0lizzybennet0, JonesIantoJones, Night's Darkness,
JerBearThompson, Jack Rinella, Jay Wiseman.

Other Influences on my writing as a whole

C.S.Lewis, Anne McCaffrey, Andre Norton,
Alan Dean Foster, Melody, Anonymous,
Mark Rein-Hagen, Tanith Lee, Ursula Le Guin,
Dan Abnett, James Goss, Carl R. Rogers, Wendy Pini,
Steven Moffatt, Joss Wheedon, Roger Lancelyn Green,
Gareth David-lloyd, W.S.Gilbert, Dodie Smith,
Marion Zimmer-Bradley, L.M. Boston, Paul Mather,
Mary Norton, Ed McBain, Mo Hayder, Lynn Abbey,
Robert Asprin, H.P. Lovecraft, Marc Torley,
Terry Nation, Rashid Mhar, Chuck Palahniuk,
Mark Rein-Hagen, Neil Gaiman, Garth Ennis,
Jamie Delano.

Haven Falls - Please give us some feedback!

After 200 blog stories, many in the 3000+ word mark, Haven Falls, the free online soap created by Remmy Duchene is having a short break. The twelve authors involved (including yours truly) would love feedback from readers via the latest blog post.

Haven Falls - GLBTQ Soap Opera, an online rpg storytelling project

If you haven't been reading at Haven Falls, now is a good time to catch what has already been written in preparation for when we start writing again, which should be around mid-December, all being well.

If you are an author and would like to join us, contact Remmy Duchene via the Haven Falls blog.