ZA Maxfield and I are guest blogging over at Nose in the Book blog today, talking about out some of our favorite m/m characters. We did a manlove draft, picked our A-teams, and we're ready to rumble.

Stop on over and see who made our teams!

 you should really pop on over to Nose in a Book for today's ManLove Monday post.

Lisabea--who's made of awesome and SRSLY funny for those of you who haven't had the pleasure of visiting her corner of the intertubes--and her pal Sarah of Rain on the Roof--who's very sweet and I must get to know her blog!--have put together a post of M/M authors, Holiday style. The post features authors such as William Maltese, Victor J. Banis, Jet Mykles, KA Mitchell,  Laura Baumbach,  Erastes, Ally Blue,  Josh Lanyon and some other great authors I know I'm forgetting. Oh and...me. Can't forget Miz DF. I can't believe Miz Lbea invited me to participate. She's so nice. I feel like a kiddie given a seat at the grown up table. Heh. (So I promise, no hurt feelings if you start humming: Which one of these is not like the other one...*g*)

So make sure to stop by over there and join the fun. :)

So I'm not quite sure that this is strictly a thematic discussion, but it's what I want to talk about. So there. *sticks out tongue* (No we're not talking about immaturity or anything like that.)

I've been having a lot of fun with one of my characters from my Mark and Dr. Rob WiP. His name is Mel. Melvin Stillwater. He's. So. Much. Fun. I think some of the funniest moments I've written so far are between Mark, Mel, and Dr. Rob. And it's got me thinking...

Friendship. How big a part should it play in a romance? And while friendship between the two lovers is ideal IMO, I'm thinking more along the lines of secondary characters here. 

I read a lot of m/m fiction where it's just two guys making it on a mountain (I'm not being literal here, although I can think of story I flippin loved about just that, only add in people looking for stolen money and bullets). I often wonder where the protags' friends are. Don't they have any besides each other? 

Okay, I'm well aware that in shorter formats, a huge cast of characters is not possible. But in longer formats? I like to see an outside friend or two pop up in some way. It doesn't have to be a big deal or take up a lot of action, but it does help in making the character feel real if he has a full life.

Because here's the thing: it's all about characterization, and even the type of friend your character has and how he relates to them can reveal things about him to the reader. If he truly doesn't have any friends, that tells the reader something too.

So what's your feeling on friends as secondary characters? Anybody else working on something where a best friend is getting more than a cameo? Anybody read any m/m fiction lately that deals with this really well? For my part, I'd point you in the direction of Lee Benoit's work. Benoit could give instruction on how to create a full, in-depth cast of characters, usually defying the odds and doing it in a shorter format at that. Seriously. I adore how the theme of friendship runs through most of her stories. Really very special.

Talk to me, people.

 Now, I don't know what you think that title might be referring to, but I can guarantee it's not anything fun and spanky.

I feel like this is my much anticipated return (and it is, at least by my lone reader out there addisonalbright  ). Somehow I don't think there will be much rejoicing in the streets though. Hmmm.

But onward we thrust (can you tell I started my writing day off today with a sex scene?).

So for those of you who don't know, I do this crazy thing where I work on a rotation of stories. Right now I'm only rotating back and forth between two, but...I know that's something that might make some of you who are clearly more sane than I crazy. I attribute it to a lack of deadlines. I work best under pressure, and without any pressure I flit from story to story. Sigh. And...oh, er right. Yes. Theme. Sorry.

So I was kind of stumped on which theme to choose, because I could snatch one from either WiP, but I decided to go with one that I'm actually very anxious to hear your opinion on.

How do you feel about the political in m/m romance? How much can an author reveal through their characters? How much should they say? Or not? Do you prefer your men to live their daily lives without thought to the bigger issues in the world? Want them to focus on what really matters--teh buttsex? (Ha, I kid. I think.) Or does it frustrate you that characters never look beyond that?

Now, before you get to thinkin' I'm referring to political theater that is EVERYWHERE right now in the US, sure that could be part of it. But I'm also referring to basically...everything that concerns--or doesn't--society. You might think, "hey, that's not really what I'd call political..." Lemme tell you, though, that after four years in DC...it's ALL political. Everything.

So how much of a message or a point do you think an author can get away with making about world issues? Or does the idea really turn your crank? Have you read any m/m books where think the author really handled the issue well? Any books where it made you want to throw it against the wall?

One book that comes to mind for me is Clear Cut by Alexa Snow. Logger vs. Environmentalist. You have natural deep conflict right there. And I think it's obvious what the message or theme of that book is, but Snow does a really crack job--IMO--of having the characters arguing two sides. Getting each other to take a little turn on the other side of the fence for a moment. I really enjoyed that story.

Haven't done one of these in a while, and though some of you might be tempted to roll your eyes, people on my f'list must know by this point how I like to blather on and on. :) Cue blathering:

I wasn't sure if that was the right title or if this is strictly theme, but this is what I want to talk about so on we march.

Can people change? Their personality? Just their behavior? Is complete change impossible? Read any books that deal effectively with either side of the issue? Anyone writing anything that deals with it?

Okay so big pet peeve here...when someone writes a child, please write them as a child and not just an adult in a two feet tall body. It's frustrating and jarring to me as a reader. I may not be perfect, or anywhere even close to approaching perfect when it comes to characterization, but I do know this:

Children speak differently than adults. They process things differently, they don't understand basic concepts in the same way that adults do. So a four year old won't say "I can't trust you anymore." They don't understand things like money like adults do. They might know that money buys you stuff at the store, but a three year old doesn't understand how you get it-unless its from Uncle Sal on birthdays-or how you save it. They might understand that Mommy or Daddy has to go "make-a-da-money" at this thing that's called "work" but they don't understand it like we do. And they don't understand taxes. Show me a four year old that can grasp that concept and I'll show you a frickin' genius. Ever been around a two year old that  asks "why?" no matter what answer you give? They're not asking for the fun of it since they secretly know those answers. So a young kid age four or five is not going to respond to death as an adult.They're not going to grieve like an adult would. They're not going to cry and bravely put on a smile b/c they're trying to work through their grief. They're going to scream and cry for their mother, wanting to know when she's coming back.

Even worse than little kid bodies harboring adults, is little kid bodies harboring adults that serve as little more in the story than matchmakers. Ugh.

Is it just me? Am I wrong?

So a couple Mondays ago I wrote a post about how much I enjoy routine posts and how I save quotes from everything I read, and ta da! I could do a Monday's MOM (MAN, OH, MAN! Writing M/M Fiction for Kinks and Ca$h by Josh Lanyon) Quote of the Week if I wanted to. But I was kidding. Really I was. Sometimes I get nervous that my journal will start sounding like all Josh all the time, and then rumors will start flying that I'm really his minion after selling my soul to him for the ability to write well (only I didn't read the fine print it seems, and just like Ariel had to work her feminine wiles without her voice, I must write without a brain...or at least that's what it feels like. Everyone sing along now, Oh, if I only had a brain...)

Anywho, I did a one time only MOM quote post b/c it was relevant to...something at the time, I'm sure. And then it happened. Someone commented and said it helped them, that they needed it. Which left me feeling all tearful with the idea that if I only help one person in this world of M/M fiction, I'll consider it a job well done and a life well lived. Even if I'm just the messenger. So my mission is clear, and I'll soldier on bravely (at least until the Sea Witch Mr MOM finally strangles me).

So I'm about to press send on my, by far, most ambitious submission yet. And I'm wondering...does it always feel like this? Like it's time to take that flying leap off the edge and hope that you don't come crashing down? Is it always  this scary, thinking someone might not see any potential in your work, you? Or is it one of those things that gets better the more you do?

Character building, I should think, either way.

Well I guess it's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap.

And since I'm singing show tunes at you, I definitely just need to press the send button now.

Oh and I'm taking Robert Mitchum back, cuz I need to feel all kick ass right now. I love my Bob, I do, but it might be time to retire him.

I was having a bit of trouble coming up with today's thematic discussion topic. And then I was thinking about how I wished more people would respond to these since it's a great way for me to take very frequent breaks from writing to er, write. I also love discussions like these, hearing what everybody thinks, what they're working on, what they've read that deals with the topic at hand. I wish people would talk to me more, and that leads us to today's thematic discussion: communication.

In TV and in movies, the word "communication" is mentioned, usually by a woman, and the man or men present predictably groan at the idea they might have to communicate what they're feeling. It's a laugh, usually, and while I'm sure there are men out there who are ready and willing to have discussions about what they're feeling, I think most men tend to keep that stuff to themselves. Mostly. I'm generalizing here, so please, no need to jump down my throat.

So what happens when you write a romance where you don't have the advantage of a female in the couple to force the male to talk? What happens when you have two men in a relationship, or almost relationship, and you're writing about the relationship development between the two becomes it's a romance? If you want to write men who are men, and most men have to be poked and prodded to talk about their feelings, how will the two characters know what the other is feeling? How will the reader? And remember folks, dialogue is where the magic happens.

I think lack of communication can play out very interestingly in terms of conflict in M/M fiction. I'm not talking about contrived misunderstandings here, but rather a deeper issue running throughout the work. If a couple doesn't talk to each about what they're feeling, when they fight, how do they work things out? Besides an energetic romp in bed? If a relationship is still new and one guy is feeling unsure of the other who is very close-mouthed about his feelings, charlie the chatterbox might make some decisions that hurt or make silent sammy mad.

I don't know, I'm pulling these out of my brain (which is admittedly functioning on only 3 hrs of sleep) without actually have specifics in mind. But I think it's an interesting topic. How much is too much talk? What's not enough? When do readers start thinking your guys read more like gals because they talk too much and about how they feel, no less?

So anybody read anything lately that you think goes along with this? Anybody writing anything that deals with this theme? Comments? Thoughts? Wish I'd shut up? Talk to me, people. *g*

So I've been trying to come up with an idea for a christmas story, but there must be something wrong with me because all I can come up with is a storyline that I've been wanting to write for a while which covers things like infidelity and trust. The story is not exactly happy happy, joy joy, and aren't holiday stories supposed to be light and merry? I must be scrooge. Or maybe it's just this whole "I can't think of Christmas when it's 95 degrees out" thing. (And if you're wondering why I'm trying to force a christmas story when it's not flowing, it's b/c I really want to submit to this pub but they only take certain things from new authors, so...)

Anywho...I thought it would be a good topic for today's discussion of theme.

Too often in romance infidelity is used in a superficial way to springboard the protag from one relationship (that he really should have known was a dead end) into a wonderful, loving relationship. The cheater is made out to be a jerk, the total villian. I've read stories where the couple has been together for years and one comes home to find the other one having sex in their bed with a stranger, and all of a sudden the cheater is saying things like "You were never any good in bed anyways" and "Good riddance" as if they never cared for each other. Is this real life? Maybe it is. And I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but this happens a lot in m/m fiction.

And I get why the writer does it. It's instant sympathy for the cuckolded (yeah, I know the traditional meaning has to do with husbands and wives, but screw that), and it allows the reader and the protag to adopt the "better off without him" attitude, which will allow him to move on quickly when he finds Mr. Wonderful waiting around the corner.

But personally, I'm a firm believer in shades of gray. I don't think the cheater is instantly pure villian. People make mistakes all the time, sometimes very bad ones, ones that break trust, ones that end relationships. But sometimes even a horrible mistake isn't enough to break the relationship in some cases, not if there's love involved and a willingness to work to recover the relationship. That may sound completely sappy, but I like romance, remember?

And maybe a relationship can never really recover from a betrayal of trust like infidelity, no matter how hard they work or how much they love. But working through to that conclusion feels so much more...honest, I guess, to me than the loving relationship that turns into one big insult fest the minute the "wronged" partner discovers the other in bed with another. Anger, hate, loathing, distaste...you name it. I can see that on the part of the "wronged," but if I'm told they've been together for years and everything was fine and dandy until that moment, I better see some remorse and regret from the cheater, even if they can't work it out.

I think that's why I'm drawn to writing a story that takes you on a journey to rebuild trust in a relationship after one of the partners betrays the other. It takes a very talented writer, IMHO, to write a character that betrays their partner, and that readers can still sympathize with. (I hope I'm up to the task!) You run the risk of alienating readers I think, but if done right, even the "villian" in a story including infidelity can be portrayed as flawed but essentially human. Life is messy. So are relationships.

So...any thoughts? Comments? Books you've read that dealt with this theme effectively? Books where it alienated you? Does this topic immediately turn you off? Do you think I'm crazy? Talk to me, people.

"Let me explore this beast between your legs."

Do people really talk like this?

Added: Okay. I overlooked "pulsing rod" but I just hit "turgid staff."

Seriously? Seriously?

Added another: "Then I have an idea where you can stick that monster."

Beast...Monster...I'm sensing a theme here.

Seriously, is this just me? Am I really supposed to take this seriously?

And another add: "He grabbed his knees, exposing the puckering rosebud of Matthew's desire."

Ya know, the funny thing about this is the "rosebud" is actually located on Dan's body, but you might not know that if you didn't read the two preceding statements.

(Oh, and I changed the names.)