Ghosts are Sexy Too!

I'm blogging at the Long and Short Reviews today about sexy ghosts. I'm going to post the same thing here and then you have a chance to win a copy of Hot Hands. What you have to do is leave a comment to THIS post along with your email address. I will draw, contact and announce a winner on November 3rd.

Are ghosts real? Yes they are. I've been fed the “stories” (which were never told as “stories” here in Iceland but facts) since I was a kid and I've had firsthand experience with ghosts. I've blogged about that on my own blog this Halloween, so head on over if you’re curious.

But are ghosts sexy? I didn't used to think so when I was younger. Surely they’d be ugly fiends with axes sticking out of their heads. Surely they’d be corporal monsters that can strangle you in your sleep. Right? Wrong. What I've come to realize is that ghosts look the same as they did when they were alive. Maybe in their prime, or maybe as they were when they died, but if there are sexy people in our world (and boy, are there ever!), ghosts can be sexy, too.

I’m currently publishing and writing contemporary m/m erotic romance. However, I've always been tempted to write ghost stories, and I’m sure it won’t be long before I do. What could be more romantic than lovers who are stuck in separate world, only able to see each other but not touch? What could be sexier than not being about to touch but only see? I don’t know how I would iron out an ending here, but there are many possibilities. The meat - the middle - could be so rich with the ghost’s different era, his joys, his dreams. How did he die? Did he have a lover back then? Can he have a living lover now? How do they have sex? This topic has probably been written about a thousand times, but that’s the beauty about crafting stories with a common theme: you get to create new characters with unique tales and personalities. To make the story highly erotic would be a challenge since there can’t be any touching, but it is a challenge worth taking.

Since this story is still in the prison of my mind, I cannot offer a ghost themed book for a giveaway. However, I will offer up a copy of Hot Hands, which is a story where Casper (not the ghost!) is being goosed and groped at school and wants to identify the guy he’s dubbed “Hot Hands”. Hot Hands, however, doesn't want to be seen, so Casper has to rely on his other senses: ears, taste, smell, and touch to get to know his groper. Kind of like the opposite of the ghost story.

Now, I will probably be at the GayRomLit Retreat in Albuquerque with a bunch of other m/m authors when this post goes live, so I hope you’ll forgive that I won’t reply to everyone.

Before I go, I'm inviting you to follow me through my newsletter, Twitter, Facebook page and/or Goodreads. This is not necessary to take part in the contest.

Before I post the excerpts, if you want a free story of mine you can download Half-Baked Promises from here.

So, happy Halloween and remember that ghosts can be sexy, too!

It's Howloween and You Might Just Weeen Something.

Okay, bad attempt at a written accent. What I meant to say is that you might win something! That's right, I'm taking part in three (!) Halloween hops or events and this is the second one. You can find the Wicked After Dark Blog Hop here.

I'm going to keep this short and to the point. We don't celebrate Halloween here in Iceland, but I'm fascinated with this holiday. I think it's beyond cool. Actually, there have been adult Halloween parties here for the last few years, but nothing for the kids. We host a similar event for the kids in the spring, and on January 6th here in my hometown alone (has been a tradition since my mom was little, I have no idea why it isn't done elsewhere too). 

So! I'm offering up a Boston Boys prize: an e-copy of A Life Without You or Absolutely Eric, and SWAG! Yup, I'm a proud owner of SWAG now after GayRomLit, and I want to share it. This, of course, is international. So, one winner for the whole package.

What you have to do is leave a comment and please say which format you'd prefer: pdf, mobi or ePub. Please also tell me which book you'd like if you win and leave me an email address. If you don't want your email address in comments, feel free to send me mail with "Howloween Hop" in the subject line. I will randomly draw, contact and announce the winner as soon as I can after the hop (since I'll be on the road!).

I'm not going to force you to follow me or subscribe to anything of mine, but if you're interested I have several options. There's a follow button to the right for those who prefer that. I also have a newsletter, Twitter account and a Facebook page. You can even check me out on Goodreads. Again, this is not necessary to take part in the contest.

Before I post the excerpts, if you want a free story of mine you can download Half-Baked Promises from here.

Jesse's like a bar of soap: the tighter Adam holds on, the faster Jesse slips away. Or that's how it feels to Adam. It doesn't help that Jesse has a girlfriend back home and claims to be straight, but there's no way with all the sparks and physical intimacy flying between the two roommates.

When Adam believes he has reached his ultimate happiness, the bedroom walls come crashing down with a visit from Jesse's girlfriend.

Now Jesse has to decide if he can come to terms with his sexuality, while Adam has to learn to accept that Jesse might never be able to crawl out of the closet.

Eric Wesley is short and snazzy, hot and happy. Or thats what he thought. After three years of living on the wild side hes tired of being a playboy and wants to find love.

Eric, however, has never been in love before and doesnt see that the guy whos been gazing at him all summer might be Mr. Right. Alexander Centauri isnt only style-less and clumsy, but also terribly awkward. After a miserable date, Eric plants Alex on another guys lap and goes after Mr. Wrong who looks so right.

When Eric realizes his mistake, it might be too late.

Wicked After Dark Hop

I'm taking part in three blog hops or events over Halloween. This is the first one, the others will be on Oct 26 and 29. 

We don't celebrate Halloween in Iceland so I am absolutely thrilled to be in the USA on the 31st this year. My cousin and I will be in Vegas on the weekend before - the 27th - and we're going out clubbing in costumes. Can't miss the opportunity! Then on the 31st we'll be in Veil, looking like two creeps standing on a street corner to watch the kids trick or treat. I just hope the cops don't show up! We just want to see this thing in action ^.^

I'm supposed to offer up something wicked. All I can offer are erotic stories from my College Fun and Gays series. These are short stories that have been well received and there are even people waiting for the next in the series. All of them are standalone stories (with college as a theme), so you don't have to start with the first. If you're impatient to get one of these stories, they can be bought at No Boundaries Press and other retailers (Amazon, B&N, ARe etc.).

However! You can try to win a story. I'm choosing two winners. Each winner can choose from one of the following stories. To enter, please leave a comment and tell me which book and format you'd prefer (pdf, mobi or ePub). Please also leave me your email address. If you don't want your email address on the internet you can send me mail at eripike at gmail dot com with "Wicked Hop" in the subject line. I will randomly draw, contact and announce the winner as soon as I can after the hop (since I'll be on the road!).

I'm not going to force you to follow me or subscribe to anything of mine, but if you're interested I have several options. There's a follow button to the right for those who prefer that. I also have a newsletter, Twitter account and a Facebook page. You can even check me out on Goodreads. Again, this is not necessary to take part in the contest.

Before I post the excerpts, if you want a free story of mine you can download Half-Baked Promises from here.

For weeks, college student Casper has been the victim of sail-by goosing and groping. The problem is that Casper would very much like to get more than groped by those wonderful, big, hot hands. 

With a journal full of clues, he sets out to discover who his mystery groper is. However, he may be in serious trouble once he discovers the ominous identity, trouble that has nothing to do with the light bondage involved.

When College professor Daniel Corrigan was brutally kicked out of his home after revealing his true sexuality to his wife, he had to make a whole new life for himself. For the first time in two years Daniels main heartache isnt the none-existent relationship with his two kids, but the fact that the grade-A-sex deal with his student Troy Anderson is about to expire. After a whole semester of office fun, Troy has managed to squeeze his way into the core of Daniels soul. Daniel, however, is positive hes nothing more to Troy but a teacher who can modify a grade.

Short and scrawny college student Harley Santos has a strange relationship with the guy on the other side of his bedroom wall. For weeks, the two have been masturbating to each others voices, but they have never met in person.

When Harleys roommate (Ryan) is asked out on a date by one of his neighbors, Harley is devastated that his wall-mate mistook not-hot Harley for super-hot Ryan. Helping Harley through his heartache is Tasha Novokov, the other neighbor, who is tall, dark, and impossibly handsome.

Icelandic Ghosts: Are They Real?

Photo by Thora R.Kristjansdottir

It's Halloween month and so far I've either posted or have scheduled three posts on ghosts. I don't see why I should write about werewolves or vampires because I don't believe those exists. Ghosts, however...

Yes, crazy as I may seem to you, I do believe they exist. I know they exist. 

Icelanders generally believe in ghosts. Why? Because believing in the supernatural is deeply rooted in most Icelanders and we hear the stories from a young age. There are stories about trolls who venture out at night and turn to stone if they don't make it back to their caves before the sun comes up - there are rock figures that prove this. There are human-sized elves and small elves who live in rocks and mountains, and should those rocks and mountains be disturbed you're in a hell of a lot of trouble. There's a ghost at the crossroads to my hometown - many people claim to have seen him and he's been around ever since my grandmother was little. These stories are told as if they are facts, not fiction. My other grandmother has always been able to see ghosts. She doesn't talk about it too often, but it's eerie how she can talk about a woman wrapped up in a shawl and describe her looks and how she smiles and holds her hands in her lap, only to discover a couple of days after from the owner of the house (who didn't live there - my uncle was renting the place) that it was his late wife. The exact shawl, the exact gestures and smile. This isn't a one-time sighting. She even used to play with them when she was a child. 

It's easy to see "stoned" (*snicker*) trolls in the
rough Icelandic landscape.
Photo by Thora R. Kristjansdottir

When I was little, ghosts scared the hell out of me. The ghosts I pictured were sheet-covered beings who made "whooooo" sounds, and then they were see-through and could walk through walls. But then I caught glimpses of American horror movies where ghosts manifested in small children with the intent to scare (not  just kill; scare). As I grew older I realized that they are souls that weren't ready to die, and so they linger behind. It makes sense. The majority of people go to heaven/hell (or wherever they go) and the ones who died very suddenly or have business yet to finish remain behind. However, I've found that I’m not much of a Christian believer anymore. Sure, there’s some good force out there and I might as well call it “God”, but I don’t really believe in some euphoric heaven or demonic hell. I believe that we all become “ghosts” - spirits that are unseen by most. However, those who die suddenly - those who don’t necessarily know they’re dead - are more likely to be seen. The same goes for those with unfinished business. That would also make sense because those who died suddenly or have unfinished business are still trying to move around in the world of the living and want to finish their business. Some may find a way to finish their business but some will longer forever.

Icelandic nature often has a supernatural feel to it.
Photo by Thora R. Kristjansdottir

Now I probably sound nuts to a lot of you, but this is my firm belief. I have seen a ghost myself, when I was in England. I don’t remember it much, but my cousin remembers clear as day. A girl, dressed in clothes from another century, was sitting on her bed. The odd thing is that I wasn't scared, she didn't mean any harm, but I scared the living daylights out of my cousin. This is the only sighting I remember - however, I frequently talked about the “woman in the hallway” when I was a toddler and used to point at her. That scared my mom, and she asked grandma once if there was someone “there” and grandma said there was a woman in the hallway. 

But here’s the thing with me. I’m sensitive - or empathic or whatever I should call it - so I sometimes sense a presence or even the “vibe” of a place. I can sometimes feel it when bad things have happened (as in, I have to get out of the house or suffer the feeling of suffocation/intense fright). That place where I lived as a baby, it’s a house that many family members have lived in and I always sensed this presence when I was older and visiting. I didn't like sleeping over because something felt weird. I didn't know what it was and I didn't know about the “woman in the hallway” until a couple of years ago when my mom was telling my uncle about it (again, stated as a fact, not fiction). 

Then there's one of my sons who, as a toddler, used to point at the bare wall in his bedroom and say he was scared of the man in the wall. I tried all sorts of things to get him to understand that there was no man in the wall, but he kept saying it (only 2 - 3 years old) and although I wished I didn't believe there was a ghost in the wall, I believed him. So, after different experiments, one that including swatting at the wall with a fly-spade, I spoke to the ghost after my sons were asleep. I told him, in a firm voice, to leave. He's scaring my boy and he can't keep doing that. Well, my son didn't talk about the man in the wall for about half a year! Then he started talking about him again and I went through the same speech.

So, are ghosts real? Yes they are.

Body in the water? ^.^
Photo by Thora R. Kristjansdottir

100 M/M E-Books for One Person

Want a chance to win 100 m/m e-books? No, I didn't accidentally add two zeros. I didn't accidentally add one zero either. Eliza Rolle, the girl organizing the Rainbow Awards, is hosting a huge giveaway with books by a lot of the GRL authors. All those books go to ONE winner. There are also second and third places, each one winning an m/m DVD. Just hop on over to her Livejournal page and leave a comment with your email. If you don't have an LJ account, then that's okay because you can post as anonymous. Just remember to leave your email address. 

Happy National Coming Out Day!

The National Coming Out Day on Facebook

Today is the National Coming Out Day and I decided to blog about it to show my support. 

I can't even begin to imagine the fears going through the minds of closeted people. Coming is often easier said than done. Some people grow up in closed-minded communities. There's fear of rejection from families, friends, school mates, work buddies, church, fellow hobby people, and the whole community. Coming out in one country can be easier than coming out in another. Coming out in an area of a city can be more difficult than coming out in another area of the same city. There are so many factors to consider for people who are considering coming out. What they all have in common though is the fear of being discovered and the fear of being rejected. Many even hate themselves for being who they are. Many just want to die.

It's easy to say just forget about everything and come out! You'll feel so much better! True, some people do feel better after coming out, but there are others who lose their whole support network.

Am I saying stay in the closet? No, I'm saying come out in your own time, when you're ready. Try to remember that things will get better and easier in the future. Someday being LGBT will be considered as natural as being black or white. Remember that those who discriminate and try to stop the progress of LGBT rights are living on the wrong side of history. Just hang in there :) If all else fails and you're old enough, move to a gay-friendly city and find a new life along with new friends. Hey, if you came out and everything is falling apart around you, you have nothing to lose, right?

But wait, I can being to imagine what it's like. I do know a little bit about being in the closet. I write m/m books and although I don't expect to be shunned for it, I don't always say what exactly it is that I write. Why? Because I write erotic romance, and when people hear gay literature, they immediately jump to erotica (it's just how thing are right now, if people hear "GLBT" most will think "sex"). I'm a shy person by nature. I always have been. People assume I'm a little goodie-goodie who would never even have erotic thoughts! However, it's been 10 months since I published my first m/m and I have started to tell people little by little. One person here, one person there. I have never, ever gotten a negative reaction. I don't know if it's the fact that people are just generally interested that I'm writing stories and publishing in the USA or if they're just okay with m/m. Many ask "why" and I answer "because it interests me". Those who are closest to me know what I write. People who I meet and ask me about what I do get to hear that I write books. I leave it at that unless they ask more (and then I say, directly translated: I write romance stories about two men).

I've been wondering if I should announce it on my personal facebook timeline, but I've been holding back because my sons will start school next year and we live in a small town. I can just hear the other kids make fun of them for what I write. If I were living in the city I would have no qualms about announcing my career - even to the people who live in this small town (a town I grew up in). The city gives a certain anonymity and not everyone knows who you are and it's unlikely that the kids at school would ever hear about what I write. That's not the case in my small town. So I'm staying in the closet with one foot out for now. Maybe next year I'll decided to to announce it, but I feel that now is not the time. 

GayRomLit SWAG

Wha! Lex Valentine just finished making my collector cards for GayRomLit. I'm ordering them tonight and pray that they're ready before the convention starts. Lex is also making a double-sided bookmark for me.

I'll be making more SWAG posts as the convention nears. There's some already in ABQ at a fellow author's house and some on its way. I think I may have gone a little overboard, but this is my first time! Besides, if I go home with a suitcase full of SWAG I'll have some for the next conventions I attend (and stuff for giveaways!).

So, here are the collector cards that will be available (for free) at GRL:

...and Eric at the very top of this post.

Gay Players: Sexual Liberty

One of Jessica's books. Isn't it gorgeous??

Hi guys :)

Sorry for having you over just to send you on to another site! I wrote a guest blog for Jessica Freely's blog: Friskbiskit where I'm talking about gay players and sexual liberty in fiction. As those who have read my books know, my guys have often been around the block and although I shouldn't have to defend it - because there's nothing wrong with it - I wanted to explain my view.

As some of you know, this dude's a major player
and enjoys sex very much!
He's also unapologetic about it. 

Grade-A-Sex Deal Freeeee Today!

Third and last post today!

Grade-A-Sex Deal is FREE to download from the publisher's website today (and today only). Go ahead and grab a copy ^.^

Update! It's still free today (Oct. 7th), so quick, go grab a copy while you still can!

M/M Reader Appreciation Day: The Sweet Spot

The second post from me today. I'm taking part in the M/M Reader Appreciation Day on The Sweet Spot. It's a yahoo group that you have to sign up for if you want to enter the giveaway. My prize is a copy of The Walls Have Ears, but there are more authors offering prizes and you only have to sign up in one place. I'll also be dropping by for a chat/excerpt.

Short and scrawny college student Harley Santos has a strange relationship with the guy on the other side of his bedroom wall. For weeks, the two have been masturbating to each others voices, but they have never met in person.

When Harleys roommate (Ryan) is asked out on a date by one of his neighbors, Harley is devastated that his wall-mate mistook not-hot Harley for super-hot Ryan. Helping Harley through his heartache is Tasha Novokov, the other neighbor, who is tall, dark, and impossibly handsome.

When Harleys affections shift to Tasha, his heartache hits an all time high because with all the girls hanging around, Tasha has to be straight.

Banned Books Week: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This one's going to be short because I'm short on time and I'm announcing a winner at the end of this post. It's the last day of Banned Books Week! Reading about these books has been a real eye-opener for me and I've found three books that I'm going to buy in print. Today's feature is The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky. It was published in 1999 and I must say, the cover is perfect for the title/subject. 

Blurb:

Standing on the fringes of life... offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

This book has been on ALA's top ten most frequently reported books of 2001-2011 five times. What's special about this book is that it was made into a film, roles going to Emma Watson, Ezra Miller and Logan Lerman. There's really nothing on Wikipedia about the controversy surrounding this book, but when I Google it I get tons. However - and sorry about this - I don't have time to cover it.

You can buy The Perks of Being a Wallflower from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other retailers.

Thanks for being with me this week and I hope some of you have learned something new and will take action if there's a book banning going on in your near surroundings. I don't believe in hiding information from kids and teens. Sure, blatant erotica, but kissing and the mentioning of sex (and even behind-the-scenes sex for the younger teens - more for older teens) should be acceptable. The better hidden it is, the more curious they will become and will be likely to experiment with it themselves. If they can read about it in books, they'll partly quench that curiosity.

The same goes with LGBT matters, don't hide the information. Make it available in school libraries. By hiding it they're saying that the only form of family/person is heterosexual and a modern person should know by now that heterosexual is in no way the only way to be and that there's nothing wrong with being LGBTQ.

So, I'm leaving you with great list of YA/MG QUILTBAG books and a winner of Geography Club. I'll contact the winner tonight.

The winner is: Penumbra!

Banned Books Week: King & King

For the sixth day of Banned Books Week I'm featuring King & King by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland. Another children's book that's been repeatedly challenged, despite winning awards. Published in 2003, it was on ALA's top 10 list of most frequently challenged (reported) books two years in a row (2003 and 2004). Not the five consecutive years And Tango Makes Three got, but getting on that list once is bad enough.

As the title suggests, this book is about a prince who marries another prince. According to some Goodreads reviews the women in this book are displayed in a very negative way, but the reason this book is on ALA's list is because of homosexual content. It's clearly stated - no dancing around the reason. 

I like this article about the controversy surrounding this book, especially this part:

"The core of this battle is, of course, a fight over information, and opponents of gay rights know that the more information people, including kids, get about homosexuality, the less likely they are to end up being prejudiced against gays and lesbians."

That's exactly why people are trying to ban these books.

Blurb:

Once there lived a lovelorn prince whose mother decreed that he must marry by the end of the summer. So began the search to find the prince's perfect match and lo and behold......his name was Lee. You are cordially invited to join the merriest, most unexpected wedding of the year. KING & KING is a contemporary tale about finding true love and living happily ever after, sure to woo readers of any age. A great gift. Exuberant artwork full of visual play calls for repeated readings. Accelerated Reader quiz available. 

You can buy King & King from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other retailers.

Giveaway: I'm offering a copy of Geography Club - the book I featured in my first post of this themed week - to a person who leaves a comment and email address on any of the banned books posts this week (only one entry though and one prize for the whole week). If you don't want your email address posted here, feel free to send me mail at eripike at gmail dot com. I will also make this contest open in the YA LGBT Books group on Goodreads, for those who aren't old enough to enter this site.

The winner will be randomly drawn, contacted and announced on October 6th - the last day of this awareness week.

Banned Books Week: Annie on My Mind

Fifth day of Banned Books Week and I'm featuring Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden. I actually had this book, given to me as a prize during Banned Books Week some years back, but I donated it to Iceland's LGBT center a month ago. I did make an honest attempt to read it, I just didn't like the literal style of it, so I didn't get past the first couple of chapters. However, this week isn't about which style you like. This book has been through some serious hardships.

But first, a little bit about the book. It was first published in 1982, so it's an oldie written in a time where there was even less tolerance toward homosexuality. Here's one of the blurbs on Goodreads:

This groundbreaking book is the story of two teenage girls whose friendship blossoms into love and who, despite pressures from family and school that threaten their relationship, promise to be true to each other and their feelings. This book is so truthful and honest, it has been banned from many school libraries and even publicly burned in Kansas City.

I did not see it on the list of top ten reported books of the 21st century, however, it is number 44 on ALA's list of 100 most frequently challenged books 's 1990-1999. Naturally, this book was on West Bend's list of books-to-challenge. This book was also burned in Kansas in 1993 and there was a court case in regards to another big banning incident (you can read about this on Wiki).

Charming...

In 1994 (still citing Wiki here), a play was written based on this novel. Our old buddy Fred Phelps and his followers picketed the production. I wonder if they had little kids hold up those colorful "Got Hates Fags" and "Fags Die. God Laughs" signs back then (yeah, that latter one sounds so grade school - couldn't they come up with a better one?). If you ask me, though, Fred Phelps seems to hate God! Or at least his God is way more hateful than mine.

Corrupted Innocence 

You can buy Annie on My Mind from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other retailers.

Giveaway: I'm offering a copy of Geography Club - the book I featured in my first post of this themed week - to a person who leaves a comment and email address on any of the banned books posts this week (only one entry though and one prize for the whole week). If you don't want your email address posted here, feel free to send me mail at eripike at gmail dot com. I will also make this contest open in the YA LGBT Books group on Goodreads, for those who aren't old enough to enter this site.

The winner will be randomly drawn, contacted and announced on October 6th - the last day of this awareness week.

If this was in Iceland, child services would be involved already.
Hate is taught.

Love this one ^.^

Banned Books Week: Luna

Fourth day of Banned Books Week and I decided to feature a book about a boy who is a girl on the inside: Luna, by Julie Anne Peters. I have read both the blurb and a short summary on Wikipedia and I must say, I have to have it! Jeeze, I think I'll probably end up buying paperback copies of all of these books and donate them to Iceland's LGBT center. Hmm...or maybe I should just donate them to my local library instead, so non-LGBT people will be more inclined to check them out.

Blurb:

Regan's brother Liam can't stand the person he is during the day. Like the moon from whom Liam has chosen his female namesake, his true self, Luna, only reveals herself at night. In the secrecy of his basement bedroom Liam transforms himself into the beautiful girl he longs to be, with help from his sister's clothes and makeup. Now, everything is about to change-Luna is preparing to emerge from her cocoon. But are Liam's family and friends ready to welcome Luna into their lives? Compelling and provocative, this is an unforgettable novel about a transgender teen's struggle for self-identity and acceptance.

Now, of course there's controversy. I mean, if books about two male penguins hatching an egg together and raising little Tango is considered by some people harmful to kids, then a book about a guy who's a girl will definitely be considered harmful. I mean, we can't let people be themselves and be accepted for it, now can we? No, that would make the world too accepting and there wouldn't be enough balance between justice and prejudice and it would result in the end of humanity as we know it.

Now, my university teacher always says that Wikipedia isn't a reliable source, but I'm going to quote it anyway:

"Although there is not much published about the censorship of Luna, the novel is part of the list of restricted/banned books of Texas due to the topics of transgender and homosexuality as well as rough language.[1] Despite winning multiple awards, the book revolves around sexual orientation, which is often left out of the school curriculum."

That's just the thing. Another way to keep these books hidden from kids (and thereby censored) is to not include them in the school curriculum. I think it should be mandatory to have some sort of (positive) enlightenment on LGBT (and racial) matters in every school - not just once but over and over to practice acceptance. I'm going to check the reading list in the school my sons will attend next year. I swear, if my Icelandic was better, I'd spend time translating some of these books and try to get the national school board to include them in the schools (I doubt they would object, the problem is that we don't have that many Icelandic MG/YA LGBT fiction).

According to the Banned Books Database, Luna has been challenged for "Dysfunctional family (family problems), Sexuality (Transexuality/Transgender), and use of Profanity".

You can buy Luna from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other retailers.

Giveaway: I'm offering a copy of Geography Club - the book I featured in my first post of this themed week - to a person who leaves a comment and email address on any of the banned books posts this week (only one entry though and one prize for the whole week). If you don't want your email address posted here, feel free to send me mail at eripike at gmail dot com. I will also make this contest open in the YA LGBT Books group on Goodreads, for those who aren't old enough to enter this site.

The winner will be randomly drawn, contacted and announced on October 6th - the last day of this awareness week.

An Exorcism of Icelandic Library Ghosts

Photo by Thora R.K.

Roughly a month ago I sent out a plea to my fellow GRL2012 goers to see if anyone would be interested in donating print books to Iceland's only LGBT center. Their library is very outdated in the fiction section because there hasn't been money to buy anything new in years, so their fictional section is looking rather forlorn.

Photo by Thora R.K.

Chicks & Dicks kindly offered to feature the issue and the post went live today ^.^ I'm happy to say that the LGBT center has a few new books already, either donated by me or sent by people (like Anne Tenino!), and a lot of people - including two publishers - will hand me their donations at GRL for me to take to the center. I thought maybe one or two people might respond to my plea, but I was unprepared for the 20+ people who responded. It goes to show how tight and giving this community is. Now there will be titles in the library by KC Burn, Victor Alexander, Geoffrey Knight, Tara Lain and more, for people in Iceland to read. I'm also hoping this will generate an interest of the local bookshops to buy more m/m books in print (I've already contacted the biggest one and they're very positive - they currently only have a few e-book m/m titles in their online store - by Sara York and Geoffrey Knight, among others. Looks like the shop has a deal with Total e-Bound or something). 

Photo by Thora R.K.

Anyway! If you want to read a bit about Iceland, please head on over to Chicks & Dicks. If you want to send an LGBT book to the LGBT center (by you or anyone else), the address is listed in the post (just please make sure you mark the package as a donation so they won't have to pay the VAT). If you'll be at GRL in ABQ, I'd be happy to save you the shipping cost and take the books to the center myself :)

The Icelandic LGBT Center

NBP's Back to School Bash Winner

A day late! Sorry. However, I've drawn and contacted the winner already. Congratulations Anne ^.^ I hope you enjoy your copy of Hot Hands.

There's one more contest still running. It's not for a book by me, it's Geography Club by Brent Hartinger. It's an MG book (middle-grade) that has been banned from an American library and has been on the list of a group that wants it banned for years. I'm giving it away because I'm participating in the Banned Books Week. To participate, just leave a comment on any of the banned books I'm featuring this week and I'll draw the winner on October 6th.

Want a chance to win more of my books? Head over to Book-Tober Bash at Juniper Grove for a chance to win Hot Hands and other GLBT books (by other authors). I'm also taking part in the Sweet Spot Reader Appreciation Day next Saturday (it's a yahoo group). Then come back during Halloween when I'll be taking part in two giveaways ^.^

Oh, and psst, I hear that Grade-A-Sex Deal will be free for download next Saturday at the publisher's site ;)

Banned Books Week: And Tango Makes Three

Day three of Banned Books Week. I planned to feature lesser talked-about LGBT books that have been subjected to prejudice in the form of having been banned from libraries or have been through attempts to be banned. However, And Tango Makes Three is true story of two male penguins that adopted an egg! I just had to feature that. Plus, the whole circus around having it banned just blew my mind. 

And Tango Makes Three is a story for kids aged 4 and up, and I'm telling you guys, it is sooooo sweet. Here, you can watch it on YouTube with the images (that made me go "awww!" so many times and I've vowed to buy this book and read for my kids. I'll have to translate it, but I'm doing it. And I left an Amazon review).

Here are Author's Note from the YouTube video: "All of the events in this story are true. Roy and Silo are called chinstrap penguins because of the delicate line of black feathers that loops under their beaks, as if to hold a hat in place. After years of living side by side in the Central Park Zoo, they discovered each other in 1998 and they have been a couple ever since. Tango, their only chick, was born from an egg laid by another penguin couple named Betty and Porkey. That couple had often hatched their own eggs, but they had never been able to care for more than one at a time. In 2000, when Betty laid two fertile eggs, Rob Gramzay decided to give Roy, Silo, and one of those eggs a chance to become a family. If you go to the Central Park Zoo, you can see Tango and her parents splashing about in the penguin house along with their friends, including Nipper, Squawk, Charlie, Wasabi, and Piwi. There are forty-two chinstrap penguins in the Central Park Zoo and over ten million chinstraps in the world. But there is only one Tango.

by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2005"

But of course there have to be closed-minded people to object this sweet little story! This book has been at ALA's top 10 list of most challenged books in America five years in a row! In 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010 it was THE most challenged book (as in, most reported for inappropriateness). In 2009 it was "only" the second most reported book. Thankfully, it didn't make the top 10 in 2011. 

Take a look at this:

You can buy And Tango Makes Three from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other retailers.

Giveaway: I'm offering a copy of Geography Club - the book I featured in my first post of this themed week - to a person who leaves a comment and email address on any of the banned books posts this week (only one entry though and one prize for the whole week). If you don't want your email address posted here, feel free to send me mail at eripike at gmail dot com. I will also make this contest open in the YA LGBT Books group on Goodreads, for those who aren't old enough to enter this site.

The winner will be randomly drawn, contacted and announced on October 6th - the last day of this awareness week.

Banned Books Week: Boy Meets Boy

My second Banned Books Week LGBT feature is Boy Meets Boy, by David Levithan. 

Again, I'm borrowing information and quotation from a preexisting blog. This one from Censorship-Free Libraries where it says that there is nothing objectionable about this book other than the content (as in, they can't ban it for bad language or sexual content). However, the blog also says: "In spite of its G rating, challenges to Boy Meet Boy crop up.  It was challenged in 2009 at the West Bend (Wisconsin) public library [West Bend again... Remember the attempts to ban Geography Club?], after the library put in on a gay-themed reading list.  The Oklahoma Library Association noted a challenge in 2003. Neither of these direct challenges was successful, although an article in Random House Inc. magazine indicates that the book is stolen from libraries with some frequency."

Honestly? Stolen so it won't be available in the libraries? Some people will go to any lengths...

Blurb:

Considered groundbreaking upon its publication in 2003, Boy Meets Boy is now 10 years old and David Levithan's debut about two teenage boys finding love is still in print and still as heartwarming. The world was different when Boy Meets Boy first appeared and attitudes have changed, but this novel is just as relevant and enjoyable as it was then. To mark the 10th anniversary, this edition features new backmatter from the author, including an original story about the scene-stealing, fan-favorite Infinte Darlene--literature's only star quarterback and homecoming queen. David is now considered one of the most important voices in YA literature, having since authored Every Day, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist with Rachel Cohn, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson with John Green, and fans of his more recent books will not be disappointed by his very first.

You can buy Boy Meets Boy from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other retailers.

If you want to read an excellent post about banned books, I recommend Banned Books Week: Smoke Screen of Hypocrisy. 

Giveaway: I'm offering a copy of Geography Club - the book I featured in my first post of this themed week - to a person who leaves a comment and email address on any of the banned books posts this week (only one entry though and one prize for the whole week). If you don't want your email address posted here, feel free to send me mail at eripike at gmail dot com. I will also make this contest open in the YA LGBT Books group on Goodreads, for those who aren't old enough to enter this site.


The winner will be randomly drawn, contacted and announced on October 6th - the last day of this awareness week.