Sloan Parker Blog

An amazing young man…

“Zach Wahls, a 19-year-old University of Iowa student spoke about the strength of his family during a public forum on House Joint Resolution 6 in the Iowa House of Representatives. Wahls has two mothers, and came to oppose House Joint Resolution 6 which would end civil unions in Iowa.” (Source: YouTube)

Unfortunately, the Iowa House passed the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. “In order to become law, the amendment must now pass in the Democratic-controlled Iowa Senate.”

I have hope that more people will listen to Zach Wahls and all he represents.
Sloan

For all my writer friends out there…

Share Your Wisdom, Inspiration & Experience With Other Writers

Rainbow Romance Writers (RRW), a chapter of Romance Writers of America, is looking for volunteers to submit brief quotes about writing to be featured in our newsletter, the Pot of Gold.

The newsletter is published quarterly for members of RRW, writers of LGBT romances at various stages of their writing careers (new writers working on their first story to multi-published authors, as well as a few publishers and editors).

If anyone is interested in submitting an original quote, we’d love for you to share your wisdom, experience, inspiration, humor, etc. about writing. Quotes will be selected based on their relevance to the current newsletter’s theme (New Year/New Beginnings). Topics could include motivation, setting goals, starting a new project, trying something new, or others. General quotes about writing and why you write are also welcome. Quotes submitted before January 17, 2011 will be considered for the upcoming edition and some may be saved for future editions.

Please use this form to submit a quote: http://bit.ly/gzZOFE
Feel free to pass along the link to anyone who may be interested.

Thank you,
Sloan Parker
RRW Newsletter Editor

In celebration of my second release, I have two links to share:

1. Today Reviews by Jessewave is hosting a giveaway. One commenter will win a free ebook of BREATHE.  Stop by for a chance to win and be sure to check out the site’s awesome new look.
2. Also, I’m honored to be the first author interview at writer Deanna Wadsworth’s blog. She’s starting a new series titled “Cocktails and Cock Tales.” Isn’t that a great title? She’s looking for more authors to feature for any of you writers out there who are interested. Deanna recently had her first m/m release, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Congrats, Deanna!! Stop by if you can. I’m talking about my inspiration for Breathe, the easiest part to write, and the hardest, as well as what I’m working on now. Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments section at Deanna’s blog. I’d love to hear from you!

Good luck to all who enter Jessewave’s contest!
Sloan

Another good one in support of marriage equality.

“Edith “Edie” Windsor, who shared her life with her late spouse, Thea Spyer, for 44 years, files a lawsuit against the federal government for refusing to recognize their marriage. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA), a federal statute that defines marriage for all federal purposes as a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife. Windsor and Spyer were married in Canada in 2007, and were considered married by their home state of New York.” (Source: YouTube)

No regular post today. Instead, I’m donating my scheduled blog post to a non-profit organization – one I think is worthy of attention from anyone interested in making the world a better place. So here’s my pick for “donate a blog post day.” Please take a look.

“Stop The Hate is dedicated to provide the necessary resources and educational training to combat hate on college campuses; and to actively seek partnerships and collaboration among various organizations with similar concerns to address bias and hate behaviors.”

“Stop The Hate is owned and operated by Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit 501(c)3 for student leaders and campus groups working to create a safer college environment for LGBT students across the United States.”

Check out their site for information on how to stop the hate, become a trainer, empower your campus, volunteer, and more. www.stophate.org

Thanks for stopping by,
Sloan Parker

Once a week, I post a quote that I’ve read/heard recently. So here’s this week’s Quote I love …

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about marriage. My anniversary was last week. My partner and I celebrate from our first date in high school. We both dated other people after that (when you’re bisexual, it sometimes takes time to figure things out in your own head), but we were in love, even then. One of the things Rosie would love in life is to be married to me. Too bad the US government and far too many citizens of the great state of Ohio don’t want that outcome.

I also wrote a short story for I DO TWO, a charity anthology in support of marriage equality. (Side note: if it isn’t selected for the book, I may post it as free fiction on my site in January). So, it’s been on my mind lately.

I’ve never been a huge supporter of marriage licenses. I don’t think couples need a legal document to be committed and spend a life together. But I have to say, it irks me to no end that I can’t give the love of my life one of the things she desires most, that I’m not legally allowed to marry the person I share a home with, a dining room table with, a bed with, a life with. We’ve lived together for 18 years.

Here’s one of the statements I read after Maine voters repealed a state law that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed. It reminded me there are many straight people who care, who have made the cause their cause too.

“I sat in my hotel room and watched the sun rise from my eighth-story window and cried. I wished I had done more.

But a new day was dawning. A different day and a new fight for marriage equality. It will soon be time again for us as Mainers and as a nation to come together. Gay or straight, the fight is in each one of us, and we must take it. We must.”

Dana Hernandez
A straight white married mother of two young children
Reporting Election Night outcomes for Advocate.com

Thank you to Dana and everyone who cares enough to realize this isn’t about your marriage or taking something from you, it’s about giving a basic right to others. A basic right that grants so many other rights to the couple the minute they are married. Rights my partner and I can’t duplicate, no matter how much money we give to our attorney to draft legal documents. Marriage in the US offers over 1,000 Federal rights and benefits. And this does not include the hundreds more offered by every state.

Thanks for stopping by today,
Sloan Parker
twitter.com/SloanParker

Once a week, I post a quote that I’ve read/heard recently. So here’s this week’s Quote I love …

One from my own life …

My partner and I were driving along the other day when I saw a huge rainbow. Rainbows amaze me. Such beautiful, colorful phenomenons of nature that reoccur with the same colors over and over. And a thought came to me. Rosie told me it had to be my quote of the week.

“Rainbows are God saying … gay is good.”

Sloan Parker

What about you … Is there anything you see from nature that makes you smile? Comment below or send me an email. I’d love to hear from you.