Monthly Archives: September 2011

FAQ: Amazon.com & Ebooks Labeled as Adult Content

Posted on by

Q: I don’t see your ebook when I search Amazon.com. Is it available for the Kindle?

A: I’ve had this question come up a few times so I thought I’d explain.

If you’re searching for my ebooks on Amazon.com and key in “Sloan Parker” in the search bar on the homepage, you’ll get one of my novels but not the other. To find MORE you have to search within a department such as “Books” or “Kindle Books” or a category within those departments. However, BREATHE is available by searching anywhere.

Why is this? I contacted Amazon and learned it’s because MORE is labeled as “adult” content while BREATHE is not. Not sure how that happens, but the limitation in where you can search for it didn’t occur until several weeks after my publisher released the book at Amazon. My guess is the excerpt for MORE is highly explicit so either Amazon or reader comments/complaints bumped it to an “adult” rating. If anyone knows more specifics for how this label gets applied to a book, I’d be interested in learning more.

Now don’t get me wrong, MORE is adult content, so I have no issues with the labeling (although I wish the labeling was more consistent across all explicit content on Amazon.com and that all explicit materials were treated equally). I just wanted to explain how the search works for those who may have the same question as others have asked me.

So, if you’re looking for MORE for your Kindle on Amazon.com, it’s there. Just buried a bit. You can always go to my author page to view my books available on Amazon.com. Or you can search for my name directly via your Kindle since that searches the Kindle story only.

I’m guessing this limitation in searching for adult-labeled books may be the same for other erotic romances so don’t give up after one search. If there’s a book you really want from Amazon.com, drill into the “Kindle” or “Books” category and try the search again. I’m not sure how that works for print books, but I’m guessing it’s the same and you’ll need to browse to the “Books” category before performing a search.

This FAQ has also been added to my website’s FAQ page.

Quote I Love: Proof of Life

Posted on by

Occasionally for one of my quotes on the blog I share a favorite line or short excerpt from the work of another author of m/m romances.

Today’s quote is from K. A. Mitchell’s Regularly Scheduled Life, a moving story about life and love after tragedy. This scene takes place after Sean is injured in a shooting at the school where he teaches.

Sean nodded, and then they were alone for the first time.

Kyle squeezed Sean’s hand. “You fucking idiot.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Tears burned the back of Kyle’s throat. All through the anger and fear he’d managed to hold on, but the relief, the heart-stopping simple fucking joy that Sean was still here with him was enough to drain the strength out of him. He put his head on Sean’s chest, cheek finding heat through the thin gown. The smell was all wrong, laced with disinfectant and blood, but the warmth was enough. Proof of life.

– Regularly Scheduled Life by K. A. Mitchell

You can read more about this and other books by K. A. Mitchell at www.kamitchell.com

Quote I Love: Say Yes To Gay YA

Posted on by

Two published authors who co-wrote a post-apocalyptic young adult novel were offered agent representation on one condition: that they make a gay character straight or remove him completely from the story. When they shared about the experience, they said…

When you refuse to allow major characters in YA novels to be gay, you are telling gay teenagers that they are so utterly horrible that people like them can’t even be allowed to exist in fiction.

LGBTQ teenagers already get told this. They are four times more likely than straight teenagers to attempt suicide. We’re not saying that the absence of LGBTQ teens in YA sf and fantasy novels is the reason for that. But it’s part of the overall social prejudice that does cause that killing despair.

We wrote this novel so that the teenagers we know—some of whom are gay, and many of whom are not white—would be able, for once, to read a fun post-apocalyptic adventure in which they are the heroes. And we were told that such a thing could not be allowed.

After we thanked the agent for their time, declined the offer, and hung up, Sherwood broke the silence. “Do you think the agent missed that Becky and Brisa [supporting characters] are a couple, too? Do they ever actually kiss on-page? No? I’M ADDING A LESBIAN KISS NOW!”

– Rachel Manija Brown and Sherwood Smith, From Authors Say Agents Try to “Straighten” Gay Characters in YA

Link Roundup: On Being Gay, 9/11 & More

Posted on by

Sharing a few links today. Hope you find some of the articles interesting. I know I did. And I may have shed a tear or too with some of these.

Remembering 9/11

Posted on by

(c) istockphoto, oday222 2007

Like most Americans, I will never forget that day ten years ago. I remember exactly where I was when I heard that the first plane had crashed, then the next, and the next, and finally the last. I remember the impossibility of watching men and women jump to their deaths from the World Trade Center. I remember watching the twin tours collapse and not comprehending what I was seeing. I remember the tears, the fear, the countless stories of heartbreak and heroism that left me speechless.

And proud.

I remember the chilling moment I saw a plane flying overhead on the day they started air traffic again. I remember talking with strangers in stores and on sidewalks, sharing news and comments as if we were old friends.

In honor of remembering that day and all who were lost, here’s an amazing memorial video and a link to the story of one of the day’s heroes and the brave mother he left behind.

Sand Art – “Never Forget” a 9/11 Momorial by Joe Castillo

Unexpected legacy left by hero of Flight 93: How a mom has “became a tireless advocate for issues that were important to her son.” “The openly gay rugby player was one of the heroic passengers who led a revolt against the terrorists on United Airlines Flight 93.” (I don’t think the video is available anymore, but you can still read the story).

What do you remember about that day?