thatrcooper: (geoffrey fuck you by iconsftw)
In response to recent events, and my political posts all over the place:

There are a lot of people who feel that writers, like artists and actors, should stay out of politics. Usually, people worry about them driving away fans, I think, That is a real possibility. Fans have plenty of other options if you displease them.

But I don't like that argument. For one, art is always political. It doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's a product of its time and place, and the experiences and worldview of the person who created it. Just as how it's interpreted by fans is also political and based on their experiences and worldviews. And I know, this is genre fiction--romance--so calling it "art" feels a little silly, but each m/m romance story is still a written document. It's still a creation. It's something that could survive to another time and be examined by people wanting to discover more about our time. So I'm just gonna go ahead and call it art. :)

It's art, and it has meaning to the people who write it, and to the people who read it. You can't pretend otherwise. You can't, for example, have women claiming m/m helps them explore their sexuality but then also claim m/m is meaningless. It's art, and every choice made by the author of an m/m story is political whether they realize it or not. The age of your protags, their body types, their races, their choice of how to label themselves, their economic class, their freedom (or lack of freedom) to express their desires, their state of being Out or not to their families, even if they are a goddamn werewolf--it's political. Writers are making a political statement, even with the smuttiest smut, or the fluffiest fluff piece set in a coffee shop. Readers are making political choices when they choose certain books over others.That's just the way it is.

Beyond that, although certain people like pretend otherwise, m/m romance is a genre about an actual real life community of actual people who are in actual danger of having their rights stripped away. M/m books have readers (and writers), male and female, who are a part of that community and are in terror right now. And a part of me feels like, if you write those books, but you aren't standing up for those people now, then you cannot be writing books I want to read.

So yeah, if you follow me on Facebook or Tumblr or on my fledgling Twitter, I am probably annoying the shit out of you with all my political posts. (Especially if you live in another country.) You might decide not to follow me anymore because of that. Or you might decide my views are too much for you, so you never want to buy my work again. That sucks for me, but it's your right.

But I can't shut up right now. I'm a nervous wreck, and swinging wildly between anger and despair as I read every day about new horrendous injustices being ordered by Evil Orange Tiny Hands and his friends, and I'd love to just ignore everything, or keep my opinions to myself. But I can't. It's not in my nature. And frankly, if you've been reading my stories, that should be pretty clear by now. :)

I'm not saying people in this community have to start shouting about Cheeto Voldemort the way I am and others are, but I am thinking that sometimes, for what I said above? The reverse is true. Sometimes not voicing your opinions or offering support in a time of crisis can cost you fans too.

So anyway. tl;dr. Sorry not sorry for all the political posts, but thank you to the people who donated and participated in both of my anti-Tiny Hands and the Axis of Evil charity drives. You guys are awesome! Also in a little bit, I should have a new story out, and part of the profits are going to go to charity again. Stay tuned!
thatrcooper: (paris by cunningcroft)
I confess, while the commercial nature of St Valentine's Day bugs the crap out of me, and I hate the feeling of obligation it creates, I loooove the cheesier aspects of it. For real, my old job involved decorating for Valentine's Day and helping people plan and decorate for it, and making everything look like a streamers-and-hearts pink-and-red middle school dance is so much fun. Also, I adore boxes of chocolates. The good kind though. (See's is my favorite). The kind that, sadly, rarely comes in cheesy heart-shaped boxes. I even like flowers and roses--although no so much the red roses unless the smell is good.

But, since no one expects me with my serious little face to enjoy those things, people don't think I enjoy the day. Consequently, I will be doing nothing this Valentine's Day but eating chocolates I bought myself, drinking champagne, and talking about silly romance stuff over on Tumblr. If anyone wants to watch that, or chat with me, they are welcome to. <3

(Okay, I will also be trying to do some of my actual writing that day. Until the champagne kicks in anyway.)

If that's not your cup of tea, but you still want to watch me talk nonsense about romance stuff, I will be making a blog post on the Dreamspinner Press blog on February 23. I'm thinking I will talk about fairy tales or something similiar and you all can talk or ask stuff or whatever. :) This, of course, will be to promote The Winter Prince.

(Guys, I am nervous about that one. It's one of those stories that I know won't be popular, but I do adore those characters and I get nervous for them like they're real. Sigh. They are my fav kind of stupid dorks with all the pining, but at least they get the excuse of being young when they made their dumbass decisions, and then we get all that glorious yearning and boys being stupidly noble.)

In other news, been looking for a narrator for Zeki and Theo for A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate audiobook, and Dreamspinner, which has been doing ebook bundle specials by theme or author, wants to do a Being(s) in Love set in October. Some Kind of Magic through The Firebird. !!!! Yaaaay! Hopefully if I finish my current project soon, it would be released around then. Meanwhile, Tulip's story will be out in June or July. :)

Um. Did I actually mention The Winter Prince's release date? Aah, I am terrible at this. It comes out on the 24th of February.



Description:

His heart stolen by a powerful pari’s magic, a young prince’s veins slowly fill with ice. That is what the stories say. Three years have passed since, and all efforts to save Kisin have failed. He won’t survive another winter. To save the prince’s life, Razin, the court wizard and Kisin’s childhood friend, plans to seek out the pari. But unbeknownst to Razin, Kisin’s heart was never stolen; he gave it freely to escape the pain of impossible love—his love for Razin.

Razin won’t accept Kisin’s fate, for reasons obvious to anyone who knows anything of love. Kisin agrees to the desperate quest, out of duty and a need to protect Razin. But it isn’t long before Razin realizes saving his prince will require more than simply retrieving his heart. Razin will have to convince him to want it.

(Or, as a friend on Tumblr described it, sort of a Snow Queen meets Beauty and the Beast.)


Feel free to come visit with me at either event. Or both. (Does tipsy blogging on Valentine's Day count as an event? Hmm)
thatrcooper: (stephen by aixsponsa)
A couple of things. (Oh hey anyone new who might be reading this. Hey! I just met you, this is crazy, but here's my number...)

First things first, LOOKIT IT'S A BOOK!!!! )

I know it's expensive and a big purchase and maybe I'm no one's favorite author, but OMG! It's a book! I'm having a moment. I'm getting all verklempt!


In other news it's Dreamspinner's Fifth Anniversary, so they are having sales all month, but I guess they are surprise! bonus extra special sales and other deals and treats that you have to watch their FB or Twitter feed to find out about. Just letting people know. Sales! Sales are always good.


In *other* other news, I seriously might be no one's favorite author (as far as I can tell anyway) but screw it, I'm going to go ahead with my charity thing. What I am most likely going to do is set up a post with a starting bid price (something low, like $5) and offer to write a new story of at least 5000 words based on a prompt from the person with the highest bid (if I have a bidder. If not I might write something anyway, but charity would get no money. Boo). I am still considering the details, but the charity will most likely be for this place or someplace like it The San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center. But again, I'm still working out the details... with myself really, and my schedule and moods. (Damn moods!)

Anyway, BOOK! It's pretty to hold I must say. Now back to work for me... or sleep. I might sleep now. Work tomorrow.
thatrcooper: (natalie wood natalie wood by teh gandu)
I am supposed to be going over my galley proof today, only I keep getting embarrassed at seeing it in print and looking away.

The front is lovely though. Old-fashioned and pretty.

Etiquette question...are you supposed to comment when you friend or follow someone you don't really know? Similarly, are you supposed to comment when they friend or follow you if you don't know them that well/at all?

I suppose it's one of those things where you can do whatever, but one is seen as slightly more or less bitchy than the other.

And then the dilemma, start working on the synopsis for the dragon thing (which I hate doing) or waste time writing long fanfic insane thing that's eaten my brain? Dammit. *Or* brainstorm online with someone this original thing that would be awesome but which will likely never get written? ARGH.

Also I am still thinking on the charity thing. Would people bid on me if I offered a short story or something? A free book? hmmm
thatrcooper: (paris by cunningcroft)
"Have to". Silly me. I want to, and now I could buy something with all the sales. I don't need to buy presents for other people, do I? Not really I mean, isn't my love enough? I know I'll just write them some pron or boyfluff.

Anyway, back to the promoting, for anyone else looking for bargains...


Dreamspinner is having a We Are Thankful Sale, 20% off everything on the web site through Nov. 30 *AND* there's a code on their Facebook page for 15% off one order of any size over the next year.

And then every purchase between now and Nov. 30 enters people in a drawing for a Kindle Fire, to be drawn on Dec. 1. Which I ought to buy something today so I don't have to read stories on my computer all the time when I do read.


Dude. Fiddler on the Roof is on tv and I got sucked in again and now I'm depressed and cold. Dammit! It's definitely time for porn and/or boyfluff. I think I have a wishlist somewhere of books to buy. Somewhere.

Also, this is completely random but the Red Riding Hood trilogy...is it good and worth watching?
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