Second Chance: The Complete Series; Slut Shaming Selfie Gays; Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer Drama

Second Chance: The Complete Series

It's been really busy around here since September with new releases and getting indie books into print, and we even managed to find the time to combine all of the Second Chance books in the series into one box set. When I say we I mean that I do all the writing but I do have tech help, editing help, and cover design help. I don't want to mislead anyone, because I wouldn't be able to do all that alone. I stick mainly to the writing.

Here's the blurb from Amazon. 

It's rare in life that anyone gets an opportunity for a do-over, especially when life doesn't turn out as we'd planned. The Second Chance series focuses on the fantasy of second chances and getting the opportunity to do things over again...if that's what someone wants to do. The choice is always there. Whether or not these diverse characters will change the course of their lives and take the second chance remains to be seen. 

In the first novella of the Second Chance series, an older gay man who has lived a closeted life for ninety-two years is presented with choices one last time. Who hasn't wondered how things might have turned out if only they'd made one or two different choices in their lives? Who hasn't contemplated what it would be like for the chance to do things all over again a different way, if only that were possible? 

In the second bonus novella from the "Second Chance" series titled, The Littlest Christmas Tree, an unhappy man trapped in a relationship so bad he isn't even allowed a small Christmas tree is granted a second chance to go back in time and rethink the most pivotal choice he ever made. In doing this, he becomes one of the lucky few who can alter the outcome of his entire life. 

In the third installment of the Second Chance series by Ryan Field, His Only Choice, Lance has to figure out a way to deal with the fact that his partner, Davis, of twenty years will be traveling extensively in Asia and leaving him alone for long stretches at a time. So Lance plunges into making important changes to the small brick and mortar bookshop he owns in New York's Hudson River Valley to keep it competitive with the rising popularity in e-books. He's also trying to deal with turning forty years old and it's not working out well. In order to fill the lonely hours when he's not working, Lance joins a gym and meets a very young personal trainer named Sergio who makes him feel so young and desirable again he starts lying about his age and telling Sergio he's only thirty-five years old. 

In the fourth installment of the Second Chance series, The Sweetest Apple, there are no guarantees and Matty could wind up reliving a loveless life and repeating the same mistakes all over again. It could also take a different turn, and this time Matty could alter his course. But will he know enough to take advantage of this before it's too late?

And here's the link. There's even a new cover. I also opted into KU with this one because it's a box set and you can get it for free if you're a member.

Slut Shaming Selfie Gays

This article (and video) actually gets more involved than the title might suggest. From the narcissistic selfies we see on Instagram to the absolute porn they put on Twitter, it's an interesting topic that's not explored nearly enough. I know one guy in particular (and he's not all that young) who has literally made a career out of taking provocative selfies and they aren't just your ordinary selfies either. This dude has photo shop down to a science. When I say career I'm not joking. As I believe it to be true, this non-stop selfie concept from people like this is done because other people allegedly enjoy these photos so much. They post their selfies to make other people happy, at least that's what they tell themselves. That's almost a direct quote.

In any event, the article goes much deeper than selfies.  It's talks about how we view sexuality in general which is a topic I try to get into here every now and then.

Expressing sexuality is so deeply personal, it’s perfectly natural there are going to be a million different ways of doing it, and yes, the line between healthy and unhealthy practices can get blurry. But all we can really do is focus on our own authentic sexuality — throwing others’ under the bus gets us nowhere.

You can check out the rest and see the video here. 


Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer Drama

Evidently, Tatum and Pettyfer don't get along, and, Pettyfer is talking about it openly.

And it didn’t stop there. Apparently, Pettyfer was living with a friend of Tatum’s when he allegedly had an allergic reaction to the apartment and “couldn’t breathe” there.

He moved out, but didn’t remember not paying the last month’s rent due to a death in his family.

“All of a sudden I got a very negative email from Channing — rightfully so — saying, ‘Don’t f*ck my friends. You owe money. Pay the f*cking money. Don’t be a clown.’ And I really took that the wrong way, which I shouldn’t have, and emailed him back and said, ‘I’m in a real negative headspace and can you respect me for a moment and blah, blah, blah.’ And I got hounded through this time of grieving for money.”

In Pettyfer's defense, he seems to be taking full responsibility for his actions and you don't see that very often. If  I had to take sides, I would be in Pettyfer's corner because he was dealing with a death and the family and that trumps everything. Other than the fact that I cannot pronounce this guy's name to save my life, he seems honest enough.

It also shows that a lot of these personalities we see all the time in Hollywood really don't live the charmed lives we might imagine they do. 

You can read it in full here. The comments are brutal this time.

"Pool Boys" by Brandon Baker; 31 Gay Londoners; Learn Spanish Jean Paul Zapata; Second Chance by Ryan Field

"Pool Boys" by Brandon Baker

I'm going to be kind right now and keep my review of an article short and simple. I could go into detail in my quest to disabuse young gay man-about-town, Brandon Baker, of a few misconceptions he has about gay men and gay resorts, but it's usually easier to get right to the point. I'm talking about a harsh article/review/commentary Brendan Baker wrote for Philly Magazine about a gay resort in New Hope, PA where I live.

Here's one of the nastier quotes from the piece:

At a glance, the Pool’s dynamics this sunny afternoon can be outlined in Doppler waves. Behold, Wave No. 1: a Speedo-clad brigade of 50-plusers (the older crowd here is, shall we say, European in this sense: There’s no body shame, even when there should be) in the outer circles of the 150 sprawling chaise lounges, minding their own business as they flip over like pancakes to tan their leathery rumps (one of which pokes through a jock strap).

Aside from the fact that this over-written article seems to be promoting body shame at a time when many people, gay or straight, are trying to break away from that tired Madison Ave. concept of the perfect air-brushed body we've all been trained to believe is the only way to look, the rest of this article takes on the same snarky tone. But seriously? Who promotes body shame? What kind of person does this?

Just one more quote, and only because it's such a broad generalization about gay men:

RECALL, IF YOU WILL, Jersey Shore’s cringe-worthy, beach-tee-ubiquitous “GTL” (translation: “Gym, Tan, Laundry”) motto for Shore-goers. It has always applied to gay men. While everyone else spends winter hibernating with Ben & Jerry’s and Netflix, we spend it working the gym circuit with our trainers, getting creative with kale recipes and force-feeding our bodies protein so as to be pool-ready when we hit the doorstep on Memorial Day.

Well. There you are. I guess I must be missing something as a gay man, because I have never once spent more than a moment wondering about beaches, pools, and baking in the sun to get skin cancer. I know some do, but not all of us. And it's generalizations like this that promote the worst images of the LGBTI community, images that feed bad TV shows and films. In fact, I don't do pools...ever. I don't have the time or the patience.

This article is the worst kind of review out there because it focuses on all the most exaggerated aspects of a business or product...or even a group. In this case, Brendan Baker take quotes from people who no one in the town of New Hope takes very seriously and makes it appear as if this is actually what The Raven Resort is like all the time. It's really just a quiet LGBTI resort with an excellent restaurant where attorneys and real estate brokers meet for lunch on weekdays, both straight and gay. I've been there for memorial services, weddings, and many other events totally unrelated to what I can only label as "swimming pool culture." Last night Tony and I had dinner with the original owner of The Raven. The Raven was called Le Camp in the early days, long before my time.

You can read more. And I highly suggest you take into consideration this commentary by Brandon Baker is only a sensationalized account focused on the worst stereotypes that mentions nothing about the more important aspects of the LGBTI community in New Hope. The thing that bothers me the most about it is that while many of us are fighting for equality and trying to deal with people like Theresa Santai-Gaffney who wants to appeal gay marriage in PA, a skinny gay man with a sense of entitlement is slamming a strong part of the gay community with vituperative commentaries. If it hadn't been for those doughy middle aged men Brandon Baker wouldn't be able to get married now. But then again, a sense of entitlement never went well with respect.

It's really more of an opinion piece so I can't say it's bad journalism. But I do think there must have been a sale on cute, pithy adjectives that day and you might not want to read it on a full stomach.

Side note: this was my best impression of practicing self-control.

 31 Gay Londoners

Now here's an article with some heart. 31 gay Londoners have complied a list of what freedom, equality, and having protection means to them. These people make me proud.

For Pride In London, LGBTI people and their allies were asked to interpret the theme #FreedomTo in their own incredible, individual way.

From celebs like Tom Daley to equality campaigners like Paris Lees, from leaders of gay campaigning groups like Ruth Hunt to everyday people, they did not disappoint.

You can check some of them out here.

There are LGBTI people of all ages celebrating this. I didn't see any standing next to a pool.

Learn Spanish: Jean Paul Zapata

One of my favorite young gay male journalists, Jean Paul Zapata, put together a quick piece about learning Spanish, and how the language is not the same all over.

That’s the beauty of the language. Spain’s Spanish is different to Spanish spoken in Central and South America Every country has a different accent, a different slang, a different flavor. ]

This guide is going to be based on Latin American Spanish, but the terms are quite basic and are so understandable in most, if not all countries.

You can read more here, where there's a list of ways to pronounce words in case you're heading to any pride events in a Spanish speaking country. The comment section adds a few more. I find it interesting. I speak book Italian fluently, but very little Spanish.

Jean Paul Zapata is a travel editor and reporter for Gaystarnews.com and I've posted about him several times before.

Second Chance

 

 

by Ryan Field

 

 

Allromanceebooks Link

 

 

 

 



Digital Pub Truths? Tony Horwitz; Naked Gay Florist; Putin's Gay Laws; Second Chance by Ryan Field

Digital Pub Truths? Tony Horwitz

There's an op-ed piece in The New York Times by Tony Horwitz that discusses a few "truths" about digital publishing and how authors and publishers are dealing with all the changes in publishing. But you have to take into consideration this is his truth and his experience, and it's important to mention he can't speak for all digital authors. In other words, he's coming from a place of privilege where only a select few ever made money writing in trad publishing.

This was the beginning of his first bad experience in digital publishing:

The Global Mail’s backer had had a bad financial setback at his firm and evidently decided he could no longer afford a folly like quality journalism. He’d abruptly pulled the plug just hours before I filed my copy, making The Global Mail a dead letter.

It happens. But his literary agent got him another deal and saved the day...even though he wasn't too thrilled with the $2,000 advance. Then he went into fast forward mode because everything works ten times faster in digital publishing. There are no summer Fridays or huge stretches of time between signing a contract and releasing a digital book. (The truth is that digital publishing isn't moving as fast as it was five years ago. Experienced digital publishers (and authors) are realizing they can slow the pace down a little and that there's no rush to the finish with every project.)

Unfortunately, Horwitz was surprised the new digital publisher wasn't going to do much in the way of promoting him. He had to learn how to do this himself. This is where he talks about gaming the system. All publishers think in terms of making money. It's their bottom line and this gaming the system thing isn't something new. There have always been questions about what makes a New York Times bestseller. And there have always been reasons why some books get put up front in brick and mortar bookshops. In any event, it's really up to the author to choose how he or she will promote a book. I have never once had a single family member of friend leave a review for me. Not once. I have never had a digital publisher ask me to do this either. I know some do this. I don't work with them.

Horwitz was expecting a marketing team with his digital publisher:

 Except there didn’t seem to be a “team,” just an outside publicist who was busy on other jobs. She circulated a hasty press release and wrote a glowing review of “Boom” on Amazon, the main retailer of Byliner titles. Byliner urged me to “game the system” by soliciting more such “reviews” from friends and relatives, and issued a few tweets touting “Boom.” Then silence.

I have never once depended on the "marketing" person with a digital publisher. Like most "marketing" people they are a complete waste of time. The best thing THEY do is learn how to bullshit well enough to keep their jobs. So Horwitz started his own promoting and wound up on a bestseller list. If you think this is a good thing, don't get too excited for him. Unfortunately once again, when he found out just how many books he'd sold to become a bestseller he was NOT too thrilled.

Then this other digital publisher went bust.

The next day I received an email that began “Dear Byliner author.” My publisher was “undergoing some changes.” As in death throes. “Every new venture requires a leap of faith, and we thank you for taking that leap with us.”

The rest of the article talks about how wonderful things were in the old days and how much he's looking forward to writing his next book in hard copy. It sounds as if he's finished with digital publishing. But he did happen to get the $15,000 from the first publisher. He also talks about how writers could make a living in the old days, and that's the part I find most misleading...at least with fiction. It rings of privilege of the past where only a select few who had agents and were lucky enough to get advances. And luck did, indeed, play a big part of it.

As The Global Mail unraveled and its owner shut off funds, my editor managed to salvage the $15,000 I’d been promised long ago.

You can read more here.

I have been commenting on digital publishing on this blog since I started getting into digital publishing back in the early part of this century. For authors like me in a niche market I've found digital publishing to be refreshing and engaging. And I do come from a background of trad publishing where it took a year to get a book released from start to finish. I know the old days and frankly I don't miss them a bit.

I also have an issue with a career writer who just now seems to be discovering digital publishing. As a writer who has always wanted to remain relevant, I don't get that. I was told in 1999 that if I didn't start learning how to submit to trad publishers with electronic files (I didn't know how to do that back then) I would become a dinosaur. I had no choice. I had to learn, and I also knew back then I had to start from the bottom and figure out what digital publishing was all about.

So part of me really feels bad for Horwitz, and another part of me wants to tell him to stop crying the blues and put on his big boy pants. His story, in a way, reminds me of a newspaper writer I know who is now selling used cars because he didn't see the changes coming in journalism...or didn't want to see them.

You can check out Horwitz's book here on Amazon. That's another thing. Instead of complaining, digital authors are usually the first to help each other with a shout.

Naked Gay Florist

A woman in Scotland has been accused of circulating naughty naked photos of a gay florist in an alleged effort to smear his reputation and promote gay hate.

But it's important to note that the florist actually posed for the nude photo willingly in what looks to be an attempt to promote his new flower shop with his ass, figuratively speaking of course. But in using his ass to peddle his pansies he wound up on circulars that were allegedly distributed all over the neighborhood with gay hate comments. How evil is that?

Fiona Meikle, 54, is alleged to have delivered the leaflets. She denies the charge, according to Paisley Evening Times.

In acting in the manner described, it is claimed, she behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear and alarm.

You can read more here. There's a photo of the florist, but not the nude one. (I looked but couldn't find it anywhere.)

The comments are interesting, too.


Putin's Gay Laws

Ever since anti-gay propaganda laws were passed in Russia the criticism has been relentless. And it's been global. Vladimir Putin seems to be rethinking a few of those laws and he's now talking about improving them.

‘There are stereotypes that exist regarding Russia, including on issues of sexual minorities, to a large extent…[are] a fictional idea,’ he said.

 ‘Remember, there are many other countries that are far worse on homosexuality, and other manifestations of the so-called sexual orientation.

 ‘But we will look to the future and will improve legislation in this area.’

 Of course there is some speculation about whether or not the anti-gay laws will become harsher, or if Russia will actually improve the quality of life there for LGBTI people. Anyone who speaks another language fluently understands that a lot can get lost in the most simple translation.

You can read more here. It should be interesting to see what happens next.

Second Chance by Ryan Field

 

 

Amazon Link

 

 

Amazon Review:

Ahh what I wouldn't give for a second chance in some cases :!
Lovely story.



Blurb:

In this first novella of the Second Chance series, an older gay man who has lived a closeted life for ninety-two years is presented with choices one last time. Who hasn't wondered how things might have turned out if only they'd made one or two different choices in their lives? Who hasn't contemplated what it would be like for the chance to do things all over again a different way, if only that were possible?



When ninety-two year old Andy Walker shuffles out to his beloved vegetable garden one morning in June, he gets the surprise of his life. He winds up in the last place he could ever imagine, with the man of his dreams telling him there's still time for a second chance and there's still time for him to choose a different path than the one he's already followed...but only if he's willing to take the risk and revisit one of the most pivotal and painful moments of his life. There are no guarantees or promises of happily-ever-after, and no one can make Andy's choices for him. And if he agrees to return to the year 1950 when he was still young and strong and handsome, only he will know whether or not it's possible to alter the course of his entire life thanks to one unusual encounter with a stranger named Chip.