Jane Fletcher (born August 28, 1956)

Jane Fletcher is a GCLS award-winning writer and has also been short-listed for the Gaylactic Spectrum and Lambda Literary awards. She is author of two ongoing sets of fantasy/romance novels: the Celaeno series—The Walls of Westernfort, Rangers at Roadsend, The Temple at Landfall, Dynasty of Rogues, and Shadow of the Knife; and the Lyremouth Chronicles—The Exile and The Sorcerer, The Traitor and The Chalice, The Empress and The Acolyte, and The High Priest and the Idol.

Her love of fantasy began at the age of seven when she encountered Greek Mythology. This was compounded by a childhood spent clambering over every example of ancient masonry she could find (medieval castles, megalithic monuments, Roman villas). Her resolute ambition was to become an archaeologist when she grew up, so it was something of a surprise when she became a software engineer instead.

Born in Greenwich, London, in 1956, she now lives in southwest England where she keeps herself busy writing both computer software and fiction, although generally not at the same time.

Wolfsbane Winter won a 2010 Rainbow Award as Best LGBT Fantasy.

Source: www.goodreads.com/author/show/172130.Jane_Fletcher

Further Readings:

Wolfsbane Winter by Jane Fletcher
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books; 1 edition (July 20, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602821585
ISBN-13: 978-1602821583
Amazon: Wolfsbane Winter
Amazon Kindle: Wolfsbane Winter

"Anything with two legs and a pulse." The Iron Wolf mercenaries who guard travelers on the Misery Trail are notorious for their quick and casual sex lives.

Deryn may fit the stereotype better than most, but she has her reasons. Tragedy in her childhood has left her wary of forming attachments. If you don't care, then you can't get hurt, but you can still make a mess of things—such as the outstanding error of judgment that leaves her with no money, forced to spend the winter on a lousy job in a miserable little backwater.

There she meets Alana, local healer, vet, and woman of mystery. It does not take Deryn long to find out that Alana is more than she seems, and has her own perilous secret to keep. Yet Deryn still finds herself falling for the woman, so much so that her come-and-go lifestyle is at risk.

This would be bad enough, but serious trouble arrives for Deryn and Alana in the form of demon magic from the Time of Chaos—revealing that old legends are not merely material for ghost stories around the fire. As the danger increases, who do they need to fear more, the living or the dead?

More Rainbow Awards at my website: www.elisarolle.com/, Rainbow Awards/2010

Jeremy Pack & Jason Keith

Jeremy Pack (born August 28) is a writer of fiction about men who happen to be gay. You’re as likely to find him thrilling to a midnight release of the latest popcorn actioner as weeping in the greeting card aisle to a particularly touching Hallmark card. It is these tastes that inform his storytelling. A fan of car chases, heartmelting sentiment, and head scratching puzzles, he strives to pepper his stories with all three.

Born and raised in a small-town in Idaho, Jeremy now resides in the Pacific Northwest with his partner and their weak-in-the-knees-cute, but teenager-precocious six-year-old daughter. Jeremy believes the best part about writing is making connections with readers!

"Pride" is not an emotion with which I identify very often; it smacks too much of boasting for my taste. Every once in a while, however...today is a good day to brag. I'm proud to be a gay man; I haven't always been able to say that, but I'm grateful that I can now. I'm proud of this unbelievably-exemplary-in-every-single-way man, Jeremy Pack and our equally impressive (not to mention GORGEOUS) daughter, both of whom daily heap me with a level of unconditional love and comfort I never dreamed I could be worthy of; I am proud of the life, the home and the family we have built together. And, today, I am proud to be an American. Thanks to my loving and supportive parents, I have been blessed with LIFE; I am eternally grateful to those who have served our country and defended my LIBERTY; and now I can honestly declare for the first time (in my admittedly short time in this world) that may I legally enjoy THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, and every glorious moment - not unlike this one - that pursuit will bring me. For the countless couples who have been kept apart due to persecution or oppression, we who are enjoying this golden moment in history proudly salute you. --Jason Keith


@Studio Joe+Jill (http://seattleweddingphotographersblog.com/2012/02/16/23100-jeremy-jason-and-ellie-family-photos/)
Jeremy Pack resides in the Pacific Northwest with his partner, Jason Keith, and their six-year-old daughter. ""Pride" is not an emotion with which I identify very often... today is a good day to brag. I'm proud to be a gay man... I'm proud of this unbelievably-exemplary-in-every-single-way man, Jeremy Pack and our equally impressive (not to mention GORGEOUS) daughter, both of whom daily heap me with a level of unconditional love and comfort I never dreamed I could be worthy of." Jason Keith

( Read more... )

Source: http://www.jeremy-pack.com/about/

To Touch the Stars is a wonderful novel which takes place in the early 1960-70s when American was attempting to reach the stars. A story of two men who meet, confusedly know what they feel towards each other yet chaotically go and live through the turmoil of life in the 60-70s, into the 80s. There is no sex in the story, besides the kiss that Nick surprises Tait with, from which he flees, disgusted and surprised. I liked the non-sex element of the story, made it seem more real and true than any other Dreamspinner fabricated books that I read this year. For this I give it a top 10 all around. --Mykola Dementiuk

Further Readings:

To Touch the Stars by Jeremy Pack
Paperback: 350 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (August 24, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1623800064
ISBN-13: 978-1623800062
Amazon: To Touch the Stars
Amazon Kindle: To Touch the Stars

For happenstance news correspondent Tait Williams and newly minted astronaut Nicholas Sullivan, 1966 is a year of beginnings. Idealistic Tait dreams of changing the world with his pen, and Nick has his sights set on the moon. With the Apollo program in full swing, Nick is on the fast track to his dreams-even as Tait's hopes of covering the Vietnam war are sidelined by a cause he doesn't believe in: a correspondent assignment with NASA. It is here, in the golden age of the US space program, that the hearts of two men collide, setting them on a path of discovery spanning two decades.

From war-torn Cambodia to the decadence and heartbreak of the early 1980s, Nick and Tait come together time and again only to be ripped apart by social conventions and their own ambitions. As they strive to realize dreams that remain elusively beyond their grasp, through each other and the extraordinary people that touch their lives, they will come to understand that the things that matter most-the brightest stars of all-have been within their reach all along.

More Rainbow Awards at my website: www.elisarolle.com/, Rainbow Awards/2012

Simon LeVay (born August 28, 1943)

Simon LeVay (born 28 August 1943) is a British-American neuroscientist. He is renowned for his studies about brain structures and sexual orientation.

LeVay was born on 28 August 1943 in Oxford, England. He is openly gay.

LeVay held positions in neurobiology at the Harvard Medical School from 1974 to 1984. He then worked at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies from 1984 to 1993 while holding an Associate Professorship in Biology at the University of California, San Diego. Much of his early work focused on visual cortex in animals, especially cats. In 2003 he was a lecturer and the Director of Human Sexuality Studies at Stanford University.

In 1991, LeVay published "A difference in hypothalamic structure between heterosexual and homosexual men" in Science. This article reported a difference in average size between the third Interstitial Nucleus of the Anterior Hypothalamus (INAH3) in the brains of heterosexual men and homosexual men: INAH3 was more than twice as large in heterosexual men as in homosexual men. The INAH3 size of homosexual men was the same as that of women. LeVay wrote that "This finding indicates that INAH is dimorphic with sexual orientation, at least in men, and suggests that sexual orientation has a biological substrate." LeVay added, "The existence of 'exceptions' in the present sample (that is, presumed heterosexual men with small INAH 3 nuclei, and homosexual men with large ones), hints at the possibility that sexual orientation, although an important variable, may not be the sole determinant of INAH 3 size. It is also possible, however, that these exceptions are due to technical shortcomings or to misassignment of subjects to their subject groups."

LeVay's finding was widely reported in the media. LeVay openly related his research to his own homosexuality and to his mourning over his lover's death from AIDS. LeVay cautioned against misinterpreting his findings in a 1994 interview: "It’s important to stress what I didn’t find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a genetic cause for being gay. I didn't show that gay men are born that way, the most common mistake people make in interpreting my work. Nor did I locate a gay center in the brain. The INAH3 is less likely to be the sole gay nucleus of the brain than a part of a chain of nuclei engaged in men and women's sexual behavior." Some critics of LeVay questioned the accuracy and appropriateness of his measurements, observing that the structures are difficult to see in tissue slices and that he measured in volume rather than cell count. Nancy Ordover writes that LeVay has been criticized for "his small sample size and for compiling inadequate sexual histories."

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_LeVay

Further Readings:

Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why: The Science of Sexual Orientation by Simon LeVay
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; Reprint edition (September 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0199931585
ISBN-13: 978-0199931583
Amazon: Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why: The Science of Sexual Orientation

What causes a child to grow up gay or straight? In this book, neuroscientist Simon LeVay summarizes a wealth of scientific evidence that points to one inescapable conclusion: Sexual orientation results primarily from an interaction between genes, sex hormones, and the cells of the developing body and brain.

LeVay helped create this field in 1991 with a much-publicized study in Science, where he reported on a difference in the brain structure between gay and straight men. Since then, an entire scientific discipline has sprung up around the quest for a biological explanation of sexual orientation. In this book, LeVay provides a clear explanation of where the science stands today, taking the reader on a whirlwind tour of laboratories that specialize in genetics, endocrinology, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, evolutionary psychology, and family demographics. He describes, for instance, how researchers have manipulated the sex hormone levels of animals during development, causing them to mate preferentially with animals of their own gender. LeVay also reports on the prevalence of homosexual behavior among wild animals, ranging from Graylag geese to the Bonobo chimpanzee.

Although many details remain unresolved, the general conclusion is quite clear: A person's sexual orientation arises in large part from biological processes that are already underway before birth. LeVay also makes it clear that these lines of research have a lot of potential because--far from seeking to discover "what went wrong" in the lives of gay people, attempting to develop "cures" for homosexuality, or returning to traditional explanations that center on parent-child relationships, various forms of "training," or early sexual experiences--our modern scientists are increasingly seeing sexual variety as something to be valued, celebrated, and welcomed into society.

More Spotlights at my website: elisarolle.com, My Lists/Gay Novels

Steve Berman (born August 28)

Steve Berman is an American editor, novelist and short story writer. He is the most prolific editor in the field of queer speculative fiction alive today.

Berman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in an affluent suburb in southern New Jersey. Berman realized by junior high school he was gay. Years later, Berman chronicled his first homosexual experience, which occurred while he was away at college, in the creative essay "Coming Out 101: Final Exam." Despite the title of this piece, Berman remained closeted from family and friends until after he graduated with his first undergraduate degree.

He attended first Tulane University, earning a Bachelor's degree in English literature, then later studied History at Rutgers–Camden campus in Camden, New Jersey as well as a Master's degree in Liberal Studies in 2006. He worked in the publishing industry, both as a senior book buyer at an academic and then trade wholesaler, and in the marketing department of the Jewish Publication Society, a small religious press in Philadelphia.

One of the most influential relationships in his life began through d8 Magazine, a shortly-lived periodical devoted to roleplaying gaming culture, when he met Holly Black. A few weeks later, Berman took an editorial assistant position with the medical publishing company Churchill Livingstone in New York City, where Black also, coincidentally, worked. The two developed a long and abiding friendship and remain critique partners to this day.

( Read more... )

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Berman

When I was editor at Harrington Park Press, I was proud of every book I published—but Vintage stands out above all the others. When I first read the manuscript, I was stunned by the strength and simplicity of the authorial voice, and before I was even finished with the first chapter I knew I had to publish this. A gorgeous story about a troubled teen who falls in love with a ghost and then has to uncover the truth about the ghost’s life, it is still one of my favorite gay novels, and one of my favorite ghost stories of all time. Steve is an exceptionally gifted story teller; one I wish would publish a book every year, and that still wouldn’t be enough for me. It is to be savored, cherished and enjoyed, and should be required reading for every teenager. --Greg Herren

Vintage is a haunting Young Adult novel about a gay, Goth teen boy haunted by the ghost of a High School athlete killed in the fifties. The Goth characters were true to the culture without being caricatures. The ghost story was subtle and vivid and had that “vintage” feel from the Twilight Zone. Plus, being a young adult novel…it felt right. It didn’t preach or feel pretentious as a lot of young adult books written by adults do. It got the whole how do I deal with my gay love and attraction and how do I solve this old story of gay love and attraction just right. I don’t know how to describe it other than, this book works. --James Buchanan

Further Readings:

Vintage: A Ghost Story by Steve Berman
Perfect Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Lethe Press (March 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590210530
ISBN-13: 978-1590210536
Amazon: Vintage: A Ghost Story
Amazon Kindle: Vintage: A Ghost Story

A lonely boy walking along a highway one autumn evening meets the boy of his dreams, a boy who happens to have died decades ago and haunts the road. Awkward crushes, both bitter and sweet, lead him to face youthful dreams and childish fears. With its cast of offbeat friends, antiques, and Ouija boards, Vintage is not your typical romance but does offers readers a memorable blend of dark humor, chills and love.

A finalist for the Andre Norton Award and Gaylactic Spectrum Award!

More Spotlights at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Lists/Gay Novels

UK Meet: Taylin Clavelli

Starting from June 1, 2015, I will daily feature authors attending the three conventions I will join, Euro Pride in Munich (July), UK Meet in Bristol (September) and GRL in San Diego (October).

For the UK Meet in Bristol, September 11-13, 2015, today author is Taylin Clavelli: Taylin Clavelli lives in the United Kingdom, about 15 miles south of Birmingham, and a short journey from the world famous Cadbury’s Chocolate factory. She’s married with children and loves her family with all her heart.

Her love of books has been a long standing affair, with Taylin liking nothing better than to lose herself in an imaginary world.

Until she met Lily Velden, she never considered trying her hand at writing. However, after talking ideas, Lily encouraged her to put pen to paper—or rather, fingers to keyboard. Since, with a few virtual kicks in the right place, she hasn’t stopped. Her confidence eventually led to her writing an original work for submission.

Now she absolutely adores immersing herself into the characters she creates, and transferring the pictures in her brain to paper, finding it liberating, therapeutic, and wonderful.

Outside of writing, her interests include; martial arts (she’s a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwon-do), horse-riding, and movies, all of which facilitates her love of a wide variety of genres. Her action heroes include Jet Li and Tony Jaa—finding the dedication these men have for their art combined with their skill both amazing and a privilege to watch. If pressed, she’ll admit to thinking that the screen entrance of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean – Curse of the Black Pearl, and Shadowfax in LOTR, to be the greatest screen entrances ever. Her all-time favorite movies are Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.

Further Readings:

Dakota Skies by Taylin Clavelli
Paperback: 350 pages
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing (2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1925222020
ISBN-13: 978-1925222029
Amazon: Dakota Skies
Amazon Kindle: Dakota Skies

Born in the wrong time... In 1875 Dakota, Sheriff Jamie Carter has to hide his interest in men, even from his gutsy twin sister, Anna. On a good day, the truth can mean a bullet between the eyes, and on a bad, one in the back. A man on a mission... Jamie leaves Anna in charge of Blackrock and he hits the bounty hunting trail, along with his faithful equine companion, Houston. Five territories, scores of 'Wanted' posters, and many bullets later, his path unexpectedly converges with that of enigmatic loner, Kit Brooks. Two men with one soul... Will the smoldering fire between them rage into an inferno and break down protective barriers, allowing them to find love? Or will it separate and kill them? Beneath Dakota skies... Jamie and Kit's story is a sweeping saga of cowboys, Indians, persistent broads, and vengeful villains, where the cowboys aren't always the good guys, and love can't be taken for granted.

GRL: T.J. Klune

Starting from June 1, 2015, I will daily feature authors attending the three conventions I will join, Euro Pride in Munich (July), UK Meet in Bristol (September) and GRL in San Diego (October).

For the GRL in San Diego, October 15-18, 2015, today author is T.J. Klune: When TJ Klune was eight, he picked up a pen and paper and began to write his first story (which turned out to be his own sweeping epic version of the video game Super Metroid—he didn't think the game ended very well and wanted to offer his own take on it. He never heard back from the video game company, much to his chagrin). Now, two decades later, the cast of characters in his head have only gotten louder, wondering why he has to go to work as a claims examiner for an insurance company during the day when he could just stay home and write.

He lives with a neurotic cat in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. It’s hot there, but he doesn’t mind. He dreams about one day standing at Stonehenge, just so he can say he did.

Further Readings:

The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (July 20, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 163476367X
ISBN-13: 978-1634763677
Amazon: The Lightning-Struck Heart
Amazon Kindle: The Lightning-Struck Heart

Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City Of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident.

Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam’s pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the King's Wizard, Morgan of Shadows.

When Sam’s fourteen, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tiggy, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds.

At fifteen, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle―Knight Ryan Foxheart, the dreamiest dream to have ever been dreamed.

Naturally, it all goes to hell when Ryan dates the reprehensible Prince Justin, Sam can't control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the King sends them on an epic quest to save Ryan's boyfriend, all while Sam falls more in love with someone he can never have.

Or so he thinks.