reviews_and_ramblings | The Rainbow Awards: The Jury

Like last year, also this year for the Rainbow Awards we have a Jury that just going over through the names, make me very proud of all of them. Remember, the Rainbow Awards is all based on volunteers, these judges offered to read and review the books without any second thought if not to help and promote LGBT fiction and non fiction.

Aileenfan: "I'm an English teacher and "wannabe" translator from Poland. My hobby is - no surprise here - literature. It started when I was six and read my first book. (some nursery story about two bears;))I've always felt my favourite genre would be LGBT stories but I also discovered I should have learnt English to have full access to them and enjoy them properly. My dream is to introduce the best stories to Polish readers (since we have but a few LGBT stories on the market here) and that's why I'm studying to be a translator. Who knows what'll be?"

Alan Michael Williams: Alan Michael Williams was born New Year's Day 1984. He's an MA of Cultural Studies student at the University of Washington, Bothell. His interests include writing, game design, religion studies, feminist theory, martial arts and yaoi. He currently lives in Seattle.

Aleksandr Voinov: "Writer, Speak Its Name reviewer, journalist, and a dozen other language-related things, I'm joining the cause to read books I normally wouldn't have and genres I normally don't read. Characters and style are important to me, and I'm pretty demanding when it comes to my reading, I want good style, characters, plot, good editing, and a fresh voice. Bad prose makes me grind my teeth and good prose turns me into a life-long follower. I enjoy pretty much anything in my reading, because a good story is a good story and good writing is good writing."

Amie Love: "I am an avid, lifelong reader of many genres. As a child I was teased because I read the back of the cereal box and cookbooks if nothing else was available. I was born in the Appalachian Mountains and lived in a small, one stoplight college/farm town in the Midwest; I think it was the closest thing the real word has to a gay utopia. We moved to Hollywood, California, where I experienced intense culture shock. I live in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States."

Anna Birmingham: "I'm Anna, originally from the UK, but living in the USA right now. I'm in my 30s and married with a young daughter. I discovered m/m fiction in late 2007 and haven't looked back since, especially after getting an eReader... I've read more m/m books that I care to admit to and there are still many many more to go. I'm currently writing a screenplay based on one of my all time favourite m/m stories (with the very generous permission of the author). My dream is to write for the movies one day, so watch this space!"

Antonella: "I'm Italian, but I live in a German-speaking country. I'm a professional translator. I love my job because it's interesting (translations vary from love letters to divorce sentences), no one tells me what to do and I work whenever I want. I do believe we should leave behind us a better world. That's why I'm engaged in political and environmental battles and since 1994 I work as a volunteer in a Centre Against Racism. I started to read LGTB books especially after ''Brokeback Mountain'', which had a deep impact on me. I've been reading a lot since then and I'm honoured to be in the same jury with some of the authors I love."

Arch: "I´m Arch, from a small town an hour from Venice, Italy. Divided between my scientific studies and work - in a completely different field, of course *sigh* -, a lot of my free time is spent reading, there are so much books in the world... One day I will have a huge room turned into a library, for now I simply have piles and piles of books around and thanks God for ebooks! My passion for the GLBT genre goes back many years ago. However in Italy, the field is limited, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone, improve my English with pleasant readings. Well, from then on I am like a kid in a candy store."

Austin Wallace: "My name is Austin Wallace and I've spent about 20 or so years working in gay and lesbian bookstores and publishing. I was a book buyer for Lambda Rising in Washington DC, Obelisk Books in San Diego and White Rabbit in North Carolina. I've also worked for Cleis Press (and still do the occasional editing on the side for them) and Chronicle Books. I currently work for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Museum Store. In the past I also acted as a judge for the Lambda Literary Awards in the Mystery Category (though I'm open to other areas as I read pretty much across the spectrum.) and a reviewer for the Lambda Book Report. The first gay book I ever read was The Front Runner (like a lot of young gay boys) back in 1983 and I haven't stopped reading since."

Benjamin: An art graduate, one time art teacher and freelance graphic designer, Benjamin now his devotes time to painting. An avid reader. A regular book reviewer and an Amazon Vine (UK) reviewer from its inception, Benjamin also reviews books sent by both publishers and authors. He has also edited books.

Bethann Korsmit: "I'm a writer and an avid reader. My novel Darkness Descending was awarded first place in the gay fiction category of the Reader Views Literary Awards 2007. I'm currently writing a sequel to Darkness Descending."
http://wryterreviews.blogspot.com/

Bobby D. Whitney: "I´m an employee for the State of Washington, work in downtown Seattle and live in the rural `burbs. It makes for a long daily commute, but I use that time to read. Lucky me with at least two full hours to read guaranteed daily! What else? I´m a motorcycle rider, mother to a 19-year-old son, wife to a terrific man (he taught me to ride my bike and gave me my first Sony Reader...he must be perfect!). My degree is in English, which qualifies me to read and write and make lots of embarrassing typos, and I recently colored most of my hair pink in a fit of mid-life crisis. I´m amazed at the writing talent that I´ve encountered over the years. A desire to encourage these wonderful authors as an inability to keep my opinions to myself are the driving forces behind BookWenches Reviews. I´m honored to have been asked to participate as a judge for the Rainbow Awards."

Byron A. Lorrier: "I have a wide variety of degrees-- everything from a bachelors in english lit to an advanced law degree in international law & business. Over the years, i've been a legal commentator on the highest rated public service show in tampa bay, earned designation in 2 areas of practice, taught business law for 6 years/18 times in a row, & been a night traffic court magistrate. In my free time, I am the author of Murder in the Magick Club, which is doing well sales-wise & review-wise. I am currently trying to become a member of the mystery writers of america, an active member of a gay book club, & working on the sequel more Murder in the Magick Club"

Carey Parrish: Carey Parrish is a native of Northern Georgia. He began writing professionally in his late thirties when he founded the popular e-zine Web Digest Weekly. He´s also the author of the books "Into The Light: Experimentations In Poetry & Prose," "The Moving Finger Writes," and the upcoming novel "Marengo." He attributes his success to "taking all the things that were wrong in my life and replacing them with things that are right."
http://www.webdigestweekly.com
http://www.careyparrish.com

Carol H.: "My name is Carol and I live in North Carolina. I have been reading forever it seems. Even sneaking my mom´s romances that "I was too young" to read (yea right!). She finally learned just to let me read whatever I wanted as I would go through 5-6 books a day. Today I still read books daily. Number vary depending if I read an excellent book and need to savor it a while, I may only read 3 that day. I never leave the house without a book."

Cassandra Gold: "By day, I am a middle school teacher. I spend much of my time grading papers, filling out paperwork, and trying to get 6th- and 7th- graders to read. When I am not at work, I can generally be found at the computer, dreaming up stories about men falling in love. When I have spare time (which is unfortunately not too often anymore!) I read romance of all kinds. Occasionally I pretend to do housework, but my hubby isn't fooled!"

Cat Grant: "I've been writing off and on ever since I was old enough to hold a pencil. I still remember my very first 'published' story, a Jonny Quest adventure I penned in sixth grade. My teacher liked it so much, she had one of the other students illustrate it. That other student went on to become a Hollywood horror-film director. I've poked around in many different genres. I've written fan fiction for a number of different TV shows, tried my hand at horror and fantasy, but in the end I came back to what I enjoy most - writing about the intimate relationships between men and women, and how love doesn't always happen the way we expect.Back in 2004, when I became unable to work outside my home, my incredibly supportive husband suggested that I turn this setback into an opportunity, and pursue my dream of becoming a published author. Several years - and untold buckets of sweat later - that dream's finally coming to fruition".

Charlie David: Charlie David has been a host for E! Television, NBC, OutTV, LOGO, here! TV, Pink TV, EGO, Fine Living and Life Network on such shows as FYE!, SpyTV, Crash Test Mommy and his travel series Bump! which now airs in over 10 countries worldwide. He has appeared as musical guest on VH1, BBC, CBS's The Early Show, and dozens of radio shows. His recent film and television credits include A Four Letter Word and Kiss the Bride, Bravo!'s Godiva's, Showtime's Reefer Madness, Sundance Channel's award winning Terminal City and starring in a 4th season of the gothic gay soap opera Dante's Cove. Charlie's writing has been published by Instinct, National Youth Ambassador, Adventure Women, Outlooks and BoyCrazy! magazines and AfterElton.com. The latter culminated in a guest appearance on NBC's The Other Half with Dick Clark, Danny Bonaduce, and Mario Lopez. In 2009 he had his first two novels, Mulligans and Boy Midflight, published by Palari Publishing. The Cold Reading Series in Vancouver awarded Charlie Best Feature Screenplay for Mulligans and Best Short Screenplay for Narcissus, a story featured in his new anthology, Shadowlands released in 2010. In 2005 Out Magazine recognized Charlie in the Out 100 at their gala in New York for outstanding contributions to LGBT Arts and Culture. In 2007 the Philadelphia Film Society awarded Charlie with their Rising Star Award. In 2008 the Festival del Sol in Gran Canaria awarded their Best Male Actor Award to Charlie and the male cast of A Four Letter Word. Charlie is co-owner of CTM International Enterprises Inc., a Canadian Talent Agency representing actors for film, television and commercials. In 2007 he started Border2Border Entertainment Inc., a production company whose film credits include the award winning Mulligans and Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride. He is a graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts and currently resides in Victoria, Canada and Capetown, S. Africa.
http://www.charliedavid.com

Chris: "I'm a blogger and voracious reader who lives in Uptown Minneap,olis, Minnesota. I've been reading m/m for about a year and blogging for over four years at http://www.stumblingoverchaos.com."

Clare London: "Chartered Accountanct by day, gay romance author by free time, not that I have much of that! I was the child who never wanted to join in sports, preferring to read, and things haven't changed a lot. I will read any genre in the quest for fine, entertaining, challenging fiction. I love it all!"

Craig Burke: "I have a degree in Journalism and have been an editor-in-chief of several publications"

Dakota Flint: Dakota Flint currently lives in Michigan and is working on her law degree. An average day for her consists of reading about things like negligence or homicide, punctuated by thinking up interesting ways for two men to meet and fall in love. Given a choice between getting some writing time in and time for things like laundry or cooking dinner...well, let´s just say the pile of laundry is blocking out sunlight and there´s a very real chance that all the salad for dinner is turning Dakota into a rabbit...
http://www.dakotaflint.com
http://dakotaflint.livejournal.com

Debra Starbird: "I live in Ohio USA. I have 3 kids at home. In high school, many, many years ago, I discovered Robert Heinlein and an instant love for scifi. Of course Star Trek (the original) was doing its original run at the time thus reinforcing my scifi love. I enjoyed many different types of books. I attended over 20 years of school becoming an attorney, of all things. The kids kind of destroyed my enjoyable reading time until I discovered PDAs, and downloadable fanfiction. Now I can read in bed and not annoy anyone. Lesbian authors and fiction that include mystery, action/adventure, historical fiction, romance all kicked up my interest. Lesbian fiction is the only thing that I want to read now I enjoy it so much. I, like Arch, feel like a kid in a candy store!"

Devon Rhodes: Devon started reading and writing at a young age and never looked back. After a creatively sapping career in the business world, she gratefully took some time off to be at home. At 39 and holding, Devon finally figured out the best way to channel her midlife crisis was to morph from mild-mannered stay-at-home mom into erotic romance writer. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two children, who are (mostly) understanding of all the time she spends on her laptop, aka the black hole.

Elliott Mackle: Elliott Mackle's new novel, HOT OFF THE PRESSES (Lethe Press), is based in part on his experience as a journalist. Mackle covered the 1996 Olympic Games for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. An AJC staff writer, he served as the newspaper's dining critic for a decade, also reporting on military affairs, travel and the national restaurant scene. His first novel, IT TAKES TWO, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award. He has written for Travel & Leisure, Food & Wine, the Los Angeles Times, Florida Historical Quarterly, Atlanta and Charleston magazines and was a longtime columnist at Creative Loafing, the South's leading alternative newsweekly. Mackle wrote and produced segments for Nathalie Dupree's popular television series, New Southern Cooking, and authored a drama about gay bashing for Georgia Public Television. Along the way, he managed a horse farm, commanded a squadron of Air Force cooks, served as a child nutrition advocate for the State of Georgia, volunteered at an AIDS shelter, was founding co-chair of Emory University's GLBT alumni association and taught critical and editorial writing at Georgia State University. He lives in Atlanta with his partner of nearly 40 years.

EM Lynley: EM Lynley works in the wine industry, though she'd rather be writing hot, sexy man-on-man action. She spent 15 years as an economist and financial analyst, including a year as a White House Staff Economist, but only because all the intern positions were filled. Tired of boring herself and others with dry business reports and articles, her creative muse is back and naughtier than ever. She has lived and worked in London, Tokyo and Washington, D.C., but the San Francisco Bay Area is home for now.

Eric Ethingon: Blogger of Pride in Utah, The Eyes And Ears Of Utah's Queer Community. "Eric, trying to have this conversation (lgbt rights) with you is ultimately like trying to teach a pig to dance, it just annoys the pig. So Eric, sorry to annoy you." -Paul Mero, The Sutherland Institute.

Erotic Horizon: "I read extensively and like to keep an open mind about any book I read. I love romance and tend to go through various phases in a year of how I read the books I read. I am a big lover of paranormal and M/M romances, but am known to rush out and buy the latest Mills & Boon or sci-fi annuals as soon as they hit the shelf. I like my crime fiction just as much as the most avid reader and tend to stick to the bread and butter authors - you know the ones you swear it's the last time you're going to buy their book, but end up a faithfull servant to their artistry with the pen. I appreciate books that gives you pause to think and look at the other side of the coin, but I also love the books that are heavy on the erotic and big on alpha males and feisty heroine. My days are currently filled with plots to find the perfect spot to hide from my overachieving kids and my nights are overrun with men in loin clothes chasing the hero or heroine of their choice. There are time I wish all my days were nights. Come visit me - Erotic Horizon is my little spice of the pie."
http://erotichorizon.blogspot.com/

Ethan Day: “I am a gay man living in Missouri...I can hear the gasps already!! How very un-chic of me, yes I know. It was here I was born and here I have stayed.I'm currently single but always looking for that special someone that makes my heart skip a beat...in addition to being able to put up with my neurotic ass. The worst thing about being a romance writer is finding a real life hottie that can live up to the fantasy I create in my head and subsequently thrust upon him before actually getting to know the real him. I can hear you getting all judgie...it's an occupational hazard!! To all my past and future boyfriends, my sincerest apologies...I can't help myself! I was the youngest of four children and the only boy, so needless to say, I was spoiled rotten. I've always had an extravagant fantasy life. When I played with my Star Wars action figures as a child, I liked to make up my own stories. Naturally, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo were totally meant for each other, and Princess Leia made a bitchin' wise cracking Fag Hag.I somehow managed to survive high school living in a small racist town in Southeast Missouri and emerged unscathed, realizing life was too short to pretend to be anything other than who I was. I was the little homo that could...so damn it, I did! It was all very Lifetime Movie Network meets After School Special I assure you.After a few stints in college, I eventually signed up for a Creative Writing course. I took the class because there were no tests. For once my scholastic laziness paid off, and I found an outlet for all the fantasies running amuck in my head. It was love at first write, and I've been doing it off and on ever since.Now I've decided its time to un-barricade the doors and unleash my imagination onto the world. So very sorry world!! With the help of the lovely and talented team at Loose Id and MLR Press, my fantasy life is now available for public consumption. I'm desperately hoping your really, really hungry.”

Ethan Stone: Ethan Stone is a newly published writer, but a longtime reader. The discovery of the M/M genre helped him to blend his two passions--books and gay men. Reading and writing are his top two passions--just behind his son and his boyfriend.

Eve: "I started reading gay fictions when I was about 19 years old - discovered a new GLBT section in the local bookstore. I loved to read both "serious" gay fiction and what in the old days called "gay porn", so I'd be reading Edmund White, David Leavitt one day and Alex Kane by John Preston the next day. These days, however, 80% of my reading are m/m romance and fiction - thanks to the convenience of ebooks. I have pop culture journalism experience, however, I have long resigned to the fact that, despite being an avid reader, I am hopeless when it comes to writing original characters."

Heathyr Diamond: A close friend once accused me of being a bookslut. She meant it in jest, but humour is always strongest when it contains an element of truth. A tattered copy of Stephen King’s Pet Semetary, hidden beneath the bed and read in secret, first sparked the imagination of a 10 year old boy. Year later, a pristine copy of Clive Barker’s Imajica, carried proudly and read publicly, ignited the literary passions of a teenaged transsexual. The only thing I love more than curling up with a good book is sharing one with friends and watching them fall in love. That’s why I started http://bibrary.com, and why I continue to spend far too much time digging through used bookstores for those hidden gems that positively embrace the LGBTQ community.

Heidi Cullinan: Heidi Cullinan has always loved a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. She enjoys writing across many genres but loves above all to write happy, romantic endings for LGBT characters because there just aren't enough of those stories out there. When Heidi isn't writing, she enjoys cooking, reading, knitting, listening to music, and watching television with her family. Heidi also volunteers frequently for her state's LGBT rights group, One Iowa, and is proud to be from the first Midwestern state to legalize same-sex marriage.
Visit Heidi's web site at http://www.heidicullinan.com and her blog at http://amazoniowan.livejournal.com/.

Heidi French: Heidi French lives in a small town nestled between the bustle of Vancouver and the renown ski resort of Whistler, British Columbia, Canada -- both of which recently played host to the 2010 Winter Olympics. Her home is sandwiched between the best of both worlds, with all the excitement and diversity of one of Canada's fastest-growing cities at her doorstep and some of the best outdoor recreation in the world at her backdoor. Her grade three teacher described her a voracious reader, a label that still fits to this day as she continues to read several books a week. Reading isn't just a pass time for Heidi, it is a way of life, one she that shares with her husband and was fortunate enough to have passed on to her two young children. In 2005 she discovered LGBT novels, which fast became one of her favourite genre's and she hasn't looked back.

Jan Irving: "I've been reading as long as I can remember, science fiction, fantasy, mystery and primarily romance. I grew up reading writers such as Violet Winspear along with Anne McCaffrey's young adult Pern series. I continue to enjoy variety in what I read and what I create."

Jason Bradley: "Jason Bradley: A full-time college student with the goal of becoming a counselor for GLBT youth, my partner and I live in Fort Worth and help raise his 7 year old daughter from a previous relationship. As one of the moderators for the goodreads M/M Romance group, I post a daily author and publisher report for our members. I enjoy writing, reading, cooking, kink, and long walks on the beach. :)"

Jay Hartman: Jay Hartman has been writing about and reviewing the electronic book industry for the last ten years, with an emphasis on bringing together independent authors and publishers with their readers. He was previously the Content Editor for Knowbetter.com, the Internet's oldest ebook-dedicated website, and launched his own site in January of 2009. In addition to the Untreed Reads Blog, Jay is the Editor-In-Chief of Untreed Reads Publishing, LLC.
http://www.untreedreads.com

Jem: An avid reader as well as book collector, Jem accidentally started reading M/M over twenty years ago with Mercedes Lackey's "Last Herald Mage" trilogy (still one of her all-time favorite fantasies). In the last few years she discovered yaoi, and the growing gay romance genre. She has hundreds of reviews on Amazon, and has written reviews for GottaWriteNetwork.com. Jem has also done beta reading, as well as reviews, directly for authors. She lives on the East Coast of the United States with her husband of eleven years, and three fat lazy cats.
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/jshillingford
http://jshillingford.livejournal.com/
http://twitter.com/jshillingford

Jenre: "I'm a British woman who writes a review and commentary blog which covers m/m romance. I've been reading m/m for about three years and blogging for two years."
http://jenre-wellread.blogspot.com/

Jessica: Jessica is the author of a handful of short stories, as well as the translator of four books by renowned healer and Olympic coach Semjon Bek. She is also the designer of Faraday Bags, a line of data-shielding wallets, purses, and clothing. An outdoors enthusiast, she enjoys hiking, camping, and cycling.

Josh Aterovis: Josh Aterovis has been writing fiction for over nine years. His first two books, Bleeding Hearts and a spin-off mystery Reap the Whirlwind, were first published in 2001 and 2003 respectively. The first book, Bleeding Hearts, introduced gay teen sleuth Killian Kendall, and won several awards, including the 2002 Whodunit Award from the StoneWall Society. He followed up by winning the Whodunit Award again the following year for Reap the Whirlwind. The two books were republished by PD Publishing in 2008, once again garnering glowing reviews. His latest book, All Lost Things, was released in October of 2009 and is nominated for a Lambda Literary Award. In addition to novels, Aterovis also writes for AfterElton.com, an entertainment news website owned by MTV's LOGO network for and about gay and bisexual men, and Baltimore OUTloud.

Julie Weismann: "About 25 years ago I read Mists of Avalon, looking for more by Marion Zimmer Bradley, the bookstore directed me to the sci-fi section. After reading the entire Dark Over series, I was completely and utterly hooked on sci-fi, fantasy and speculative fiction. Throw in some lesbian or queer content and I am in heaven. (Melissa Scott - I miss your writing!) I have attempted to read every female author in these genres and I am constantly looking for more. Thanks to fan fiction sites and eBooks, (and of course my Kindle) I can continue to read every night, discovering more talented writers in all genres. I am in constant search for a book I can escape into, where the characters live in me for days, giving my mind a much needed vacation."

K.C. Kendricks: Best-selling author KC Kendricks makes her home in Maryland. A 2008 Amber Heat Wave Winner, and a 2008 CAPA nominee, KC writes contemporary gay romances that while are adult in nature, celebrate love and hope for mature readers. Writing more traditional romance under a pseudonym, the author is a two-time EPPIE Finalist, and a 2005 CAPA nominee. With one contemporary title a #1 bestseller, several other top-ten list titles, and a few more recommended reads, the author has established herself as a storyteller that delivers rich, satisfying romantic stories that feature strong themes of love, hope, and redemption with positive, upbeat endings.

Kate Cotoner: Kate Cotoner lives in the north of England with her OH and a demanding bonsai named Mr M. She has a fondness for Asian men tempered with a love of hunky Germanic and Mediterranean types, and manages to combine love for all three types whilst watching Formula One motorsport. She loves history, needlepoint, reading, watching brainless blockbusters and meaningful foreign films, staring at US crime shows, and baking French-style bread. She likes strong, plot-driven stories and charismatic characters set against a sweeping, romantic backdrop of history, suspense, international locations and whatever else happens to take her fancy at the time.

Kate McMurray: Kate is a writer, editor, and voracious reader. Her first novel, a m/m romantic suspense called In Hot Pursuit, was published by Loose Id in February 2010. She edits nonfiction to pay the bills and is also an amateur violinist. She lives in New York City.
http://www.katemcmurray.com

Kele Moon: A lifelong storyteller, Kele Moon thrives off pushing the envelope and finding ways to make the impossible work in her stories. With a mad passion for romance, she adores the art of falling in love. The only rules she believes in is that, in love there are no rules and true love knows no bounds. Her debut novel Beyond Eden has just been contracted by Ellora's Cave with a release date to be announced.
Website: http://www.kelemoon.com

Ken Kimball: "President of Alligator Press. We focus on finding 2-3 new authors a year. We look for stories that push boundaries. I have been part of all aspects of the business from reviewer, translator and copy editor. Prior to opening Alligator Press, I was an executive in the Insurance Industry. I am pleased to participate in the 2010 Rainbow Review Awards."

Kenley Maitland: Kenley Maitland is the top secret, alter ego of a popular M/M romance author.

Kimberly Gardner: Kimberly has been making up stories for as long as she can remember. As early as the seventh grade, she recalls slashing her favorite rockstars for her own and her friends’ enjoyment. It was also around that time that she began a lifelong love affair with the romance genre, devouring category romances as fast as she could smuggle them into the house. So it’s not all that surprising that her two passions, romance and putting pretty boys with other pretty boys, would ultimately come together in her writing. Moliere says, “Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, then for a few close friends, then for money.” Kimberly is delighted at long last to be doing it for money. She has two novels available from MLR Press and is hard at work on her third.

Kris Jacen: Kris is one of ManLoveRomance Press´ (www.mlrpress.com) senior editors as well as the formatting director. She was invited to join the MLR staff a little over two years ago and has never looked back. Working with over thirty phenomenal authors such as Victor J. Banis, P.A. Brown, James Buchanan, William Maltese and Rick R. Reed has allowed her to both hone her editorial skills and indulge her inner fangirl. Kris also acts as editor, mentor and sounding-board for newcomers including Kimberly Gardner, Lex Valentine, S.J. Frost, Patric Michael and Jason Edding. With this stable of talent under her guidance, Kris is quick to tell anyone who will listen that she loves her job. And her authors are just as quick to say that they love their editor.

Kym Hinton: Kym Hinton is an a freelance writer and editor with a passion for GLBT fiction. She is an acquisitions editor for Carina Press (www.carinapress.com), where she acquired 2 of the 4 GLBT titles for Carina's June 2010 launch. Kym also serves as managing editor of the Journal of Popular Romance Studies and is a member of RWA's Rainbow Romance Writers chapter.

Lee Rowan: Lee Rowan has been writing since childhood, but professionally only since spring of 2006, with the publication of her Eppie-winning novel, Ransom. She is a lady of a certain age, old enough to know better but young enough to do it anyway. A confirmed bookaholic with a wife of many years, she is kept in line by a cadre of cats and a dog who gets her away from the computer and out of the house at least once a day.
http://www.lee-rowan.net/

Lia: "I love reading, I don´t leave home without at least one book in my bag, ever. That's all that´s relevant, really. If it isn´t: I am German, married to a Brit, 2 bilingual kids. I´m currently living in Germany, but I lived in England and the USA for several years. Other than reading I love classical music and sing in 2+ choirs."

Lily: "I've been addicted to reading pretty much since I picked up my first book. After many years of reading m/f books, of which I was getting increasingly bored with, I discovered m/m ebooks. I'm totally hooked now and 99% of what I've read in the past three years has been m/m. My Sony eReader is never far from my side and I enjoy writing reviews as well as reading other people's thoughts on the books I've read. I live in North Florida and enjoy the mostly sunny days with my family."

Lori Toland: CEO by day, manlove writer by night, Lori Toland somehow finds time to play video games and watch movies while taking care of her cats and husband.
Visit Lori's web site at http://www.loritoland.com.

Lyne: "My name is Lyne and I am an avid reader. Reading was something that came hard for me and in the 9th grade I ended up having to take a remedial reading class. It wasn't until my mother threaten to throw the TV out the window if I did not start reading however before I really picked up a book. That was 30 years ago and I haven't stopped reading since. I picked up M/M books 3 years ago and absolutely love them. I am constantly looking for new ones to read and of course I have several that I love to read over and over again."

Matthew Montgomery: Matthew Montgomery has starred in several features including Long-Term Relationship, Socket and Back Soon - the latter two winning him Best Actor at FilmOut San Diego in 2008. Most recently, he has starred in Pornography (June 2010) and Redwoods (December 2009). Matthew has produced five feature films, including Make the Yuletide Gay, and is now in development with his first feature film, Sticke Figures, under the aegis of his production company Proteus Pictures and is also in pre-production for Finding Mr. Wright, produced by Nandar Entertainment in association with Proteus Pictures. His next feature film, Role/Play, which he stars opposite Steve Callahan can be seen later this year. Also, he can be seen in the international tour of Terrence McNally's Corpus Christi. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California. "DNA Magazine's Leading Man of Gay Cinema"
http://www.Matt-Montgomery.com

Miguel Santana: Author of 3 novels, When Alligators Sing, Fatima Carnaval and The Marién Revelation. Miguel received his Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin in Hispanic Literature. He is a new contributor to Lamda Literary.

Molly Church: "I'm a thirty-something writer and reader. My first short story, A Hope in Hell, was published in late 2008 by Torquere Press. Three further stories will be released in 2010."

Morg: "I hail from the empty lands of cold north, love gay novels for the alpha males, hunt for shapeshifters and aliens, worship the brilliant minds of authors who keep surprising me, and I always choose awesome plot and character development over heated scenes. I'm also really mean and picky when it comes my favorite theme, D/s."
http://yachay.livejournal.com/

Perpetua: "Hi I am Perpetua and I live in Northern Ireland I am a total Book Slut, which means that I can't stay faithful to one book at one time I usually have three on the go at once!. I have ebooks on my laptop and my phone I never leave home without them and take every opportunity to read! (well except when I am driving! Phones and driving DO NOT mix)."

Rbm00: "I live in California, and am a student at UC Berkeley in the College of Natural Resources. LGBT fiction has been my love since I was a teenager, and I've been reading it almost exclusively for about 5 years. My preferences are historical fiction, coming-of-age, and mysteries, and my non-fiction reads are usually astronomy, ecology, myths/legends, and Native American studies. I'm not too crazy about poetry or paranormal-the vampire/werewolf variety. I love the more original paranormal concepts."

Ro: "I live in Missouri, I'm a Reviewer for Literary Nymphs and I also write customer reviews posted at Amazon under pen name Venus junkie. My favorite genre is male/male, I'm fond of explicit/detailed vampires, shifters and fantasy, although I enjoy most m/m sub-genre. I've never wanted to be an author but I enjoy being a plot bunny and doing research."

Rosie: "I am an avid reader and have been my whole life. I literally adore books. I will read any genre in the m/m field. A book is a success to me, if it has captured my emotions and engaged my imagination. Good writing always does that for me. I simply couldn't imagine my life without books in it. I am married with two children and I live near London in the UK. I am honoured to be part of this judging group."

Roxy Harte: Roxy Harte has loved erotic romance novels since she stumbled across her first at the tender age of thirteen. Since she especially loves books which offer strong insight into the characters psyche, as a writer she wants to provide readers with characters who are not only charismatic and engaging but are intellectually, spiritually, and sexually complex. When she started writing in earnest twelve years ago, it provided an evening respite from the full time care of her invalid mother and Alzheimer diagnosed father, and although both of her parents died a decade ago, she now writes so that her readers may find a small escape of their own at the end of a tedious day.Roxy lives in southwestern Ohio in a small town bordered by fields and railroad tracks with her husband and teenage daughter, two boisterous dogs, Petey and Jazzi, and two independent cats, Miss Kitty and Blackie. Visit Roxy Harte at http://www.roxyharte.com

Ryan Field: Ryan Field is a fiction writer who has worked in publishing for over seventeen years. He has worked as an editor for Conde Nast, and as a writer for Freshmen Magazine. His fiction has appeared in books by Alyson Publications, Cleis Press, STARbooks Press, and a few others. His single author titles have been published by ravenousromance.com. This past year his short story, "Down the Basement," was part of the Lambda Award winning book, BEST GAY EROTICA 2009.
http://ryan-field.blogspot.com/

Sandra Meyer: "I'm German. Reading gay fiction is my life. I started with male/male romance in adolescence when I discovered a German edition of 'The Lord won't mind' in a local bookstore - because it had such a beautiful cover ^_^. After that came difficult years - good gay fiction in German? No such thing. Back then it was hard to find stuff because there was so little. Now with the internet, ebooks, me being able to read English and all it is equally hard - because there is so much ^_^. My favourite genres are mystery, fantasy and historical romantic gay male fiction."

Shannon Yarbrough: Shannon Yarbrough is the author of The Other Side of What, published in 2003, and Stealing Wishes, published in 2009. He is also the founder and lead reviewer of The LL Book Review at www.llbookreview.com. He resides in St. Louis, Missouri with his partner of 7 years.

Shelby Isaacson: "Shelby Isaacson bleeds books. A true mompreneur, Shelby spends her days assisting authors with social media marketing and chasing her toddler. In the evening, you'll find her snuggled up in a chair or under a tree with a novel and a cup of warm tea. Because Shelby has a degree in English literature and culture she loves to read books that challenge social norms and provide hope for change in today's world."

Sloan Parker: Sloan has been writing stories and playing with the characters in her head for years and is thrilled to have her first novel (More, March 2010) published by the wonderful folks at Loose Id. Sloan loves to explore the romantic lives of everyday people…people who are growing as individuals, living as true to themselves as they can, and of course, falling in love. She enjoys writing in the fictional world because in fiction you can be anything, do anything…even fall in love for the first time over and over again. Sloan is bisexual, a vegetarian, an animal lover, a writer, a reader, and lover of all things romantic and sexy. She lives in northern Ohio (US) with her longtime partner and their neurotic cats.

Stephan Schmetterling: "Aspiring historical fiction short story writer (male/male stories) and also an aspiring essayist on homosexual history. An antique queer Oscar Wilde sort of man in a female body. Education: B.A. in History, A.A. in Behavioral Science, A.S. in Library Science, and a Library Technology Certificate."

Steve Callahan: Steve Callahan has been playing Judas Iscariot in the International Tour of Terrence McNally's "Corpus Christi" for the past four years. Past film credits include "Pornography: A Thriller", "Make the Yuletide Gay", the GLAAD Award winning romantic comedy "East Side Story", and "Nine Lives", for which he won Best Supporting Actor at the Tampa International Film Festival. Steve will next be seen on screen in the movie "Role/Play", opposite Matthew Montgomery. To learn more about Steve, visit:
http://www.SteveCallahan.com

T.C. Blue: "I was raised in and around Washington, DC, and therefore I don’t write about politics. A two year stint as a motorcycle courier, followed by varying amounts of times spent as an office worker, server, hair dresser, retail slave, casual student, and chef have led to possessing a smattering of knowledge in many areas. A Jack of all trades and Master of none, I currently live in the suburbs outside DC, accompanied by animals and people of interest. Really."

Uli: "My name is Uli, I am a single woman from Germany and like probably all the other members of this jury I love to read... As a kid I couldn´t get enough of stories about American Indians. Later I read one mystery/ thriller after the other. But then Brokeback Mountain happened... But while I always had a soft spot for gay characters in movies I had no idea that there was a whole world of gay fiction waiting for me - somewhere out there... So after getting lost in fan fiction for about two years I also started reading original gay fiction about two years ago - and I have no idea how I am supposed to keep up with all the recommendations I get from friends I met online because of all this... And my unread mainstream books keep rotting away on my bookshelves... What I do for a living is very far removed from m/m fiction, though... I am working as a quality engineer in the automotive industry and so I had the opportunity to work on different projects in a variety of countries like South Africa, Belgium and the US. Unfortunately work has kept me very busy for the last years, so there is not really much more to say about me..."

Plus: Ciarán Llachlan Leavitt, George Henson, James Rasmussen, Kirsten, Lee Pulaski, Luce, Merith, Minami, Mitzie, R.J. Scott, Robert Jaquay, Signy Kuiper, Tammy, Tim Keller, Will Freshwater.