Month: March 2010

Juilan Fantechi

This is a pg rated blog, so this is going to be a pg rated post about a great guy I recently exchanged a few e-mails with, Julian Fantechi. He’s posed in Playgirl and other magazines, and he has a few TV and film credits as well. I honestly hadn’t heard of him until we started talking about this work, his photos, and his career in TV and film. Because of the kind of romance novels I write, usually dealing with TV, Film, or Fashion, I was intrigued by his first e-mail and replied to him with just a basic compliment. And now I’m a huge fan.

Meeting Julian is also coincidental in the sense that I’ve just finished my latest book, ALL ABOUT YVES, which is a romance based on the old movie, “All About Eve.” But my book revolves around the fashion industry and the modeling industry instead of the theater industry, as it did in the film. It’s coincidental because I didn’t plan on meeting any male models, especially not one like Julian who seems to be so much like the main character in my book it’s scary. I love when this happens, because it gives me the feeling that I’m on the right track with the theme of a book. It’s happened before with other novels, but it’s never been quite this obvious.

And, aside from all this coincidence, I have to say that I haven’t met a nicer guy in a long time. Julian is smart, funny, and extremely professional. I was so impressed I even sent of an e-mail to a publisher, suggesting it might be a nice idea to get Julian for a few book covers. And I never do this. I don’t like getting involved with book covers. I don’t know if Julian will actually ever be on one of my book covers. But either way, it was nice making a new friend who is such a decent guy.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Julian, take the time to check out his web pages. His sites are smart, friendly, and easy to use. Here’s his official web site: http://www.julian-fantechi.com/
And, for a limited time only, Julian is offering a special promotion right now. For 19.99 he will send you an autographed copy of his Playgirl centerfold, and he’s donating five dollars from each request to the Humane Society. (Told you he was a nice guy.)He told me you can feel free to contact him here: julian216@gmail.com

This is a Fun Book: UNMASKED II Pubbed by STARbooks Press

Sometimes I forget to mention a book I’m in, like UNMASKED II. It’s the second anthology in a series about gay superheros, and I have a short story in this one titled, “Captain Velvet Down Under.” You can buy it in print on amazon, or here…or you can read it in digital format here.

I started reading it this weekend, and can’t wait to finish. I’m hoping the editor decides to enter this one in The Rainbow Awards this year. The book was entered in The Lambda Awards and I just saw it didn’t become a finalist. I was hoping it would, but sometimes this is just the way it works. This isn’t the first time I’ve been a little surprised at the Lambda finalists, and I’m sure it’s not going to be the last time (wide grin).

But I do think this book, UNMASKED II, could be a big contender in the Rainbow Awards. I might even ask if I can enter it myself, as a contributor. I’m not sure how that works, but I will if I can.

Just Found a Great New Blog: Suzy Gershman

When I’m not promoting my books here, I’m usually scanning for new blogs that pique my interest. And this morning I found one I love. It’s written by Suzy Gershman, author of guides and magazine articles, and even a few TV spots. What caught my eye was one post in particular, where Suzy has a photo of orange pansies. Here in Bucks County, PA, you don’t find orange pansies often. I only found them one year, about six years ago, at a local flea market. But I haven’t seen them since then. I like to mix them with purple and blue. There’s something about the orange, from a distance, that really makes them pop.

But Suzy writes about many things on her blog. And she’s writing her blog the way a blog should be written (not like me…grin). It’s a nice mix of personal, info about shopping, and the way she lives her life. I can’t recommend it enough. And I’m going to be a regular follower.

College Boys is Now a Best Seller on Insight Out Books and Amazon

I just found out this morning that an anthology I’m in, COLLEGE BOYS, is on a few best seller lists. It’s a best seller on Insight Out Books, which isn’t easy to do. And it’s also number 11 in the “anthology” category on amazon, and number 83 in the “gay” category.

My story in the book is titled, OFF CAMPUS, MAN. And the entire book was edited by Shane Allison.

LYD Stand Alone

Today is the release day for my new stand alone, A REGULAR BUD. This was originally a short story published in a nice little anthology by Starbooks Press. But this stand alone is not an exact replica of the short story. When I submitted it to http://www.loveyoudivine.com/, I revised and tweaked. It’s longer, it’s more romantic, and I explained that both characters were having safe sex in more detail. And though this one is a bit steamier than some of my other books, the ending is very happy and there’s a strong promise of the two main characters having a long term relationship.
Though handsome, athletic Noah thinks he’s home alone and free to enjoy his private fetish for wearing high heels, his straight roommate’s dominant younger brother walks in unexpectedly and catches him in the act.
Noah is a young corporate professional who shares his large, old home with his straight best friend from college, Preston. And though Noah is openly gay, no one knows that Noah has a kinky little gender-bending fetish for wearing high heels.
But when his roommate’s sexy, rugged little brother from Montana shows up one morning, while Noah thinks he has the house all to himself, Noah is caught in the act…naked with his back against the sofa and his white stilettos dangling in the air.
Instead of running back out the door in shock, the little brother from Montana doesn’t even blink. He drops his duffel bag on the floor and smiles. Then he drops his car keys on the counter and introduces himself to Noah. And when he licks his lips, compliments Noah on his well-defined body and crosses the room to shake Noah’s hand, it’s Noah who is ready to run out the door in shock.

New Release: DANCING DIRTY

DANCING DIRTY was released today, and I’ll blog more about it later. But here’s a basic synopsis of the story from the publisher’s web site.

Synopsis

It’s the summer of 1978, it’s the middle of the disco era, and dancing is one of the hottest trends. But eighteen year old Junior has never seen the inside of a gay bar or danced with another man. His mother and father think he’s just shy about meeting girls and that he’ll grow out of it. His little sister drives him insane with her constant invisible companion, a talking dog named Elmer. All Junior cares about is meeting the right man and falling in love.


But when his parents buy a summer home in an exclusive resort community in the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, his prospects of finding love don’t look too promising. His first day there he meets an aggressive, abrasive young woman who isn’t the least bit shy about letting him know she wants to get to know him better. And the more he ignores her, the more she chases after him.

While his mother and father are enjoying all the amenities of the resort, and his sister is flirting with one of the waiters, Junior mopes around watching everyone else have fun. That is until he meets a handsome young dance instructor named Carlo who changes his life in ways he’d never dreamed were possible.

From the minute Junior lays eyes on Carlo, he knows he’s in love. And in order to prove his love, he’s willing to make personal sacrifices that no one else has ever been willing to make for Carlo…

A Favorite of Mine…

You’d think with a degree in English Literature and a second concentration in Journalism my tastes would be a little more complicated. You’d think that I’d post piss elegant quotes from great literary voices, like all my literary friends on facebook. But the truth is my tastes are simple. I don’t like pretense. And this is one of my favorites.

The Owl and the Pussycat, by Edward Lear

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea In a beautiful pea-green boat:They took some honey, and plenty of moneyWrapped up in a five-pound note.

The Owl looked up to the stars above,And sang to a small guitar,”O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,What a beautiful Pussy you are,You are,You are!What a beautiful Pussy you are!”

Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl,How charmingly sweet you sing!Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried:But what shall we do for a ring?”They sailed away, for a year and a day,To the land where the bong-tree grows;And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,With a ring at the end of his nose,His nose,His nose,With a ring at the end of his nose.

“Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shillingYour ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.”So they took it away, and were married next dayBy the Turkey who lives on the hill.They dined on mince and slices of quince,Which they ate with a runcible spoon;

And hand in hand on the edge of the sandThey danced by the light of the moon,The moon,The moon,They danced by the light of the moon.

About the Author:EDWARD LEAR – b1812 London, England–d.1888,Italy The twentieth child of Jeremiah Lear, a London stockbroker, and his wife Ann, Lear grew up to become a prolific writer as well as a talented artist of both landscapes and birds . Lear also gave drawing lessons to Queen Victoria of England. Lear was particularly enchanted with nonsense poetry, and devoted a number of his books to collections of such poems.

The Lambda Finalists Have Been Announced

Each year around this time the finalists for the Lambda Awards are posted on their web site. This is the 22nd year for these awards and I, of course, have my own favorites that are listed as finalists.

I was thrilled to see that two of my favorite books are finalists, and I’m hoping the best for both of these authors I like and respect.

One book is an anthology, written by Cecelia Tan, titled WOMEN OF THE BITE. This is an anthology of lesbian themed vampire stories. The storylines are great, the quality of the writing is great, and everything about the book keeps the reader wanting more.

The other book is titled, TRANSGRESSIONS, by Erastes. It’s a well written m/m historical, set in 1642, England, about two young men struggling to survive in a war-torn atmosphere. I don’t read many historicals, but I’m glad I read this one. It was wonderful and I couldn’t recommend it more. I’ve been in a few anthologies with this author, and I’ve always been happy with what I’ve read.

Just One Reason to Watch American Idol this Season

I’ve been a fan of AI since the beginning. Justin Guarini is from Doylestown, PA, which is only fifteen minutes away, right here in artistic Bucks County, from where I live in New Hope. The local newspaper, at the time, wrote a piece about him every single day when he was on the show and I got hooked.

Then I wrote 2 satirical m/m romance novels called AMERICAN STAR and AMERICAN STAR II. The key word here is satirical, about what might happen behind the scenes of a show like AI if two of the contestants were gay men. They weren’t meant to be Pulitzer Prize winners (big grin to one reviewer in particular). They are campy and fun and quirky, which is what I intended.

So I’m a fan of the TV show, needless to say. But this season, with all the talk about how everyone misses Paula (I miss her too) and how a lot of the contestants aren’t very good, I found one simple reason why I can’t resist watching. And sorry, Ellen, it’s not because you’re so funny and clever and jump up to hug contestants in that funny way you have (bigger grin).

It’s Tim Urban. The. Guy. Has. Talent. And there really isn’t a need to elaborate. I even swiped this photo from my blogging buddy Ryan’s most recent post (here) to show rather than tell.

It’s not just about looks either. Even if he looked like the book reviewer who reviewed AMERICAN STAR last April (wicked smile), I’d still think he was the most talented singer ever to hit the AI stage.