New WIP!

*sounds the alarm* The Goodreads M/M Romance group recently launched their big Don't Read in the Closet annual writing event! :D

The Don't Read in the Closet event is what got me started as a writer a year ago with Man-to-Man Coverage, and um...let's just say the writing bug bit me. :) I've chosen a new prompt for this year, so be on the lookout this summer for a story about sweet college boys.

Check out more info on the group's webpage (note: must be a member of the Goodreads group to access the site)!  Take a peek around and, if you are so inclined, submit a Dear Author request letter of your own. It's super easy - just find a pic that you like, write a prompt about the picture to inspire an author, and cross your fingers that an author will claim your letter.  In past years, I believe 99% of letters were claimed, so you have a pretty darn good chance of getting a custom story - all you need to do is muster up the courage to ask for it. :)

Separately, if you've ever wanted to try your hand at writing M/M, this is a great opportunity to spread your wings. The environment is super supportive and friendly. If a prompt speaks to you and you can follow the submission guidelines, then go for it!

Okay, gotta rev up those engines on this WIP. What with my Turkey trip next month and moving cross-country in May, it's gonna be a busy next couple of months! :)

Hugs,
NJ

For Love of the Animals

So I'm pretty much kitty-obsessed or, at the very least, Nico (the feline) obsessed. He's my little cutie boy, and I had sooooo much fun hanging out with him when I was back in SF.  *cues up the song "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb*

What prompted this post, however, is this really awesome article I found showing unusual animal pairings.  You know, have you ever seen those adorable pictures that show, e.g., a monkey has made friends with a squirrel? Yup. I found a whole plethora of them, but BONUS. These include cute little "animal version" and "human version" descriptions of their friendships.

Here's the link to the picture (squee!) slideshow: A Guide to Love in Any Species (Animal Odd Couples)

So adorable, right?

I also found it especially humorous that the "human version" explanations of the odd couple pairings often sounded verrrrrrrrrrry familiar.  As in, yes, I think I've read that trope in romance before. *grins* In fact, I'm kind of curious to read some more of those stories, so if you need a prompt on which to base your next WIP, definitely check 'em out. Especially #1 (the Cheetah and the Anatolian Shepherd), #5 (the Bobcat Kitten and the Fawn), and #6 (the Donkey and the Mutt), hint hint. ;)

Feeling warm and fuzzy about the beasties,
NJ

Here's the Dilly, Yo

How's everyone doing? Just a quick update on what's going on around my neck o' the woods.

After weeks (over a month!) of studying, the bar exam is finally over and done with. Whew. I survived, but um...whether or not I passed is a whole other story. Afterwards, in the last week that I had back at home in SF, I was a total lazy bum. And honestly? It felt fan-damn-tastic.

Back in SF, I watched a few different movies, but two really stood out as um...outstanding. Wow, yeah, my vocab is a little shot this evening. *shameless grin* Anyway, I super duper recommend "Pitch Perfect" and "Argo." Both were awesome in totally different ways.

"Pitch Perfect" was super feel good and had lots of fun karaoke-worthy songs with unique acapella arrangements. The humor is lighthearted and silly, and there's even a meta-love story for you romance junkies. Yes, I'm pointing at myself. :)

"Argo" was also surprisingly feel good with a thrilling, suspenseful rush of a story.  I love that it's based on actual true life stuff.  Both movies were awesome and totally worth checking out. They're out on DVD already, so no excuses! :)

Ever since I got back to NYC, though, I've had a serious rush of productivity hit me. Gonna finish up a slashy fic thingee I'm working on right now (shh!) and then send out a couple of other things for consideration.  In the more immediate "productivity" column, though, I did my taxes, booked my intra-Turkey flight to Cappadocia, and booked my hotel in Istanbul last night.  Yep, just one night. Because I was feeling like Super-Productive Girl in my flowing cape of stapled together 1099 forms and my mask of TripAdvisor owl goggles. *grins*

Now I need to scour teh internetz and figure out what y'all have been up to while I was living under my bar exam rock. :) Hrmmm....what kind of mischief have y'all been making in my absence?

Cheers,
NJ

P.S. Also, in case I don't get a chance to mention it later, my friend's debut from Dreamspinner Press, A Simple Romance, releases on Wednesday, March 13th, so go check it out!

"Going for Gold" Giveaway!

Just a quick type-by posting for you lovelies. There's a huge jock m/m book giveaway going on right now at review site Joyfully Jay.  You can enter to win one of sixty-four - that's right, SIXTY-FOUR! - jock/sports-related m/m books.  Check it out here, and enter to win a copy of Going for Gold today!

Going for Gold includes my story about a diver...and a bartender...and some wonderfully wet Speedos. ;)  Also found in this substantial anthology are seven other stories from some great authors. The stories are long (most of them over 10,000 words!), and the whole set is over 100K words. You'll definitely have plenty of Olympics goodness to keep you company.

Just leave a comment on the giveaway post with your top picks, and you'll be entered to win. Note that comments on this blog are not entries; you have to enter at Joyfully Jay's contest page. The contest closes at the end of the day on Saturday (tomorrow!), so go get your entries in!

Cheers,
NJ

First Out & Active Gay Pro Athlete = Somebody That You [Probably Don't] Know

Or, as I could have titled this post, "Coming Out as a Gay Athlete, Part I-Can't-Even-Count." :)

I've mentioned in my posts in the past that there's been a lot - and I mean a LOT - of press about gay athletes and the professional sports world recently. As you may have guessed by now, I'm very interested in the topic, which seems to bring news every week.

This time, though, I unearthed some news in my Internet wanderings, but it's not really NEW news.

Have you heard of Glenn Burke?

Well, if you haven't, then now you have. He's the first (and only?) known professional athlete who was out to his team. And, if the story's got it straight, he was out to the Bay Area gay community, too.  Basically, it sounds like Glenn was out to almost everyone in his life/community - just not publicly in media outlets. And this was in 1977.

Here are a couple of articles on a recent Glenn Burke documentary, titled "Out: The Glenn Burke Story," which aired in the Bay Area in 2010:

Sports Illustrated
LA Observed

According to the Sports Illustrated article, his teammates were pretty cool with him - indeed, it sounds like, despite some discomfort, there was enough respect and acceptance to go around to include a gay ballplayer.  The reaction of the team (i.e., management), however, left much to be desired.  Rumor has it that the Dodgers offered Glenn Burke $75,000 to marry, to which he replied "I guess you mean to a woman."

I don't know about you, but I would hope things were better for athletes now than they were in the 1970s. However, as the article points out, there still aren't any active gay athletes, and it's like the professional sports world will tolerate any number of "taboos" (their word, not mine) - from dog fighting to domestic violence - but there's still a shroud of negativity surrounding homosexuality.

I haven't watched the documentary, but I was completely fascinated by this discovery of Glenn Burke and his openly gay lifestyle. And now you know about him, too.

Keep him in mind next time you hear about gay athletes - or the lack thereof - or the sports world's intolerance of homosexuality.

Hoping more barriers are broken,
NJ

The Moment of Truth

Hey, folks! Just a type-by posting to mention I'll be out in the wilderness of San Francisco for the next 2+ weeks. Yes, the same wilderness of the holidays, when I didn't have internet access. I scheduled a post for next week, though, that I (a) hope works and (b) think you might find verrrrrrrrrrrrry interesting. So keep an eye out for that on Wednesday, 2/27!

Anyway, the moment of truth. *deep breath* Whew! Yeah, it's here. And yeah, I'll be taking the bar exam very very soon. After six years of practicing, you'd think I would be a pro at legal eagle stuff, but oh my stars! There are so many rules and guidelines and practices that I just never touched in my daily professional life.  I've been studying a lot these last couple of weeks, so let's hope that works.

Wish me luck!

Signing off...for a while,
NJ

P.S. I'll be seeing Nico the feline tomorrow, which seems like a pretty fan-damn-tastic birthday present, if I do say so myself. :)

Love Actually Is All Around

Besides being a line from one of my favorite holiday/wintertime movies, everyday life really brought new meaning to that phrase recently.

My life right now basically revolves around studying for the bar exam. I've been walking to the library to study, which has really helped when I feel like my focus is flagging. As I was sitting down in Bryant Park for a quick sandwich lunch the other day, I noticed that there were brass placards on some of the seat backs of the cafe chairs scattered around the park.

And this one at my table really made me take a step back and think about how the world is full of love stories that have never been told.

I don't think I need to explain why this simple message got me a little choked up. I finished up my sandwich, and, after a moment, it was with a small smile that I packed up my sandwich wrapper and slowly walked towards the library's entrance. And I couldn't help but think about that message even as I was settling into my spot in the reading room with my massive bar review book opened and waiting for me to dig into it.

So, yeah, even while I spend hours on end sitting at the giant library tables and learning about the Statute of Frauds, apportionment of community property, and fee simples with conditions subsequent, it's actually rather comforting to know that the big wide world is still out there and filled with everyday love stories.

Perspective. It helps.

Wondering about your love story...and his...and theirs...and hers,
NJ