114. Going unplugged and thoughts on gay fiction

Friday, July 29, 2005

The past few days I had been experiencing some problems with my keyboard. The keys would type, but nothing would appear on screen. Then there would be a beep, and everything I had just typed minus a few letters would suddenly appear. Sometimes the keyboard would freeze for several minutes. I pretty much figured that somehow the wire from the keyboard to the back of the computer was somehow the culprit, and it reminded me of a bit back when my kitten had chewed through the speaker wires. I figured something similar was happening here, so I decided I needed a new keyboard, and possibly even something wireless so future issues wouldn't come up. So today I shopped around the local stores online sites, and found what looks to be a really good deal on a wireless keyboard and mouse set. I only paid 19.95 plus tax for mine. Not a bad deal. Anytime you switch keyboards, there is always some time for adjustment. Keyboards almost seem to become an extension of yourself, and as writers we tend to use them a great deal of our day. So I'm adjusting.

Today in my blog hopping, I found a link to an article that was posted by Monica Jackson. The articles talks about the closing down of one gay bookstore in New York City, and goes on to further discuss how writer's of gay fiction are not labeling their works as such any longer. Since I began writing my stories, which up to this point have been male/male in focus, I really haven't thought about not calling myself a writer of gay romance. No, I'm not a gay man. At least not the last time that I looked anyway. Although at times, I wonder if I have a gay male living in my brain because working with male/ male has been a lot easier for me to work with the male/female. I've only been writing male/male for a few years. Started off with slash fan fiction, and then I finally decided I wanted to move on from that.

The reason's the authors in the article state they left the "gay" label off of their works is because they were either put in a small section with all the other gay books, which in my experience in some stories is quite small. I've actually had to ask for such a section in the bookstores I go to regularly, and they either have a shelf or two or none at all. One book store included the gay books, both fiction and nonfiction, in the sexuality section. So I guess I can understand their reasoning for wanting to not label themselves. I really hadn't thought of not labeling myself. I write male/male fiction, and yes I am a woman. More and more gay fiction these days is written by women. However, the genre does seem to be picking up more in popularity. Which I for one am happy to see.

I guess it just made me think. While some say gay fiction is changing, I think the change is good. There is more of it. Yes, as the article mentions, the focus has turned away from the fact there is gay characters. I think with the diving into the genre that women have made in recent years, the focus is of more on the romance involved, the love story. No matter who the people involved are, love is love, and that is what the focus is being drawn to. In my humble opinion anyway.

Have a great day everyone.