![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
J2BB Status Update
Mar. 2nd, 2011 | 11:03 am
mood: 
cheerful
Whee, I hit the 15, 000 word mark! I'm in the middle of a porn scene, so that'll probably go up a bit by the time I'm done (or by the time someone's done, at any rate), but nevertheless I felt like this was a landmark worth sharing. :)
However, since it's unlikely that I'll be finished at 20, 000 words, the counter should probably look more like this:
So, durr. Back to work.
15000 / 20000 (75.00%)
However, since it's unlikely that I'll be finished at 20, 000 words, the counter should probably look more like this:
15000 / 40000 (37.50%)
Link | + {3} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
I done caved.
Feb. 28th, 2011 | 04:19 pm
mood: crazy
Hey y'all,
I've finally given in to the pressure and created a Twitter account. I'm still figuring it out how it works, but I wanted a way to keep track of all the dumbass reference questions I get asked on a daily basis at work. There won't really be much about my writing or personal life, but hopefully it'll be good for a laugh.
So, if you're keen, follow me! I can be found @infohead_desk
I've finally given in to the pressure and created a Twitter account. I'm still figuring it out how it works, but I wanted a way to keep track of all the dumbass reference questions I get asked on a daily basis at work. There won't really be much about my writing or personal life, but hopefully it'll be good for a laugh.
So, if you're keen, follow me! I can be found @infohead_desk
Link | + {16} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
My wave garden brings all the boys to the yard
Feb. 21st, 2011 | 05:33 pm
mood: ecstatic
In the spirit of my ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
spn_j2_bigbang AU, I thought I'd share this video of the most amazing thing I've ever seen in my life. My new life plan has officially expanded to include, "Purchase a lake and build a wave garden." I'm sure "Learn to surf" is on there too, don't worry.
If you're a big geek like me, you can check out more videos at Wave-Garden.com. If you already happen to be in possession of a lake, I expect this to be installed immediately. I shall await my invitation in the mail.
spn_j2_bigbang AU, I thought I'd share this video of the most amazing thing I've ever seen in my life. My new life plan has officially expanded to include, "Purchase a lake and build a wave garden." I'm sure "Learn to surf" is on there too, don't worry.If you're a big geek like me, you can check out more videos at Wave-Garden.com. If you already happen to be in possession of a lake, I expect this to be installed immediately. I shall await my invitation in the mail.
Link | + | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
So that thing about the WIP...
Feb. 20th, 2011 | 08:37 pm
music: Radiohead - Bloom
mood: 
crappy
So, this is sort of apropos of nothing, but I wanted to make a post regarding When Play Turns Bitter. I know I have been awful about updating - I probably spoiled everyone with the once-a-week thing, heh - but I am still working on Chapter Twelve, albeit slowly. Ironically, it's pretty much all finished except for that one damn chapter (hell, even the chapter is almost done - I have over 7000 words of it written, and there's just this wee hump at the end that's giving me grief), and I have no other reason for stalling than, well... it's sad. And I've had a lot of bad news lately in my personal circle, including my best friend having cancer, so it's been a) difficult to concentrate on something so emotionally wrenching and b) beneficial to my mood to take a break with writing happy things. We like happy things, right?
Anyway, I know it's only been a few weeks, but that's the story with my WIP. I will finish, I promise, and thanks so much to the regular readers for being so patient and supportive of the process. I've been having an overactive Catholic guilt thing happening with how long I've been keeping you waiting, especially after I established the expectation of weekly updates, but rest assured I haven't given up. I just need to get my shit together a bit more before I can do it justice, since I can't justify posting something that feels sloppy or rushed, just for the sake of hitting the finish line a bit faster.
So, yeah. Sorry, I guess? It'll be a little while longer, but don't give up on me yet. And while it might not be Kurt, myd_hearts_c entry is due this week, and after ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
fossarian and tracy_loo_who helped me pretty it up real nice, I'm really excited to post it. There is lots of AU cuteness and food porn. :)
In the meantime, you should go listen to the new Radiohead album, okay? It'll make everything better.
Anyway, I know it's only been a few weeks, but that's the story with my WIP. I will finish, I promise, and thanks so much to the regular readers for being so patient and supportive of the process. I've been having an overactive Catholic guilt thing happening with how long I've been keeping you waiting, especially after I established the expectation of weekly updates, but rest assured I haven't given up. I just need to get my shit together a bit more before I can do it justice, since I can't justify posting something that feels sloppy or rushed, just for the sake of hitting the finish line a bit faster.
So, yeah. Sorry, I guess? It'll be a little while longer, but don't give up on me yet. And while it might not be Kurt, my
d_hearts_c entry is due this week, and after fossarian and tracy_loo_who helped me pretty it up real nice, I'm really excited to post it. There is lots of AU cuteness and food porn. :)In the meantime, you should go listen to the new Radiohead album, okay? It'll make everything better.
Link | + {14} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Woohaa!
Feb. 18th, 2011 | 02:28 pm
mood: impressed
Somehow managed to finish Chapter Two of my spn_j2_bigbang entry last night. I don't know how this happened, but I sort of expect it to backfire on me really quickly, either through my inability to finish, or by exploding the total wordcount (I doubt it'll end at 20k).
9152 / 20000 45.76% Done!
spn_j2_bigbang entry last night. I don't know how this happened, but I sort of expect it to backfire on me really quickly, either through my inability to finish, or by exploding the total wordcount (I doubt it'll end at 20k).Link | + {2} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Political validation woot!
Feb. 9th, 2011 | 11:25 am
mood: 
cranky
I'm sort of bored at work and trying not to check my phone obsessively for messages from the bestie, so let's talk about political affiliations instead. Doesn't that sound fun?
Actually, I'm just going to post the results of a quiz I found ontakadainmate's LJ, which you can do for yourself here.
It's just me and Ghandi here on the left, bb's (does that mean haters to the right?). Green is my political affiliation of choice, usually, unless there happens to be a Liberal candidate that's slightly less of a fuckwit than the others (realistically, it's only ever going to be them or the Conservatives in power, so sometimes I like to feel less like I'm voting passive-aggressively) and it's sort of satisfying to know that you've been voting for the appropriate party this whole time. Except, of course, for those times that I just spoil my vote,but I usually reserve such behaviour for municipal elections involving homophobic asshole mayors. Oh hey, Rob Ford.
Actually, I'm just going to post the results of a quiz I found on
takadainmate's LJ, which you can do for yourself here.It's just me and Ghandi here on the left, bb's (does that mean haters to the right?). Green is my political affiliation of choice, usually, unless there happens to be a Liberal candidate that's slightly less of a fuckwit than the others (realistically, it's only ever going to be them or the Conservatives in power, so sometimes I like to feel less like I'm voting passive-aggressively) and it's sort of satisfying to know that you've been voting for the appropriate party this whole time. Except, of course, for those times that I just spoil my vote,
Link | + {11} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
An amateur's guide to gay porn. Sort of.
Feb. 2nd, 2011 | 10:55 pm
mood: 
contemplative
I want to share a blog link I stumbled across recently about one gay man's experience in the porn industry, specifically for Sean Cody.
Now, obviously gay porn is a significant part of fandom, especially as a slash writer, and I won't deny that it's something I take a personal interest in both as a viewer and as a commentator. We all take our cues from somewhere, so it's interesting to consider, from time to time, the behind-the-scenes aspect of the gay porn industry - call it a meta approach to porn. There's no shortage of commentary out there about the straight porn industry which can cover everything from its injustices and exploitation practices, to issues about the male gaze, to how it's become a lot more mainstream in Western culture in the last decade or so. (Hell, I myself own a pair of Miu Miu's that could pass for stripper shoes any day of the week.) It seems to me like gay pornography - and here I'm talking specifically about gay male pornography, because writing "lesbian pornography" just makes me want to put quotes around the word 'lesbian', and f/f pornography for actual women is still a very emergent niche, even with the growth of the porn-for-women industry - is both a very different animal and the same old story, but there's a less discussion about it in the media, either because it just hasn't come under the same widespread scrutiny as straight porn, or because people assume that it's just the same old story. I don't know.
Either way, I've tried to cobble together a few interesting links which discuss some of the less-well-known, or less-considered aspects of gay male porn, including a blog from a former Sean Cody model about what it's like to be an actual gay man in a gay-for-pay industry.
Devon Hunter's blog: "Know Before You Go" - Devon's experiences modeling for uber-porn director Sean Cody. It's a surprising - and funny! - read with a lot of really interesting insights into the industry and its relationship to actual gay men.
Gay 4 Pay in Prague by Iva Skoch - Great article about the porn industry in Europe, specifically Prague. Naturally Bel Ami features heavily.
Lance Bennett bottoms for the first time - stolen frombauble. This video is graphic and very NSFW, but is nevertheless an interesting shot of a gay-for-pay actor bottoming for the first time. It's surprisingly intense and probably a lot hotter than most edited porn I've seen, and yet it's still fascinating to watch him go from angry to mindblown as the other guy starts pushing the right, erm... buttons. The "hungry hungry hippos hole" line made me LOL, and there's a facepalm moment at the end when he asks, "Does this make me gay?" Shut up, Lance.
Arpad Miklos Conquers Pussy Victoriously - NSFW, kinda. Gay pornstar Arpad turns the tables and goes straight-for-pay. Woman says it's the best sex she's ever had.
And finally, Jasun Mark talking about how straight actors needs to butch it up when doing gay porn. I find it really interesting that straight male actors will sometimes act more feminine when having sex with a guy, because that's what they've learned from straight porn and women in the sex industry. Actually, all of Jasun's YouTube vids are worth a watch.
ETA: I also forgot to add this article from the Daily Beast that I read a while ago: The Lesbians Who Love Male Gay Porn. It's pretty thought provoking, although one point that's raised - about how some lesbians like gay porn because they don't have to think about the politics and sexism involved in straight porn (be it m/f or f/f porn for men) - gave me pause; as much as I understood the point, I thought it wasn't fair to dismiss the politics and sexism and homophobia also inherent to the male gay porn industry, which shouldn't be undervalued in comparison to misogyny. But anyway, still a good read.
I'll be less meta tomorrow, promise.
Now, obviously gay porn is a significant part of fandom, especially as a slash writer, and I won't deny that it's something I take a personal interest in both as a viewer and as a commentator. We all take our cues from somewhere, so it's interesting to consider, from time to time, the behind-the-scenes aspect of the gay porn industry - call it a meta approach to porn. There's no shortage of commentary out there about the straight porn industry which can cover everything from its injustices and exploitation practices, to issues about the male gaze, to how it's become a lot more mainstream in Western culture in the last decade or so. (Hell, I myself own a pair of Miu Miu's that could pass for stripper shoes any day of the week.) It seems to me like gay pornography - and here I'm talking specifically about gay male pornography, because writing "lesbian pornography" just makes me want to put quotes around the word 'lesbian', and f/f pornography for actual women is still a very emergent niche, even with the growth of the porn-for-women industry - is both a very different animal and the same old story, but there's a less discussion about it in the media, either because it just hasn't come under the same widespread scrutiny as straight porn, or because people assume that it's just the same old story. I don't know.
Either way, I've tried to cobble together a few interesting links which discuss some of the less-well-known, or less-considered aspects of gay male porn, including a blog from a former Sean Cody model about what it's like to be an actual gay man in a gay-for-pay industry.
Devon Hunter's blog: "Know Before You Go" - Devon's experiences modeling for uber-porn director Sean Cody. It's a surprising - and funny! - read with a lot of really interesting insights into the industry and its relationship to actual gay men.
Gay 4 Pay in Prague by Iva Skoch - Great article about the porn industry in Europe, specifically Prague. Naturally Bel Ami features heavily.
Lance Bennett bottoms for the first time - stolen from
bauble. This video is graphic and very NSFW, but is nevertheless an interesting shot of a gay-for-pay actor bottoming for the first time. It's surprisingly intense and probably a lot hotter than most edited porn I've seen, and yet it's still fascinating to watch him go from angry to mindblown as the other guy starts pushing the right, erm... buttons. The "hungry hungry Arpad Miklos Conquers Pussy Victoriously - NSFW, kinda. Gay pornstar Arpad turns the tables and goes straight-for-pay. Woman says it's the best sex she's ever had.
And finally, Jasun Mark talking about how straight actors needs to butch it up when doing gay porn. I find it really interesting that straight male actors will sometimes act more feminine when having sex with a guy, because that's what they've learned from straight porn and women in the sex industry. Actually, all of Jasun's YouTube vids are worth a watch.
ETA: I also forgot to add this article from the Daily Beast that I read a while ago: The Lesbians Who Love Male Gay Porn. It's pretty thought provoking, although one point that's raised - about how some lesbians like gay porn because they don't have to think about the politics and sexism involved in straight porn (be it m/f or f/f porn for men) - gave me pause; as much as I understood the point, I thought it wasn't fair to dismiss the politics and sexism and homophobia also inherent to the male gay porn industry, which shouldn't be undervalued in comparison to misogyny. But anyway, still a good read.
I'll be less meta tomorrow, promise.
Link | + {9} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Lame - yet interesting - survey.
Feb. 1st, 2011 | 09:37 am
music: Radiohead - Everything in Its Right Place
mood: 
sleepy
The other night I had two of my dearest friends in the world round my flat for some drinks and Xbox funtimes, and at some point Luke brought up this question he'd found somewhere on the internet. It's likely that everyone else has seen this by now, because I'm often last to the gate, but it was such a good discussion-starter that I thought I'd share.
Did anyone else automatically think about changing into Jensen or Misha regarding #9? I did. I don't know how I'd be able to leave the house afterward, though, or step away from the mirror.
Anyway, I hope this is as entertaining to someone else as it was to me; but then again, I've been up since 6am and haven't finished my coffee yet.
Which ONE of these ten magical items would you choose? Why?At the time, I said that I would likely choose #8, because I love to travel and never get to do enough of it due to time/financial constraints, but I'm still hung up on #7 (as, I suspect, would anyone). Apparently the condition is that you can a) share the chocolate or b) eat all twelve pieces yourself and live to the age of 1920, but I still dunno. Outliving my loved ones is a major phobia of mine, and I suppose I could then share the rest of the chocolate bar with them, but choosing who to let live would be hard, as would knowing everyone's expiry date. Plus I'm sure there'd be some kind of cult inquest if 12 people who knew each other dropped dead on the same day. Regarding #3 - Luke said he was surprised I didn't choose that one, but what kind of writer would want to absorb a book's information without being able to READ it? It'd make my job kind of redundant.
- A pot that can produce 1,000 kilograms of any food a day.
- A bracelet that keeps weather perfect wherever you go and within a 250 kilometre radius.
- A necklace that allows you to touch books and instantly absorb knowledge from them, without reading.
- An unlimited bottle of perfume that will make you wildly attractive to the opposite sex (or same sex if you’re gay), which cannot be used on anyone you love.
- A watch that allows you to reverse time by a minute or less per day.
- A bell that when rang fixes any one object at a time, excluding living things, within a minute.
- A chocolate bar, with twelve pieces, that makes anyone who eats a single piece invincible and youthful until the age of 160.
- A no fuel required, maintenance free, eight person van that can take you anywhere on the planet within one second.
- A remote control that allows you and another person to change, superficially, into anyone you want; the effect lasts until you decide to revert.
- An immortal dog that poops out one gold coin every time it goes to the bathroom.
Did anyone else automatically think about changing into Jensen or Misha regarding #9? I did. I don't know how I'd be able to leave the house afterward, though, or step away from the mirror.
Anyway, I hope this is as entertaining to someone else as it was to me; but then again, I've been up since 6am and haven't finished my coffee yet.
Link | + {14} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Wellp.
Jan. 28th, 2011 | 07:41 pm
mood: sore
For anyone has ever wondered what getting a tattoo feels like, let me just say that it can hurt a hell of a lot less than getting a massage.
Also, what the fuck?
Also, what the fuck?
Link | + {3} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Oh, the places you'll go...
Jan. 27th, 2011 | 10:31 am
mood: good
Whee! Stolen from everyone.
Here's where I've visited (abysmal, I know):
visited 7 states (3.11%)
Create your own visited map of The World
visited 4 states (30.7%)
Create your own visited map of Canada
visited 10 states (20%)
Create your own visited map of The United States
I need to get out more.
Here's where I've visited (abysmal, I know):
visited 7 states (3.11%)
Create your own visited map of The World
visited 4 states (30.7%)
Create your own visited map of Canada
visited 10 states (20%)
Create your own visited map of The United States
I need to get out more.
Link | + | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
FINALLY.
Jan. 22nd, 2011 | 11:02 pm
music: Don't ask
mood: 
determined
This took SO many bloody tries to finally upload - my determination is questionable.
Sorry for the choppiness of the audio, the upload process didn't seem to be working all too well tonight.
As always, no judgement, chickens.
Sorry for the choppiness of the audio, the upload process didn't seem to be working all too well tonight.
As always, no judgement, chickens.
Link | + {8} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Durr.
Jan. 22nd, 2011 | 08:59 pm
mood: crushed
Was anyone else completely fucking destroyed by Never Let Me Go? Jesus H. I just devastated a whole box of tissue.
Link | + | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Amazeballs!
Jan. 22nd, 2011 | 10:25 am
mood: impressed
music: Dead Prez - Hip Hop
Just found this really interesting article on io9.com about self-publishing to the Kindle. I've heard about it before, as well as reports of the varying degrees of success associated with self-publishing by this method, but it's kind of interesting nonetheless, and great to have a step-by-step overview of how it's done if you've got a book that you're keen to get out there. Now all I have to do is finish one!
How to Publish Your Book on Amazon Kindle @ io9.com
How to Publish Your Book on Amazon Kindle @ io9.com
Link | + {3} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
This shit is bananas. But what do the bananas signify?
Jan. 20th, 2011 | 02:10 pm
mood: mischievous
I have a funny story to share with y'all.
I run a writing group at my library for a small number of people from the community, and I have to say that so far it's been a really positive thing. I've tried to draw upon my own experiences with writing groups from when I was doing my degree in Creative Writing - although it was a bit different and we were obviously graded and guided by a professional writer, I still got a sense of what worked well as part of the group dynamic, and what to try and avoid in the future. Everyone in my group seems to get along and have really warmed up to one another; what started off as a group of fairly apprehensive people has turned into a positive, fun environment.
That is, except for Betty.
Betty is a woman in her late sixties who is known, by name, to all of the library staff here, as she can be extremely demanding and difficult to please as a customer. My stomach definitely sank when I saw her name on the sign-up sheet for the group, but I figured, Whatevs, maybe it won't be so bad, or she'll turn out to be an amazing writer. Yeah, right.
Not only does she snap and get defensive about every line of concrit provided to her at our meetings, she simply refuses to give feedback to the other group members, and makes it pretty obvious that she hates discussing anyone else's work but her own. We all know the type from fandom. Last month she said, "I have no interest in reading anyone else's work because I find it boring. Can I just skip reading it, or should i write, 'BORING' in my comments?" I politely told her that if she was unable to address herself more politely to the other group members, or fulfill group expectations, that I would have to replace her with someone else from the waiting list.
At this stage, I should also add that I regularly hand out samples of poetry and short stories from various well-known authors such as W. H. Auden, Hemingway, Shakespeare or T. S. Eliot so that the group members can think about different styles of writing, especially since some of them are still getting used to different poetic forms, etc.
Today I get a package in my mailbox from her, containing not only this month's writing sample, but all of Betty's comments on the other members' work, and the handouts I prepared. At first I couldn't figure out why she would have returned the handouts to me, but then I had a closer look and realized that she had not just discarded them, but gone and written her critiques on everything - even the Auden and the Eliot and the Hemingway. I guess Shakespeare passed muster for her.
All over the Auden poems were notes like, "This is unclear - explain what you mean," or, "Why would we stumble when the musicians are playing? This makes no sense," or, my favourite, "What are the clowns supposed to signify?" Regarding the lines from The More Loving One, "Admirer as I think I am/ Of stars that do not give a damn," she responded, "This is an undesirable emotion - your whole poem is unclear. Please clarify."
Her notes to Hemingway were definitely my favourite, though. She wrote a bunch of stuff in the margins about the title of Hemingway's A Very Short Story demanding to know what it was about, or if it indicated sexual abuse, or who the hell he was talking about (not even paraphrasing there). She accused him of using 'unnecessarily long sentences', and, regarding the deaf old man in the story A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, "What does it matter what time of day it is, or if the night is more quiet? It would be quiet any time of the day since he's deaf."
I run a writing group at my library for a small number of people from the community, and I have to say that so far it's been a really positive thing. I've tried to draw upon my own experiences with writing groups from when I was doing my degree in Creative Writing - although it was a bit different and we were obviously graded and guided by a professional writer, I still got a sense of what worked well as part of the group dynamic, and what to try and avoid in the future. Everyone in my group seems to get along and have really warmed up to one another; what started off as a group of fairly apprehensive people has turned into a positive, fun environment.
That is, except for Betty.
Betty is a woman in her late sixties who is known, by name, to all of the library staff here, as she can be extremely demanding and difficult to please as a customer. My stomach definitely sank when I saw her name on the sign-up sheet for the group, but I figured, Whatevs, maybe it won't be so bad, or she'll turn out to be an amazing writer. Yeah, right.
Not only does she snap and get defensive about every line of concrit provided to her at our meetings, she simply refuses to give feedback to the other group members, and makes it pretty obvious that she hates discussing anyone else's work but her own. We all know the type from fandom. Last month she said, "I have no interest in reading anyone else's work because I find it boring. Can I just skip reading it, or should i write, 'BORING' in my comments?" I politely told her that if she was unable to address herself more politely to the other group members, or fulfill group expectations, that I would have to replace her with someone else from the waiting list.
At this stage, I should also add that I regularly hand out samples of poetry and short stories from various well-known authors such as W. H. Auden, Hemingway, Shakespeare or T. S. Eliot so that the group members can think about different styles of writing, especially since some of them are still getting used to different poetic forms, etc.
Today I get a package in my mailbox from her, containing not only this month's writing sample, but all of Betty's comments on the other members' work, and the handouts I prepared. At first I couldn't figure out why she would have returned the handouts to me, but then I had a closer look and realized that she had not just discarded them, but gone and written her critiques on everything - even the Auden and the Eliot and the Hemingway. I guess Shakespeare passed muster for her.
All over the Auden poems were notes like, "This is unclear - explain what you mean," or, "Why would we stumble when the musicians are playing? This makes no sense," or, my favourite, "What are the clowns supposed to signify?" Regarding the lines from The More Loving One, "Admirer as I think I am/ Of stars that do not give a damn," she responded, "This is an undesirable emotion - your whole poem is unclear. Please clarify."
Her notes to Hemingway were definitely my favourite, though. She wrote a bunch of stuff in the margins about the title of Hemingway's A Very Short Story demanding to know what it was about, or if it indicated sexual abuse, or who the hell he was talking about (not even paraphrasing there). She accused him of using 'unnecessarily long sentences', and, regarding the deaf old man in the story A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, "What does it matter what time of day it is, or if the night is more quiet? It would be quiet any time of the day since he's deaf."
I just... in between wanting to piss myself laughing, I have no idea how I'm supposed to look this woman in the eye tonight. This is either the most blatant show of passive aggressiveness I've ever seen, or the most blatant display of utter stupidity. All I can think to say is that her notes were well-taken, but that Hemingway and Auden might have a few problems addressing her concerns due to a severe case of being dead.
Day: Consider yourself officially made.
ETA: Tonight she asked, "Who's Ernest? I don't remember meeting him at one of our sessions."
Link | + {19} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
"What's that shifty, somewhat cunty look of yours?"
Jan. 19th, 2011 | 01:14 pm
mood: 
shocked
How the fuck did I not notice that the actress who plays Meg 2.0 is the smokin' hot Suicide Girl/agent from Californication???!?!?!
Facepalm.
Gawd. My enjoyment of this show just flew through the roof.
Facepalm.
Gawd. My enjoyment of this show just flew through the roof.
Link | + | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
J2BB Filter
Jan. 10th, 2011 | 09:43 am
mood: 
curious
music: Little Boxes - Malvina Reynolds
Link | + {10} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Pronunciation Meme Yay!
Jan. 8th, 2011 | 06:33 pm
mood: 
embarrassed
Stolen from ![[info]](https://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=1)
cautionzombies, obstinatrix and no doubt a slew of other people by now.
Make a voice post with the following things so that your F-list can hear how you pronounce them (and laugh at you, of course):
- Your name and/or username
- Where you're from
- The words "roof", "aunt", "direction", and "naturally"
- Your favorite song
- Your favorite character
- A word in a different language
Voiceposting seems to be utterly fucked at the moment (probably because us nutters are crashing it), so I just uploaded a voice recording from my mobile to MediaFire. Sorry that you have to go through the trouble of downloading this just to hear my old hag's voice, but you can do so here.
Feel free to point and laugh now.
cautionzombies, obstinatrix and no doubt a slew of other people by now.Make a voice post with the following things so that your F-list can hear how you pronounce them (and laugh at you, of course):
- Your name and/or username
- Where you're from
- The words "roof", "aunt", "direction", and "naturally"
- Your favorite song
- Your favorite character
- A word in a different language
Voiceposting seems to be utterly fucked at the moment (probably because us nutters are crashing it), so I just uploaded a voice recording from my mobile to MediaFire. Sorry that you have to go through the trouble of downloading this just to hear my old hag's voice, but you can do so here.
Feel free to point and laugh now.
Link | + {13} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Someone decide for me, I'm an idiot.
Jan. 5th, 2011 | 01:00 pm
mood: confused
Should I do ![[info]](https://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif?v=1)
spn_j2_bigbang or not?
I've never participated in this kind of challenge before. How does it compare to, say,deancasbigbang?
Input appreciated as always. Apparently I start novellas without provocation, so it'd be nice to actually do one for a reason.
ETA: What if I did them both? Can someone volunteer to see to my estate for when they take my rights away?
spn_j2_bigbang or not?I've never participated in this kind of challenge before. How does it compare to, say,
deancasbigbang?Input appreciated as always. Apparently I start novellas without provocation, so it'd be nice to actually do one for a reason.
ETA: What if I did them both? Can someone volunteer to see to my estate for when they take my rights away?
Link | + {40} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Pro Slash Recs: A (sort of) definitive reading list - Part 2 of 2
Jan. 3rd, 2011 | 05:51 pm
mood: content
Part 2 of 2 of my pro slash recs - enjoy!
Part 1 here.
Cinnamon Gardens by Shyam Selvadurai
I feel like this list wouldn't be complete without a shout-out to Shyam, who is a former teacher of mine and an all-around delightful human being. I admit that I much prefer Cinnamon Gardens to Funny Boy, which is probably what he's best known for, but both novels present an immersive, florid view of Shyam's native Sri Lanka during the 1920s. A lot of the same themes as Funny Boy are explored in a more in-depth way, including homosexuality, family, societal expectations, culture. I responded a lot more to Balendran and Annalukshmi, the two main characters, than I did the characters in Funny Boy, and also found the story a lot more ambitious and moving.
The Dreyfus Affair: A Love Story by Peter Lefcourt
Baseball slash. Hilarious. Go read. Now.
The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer
Greer also wrote The Confessions of Max Tivoli, which I always thought of as the true story of Benjamin Button and a lovely homage to Greer's hometown of San Francisco. One of my favourite things about Greer's writing is his ability to weave a twisting and surprising tale without ever neglecting to provide the reader with all the facts beforehand (if they know where to look). His prose is extremely tight and a pleasure to read, and I love how sensitively he handles personal histories and intimate relationships, even if they can seem a little sentimental at times. He also handles the racial and sexual tensions of the 50s extremely well, adding to the authentic feel of the narrative and believability of the characters.
Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim
The movie adaptation of this book has gotten a lot more popular along with JGL's rising star, but it remains a favourite of mine and an absolutely haunting story. I cried at several points during this book (and admittedly the movie is what I saw first), but the telling of Neil and Brian's childhood trauma is so heartbreaking on paper that it was like experiencing it all for the first time. I wouldn't say that it's a perfect book, but there are such profound moments of beauty that the flaws are easy to ignore. Very triggery, as with the movie, but worth looking at if you can handle it.
Close Range: Wyoming Stories by E. Annie Proulx
The book that provided us with "Brokeback Mountain". This is really the only slashy story in the collection, but those who loved the movie and haven't read the story need to get their heads checked. "Brokeback" touched me so deeply that I literally screamed out loud when I found out they were making a movie adaptation; there are so many scenes in this one story that made my heart feel like it stopped in my chest, and in a totally different way from the film. She writes the style beautifully, and with such sparse prose, that I'm a little jealous every time I read it.
Ransom by Lee Rowan
Hilariously, I read this when it was just a piece of Hornblower fic, and Lee Rowan has managed to turn it around and market it as an original novel. Say what you want about its originality, Ransom was a great story and made for a great novel, with gorgeous language and a beautiful story. See, fanfic dreams really can come true!
The Players by Stephanie Cowell
Shakespeare slash, pure and simple. The Bard's Sonnets are a serious obsession of mine, so this delightful novel about their inception just hit all the right notes. Historically, it's superb, and the dialogue and characterizations are are spot-on. Cowell does a really fantastic job of interweaving the stories of Shakespeare's affair with his "dark mistress" Emilia, and his love for his patron, the Earl of Southampton, for whom the Sonnets were written. I can never stand to put this book down no matter how many times I read it, because it's a love triangle and a historical tour de force done to absolute perfection.
The Story of the Night by Colm Tóibín
Although Tóibín is an Irish writer, I'm so enamoured of how painstakingly and realistically he recreates the atmosphere of Argentina during the Falklands War, while simultaneously drawing upon themes of political, cultural, sexual, and personal demons. He comes across as a very intellectual writer without weighing down the text--I feel like just about anyone could enjoy this book, whether they're looking for a genuinely great read, or hoping to look to the text for something deeper and more meaningful, and this is a rare combination.
The Lost Language of Cranes and The Page Turner by David Leavitt
David Leavitt is the gay writer's homeboy, I think, so it's not really surprising that so many authors cite him as one of their inspirations and favourite writers of gay fiction. He's also a fantastic nonfiction author who writes a great deal about his experiences in Italy, which is probably why his descriptions of people and places come through so vividly. In Cranes, the protagonist's coming out inadvertently reveals the truth about his own father's sexuality, and Leavitt portrays this domino effect and subsequent family fallout with a deft hand. The Page Turner, in the meantime, continues to be one of my favourite romances, perhaps because of my own musical background and love of the piano. Both definitely worth reading, along with Leavitt's other work.
The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren
Admittedly, I haven't read this one in a long, long time - but it's widely regarded as being a major work of gay fiction in the 20th century and is a sweet read. Boys in running short shorts - what's not to love?
A Separate Peace and Peace Breaks Out by John Knowles
I think that most people probably read A Separate Peace in high school, but it's one of those books that hooked me then and has remained with me ever since. I love how subtle the homosexual themes are, but also how poignant - I think part of the book's success is the fact that Gene and Finny's relationship can be read just as effectively (and easily) as an expression of gay desire as it can that of a profound boyhood friendship and bildungsroman, given Gene's subsequent loss and its affect upon his growth into adulthood. Then again, maybe it's just the UST that gets me every time. Peace Breaks Out is the pseudo-sequel that no one really seems to have read, but I went ahead and dove into it because I'm a geek that way.
Radcliffe by David Storey
To be honest, Radcliffe is almost universally panned by critics and readers, and I'm the first to admit that it's a bit of a mindfuck, and not necessarily in the best way. Written in 1963, it was rather racy for its time given the gay themes, borderline explicit descriptions of sex (again, for the time). I found it a pretty enjoyable read the first time through, if you can appreciate the experimentation Storey takes with the genre of Gothic/psychological horror, and his Lawrence-esque style of writing. I've tried to revisit it a few times since then, but it can be difficult to slog through when you know what's coming - usually I just skip to the slashy parts. ;)
The Regeneration Trilogy by Pat Barker
Pat Barker - aka. my mistress. Not only is she an absolutely amazing writer in terms of the beauty of her prose and story construction, she writes so powerfully about WWII in this trilogy, addressing shell-shock/PTSD and the development of psychotherapy, soldier psychology, British cultural identity during the War, and also gay desire. The latter is not touched upon so explicitly in the first book, Regeneration, but is a much more prominent theme by the second, The Eye in the Door. I cannot recommend this series - or Barker's writing - enough, truly.
The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon
Annabel Lyon is a [relatively] new Canadian writer who was shortlisted for Canada's prestigious Governor General's award in 2009. I suppose I wouldn't necessarily call this book slash, as it is hardly its main focus, but by virtue of being about Alexander the Great it sort of goes with the territory. Fascinatingly, the whole book is told from Aristotle's POV, which to me is such an ambitious undertaking but beautifully executed. She manages to make the great philosopher into a very human character, and subtly conveys his disturbance and fascination with the adolescent Alexander. Even though we know how the story ends, it was so engrossing to read Lyon's take on the making of such an imposing historical figure.
Michael Cunningham
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Michael Cunningham. I love his work and have read all his books, and I would heartily encourage you to find them immediately if you haven't already done so. His writing is beautiful, flowing and he writes characters that leap off the page; but he's mightily hung up on the AIDS epidemic. Obviously it is a very close subject to him, and he writes about it with sensitivity and grace, but after the 3rd book about it I was a bit facepalm-y. There are so many subjects that can be explored that incorporate gay themes or gay characters, that don't just have to be about that... I feel like the gay community is already associated with AIDS to such an extent that choosing to return to that topic again and again can become hurtful and reductive. I suppose it's better to have an author who can do so well, rather than one who does so poorly, but geez.
If you're interested in checking out some of the great reader's advisory websites out there, the two I'd recommend most are either NoveList or Books and Authors. Unfortunately both can only be accessed with a subscription, but if you're a member of a public library system, you might be able to access them for free. It's possible to search these databases for their indexed LQBT-Q materials, either alone or in combination with another subject heading.
As before, please let me know if there's something I left out!
Part 1 here.
Cinnamon Gardens by Shyam Selvadurai
I feel like this list wouldn't be complete without a shout-out to Shyam, who is a former teacher of mine and an all-around delightful human being. I admit that I much prefer Cinnamon Gardens to Funny Boy, which is probably what he's best known for, but both novels present an immersive, florid view of Shyam's native Sri Lanka during the 1920s. A lot of the same themes as Funny Boy are explored in a more in-depth way, including homosexuality, family, societal expectations, culture. I responded a lot more to Balendran and Annalukshmi, the two main characters, than I did the characters in Funny Boy, and also found the story a lot more ambitious and moving.
The Dreyfus Affair: A Love Story by Peter Lefcourt
Baseball slash. Hilarious. Go read. Now.
The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer
Greer also wrote The Confessions of Max Tivoli, which I always thought of as the true story of Benjamin Button and a lovely homage to Greer's hometown of San Francisco. One of my favourite things about Greer's writing is his ability to weave a twisting and surprising tale without ever neglecting to provide the reader with all the facts beforehand (if they know where to look). His prose is extremely tight and a pleasure to read, and I love how sensitively he handles personal histories and intimate relationships, even if they can seem a little sentimental at times. He also handles the racial and sexual tensions of the 50s extremely well, adding to the authentic feel of the narrative and believability of the characters.
Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim
The movie adaptation of this book has gotten a lot more popular along with JGL's rising star, but it remains a favourite of mine and an absolutely haunting story. I cried at several points during this book (and admittedly the movie is what I saw first), but the telling of Neil and Brian's childhood trauma is so heartbreaking on paper that it was like experiencing it all for the first time. I wouldn't say that it's a perfect book, but there are such profound moments of beauty that the flaws are easy to ignore. Very triggery, as with the movie, but worth looking at if you can handle it.
Close Range: Wyoming Stories by E. Annie Proulx
The book that provided us with "Brokeback Mountain". This is really the only slashy story in the collection, but those who loved the movie and haven't read the story need to get their heads checked. "Brokeback" touched me so deeply that I literally screamed out loud when I found out they were making a movie adaptation; there are so many scenes in this one story that made my heart feel like it stopped in my chest, and in a totally different way from the film. She writes the style beautifully, and with such sparse prose, that I'm a little jealous every time I read it.
Ransom by Lee Rowan
Hilariously, I read this when it was just a piece of Hornblower fic, and Lee Rowan has managed to turn it around and market it as an original novel. Say what you want about its originality, Ransom was a great story and made for a great novel, with gorgeous language and a beautiful story. See, fanfic dreams really can come true!
The Players by Stephanie Cowell
Shakespeare slash, pure and simple. The Bard's Sonnets are a serious obsession of mine, so this delightful novel about their inception just hit all the right notes. Historically, it's superb, and the dialogue and characterizations are are spot-on. Cowell does a really fantastic job of interweaving the stories of Shakespeare's affair with his "dark mistress" Emilia, and his love for his patron, the Earl of Southampton, for whom the Sonnets were written. I can never stand to put this book down no matter how many times I read it, because it's a love triangle and a historical tour de force done to absolute perfection.
The Story of the Night by Colm Tóibín
Although Tóibín is an Irish writer, I'm so enamoured of how painstakingly and realistically he recreates the atmosphere of Argentina during the Falklands War, while simultaneously drawing upon themes of political, cultural, sexual, and personal demons. He comes across as a very intellectual writer without weighing down the text--I feel like just about anyone could enjoy this book, whether they're looking for a genuinely great read, or hoping to look to the text for something deeper and more meaningful, and this is a rare combination.
The Lost Language of Cranes and The Page Turner by David Leavitt
David Leavitt is the gay writer's homeboy, I think, so it's not really surprising that so many authors cite him as one of their inspirations and favourite writers of gay fiction. He's also a fantastic nonfiction author who writes a great deal about his experiences in Italy, which is probably why his descriptions of people and places come through so vividly. In Cranes, the protagonist's coming out inadvertently reveals the truth about his own father's sexuality, and Leavitt portrays this domino effect and subsequent family fallout with a deft hand. The Page Turner, in the meantime, continues to be one of my favourite romances, perhaps because of my own musical background and love of the piano. Both definitely worth reading, along with Leavitt's other work.
The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren
Admittedly, I haven't read this one in a long, long time - but it's widely regarded as being a major work of gay fiction in the 20th century and is a sweet read. Boys in running short shorts - what's not to love?
A Separate Peace and Peace Breaks Out by John Knowles
I think that most people probably read A Separate Peace in high school, but it's one of those books that hooked me then and has remained with me ever since. I love how subtle the homosexual themes are, but also how poignant - I think part of the book's success is the fact that Gene and Finny's relationship can be read just as effectively (and easily) as an expression of gay desire as it can that of a profound boyhood friendship and bildungsroman, given Gene's subsequent loss and its affect upon his growth into adulthood. Then again, maybe it's just the UST that gets me every time. Peace Breaks Out is the pseudo-sequel that no one really seems to have read, but I went ahead and dove into it because I'm a geek that way.
Radcliffe by David Storey
To be honest, Radcliffe is almost universally panned by critics and readers, and I'm the first to admit that it's a bit of a mindfuck, and not necessarily in the best way. Written in 1963, it was rather racy for its time given the gay themes, borderline explicit descriptions of sex (again, for the time). I found it a pretty enjoyable read the first time through, if you can appreciate the experimentation Storey takes with the genre of Gothic/psychological horror, and his Lawrence-esque style of writing. I've tried to revisit it a few times since then, but it can be difficult to slog through when you know what's coming - usually I just skip to the slashy parts. ;)
The Regeneration Trilogy by Pat Barker
Pat Barker - aka. my mistress. Not only is she an absolutely amazing writer in terms of the beauty of her prose and story construction, she writes so powerfully about WWII in this trilogy, addressing shell-shock/PTSD and the development of psychotherapy, soldier psychology, British cultural identity during the War, and also gay desire. The latter is not touched upon so explicitly in the first book, Regeneration, but is a much more prominent theme by the second, The Eye in the Door. I cannot recommend this series - or Barker's writing - enough, truly.
The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon
Annabel Lyon is a [relatively] new Canadian writer who was shortlisted for Canada's prestigious Governor General's award in 2009. I suppose I wouldn't necessarily call this book slash, as it is hardly its main focus, but by virtue of being about Alexander the Great it sort of goes with the territory. Fascinatingly, the whole book is told from Aristotle's POV, which to me is such an ambitious undertaking but beautifully executed. She manages to make the great philosopher into a very human character, and subtly conveys his disturbance and fascination with the adolescent Alexander. Even though we know how the story ends, it was so engrossing to read Lyon's take on the making of such an imposing historical figure.
Michael Cunningham
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Michael Cunningham. I love his work and have read all his books, and I would heartily encourage you to find them immediately if you haven't already done so. His writing is beautiful, flowing and he writes characters that leap off the page; but he's mightily hung up on the AIDS epidemic. Obviously it is a very close subject to him, and he writes about it with sensitivity and grace, but after the 3rd book about it I was a bit facepalm-y. There are so many subjects that can be explored that incorporate gay themes or gay characters, that don't just have to be about that... I feel like the gay community is already associated with AIDS to such an extent that choosing to return to that topic again and again can become hurtful and reductive. I suppose it's better to have an author who can do so well, rather than one who does so poorly, but geez.
If you're interested in checking out some of the great reader's advisory websites out there, the two I'd recommend most are either NoveList or Books and Authors. Unfortunately both can only be accessed with a subscription, but if you're a member of a public library system, you might be able to access them for free. It's possible to search these databases for their indexed LQBT-Q materials, either alone or in combination with another subject heading.
As before, please let me know if there's something I left out!
Link | + {4} | Add to Memories | Tell Someone
Pro Slash Recs: A (sort of) definitive reading list - Part 1 of 2
Jan. 3rd, 2011 | 05:41 pm
mood: contemplative
Sorry folks, no more fic posts yet (one in a day isn't enough for you??), but I thought I'd change tack a little and list a few of my pro-slash recs to tide you over.
( But first, a professional rant that I need to get out of the way. Feel free to skip. )
As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann
Ah, historical fiction - one of my greatest weaknesses. Set during the English Civil War, As Meat Loves Salt is the incredibly vivid, sprawling tale of Jacob Cullen, a man who flees his family and new wife after being accused of murdering another man. He joins Cromwell's army and meets Christopher Ferris, a brilliant idealist who ultimately takes Jacob into his home, teaches him the ropes of pamphlet printing, and becomes his lover. Aside from the amazing historical accuracy and fantastic characterizations, the chemistry between Ferris and Jacob is smoking hot. It's a bit of a trippy tale and can drag on in places (especially if you want to jump to the slashy bits), but I re-read this every so often just to get swept up in its amazing world.
The Charioteer by Mary Renault
This is my favourite book of all time, hands down. Renault, quite the slasher herself, was a student of Tolkien's and put her vast historical knowledge to use by writing a number of books about Ancient Greece, including the well-known Last of the Wine, but The Charioteer was the only thing she wrote contemporary to her own time, and about WWII. Laurie, the protagonist, is an injured soldier sent to convalesce back in England, where he's forced to reconcile himself not only to life as a former soldier, but a closeted homosexual. The language in this book is absolutely breathtaking--and heartbreaking--and I read it every year without fail.
The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox
This one is a bit of a no-brainer for fans of Cas--the book's protagonist, Sobran, is a young French vintner who gets drunk one evening and almost falls to his death by tumbling down a hill. He is saved by an angel named Xas, and the two make a pact to meet on that night every year for the rest of Sobran's life to share wine and stories. Ultimately they fall in love, but each year of Sobran's life is narrated beautifully and the story takes a number of truly unexpected twists, right down to Lucifer's surprise appearance. Nikki Caro, who directed Whale Rider, also directed an adaptation of this book. The movie wasn't great, but worth seeing if you can manage to find it.
Sugarless by James Magruder
There aren't enough gay dramedies out there, but luckily Sugarless is a wonderful exception. Magruder does a great job of capturing the tone and atmosphere of 70s Chicago, and the main character, the 15-year-old Rick Lahrem, has a hilarious and offbeat voice. The book takes us through his awkward adolescence, coming out and affair with a coach with surprising deftness, and I laughed out loud quite a few times. It also delves way further into the world of dramatic interpretation than you ever thought possible.
Frontiers by Michael Jensen (lol!)
I can't say that this book is a literary masterpiece, and to be honest it sometimes reads more like fanfiction than anything, but I have to say that it was a fun read and pretty steamy in the slash department. The book follows the tale of John Chapman, a wanted sodomite who takes to the American frontier in order to escape persecution and make a life for himself. Drama ensues. The author's use of historical fact was very well-taken and he obviously did his research, even if some of the characters didn't come through as well as they could have. It's a bit difficult to find copies of this anywhere unless you order it online, but is still worth a read if you're looking for something fun and full of adventure.
Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory
There was a time before Philippa Gregory did nothing but write bestselling Elizabethan court intrigue with lots of sex and beheadings, and Earthly Joys is my absolute favourite thing that she's written. As you might expect, it's pretty long and spans quite a long period, but the love story is so beautiful and heartbreaking that I can read this thing every year and not get bored of it. John Tradescant, real-life historical figure, royal gardener and one of England's first museum curators, is an intriguing character with immense loyalty, and an entertaining preoccupation with plants. He falls in love with his employer, George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham and the favourite of Charles II, and as much as you want to shake him by the shoulders and tell him to give it up, you can't help but admire his devotion and love for his Lord.
At Swim, Two Boys and Disturbance by Jamie O'Neill
Two Irish boys, Jim and Doyler, fall in love in the time leading up to and during the horrific events of Easter Rising in 1916, before the Irish War of Independence. This book is quite a long read, but pretty fascinating in its treatment of homosexuality, adolescence, friendship, and patriotism. It's not quite a happy read throughout, but worth a look. Definitely it's a book that stays with you for a long time, especially if you're someone who has any interest in Irish history.
Disturbance was published quite a while before At Swim and isn't nearly as engrossing a read, but it's nevertheless an interesting investigation into Irishness, mental illness and homosexuality.
Maurice by E. M. Forster
What can't be said about Maurice... it's absolutely magical and a must-read. My old copy has so dog-eared and covered with notes that it's barely legible anymore, which is a good thing that I could practically recite the damn thing from memory by now. The movie also happens to feature a baby-faced Hugh Grant and James Wilby getting their slash on, so if you aren't into reading the book, definitely dig up the movie. And Rupert Graves! Sigh.
Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley
This book can be a bit of a buzzkill, I'd admit, because the ending just broke my heart and made me want to disown humanity, but the language is so lovely and transportative that it's hard not to read through to the end. It's a really lovely coming-of-age and love story between the shy, awkward Nathan and the boy next door, enigmatic and popular Roy. It deals with sexual abuse and a sickening amount of homophobia and hate crimes, so there might be triggery stuff in here, but like I said its a beautiful story and absolutely engrossing.
Short History of a Prince by Jane Hamilton
Unlike a lot of other gay coming-of-age stories, I don't feel like Short History makes as much of a fuss over its protagonist's sexuality as is expected of the genre. For me, the focus was more about the main character, Walter's realization that life rarely turns out the way we expect, and his struggle to deal with the loss of his younger brother from cancer. The way Hamilton splits his story between his high school years in the 1970s, and the present, is an interesting device that really makes Walter's character shine through, along with a fantastic cast of supporting personalities.
Angels in America by Tony Kushner
Nuff said.
Enduring Love by Ian McEwan
This is more of a creepy stalker thriller than it is slashy fun times, but McEwan is one of my favourite authors and this deserved a mention. I guess the slashiness is more of an afterthought, but McEwan writes obsession extremely well, and does a fascinating job of building up how a single tragic incident can both change a person's life and inextricably link them to another, even someone they're desperate to be away from. I also like to think of this as the Daniel Craig movie no one ever saw, starring a Welsh guy as the total fucking nutter (Samantha Morton is in it, though, so we take what we can get, do the Welsh).
The Book of Salt by Monique Truong
I consider this book a fantastic read in general, but if you happen to have more than a passing interest in Gertrude Stein (or, Gertrudestein, as she's known in the book) and Alice B. Toklas, you should drop whatever you're doing right now and go read it. Told from the point of view of the Vietmanese cook, Binh, we get a hilarious and intriguing (fictional, speculative) perspective on this great literary household, as well as a fascinating look at Binh's own history, and how he came to live with "the Steins". Truly delightful.
Part 2 to come shortly. If there are any recs that you don't see listed in this post or the next, please let me know! I'm always on the lookout for new reads and suggestions.
( But first, a professional rant that I need to get out of the way. Feel free to skip. )
As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann
Ah, historical fiction - one of my greatest weaknesses. Set during the English Civil War, As Meat Loves Salt is the incredibly vivid, sprawling tale of Jacob Cullen, a man who flees his family and new wife after being accused of murdering another man. He joins Cromwell's army and meets Christopher Ferris, a brilliant idealist who ultimately takes Jacob into his home, teaches him the ropes of pamphlet printing, and becomes his lover. Aside from the amazing historical accuracy and fantastic characterizations, the chemistry between Ferris and Jacob is smoking hot. It's a bit of a trippy tale and can drag on in places (especially if you want to jump to the slashy bits), but I re-read this every so often just to get swept up in its amazing world.
The Charioteer by Mary Renault
This is my favourite book of all time, hands down. Renault, quite the slasher herself, was a student of Tolkien's and put her vast historical knowledge to use by writing a number of books about Ancient Greece, including the well-known Last of the Wine, but The Charioteer was the only thing she wrote contemporary to her own time, and about WWII. Laurie, the protagonist, is an injured soldier sent to convalesce back in England, where he's forced to reconcile himself not only to life as a former soldier, but a closeted homosexual. The language in this book is absolutely breathtaking--and heartbreaking--and I read it every year without fail.
The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox
This one is a bit of a no-brainer for fans of Cas--the book's protagonist, Sobran, is a young French vintner who gets drunk one evening and almost falls to his death by tumbling down a hill. He is saved by an angel named Xas, and the two make a pact to meet on that night every year for the rest of Sobran's life to share wine and stories. Ultimately they fall in love, but each year of Sobran's life is narrated beautifully and the story takes a number of truly unexpected twists, right down to Lucifer's surprise appearance. Nikki Caro, who directed Whale Rider, also directed an adaptation of this book. The movie wasn't great, but worth seeing if you can manage to find it.
Sugarless by James Magruder
There aren't enough gay dramedies out there, but luckily Sugarless is a wonderful exception. Magruder does a great job of capturing the tone and atmosphere of 70s Chicago, and the main character, the 15-year-old Rick Lahrem, has a hilarious and offbeat voice. The book takes us through his awkward adolescence, coming out and affair with a coach with surprising deftness, and I laughed out loud quite a few times. It also delves way further into the world of dramatic interpretation than you ever thought possible.
Frontiers by Michael Jensen (lol!)
I can't say that this book is a literary masterpiece, and to be honest it sometimes reads more like fanfiction than anything, but I have to say that it was a fun read and pretty steamy in the slash department. The book follows the tale of John Chapman, a wanted sodomite who takes to the American frontier in order to escape persecution and make a life for himself. Drama ensues. The author's use of historical fact was very well-taken and he obviously did his research, even if some of the characters didn't come through as well as they could have. It's a bit difficult to find copies of this anywhere unless you order it online, but is still worth a read if you're looking for something fun and full of adventure.
Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory
There was a time before Philippa Gregory did nothing but write bestselling Elizabethan court intrigue with lots of sex and beheadings, and Earthly Joys is my absolute favourite thing that she's written. As you might expect, it's pretty long and spans quite a long period, but the love story is so beautiful and heartbreaking that I can read this thing every year and not get bored of it. John Tradescant, real-life historical figure, royal gardener and one of England's first museum curators, is an intriguing character with immense loyalty, and an entertaining preoccupation with plants. He falls in love with his employer, George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham and the favourite of Charles II, and as much as you want to shake him by the shoulders and tell him to give it up, you can't help but admire his devotion and love for his Lord.
At Swim, Two Boys and Disturbance by Jamie O'Neill
Two Irish boys, Jim and Doyler, fall in love in the time leading up to and during the horrific events of Easter Rising in 1916, before the Irish War of Independence. This book is quite a long read, but pretty fascinating in its treatment of homosexuality, adolescence, friendship, and patriotism. It's not quite a happy read throughout, but worth a look. Definitely it's a book that stays with you for a long time, especially if you're someone who has any interest in Irish history.
Disturbance was published quite a while before At Swim and isn't nearly as engrossing a read, but it's nevertheless an interesting investigation into Irishness, mental illness and homosexuality.
Maurice by E. M. Forster
What can't be said about Maurice... it's absolutely magical and a must-read. My old copy has so dog-eared and covered with notes that it's barely legible anymore, which is a good thing that I could practically recite the damn thing from memory by now. The movie also happens to feature a baby-faced Hugh Grant and James Wilby getting their slash on, so if you aren't into reading the book, definitely dig up the movie. And Rupert Graves! Sigh.
Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley
This book can be a bit of a buzzkill, I'd admit, because the ending just broke my heart and made me want to disown humanity, but the language is so lovely and transportative that it's hard not to read through to the end. It's a really lovely coming-of-age and love story between the shy, awkward Nathan and the boy next door, enigmatic and popular Roy. It deals with sexual abuse and a sickening amount of homophobia and hate crimes, so there might be triggery stuff in here, but like I said its a beautiful story and absolutely engrossing.
Short History of a Prince by Jane Hamilton
Unlike a lot of other gay coming-of-age stories, I don't feel like Short History makes as much of a fuss over its protagonist's sexuality as is expected of the genre. For me, the focus was more about the main character, Walter's realization that life rarely turns out the way we expect, and his struggle to deal with the loss of his younger brother from cancer. The way Hamilton splits his story between his high school years in the 1970s, and the present, is an interesting device that really makes Walter's character shine through, along with a fantastic cast of supporting personalities.
Angels in America by Tony Kushner
Nuff said.
Enduring Love by Ian McEwan
This is more of a creepy stalker thriller than it is slashy fun times, but McEwan is one of my favourite authors and this deserved a mention. I guess the slashiness is more of an afterthought, but McEwan writes obsession extremely well, and does a fascinating job of building up how a single tragic incident can both change a person's life and inextricably link them to another, even someone they're desperate to be away from. I also like to think of this as the Daniel Craig movie no one ever saw, starring a Welsh guy as the total fucking nutter (Samantha Morton is in it, though, so we take what we can get, do the Welsh).
The Book of Salt by Monique Truong
I consider this book a fantastic read in general, but if you happen to have more than a passing interest in Gertrude Stein (or, Gertrudestein, as she's known in the book) and Alice B. Toklas, you should drop whatever you're doing right now and go read it. Told from the point of view of the Vietmanese cook, Binh, we get a hilarious and intriguing (fictional, speculative) perspective on this great literary household, as well as a fascinating look at Binh's own history, and how he came to live with "the Steins". Truly delightful.
Part 2 to come shortly. If there are any recs that you don't see listed in this post or the next, please let me know! I'm always on the lookout for new reads and suggestions.