Principal Comes Out
As Gay. I just figured I would add "as gay" like the rest of them in case someone doesn't understand the phrase "coming out."
In any event, the Principal of a high school in Washington, D. C. came out in public during a gay pride event. Evidently, he's been in the closet all his life, just turned 50, and got tired of keeping it a secret.
“I want to say publicly for the first time because of your leadership, care and support that I am a proud gay man who just happens to be the principal of Wilson High School,” he said while in the school's atrium, according to The Washington Post.
He's received a great deal of support. But of course the Westboro Baptish Church is planning a protest because the school actually had a gay pride. (Are they even a real church? I'm not joking when I ask that, and I'm not being snarky. I'm Catholic and I'm not familiar with these start-up US churches that seem to come and go like fast food restaurants. We had one around here once called "The Church on the Rock" but it didn't seem to last long.)
You can read more here. I can't even imagine what it must be like to come out at the age of 50. But I'm sure this principal feels as if a huge weight has been lifted.
Long Beach Gay Mayor
The young straight guy who actually introduced me to Facebook when it was first launched lives in Long Beach, CA, and I thought about him when I read this article. I used to follow his blog daily (this dates back to 2003) until we both got busier in life. I was writing reviews and interviewing bloggers for bestgayblogs.com at the time and even though this guy was straight I thought his blog was so well executed I asked if I could interview him for the web site. He's also a school teacher and one of the most talented authors I know. Looking back now, I think it's interesting that I got to know him through blogging and I've been following his life online from the day he graduated college, to the day he married, right up to now where he has two daughters and just celebrated a milestone birthday. We've never actually met in person, but I still considered him a friend.
In any event, the mayor of Long Beach, California is openly gay and much younger than most mayors. He's making history because he's gay, Hispanic, and the youngest mayor ever to serve there.
At 36, he's the youngest mayor ever and he's the first Hispanic elected to the city's top job.
Garcia is also the first openly gay mayor in the coastal city just south of Los Angeles.
He had the high-profile endorsement of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. 'Thank you, Long Beach!' Garcia wrote on his Twitter page on Wednesday morning.
You can read more here. I saw someone on social media predict that we would have an openly gay President by the middle of the next decade. We've already had one closeted gay President...James Buchanan.
I've seen people argue the point about Buchanan being gay. Please don't do that here. I'm not Dr. Phil and this isn't up for discussion.
Fanfic Author Gets Huge Deal
Anna Todd, a 25 year old One Direction fanfic author, just snagged a six figure three book deal with Simon & Schuster for After. It was pubbed on Wattpad, a fanfic web wite, and it has millions of readers. Here's the blurb:
The story summary: “Tessa Young is an 18 year old college student with a simple life, excellent grades, and a sweet boyfriend. She always has things planned out ahead of time, until she meets a rude boy named Harry, with too many tattoos and piercings who shatters her plans.” Other One Direction members, such as Niall and Zayn, show up in the story as college frat guys.
To get a better understanding of what One Direction fanfic is check out this web site.
I find this fascinating for a number of reasons. One, S&S is actually publishing something that readers want to read. That's a novelty in itself. Two, I never thought I would see the day fanfic garnered deals like this...for those who don't know, Fifty Shades of Grey was Twilight fanfic before it was trad pubbed. Three, because the usual haters of anyone writing fanfic for money (especially big money) are coming out in droves in their clicky little twitter feeds to slam it, with that same old tired, endless song and dance of Pa-LAY-Jee-Arr- izm.
I don't believe there are any new tropes or storylines left to write...at least not any worth reading or that would appeal to the general public. If they exist, there aren't that many and would most likely appeal to the fringes. Most of what we read in books, view in films and on TV, and hear in music is just another interpretation of something that's already been done a hundred times before. It's the way in which it is done that matters most.
I read once where Nora Ephron allegedly based You've Got Mail on The Shop Around the Corner. And The Shop Around the Corner was allegedly based on something else I can't remember now. Only an asshole or an amateur would call these unique interpretations plagiarism.
I applaud Anna Todd and S&S. They're doing something right.
You can read more about the fanfic deal here.
Showing posts with label Simon & Schuster. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simon & Schuster. Show all posts
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Monday, February 3, 2014
Gays and Steroids; Gay Teen Killed with Skateboard; 250 Words
Gays and Steroids
This article interests me because I don't think I've ever seen it addressed so openly before. It talks about how gay adolescents are more likely to use steroids than straight adolescents. And even though I usually don't like articles that draw conclusions like this, I have to admit I wasn't surprised in this case. Think of the aging circuit boy living in a warm climate all year round now who still can't put down the steroids to save his soul. I remember noticing this trend in the 90's, where a nice-looking gay man would suddenly appear bigger, more muscular, and take on an almost superhuman look. They never offered an explanation about the sudden transformation and no one asked. But we all knew it wasn't because they were working out harder.
Overall, 21 percent of gay or bisexual boys said they had ever used steroids, versus 4 percent of straight boys. The difference was similar among those who reported moderate use - taking steroid pills or injections up to 40 times: 8 percent of gay or bi teens reported that amount, versus less than 2 percent of straight boys. The heaviest use - 40 or more times - was reported by 4 percent of gays or bi boys, compared with less than 1 percent of straight teens.
The peer pressure and body image issue in the gay community is as strong as it is with women. In many cases I've seen first hand the air-brushed muscular body we see in male magazines is an obsession, not to mention a race against the clock to remain young and muscular forever. The article goes on to state that this group needs to be studied in more depth.
They have no idea the side effects they will face down the line. I've seen that, too. It doesn't end well for the steroid crowd.
You can read more here.
Gay Teen Killed with Skateboard
A gay teenager was humiliated and beaten to death in Brazil by a group/gang of young men between the ages of 16- 23 years old.
The gay teen was on his way home after partying in the famous LGBT area of Frei Caneca in Sao Paulo.
When the gang confronted their victim, they stripped him of his shoes, mobile phone and public transport ticket before he was punched, kicked and repeatedly hit on the head with a skateboard.
The gang has a history of targeting gays in the area. This time it turned out to be fatal.
You can read more here.
250 Words
I'm linking to this new web site about book publishing by Simon & Schuster on the side bar if anyone wants to check it out in the future. If you scroll down I try to keep an updated list of web sites I find interesting at all times because I often do that when I go out looking at other blogs myself. If you're using a mobile device I think you have to go to the web version, though.
The site will publish original essays by authors, as well as interviews, reviews and commentary about the publishing business. The site will include stories and interviews with authors across the industry, not just those published by Simon & Schuster.
You can read more about it here. And check out the site yourselves, here. I'm glad to see it. We're lacking these things in publishing and it will give authors at least some kind of platform. I'm assuming all pieces will be around 250 words in length.
This article interests me because I don't think I've ever seen it addressed so openly before. It talks about how gay adolescents are more likely to use steroids than straight adolescents. And even though I usually don't like articles that draw conclusions like this, I have to admit I wasn't surprised in this case. Think of the aging circuit boy living in a warm climate all year round now who still can't put down the steroids to save his soul. I remember noticing this trend in the 90's, where a nice-looking gay man would suddenly appear bigger, more muscular, and take on an almost superhuman look. They never offered an explanation about the sudden transformation and no one asked. But we all knew it wasn't because they were working out harder.
Overall, 21 percent of gay or bisexual boys said they had ever used steroids, versus 4 percent of straight boys. The difference was similar among those who reported moderate use - taking steroid pills or injections up to 40 times: 8 percent of gay or bi teens reported that amount, versus less than 2 percent of straight boys. The heaviest use - 40 or more times - was reported by 4 percent of gays or bi boys, compared with less than 1 percent of straight teens.
The peer pressure and body image issue in the gay community is as strong as it is with women. In many cases I've seen first hand the air-brushed muscular body we see in male magazines is an obsession, not to mention a race against the clock to remain young and muscular forever. The article goes on to state that this group needs to be studied in more depth.
They have no idea the side effects they will face down the line. I've seen that, too. It doesn't end well for the steroid crowd.
You can read more here.
Gay Teen Killed with Skateboard
A gay teenager was humiliated and beaten to death in Brazil by a group/gang of young men between the ages of 16- 23 years old.
The gay teen was on his way home after partying in the famous LGBT area of Frei Caneca in Sao Paulo.
When the gang confronted their victim, they stripped him of his shoes, mobile phone and public transport ticket before he was punched, kicked and repeatedly hit on the head with a skateboard.
The gang has a history of targeting gays in the area. This time it turned out to be fatal.
You can read more here.
250 Words
I'm linking to this new web site about book publishing by Simon & Schuster on the side bar if anyone wants to check it out in the future. If you scroll down I try to keep an updated list of web sites I find interesting at all times because I often do that when I go out looking at other blogs myself. If you're using a mobile device I think you have to go to the web version, though.
The site will publish original essays by authors, as well as interviews, reviews and commentary about the publishing business. The site will include stories and interviews with authors across the industry, not just those published by Simon & Schuster.
You can read more about it here. And check out the site yourselves, here. I'm glad to see it. We're lacking these things in publishing and it will give authors at least some kind of platform. I'm assuming all pieces will be around 250 words in length.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Gabourey Sidibe's Revenge; Full Frontal Nude Shots; Simon & Schuster E-book Rise
Gabourey Sidibe's Revenge
The unfortunate thing about this is that when you put yourself in the public eye you are open to all kinds of criticism and some of it's not constructive and can be downright mean-spirited. This recently happened to Gabourey Sidibe after an appearance at the Golden Globe Awards. I've had that happen to me before on a much smaller scale than what recently happened to Sidibe when another author on a comment thread made fun of my name and also made reference to athletic fields. But it comes with the territory, and we all do make these choices consciously and criticism is to be expected. It's how we respond to mean-spirited criticism, and with what kind of creativity we take our revenge, that matters the most. And Gabourey Sidibe should be complimented for a job well done in the revenge department. It is best served cold.
This is what she tweeted to those who made fun of her:
To people making mean comments about my GG pics, I most def cried about it on that private jet on my way to my dream job last night.
You can read more here, with photos.
Whether you like Sidibe or not, she does add something interesting to anything she's ever done. It's that something special you can't train for or even work for. You either have it or you don't.
10 Male Full Frontal Nude Shots
Someone sent me this link yesterday and I thought I'd share simply because male full frontal nudity in films always seems so shocking. Even in this article it's explained that way, and I'm not always sure why.
There’s nothing quite as shocking as seeing male genetalia in a film. Trust me, I’ve had to research for an article on it. There may still be some gasps at the female equivalent, but we’re certainly more accustomed to their appearance (sometimes even popping up in a 15). A stray knob shot can still cause gasps of horror or ripples of laughter.
Read more at http://whatculture.com/film/10-most-shocking-male-nudity-shots-in-cinema-history.php#hYIOjd0AeWrQoLpz.99
I don't get the shocking part. Maybe I've seen too many "knobs." In any event, if you check out the link you can see 10 of the most "shocking" full frontal nude shots in film history. But like with most everything else related to male full frontal nude shots you'll also have to do a separate search to actually see these "knobs." The article finds them too "shocking" to publish.
Simon & Schuster E-book Rise
You know how you read about the way e-book sales are going flat and how those nasty old e-books might even disappear completely. Or how people are still more interested in print books than e-book and e-books are most likely a passing trend. Well, this article is interesting because big publisher Simon & Schuster had huge growth with e-book sales on a global level. Those of us who have been pioneering in the digital market for a decade are not surprised by this. A good deal of our readership comes from a variety of international readers who only read in digital format, from the UK to Asia.
The publisher’s international eBook business is growing at a faster rate than US eBook sales, because these countries are catching up, she said. Last year, the publisher sold eBooks in 200 different countries including a copy of The Sun Also Rises in Antarctica. Reidy said that the publisher is seeing an opportunity in these digital sales and that it is not affecting physical sales. She said that there is a great opportunity for foreign book retailers to sell English-language titles in non-English speaking countries, but they have yet to capitalize on this yet.
Through feedback I get from my readers outside of the US, a large part of this interest in e-books has to do with the fact that e-books are more easily accessible and print books are not. In many cases, especially with LGBTI content, e-books have changed the lives of readers. They can now read books they never would have been able to read ten years ago. And this includes classics like the book mentioned above. Or harmless, smutty love stories with naughty guys who have strong stories like the ones I write.
You can read more here.
The unfortunate thing about this is that when you put yourself in the public eye you are open to all kinds of criticism and some of it's not constructive and can be downright mean-spirited. This recently happened to Gabourey Sidibe after an appearance at the Golden Globe Awards. I've had that happen to me before on a much smaller scale than what recently happened to Sidibe when another author on a comment thread made fun of my name and also made reference to athletic fields. But it comes with the territory, and we all do make these choices consciously and criticism is to be expected. It's how we respond to mean-spirited criticism, and with what kind of creativity we take our revenge, that matters the most. And Gabourey Sidibe should be complimented for a job well done in the revenge department. It is best served cold.
This is what she tweeted to those who made fun of her:
To people making mean comments about my GG pics, I most def cried about it on that private jet on my way to my dream job last night.
You can read more here, with photos.
Whether you like Sidibe or not, she does add something interesting to anything she's ever done. It's that something special you can't train for or even work for. You either have it or you don't.
10 Male Full Frontal Nude Shots
Someone sent me this link yesterday and I thought I'd share simply because male full frontal nudity in films always seems so shocking. Even in this article it's explained that way, and I'm not always sure why.
There’s nothing quite as shocking as seeing male genetalia in a film. Trust me, I’ve had to research for an article on it. There may still be some gasps at the female equivalent, but we’re certainly more accustomed to their appearance (sometimes even popping up in a 15). A stray knob shot can still cause gasps of horror or ripples of laughter.
Read more at http://whatculture.com/film/10-most-shocking-male-nudity-shots-in-cinema-history.php#hYIOjd0AeWrQoLpz.99
I don't get the shocking part. Maybe I've seen too many "knobs." In any event, if you check out the link you can see 10 of the most "shocking" full frontal nude shots in film history. But like with most everything else related to male full frontal nude shots you'll also have to do a separate search to actually see these "knobs." The article finds them too "shocking" to publish.
Simon & Schuster E-book Rise
You know how you read about the way e-book sales are going flat and how those nasty old e-books might even disappear completely. Or how people are still more interested in print books than e-book and e-books are most likely a passing trend. Well, this article is interesting because big publisher Simon & Schuster had huge growth with e-book sales on a global level. Those of us who have been pioneering in the digital market for a decade are not surprised by this. A good deal of our readership comes from a variety of international readers who only read in digital format, from the UK to Asia.
The publisher’s international eBook business is growing at a faster rate than US eBook sales, because these countries are catching up, she said. Last year, the publisher sold eBooks in 200 different countries including a copy of The Sun Also Rises in Antarctica. Reidy said that the publisher is seeing an opportunity in these digital sales and that it is not affecting physical sales. She said that there is a great opportunity for foreign book retailers to sell English-language titles in non-English speaking countries, but they have yet to capitalize on this yet.
Through feedback I get from my readers outside of the US, a large part of this interest in e-books has to do with the fact that e-books are more easily accessible and print books are not. In many cases, especially with LGBTI content, e-books have changed the lives of readers. They can now read books they never would have been able to read ten years ago. And this includes classics like the book mentioned above. Or harmless, smutty love stories with naughty guys who have strong stories like the ones I write.
You can read more here.
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