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A DIFFERENT LIGHT BOOKSTORE
July 22 @ 7:30pm
Celebrate DORE ALLEY w/ ALEX IRONROD (Obsession: Leather Masters and Slaves)
Alex Ironrod's latest novel is the final segment of the trilogy about Tarquin and Paul and their adventures in today's leather world in LA, Palm Springs and England. It's a penetrating look at the dynamics of man-to-man sexual relationships, always evolving and diversifying and provides a powerful and dramatic conclusion to Ironrod's three BDSM novels - Submission, Domination and now Obsession (all three will be available for signing).
August 3 @ 7:30pm
Stephen McCauley (Insignificant Others) & Sebastian Stuart (The Hour Between)
Two of the most celebrated gay novelists of their generation come to our store for the very first time. Insignificant Others, about a gay affair with a married man, is currently in the running for our AUGUST BOOK CLUB SELECTION. Set in the late 1960s, The Hour Between is a compelling portrait of a time and place, replete with drugs, sex, Andy Warhol, and some of the sharpest and funniest dialogue in recent memory.
August 13 @ 7pm
DEL SHORES'S SORDID AFFAIR (creator/director and cast of Sordid Lives reunite!)
Come, meet and greet the creator/director and cast - Ann Walker (LAVonda), Newell Alexander (Wardell), Rosemary Alexander (Dr. Eve) and Jason Dottley (Ty) - of one of the most beloved subversive camp comedies ever about a white trash Southern family. Copies of the feature film as well as the hard-to-find TV series on DVD will be available for signing after the audience Q&A.
All our events are FREE and OPEN to the public.
For more information
visit our blog: http://adl-books.blogspot.com
follow us on Twitter
like us on Facebook
or contact Oscar Raymundo
Events Coordinator
A Different Light
489 Castro Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 431 0891
adlsfevents@gmail.com
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Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
No Rest For The Wicked
I was on track to finish the conversion of my novel Island Song to past tense at the end of this week. I'm really pleased at the work because I'm also tightening the prose as I go. I'm really a much better writer now than when I wrote IS. However, I received the edits for my novel Match Maker from Dreamspinner Press today. I now must go through and examine every edit, approve or reject each one, and I've only got ten days to do it. Doing some quick math tells me I must edit thirty-five pages per day. That's a lot.
I'm not complaining. I'm actually thrilled that my new publisher did the first round of edits so quickly (they do two rounds). But this means I'll be heads-down working for the next ten days, especially if I hope to continue making progress on converting Island Song to past tense.
Don't be surprised if you don't here from me over the next week. lol
cheers,
.
I'm not complaining. I'm actually thrilled that my new publisher did the first round of edits so quickly (they do two rounds). But this means I'll be heads-down working for the next ten days, especially if I hope to continue making progress on converting Island Song to past tense.
Don't be surprised if you don't here from me over the next week. lol
cheers,
.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Writing Tip # 18 - Using of Copyrighted Material
There once was a time when you could include a few lines of a song or poem, or quote another book, and no one cared. That time is gone.
To use any quoted material from a work under copyright, you must have official permission from the rights holder. In the case of a published work, this is almost always the publisher, and it will cost money. Expect to pay $250-$500 for up to 100 words for the first 5,000 copies sold (although some may set the maximum at 2,000), after which an additional fee may be required. Fees of $1,000 and more are not out of the question.
Phrases that have been used so often ("Make My Day.") can still be used with impunity, although even then it's technically a copyright violation.
If you're determined to use a bit of copyrighted material, it's your job to obtain the necessary permission. It takes time and money.
Be aware that when it comes to copyrighted material these days "just a little" is too much.
To use any quoted material from a work under copyright, you must have official permission from the rights holder. In the case of a published work, this is almost always the publisher, and it will cost money. Expect to pay $250-$500 for up to 100 words for the first 5,000 copies sold (although some may set the maximum at 2,000), after which an additional fee may be required. Fees of $1,000 and more are not out of the question.
Phrases that have been used so often ("Make My Day.") can still be used with impunity, although even then it's technically a copyright violation.
If you're determined to use a bit of copyrighted material, it's your job to obtain the necessary permission. It takes time and money.
Be aware that when it comes to copyrighted material these days "just a little" is too much.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Book Review: Visible Lives
Reviewed by Alan Chin
Published by Kensington Books
Pages: 342
Visible Lives was published to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the death of E. Lynn Harris, one of gay fiction’s best-loved authors. This is a collection of three novellas from African-American gay fiction writers who had some association with Harris. Each story begins with a heartfelt introduction outlining how the author knew Harris and the effect Harris had on their work.
The First story, The Intern by Terrance Dean, tells the tale of Chase, a television executive who has dated a string of losers until a summer intern working in his office comes on to him. The intern is sexy, caring, passionate and hung – everything Chase needs. The problem? The intern is much younger. This is basically a story about how Chase got his groove back.
This turned out to be a moderately entertaining story. I found the characters to be somewhat one dimensional and the plot overly predictable. There were, however, several clever scenes and the dialog was often funny. It’s not a story I would rank high on my list, but it was certainly an enjoyable read.
Story number two, Is It Still Jood to Ya? by James Earl Hardy, tells of how Raheim tries to lure his ex-lover back in order to save their family, at a time when his ex-lover is getting ready to fly off and spend time with another man. Fate steps in and grounds all flights, giving Raheim the opportunity he needs.
I had significant issues with this story. Cardboard characters, page after page of useless dialog that failed to move the story forward, and ending with forty pages of questions and answers in an interview format that was so utterly boring that I couldn’t finish it. This story, in my opinion, is poorly written and tedious. To top it off, every time the author used the word “good” (which was often) he replaced it with “jood”, which pulled me out of the story every time. It became extremely annoying. I can’t recommend this story.
The third and last story, House of John by Stanley Bennett Clay, turned out to be my favorite of the three. A middle-aged man, Jesse, is devastated when he finds that his long-term lover is cheating on him. To retaliate he joins a group of other gay men on a sex vacation in the Dominican Republic that promises a wealth of sexual opportunities with the local hustlers. Although he craves uncomplicated sex with sexy young studs, he finds that he has issues exploiting the locals. But then he meets a local guy who is not only drop-dead-gorgeous, but is also NOT a hustler. The two begin a very sweet romance. But where will it lead?
This story is unique, intelligent and fun. The characters seem real and have depth, and the situations are interesting, sometimes even gripping. It is very well written and the pace moves along at a good clip. This one story made the trilogy worth reading. I can highly recommend it.
I have never read any of E. Lynn Harris’s works, so I’m no judge of how closely these stories come to his style or quality of writing. All three had a heavy erotic content, which seldom detracted from the storyline. And all three had two other things in common, they centered around an African-American man looking for a relationship, and all three managed to work Harris’s name into the storyline. For the most part, the way each one weaved Harris into the story seemed awkward, and somewhat cheesy. Overall, two of the three stories are certainly worth a look. I do recommend this book.
Published by Kensington Books
Pages: 342
Visible Lives was published to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the death of E. Lynn Harris, one of gay fiction’s best-loved authors. This is a collection of three novellas from African-American gay fiction writers who had some association with Harris. Each story begins with a heartfelt introduction outlining how the author knew Harris and the effect Harris had on their work.
The First story, The Intern by Terrance Dean, tells the tale of Chase, a television executive who has dated a string of losers until a summer intern working in his office comes on to him. The intern is sexy, caring, passionate and hung – everything Chase needs. The problem? The intern is much younger. This is basically a story about how Chase got his groove back.
This turned out to be a moderately entertaining story. I found the characters to be somewhat one dimensional and the plot overly predictable. There were, however, several clever scenes and the dialog was often funny. It’s not a story I would rank high on my list, but it was certainly an enjoyable read.
Story number two, Is It Still Jood to Ya? by James Earl Hardy, tells of how Raheim tries to lure his ex-lover back in order to save their family, at a time when his ex-lover is getting ready to fly off and spend time with another man. Fate steps in and grounds all flights, giving Raheim the opportunity he needs.
I had significant issues with this story. Cardboard characters, page after page of useless dialog that failed to move the story forward, and ending with forty pages of questions and answers in an interview format that was so utterly boring that I couldn’t finish it. This story, in my opinion, is poorly written and tedious. To top it off, every time the author used the word “good” (which was often) he replaced it with “jood”, which pulled me out of the story every time. It became extremely annoying. I can’t recommend this story.
The third and last story, House of John by Stanley Bennett Clay, turned out to be my favorite of the three. A middle-aged man, Jesse, is devastated when he finds that his long-term lover is cheating on him. To retaliate he joins a group of other gay men on a sex vacation in the Dominican Republic that promises a wealth of sexual opportunities with the local hustlers. Although he craves uncomplicated sex with sexy young studs, he finds that he has issues exploiting the locals. But then he meets a local guy who is not only drop-dead-gorgeous, but is also NOT a hustler. The two begin a very sweet romance. But where will it lead?
This story is unique, intelligent and fun. The characters seem real and have depth, and the situations are interesting, sometimes even gripping. It is very well written and the pace moves along at a good clip. This one story made the trilogy worth reading. I can highly recommend it.
I have never read any of E. Lynn Harris’s works, so I’m no judge of how closely these stories come to his style or quality of writing. All three had a heavy erotic content, which seldom detracted from the storyline. And all three had two other things in common, they centered around an African-American man looking for a relationship, and all three managed to work Harris’s name into the storyline. For the most part, the way each one weaved Harris into the story seemed awkward, and somewhat cheesy. Overall, two of the three stories are certainly worth a look. I do recommend this book.
Monday, July 5, 2010
The 4th of July
This is one of my favorite times of year for two reasons. The first is that I love hot weather, and by July the heat is hitting its stride for the summer months. I love it. But the second reason is that I adore fireworks. There are few things in life I enjoy more than a fine pyrotechnic display. Can say why, but lighting up the night sky with color gives me a rush I can’t find with anything else.
I suppose that makes me an old kid. Okay, so be it. At least a kid at heart. It’s nice to be thrilled with something, even if it only comes once or twice per year. It’s one of the reasons I travel through Asia during Chinese New Year. They always do great fireworks.
So I watched the New York display last night on TV. It was so fantastic I could hardly breathe. Tonight, the Marin County fair is having their final night, and they will be launching their final pyrotechnic show. I will have a ringside seat.
So here’s to the kid in all of us.
I suppose that makes me an old kid. Okay, so be it. At least a kid at heart. It’s nice to be thrilled with something, even if it only comes once or twice per year. It’s one of the reasons I travel through Asia during Chinese New Year. They always do great fireworks.
So I watched the New York display last night on TV. It was so fantastic I could hardly breathe. Tonight, the Marin County fair is having their final night, and they will be launching their final pyrotechnic show. I will have a ringside seat.
So here’s to the kid in all of us.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Writing Tip #17 – Sound
Prose creates sound. Accomplished writers not only tell a story or paint a picture with words, they pay attention to the sound of language, to its rhythms, breaks, alliterations, rhymes and echoes. Good writing translates into immaculate prose, beautiful to hear and beautiful to read.
Musical notes reverberate in tiny waves, always growing louder or softer. The same is true for prose. And sound can be one of the harder problems to diagnose and correct. You want it to flow. The last thing you want is a jarring sound that pulls the reader out of the dream.
The most common dilemma with sound results from poor sentence construction. The root problem is caused by awkward sentence division – misuse of commas, periods, colons, semicolons, dashes and parentheses.
In some cases sentences are simply too short or too long.
Another problem is echoes, using a character’s name or some other word too often. Many authors use “he” and “she” too often. Also, using an unusual word that stands out too often. I have a habit of using “he” or “she” to start several sentences in a row, as in “He said this. He did that. He heard something. He turned around.” It quickly gets monotonous.
Yet another issue is Alliteration, where the repetition of the first letter of a word and the first letter of a following word is the same – for instance, the “large lock” or “walking down the wide street.”
The best way to catch sound issues is by reading the text aloud. On my Mac, I can highlight the text and have the computer read it aloud. I can’t tell you how many problems I’ve caught doing this.
Once you identify an issue, an effective way to deal with it is to cut and/or simplify. Many writers equate complexity of thought with complexity of sentence structure. I believe that is a huge mistake. To present ideas simply and clearly is next to Godliness.
Bottom line is to pay close attention to the sound of your prose.
.
Musical notes reverberate in tiny waves, always growing louder or softer. The same is true for prose. And sound can be one of the harder problems to diagnose and correct. You want it to flow. The last thing you want is a jarring sound that pulls the reader out of the dream.
The most common dilemma with sound results from poor sentence construction. The root problem is caused by awkward sentence division – misuse of commas, periods, colons, semicolons, dashes and parentheses.
In some cases sentences are simply too short or too long.
Another problem is echoes, using a character’s name or some other word too often. Many authors use “he” and “she” too often. Also, using an unusual word that stands out too often. I have a habit of using “he” or “she” to start several sentences in a row, as in “He said this. He did that. He heard something. He turned around.” It quickly gets monotonous.
Yet another issue is Alliteration, where the repetition of the first letter of a word and the first letter of a following word is the same – for instance, the “large lock” or “walking down the wide street.”
The best way to catch sound issues is by reading the text aloud. On my Mac, I can highlight the text and have the computer read it aloud. I can’t tell you how many problems I’ve caught doing this.
Once you identify an issue, an effective way to deal with it is to cut and/or simplify. Many writers equate complexity of thought with complexity of sentence structure. I believe that is a huge mistake. To present ideas simply and clearly is next to Godliness.
Bottom line is to pay close attention to the sound of your prose.
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Thursday, July 1, 2010
Short Story Review: The Lawyer, The Ghost and The Cursed Chair by Ruth Sims
Reviewed by Alan Chin
Published by Untreed Reads Publishing
Published by Untreed Reads Publishing
Horatio Lamar (H.L.) Snodgrass IV comes from a long line of successful Lawyers. At the height of his own success, he decides to do an office makeover, and he pays someone to haul away some tattered furniture that has been in his family for generations. That night, H.L. is visited by the ghost of Hawkins Forsythe Snodgrass, H.L.’s Great-great-great Grandfather. Hawkins tells H.L. that he should have never gotten rid of a certain chair, because it had a curse on it. If H.L. doesn’t get the chair back soon, a string of misfortunes will surely befall him. H.L. chocks the vision up to a bad food combination, and ignores the ghost’s warning. But that night his boyfriend leaves him, the next day his wife cleans out the joint bank accounts and drops him like second-period Spanish, he wrecks his car, and his secretary sues him for sexual harassment. It begins to dawn on H.L. that maybe he should get that damned chair back. Thus begins this hilarious journey.
This is a fun, fun read. It is not one of those stories that had me laughing out loud, but rather, it had me glowing with joy. The language, characters and situations all combined to tickle my funny bone. There was nothing deep about this read. It’s a pleasure that one treats oneself to, like a rich dessert only without the calories.
For me, comedy is the most difficult thing to pull off, and Ruth Sims shows off her notable skill and imagination with this little gem. This is the kind of story you want to have handy on a gloomy day, because it will most certainly cheer you up.
I can highly recommend this read to anyone who enjoys quirky characters and funny situations. Or for that matter, to anyone who just needs a good laugh.
For more information about this fine author go to http://www.ruthsims.com/
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