By Fred Towers
Recently the winners of the 21st Lambda Literary Awards were announced. I was so glad to see an editor I have respected and tried to sell to for years on the list. So, I sat down with him virtually (via email) to discuss his recent win.
1) How did you feel when you learned that you won a Lammy for Best Gay Erotica 2009?
Pleased of course, though I wouldn't have minded if any of the other nominees had won, particularly James Lear's novel, The Secret Tunnel - but since he was my judge for BGE2009, he was a winner anyway. That said, I've been involved in the judging process for the Lammies in one way or another since the very first year - now I'm dating myself – and I know how the sausage is made... that is to say, I know that when everything else is equal in terms of quality, which is usually the case when many nominations have been whittled down to a few finalists,
the subjective taste of the judges comes into play - perhaps the judges this year didn't like long-form erotica, as with James's novel (I thought he pulled it off with great style), or prefer books with 20 authors to books with four (the equally readable Hard Working Men, the other finalist from 2009.
2) What other titles have you edited that have won a Lammy?
Best Gay Erotica 2005, with novelist and biographer William J. Mann, won a few years ago, and First Person Queer: Who We Are (So Far), from Arsenal Pulp Press in Canada, which I co edited with Lawrence Schimel, won in 2007. Again, It's a treat to win - but when an anthology wins an award, I'd say as much credit goes to the contributors as to the editors, so I don't really consider these to be *my* Lammies... I'm just the custodian.
3) What do you look for in a Best Gay Romance or Best Gay Erotica story?
Let me start my answer here with a wee excerpt from my foreword to Best Gay Erotica 2010, which will be out from Cleis in November: "I take the “erotica” part of the title seriously: porny is good, and that’s what this annual anthology hews to. But every year I encourage writers of a literary bent to sex up their stories some, and every year I coax polished prose from writers who honed their horndog skills in the glossy gay mags."
So: what I look for in the erotica best are stories where narrative arc, complex characterization, and vivid, inventive writing predominate; in the romance best, I look for stories that are less
overtly sexual but no less smart. Not every story achieves that ideal, I know, but it's what I strive for; and because neither anthology is a "theme" title - stories about Daddies, Bears, surfers, firemen, cops, frat boys, S/M, etc. - I like to mix and match sexual interests and fetishes. Again, the quality of the writing is paramount. I also look for new writers, and if I discern a story in the rough - something unusual or distinctive in terms of plot or character or setting but which needs a lot of editing - I'm willing to work with writers to polish the story. Almost every book I edit - and I've done almost 30 now - has one or two of this kind of discovery.
4) Besides editing, where else can gay readers find your work?
I'm not really a writer. I'm a reader. Plus, I appreciate writers, and collect some great ones. So I don't write fiction at all, and not many essays, either, except for intros to my anthologies. When asked, I've penned short forewords to a few books - Vincent Diamond's collection, Rough Cut, and Jack Fritscher's collection, Stonewall: Stories of Gay Liberation among them. And I was nagged enough to contribute to Sex by the Book, edited by Kevin Bentley, and Out in the Castro, edited by Winston Leyland. But compared to real writers, those constitute just half a can of spilled alphabet soup.
On the other hand, I review four lesbian/gay/queer books, fiction and nonfiction, every two weeks for Book Marks, distributed by Q Syndicate to a number of gay papers; that's 100 books a year. I also review contemporary fiction (nongay), books on nature and the environment, and the occasional gay nonfiction books for Publishers Weekly, about 35 of those a year. Google "Book Marks Labonte" and you'll find the reviews; PW reviews are anonymous...
5) What advice would you give a gay writer during these tremulous times in the publishing world?
Keep writing. Don't balk at being edited. Keep submitting to anthologies. Track down online magazines. Pay attention to the e-world. Have a good sense of what a publisher publishes before
submitting your work. Did I mention, don't balk at being edited? The publishing world is going through a shakeup and a new cycle, but there will always be people who want to write and people who want to read. A good number of queer presses have closed, but relatively new ones come along regularly: MLR, Torquere, Lethe, Dreamspinners, Rebel Satori/Queer Mojo, BigFib, Samhain, PD Publishing, Alpha World, Cheyenne, Palari, Seventh Windows, Zumaya... and I'm sure I've forgotten a few. So: do your homework, and your writing will find a home.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Interview
I'm interviewed in the April issue of Bare Back Magazine. No "bare back" doesn't mean what you think. LOL For them it's an erotica thing, but doesn't mean without a condom like it does in the gay community. Safe Sex still lives, except in our fantasies. At least for some folks.
Please read the interview and let me know what you think. You do have to be 18 years of age or older to read. Sorry! No underage readers please.
Fred
Please read the interview and let me know what you think. You do have to be 18 years of age or older to read. Sorry! No underage readers please.
Fred
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Book Review: Boy Meets HERO
Boy Meets HERO by Chayne Avery & Russell Garcia
TITLE: Boy Meets HERO AUTHOR: Chayne Avery & Russell Garcia
ISBN: 978-3-86187-891-9 PUBLISHER: Bruno Gmunder
BOOK REVIEW: I absolutely loved this graphic novel. The illustrations really popped. The colors in the illustrations were magnigicient. The story was well thought out and had several twists. Even though this graphic novel wasn't as sexual as Dick Master by Roy Klang, but I liked it that way. I think the lack of explicit sex in this graphic novel will make it more appealing to heterosexial superhero fans than Dick Master. I really liked the profiles of the characters at the end describing their abilities and their biography. I recommend this to readers who love gay romance fiction, gay superhero stories, and graphic novel readers of all sexual orientations and ages above 13. The superheroes and supervillians have great powers.
Review by Fred Towers
TITLE: Boy Meets HERO AUTHOR: Chayne Avery & Russell Garcia
ISBN: 978-3-86187-891-9 PUBLISHER: Bruno Gmunder
BOOK REVIEW: I absolutely loved this graphic novel. The illustrations really popped. The colors in the illustrations were magnigicient. The story was well thought out and had several twists. Even though this graphic novel wasn't as sexual as Dick Master by Roy Klang, but I liked it that way. I think the lack of explicit sex in this graphic novel will make it more appealing to heterosexial superhero fans than Dick Master. I really liked the profiles of the characters at the end describing their abilities and their biography. I recommend this to readers who love gay romance fiction, gay superhero stories, and graphic novel readers of all sexual orientations and ages above 13. The superheroes and supervillians have great powers.
Review by Fred Towers
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Book Review: Dick Master: Leatherland Under Attack
Dick Master: Leatherland Under Attack by Roy Klang
TITLE: Dick Master: Leatherland Under Attack AUTHOR: Roy Klang
ILLUSTRATED:Roy Klang ISBN:3-86187-970-0 PUBLISHER: Bruno Gmunder
BOOK REVIEW: I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel with some great gay superhero action and some sexually explicit action. I wasn't sure if it would be heavier on one over the other, but the story was balanced between the two. The supervillians, Sperminator and Cyber-Drag are aliens invading the gay city, Leatherland. Dick Master and his friends have to conquer them with wit, strength, and great technical gadgets. The illustrations are great with depth and strong lines, but I wish they were in color. The story is creative, and I hope Roy Klang writes more superhero graphic novels. As the title implies, the sexual matter in the story is BDSM centered around a gay leather bar. I recommend this for adult (over 18) readers of gay fiction and/or superhero graphic novels, who won't be bothered by the sexual content. It is quite an adventure.
Review by Fred Towers
TITLE: Dick Master: Leatherland Under Attack AUTHOR: Roy Klang
ILLUSTRATED:Roy Klang ISBN:3-86187-970-0 PUBLISHER: Bruno Gmunder
BOOK REVIEW: I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel with some great gay superhero action and some sexually explicit action. I wasn't sure if it would be heavier on one over the other, but the story was balanced between the two. The supervillians, Sperminator and Cyber-Drag are aliens invading the gay city, Leatherland. Dick Master and his friends have to conquer them with wit, strength, and great technical gadgets. The illustrations are great with depth and strong lines, but I wish they were in color. The story is creative, and I hope Roy Klang writes more superhero graphic novels. As the title implies, the sexual matter in the story is BDSM centered around a gay leather bar. I recommend this for adult (over 18) readers of gay fiction and/or superhero graphic novels, who won't be bothered by the sexual content. It is quite an adventure.
Review by Fred Towers
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Book Review: Hero
Hero by Perry Moore
Gay Book Reviews/Young Adult, Gay Book Reviews/Fantasy
TITLE: Hero AUTHOR: Perry Moore
ISBN: 978-142310195-6 PUBLISHER: Hyperion Books
BOOK BLURB: At the same time that he's coming to terms with his sexual orientation, basketball star Thom Creed is trying to figure out exactly what his untrained superpowers can do. In an attempt to break away from his seemingly non-understanding father (an ex-hero with something to hide) and homophobic community, Thom runs away, only to find himself in the middle of a multi-hero rescue operation. Using his ability to heal, he keeps an injured woman alive until the League superheroes arrive and impresses them enough to get an invitation to try out for a hero apprentice position. Thom is teamed with an old woman who can see into the future, a spiteful girl who unleashes her power through fire, a sickly boy who is able to inflict disease on anyone, and a demoted hero with insane speed. With superheroes dying in mysterious circumstances, Thom is forced to admit publicly that he is gay in order to prevent a miscarriage of justice, but finds himself cast out of the League. He organizes his ragtag team to figure out what is really going on and to fight society's prejudices as well as the criminal element of the town.
BOOK REVIEW: Some reviews I've read have said that this book starts slow, but I found that not to be true. This novel packs in teen angst about fitting in, coming out as gay, coming out as a superhero and more. This novel packs in a great deal of story into 428 pages. Thom has to come to terms with his newfound realization of his sexual orientation as well as the fact that he has superpowers, which is made worse by the fact that his dad is a fallen superhero who is against super-powered people and gays, too. What a conflict for a young male teen? His mother abandoned him, so he has no one to turn to about these feelings he's having. Except for maybe a villain in disguise. Or is he the villain? I won't give it away. Read it to find out.
There's also a lot of superhero action on top of that. The reader will find great, quirky characters to adore, be aggravated by, and befriend. Great action that goes out with a boom. Relationships of all types will be tested in this story.
I hope the rumors are true that this one will be turned into a movie for the big screen. I'll be first in line for it.
I highly recommend this one for all ages, even though it's considered a young adult novel. Don't let that hold you back from diving into this one. It has action, adventure, friendship, and so much more.
Review by Fred Towers
Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews
Gay Book Reviews/Young Adult, Gay Book Reviews/Fantasy
TITLE: Hero AUTHOR: Perry Moore
ISBN: 978-142310195-6 PUBLISHER: Hyperion Books
BOOK BLURB: At the same time that he's coming to terms with his sexual orientation, basketball star Thom Creed is trying to figure out exactly what his untrained superpowers can do. In an attempt to break away from his seemingly non-understanding father (an ex-hero with something to hide) and homophobic community, Thom runs away, only to find himself in the middle of a multi-hero rescue operation. Using his ability to heal, he keeps an injured woman alive until the League superheroes arrive and impresses them enough to get an invitation to try out for a hero apprentice position. Thom is teamed with an old woman who can see into the future, a spiteful girl who unleashes her power through fire, a sickly boy who is able to inflict disease on anyone, and a demoted hero with insane speed. With superheroes dying in mysterious circumstances, Thom is forced to admit publicly that he is gay in order to prevent a miscarriage of justice, but finds himself cast out of the League. He organizes his ragtag team to figure out what is really going on and to fight society's prejudices as well as the criminal element of the town.
BOOK REVIEW: Some reviews I've read have said that this book starts slow, but I found that not to be true. This novel packs in teen angst about fitting in, coming out as gay, coming out as a superhero and more. This novel packs in a great deal of story into 428 pages. Thom has to come to terms with his newfound realization of his sexual orientation as well as the fact that he has superpowers, which is made worse by the fact that his dad is a fallen superhero who is against super-powered people and gays, too. What a conflict for a young male teen? His mother abandoned him, so he has no one to turn to about these feelings he's having. Except for maybe a villain in disguise. Or is he the villain? I won't give it away. Read it to find out.
There's also a lot of superhero action on top of that. The reader will find great, quirky characters to adore, be aggravated by, and befriend. Great action that goes out with a boom. Relationships of all types will be tested in this story.
I hope the rumors are true that this one will be turned into a movie for the big screen. I'll be first in line for it.
I highly recommend this one for all ages, even though it's considered a young adult novel. Don't let that hold you back from diving into this one. It has action, adventure, friendship, and so much more.
Review by Fred Towers
Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews
Book Review: Simple and Easy
Simple and Easy by Gavin Atlas
Gay Book Reviews/BDSM, Gay Book Reviews/Erotica
TITLE: Simple and Easy AUTHOR: Gavin Atlas
PUBLISHER: Forbidden Publications
BOOK BLURB:Derek, a young New Yorker, is tired of being treated like a piece of meat by his boyfriend. He moves to Richmond, a smaller city in the South, hoping to find love. However, he's not prepared for the overwhelming response to his arrival. Sure, he was considered cute in New York, but handsome guys there are a dime a dozen. In Richmond, he's the hottest bottom around. Derek isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, and quickly earns a reputation of being “simple and easy.” He tries to behave, but before long, the city's tops are tricking him into giving up his rump all the time. Derek discovers that he loves every minute of it. Will he decide he still wants romance or that he wants to be the official town sex toy?
BOOK REVIEW: At times, I wanted to slap Derek silly for falling for the tricks the tops pulled on him, but I chuckled to myself because I realized that he had become a real person instead of just a character in a gay porn novella. If you like your erotica grittier than most anthologies, you'll love this one-handed reading by Gavin Atlas. He's developed Derek into a real person that you want to root for, be in his place with his boots in the air, and sometimes, want to be the naughty top, taking advantage of his sweet ass.
The only thing that didn't ring true for me was that he came from New York. In my mind, he'd be more street smart than he is if that were the case. This little detail didn't hold me back from stroking myself while reading about his sexual adventures in his new town.
If you like gay porn, give this one a read. It'll have your cock standing at attention in no time. I recommend it.
Review by Fred Towers
Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews
Gay Book Reviews/BDSM, Gay Book Reviews/Erotica
TITLE: Simple and Easy AUTHOR: Gavin Atlas
PUBLISHER: Forbidden Publications
BOOK BLURB:Derek, a young New Yorker, is tired of being treated like a piece of meat by his boyfriend. He moves to Richmond, a smaller city in the South, hoping to find love. However, he's not prepared for the overwhelming response to his arrival. Sure, he was considered cute in New York, but handsome guys there are a dime a dozen. In Richmond, he's the hottest bottom around. Derek isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, and quickly earns a reputation of being “simple and easy.” He tries to behave, but before long, the city's tops are tricking him into giving up his rump all the time. Derek discovers that he loves every minute of it. Will he decide he still wants romance or that he wants to be the official town sex toy?
BOOK REVIEW: At times, I wanted to slap Derek silly for falling for the tricks the tops pulled on him, but I chuckled to myself because I realized that he had become a real person instead of just a character in a gay porn novella. If you like your erotica grittier than most anthologies, you'll love this one-handed reading by Gavin Atlas. He's developed Derek into a real person that you want to root for, be in his place with his boots in the air, and sometimes, want to be the naughty top, taking advantage of his sweet ass.
The only thing that didn't ring true for me was that he came from New York. In my mind, he'd be more street smart than he is if that were the case. This little detail didn't hold me back from stroking myself while reading about his sexual adventures in his new town.
If you like gay porn, give this one a read. It'll have your cock standing at attention in no time. I recommend it.
Review by Fred Towers
Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews
Book Review: Unmasked: Erotic Tales of Gay Superheroes
Unmasked by Eric Summers
Gay Book Reviews/Fantasy, Gay Book Reviews/Anthology, Gay Book Reviews/Erotica
TITLE: Unmasked: Erotic Tales of Gay Superheroes AUTHOR: Eric Summers
ISBN: 1-934187-20-8 PUBLISHER: Starbooks Press
BOOK BLURB: Next time you are rescued from a burning building by a tall, hung, muscle-bound man in tights, will you offer your services in appreciation? Why not? Superheroes have needs just like everyone else. All you have to do is promise to protect his secret identity and try not to damage the spandex! Some things just won't wash out. With any luck, you might become a sidekick. Every superhero has a super ability, and this latest Eric Summers collection of erotic short stories highlights those incredible talents that seem to come out when the sun goes down and the bedroom door closes. But, every superhero also has a weakness. Be careful because one such superhero in Unmasked: Erotic Tales of Gay Superheroes loses his powers if he has an orgasm. What is a boy to do?
"Unmasked: Erotic Tales of Gay Superheroes" tells the stories of those hot men who are powerful in a dangerous situation and equally powerful under the covers. Try not to fall in love because the life of a superhero can be a lonely one, and the life of a heart-sick admirer can be even lonelier. Just lie back and enjoy the moment as a man with a cape and a mask takes you to new levels of ecstasy.
BOOK REVIEW: This is a hot collection of erotica, and for the superhero freaks like me, it's an amazing collection. The stories are great superhero fiction as well as hot erotica. I didn't want to like this collection, since my story was accepted at first, but was cut at the last minute. But this collection is too great to pass up.
The reader will enjoy the superheroes and the super villains in this anthology. The short stories have fully developed characters and plots, which go beyond the erotic elements. The erotica is a bonus for battling the bad guys.
I recognized some of the authors, such as Jay Starre and my friend, Stephen Osborne. You can't read an erotica anthology without coming across one of these guys. There are probably more authors that others would recognize. Whether they are known or not, all of these stories are topnotch.
I highly recommend this to superhero freaks and readers of smut. Don't miss this one!
Review by Fred Towers
Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews
Gay Book Reviews/Fantasy, Gay Book Reviews/Anthology, Gay Book Reviews/Erotica
TITLE: Unmasked: Erotic Tales of Gay Superheroes AUTHOR: Eric Summers
ISBN: 1-934187-20-8 PUBLISHER: Starbooks Press
BOOK BLURB: Next time you are rescued from a burning building by a tall, hung, muscle-bound man in tights, will you offer your services in appreciation? Why not? Superheroes have needs just like everyone else. All you have to do is promise to protect his secret identity and try not to damage the spandex! Some things just won't wash out. With any luck, you might become a sidekick. Every superhero has a super ability, and this latest Eric Summers collection of erotic short stories highlights those incredible talents that seem to come out when the sun goes down and the bedroom door closes. But, every superhero also has a weakness. Be careful because one such superhero in Unmasked: Erotic Tales of Gay Superheroes loses his powers if he has an orgasm. What is a boy to do?
"Unmasked: Erotic Tales of Gay Superheroes" tells the stories of those hot men who are powerful in a dangerous situation and equally powerful under the covers. Try not to fall in love because the life of a superhero can be a lonely one, and the life of a heart-sick admirer can be even lonelier. Just lie back and enjoy the moment as a man with a cape and a mask takes you to new levels of ecstasy.
BOOK REVIEW: This is a hot collection of erotica, and for the superhero freaks like me, it's an amazing collection. The stories are great superhero fiction as well as hot erotica. I didn't want to like this collection, since my story was accepted at first, but was cut at the last minute. But this collection is too great to pass up.
The reader will enjoy the superheroes and the super villains in this anthology. The short stories have fully developed characters and plots, which go beyond the erotic elements. The erotica is a bonus for battling the bad guys.
I recognized some of the authors, such as Jay Starre and my friend, Stephen Osborne. You can't read an erotica anthology without coming across one of these guys. There are probably more authors that others would recognize. Whether they are known or not, all of these stories are topnotch.
I highly recommend this to superhero freaks and readers of smut. Don't miss this one!
Review by Fred Towers
Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews
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