Sasha Distan

Ha! I wish! Thanks sweetie. The only movement I'm going to start is when people drift away from me because they can't stand me anymore...

It's all kind of hideous, right? I'm with you on that second point. Synopsis is key. I wish I could browse Amazon and the shelves at Smith's by synopsis and title rather than anything else.

oh noes! I can't think those things about Rye! He's all adorable and sweet and little. He's Emm's little brother. Anyway, Logan talks sense, you'll see.

You know I can't tell you sweetie! I promise I don't do these things just to tease you xx

Academics are really good at over-analysing everything...

Jian slipped his fine fingers down the length of his firm but narrow chest as Emmett watched, heart pounding in his ears. The tiger didn’t stop there, but opened the fly of his jeans, arched his hips off the couch, and had soon kicked off the denim, naked but for the unzipped tiger-striped hoodie he wore, still with the hood up: to Emmett it seemed as though his ‘ears’ were extra pricked up. Jian stroked himself slowly, his amazing orange eyes closed, lips wet and inviting as he panted softly. E

This wasn't the point of the blog. I'm sort of ignoring content here, because that's a much bigger issue and deserving of more space. Of course there are ebooks which have been badly written and poorly edited, same as there is self published fiction nearly indiscernible from traditionally published fiction. And whilst to a reader, content is more important than covers, to the outside world, this is how we are judged. The poor content shown in pinterest that BHopper points out, is the standard we are held against. And it's a really low standard. If we ever want gay fiction to be taken as seriously as other romantic fiction, we're going to have to stop perpetrating the stereotype that we're all the same and only the sex matters. I hadn't even done that when I wrote this. I have now. I spat vitriol all over my laptop. Thanks dude!

I feel very much like I might be preaching to the converted... we'll have to hunting for cover art offenders and re-educate them somehow.

So let's dive right in and make people angry: I fucking hate most gay fiction book covers and story promo images used online. I detest them. They're shit. I see some ridiculous things, some terrible things, and some things which are generally pathetic. I have beef with people simply taking images from google and shoving them together in paint or Photoshop with no hint of care or artistry. I have issues with shit fonts which look like they were worked in wordart circa 2000. But mostly: Bollocks to stereotypes. I see it all the time. Readers and writers alike complaining that gay fiction is marginalised, that no one takes erotic writing seriously, that we're too niche for most people to care much about the craft of writing, because there's so much shit to wade through to find anything good (this site totally helps with the last of those problems). Lots of people, even those who read gay fiction, say that it's all generic, and it's just about the sex. And when you look at most of the so-call story 'art' which the authors themselves post alongside their writing, you'd be inclined to agree with them. Here's how to create the world's most artless, generic, gay fiction book cover. 1) hot, shirtless torso, usually with extreme shadowing, often without a proper face 2) second, often also topless, moody looking guy 3) jeans with an open or half open fly 4) terrible font which clashes colours, doesn't compliment, and doesn't obey physics, placement, or colour theory 5) optional image of an animal, often with "artistic" tribal or computer generated noise to make it look like a sketch Step away from Photoshop and gettyimages people, and go find yourselves someone with a level of competency in design to make art for you. And yes, you'll have to pay them. Artist's need to eat and pay rent too. If we keep perpetrating the stereotype that all gay fiction can be summed up with two anonymous shirtless hunks taken from a free image library on the web, then we can't complain when people shove us into a little pigeon hole out of the way and say we're all the same. Well, I can, and I fucking will.

under

It's that fact which scares me, that young people have forgotten what came before, haven't learnt the lessons of the past, and are back putting themselves in harm's way again. Maybe a bit like the blanket availability of the morning-after pill for women and girls (teaching pregnant teenagers scares me, please, not again any time soon), PrEP might have the opposite effect in some ways - go throw caution to the wind because you're protected. But like with all these drugs, no one is fully 100% protected. But I'll fully admit that I'm divided, because gods what we all wouldn't give to get rid of this plague forever, and i'd never wish it on anyone, even someone I utterly detest. I'll also admit that I haven't read up on everything, because it's one of those things which doesn't directly effect me. I know how lucky I am.

This is very very cool. Dare I ask what people think of the the drug PrEP they are going to start supplying here in the UK, on the NHS no less, which is a preventative protective measure for those seen to be most at risk of infection? https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/02/users-of-hiv-prevention-prep-urge-nhs-to-fund-life-changing-medicine I think it's awesome (the fewer people with HIV and AIDS, the better) but at the same time, part of me still can't believe there are people in the UK (where we have education, condoms, the internet, a free and fully accessible medical service and all people under 25 are now issued with a C card (for getting condoms free from all doctors surgeries, clinics, and some shops) at 16) are still putting themselves at risk of infection. I look at my students and part of me can't help but think: you managed to be organised enough to put a cover on your iphone, how hard could it be to get a condom on yourself?

Oh well done! very cool. xxx No Tilda is not a bear. In this universe, girls don't get the genetic gift of changing shape.

when you have eternity, lots of things lose their value. What's worth your time when all you have is time?

He'll get it tamed, just you wait and see. As for the longing... well let's just that that's going to take on a rather pleasant and familiar form!

yeah, that's just a missing 'a' Kiaza is a nice guy, he always has been. and it's nice to be helpful... especially to pretty young men!

haha! He also got force of dominance, which he sort of had anyway, but it means no one tries to fuck with him.

“Try again.” “I don’t want to hurt you.” “I’ll be fine. I’m quick, don’t worry. Try again.” “OK.” Lahja took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment and listened to the space between the thudding of his heart. It was getting easier to call the body ‘his’ now; the strange way he had talked about ‘it’ had earned him glances from the people he lives with he did not like, and he was glad these were fading too. Between one heartbeat and the next, the demon opened his eyes, focused on his targe

parka

I'm so glad we can give you happiness, and that we entertained you for the day. One day I look forwards to having time for re-reading in one sitting! thank you so much for your lovely comments Jeff, it's so nice to know you've appreciated all the little details and the soft scenes. I adore Emmett's ceiling, it's what I wished I could have as a kid. and yes, things will continue at our very own glacial pace. and that is now my new favourite phrase xxx

not blind, but cautious. Jian's patience isn't a tiger thing, it's just a Jian thing. Thank you for the review, glad you're having fun! xx

I wonder if he knows we've claimed him?

shine

I think IBEX might be thinking of us...

game