Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2013 #HAHAT

May 17th is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
and the Hop Against Homophobia 2013 starts today!

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Even though the world is clearly changing, there's a long way to go before homophobia is seen by the  entire population as just as terrible of a thing as racism. I do believe there will be a day when the population as a whole will look into history books and cringe at their past ignorance.

There's a handy, interactive graph on the Guardian's website that I highly suggest you poke around on. It was posted May of 2012 and as I write this, it doesn't include Minnesota's newest law change. But it's still a great tool to really see the difference of rights between the communities. It's tangible and clear cut that there's a major difference and that's a major problem.

All these changes are coming from the changing mindset of the population. Change will happen. One day grand kids will be ashamed of their anti-gay grandparents just how today grand kids are embarrassed by granny's racist slurs leftover from the 1950s.

The internet and social sites have really pushed progress forward. It helps get the word out that "Hey! This shit is fucked up. Don't do it. People are people and love is love." Tumblr is a perfect example. The community on tumblr will not hesitate to call you out on anything. (It's a great place for feminism as a whole too)

People are constantly learning and evolving. Someone who was taught homophobia might be on tumblr one day and be called out on using "gay" as an insult, and after hearing the explanation of why it's wrong, that person might just start to change years of narrow thinking. Education and patience (sadly, still patience) is needed just as much as raising hell to get law makers to vote for and sign the right laws.

Overall I have high hopes for humanity even if sometimes it seems bleak.

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If you leave a comment on this post, you'll be entered to win an ebook of my latest novel, Paid Leave. (the winner will be a randomly chosen comment and will be selected sometime after May 22. I'm actually out of the country right now.)

Blurb: Albuquerque police officer Benji Miller made the choice to hide his sexuality and devote his life to his career. He guards his secret carefully, believing he is protecting his job and happiness. Then, during a routine traffic stop gone awry, he shoots a suspect to protect a young girl, and his life spins out of control. A department-mandated paid leave rips away the only distraction he had, and he has to deal with the unsympathetic media who criticize the police department’s every move.

One day, needing to get out of the house, Benji walks into a café, where he meets Neal McCoy—a gay man living without shame, unafraid to speak his mind or stand up against prejudice. Benji quickly falls for Neal but struggles to combine his new love interest and his career. With the media threatening the careful illusion he’s built around himself, Benji can’t stand the pressure.

Benji has to decide: sacrifice his happiness in the name of his career and an easy life, or find the courage to give up the lonely existence he knows and take a step into the unknown.

Available from Dreamspinner Press.

Excerpt:

“So is my charm winning you over yet?”

“What charm?” Benji meant it as a joke, but Neal didn’t laugh.

“I’m usually very good at reading men, but you’re sending me mixed signals. I understand if you can’t tell when a man flirts, but at least tell me I’m not making a fool of myself and giving you a funny story to tell your girlfriend.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Are we on the same team, Benji?” Neal changed his question into a more direct one Benji wasn’t comfortable answering.

“I have a convincing life of a straight bachelor I would like to maintain.” Benji couldn’t stop himself despite knowing he was ending chances before he even had a chance. “But that’s as far as it goes—a lie.”

“I see.” Neal nodded and watched Lucky chew a few dried twigs.

“I’m proud of what I am, Benji. If I could shit rainbows, I would.” Neal tugged on Lucky’s leash to get his attention and started toward the parking lot. “I like you, but it isn’t my place to convince you to change what you are.”

Benji was lost in a sea of his own insecurities that had flooded in following the shooting. Things he’d never challenged before became the only questions he had. “What if I want to be normal?”

His words froze Neal in his retreat. He looked over his shoulder, and his brown eyes carried sadness Benji wouldn’t have believed he was capable of experiencing. “You are normal, Benji.”

“What if I want more than what I’m allowed to have?”

“You struggle through hell to have what you deserve.”

Benji shook his head. “What if I lose my career?”

“I can’t answer that one. I don’t even know what you do.” Neal returned to Benji’s side and touched his arm. “It sounds like you need a friend more than a date.”

“I have friends.”

“Yeah. But I have a hunch that you don’t have friends that understand what it’s like to be gay.” Neal slipped his arm into Benji’s and started forward on the trail. “Let’s get back to the date. I know you’re not a coffee connoisseur, so what’s your favorite drink?”

Benji forced himself to relax. The trail was empty, and the birds hardly cared if two men touched. “Coke, I guess. After water. Most guys drink beer. I pick a cola.”

“We can break that bad habit,” Neal said. His chuckle warned Benji he was teasing.

“Do you only drink coffee?”

“Of course not. I also like water. We have so much in common, Benji.”

Available Now: Paid Leave

Paid Leave is now available at Dreamspinner Press. You can buy it today!

I'll be starting up promo late on this release. May is a month of vacation and packing the house for a remodel and a possible move. When I return, I'll be hosting a blog tour and giving away coffee from the coffee shop that inspired Beans in Paid Leave, coffee mugs, and of course copies of the book itself.

Guest: LJ LaBarthe

Please welcome guest author LJ LaBarthe! I got to say The Body on The Beach sounds like it needs a home on my Nook.

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Thanks for having me, Hayley!

The "Under the Southern Cross" anthology has stories from different genres and various Australian experiences, and I think it's fair to say that one thing the binds us all together, whether we're Australian or New Zealander or American or British or any other nationality, is food. Every country has its own 'signature dish(es)' and Australia is no different.

Anyone who has lived or visited here knows very well the deliciousness that is the Tim Tam cookie, which comes in a variety of flavours, or the tasty candy called Jaffas. We have billy tea, which is tea brewed in a tin can over an open fire, made popular in Australian folk song and poetry; damper, which is bread baked in an open fire or the meat pie. There's the pie floater (a meat pie in the middle of a bowl of green pea soup), or Vegemite (a spread made from brewer's yeast), or chiko rolls (a deep fried savoury roll vaguely like a spring roll).

There's also things like lamingtons (vanilla sponge cake squares coated in chocolate and coconut), fairy bread (buttered bread topped with hundreds and thousands), sausage rolls (flaky pastry wrapped around minced meat with herbs and spices, shaped like a long roll), or pavlova, which is a meringue cake with fruit and cream. There's some dispute about the origin of the pavlova, as some say it originated in New Zealand and not Australia.

One of the things I remember from my childhood is ANZAC biscuits. Originally, they were made as digestive biscuits for soldiers in the First World War, hence the name ANZAC. (ANZAC – Australia and New Zealand Army Corps.) Eggs were scarce during war time, so these biscuits are egg-free, which is great for me, as I'm allergic to eggs.

ANZAC biscuits were—and are—a popular biscuit. The scent of freshly baked ANZAC biscuits is one that always reminds me of home and family, and it's part of the Australian and New Zealand heritage. As the anthology and my story, "The Body on The Beach" are about Australians in Australia, I want to share this recipe with you and hope that you too will enjoy these biscuits as much as we do.

ANZAC Biscuits:

1 cup plain flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup (if you don't have golden syrup, treacle is a close substitute).

1 teaspoon boiling water

1 cup rolled oats

125 g butter

2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda

*Note: Some recipes call for 2/3 cup of desiccated coconut as well, but my mum never put that into her biscuits. It's up to you.*

Mix flour, oats and sugar (and coconut, if using). Melt butter and golden syrup together. Mix bi-carbonate soda with boiling water and add to the butter mixture. Pour into dry ingredients and stir to combine. Place spoonfuls of mixture onto greased oven trays, leaving room for them to spread. Bake at 170o Celsius / 338o Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Put onto a cooling tray to cool completely before packing away. Makes about 30.

(This recipe is from the East Goulburn Valley Country Women's Association and was first on the ABC.)

"The Body on The Beach" by L. J. LaBarthe.

Blurb: In 1920, a body is found on Brighton Beach, Adelaide. Billy Liang has been living a respectable life as the representative of Adelaide’s Chinese community—with his lover, lawyer Tom Williams, discreetly at his side. When evidence seems to implicate the people Billy represents, he steps up to help solve the murder. He and Tom deal with illegal opium dens, fantan games and gambling, racism, and being shot at. Though Billy’s family accepts the love he and Tom share, Australia’s laws against sodomy and homosexuality pose a constant danger. Now, the body on the beach brings a whole new threat to Billy and Tom’s life in Adelaide.

Buy it: ebook and paperback anthology collection.

You can find L. J. at:

Twitter: @brbsiberia

Blog: http://misslj_author.livejournal.com/

Web: http://www.ljlabarthe.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lj.labarthe.9

Guest: Anne Barwell

My guest today is Anne Barwell! She shares her thoughts about urban fantasy and some information on her WIP. Enjoy!

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Urban Fantasy  - a brief tourists' guide to The Sleepless City.

A big "thank you" to Hayley for the invitation to visit her blog today. 

Why urban fantasy?  When I was growing up, the term was virtually unheard of, although there were some stories out there set in cities with characters who were supernatural beings such as werewolves, vampires, ghosts and the like, if you could find them. But then, during that time it was difficult to find much in the way of fantasy, as science fiction was more popular.  

Today the shelves are full of fantasy, and a large number of those are urban fantasy. Why the attraction to the genre?

I can't speak for others but I really like the idea of something different lurking out there amongst the city streets, of there either being another world amongst the cracks in the concrete or one which co-exists alongside our own without our knowledge.  I'm a big fan of finding the extra ordinary in the ordinary, and especially of a scenario where someone wanders into this kind of world and has to adapt to it quickly and become a part of it themselves, either to survive or if they want to be with the person they love.

I've always enjoyed a good vampire or werewolf story, and thought why shouldn't these beings live alongside humans? Urban fantasy explores that, and what it means to be different. In most stories the supernatural pass themselves off as humans for the most part, except for when their talents are needed to bring down what is often referred to as a 'big bad'.  And yes, I am a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, why do you ask?

Of course there's the flip side of it all as being a vampire, a werewolf, or a ghost does have its downside. What happens when a vampire falls for a human who is going to age and die while the vampire keeps living physically unchanged, for centuries? I think that's the real curse, watching everything and everyone around you change while you don't.

I wrote a series of short stories a few years ago about a photographer who fell for a vampire, the irony of it that he would never be able to capture the man he loved on film. I really liked these characters, and the scenario and wanted to do something further with them, so when Elizabeth Noble and I were discussing vampires one day – as one does -  and she said she had a vampire character she'd like to write more of too, our series The Sleepless City was born.

So far we have five books planned, and we're having a lot of fun with it. The first book is Shades of Sepia, which is my current WIP, and Elizabeth is writing book two, Electric Candle.  The main characters are vampires, werewolves, ghosts and the photographer I mentioned before, although his character has morphed a bit since then, as they all have. We're going for a slightly different take on vampire and werewolf lore, and it's led to some very interesting conversations.

I'll leave you with the blurb for Shades of Sepia, and a brief excerpt to whet your appetite. Keep in mind though, that this is currently a WIP... Stay tuned.

Blurb:

A serial killer stalks the streets of Flint, Ohio. The victims are always found in pairs, one human and one vampire.

Simon Hawthorne has been a vampire for nearly a hundred years and he has never seen anything like it before. Neither have any of others who make up the team of supernaturals he works with to keep the streets safe for both their kind and the humans who live in this city.

One meeting with Simon and Ben Leyton finds himself falling for a man he knows is keeping secrets, but he can't ignore the growing attraction between them. Ben has only recently arrived in Flint, and finding it very different from his native New Zealand, but there's something about Simon that makes Ben feel as though he's found a new home.

After a close friend becomes one of the killer's victims, Simon is torn between revealing his true nature to Ben, and walking away and avoiding the reaction he fears. But with the body count rising and the murders becoming more frequent is it already too late to prevent either of them from becoming the next victim? 

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"Cool. I knew you guys were like the Justice League or something."

Lucas laughed. "I was going more for the Legion of Super Heroes actually."

"Yeah but the League has Batman in it," Blair began, "and the Legion is―" Luckily whatever he was going to say was interrupted by the sound of a telephone ringing.  Once he and Lucas started on one of their comics' conversations they'd go for what seemed forever.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Forge asked Simon.

"What?" Simon glanced around for the source of the ringing. He didn't get telephone calls, and had presumed the noise was coming from wherever Blair was.

"You're the only one around here who insists on that horrible ringtone," Forge pointed out, "so it's obviously your phone."  He'd complained about it ever since Simon had explained―quite logically he'd thought― that if he was to carry a telephone it made sense for it to at least sound like one.

"Try your pockets?" said Lucas helpfully.

"Oh right." Simon fished his telephone out of his pocket. Its screen was flashing with the name of the caller. Simon stared at it.

"You're supposed to answer it, not stare at it," Forge said. "Or have you forgotten how to again?"

"I know how to answer it." Simon poked at appropriate button then held the telephone up to his ear. "Simon speaking. How can I help you?"

Forge snickered. Simon glared at him, thought for a moment about retreating to somewhere more private then realised it would be a waste of time. Damn vampire hearing. Not that werewolves and ghosts were much better.

"Hey, Simon. It's Ben."

Perhaps he was calling to say he'd thought twice about meeting for coffee. But why would he take the time to do that? Surely if that were the case he'd just not contact Simon again at all?

"Hello, Ben."  Simon took a couple of steps toward the door, half turning his back on the other occupants of the room.

"I rang to apologise," Ben said, his words tumbling out over each other.

"Apologise?" Simon frowned. "Why?" If anyone should be apologising for the way in which their conversation had ended, it should be him.

"I obviously upset you, and I'm sorry."

"You didn't," Simon reassured him. "I overreacted. I do that sometimes." He reached for his glass of milk and took a long draught. Feeling a little calmer, he collected his thoughts before breaking the silence. "Would you still like to meet for coffee?"

Lucas and Forge high fiving was something best ignored, as was the smug expression on both their faces.

"Yeah, sure, that would be great." Ben answered Simon very quickly. "When and where? I'm working a long shift tomorrow so that won't work but I don't start until eleven on Thursday."

After mentally consulting his calendar, Simon nodded. "That would be fine. I don't have lectures on Thursday mornings. Do you know Hunter's on West 13^th Street? We could meet at there at nine."

"I haven't been there but I'll find it," Ben said. "See you at nine then on Thursday?"

"Yes. Goodbye, Ben."

"Bye, Ben," called out Lucas.

"Bye ..." Ben trailed off. "Hey, who is that?" His voice took on a rather suspicious tone. "Simon, is there someone listening in on us?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Simon said.  "I share my... building... with some friends who don't understand the concept of privacy. That was Lucas. I'll explain on Thursday."

"Okay.  Bye."

"Goodbye," Simon said again, this time to a darkened telephone. He shoved it back in his pocket.

"He sounds cute," said Lucas. "I like the accent." He grinned. "Can I come too? I want to hear how you explain me."

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Bio:

Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand, sharing her home with her twin daughters, at least during the holidays, when one of them isn't away at university. Her son has left home and started his own family, although she claims she is too young to be a grandmother already. Her three cats are convinced that the house is run to suit them; this is an ongoing "discussion," and to date it appears as though the cats may be winning.

In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching and has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and a librarian. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction club and plays piano for her local church and violin for a local orchestra.

She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as "too many." These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of "spare time" is really just a myth.

Links:

http://anne-barwell.livejournal.com/

http://annebarwell.wordpress.com/

http://coffeeunicorns.wordpress.com/

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_426