My First M/M Book

I just finished reading Fair Game by Josh Lanyon and I'm glad I did. He's a very good writer who can tell a very good story. I did think the mystery reveal happened sort of suddenly, but that might be because I'm used to longer mystery books that have more room to work with.

I liked both the protagonists. They were distinctly different men. The story is told from Elliot's POV, so the reader gets to know him well, but Tucker is also well fleshed out. I enjoyed their tentative steps to reconciliation, and about the time I was thinking 'well, get ON with it - talk!', they did.

The sex. Well. It wasn't too over the top and there wasn't too much of it, but ... I'd just as soon there was none, or that it was behind closed doors. Sort of like your parents. You know they had sex - you're the proof - and you know they probably still are, at least every now and then, but it's just something you don't want to picture or even think about. You can love them without knowing all the intimate details of their lives.

That's how I felt about this book. I reveled in the emotions, loved the storyline, but for me it wasn't necessary to go into these men's bedroom. The nurse in me immediately went into overdrive. It was enough, for me, to know they loved each other and found their HEA.

I expect I'm in the minority, because these m/m books are very popular. I don't know that I'll try another. I suspect my first m/m book will also be my last.

Killing the Baby

Dear Carolyn,

Last night I realized the reason I was so stuck witht he story I was writing and it was because it was terrible. The plot was all over the place, the romance came from nowhere and it was major fail in all ways.

So last night mt 10 year old and I talked and we came up with a more streamlined plot so... I deleted the old file.

I can imagine your wince of pain. You and I are so different this way. To me, if a story isn't working and you aren't that close to the end: scrap the damned thing. I'm not sentimental. You are I know, and can't stand to leave something undone.

But I realized that without a plot written out (a nice little outline) I was going to fail. And as I worked on it, the story was different but tighter. The climax of the story originally was happening too soon, now it'll be a proper climax. The love can evolve at a proper pace and it makes more sense.

I hated killing the baby but it was necessary. And I know you probably saved a copy so I have no issues.

Oh My Goodness!

Dear Lori,

We now own our very first m/m book, and I want you to promise to read it, because it takes place in Seattle and evidently cooking is involved to a small degree.

Yes, I finally caved. I couldn't help myself. Everyone has nothing but good to say about Josh Lanyon's writing and the book in question, Fair Game, has 4 and 5 star ratings on Amazon. It's a mystery and I do love my mysteries.

I hope the sex isn't too overt; I don't think it is, from the reviews I've read. But then I hope that for most every book I get. It's a real crap shoot out there now. I want to read a good, strong plot, with good, strong characters, with the sex coming in a distant third. Their sexual orientation doesn't matter, as long as the Romance is there.

So, I'm excited and a little nervous about reading my first m/m. Please read it too, so we can discuss.

We may be two old farts, but even such as we can change and change can be good. :-)

More Pimping

Lyrical Press (http://www.lyricalpress.com) is giving away a free ebook to celebrate summer. I believe it's a weekly giveaway. The first book is out.

And my/Lori's book, 666 Angel Lane will be among them. So go get your free book. I am.

***edit: It's available through their Facebook page. My bad. Go to Facebook and Lyrical Press' business page has the download link. I downloaded mine.***

Shameless Promo

Over on Smart Bitches, Sarah has a post about trends. One poster wanted more multi-racial romances. Another wanted screwball romances, funny and light.

We Two Old Farts are here to cater to your reading pleasure. *grin* I wouldn't post this on Sarah's thread, because I really dislike authors doing that, but I have no hesitation whatsoever to pimping here on home ground. Heh.

Multi-racial: Sugar B's Back in Town by Lori Green

Screwball: The Trials and Tribulations of a West Coast Southern Belle by CL McCullough (releasing August 15).

Sorry there's no links but it's too damn early in the morning and the stupid things never work for me anyway. Try the sidebar if you're really curious. :-)

We aim to please - Two Old Farts conquering the reading world. LOL

Who's the Loser?

Dear Lori,

I happened across an article yesterday:
http://www.theindependent.com/articles/2011/06/20/ap/business/us_broken_budgets_internet_sales.txt

There's a wrassling match going on between States and internet retailers regarding taxes. I realize they were referring to physical items, but I got to thinking about the ebook dilemma. And it seemed to me that, no matter how things shake out, the loser is going to be the ebook reader.

We already pay Agency pricing for many favorite authors; some of those prices are outrageous. Now there will be some sort of tax added, going as high as 9%. In fact, some publishers are already adding tax to their books. I'm not sure if this is true for paper books, I don't buy paper anymore, but it sure is for ebooks.

What I want to know is, how come I would owe a state taxes on a bunch of electons originating from God knows where? And why would I owe it to my state instead of the state of origin? (which might be difficult to address with a bunch of electrons!)

As ususal, the e-reader is the one getting screwed. They'll probably figure out how to add delivery fees soon, the bassards. I'd like to slap them all into tomorrow!

Permanently Pimpy

Seriously - I think that title exactly describes me these days, in a back handed kind of way. It's a horrible situation for a semi-reclusive, introverted, depressingly Romantic, writer to be in.

I love to write, I love to have people read what I write (just like all writers, we're terrible that way) and just between you and me and the gate post, I don't have to rely on my writing to put food on my plate.

So what's a hermit to do?

I have no viable ideas and what few I do get make me feel like a pimp. I'm pimping myself, lol. When I think of it. I'm much more successful at pimping Lori but she can out-pimp me any old day.

So here's my tired pimp for the day. I've had another book accepted, it's called Mariposa. Did I already say that here? Well, I'm saying it again.

And to pimp it, or maybe just me in general, I hereby give you a smidgin - smidgette? - not of Mariposa, I'll save that to closer to time, but of my next great release after Bea: TL Everly, the Belle of the West Coast, lol.

Any pimping ideas? Please don't make me Twitter!

~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s my own damn fault I’m in this mess. I freely admit to it. There must be a nesting cycle women go through when they reach a certain age and I was pushing thirty with no prospects in sight. I’d bought the house against Mira’s advice and for sure I regretted it now.

Mirabelle Edith is Aunt Lil’s daughter and my best friend. We grew up together, did everything together. We even lost our virginity together. Not with each other--is that even possible?--We were on a double date. but I don’t even want to think about that. Suffice it to say, it would beat any Stephen King horror story. Hormones sure have a lot to answer for. It sort of put me off any further experimenting, especially when the guy never called again.

Mira was sure we were both pregnant. I wasn’t sure there’d even been penetration, but she seemed to think sperm were some sort of super beings that could finish the job without getting close to the jackpot.

We weren’t pregnant, thank the Lord. It did make us more cautious though. Mama would have had a conniption. I’d have found myself married to some second cousin twice removed I’d never met before, while Mama crocheted baby booties and tried names on for size.