The Writing of J.Rocci

REVIEW: Bear Cub (2004)

2012-02-14T20:12:00.000-08:00

Movie Review: Cachorro (2004)
English translation: Bear Cub
Review by J. Rocci
Rating: Rated R for sexuality, drug use and language
Starring: José Luis García Pérez, David Castillo and Empar Ferrer
Language: Spanish with English subtitles

IMDB.com synopsis

Pedro, a gay man with an active social life and big circle of friends, takes in his nephew Bernardo for a couple weeks. When it appears as though it might become a permanent arrangement, however, Pedro turns to his friends for guidance as he and 9-year-old Bernardo begin to forge a household together.

J thinks:

I'm debating on how much I liked this film. I mean, I liked it-- The plot was original, it made you put a lot together on your own first, then validated your conclusions, and the relationships in it were obviously complex.

My only complaint is that the climax felt more like an epilogue than a culmination of all the rising action. It didn't leave you hanging, but it felt pared down (Perhaps due to time constraints?) and not as fleshed out as the rest of the movie. It was true to the characters, yes, but still. It felt rushed.

But I liked all the characters, and it was definitely a movie that emphasized shades-of-grey rather than falling into obvious stereotypes. Pedro, the main character, has reasons for acting the way he does and keeping people distant, but he's a nice guy about it so you really can't hold it against him. Bernardo sees/knows more than everyone expects him to (except his mother), and he's not a total brat about it. He's a mature kid who still acts like a kid at times, making him very believable. I even felt bad for the grandmother.

All in all, a film with complex characterizations that really carry the whole thing, and through that, the plot is believable. I'd recommend it for people who aren't looking for heavy action and want a film to dissect afterwards.

Please, stay safe and be well, and be kind to each other.

2011-12-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

Normally I'd reserve this for my personal journal, but in the spirit of the season that so many others celebrate, I'd like to share this -- my own personal celebration of life -- with you while wishing you good health, and happiness, and good fortune in all you endeavor.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Eid al-Adha, Yule or the solstice; whether you're religious, agnostic, atheist or just plain apathetic; whether you're young, old, rich, poor, privileged, under-privileged, male, female, man, woman, gay, straight, anywhere in between -- You are all part of this global community we live in and you're welcome here, at my table. Pull up a chair :)

So this past year was a little rough on my tiny household. I lost a grandmother, a mentor, and a canine companion. I watched as my friends lost mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, and siblings. I've watched the world fall to pieces and lose all semblance of civility, but I've also seen the sweetest, kindest acts come from unexpected places. I traveled to Ireland, published more stories, and tried to be a little more open to letting others in. Even in the darkest spots, I've been grateful for the love and support of my beloved, the closeness of our friends, and the strength of the family we have carved out for ourselves over this past decade.

I am so lucky, and I know full well that luck can change in an instant. I won't take unnecessary risks, but I won't live in fear of that inevitable moment. Fear, I think, is the root of most of our actions. It defines us as humans. But so does love.

Years ago, when I was researching a fanfic of all things, I came across a quote by Vaclav Havel and it resonated within me, as someone who believes you can do good acts and be a good person without religion or sharing a faith with others:

"Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good." Vaclav Havel (Czech Playwright and President of Czechoslovakia (1989-92), b.1936, d. 2011)

When he passed away this last Sunday, my first reaction was sadness. It was quickly overcome by my admiration for him and the realization that, here I am, a person sitting on their couch in America, mourning the loss of a man half a world away and remembering him for what he did and what he symbolized and who he was -- that, friends, is someone whose goodness has touched more lives than he could have ever realized.

So I want to wish you well, not just for this day or week or season, but for all your years beyond, all your tomorrows and yesterdays and the unfolding potential beneath your feet. Even when the world seems like a grim and dark place, and you wonder if you'll ever get out of a funk or stop being lonely or stop fearing others or yourself--

It does get better. Because when you stumble, there are others who are willing to carry your burdens and your hopes for you until you find your feet again. There are good people out in the world, regardless of faith or creed, who strive and push and pull the rest of us toward mercy and love and understanding; who we can only try to emulate and carry on even when they themselves stumble. Because everyone hits those rough patches and there's no shame in reaching out for help.

When it comes down to it, we're all each other have, cliché as it is, with all these fragile human relationships and connections. When we harm each other with fists and words, we're harming ourselves most of all. We box ourselves in our comfortable little holes and patterns, and fear anything that threatens to drag us out. To constantly open ourselves up to the world and all that it entails -- it's exhausting, it can be painful and terrifying, but it can also be so beautiful and interesting and diverse and breath-taking in its constant seething mass of humanity.

When my heart aches and I see the bittersweet shapes the world has twisted itself into, I want to pick up my pen and write a love story to the universe. I want to compose a sonnet dedicated to the bravery of our children, and more than anything, I want to sweep my brush across a page and promise them kindness and love and happily-ever-afters.

I want to smudge hate and violence out of existence, exit stage right. I want the villains to be caricatures, twirling their mustaches and winking at the audience, easy to identify, and for them to never once use their religion -- or anything else that's meant to do good deeds -- as a weapon. I want my pen to fly across scrolls of paper, draped over the shoulders of my heroes like wings waiting for the right words to let them take flight.

I want to give the gift of unashamed emotion, rather than hiding behind a clenched jaw and loose fists. I want my lips and tongue and fingers to be sore from trying to express this bright feeling bursting in my chest, instead of trying to fix what others have broken.

I want to ink a story over my skin where I can raise up my chin and open my eyes and say: This -- this busy street, this noisy house, this crowded kitchen -- this is the hearth of my heart, where banked embers flare. I will remember that, no matter how cold outside, in here is where I return to warmth and love and family. The lifeblood in my veins, the breath in my lungs; they're steeped in this warmth and it echoes in my every step. Even when I'm tired or frustrated or sorrowful, I can carry that beauty -- that love story -- in me, and blaze a trail of pure feeling across the pavement; a beacon and a promise and a wish. I can do this and not lose pieces of myself, because my faith is in myself and in you, and our inherent drive to love and accept one another.

So my heartfelt wish for you, friends:

Please, stay safe and be well, and be kind to each other. We all deserve it.

Connections (Courting #6) now available!

2011-12-23T12:10:00.000-08:00

Nice: Connections by J. Rocci

This Christmas is going to be a special one for Officer Josh Dabbs and his husband Garrison Williams: For the first time, they're sharing the holiday with their children, Henry and Gabriella. Of course, this being the Dabbs-Williams household, there are crazy dogs, visits from the in-laws to prepare for, and the uncertain waters of parenthood as Gabriella tests her boundaries. But Josh and Garrison have each other, and their family and friends, and a house full of love, so the holidays will be perfect.

Pick up your copy today!

More about the Courting series!

FREE Army Green PDF mini-stories!

2011-10-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

I've written ten mini-stories for the Army Green boys and it's starting to get a little unwieldy over here on my journal, so my solution? Make a PDF. Have fun with photoshop while doing it.

This PDF is a free download prepared by me featuring mini-stories written from reader prompts provided during Torquere Press Livejournal hosting days over the last year or so.

The Army Green series is a contemporary romance series set in Kentucky at Glenhaven Farms, where Neil and Ms. Susan have raised, boarded, and shown horses for decades. The focus of the series is their adult grandson, Evan, and all the strays they've taken in over the years. The series started off with Taction, then grew with Army Green and Army Green: Burning Bright.

I've arranged the mini-stories in chronological order, and have included purchase information and excerpts from the three main stories so readers will know if there are spoilers in the mini-stories ahead. I've also provided character summaries for the main characters at the front.

So please, check out the download over here, and let me know whether or not you like it. Does it play nice with your e-reader? Does the formatting work for you? I'd like to make these as stream-lined and accessible as possible :)

Released: The Silver Sun of an Imaginary Day by J. Rocci

2011-10-15T05:29:00.001-07:00

The Silver Sun of an Imaginary Day
by J. Rocci
27 pages / 7100 words

Lord John Blakeney has been living with the curse of the werewolf for almost a year and fears that he can no longer control the beast. Exhausting his search for a cure, he is determined to attempt one last antidote at the advice of a London alchemist. He needs transportation to a crag where the sun and the moon align in a lunar eclipse on All Hallow's Eve. When a pickpocket places a note in his pocket that leads him to a pub, he's approached by Donal Gambrill, air ship captain and a man he fell in love with years ago.

Gambrill is convinced to fly him to the crag on the Totentanz, his dirigible, and during the journey, Blakeney and Gambrill find that their former attraction is still burning bright. But if the cure works, they may have more time than Blakeney can imagine.

Available now from Torquere Books!

Movie Review: Heroic Duo (2003)

2011-10-14T16:58:00.000-07:00

Movie Review: Shuang xiong (2003)
English translation: Heroic Duo
Review by J. Rocci
Rating: Rated R for violent content
Starring: Ekin Cheng, Leon Lai

Imdb.com synopsis:

The plot summary listed on imdb.com makes absolutely no sense, so I'll just say this is a cop suspense / thriller movie with a supernatural element, set in Hong Kong, where a police officer tracking down leads on a case teams up with a criminal bent on revenge.

J. thinks:

Directed by Benny Chan (Jackie Chan's brother, and writer/director of Gen X Cops, another favorite), and starring Ekin Cheng (Vampire Effect, Tekken, Storm Riders, A Man Called Hero) and Leon Lai (Battle Arena Toshinden). I could only find it available to watch in original Cantonese with subtitles, but I think we know how I feel on that by now :)

I was expecting something along the lines of Gen X Cops when I watched this, and I was pleasantly surprised when Chan took a rather far-fetched premise -- hypnotist criminal, for real? -- and made a well-written, serious film about it that had me on my seat through almost the entire movie. Throughout, you get a feel for each of the characters, even down to the secondary ones like Cheng's subordinates on the force and Lai's wife and friends, and what I liked the most was that their actions all make sense for their personalities, even if it's unexpected behavior.

The plot is kind of twisting, and a little slow in the beginning as we get through all the exposition, but it definitely picks up in action after the first quarter-mark. I liked the undertone between Lai's character, Jack, and the main bad guy, Hoi, played by Francis Ng (Gen X Cops, A Man Called Hero, Second Strike, Bride with White Hair), and that really went a long way in explaining why Hoi was messing with Jack's head and life.

Visually, the settings were interesting and diverse, and the action was well-choreographed (But what do you expect from Chan?), and there were a few chase scenes that rocked. My only issue with the action is that sometimes cops were gunned down just out of the blue, and that never sits well with me. But the whole hypnotism aspect, while at times a little unrealistic in the speed people went under (just twice out of almost a dozen hypnoses), was obviously researched and handled scientifically, just with a little more of a non-APA twist to it, which I liked.

I accepted the ending, because by that point, I couldn't have seen it going any other way. But I wasn't really upset at any of it, since the character motivations were clear and true to what we'd been shown up to that point. So yes.

Good movie. Definitely gets in your head. I'd recommend it if you like action and intelligent mystery.

Writing soundtrack: Army Green: Hooligans

2011-10-08T23:22:00.000-07:00

I'm always curious to see what other authors listen to while writing, so I'm going to try to make my own soundtracks more accessible to peeps. My first post is the one I listen to most often. Keep an eye out for more Hooligans in 2012!

Links go to Youtube. I tried to link to official videos where they existed. Top of the list is a little metal heavy, so some of the vids may be graphic in nature. Be warned.

Army Green: Hooligans
The REO Mix

An Open Letter To Nyc by Beastie Boys
Dear New York I know a lot has changed / two towers down but you're still in the game

Hero Of War by Rise Against
I'll carry this flag / To the grave if I must / Because it's a flag that I love / And a flag that I trust

Counting Bodies Like Sheep by A Perfect Circle
I’ll be the one to protect you from your enemies and all your demons / I'll be the one to protect you from a will to survive and a voice of reason

Death Blooms by Mudvayne [this would probably be one of the graphic vids I warned about...]
Dark for fear of failure an inner gloom as wide as an eye

Bodies by Drowning Pool
You're all by yourself but you're not alone / You wanted in now you're here

Superbeast by Rob Zombie
You pray so hard on bloody knees

Chop Suey! by System of a Down
Hide the scars to fade away the shake up

Handlebars by The Flobots [graphic]
I can do anything with no permission / I have it all under my command

Paint It, Black by The Rolling Stones
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts

Wake Up! by Me Talk Pretty
We will never be the same

My Plague by Slipknot [Resident Evil clips in the official soundtrack vid]
I know why you blame me (yourself) / I know why you plague me (yourself)

Scumgrief (Deep Dub Trauma mix) by Fear Factory
I've seen your wounds / That you can't hide

Survivor Guilt by Rise Against
Carry on, don't mind me / All I gave was everything / And yet you ask me for more

The Hate In Me by Godhead
You've got to wake up, no time to make up / The life you wasted and everything that broke apart

Party Up by DMX [censored version]
Y'all gon' make me lose my cool up in here, up in here

Wasteland by 10 Years [link to official band MySpace]
Die, withdraw, hide in cold sweat, quivering lips / Ignore, remorse, naming a kid, living Wasteland

Giving In by Adema
Will you walk me / To the edge again / Shaking, lonely, and I am drinking again

Pain by Jimmy Eat World
Anyone can see my every flaw / It isn't hard / Anyone can say they're above this all / It takes my pain away

Coma White by Marilyn Manson
A pill to make you numb / A pill to make you dumb / A pill to make you anybody else

Down In A Hole by Alice in Chains
Down in a hole, feelin' so small / Down in a hole, outta control / I'd like to fly but my / Wings have been so denied

Juke-Joint Jezebel (Metropolis Mix) by KMFDM [Mortal Kombat soundtrack vid]
If I could leave my burning skin / that has been used up in your sin / is there a tiny part of me / untouched-unsoiled by misery

Guilty by Gravity Kills [graphic]
Now I'm done with nothing new, sometimes green sometimes blue / And I'm guilty

Big Empty by Stone Temple Pilots [The Crow fanvid by graphic movie scenes]
too much walkin', shoes worn thin / too much trippin' and my soul's worn thin

Hurt by Johnny Cash (cover of Nine Inch Nails)
I hurt myself today / To see if I still feel / I focus on the pain / the only thing that's real

Funeral Song by The Rasmus
I died in my dreams / What's that supposed to mean?

Bullet-proof Skin by Institute [live version]
I can't hold you / To lose you is to never love again

Always by Saliva
I feel, like you don't want me around / I guess I'll pack all my things

In Your Diary by All:My:Faults
it is the hope that keeps me here in this world

The Kill by 30 Seconds To Mars
I know now, this is who I really am inside / Finally found myself / Fighting for a chance / I know now, this is who I really am

Erase My Scars by Evans Blue
Fight this time / Inside, take a break from the lie you live / I came this far / Erase my scars

All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix
There are many here among us / Who feel that life is but a joke

Fuego by Pitbull
Ten cuidado con el fuego (It'll burn you!)

Grenade by Bruno Mars
You know I'd do anything for you

Savior by Rise Against
But seldom do these words ring true when I'm constantly failing you

Skeleton Jar by Youth Group
How can you stand there and watch this scene / I hate you for liking me

Fine Again by Seether
They say it’s over and I’m fine again, yeah / Try to stay sober feels like I’m dying here

Weak by Skunk Anansie
So what am I now I'm loves last home / I`m all of the soft words I once owned

Lose Yourself by Eminem
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow / This opportunity comes once in a lifetime

Cold (But I'm Still Here) by Evans Blue
well I don't look like they do, and I don't love like they do / but I don't hate like they do / am I ever on your mind?

Entwined by Coal Chamber
You have made me alright complete again / Always willing to break down my will again

Howlin' For You by The Black Keys
It's true / Baby I'm howlin' for you

Movie Review: Fucking Amal (1998)

2011-10-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

Fucking Amal
English title: Show Me Love
Rating: NR
Directed by Lukas Moodysson
Starring: Alexandra Dahlström, Rebecka Liljeberg and Erica Carlson

Imdb.com synopsis:

Åmål is a small insignificant town where nothing ever happens, where the latest trends are out of date when they get there. Young Elin has a bit of a bad reputation when it comes to guys, but the fact is that she has never done *it*. Another girl in her school, Agnes, is in love with her but is too shy to do anything about it. For different reasons, Elin ends up at Agnes' birthday party as the only guest. They have a girl's night out together but after that Elin desperately avoids Agnes, refusing to even consider her own homosexuality.

J thinks:

This film was like a more serious and realistic version of Two Girls in Love, except it focused on how the girls interacted with everyone else more than the relationship between them.

Elin, the popular party girl, was obnoxious, and prone to peer pressure while still being defiant enough that the ending of the movie was believable. Her constant mood swings and changing decisions made her seem more sympathetic to me. She's obviously just a kid trying to figure things out. Agnes, the outcast nerd, was believable in her depression and anger and her desire to continue believing Elin even after she's been betrayed by friends.

All in all, it was a painful pleasure to watch as it reminded me a bit too much of high school, but I took that as it being well written. The supporting characters were well defined and you were left feeling sympathetic towards them even as you rooted for Elin/Agnes, and the scenes between Agnes and her dad made me want to sniffle. The film has a nice mix of angst and hope, and there is a fluffy ending, otherwise I wouldn't have watched it.

Review: The Sound of Your Voice by David Sullivan

2011-09-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Sound of Your Voice by David Sullivan
ebook, 145 pages
Published 2003 by Torquere Press
http://www.thesoundofyourvoice.com

The Sound of Your Voice was one of the first novels I read at Torquere Press back in 2006 and I still remember it clearly to this day. The author's straightforward tackling of the issues between Deaf and hearing cultures, as well as the way the main characters could have misunderstandings without jeopardizing their relationship, drew me into this story, and I still remember reading through it in one afternoon, forgoing sleep to finish. The book explores the differences between the main characters honestly and respectfully, and in the end, I was rooting whole-heartedly for them and the way they changed each other. Close to DC as I am, I also had fun recognizing the landmarks mentioned!

Review: Chance Encounters, ed. M. Rode

2011-09-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

I need to remember to cross-post these from my GoodReads account!

Chance Encounters by M. Rode (Editor)
ebook, 211 pages
Published July 2004 by Torquere Press

I still remember reading this anthology back in 2006 -- 26 short stories by many familiar Torquere authors, all about chance meetings that range from sweet to heartbreaking, across different historical periods. One of the things I loved about this was the fact that the stories were a mix of m/m and f/f.

Some favorites were:

Virtuoso By Jodi Payne: A f/f story about turned tables and defied expectations at a night club, definitely hot.

Searching For A Hero By Lorne Rodman: A m/m story about an author on vacation who runs into an old fling and realizes how much of an impact their encounter 20 years ago had on his work. Told in the present with hot little flashbacks to the past.

West Side By Jordan Price: A m/m story about a chance encounter at the laundromat that turned into something more than either party was expecting. I loved the acknowledgement of cultural differences in this one.

Mustang By Tulsa Brown: A m/m story about an author who meets book collector, and makes a surprising connection.

Lime By Kathleen Dale: A f/f story where a woman decides to visit a psychic artist on a lark and gets a far more intimate reading than she expected. No actual hooking up in this one, but the language and the reading from the psychic is beautiful.

Birds of a Feather By Vincent Diamond: I have to admit, this one traumatized me a little because a bird is injured in it, but the sex was hot (m/m) and more of an emotional connection than the majority of the stories.

A Day in New York By Gabrielle Chevalier: The last story in the anthology, and the one that stuck with me the longest -- haunting, I suppose. A m/m story set during WWII, and just so evocative of the time period. A soldier the last day before shipping off to war, and his life when he gets back, with a melancholy and hope interwoven throughout the day. I generally avoid war stories, but I loved the ending, and this was the perfect choice to cap off the anthology.

House of Flying Daggers (2004)

2011-09-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

Movie Review: House of Flying Daggers (2004)
Review by J. Rocci
Rated: PG-13
Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Ziyi, Andy Lau

This review may contain spoilers!

Let me tell you, Takeshi Kaneshiro is hot like a hot thing. He was in Returner (2002), an awesome sci-fi movie that made me squee, and yeah. This film was way better than I had expected -- I was thinking Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), which made me cringe and Mr. Bay snore (literally) -- and the ending actually sat well with me, for a tragedy. I've likened it to a better version of Romeo and Juliet, where the main characters aren't fuckwits. The main actress, Zhang Ziyi, made me drool. She's apparently trained as a dancer and had never taken a martial art before filming, but ::flail:: and her with Kaneshiro? Double your fun.

The film was visually stunning, with beautiful forest scenes and a wonderful use of color. Quite a few of the scenes were filmed in the Ukraine, and it was just-- wow. I've got a thing for forests. But yes, the dialogue was well-written, the acting was amazing, the plot line was brilliant and had me guessing (it may require another watching to pick up on all the nuances, but you won't mind, believe me).

The storyline actually went through a major re-write just before filming because the actress cast as one of the main characters-- Anita Mui-- died of cervical cancer the month before she was to be filmed. So instead of re-casting, out of respect they shifted focus of the film away from her character and dedicated the film to her, listing her on the cast. Which I think was the proper thing to do (no commentary on Western film making here).

Overall, I'm glad my sister threatened me with bodily harm until I watched this movie. Definitely worth the rent. But watch it subtitled with the original Mandarin-- Kaneshiro and Zhang's voices should be listened to in all their glory.

Halloween sip coming October 15!

2011-09-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

Keep an eye out for my new Halloween Sip, The Silver Sun of an Imaginary Day, coming October 15 from Torquere Press!

Steampunk! Werewolves! Magical beings! Historical-sounding dialogue!

!!

:P

Review of Emily Moreton's Going Under!

2011-09-17T14:14:00.001-07:00

Going Under by Emily Moreton [Available at Torquere Press and Rainbow Ebooks]
Review by J. Rocci

In Going Under, Moreton explores the story of a new couple edging closer to greater intimacy, held back by mostly by the main character's fears: Connor is transsexual and Ethan is only the second man he's brought home since his transition surgery. Their story is told in reverse, from trying to take that next step, to an hour before at the club where Connor decides to invite Ethan home, to Ethan pursuing Connor for their first date, and then their first meeting.

Moreton handles Connor's fears and anxieties with an empathetic touch, delving into what it means to adjust after transitioning while still focusing on Connor and Ethan's evolving relationship. The two are equals in the relationship and Ethan is a gentleman, wooing Connor and willing to take his cues from the other man. Ethan is enthusiastic but willing to back off if Connor's uncomfortable, and doesn't make it an issue.

All said, "Going Under" is a sweet story where I found myself wrapped up in Connor's worries and touched by Ethan's caring and perseverance. I would love to read more with these two!

Author's Bio:

Emily Moreton has been writing since she was a child, though the erotic fiction didn't come until much later. She's had m/m and f/f short stories published in several anthologies, including last year's charity sip blitz. She lives in Bristol, UK, with her cat, works in the violence against women sector, and is wondering if starting a PhD was actually a good idea after all.

Emily's review of Elizabeth Coldwell's "Plumb Lucky":
http://purple-pen.dreamwidth.org/12786.html

Reviewer's Bio:

Since 2006, J. Rocci has published several romance stories with Torquere Press, ranging from contemporary to steampunk to fantasy. A voracious reader from a young age, Rocci currently has a career in research and lives near Washington D.C. with the love of her life and their furry children. She often indulges the whims of her best friend -- and Muse -- when writing, and loves giving her characters happy endings.
You can find Rocci on the web at:
http://j-rocci.dreamwidth.org/ and http://jrocci.blogspot.com/

Courting #5: Competition released as Charity Sip!

2011-09-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

Courting #5: Competition is now available as part of the Torquere Press 2011 Charity Sip Blitz benefitting the It Get Better Project!

Officer Joshua Dabbs and his husband, lawyer Garrison Williams, met while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps ten years ago. Their lives are very different now than from when they first started dating: they're out of the Corps and the closet, they're married and own a house, and they're getting ready to adopt two kids through the state. Josh figures their life is pretty much perfect.

When their friends challenge them to run in the annual Marine Corps Marathon, they find themselves back in D.C. and visiting their old stomping grounds around Quantico. Garrison and Josh enter a friendly competition to see who finishes the marathon first.

Available to buy:
At Rainbow Ebooks, the new Charity Sip Blitz sponsor
Or from Torquere Press!

All author royalties go to the It Gets Better Project, and Torquere Press matches them 100%

You can also buy all 33 Charity Sips in pdf format for 15% off the full price!

Unbreakable re-released!

2011-09-01T17:04:00.000-07:00

Unbreakable by J. Rocci

Two years have passed since the war, but Sir Kaden fears that his recent injuries on a mission for the king have stirred unpleasant memories for his lover, Lord Yanisin. Their once casual relationship is tested as the tension between them rises the longer things are left unsaid. With some outside prompting, Kaden resolves to help Sin lay the past to rest, whether the other man welcomes his attentions or not, and hopes that their relationship will come out stronger than before.

Previously released as a Cherry Bomb.

Spotlight: Youthful Gods, Book One: Pretty Pleasures

2011-07-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

Youthful Gods, Book One: Pretty Pleasures
317 pages / 64,600 words

Greg Barton has worked at the renaissance faire for years, but it’s Greg’s last season so he’s determined to live it up. Lucky for Greg, Boone, the hot traveling armorer, remembers Greg from previous years and returns his interest. The two reconnect and Greg finds himself tumbling into Boone’s bed, dangerously close to losing his heart.

Only, there’s something not quite right with Boone. From the way Greg kept dreaming about Boone in the off-season to Boone’s overprotective friends, Greg’s light-hearted romance quickly gets heavy. When Greg wakes up to an unexpected sight beside him, his entire world is up-ended. Magic is real and his new lover has more secrets than Greg ever imagined. But Greg has a few secrets of his own, and he has to decide if he wants to be a part of Boone’s world. If Greg has a touch of magic himself… Well, that world just got a whole lot more complicated and dangerous for both of them.

What J says:

When I talk about the inception of Youthful Gods, I'm going to tell you a different kind of story than I usually do, one with renaissance faires and a long-haired guy with a sword and the slightly psychotic fangirl who stalked him.

It's a romance, I promise.

Once upon a time, the colony of Virginia had a Renaissance Faire in Staffordshire filled with quaint village shops, a huge tavern, Rapunzel's tower, and a pirate ship listing on the shore of a small lake. Due to reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, the Renfaire was only open for four short years, from 1996 to 1999.

In 1996, the wise Ground Crew supervisor decreed that the Faire was in need of a Privy Princess (this is where I come in). This was in the days of trailer privies and not port-a-privies, so really, it could have been worse. The Privy Princess was known to be an angry, gothic, violent sort of Princess, as those who mocked her soon found themselves in need of better-working kidneys, and she had many adventures with the ragtag lot of the Grounds Crew. But the following Season, the Privy Princess graduated to the Games and Rides Crew, playing with the kiddie joust and stabbing herself in the leg with Bloody Mary Darts and generally having ye grande olde times. She liked it so much, she went back the next year, and then was offered a job as Candy Girl with her own little stand.

Then came 1999, the Last Year unbeknownst to those partaking of the Faire, but the Best Year Evar as far as the former Privy Princess was concerned.

You see, dear reader, during a sticky humid yucky day in April, the former Privy Princess was selling candy by the lakeshore and turned towards the archery booth at just the perfect moment. She espied a man dressed All In Black with his broadsword peace-tied on his back (almost a la Wesley from the Princess Bride, without the mask or piracy), his long hair flowing all the way down his back to his perfect bubble butt, which she fairly drooled at as he walked away with his group of friends. He was hip, he was cool, he smirked at everything, and he laughed loud enough to be heard halfway down the lane. Obviously, he was married with five children, a dog, and from another state, sent there just to taunt her fancy. That was her usual luck.

She was filled with resignation, dear reader, because his walking away would become an unfortunate habit. The Man in Black was quite frequently spied from a distance traveling in the opposite direction of the candy stand, his faithfully clinging trousers rousing the former Privy Princess to levels of frustration heretofore unknown.

So she did what any sensible former Privy Princess would do -- She sicced her far more outgoing friend on his glowering companion and secured an introduction. It took another week and an awkward moment with the far more outgoing friend, surrounded by Faire goers demanding Twizzlers, but a double date was set for that Saturday at a local coffee shop, well after the Rennies kicked all the patrons out and started to party.

Now the Man in Black was quite put out with this dating nonsense and set on lolly-gagging, as he and his glowering companion putted along in their violet Aspire, forgoing the film they had originally intended to see that night (Star Wars Episode I -- he had a far better time at the coffee shop, believe me). So the Man in Black arrived late, despite his normal neurotic punctuality that the former Privy Princess would soon learn of, just around the time both wenches had begun to despair and make other plans to prove how Not Despairing they were.

The far more outgoing friend went to order another coffee with the glowering companion, leaving the former Privy Princess and the Man in Black to sit awkwardly at a table together and avoid eye contact.

Finally, the former Privy Princess could take the silence no more. She turned to him and uttered the words that, to this day, their friends still mock:

"This tastes like shit," she said, motioning with her Italian soda. "Try it."

He looked at her in amusement, and maybe like she was nuts, but had a sip followed by a comical grimace and a rant about the merits of Coffee-Flavored Coffee. That, dear readers, was the start of how the dour former Privy Princess learned to laugh at life.

It was also probably around that time when she turned into a gooey pile of mush, her black little heart swelling ten times its size, and that first date lasted well until the next morning in a haze of coffee shops, Mike's Diner, Waffle House, and aimless driving down Virginia highways with a crap air conditioner (there may have been a police stop in there, but that's just what happens when you drive through Manassas at night).

At the end of the date, birds tweeting their morning greetings and the former Privy Princess due at work in two hours, the Man in Black escorted her to her door and very politely requested another date, perhaps not as long but just as fun. She kissed his stubble-rough cheek as he froze like a deer in the headlights, and laid out her demands. It may have been sleep deprivation, but he had no defenses left and folded like a house of cards in a stiff breeze.

Fast forward to June 1, to the former Privy Princess (still a mushy pile of goo) and the Man in Black sitting in her car in his driveway, dressed in full goth gear and glitter, having just attended the Renfaire's Funky Formal to close out the Season and having seen each other at least once a day since that first date. In their usual fashion, they spoke at the same time:

"Would you like to rectify that no-boyfriend situation?" he asked nervously, trying to be suave.

"Wanna date?" she demanded.

They laughed.

And that, dear readers, was how the Man in Black became known as her Bay, then her Mister Bay, and the former Privy Princess was dubbed his Bae, for you must have the proper declension for these nicknames, as you know. (Imagine Harley Quinn saying "Mistah J!" and you'll get that joke and, perhaps, an accurate picture of my personality...)

They formally declared to all and sundry that he was Off Limits, Bub the following Halloween, where there were Renfaire costumes and a pig roast and wrought iron covered in ivy with twinkle lights and tents. They got out of dancing and toasts, and cackled as their guests slowly froze in the cold outdoors, and somewhere in there vowed that She would support him in the manner to which he'd like to become accustomed and He would keep her feet warm.

Fast forward ten years to this Halloween, and she, still a pile of gooey mush, has added to his duties "cooking delicious gourmet meals every night" and "walking the dog when I don't feel like getting up from the couch," but they seem to be getting along swell. Her friends got over the shock of her dating a man and his friends got over the shock of him dating anyone at all, and if she seems over-protective at times, well, those people didn't really need their faces anyway. They have three furry children now, having lost their fourth one last year, and they added two scaly brats this year, so their little townhouse is quite lively between classes and video games and being Responsible Adults against their will. They may wear their Crankypants on their heads at times, but usually not at each other, and when one's down, they know the other has their back.

Which is why, dear readers, they lived happily ever after.

He giggled when he read that ramble, but it has the Mr. Bay seal of approval.

Those of you that know me are either laughing your asses off about how soppy that was or rolling your eyes because you've already heard it twenty times. I swear, I get around that guy, even think about that guy, and I turn into mushy goo.

On a sad note, the Virginia Renfaire grounds are abandoned now. I admit, while writing Youthful Gods I often had the urge to scroll through this website while listening to Madonna's "This Used to be My Playground" on repeat and sipping box wine.

I managed to refrain from being that maudlin, but I do miss the place. The Virginia Renaissance Faire is now held at a winery to the south of us and we've gone once, but it just wasn't the same :( I grew up visiting the Pennsylvania Renfaire and we usually try to hit the Maryland Renfaire each year, but the old Virginia one was my faire. The Faire in Youthful Gods is loosely based on it, with a mix of other North-Atlantic Faires tossed in, and I hope I did it some justice...

Spotlight: Army Green: Burning Bright (Taction series #3)

2011-07-30T14:25:00.001-07:00

Army Green: Burning Bright by J. Rocci
28 pages / 7300 words

It's the annual Glenhaven Farms Fourth of July picnic and Cam is trying not to worry about his partner, Evan, as they help prepare for a large crowd of folks descending on the farm. Between running errands for Ms. Susan, setting up the backyard, and wrangling all four Hooligans, Cam catches quiet moments with Evan and reflects on the man he loves and almost lost to the war injuries that left Evan a disabled veteran.

What J says:

I actually had a hard time sitting down to write Burning Bright for a variety of reasons, but foremost was that, when I got to the scene with Cam greeting Ms. Susan in the kitchen at breakfast, I had to walk away from my keyboard for a bit and just breathe.

See, my grandmother was admitted to the ICU shortly after New Year's. Her condition was up and down for three terrible months, and it felt for a while there like life was on hold for everyone. I didn't write down any of my own words during the time, the longest I've gone in years. When she passed away in March, it was still a shock for all of us, and times of stress are not when my family shines. So I took my moment to grieve and kept on keeping on. I thought I was good until it came time to write Ms. Susan's scenes. Like Mr. Windham in Ivory, every word is written with love and the knowledge that I am a damn lucky person to have had the encouragement and love of my family.

At the wake, my grandmother's eighty-some year old cousin -- who was one of the people to instill a love of reading in me, as much as my grandmother encouraged my art and writing -- was talking to my mom for a while. Now, my mother knows full well what kind of stories I write and she proudly carries around a J. Rocci tote bag and has a mug, etc. So she leans over to my grandmother's cousin and says, "So J's a published author now." My grandmother's cousin perks up at that and goes, "Oh? What kind of stories?"

"Romance," my mom says. Then she leans in and says loud enough for a couple rows to hear, "Gay romance," and starts talking about my pen name and advantages of different e-book readers while I'm beet red and pointing out that I have a whole other career that pays my bills, why doesn't anyone ever want to talk about that one? And my grandmother's cousin doesn't have a computer, so I end up being directed to print one of my PG stories out and send it to her snail mail.

So the point of this tangent is:

I could hype up Burning Bright's sexy scenes and how hot Cam and Evan are (dudes, they so are), but honestly, at the forefront of my thoughts on it, it's a short story about family and home. It's about loving and being loved, and being accepted for the person you are, and knowing that you'll always have a home to go to. It's about being thankful for all that we have while knowing that freedom is never really free. It's about remembering our soldiers and being grateful to all the generations that have come before us, who have sacrificed so much so we can be who we are today.

Spotlight: Concur (Courting Series #4)

2011-07-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

Concur by J. Rocci
28 pages / 7000 words

Officer Joshua Dabbs has been married to his husband, lawyer Garrison Williams, for six years. So he still remembers what Garrison's like with a wedding to plan, and he knows that when their two good friends, Rick and Emmanuel, decide to tie the knot, he won't be seeing much of his husband until it's over. But Emmanuel needs advice, and Josh finds himself asking questions about his and Garrison's relationship that he hadn't thought of before -- mainly, do they want kids? As usual, Garrison knows what Josh is thinking before he does.

What J says:

So I've noticed that kids or the idea of kids have been working their way into some of my stories like little giggling ninjas, but my household is childfree by choice and going to remain that way, so I've been scratching my head at that. In the end, I blame the Muse and the way she coos over pictures of Neil Patrick Harris, his partner, and their greeting card perfect babies.

Of all the couples I've written, I think Josh and Garrison would be the only ones to really choose parenthood, y'know? Like, just imagine these two badass former Marines getting wrapped around the finger of a little toddler? Garrison will have to be the Bad Cop and have Rules, while Josh totally caves at the first threat of tears.

But adopting a kid doesn't happen over night, and it's not something that would-be parents enter into lightly. So I'm setting the stage here for at least two more stories -- My Charity Sip and one beyond -- where our boys have to adjust their lives to the idea of being daddies. Concur is the first step in that journey, where Josh and Garrison are feeling each other out on the issue while their friends freak out over tying the knot.

Parkour love story free read!

2011-07-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

My FREE STORY has been posted to the Goodreads M/M Group Hot Summer Days bonanza!

Just Breathe Out by J. Rocci

My prompt:

Dear Author,

These two men have been best friends since they could crawl; over the years they have both secretly fallen in love with each other, one of them is out and proud the other man wants to be as long as it’s with his best friend.... How did this happen??

Oh Author, can I please add that they Love Hot SEX everywhere and that they have a HEA :)

Thank You Author xx,
Ang

Just beware! The prompt photo behind the link is Not Safe For Work!

Army Green: Burning Bright Released!

2011-07-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

Film Critique: The Crimson Rivers (2000)

2011-06-25T08:36:00.001-07:00

I labelled this as a film critique rather than review, because I have a ton of spoilers below and basically pick apart the plot. I'm sitting down to do this because I honestly enjoy watching the movie at least once or twice a year, but when I stop to really think about the plot and all it entails, I ask myself "Why?"

The Crimson Rivers (2000)
(French title: Le Rivieres Pourpres)
Film Critique by J. Rocci
Rated: Rated R for violence/grisly images and language
Starring: Jean Reno, Vincent Cassel, and Nadia Fares

[Contains Major Spoilers]

Well, if you're approaching this movie with the expectation of a believable serial killer tale, the film flops horribly. However, if you're a fan of grisly action and haunting cinematography, the film excels on the entertainment scale.

Jean Reno's portrayal of Pierre Niemans, a Parisian detective (they never quite explain what department he is), is thrilling, if only because he comes across as very jaded and weary of the death around him. As his polar opposite, Vincent Cassel plays Lt. Max Kerkerian, an excitable young former-investigator who bends (as well as breaks) the law in order to get results. Overall, it is the dynamic between the two characters that make the film worth watching.

Viewing the special features commentary on the DVD was enlightening (which, by then, I was in desperate need of some answers), but it made me want to smack the director, Mathieu Kassovitz, if only for his pretentiousness. He hypes Crimson Rivers as a ground-breaking French police drama, yet admits he was making changes to the script the night before shooting most scenes, and to purposely leaving several story threads loose because he couldn't create an answer for them. (Side note: Cassel comes across as extremely annoyed with the script situation during his interview, which earned him brownie points with me. Watching the final product, I share his ire.)

There is an English translation of the book the movie is based on, with the same title. I warn you, the book plot is way different from the movie in several respects, including the ending, so it doesn't really answer any of the open movie threads.

From a technical perspective, as a lover of forensics and police drama, I felt that the script was sorely lacking any scientific merit and most of the supposed questions unearthed could have easily been answered by a simple finger print check at the beginning. As it is, the writers would have us believe identical twins have the exact same finger prints (which they don't) in an attempt to cover up this little slip. The lack of technical medical details is mostly played off as "Oh, we're a small town and don't get this sort of thing ever," but I'm of the opinion it added to the impression that the director had no clue how to handle this sort of plot. While it is a revenge story instead of serial killer one, Niemans never really gets into the mind of the killer, merely allowing himself to be tugged along by the hand from body to body. From other characters, we learn he is a criminology legend, but I think he was burnt out by the time of the story because his methods weren't really that effective.

Kerkerian's story line is even more absurd. Yes, the grave desecration is horrible, and it is an odd coincidence that the girl's files are missing from the school, but to go to the extent he did to solve a vandalism case seems implausible. Sarzac must be the safest little town in France if the police have that much time on their hands. The fight scene with the skin heads was an interesting example of French kick-boxing, but was completely pointless. All it established is the fact that the lieutenant has a quick temper, which we can pick up in other more relevant scenes. When the police cruiser breaks down, it's implied he stole a vehicle from a civilian to get to Guernon, just to track a suspect that might have had something to do with the grave desecration (where nothing was even taken from the tomb) and is just a hunch about the school. I don't know about the law in France, but that's only allowed in the States in emergency life-or-death situations, with official justification at a later date as part of an inquiry. I think there needed to be a more developed reason for his urgency with the case. The scene with Judith's mother, Andree, seemed to be thrown in just for atmosphere alone, complete with cryptic nun statements and cataract-like eyes. The build-up for the scene was great but, once he's in there talking to Andree, you're asking yourself why they bothered filming such an obvious weak spot in the script. I was tempted to fast forward.

When the two characters meet, Niemans' silent-tough-cop attitude is played off nicely with Kerkerian's hyper-puppy-babble and teasing, so it's interesting to see what the two will do next. However, it just doesn't seem realistic that an experienced police detective would bring a young lieutenant onto a case just because they share a suspect (who is now in the morgue). They both make a point of saying they work alone, yet Kerkerian is accepted as another cop on the case without question and becomes Niemans' partner of sorts, with no permission asked and no paperwork. Yet another weak plot device to push our heroes toward the bitter end.

Another thing that got to me is that the eugenics theory is interesting and has so much potential, yet is never really discussed in the movie. The theory is explained, with Nazi references galore (a recurring theme), but no true reason is given as to why the antagonists would turn to it as a solution. Were *they* Nazis? I could understand if they were just desperate to save their way of life and rejuvenate the shrinking gene pool, but no one gives you the back story behind the major focus of the plot. The eugenics theory is just plunked in your lap, and you're expected to nod and go along with it. Dr. Cherneze (Jean-Pierre Cassel, Vincent's real life father) offers an engrossing scene where you learn about the inbreeding at the school, and he makes you want to get deeper into his story, but he is instead brutally murdered before any more scenes and the history lesson is dropped.

All these half-stories and hints, interspersed in the action sequences, seem to be building up to a great climax. Then our heroes stumble across some body parts, realize who the killer is, and go running off to save the day in a completely unrealistic and irrelevant action scene that says nothing and means even less.

(Side note: The scene at the lift, where Niemans actually draws a gun on the other officers there and says, "I have to go alone," over and over, only to be followed onto the lift by Kerkerian, struck me as extremely funny. I don't think I was supposed to laugh at that, though.)

The ending is a bloody, unresolved mess that just raises more questions and doesn't do much explaining, like: How did the twins switch back and forth all these years when one is missing a finger? Which one did the actual killing, because at times it's implied both did, yet Fanny (Nadia Fares) seems reluctant to help her twin out? How did Judith survive without her mother all those years? Where are the parents? Where did the dean's son come into all this? Was the dean involved, as they implied, and if so, why wasn't he killed as well? Why kill the children of the professors who stole Judith's identity, when they were all of two or five at the time it happened? Were they continuing their fathers' research? Did Sertys go through all the desecration trouble to protect his father's reputation or his own?

All these questions, and no answers. Any chance of solving them comes merely from what the audience can infer (after several viewings).

While I usually like having to fill in the blanks myself, after watching the commentary, it became clear that not even the people making the film had the answers. I identified heartily with Kerkerian, because at least he admitted he was clueless.

The technical work excelled. Interesting and continuous camera action kept you from becoming too bored with the plot. Most of the tension came from the lighting and soundtrack, although at times both were overdone. The grisly corpse shown in the beginning had no relevance in the film at all, but showcased the great special effects. In my opinion, the money spent on that should have gone towards hiring a script continuity consultant.

The Crimson Rivers gets kudos from me just because it was an entertaining action flick, with stilted dialogue and weak plot notwithstanding. First viewing was with English dubbing and English subtitles, second viewing was with English dubbing alone. The subtitles have funnier dialogue.

Movie Review: Zerophilia (2006)

2011-06-11T07:49:00.001-07:00

Movie Review: Zerophilia (2006)
Review by J. Rocci
Rated: No rating, contains sexual material and some drug content
Starring: Taylor Handley, Dustin Seavey, Alison Folland, Kyle Schmid, Rebecca Mozo, and Marieh Delfino

THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

IMDB.com synopsis:
In this provocative teen comedy, Luke, a young man insecure about his masculinity discovers he's a Zerophiliac, with the ability to change sex at will. Join Luke as he journeys into the extraordinary world of Zerophilia where so many crazy questions arise, only one question matters: "Whom do you love?"

J. thinks:

The entire premise of this movie intrigued me, but I held off watching it for over two years because of the synopsis above. You see, I don't generally do teen comedies, especially when they're focused on something as sensitive as gender and sexuality, because I think we've all seen that train go horribly off the rails. Luckily, I did finally sit down to watch Zerophilia and I was pleasantly surprised.

The young cast of twenty-somethings, plus the actress who plays Sophie on Leverage, deliver remarkably earnest performances (and aren't too hard on the eyes, no matter what flavor you prefer). The script has its cheesy moments and is often tongue-in-cheek, but has Luke taking a serious introspective tour of himself. Issues that other films would laugh off, like the first time Luke transforms into Luca and is exploring his female body, are handled with an appropriate gravitas to make you truly believe this is a male who has changed into a female against his will and he's not sure he likes it. He struggles to come to terms with the fact that, while raised male, he can change his gender through orgasms (or, at times, just being aroused), and in a way, it's like he's hit a second puberty in college, with all the emotional upheaval that entails.

But that entire journey of self-acceptance right there? It's the driving force of the movie. Through conversations with his friends, Keenan and Janine, we get to see Luke re-define his own concept of gender identity. When he meets Michelle and finds himself changing every time he speaks to her, you sympathize with his frustration. When he meets her brother as Luca and realizes he's attracted to Max, too?

That's where the film starts delving into issues of sexuality and how we define attraction.

I won't spoil the ending's twist, but I will say that it left me with feelings of hope and romantic fluffiness. The issues of gender and sexuality the film raises could have been brushed off with slapstick and apple pies, but instead we're given the story of one man's personal journey and can easily ask the same questions of ourselves.

How would I react in that situation? There are no easy answers, and the film doesn't try to simplify it for us. I think watching Luke grow as a person and come to terms with himself, even the times when he (or the script) stumbles, was a rewarding experience.

Still my favorite image from all those chain e-mails.

2011-05-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

Movie Review: Southland Tales (2006)

2011-04-24T11:36:00.000-07:00

I just watched Southland Tales, starring a whole list of actors, notably Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Justin Timberlake, and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Southland Tales
Year Released: 2006
Rated: R for language, violence, sexual material and some drug content

So this is a post-9/11 inspired movie that posits the question, What if a nuclear attack occurred in Texas instead? Set in 2008, the movie features ground wars in five countries and a draft, new government agencies tracking identities and everything people do, a political election that could take away even more American civil liberties, an experimental push for new energy sources, and a home-grown neo-Marxist movement fighting back digitally and physically against the regime.

And that's just the background.

The plot, narrated by Justin Timberlake's veteran-from-Fallujah character, focuses on a movie celebrity who is part of a burgeoning political scandal, and all the intricate side stories that interweave to kidnap him, wipe his memories, rescue him, get his memories back, and ultimately decide his fate. Throughout it all, each character has their own motivations that manage to spring some surprise betrayals and decisions on the viewer, while keeping a cohesive story line from a bunch of ideas that could have easily turned into a hot mess.

My impressions:

As the last line was read and the credits began to roll, my first thought was, "Ah. So this was supposed to be A Prayer for Owen Meany for the modern age..."

One place where the film faltered was in its political message. Anyone with eyes picked up on the warning against letting fear override civil liberties in modern America. Unfortunately, about half way through, the technology involved and the scale of the plot becomes so grandiose and sci-fi (while still very interesting) that by the end of the film, you kind of forget that this was current day political commentary.

But the stories unfold in such a way that I forgave its social activist ham-handedness and just embraced the flow of the narrative while playing Identify the Actor. It had a lot of familiar names and faces in a large cast where most people got some good screen time in. Side plots that seemed only peripherally related in the beginning are neatly tied in later on, even as the main plot seems to take flight. Timberlake was particularly creepy as the narrator, while Johnson and Scott seemed a little flat. That could be because the movie has a more serious tone and not a lot of slapstick at all, despite having at least two SNL alumni on the list.

Overall, I found it an interesting movie to digest and pick apart as it went, though fans of action movies may find it slow and fans of intrigue may find it too easy to read.

Long overdue review notice!

2011-04-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

Back at the beginning of March, I reviewed Settling the Score by Eden Winters:

305 pages / 84900 words
Ebook zipped file, but also available in paperback.

Closeted mechanic Joey Nichols' life is good. His boyfriend landed a major Hollywood role, and is well on the way to superstardom. Joey's bags are packed and soon he'll leave small town Georgia and join the man of his dreams in California, to live out, proud, and together. Days before his planned departure, his lover outs Joey during a televised interview and announces that they've broken up, leaving Joey to face the bigotry of the locals alone.

Bestselling author Troy Steele knows all about having life turned upside down by the media. Now a recluse, Troy shuns all the trappings that come with writing books made into blockbuster movies. He spends his time exacting revenge on a former flame via his novels and hiding out in rural South Carolina, watching celebrity gossip shows. Joey's fifteen minutes of fame bear an eerie similarity to the plot of Troy's latest work in progress. What if Joey could be transformed into everything the fickle ex wanted, as Troy is writing for his fictional hero, and secretly wishes for himself? Once polished, could a diamond-in-the-rough good ole boy confront his ex, then walk away, pride intact? These are Troy's questions, and he's counting on Joey for answers.

Read my review!

Long time no see!

2011-04-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I hosted the Torquere Press blog, Romance for the Rest of Us and went on a bit about inspiration, staying motivated, and what's currently on my plate to finish!

Free non-fiction e-books

2011-01-15T17:40:00.001-08:00

I just thought I'd mention this for any non-fiction e-book fans wandering through:

The National Academies Press offers literally hundreds of free PDF versions of their publications. I think it's mostly the bestsellers that they charge for the PDFs, but even then they usually let you read the book online (html frame) for free.

I generally hang out in the Conflict and Security section, but they have the whole spectrum of sociology, science and technology too. If you're a student, it's a great research resource, and if you just like to keep learning, they have so many topics of interest, your head will explode :)

Ivory available!

2010-12-29T14:20:00.000-08:00

Ivory by J. Rocci

Trapped by familial obligations, engaged to a fiancée he doesn’t love, and crippled by the regrets of his past, Dr. Bradley Durrant is miserable and rapidly caring less about his own health as he works himself to the bone at the family hospital. Then he meets Nashan Windham, the grandson of his late father’s scandalous old friend, and Brad’s downward spiral is derailed, at least for the moment.

He lets Nashan and his grandfather pull him into a world where families -- blood and the ones you choose -- support each other and understand that love is unconditional. Nashan helps Brad get his life together again, now Brad just needs to convince Nashan that Brad can finally accept who he is and knows what he wants.

Pick up your copy today!

Join me on the Torquere LJ tomorrow (January 30) for random snippets and contests to win free swag!

I reviewed "Walking to the Stars" by Laney Cairo

2010-12-27T16:18:00.000-08:00

So my most recent in-house review for Torquere was for:

"Walking to the Stars" by Laney Cairo

In the third Australis Liminus novel, the war is over and Samuel is on a secret mission in Australia for the rising World Government's space program. He knows he is under-prepared, and expects hardships, challenges and kangaroos. He wishes someone had told him just how large the kangaroos are, and how scary. And about the magic.

Nick's farm is cold and bleak in the wild winter, but Samuel is grateful for the shelter, and for the chance to be close to Nick. It's there he meets Nick's friend, Talgerit, who is a budding magician with a taste for adventure, no boundaries and far too much enthusiasm. Beyond the farm is a wasteland, ruined by the war, where small outposts of people live surrounded by echoes of the past. Secrets live in the city, too, and bigger challenges face the three of them than forests and ghosts.

All Samuel, Nick and Talgerit have to do is go to the city, find what Samuel's looking for, and get home again.

The future is a long way to walk, even with someone you love.

Also in this series: Running the Nullarbor and Monsters Past.

Go read my review!

Nice: Concordant released!

2010-12-05T05:28:00.001-08:00

Nice: Concordant by J. Rocci
by J. Rocci
26 pages / 5500 words

Officer Joshua Dabbs has been working long hours due to budget cuts and the holiday crazies, so he’s not thrilled when his patrol partner lets slip that Josh’s husband, lawyer Garrison Williams, has planned a weekend trip for two to New York City right before Christmas.

Josh hates traveling, especially around the holidays, so Garrison shows how persuasive a lawyer can be with tactics not fit for the inside of a court room. Once they’re actually at the hotel in New York, Josh relaxes after Garrison agrees to stay in for the night. Garrison has a plan, though, that results in Josh getting to open a very intimate Christmas present early.

Review for TC Blue's Life Changes Everything

2010-11-27T13:16:00.000-08:00

So I wrote an in-house review for TC Blue's Life Changes Everything.

Ben might be young and only recently out, but he knows what he wants, and the hot blond on the dance floor definitely fits the bill. The last thing he expects is to discover that he's not only met Aaron before, but that he likes the guy as well. That's something he's never encountered before.

Aaron's no player, but when the universe throws a tall, built slab of gorgeous beefcake in his path, Aaron knows better than to question his luck. Ben unexpectedly turns out to be smart, funny, and a really good fit, which is definitely a bonus. Ben might be young, but he's mature enough to keep Aaron interested, and happy.

They both have pasts and regrets, but everyone does. They're determined to work through their issues, though, and just when they’ve started to move on together, life happens, throwing complications in their path. Can their fledgling relationship survive when everything changes?

Life Changes Everything features characters from the popular novel, Life or Something Scary Like That.

Come check it out!

Colorbox: Ivory Cover!

2010-11-21T11:45:00.000-08:00

Ivory by J.Rocci
A new Color Box available December 29 from Torquere Press

Movie Review: Brooklyn Babylon

2010-10-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

Needless to say, this post may contain spoilers.

Brooklyn Babylon
2001, R for language, violence, domestic violence, drug use, and sexual situations
watched via Netflix streaming on XBox

IMDB synopsis:
In Brooklyn's Crown Heights, where West Indian Rastafarians and other Blacks live next door to the Jewish Lubavitch community, ethnic tensions are high. After a minor car crash, the headstrong Judah and other Jewish youths who patrol as vigilantes confront Scratch, a mouthy African-American hustler. Passengers in the cars make eye contact: Sol, a hip-hop musician, songwriter, and artist (Scratch's friend), and Sara, who is betrothed to Judah but wants to go to college and be on her own. Over the next few days, while Scratch and Judah's conflict escalates in violence, Sara and Sol connect in ways that echo Sheba and Solomon.

J thinks:
When the opening scene was shot in a gritty, arthouse film quality, I thought "Oh no, not another low budget film!" but I'm glad I stuck with it. The quality improves :)

"Love is the key to life."

Brooklyn Babylon has a lot going on in it -- determining your own future, racial tensions in New York, Jewish and Rastafarian cultures and religions, the NYC rap music industry, a Romeo and Juliet-type romance that's totally not. I like that the two leads are rational human beings that sometimes blow up at circumstances, but can talk things out and recover from it. The social pressures present in the film are approached in a realistic and very straightforward way, although some of the actions (a molotov cocktail at a car and a club) would have much bigger repercussions in a post-9/11 NYC.

I liked the chemistry between the main actors, however, I have to admit Sara had this tendency to look soul-fully at times instead of using her words, but it was nowhere near Twihard-mouth-breather annoyance inducing. There's a heavy music influence in the movie, with a montage, and the sound can overpower the dialogue at times, but not terribly.

I admit, my heart was in my throat throughout the movie, wondering how they could work within or outside of their two worlds, but if you listen to the last song of the movie, it just pulls it all together beautifully. The last scene made me smile and I think it ends with a message of hope. I wanted more details of their ending, but it feels more universal in the way it does end, so I didn't mind.

Definitely a movie I recommend watching!

Featured Author on the Torquere Blog!

2010-10-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

I was the featured author on Torquere Press' blog, Romance for the Rest of Us!

2010-10-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

Youthful Gods, Book One: Pretty Pleasures by J. Rocci
317 pages / 64,600 words

Greg Barton has worked at the renaissance faire for years, but it’s Greg’s last season so he’s determined to live it up. Lucky for Greg, Boone, the hot traveling armorer, remembers Greg from previous years and returns his interest. The two reconnect and Greg finds himself tumbling into Boone’s bed, dangerously close to losing his heart.

Only, there’s something not quite right with Boone. From the way Greg kept dreaming about Boone in the off-season to Boone’s overprotective friends, Greg’s light-hearted romance quickly gets heavy. When Greg wakes up to an unexpected sight beside him, his entire world is up-ended. Magic is real and his new lover has more secrets than Greg ever imagined. But Greg has a few secrets of his own, and he has to decide if he wants to be a part of Boone’s world. If Greg has a touch of magic himself… Well, that world just got a whole lot more complicated and dangerous for both of them.

PROMO: I'll be driving the Torquere Social this upcoming Sunday, October 17, so stop by for a chance to win a FREE Youthful Gods T-SHIRT or TOTE BAG!

Maryland Renaissance Faire

2010-10-11T15:54:00.000-07:00

So I've been totally MIA the past few weeks, but with good reason! Well, for one, it's really annoying to blog with a crackberry. And two, I've been out and about these past two weekends and I thought I'd share.

Youthful Gods: Pretty Pleasures comes out this Wednesday and takes place at a renaissance faire, which happens to be one of the places I hit. Here's a taste of the Maryland Renaissance Faire, which is not the setting of Pretty Pleasures but did help inspire it!

(I should caveat this with the disclaimer that I don't know any of the people in these pics, and they probably didn't know the pics were being taken...)

The Joust:

The Food (and my boot, non-edible):

The Rides:

The Street Performers:

The Stages:

The Shops:

Review of 100% Completion by HB Kurtzwilde

2010-09-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

So I did an in-house review of HB Kurtzwilde's 100% Completion. Go see what I have to say!

About 100% Completion
by HB Kurtzwilde
340 pages / 74100 words
ISBN: 978-1-61040-056-5

When Deke and Gerry managed to find each other and love in a small, conservative, southern town, they thought they had won the greatest prize of all. Instead, they find themselves playing as a team in a game without rules, for the highest stakes. Must Gerry relinquish his dreams of rockstar gamer status, or can Deke break free of his straight-edged façade and reclaim his own dreams as well as support Gerry?

Follow Deke and Gerry as they play hard, whether in the games of love, cards or fighting killer zombies.

Youthful Gods, Book One: Pretty Pleasures

2010-09-18T16:10:00.001-07:00

COMING 13 OCTOBER 2010

Describe yourself in pictures

2010-09-11T22:16:00.000-07:00

Rules:

01. Answer each of the questions below the cut using the [Flickr] search engine.
02. Choose a photo from the first three pages.
03. Copy the URL of your favorite photos [here]. (J's note: Flickr users can opt out of Big Huge Labs, so I would save the list of URLs separately before pasting them into the mosaic maker. If you get a blank square and try to navigate back, it clears the form and you have to start all over again.)
04. Then share with the world.

01. First Name
02. Favourite Food
03. Hometown
04. Favourite Colour
05. Celebrity Crush
06. Favourite Drink
07. Dream Holiday
08. Favourite Dessert
09. What I Want To Be When I Grow Up
10. What I Love Most In The World
11. One Word That Describes Me
12. My LiveJournal Name

quick note

2010-09-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

This video makes me wish I wasn't allergic to Dove soap. Well played, Dove. Well played.

Weekly Zen brought to you by Yogi Tea

2010-09-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

As previously stated, Mr. Bay leaves his Yogi tea tags around like a ferret hoardes shiny things:

Always be pure, simple and honest.

Be kind and compassionate and the whole world will be your friend.

You must know that you can swim through every change of tide.

Serve humanity so that people feel we are kind to them.

Inspiring others towards happiness brings you happiness.

Unite with your higher self and create a friendship.

There are three values: Feel good, be good and do good.

If you unconsciously live a conscious life, you can never be poor.

Provoke, confront, elevate.

The beauty in you is your spirit.

Those who want to be prosperous must first make others prosperous.

There is a beauty in your presence. Show who you are.

Real happiness lies in that which never comes nor goes, but simply is.

Torquere Anniversary Celebration!

2010-08-31T16:59:00.000-07:00

Press Release:

Torquere Press Celebrates 7th Anniversary!

Seven years?! No, we can hardly believe it either. Seven years of bringing readers the best, the sexiest, the most romantic GLBT fiction. And to celebrate, we're giving away prizes -- great themed gift baskets, gift certificates for free books every day, and a scavenger hunt that will give readers a chance to collect a deck of cards that will win big - -a Nook from Barnes & Noble!

Readers will get the chance to "collect cards" by visiting each participating author's website, blog, or Facebook page. By collecting all the cards and filling in the form, players have the chance to win free books daily, a gift basket once each week, (including BDSM, werewolf and ménage themed baskets), and be entered in the grand prize drawing for the Nook.

We'll also be having random sales via our blog,GLBT Romance, Facebook, and Twitter.

With bestselling GLBT romance authors like Chris Owen, Tory Temple, Kiernan Kelly, P.D.Singer, Sean Michael, and B.A. Tortuga, you'll have a blast playing along. Just log onto the Torquere Press website, check out the contest page, and start hunting!

So, ya feel lucky, dude? Let's play!

Puppy Tax Freebie!

2010-08-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

Puppy Tax
by J.Rocci
25 pages / 6,500 words
FREE PDF DOWNLOAD

Sky runs a doggy daycare and, in his free time, volunteers as part of a therapy dog pair with his Border Collie, Phoenix. On a visit to the local hospital, Sky and Phee share an elevator with Tony Marasutti, the hot doctor who's great with kids and loves animals. Sky doesn't think he has a chance, but then Dr. Tony invites him and Phee for coffee, so of course Sky has to invite Dr. Tony home to meet the rest of the menagerie!

Puppy Tax was originally published in the anthology "Animal Attraction" edited by Vincent Diamond.

Taction

2010-08-31T15:39:00.000-07:00

Taction
by J. Rocci
29 pages / 11400 words
ISBN: 978-1-60370-921-7
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, epub, Sony Reader pdf

After Evan Miller is severely wounded in combat he finds himself with a medical retirement from the Army and no idea as to what he’s going to do with his life. Fortunately, Evan’s grandparents offer him a temporary job at their horse farm and the chance to rehabilitate a rescued Thoroughbred seems like just what he needs.

Cam Jackson, their stable manager, takes exception to the grandson who hasn’t visited his folks in over eight years. Only once Evan arrives and Cam gets to know him better, the two find they have more in common than they thought and their friendship morphs into something deeper. Evan just needs to decide if the new direction his life is taking is what he really wants.

Sage

2010-08-31T15:32:00.000-07:00

Sage
by J. Rocci
43 pages / 15900 words
ISBN: 978-1-60370-989-7
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, epub, Sony Reader pdf

Yu Maguire has just been released from prison after bearing witness against the gang that runs Little Earde, a "human"-only barrio in the planet's capital city. In prison, Yu had to face a lot of hard facts about his previous life and, after being sheltered by the Earde his entire life, he has no friends left.

No friends except Amergin, the police officer who opens his home to Yu. Amergin, who happens to be Marazny, a race renowned for their icy exterior. Amergin may be reserved, but Yu finds peace and acceptance in Amergin's ordered little corner of the word. Trying to make his way in a new city shows Yu that he has so much more left to learn, but Amergin offers Yu a second chance at creating a home for himself and a companion to share it with, if he's brave enough.

This Home We Make

2010-08-31T15:25:00.000-07:00

Shifting Them - a BBA Menage Title
Edited by Vincent Diamond
165 pages / 63000 words
ISBN: 978-1-60370-519-6, 1-60370-519-8
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, paperback

When shapeshifters mix it up with threesomes, you can be sure that sparks are going to fly. That's the idea behind Shifting Them, a collection of ménage shapeshifter stories that mix the boys with the boys with the girls, from big cats to wolves and beyond.

From the glamorous world of modern-day magicians to a futuristic universe filled with danger, the stories in Shifting Them will sweep you away into a whole new universe, where wolves scrabble about on city streets, where snake shifters plot from their nests, where a seemingly innocuous dog helps to make sparks fly between humans. Whether it's fur or fangs, these very human creatures have a wild side, one that excites and amazes.

Mix the shifters' inherent sexiness with a threesome, and you've got a volatile, romantic combination. With stories from C.C. Bridges, Anah Crow, Dianne Fox, Kiernan Kelly, J Rocci, and BA Tortuga, the raw, animal magnetism of Shifting Them proves that adding a third person -- in life and in bed -- can make for a happy, and hot, ending.

This Home We Make
Zev has lost his memory, but found a new Pack with Callie and Gareth just south of Washington D.C. When he meets Ray, the Alpha of a pack out in the farmlands of Maryland, he makes his first new friend in the city, but Callie and Gareth aren't so trusting. With Callie upset at Zev and Gareth trying to mediate, their quiet homelife is disrupted until Zev can get to the root of his Pack's problems.

More info here!

This Home We Defend

2010-08-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

Bite Me: A BBA Menage Anthology
Stories by: Sean Michael, Marie Carlson, Joyce Sully, Mercy Loomis, CC Bridges, Julia Talbot, Giselle Renarde, Vic Winter, J. Rocci, and BA Tortuga
Edited by: KIL Kenny
165 pages / 62300 words
ISBN: 978-1-60370-790-9, 1-60370-790-5
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, epub, Sony-optimized pdf , paperback

Hidden in plain view, taboo lovers bond in ways mundane eyes cannot see. When two are not enough, "Bite Me" shows how three can seal their truest carnal connections. When Needed, by Sean Michael, starts off with Jen, whose two faithful canine companions might be more than they seem. In Like a Thousand Miles of Fire, Marie Carlson's half-demon Crystal Andraya finds strength in the arms of her vampire lovers as war between their races looms. In Joyce Sully's Roll Up, a joyless student falls for a sideshow huckster and a cannibal queen.

In Julia Talbot's Changing Shifts, Dave has to explain to his roommates why he's suddenly shunning sunlight. Mercy Loomis unmasks a vampire demon in Empusa, whose lovers don't usually live to tell the tale. A different kind of mystery hooks Monica in CC Bridges' Dog Days. Her best friend has disappeared, and the two strangers who show up in her life have secrets they want to keep.

In Giselle Renarde's Shadow People, PI Anna Fairclough is chosen to investigate the elusive Inuit Shadow People. Vic Winter's Owen thinks he might be crazy when he finds a strange woman in the park, but his lover Tommy knows what to do. In This Home We Defend, by J Rocci, Zev unwittingly brings his pack into danger when a new Alpha issues an unusual challenge. Finally, in A Family Business, by BA Tortuga, Kit has a hard time juggling the family demon hunting business with two vampire lovers.

Cornerstone

2010-08-31T15:20:00.001-07:00

Nice: Cornerstone
by J. Rocci
20 pages / 7160 words
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, epub and Sony Reader pdf

Josh is happy being a beat cop in a small Vermont town. He has his life partner, Garrison, their dog, and a wide group of friends and family, even though he hasn't spoken to his blood relatives in years.

Then Josh gets called back home to Ohio right before Christmas, when his sister tracks him down to inform him that his father passed away weeks ago. He arrives in Ohio to find that the requirements of his father’s will regarding the family business have everyone in an uproar. Lucky for Josh, he has a live-in lawyer at hand. He just has to come up with a solution that satisfies everyone, including himself.

More info and excerpts here!

Commitment

2010-08-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

Commitment
by J. Rocci
16 pages / 6100 words
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, epub, Sony Reader pdf

It’s Valentine’s Day and Officer Joshua Dabbs has big plans involving his boyfriend Garrison and a certain set of rings. Unfortunately, between Muttlee the Destructo-Dog, a burned dinner, and missed reservations, nothing is going the way Josh planned. Garrison doesn’t think the holiday’s ruined, though, so Josh makes his own moment and pops the question he’s tied himself up in knots waiting to ask. Featuring the boys from the Torquere Press Holiday Sip Cornerstone.

More info and excerpts here!

Army Green released!

2010-08-28T17:25:00.000-07:00

Army Green
by J. Rocci
$3.99 from Torquere Press

Evan Miller and Cam Jackson have run Glenhaven Farm together on behalf of Evan's grandparents for the past couple years, giving the farm everything they have to make it a success. But when Evan’s old commanding officer asks for Evan’s help with the wild child of their squad, Evan and Cam don’t hesitate to find a place for Reo at Glenhaven. Reo is a city boy with a penchant for trouble, and he stirs up more dust than expected. Reo’s behavior -- and Evan ignoring it -- causes Cam to confront issues he hasn't been able to verbalize until now.

Evan has been juggling a whole set of worries, though, and they take their toll on his health. When he ends up in the hospital, it's up to Cam and the rest of Glenhaven to make sure he follows his doctor's orders.

Featuring the boys from the Torquere Press Single Shot “Taction.”

More info and excerpt here!

Deep tea thoughts...

2010-08-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

So much for my resolve to post every week :) In my defense, both me and Mr. Bay have been quite ill of late, with a nasty tummy bug.

I myself prefer the smooth roasted flavor of hoji-cha green tea, but my One Twu Luv prefers Yogi brand Licorice Root tea. I freely admit that I cannot digest anything produced by Yogi tea, if only because I am allergic to most of their filler herbs. Alas, poor heartburn, I knew it well.

But Mr. Bay enjoys his tea everynight before bed, and has this habit of leaving tea bag wrappers and the little tea tags in small piles around the kitchen, for me to discover as I go about tidying things (OCD, moi? Just because everything has it's place. And it's proper angles. And it's proper proximity to each other...)

This week's little ferret hole of discovery:

Experience your own body, your own mind and your own soul.

Without realizing who you are, happiness cannot come to you.

Delight the world with your compassion, kindness and grace.

One of those quizzes everyone does even if they hate them :)

2010-07-31T06:15:00.000-07:00

01. Make a list of 5 things you can see:
Ikea cat throne, X-box controller, water bottle, The Losers DVD, 5 lb weight.

02. Would you ever get plastic surgery?
Yes -- For medical reasons (ie: I've already had it).

03. What was the last video you watched on youtube?
Jane Austen's Fight Club

04. What's your occupation?
Responsible adult stuff during the day, grad school and writing at night!

05. Do you nap a lot?
I have been accused of narcolepsy in the past. Really, I just nap wherever I can take it...

06. What's the one mode of transportation you've always wanted to use?
Motorcycle. Mmm. Ducati GT 1000. Drool.

07. What's your current fandom/obsession/addiction?
Hm. Generation Kill and Shelter fanfic, home repair, and the stack of random books I got at the used book store.

08. What was the last thing you ate today?
Tuna fish with olive oil mayo and crackers. I'm not supposed to have the mayo (vinegar allergy) but I won't tell if you won't.

09. What was the last text message you received?
I know this makes me a freak, but I don't actually use text messaging. I have a Crackberry with an unlimited data plan -- I use email.

10. What websites do you always visit when you go online?
The email accounts, livejournal (as foggynite), Yahoogroups, and AMU.

11. What was the last thing you bought?
Besides groceries? Books from the used book store -- I'm trying to read this series called K-9 Corps by Kenneth Von Gunden. It's futuristic sci-fi, about an anthropologist who leads a pack of scout dogs who can speak, and his wife and her other husband, his friend. I realize the series was written in the early 90s, but I really just wanted the author to own up and say the anthropologist was into the other dude too, instead of the implied threesomes that may or may not all be in the reader's dirty thoughts (what? I project.) Writing's kind of stilted, but I'm sure I'll have Deep Thoughts by the end of book four. If I can slog my way through it.

12. What are you listening to right now?
Yo te doy lo tuyo / Ahora, dame lo mio
Yo te doy lo tuyo / Ahora, dame lo mio

13. If you could pick another name for you, what would it be?
I already chose my other name for me. People look at me funny for it, but once they know me, they get it ^.^

14. What is your zodiac sign?
Fishy.

15. What is your favorite weather, and why?
Stormy in the middle of the day, when there's light above the clouds but everything cool and the rain is splattering down, so you sit inside with the window open and the lights off and just chill.

16. If you could play any musical instrument, which one would you play?
Piano. Me and the cello totally broke up in eigth grade.

17. Do you have any siblings?
Yes. One is enough.

18. What's something you'd like to say to someone right now?
"My love, please wake up and make me real food. The cats and I are starving, and they may like the tuna-from-the-can trick, but I don't think it counts as breakfast :( And it tasted funny."

19. Shower or bath?
Shower. Oh god, I can't take baths -- The water goes murky, I get vertigo, and then I realize I'm stewing in my own juices and start to feel itchy and -- It's just better if I take showers.

Quizzes!

2010-07-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

You Are a Comma

You are open minded and extremely optimistic.

You enjoy almost all facets of life. You can find the good in almost anything.

You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests.

You find it hard to turn down an opportunity, even if you are pressed for time.

Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to.

(But with so many competing interests, you friends do feel like you hardly have time for them.)

You excel in: Inspiring people

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

AND THEN THERE WAS THIS...

Your result for The Personality Defect Test...

Sociopath

You are 71% Rational, 0% Extroverted, 57% Brutal, and 71% Arrogant.

You are the Sociopath! As a result of your cold, calculating rationality, your introversion (and ability to keep quiet), your brutality, and your arrogance, you would make a very cunning serial killer. You are confident and capable of social interaction, but you prefer the silence of dead bodies to the loud, twittering nitwits you normally encounter in your daily life. You care very little for the feelings of others, possibly because you are not a very emotional person. You are also very calculating and intelligent, making you a perfect criminal mastermind. Also, you are a very arrogant person, tending to see yourself as better than others, providing you with a strong ability to perceive others as weak little animals, so tiny and small. You take great pleasure in the misery of others, and there is nothing sweeter to you than the sweet glory of using someone else's shattered failure to project yourself to success. Except sugar. That just may be sweeter. In short, your personality defect is the fact that you could easily be a sociopath, because you are calculating, unemotional, brutal, and arrogant. Please don't kill me for writing mean things about you! I have a 101 mile-long knife! Don't make me use it!

Take The Personality Defect Test at OkCupid

Musical Musings

2010-07-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

I sit in traffic for a good hour and a half a day, so I flip through a lot of radio stations (sad when I'm happy Elliot in the Morning is on vacay, so I can finally hear some real rock on my drive in. And no, I did not feel the earthquake this morning).

That being said, I'd like to offer the following observations on some songs that I keep hearing over and over again:

"Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon
You, your sex is on fire
And you, your sex is on fire

J thinks: They have creams for that. No really. Even sell them over the counter these days.

"In My Head" by Jason DeRulo
In my head, I see you all over me.
In my head, you fulfill my fantasy.
You'll be screaming no.
In my head, its going down.

J thinks: Please tell me someone has a search warrant for this dude's basement.

"California Girls" by Katy Perry, ftg Snoop Dog
Homeboys
Hangin' out
All that ass
Hangin' out
Bikinis, tankinis, martinis
No weenies

J thinks: I have no words. Wait, I do-- He makes how much a year?

"Alejandro" by Lady GaGa
She's not broken, she's just a baby
But her boyfriend's like a dad, just like a dad

J thinks: Own those issues, girlfriend. If Lady GaGa is the new Madonna, does that make Katy Perry the new Cyndi Lauper only 20x less cool?

"Break Your Heart" by Taio Cruz ftg Ludacris
(Whoa) Listen now, I'm only gonna break your heart
And shatter and splatter it all into little bitty pieces (whoa)
Whether or not you get it all together
Then its finder's keepers and losers weepers (whoa)

J thinks: Oh Luda, always so classy. However do the girls keep their panties on?

"Tik Tok" by Ke$ha
I'm talking about everybody getting crunk, crunk
Boys tryin' to touch my junk, junk
Gonna smack him if he getting too drunk, drunk

J thinks: She really is like Taylor Swift + Vodka.

Review: King Lear (2008 RSC version)

2010-07-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

So I just watched The Royal Shakespeare Company 2008 production of King Lear, starring Sir Ian McKellan in the title role.

This production is one of those fusion set designs I love with modern Shakespeare productions -- Half Renaissance, half Russian Revolution, WWII undertones. It was an interesting mix and choice of costumes.

For those of you who don't know what the play is about (I'd never read/seen it before tonight), King Lear abdicates his throne and divides (or doesn't) his empire between his three daughters. Drama ensues. There's treachery in Lear's house, treachery in the Earl of Gloucester's house, intrigue and bids for power and back-stabbing. It's messed up, but not as bad as some Shakespeare (I tend to think he, like Robert Heinlein, went wonky as he aged with some of his later works).

It being Shakespeare, there are far better and more complete reviews out there than mine, but my opinions:

1. Sir Ian rocks the house. This is fact.

2. I'm still not sure if the opening scene is evidence of Lear's hubris or his dementia. A degree of pride is expected in royalty, but the falling out with Cordelia (who I totally agreed with) and Kent seemed excessive. He learned his lesson about ass-kissers, though.

3. The actor who played Edmund, Philip Winchester, was a nice bit of eye candy, treacherous as Edmund was. I could totally see why the sisters fought over him, and the duel with Edgar at the end, with Goneril's guttural scream -- well played, madame.

4. The scene with Lear and the Earl of Gloucester, out on the moor, was wrenching and horrid and what angst is all about -- take notes, aspiring authors. That's hitting the bottom and looking up at the sun through thirty feet of water, still holding your breath and struggling to get back up there as you get weaker with every stroke. You know how this is going to end: you go down fighting.

5. I think what I loved most about this production is that there was high passion in every scene, with shifting loyalties for some and steadfast loyalty from others, and each actor was real and believable. I've read and watched quite a few of Shakespeare's works (Titus Andronicus, the Julie Taymor theatrical version, is probably my favorite) and I think this is what makes him so enduring--

It comes down to loyalty and love, and when Kent walks off with gun in hand at the end, you don't question that he's going to follow his king -- "I have a journey, sir, shortly to go; My master calls me, I must not say no." -- That's who he is, and without his lord, he has nothing. It's an age of fealty to one man, one king, and the willingness to endure any suffering or humiliation to serve that man's best interests. It means telling the truth, even when you'll be shunned, and watching over him as a servant if you have to, re-molding yourself into someone you don't recognize anymore to protect your king. And when that man dies, there are no replacements. You swore to serve only him, for better or worse, whether he wins or loses, and his journey's end is your own. There is no swearing allegiance to the victor -- Your fate is your king's.

Of all the Shakespeare works I've read/seen, this is the most weary one, where you see all this unfolding, an old man slowly falling apart, families broken, and at the end, you want to give him peace. You agree when Kent commands "Vex not his ghost: O, let him pass!"

My favorite lines were the end:

The weight of this sad time we must obey;
Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.
The oldest hath borne most: we that are young
Shall never see so much, nor live so long.

Speak what we feel and accept the consequences, good or bad. Honesty, integrity, loyalty, love.

Review: Hero by Perry Moore

2010-07-02T10:50:00.001-07:00

So I think one of the best ways to get to know a person is by hearing what they have to say on popular media. Buckle up...

BEWARE: SPOILERS INCLUDED IN THE REVIEW BELOW

Title: Hero
Author: Perry Moore
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy (Superheroes!)
Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books, 2009
Link: http://home.perrymoorestories.com/

Synopsis from Barnes and Nobles:
Thom Creed is used to being on his own. Even as a highschool basketball star, he has to keep his distance because of his father. Hal Creed had once been one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of The League—until the Wilson Towers incident. After that Thom's mother disappeared and his proud father became an outcast.

The last thing in the world Thom would ever want is to disappoint his father. So Thom keeps two secrets from him: First is that he's gay. The second is that he has the power to heal people. Initially, Thom had trouble controlling his powers. But with trail and error he improves, until he gets so good that he catches the attention of the League and is asked to join. Even though he knows it would kill his dad, Thom can't resist. When he joins the League, he meets a motely crew of other heroes, including tough-talking Scarlett, who has the power of fire from growing up near a nuclear power plant; Typhoid Larry, who makes everyone sick by touching them, but is actually a really sweet guy; and wise Ruth, who has the power to see the future. Together these unlikely heroes become friends and begin to uncover a plot to kill the superheroes.

Along the way, Thom falls in love, and discovers the difficult truth about his parents' past. This is a moving, funny, and wonderfully original novel that shows that things are not always what they seem, and love can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

What J thinks:

I'm a sucker for superhero stories. I've been a comic book geek since my dad bought me my first X-men issue when I was nine, which led to other Marvel titles and DC Vertigo and Image, then around 2001 or so I went over to the DC darkside. Anyone who knows me knows I love me some Batman. So when I read the synopsis for "Hero," it pretty much pushed all my buttons and as soon as I started to read it this morning, I blazed right through in one sitting.

I liked it. I'm glad I bought it. I would recommend it to other people. Let me tell you why:

1. The main character, Thom, is a realistic teenager. He swears when stressed, he's awkward (although that did hit my embarrassment squick a few times), and he's lonely, hiding who he is and planning for a far off day he can be himself.

2. His father -- My god, his dad. The scenes between Thom and Hal just resonated with me, that hesitance, that "I love you, dad, but I have no idea how to talk to you" that I think most of us go through. Hal's fierce protectiveness, Thom's fear of disappointing him -- I teared up a couple times and I normally don't do that with books.

3. Thom's love interest, Goran, is such a boy at times and it makes you love him all the more, because he's this guy who had to grow up early to look out for his little brother (so many yay buttons pushed!) Although, as the reader, you knew who Goran was all along from the continued "deep, piercing gaze" he had going on.

4. Moore juxtaposes Thom and Goran's lives, hell even the rest of the characters from Golden Boy to Ruth, and there's so many different perspectives -- They all have their tragedies and their hardships, but no one is coming across as more important or more tragic than the other. Each character felt developed and human. Some backstories were a little heavy on the Clue Stick, but with superhero stories you have to realize, they wouldn't be running around in tights and a cape if there weren't a few screws loose. Seriously, normal people just get therapy and a bottle of Xanax.

5. Society is not discounted. It plays a major part in the story and actions have real world consequences that reverberate for years down the road. From a huge tragedy in the past to one Thom has to stave off (reminiscent of 9/11 for those with triggers!), the impact of superheroes on society and how society in turn can build them up or tear them down like any modern day celebrity is explored to a satisfying degree.

6. Not everything is spelled out. Like a lot of good stories, you have to read between the lines for some of the associations. There's swearing and some adult situations (I'd say it's a PG-13), but the pace never slows down and Moore keeps the aciton up.

7. Some people may not see this as a plus, but I played Spot the Mainstream Superhero with the League. I did a double-take the first time Justice's backstory cribbed from Superman's, but considering that the book was published by Disney and Moore was involved in the Narnia series, I'm thinking they own some rights somewhere. Stan Lee said it was good in a quote on the cover -- That's good enough for me! But I did sorta wish Moore had put more effort into developing his own League superheroes instead of pulling from DC's line-up. Even someone who just watched the cartoons could spot the parallels.

8. Other than that and the age thing (which sometimes left me scratching my head -- either he was a minor or he wasn't, there is no in-between), I found the story to be riveting. It really is centered around Thom and his dad, but none of the other characters are short-shifted. It's about love and loyalty and not always understanding the people around you but being okay with it. It's about growing up.

This blog thing.

2010-06-29T18:27:00.000-07:00

So I'm going to try out this blog thing and see where it takes me. Probably not very far, considering I have trouble finding the time to update my Dreamwidth account (and that cross-posts to my Livejournal account -- the ultimate in lazy).

Some basic info for people who may have just stumbled in here:

1. I write smut.

2. This smut normally involves two men.

3. Sometimes this smut involves two men and a woman.

4. Torquere Press enables my smut habit by publishing my work and giving me money to buy the smut other people have written. It's a good relationship.

5. Sometimes I trip and some humor falls in my smut. But normally not during sexy fun times. (Okay, maybe, but not in a hokey way. I think.)

6. I only pretend to have control over what I write. When the Muse cracks her whip and puts in requests, personal projects tend to get back-burnered...

I may challenge myself to post here once a week, or every two weeks, or something, but I think you'll understand if I focus on finishing my stories first ^.^