YA Shot Tour- Interview with Lisa Williamson

Today, I’m very excited to welcome Lisa Williamson on the YA Shot tour!

YA Shot is an event that will take place  in Uxbridge on 28 October, organised by Alexia Casale and many other people. Over 71  will be there, tickets are up-to £20, and there’s a full day of panels and booky –MG and YA- things happening!

 Lisa Williamson is the author of The Art of Being Normal, which I reviewed here and really enjoyed. I got the chance to interview her, and I loved her answers, and couldn’t wait to share!

Do you think reading is important for teens today, and why?

I do! I'm convinced those who read fiction make for kinder, more sensitive and empathetic people. Having said that, not every teen is going to be reader and I think it's important we don't ever make anyone feel bad or inadequate about not reading for pleasure. What we should really be doing is finding a way of exposing reluctant readers to the range and breadth of books out there in such a way that doesn't feel enforced. I often meet young people who adore the Hunger Games films but would never think of reading the books. Changing that mindset without being preachy is hard! I often describe my personal experience of reading the Hunger Games for the first time and try to communicate just how intense that was, because instead of sitting in a cinema full of people watching Katniss fight to the death, I was actually there with her, in her head, just the two of us! For me growing up, books represented escape and relaxation. I loved how private and personal my relationship with a book felt, regardless of how many other people I knew had also read it. Reading also helped me figure out who I was, or rather who I wanted to be, and how to make sense of my place in the world. 

Has reading ever done anything for you that you wouldn't mind sharing?

As I mentioned, as a teenager, reading was an escape. When I was thirteen, I was bullied for a short but intense period. Reading made me feel safe and a bit less lonely. I've grown up with the feeling that books are my friend. 

Do you have any stories of people saying how TAOBN has helped them?

I do, and it's probably been the best part of being a published author. TOABN is told from the point of view of a young transgender person, and although I'd done masses of research and endeavoured to be as authentic and sensitive as possible, I was mindful of my responsibility as an author and, pre-publication, very fearful of 'getting it wrong'. Since the book has been out, I've been overwhelmed by the tweets and emails I've received. One young person said the book gave him the courage to come out to his parents. Another said she'd given it to her friends to help them understand what she's going through. Another said how happy she'd been to see the book displayed proudly in a high street bookshop and how it made her feel like she was no longer 'a freak'. All these messages have moved me deeply and demonstrate just how vital diverse books are! 

Do you think books can help people in ways that other media can't?

Books are an amazing tool for sparking discussion. It can be daunting to have a conversation with your family about, for example, gender identity, but if you use a fictional story as a stimulus, it can be a much easier and safer way in. My boyfriend's mother died recently having suffered from Alzheimer's for a number of years. There is a lot of literature on the subject available online. However, I found the most useful material for helping me understand the disease were fictional titles (namely Still Alice, Elizabeth is Missing and Unbecoming). By inviting me to step into the shoes of a dementia sufferer, my perceptions and understanding were turned upside down and I feel I became more compassionate and patient as a result. Emotions are so powerful and I think stories that tap into this part of our brain have the power to change hearts and minds in a way I just don't think a pamphlet or online article can. 

What's your favourite way of promoting books to teens?

Talking to them! I love talking to teenagers, not just about books but pretty much anything that excites them. I did an event recently where I ended up talking a lot about my personal experiences as a teenager. I was really open about being bullied and being in an emotionally abusive relationship and feeling scared about my future and afterwards several teens came forward and opened up to me in return. I think there's a real expectation that adults have their shit together and I wonder if we're doing teenagers a disservice by not being more open about our thoughts and feelings, even if they're in retrospect. I think it would have made a massive difference to me growing up. 

I also love speaking at literary festivals. A whole festival devoted to books? What's not to love? 

How important do you think compulsory reading eg for GCSEs is?

I think it's very important, even if those young people never go on to read a single book ever again. However, I definitely feel it's time to shake up the reading list. Teenagers are reading the same books I read at school twenty years ago and that's not right. For one, the teachers need to feel passionate about what they're teaching and how can they feel energised and motivated to teach a book when it's the tenth, twentieth, maybe even thirtieth time they've shared it with a class? The books I remember from school are often the ones I got the sense my teacher really got a kick out of teaching us.

I wonder if it's at all practical to introduce weekly or even daily 'story time' in schools? Every time I read aloud in a school, the kids seem to really chill out and actually listen. It made me think of how there's something really relaxing and uniting about listening to a story in a big group. Being read to at school would also mean young people who don't usually read off their own backs would be exposed to stories they would wouldn't be otherwise, and might, just might, be motivated enough by the experience to seek out a book of their own. 

If you could give one book to every teenager, what would it be and why?

Yikes, that's tough! This is perhaps a more female-focussed title (although I think boys should most definitely seek it out too!) but 'Am I Normal Yet?' by Holly Bourne is an utter joy, celebrating female friendship in a way that's not often seen in YA fiction. It's also funny and moving and explores mental health in a way that's really accessible and real. I also recently read 'Goodbye Stranger' by Rebecca Stead. It's for slightly younger readers (the protagonist is twelve) and absolutely nails the nature of adolescent friendships in a very beautiful and understated way. I'm all about the friendship at the moment! 

Reminder: you can find Lisa on Twitter here, TAOBN on Goodreads here, and you can buy it in hardback from Hive or from David Fickling. If you’d like to wait for the paperback, it’ll be here on 7th January 2016.

Author interview- E.D.E Bell on Gender in Spireseeker

 

Today, we have author E.D.E. Bell talking to us about her novel, Spireseeker

, the review of which is coming soon.  We’re talking about gender identity, both in the real world and her fantasy one,

Did anything specific make you want to present gender as a theme in your work?

Growing up with two engineers as parents, I wasn’t introduced to gender rules as a child. As a toddler, I was bald and wore overalls, and people thought I was a boy. Then I had two brothers, and we played together with the same set of toys. You get the idea. I played low brass in high school. I went to electrical engineering school surrounded by mostly men, and was one of four women out of sixty-four students in my graduate program. I ended up working with the military, while my husband became a stay-at-home dad. And so I’m fascinated by society’s strict definition of gender. Once you’re really tuned into it, you see rules, expectations – as well as artificial limitations – everywhere. It’s a subject I feel passionate about and wanted to explore in my writing.

What bugs you about gender and stereotypes in the real world world?

Where should I start? I don’t think we should program children with the pink and blue toy aisles in the store, but it’s so much more complex than that. It’s dismissing men as stupid, or women as emotional. It’s, “boys will be boys” and “girl power.” It’s being overly impressed by a woman repairing a car, or making fun of a man who likes to sew. It’s insulting phrases like, “Mr. Mom,” women labeling themselves as “strong,” or people dismissing a heterosexual transgender woman and a gay man as the same. And then if you question these things, then you get accused of denying science, which I’m not. I know men and women are different. I just don’t think people want to be pushed into artificial boundaries. If people are so into nature, then just let people act how they naturally are and stop forcing it. Society just won’t fall apart if some men like flowers.

 Does Beryl, the main character, being an elf in a world identifying as female where the elves’ default setting is gender-neutral, affect the story? I initially wanted to write a story with a female lead, but then—and honestly I don’t remember the moment I came up with this—changed the elves to instead be genderless. At first, I worried the story may lose credibility with those seeking female protagonists in fantasy literature, especially female role models for their young daughters. What I found was that most people reading the story identify with Beryl as a female, whether she physically is or not. This made me wonder – if I were to reprint the story with Beryl called “he” how would that change the reader’s perception? I also wonder if I would have written Beryl differently under that premise.

How have your readers reacted to your gender neutral characters?

Rikian is one of my favorite characters, and out of respect, I managed to avoid all gender pronouns while describing the elf, which was not an easy task. So, yes, I’ve heard, “You said he was genderless but instead he was just a flamboyant gay man.” What, quoting RuPaul is gay? But, yes, I did worry about this unintended effect after that chapter was written, but the people who read it told me not to change it. So I do think Rikian’s persona was a bit over-the-top but I also think that people (or elves) tend to exaggerate themselves when they grow tired of their perfectly reasonable choices making people so uncomfortable. Perhaps once treated a bit more normally, Rikian would put the raspberry robes away and tone down the flamboyance. Or not. Either that, or I fell victim to the same stereotypes I was trying to dismiss. But I still love the character, and that chapter (A Garden Walk) remains my favorite.

Do you regret challenging gender norms in Spireseeker?

No, not a bit. It makes some people uncomfortable, but if it makes others think (or even better, just enjoy the story), then it’s worth it to me. I am so interested by the many facets of gender in our culture, and plan to work a diverse cast of characters into all of my novels – both in terms of gender identity as well as issues of attraction. And all the blurring in between.

Anything else you’d like to say?

Yes. I’m sorry to my friends and family who are tired of the phrase, “genderless elves.” But not too sorry. And thanks, Nina, for the opportunity to talk with you. This has been great.

Thanks for the interview! I enjoyed Spireseeker, as you’ll see later.

Find E.D.E. Bell online at her website, her blog, on facebook, and on twitter.

Project UKYA interview with Matt Whyman

Today, we have Matt Whyman, author of The Savages, talking to us about UKYA. Why? Because of Lucy's AMAZING Project UKYA which showcases all aspects of YA written in Britain. If you haven't already, you should totally go find the rest of the tour.

What is the most British thing about The Savages?
Everything from the opening sentence to the final full stop! The Savage family have strong roots in Russia, but Titus, Angelica and the kids are born and bred Brits with a sense of irony and sarcasm embedded in their genes. They’re terribly traditional, too, and value their meal times together. After all, the family that eats (people) together, sticks together.


What's the best thing about being part of the UKYA community?
I love the fact that every new novel is unique, rather than a carbon copy of a previous success. You only have to look at a bookshop table display to see this – no two jackets look alike, which makes it all the more enticing.


Who are some of your favourite people in the UKYA community?
I like everyone I’ve ever met to be honest. Right now, I’m a big fan of James Dawson and Julie Mayhew, and will always look forward to anything new by Marcus Sedgwick. Then there are the people behind the scenes in the publishing world – those who ensure the books get into your hands, and make the whole experience such fun. Emily Thomas and everyone at Hot Key, I’m looking at *you*


What does UKYA mean to you?
Books that rarely get reviewed by the national press but come out alive and kicking thanks to the publishers and bloggers committed to spreading the word.


Who should read UKYA?
Anyone. I’m not a great believer in setting boundaries when it comes to fiction, and certainly don’t write with an age-range in mind. My novels are about the experience of finding yourself and making your mark on life – often against all odds. This isn’t exclusive to teen readers. We’ve all been there.

How does UKYA compare and differ to YA from other countries?
I think we were first to kick against the concept that YA fiction should always aim to teach a moral lesson. If a character does something they don’t encourage at school, like sex or drugs, they shouldn’t always end up remorseful (or dead). It’s far better to just get inside their minds and aim to understand what makes them tick – even if their deeds are dreadful.


If you could only read UKYA book ever again, which would it be and why?

That’s a good question. I’d go back to the book that first made an impact on me, which is Lord of the Flies by William Golding – old school UKYA!

Anything else you'd like to say?
Sorry for talking.

Thank you, Lucy, for hosting this event and letting me take part! You should go read The Savages- I loved it. Matt can be found at his website, on twitter, and on youtube.  Lucy can be found on her blog and at Project UKYA.

Author Interview- Laura Lam

Today, we have Laura Lam! I’m really excited about this, because I LOVED Pantomime and cannot wait for Shadowplay. Here’

s Laura talking about some things.

-How do you feel about the Micah/Gene intersexual being marketed as a plot twist?

This is a very tricky question. I will say I never wrote it intending it to be a plot twist. I can see both sides--some people have really enjoyed being surprised, not realising that two characters were one and the same, and I like that they had their preconceptions twisted like that. You thought Gene/Micah were going to be a couple? Nope. And though it's about the intersex experience of Gene/Micah, it's not really an "issue" book per se, thus why more emphasis was placed on the fantasy elements and circus in the marketing.

On the other hand, it makes it very difficult for people who want to read about an intersex person to find out about it, and I found it awkward keeping it secret at the start. I still now feel the urge to give a disclaimer, worrying I'm "ruining" it for people by revealing the "twist."

-How do you pronoun Micah/Gene?

I usually use "she" when the character is Gene and "he" when the character's Micah. I've tried various gender neutral pronouns (hir, zir, etc), and I'll use them sometimes, too. I don't mind at all what pronouns others use.

-What kind of research did you do regarding intersex?

I read a few books on the subject. I recommend "Hermaphrodites and the Medical Invention of Sex" by Alice Domurat Dreger, which focuses on the history of intersex conditions and how in the 19th century people changed from displaying these anomalies to trying to "fix"them. I also read the memoirs of Herculine Barbin, an intersex individual in the 1800s who was raised female in a convent and later lived as a male. Herculine's story is very sad.

For a more modern context, I recommend "Intersex" by Catharine Harper and "Intersex: For Lack of a Better Word" by Thea Hillman. I also watched the documentaries "Me, My Sex, and I", "Gender Unknown" and a few others. I've watched interviews by Hida Viloria, an intersex writer and activist. I researched a lot on the internet. I watched transition videos on Youtube (which is trans, not intersex, obviously, but I think there's some experience overlap), which are beautiful and inspiring. I still do a fair amount of research and keep up on intersex current events because I'm really passionate about it. I am against surgery on children too young to consent if there's no pressing medical need, I'd like countries to allow non-binary genders on official documents, and provide more protection against discrimination.

-Was there anything difficult about writing an intersex main character?

I am very aware that, as a cisgendered woman, I'm an outsider looking in. I've tried to do my best to put myself in Micah's shoes, think about how he'd react to things, his confusion and desire for acceptance. I suppose the biggest difficulty was portraying and balancing both his masculine and his feminine sides.

-How did you decide who Micah would end up with-did you think about representation of bisexual characters?

I always knew who he'd end up with because that character was in the book I started before Pantomime, which had Micah as an adult of 27. I did want to make it clear that Micah's sexuality is different from his gender identity--he's attracted to both males and female, and he himself doesn't identify as solely male or female.

-How important do you

think books with LGBTQIA characters are?

I think they've very important, especially for YA. It's important to reflect our society accurately, and there are intersex and people from all shades of the LGBTQIA. To marginalise them for YA, or SFF, or fiction, is a disservice. Teenage years are when people are discovering their gender identity or sexuality, and reading fiction can sometimes help them work through their thoughts and feelings. They even call this "bibliotherapy." So to sweep different experiences under the rug makes it seem like something that should be shameful rather than celebrated.

So far, there's been no homophobic outcry in response to Pantomime, and I think that's surprised some people. Though I might have gone and jinxed myself now by saying that. In fact, the only controversy has been some people wishing the blurb was more open about the intersex nature of the protagonist. I think that's great.

-Is there anything else you'd like to say?

Thank you for having me and thanks to everyone for reading :-)

If these great answers don’t make you want to read Pantomime straight away, stay tuned for Lisa and Leo talkinga bout why they loved Pantomime.

For now, you can find Laura at twitter, her blog, tumblr, and facebook.  Pantomime is on goodreads and amazon. 

Author interview and GIVEAWAY - Zoe Marriott

Today we have Zoe Marriott, author of The Night Itself (which I really enjoyed with a review to come), Frostfire (which I really enjoyed last year, with a review to come if I find time to re-read it), Wild Swans and Shadows on the Moon (which I plan to read one day).
Anyway, Zoe has answered so fully that you're only getting a selection of her answers, because otherwise this post would be ridiculously long. She'll pop up in later posts too.


How important do you think LGBTQIA books are for teens?
Very, very, very. When I was a teen I never read a single book aimed at my age-group in which there was a gay character. Not one. There certainly weren't any acknowledged gay characters on TV or in films. And since I went to an extremely rough school in a very deprived, working class area where racism, homophobia and all kinds of nastiness were rife, I don't think I even realised gay people existed in real life except as the butt of vile jokes and insults until I started working in the public sector, years later. Books were my only real window on the wider world, and sadly that window let me down when it came to gay characters.
It took several more years for me to glom onto the fact that this was a war - like the battle against misogyny and racism - that was being fought around me every day. My privilege had insulated me from all awareness, and as a result it didn't occur to me to include a non-heterosexual character in my own work until my third book (there was a big gap between my second book, which I wrote when I was twenty-two, and the third, which I finished when I was twenty-eight, and I did a lot of growing up and learning in that time). If there had been books which introduced gay characters as a simple part of the story, having adventures alongside straight kids, I'm sure I would have started trying to to be a QUILTBAG ally years earlier.

Do you think any part of the LGBTQIA gets overlooked/subject to erasure?
My personal feeling is that transgender and genderfluid/genderqueer kids are getting a bum deal right now. For some reason gender binaries seem to have become a bit of a frontier in the portrayal of non-hetero characters. People who seem perfectly fine with a mainstream portrayal of gay and lesbian characters will get squirmy over the idea that gender in our culture is a largely artificial construct (there is no pink gene on the X-chromosome, dammit!). But I also think that bi/pansexual kids and asexual kids aren't seeing the representation they need, either. Like I said above, we still have a long way to go.

What's your favourite genre for LGBTQIA fiction?
The same as it is for everything else - fantasy!


How do you avoid sterotypes when writing?
Stereotypes are basically a result of a lack of knowledge. They're a product of only having One Story about what gay or transgender or genderfluid means; the fact that really no one in our culture gets a fair and nuanced representation in media apart from straight, white, cis-gendered, able-bodied males. So the first step in avoiding stereotypes and one dimensional or offensive portrayals is to learn. Read books, watch films, seek out TV programmes that portray all kinds of different QUILTBAG people doing all kinds of different things, like falling in love, conquering strange planets, solving crimes, making funny YouTube videos. Seek out and join groups that seek to promote allyship among different groups. Talk to people in real life and online. *See* people. See people as people first and whatever other labels are attached to them later, not even second, but way down the list af
ter their taste in books and whether they're, you know, annoying or maybe a Linkin' Park fan...

Do you feel you accurately represent LGBTQIA people in your writing?
I feel that I do. I hope that I do. I'm not sure how 'accurate' is really defined though. It's not like... I don't know, say, 'accuracy' in your depiction of playing the violin. If you show someone doing it with a hammer rather than a bow, you've got it wrong. I don't think there's a right or a wrong answer if you're presenting readers with what are hopefully complex, fully-realised characters. I'm mostly concerned with making readers love the characters I want them to love, hate the characters that I want them to hate, and with making all my characters seem like evolving people. I do try to be aware of stereotypical or negative portrayals of marginalised groups in the media so that I can avoid adding to them,

Zoe can be found at her website, her awesome blog, and on twitter.

Giveaway time! I have one copy of The Night Itself to give away. UK only, rafflecopter entry, be age 13 or above, giveaway ends 29 September.
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Author Interview and GIVEAWAY-Daniel A Kaine

Today, I have Daniel A. Kaine answering some questions. He's also answered a few of the discussion questions, so you might be hearing from him at some point later. 

Is there any specific reason you prefer writing LGBT fiction with supernatural elements?

When I’m reading a book, I like to escape from reality. It’s the same with my writing. I like to go to other worlds, or experience things that you wouldn’t see in the real world—deep space travel, shapeshifters, vampires, and magic. I do have a couple of non-supernatural books that I’m working on right now, but they both have something else to offer that sets them aside from contemporary works. One is set in a dystopian future following the collapse of society as we know it, and the other is a rather dark crime/romance that, in my opinion, will really push people’s comfort zones.

‘No Angel’ is the most contemporary of my books, but even that features a bit of the supernatural. All five of the main characters have special abilities, ranging from turning invisible, to creating force fields, and scrambling electronic devices. Sam, the eldest of the group, can even sprout a set of white angel wings. For me, this adds a layer of mystery to the story, because if these things can happen, then anything is possible.

Was Dreamspinner Press the first publisher you approached?

Yes, it was. I had self-published two novels previously, and, in all honesty, was going to continue doing so with my future books. But then I made some great new friends at GayRomLit in Albuquerque last year, and they’ve been such a great support. They encouraged me to take the plunge and try submitting to a publisher. After weighing up my options, I chose Dreamspinner Press, and after almost nine weeks of checking my emails every day, I received an offer from them. That was the best feeling ever. Having being through the submission process now, I feel a lot more confident and am going to, hopefully, continue signing books with publishers.

What was your favourite book to write?

Of the books I’ve finished writing, my favourite was definitely ‘No Angel’. Firstly, I loved writing the characters. Each of the kids has their own quirky personality, and with everything they went through, I couldn’t wait to give them their happy ending. But also, it was the first book where I looked at writing and could see how far I’d come since I started back in 2010. That newly found confidence in myself made this book a pleasure to write, and I hope that others will feel the same when they read it.

How do you make your characters different?

That’s a tough question. My characters tend to come to mind almost fully formed. I don’t force them into being different, but instead let them be who they are. Of course, I’ll try and avoid too many clichés, but I think it all comes down to the situations you place them in. Even the most ordinary character can become something great, if you give them the push they need and the opportunity to shine.

One thing that I do, though, is try to include a diverse range of sexual orientations. Mik, from Dawn of Darkness, doesn’t identify as gay, despite his love interest being male. He originally, and mistakenly, believed himself to be asexual/aromantic, but quickly came to fall for his best male friend. Even then, there was no attraction to other men. Ash, from the same book, is bisexual, an orientation I feel often gets overlooked. Sam, from ‘No Angel’, is gay, and Josh never labels himself as anything. I can’t recall that I’ve had any lesbian characters yet, so I’ll have to work on that one.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

Every day, homeless youths die on the streets. The fact that these young people have been forced out of their homes in the first place is something that sickens me to the bottom of my stomach. Even worse when it’s because of their sexuality. And so far, I’ve done nothing about it. I want to change that.

‘No Angel’ will be out on August 26th. The five main characters are all young people, who have either been thrown out, or ran away, simply because they were born different. They each have special abilities, which they use to help make survival on the streets a little easier. In reality though, homelessness is harsh and degrading. Statistics say that an LGBTQ youth dies on the streets every four hours.

I’m not going to sit back and do nothing any longer. I want to give something… anything… even if it’s only enough to help out a handful of teens for one night. To that extent, I’ll be donating a portion of my royalties from ‘No Angel’ to charities that work to provide shelter for LGBTQ youths when they have nowhere else to go.

Daniel A. Kaine was born and raised in the Land of Rain, more commonly known as England. Originally trained as a biology teacher, he was always unsure what to do with his life. That is, until he chanced upon a fanfiction site and began jotting down stories between his favourite anime characters. To this day, he still cringes at the mere memory of all that cheese.

In 2010, Daniel came across the NaNoWriMo boards and started work on his first original piece of fiction. Since then, his fingers have been unable to keep up with all the ideas and characters his brain keeps throwing at him.

When he's not writing, Daniel enjoys staying active, whether that be by running along the river banks near his home, or going to the gym. He also enjoys reading, playing video games, and learning new skills, such as image manipulation.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielakaine.fanpage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shiki_boy
Website: http://www.danielakaine.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5125827.Daniel_A_Kaine

Daniel is very kindly offering 1 ebook copy of No Angel, in formats epub. Mobi, html and pdf.   Book is due out from Dreamspinner Press on August 26th. Giveaway ends 29 September and is open internationally to people over 13.

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Author interview and GIVEAWAY- Suzanne van Rooyen

Today, we have Suzanne van Rooyen answering our questions! Suzanne actually answered a lot more, but it didn’t all fit in one post, so you’ll see her other answers in the main discussion posts.

How important do you think LGBTQIA books are for teens?
They're as important as any other type of teen literature. YA literature needs to reflect the diversity of real in race, religion, culture and sexuality, approaching the various issues facing young people today with sensitivity and authenticity. Teens should be able to pick up a book in any genre and relate to the character, to recognise themselves in the character.

Do you feel LGBTQIA teens have a good selection of books today? I think they have a great selection of sexual awakening and coming out stories. There is, however, a lack of stories for teens that show LGBTQIA teens leading normal, happy, rainbow lives where their sexuality is incidental to who they are. We need more LGBTQIA books where the entire story doesn't revolve around the main character's sexual preference.

Do you think any part of the LGBTQIA gets overlooked/subject to erasure?  Hm... Having not read all of the LGBTQIA books available, this is impossible to answer. I'm sure there are aspects that are not as well examined as others. Perhaps it's more about a lack of balance, where most stories tend to focus on the discovery of sexuality and the coming out process, especially in teen fiction.

LGBTQI fiction is often shelved separately in bookshops/libraries. How do you feel about this?I think it's silly and I'm hoping that as LGBTQIA characters become more prevalent across genres, that these books will simply be shelved according to their genre (romance, SF/F, thriller etc.), instead of their main character's sexual identity.

Do you think there should be more LGBTQIA characters in YA fic, and is there a particular way you'd like them to be presented?"Absolutely! I'd like to see them represented authentically - if the guy's a jerk, he's a jerk even if he's gay. Being LGBTQIA should feel as natural as hair colour and should not be forced into the story for the sake of it. Authors also need to step out of their hetero-normative moulds - two guys in a relationship are two guys, there is no husband role or wife role that one or the other fulfills.  I'd like to see more bisexual male heroes and more trans characters take leading, butt-kicking roles in genre fiction. I'd love to read a teen Supernatural type story where the Winchester roles are filled by an LGBTQIA sibling pair or romantic couple."

Have you ever had issues with the way LGBTQIA characters (in general or in a particular book) have been presented? Not really because I'm quite picky when it comes to what I read. I have been mildly annoyed by certain gay characters being presented as super emotional to the point of melodrama as this is borderline stereotyping. I'm also saddened by books where the futuristic world is shown as open and accepting, even encouraging, of same-sex couples and yet, the main character remains hetero and only ever engages in a hetero relationship despite almost every other character around her being bi or homosexual.

How do you avoid sterotypes when writing?

I try to be as authentic as possible in my characterization. I'm quite an odd person and have had the privilege and delight of interacting and befriending many colourful characters throughout my life that do not conform to stereotypes. Drawing from these experiences and being conscious of how stereotypes are used in fiction, has helped me to avoid them. I like to buck expectations so every time I've got characters that need to behave a certain way, I try to put less likely individuals into those roles.

Have you ever gotten homophobic, transphobic or otherwise negative reactions regarding your inclusion of LGBTQIA characters? How did you deal with it?

No, thankfully. What I have noticed, which serious irked me, is that some reviewers put 'warnings' on their reviews for LGBT content. They didn't warn people that my book contained bad language, violence, underage drinking, or depictions of self-harm and suicide. No, the big bad thing about my book was the LGBT content which included an alluded to blowjob and some kissing. This offended me. I wanted to edit every single review I'd ever written and put 'WARNING: Main character is straight. Avoid if that's not your thing* - See how ridiculous that looks? So why 'warn' people of LGBT content? I really thought we'd be past this by now.

Suzanne has written Dragon’s Teeth, Obscura Burning, short stories for various magazines and other things.  You can find her at her website, facebook, twitter and tumblr.

Also, because Suzanne is awesome, she has very kindly offered a giveaway of Obscura Burning.
Open internationally, ends 29 September 2013, you must be 13 or over to enter, prize is either epub, mobi or pdf, use the rafflecopter to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview-James Dawson

Most of our authors who were interviewed answered the questio

ns that everyone else did. I’m putting all of these interviews before the main discussion posts, so you can see everybody’s  views. Also, I’ve finalised the schedule for Rainbow Reads and just realised that I have a month’s worth of posts, which is much more than I was expecting. Thank you everyone!

Today, we have one of my favourite authors, James Dawson.

--Props for making Kitty and Delilah bi and in a committed relationship. Do you think bisexuals get unfair representation in YA literature?

To be honest, I think bi characters aren't represented AT ALL! There are pitifully few LGBT* characters full stop, but there are slightly more gay and lesbian 'best friends'. It's a sad fact that a lot of people, even within the LGBT* community don't really believe that bi people exist.

--Have you ever gotten homophobic or otherwise negative reactions regarding your inclusion of LGBTQIA characters? How did you deal with it?

I honestly haven't had any negative feedback about Kitty and Delilah. Ryan, in Cruel Summer, is the main character so it'll be interesting to see what reaction he gets. Personally I've had homophobic messages on my Facebook fan page - I suppose given how open I am about my sexuality it was only a matter of time. Rest assured, I won't be deterred.

--How important do you think LGBTQIA fiction is for teens?

This is an interesting question. Much LGBT* fiction for teens is ABOUT being LGBT*. I find this very odd. I'm confused as to why it's such an issue. All these books about depressed LGBT* characters having epic dramas about their sexuality doesn't always ring true. I'm much more interested in seeing LGBT* characters going about their business. That said ANY LGBT* character is important so young readers can see themselves in the world of books.

--LGBTQIA fiction is often shelved separately in bookshops/libraries. How do you feel about this?

I understand why you'd want a gender theory or gay theory section in a book shop. I also understand why you might have a gay erotica section, anything else should be in fiction, right? Most bookshops wouldn't segregate Hollinghurst, Maupin or Waters. I hope. Most YA fiction with LGBT* characters just goes in the YA section which is quite right.

--Discuss getting LGBTQIA fiction published. Do you think publishers have changed their attitudes over time?

No

-one has ever suggested that Kitty, Delilah or Ryan should be straight. In fact, Ryan started life as the 'best friend' because I thought my publisher wouldn't want a gay main character. How wrong I was! My editor identified Ryan as the most compelling character and insisted he be brought centre stage. I can only speak for my experience and my publisher has been overwhelmingly supportive.

--Do you think any part of the LGBTQIA community gets overlooked/subject to erasure?

I think trans characters are very overlooked. I wonder, at this stage, if writers feel any book with trans characters would have to be ABOUT being trans. I think authors worry both about getting it right and angry internet people.

--Any recommendations for LGBTQIA fiction?

Well Hollow Pike and Cruel Summer OBVIOUSLY! Aside from them, Tales of the City was a watershed book for me and truly changed my life. Gay men should read The Velvet Rage too - it really holds up a mirror to the behaviour of some gay men. Pantomine by Laura Lam; What's Up With Jody Barton? by Hayley Long and, my favourite book of 2013, Every Day by David Levithan.

--Anything else you'd like to say?

Being A Boy follows Cruel Summer in September. It's called Being A Boy and it really is for all boys - gay, bi, curious and straight. There's a discussion about sexuality, but the whole book is universal. Whatever your sexuality, we're all having the same puberty, first loves, first shags and heartbreaks.

James Dawson wrote Hollow Pike, which I loved and you can see the review here, and Cruel Summer, which I also loved and you can read the review tomorrow. You can find James at his website/blog, twitter, and tumblr. 

Author Interview-Robert L. Beck

Today, we have Robert L. Beck talking to us about Dawn of the Knight.

Tell us about your book.

My current release is actually my first book titled, “Dawn of the Knight.” It is a fast-paced, young adult, action/romance novel. It ‘s  the story of a fatherless Canadian high school boy, Lance Rock, who has been homeschooled and trained by the United States government’s former top operative. For his senior year, Lance decides to travel down to California via a student exchange program in the hope of finding a girlfriend as well as freedom from his regimented life. Once there, he inadvertently ends up in the home of a mother and her two teenage daughters—the oldest, Shannon, being the prettiest girl in the school! Lance is forced to use his skills to defend them and himself from the woman’s ex-husband—a crime-lord who has been terrorizing the family for over a decade! That is the basic plot. However, there are many sub-plots going on throughout the story

                                                                                                                              

Can you tell us about the journey that led you to writing?

I never, ever, thought I’d be a writer. I never had any desire for it. I actually had a desire to be an artist/illustrator, but my life didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. My oldest son was a communications major in college. I thought that he would be the one to take up writing. I did an Amazon.com search and bought three of the most highly recommended books on how to write fiction that I could find, and then gave them to him. He chose not to pursue writing, however. Three years ago I became extremely discouraged with my job and my life. I decided I would try to write a story as a means of escaping the boredom. But first, I read the three books I had purchased for him. They were so helpful that I’ve actually credited them in the acknowledgment section of my book! I’m a huge fan of operative type characters having grown up watching James Bond, Derek Flint, The Wild, Wild West, etc. When I was younger, I had read a 1960’s young adult teen spy series titled, “Chris Cool/Teen Agent,” by Jack Lancer, and I loved it. That series only lasted six books and I decided that if I would ever write a book series it would involve an operative type teenage character. I’m originally from Canada so I made the protagonist Canadian as well. I also knew I didn’t want him working for a government agency. I thought, what would happen if you put a teenage boy with operative type skills in a high school setting? The result is this story.

Do you have a musical playlist you listen to while writing? If so, what kind of music?

I don’t listen to music while I write. I prefer complete silence in order to properly focus my thoughts. However, I do love music and in particular, movie music scores. I collect them. When I listen to them, I often envision specific scenes from my book. I also love soft rock/pop music—especially from the eighties. There are certain songs will make me think of specific characters and scenes in the story as well.

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I’m not sure if this is a quirk, but I actually never learned how to type! I “finger pecked” my way through an 85,000 word novel! I don’t recommend this for anyone else, however. I’m constantly making typos and having to go back and correct them. *laughs heartily*

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Three of my favorite authors are John Norman, Harry Harrison, and Daniel Defoe. All three have written action stories using a first person POV and this influenced me greatly to write from that perspective as well.

Do you have anything else to say?

I read fiction to escape the world I live in with all its ups and downs and to be entertained. I think “entertaining” should be the most important quality a fiction book possesses. I can honestly say that my story, “Dawn of the Knight” is highly entertaining, if nothing else.

Robert's blog is here and you can obtain Dawn of the Knight for free on Smashwords.  

Author Interview-Max Allan Collins

Max Allan Collins writes A LOT of crime. 15 books for Nathan Heller series, 10 for the Quarry series, over 20 for CSI... His latest work is Seduction of the Innocent-crime, comic books and a 1950s setting.

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-What drew you to the 50s?
I grew up in the fifties and sixties, so that’s a natural period of interest for me. But I’ve made a specialty out of writing mysteries set in the twentieth century, in particular with my Nathan Heller series – the latest, TARGET LANCER, is about the JFK assassination. I like combining the approach of the mystery novelist with the research of an historian.

-Do you see yourself in any of your characters?
Certainly all of my first-person characters – Nate Heller, Quarry, Mallory, and now Jack Starr – are me to some degree. I think all novelists write disguised autobiography, and that’s particularly true of private eye writers. But it’s more myself as I’d have been had I shared the disparate backgrounds of these characters. Jack was in the Second World War, for example. Probably the humor in the books is the best glimpse into the real me.

-What's your favourite comic book?
Of all time? Very tough question. My favorite comic strip is LI’L ABNER, and I devour the reprint volumes. My favorite 1950s comic book is either CRIME SUSPENSTORIES or MAD. My favorite ‘60s comic book is SPIDERMAN – Ditko SPIDERMAN. My favorite ‘70s comic book would be anything by R. Crumb or Gilbert Shelton in the Underground Comix movement. In the ‘80s I was rather fond of my own MS. TREE, because checks arrived in the mail fairly regularly. In the ‘90s, it was LONE WOLF AND CUB. Today it’s probably USAGI YOJIMBO.

-What's your favourite thing about 1950s America?
Again, I’m going to have to hedge. In fiction, it was Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer books. In film, it was John Ford’s THE SEARCHERS. In music, it was Bobby Darin and "Mack the Knife." On TV, it was MAVERICK. Nothing much that wasn’t popular culture was worth a damn in the ‘50s.

-What's the cleverest thing you've learnt from a comic book?
The ice-block murder method that I used in SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT. From a minute mystery in the back of a DICK TRACY comic book.

-Any tips for writing crime?
Find a way, somehow, to write from experience and not just from the crime and mystery novels and films you’ve read and seen. In my first novel, BAIT MONEY (1973, reprinted by Hard Case crime in TWO FOR THE MONEY), I robbed the bank where my wife worked, and I had the secondary protagonist be a comic-book collector. In addition, I set the story in my native Iowa, not some big city. Even in SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT, which takes place in Manhattan, the roots are in 1950s Iowa, when a little kid got his comic books messed with by a big bad psychiatrist.

-Who influenced you in writing this?
Well, the Jack and Maggie Starr mysteries are in part a homage to Rex Stout and his Nero Wolfe novels. Other than that, nobody. On the other hand, I am generally influenced by a real superstar line-up – Hammett, Chandler, Spillane, James M. Cain, Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, Erle Stanley Gardner and Donald E. Westlake.

-What are you reading right now?
THE JAMES BOND ARCHIVES.

-What are you planning on writing in the future?
I will be doing another collaborative book with my wife Barb (we write together as "Barbara Allan"), ANTIQUES A GO GO, a humorous "cozy" mystery. Then another Mike Hammer novel, KING OF THE WEEDS, working from a manuscript Mickey Spillane began in the 1990s, and a political thriller called SUPREME JUSTICE. I hope to do a new Nate Heller novel next year, but I have the final volume of my Heller/JFK trilogy, ASK NOT, coming out this fall. There's also a thriller coming out called WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU, a rare standalone from me.

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This article was posted as part of the Seduction of the Innocent Blog Tour, celebrating the release of Max Allan Collins' new Hard Case Crime novel. For the opportunity to win a copy of the book, simply tweet “I would like a copy of Seduction of the Innocent @TitanBooks #MaxAllanCollins”.

Author interview and giveaway-Kia Garriques and The Journey of a Thousand Eyes

Today, we have fantasy author Kia Garriques talking about her book, Innovera Yakov: The Journey of A Thousand Eyes.

In less than 140  words, what happens in The Journey of a Thousand Eyes?

Innovera Yakov: The Journey of A Thousand Eyes is the first installment in an action-packed fantasy drama where characters with powers of healing and destruction live, love, compete and disappear without a trace while they are being prepared for ‘The Journey’.

What are the Thousand Eyes?

The ‘Thousand Eyes’ refers to the River of a Thousand Eyes which runs through Innovera Yakov into the frightening world of darkness called Verheer. When Innovera Yakov is destroyed, the students must follow it into the darkness that awaits them before they can reach the promised world beyond. They have no choice. They must cross it or die. That great crossing is called 'The Journey'. Many of them will be lost along the way.

What did you have to research to write this?

I had to read a lot to understand the genre and to find an approach to writing a book that is interesting and different. For me, any fantasy world can be made convincing if you take care to remain consistent, give the reader enough detail to help them create that world in their mind, and fill your characters with the emotions and choices that most humans struggle with.

What influenced you in writing this?

The concept of Innovera Yakov originated from my dreams. I used to dream about these Beings in some other world. At first, it was scary but then I learned to overcome that fear and started looking forward to them. At one point, I became so enthusiastic about science, evolution and the possibility of realities and forms of life that might exist outside of what we know, that I wanted to absorb anything in relation to that. Innovera Yakov addresses many of the questions I have about our earth and the universe in general. It’s about all the preoccupations I have about love, freedom and adventure. It’s my attempt to understand life.

How did this cover come about?

My publisher had chosen a cover for the book already and we had been promoting that cover for a good few months. However, a couple of months ago, I had a vivid dream about the cover of my book and it was very different from the one I had initially. So I told Story Star Publishing that I wanted to change the cover. There was a lot of discussion before they agreed but once they accepted they were very supportive. I knew this amazing graphics artist called Milly Mackenzie who worked with my publishers to get the cover to what it is today. After telling Milly our ideas she did it straight away and that is how we got the current cover.

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

Yes, I see myself in Ayana. She is the underdog and it takes her a long time to discover her strengths.

How long have you wanted to be a writer?

Ever since I can remember, I have always been writing. But I have always shied away from letting people read my work. At school, it was taboo to say that you wanted to be a writer; it just wasn’t a cool career option. Somehow I was led to believe that you had to be of a certain pedigree; you had to be different, more intelligent and even a little eccentric to be a writer.

Try as I might, I couldn’t help dreaming up worlds. I would wake around two in the morning and jot down those dreams in my notepad which I always kept next to my pillow. My inspiration comes from my dreams. Before, I was afraid of them; now I rely on them for my inspiration.

                                                      

Who do you look to for inspiration?

I look to nature for inspiration. I love creation and I’m fascinated by the world around me. I am fascinated with science and the natural world.

What was the hardest thing about writing The Journey?

When I was faced with characters who had to die or disappear. Losing them was very hard.

What are you working on now?

I am working on the second book in the series. But, I have fleshed out the third and fourth book already.

And there's a giveaway! The prize is an ecopy of The Journey of a Thousand Eyes in a format of your choice. Ends 5 March.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Other places you can find Kia

Twitter - https://twitter.com/innoverayakov

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5623131-kia-garriques

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kiagarriquesfanpage
Tumblr - http://kiagarriquesauthor.tumblr.com/
Wattpad - http://www.wattpad.com/user/kiagarriques
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/kgarriques/
Website: http://www.kiagarriques.com/