Sloan Parker's Blog

This one’s for Scott and Mark.

“In a sense, you will find that it does not matter what stance you take in bondage and discipline games. Either role done well transcends into the other, and to be done well both require trust.” – Lady Ravinia

For those of you who are waiting to read more of their story, I added a new section to part four this weekend. I promise I’ll get it up on the site just as soon as I can. I do try to give as much attention to detail to this story as I do my published novels, so it takes a bit of time to revise, edit, and get feedback from others for each part.

“Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you’re talking about… they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn’t think so. People were human beings to him.”

-George Bailey, It’s a Wonderful Life

“It just seems silly to me that something so right and simple has to be fought for at all.”

Gregory Peck, as a presenter at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) awards ceremony in 1997.

I was working on a new scene for my serial novel today and was getting frustrated after the first 300 words. I went out to the living room, lay down on the couch, and put my head on my sweetie’s lap. Here’s how the conversation went.

Her: “How’s it going?

Me: “Like crap.”

“Why?”

“Everything I write sucks.”

“Is it a first draft?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, it’s just important to get the ideas down. You can fix the writing later. So you say, ‘See Dick run into Dick’s dick.’ You can rewrite it later. Although I’m not sure why you’d want two characters named Dick.”

That got me laughing. I went back into the office to write some more.

Gotta love these little motivational talks with my sweetie. Thanks, hon!

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

–Martin Luther King Jr.

“Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile” – Unknown

“To love a person is to learn the song
That is in their heart,
And to sing it to them
When they have forgotten.”

- Anonymous

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 Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels. It’s the story of a friendship between two lost, lonely men that turns to love.

“You curse a lot.”
“Fuck you – I hardly curse at all.”

- Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels

You can read more about this and other books by Tere Michaels at www.teremichaels.com

“The time to read is any time: no apparatus, no appointment of time and place, is necessary. It is the only art which can be practiced at any hour of the day or night, whenever the time and inclination comes, that is your time for reading; in joy or sorrow, health or illness.”

-Holbrook Jackson

• A Rush of Ideas: my group blog post where I talk about one of the aspects I love most about writing: the start of a new story. As I work on Walter and Kevin’s book, I’m getting the ideas down for a new story, and I’m having a fantastic time with it (and yes, I still have two more MORE books coming also). I love when there is no shortage of ideas.
• A yaoi role-playing game: Hot Guys Making Out. I read what one guy said about playing this game (in a private email) and it sounds neat. (Thanks to my uncle for sharing this one. Thanks, T!)
• Interesting… an M/M romance in which you enter your own details and customize the book.
• Joanna Stampfel-Volpe responds to a recent PW blog post on LGBTQ YA. On Being Used, the Lack of LGBTQ Characters in YA, and Why It’s Important to Work Together

Source: (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

• Repeal of gay ban causing few waves in military
• Airman tells dad he is gay as ‘don’t ask’ policy disappears. From his Youtube video: “I called my dad to tell him the hardest thing that gay guys will ever have to say.” Brought back memories of talking to my own parents. Not an easy thing to do even when everyone already suspects. (thanks to my niece for sharing the link. Thanks, A!)
• As gay military ban ends, officer sheds his alias
• I haven’t really had time to check out this blog but it looks interesting: gaytwogether
• For the writers out there, this is an excellent article from Joseph O’Connor. He shares his tips for writing fiction and I’ve included a couple fab quotes below.

  As Checkov said: ‘Don’t tell me the moon is shining. Show me moonlight reflected on broken glass.’ One of the strangest paradoxes of writing fiction is that the more you tell the reader, the less he or she knows. If you write ‘we were very happy indeed’ the reader thinks ‘big deal’. If you write ‘we grabbed each other and hugged and we couldn’t stop laughing’ the reader is in the scene. Putting the reader in the scene is everything to the storyteller. So describe what you can see, not what you know. Use visual words when possible. And never be afraid of leaving something out. Leaving something out is a powerful invitation to the reader, an incitement to the imagination of the person you must never forget. The reader is an essential participant in what you are writing. Meet them half way, and never more than that.
  - From: Joseph O’Connor

  I think of it in musical terms. The writer is providing the sheet music. It’s the reader who is singing the song. To know who you’d like to make sing is an important factor. It also helps to stop writing being egotistical. Writing must always be about the reader, in the end, not the writer. If I have one single commandment, that’s it.
  - From:  Joseph O’Connor

• And another one for writers: Paper Boats: Bail water or bail out? Knowing When to Abandon Your Wip by Josh Lanyon
• And a little eye candy for everyone:
  • Loved the second photo on this blog post.
  • This is an old post but there are some lovely pics over at Yummy of the Day (link is NOT WORK SAFE)
• Lastly, because you know I love this site, here are some screenshots from Damn You Auto Correct
  • I Don’t Remember That Sesame Street Character
    
  • When Craigslist Goes Wrong: 5 Autocorrected Text Fails
    

Have a great weekend, everyone! I’ll be doing some brainstorming with my local writing group. We have such a blast when we get together to work on our story ideas. The conversations that come up are priceless. Last year there was mention of Fire Lube and artificial immaculate insemination and orgasming (is that a word?) your way across a room full of bodies. I wonder what we’ll discuss this time around.