Sam Clover's Blog
February 3, 2024
Cover of the Month
I'm currently in the running for cover of the month on AllAuthor
Any votes for Sass, Trash, and One Perfect Ass are much appreciated <3
Click here for my voting page
To be honest, I don't have the friends or the following to stand a chance, but every vote increases visibility, and that's awesome. I would love to at least make it to the second round, which requires staying in the top 100 as long as possible.
Any votes for Sass, Trash, and One Perfect Ass are much appreciated <3
Click here for my voting page
To be honest, I don't have the friends or the following to stand a chance, but every vote increases visibility, and that's awesome. I would love to at least make it to the second round, which requires staying in the top 100 as long as possible.
October 28, 2022
2 New MM Romance Books
I got 2 books coming out in 2 months. This was... not planned. For real, I was just in the middle of prepping my romance book 'Sass, Trash, and One Perfect Ass' for my first self pub experiment, when suddenly BAM my ARCs came in from my publisher for my space opera!
The Dec release date for Sass was already set. So here we are!
Both are m/m. Both are romance, though one obvs has way more sci-fi action and violence involved.
Sass, Trash and One Perfect Ass is an enemies-to-lovers novella about an asshole who falls in lust with a man he's wronged. He tries to make it right, but he's really damn bad at it.
Violent Horizons is a full-length space opera about a sex bot who gets stranded in a violent, unforgiving universe when a mysterious technophile murders his creator right before his eyes. He's taken in by a grumpy reptilian and together they lead the technophile on a not-so-merry chase across the galaxy.
Hopefully, between the two of them, there's a little something for most m/m lovers out there. Enjoy! I'm just gonna go sit awkwardly in the corner like a gremlin and try not to think too hard about people reading my stuff.
Oh! And Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Dec release date for Sass was already set. So here we are!
Both are m/m. Both are romance, though one obvs has way more sci-fi action and violence involved.
Sass, Trash and One Perfect Ass is an enemies-to-lovers novella about an asshole who falls in lust with a man he's wronged. He tries to make it right, but he's really damn bad at it.
Violent Horizons is a full-length space opera about a sex bot who gets stranded in a violent, unforgiving universe when a mysterious technophile murders his creator right before his eyes. He's taken in by a grumpy reptilian and together they lead the technophile on a not-so-merry chase across the galaxy.
Hopefully, between the two of them, there's a little something for most m/m lovers out there. Enjoy! I'm just gonna go sit awkwardly in the corner like a gremlin and try not to think too hard about people reading my stuff.
Oh! And Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 23, 2021
Camp NaNoWriMo
I’m doing Camp Nano!
I’m announcing that here so that maybe I’ll feel the pressure to actually complete it. And let’s hope pressure doesn’t just turn me off this time like it normally does.
“Camp NaNoWriMo is a writing event that happens in April and July. It’s different from NaNoWriMo in November because you can work on any type of creative project, not just a novel. First drafts or revision, scripts or stories or poems or essays—all are welcome! Just set a goal and get writing.”
https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/
For my NaNo project, not much is prepped. I started with the characters, their dynamics and a skeletal plot. I’m trying to focus on getting my head into that first scene in the days leading up to April 1st. Might mull over the first line or paragraph so that once it’s time, I can hit the ground running.
I’ve never done NaNoWriMo before, so this will certainly be an experience. I have, however, completed over 50k in a month before! Hell, I think it was even in November! That was a fucking wonderful month, even if it was split between two projects. So I think I can do it. I know I’m capable of it.
The biggest obstacle for me is how to stay motivated for this story, if it turns out I don’t enjoy it, because it’s hard to tell how I’ll feel about a project before I write it. It may be worthwhile to have a plan B locked in.
I’m excited! Are you excited?!
I’m announcing that here so that maybe I’ll feel the pressure to actually complete it. And let’s hope pressure doesn’t just turn me off this time like it normally does.
“Camp NaNoWriMo is a writing event that happens in April and July. It’s different from NaNoWriMo in November because you can work on any type of creative project, not just a novel. First drafts or revision, scripts or stories or poems or essays—all are welcome! Just set a goal and get writing.”
https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/
For my NaNo project, not much is prepped. I started with the characters, their dynamics and a skeletal plot. I’m trying to focus on getting my head into that first scene in the days leading up to April 1st. Might mull over the first line or paragraph so that once it’s time, I can hit the ground running.
I’ve never done NaNoWriMo before, so this will certainly be an experience. I have, however, completed over 50k in a month before! Hell, I think it was even in November! That was a fucking wonderful month, even if it was split between two projects. So I think I can do it. I know I’m capable of it.
The biggest obstacle for me is how to stay motivated for this story, if it turns out I don’t enjoy it, because it’s hard to tell how I’ll feel about a project before I write it. It may be worthwhile to have a plan B locked in.
I’m excited! Are you excited?!
March 19, 2021
Dark Romance
Disclaimer: This is about FICTION! The things we enjoy in fantasy are NOT things we enjoy in real life. I do not want to fall in love with a cannibalistic serial killer, I swear.
What Couples Can Learn From Gomez and Morticia Addams - Paging Dr. NerdLove
Think Morticia and Gomez Addams. They’re in love. Their love for each other is chock-full of darkness, from their celebration of mortality and danger, to their aesthetic.
I’m bringing them up first, because I worry when people think of dark romance, they think of terrible things, like tragedy or abuse. That’s not what dark romance is about. When a relationship dynamic becomes tragic or abusive, it loses its romance real quick. Though tragedy and abuse can play a part in making a story dark, when it comes down to it, romance needs to be romantic.
The Adams Family represents the camp side of it. Their morality is clearly present, even if they scare people and engage in the occasional PG-13 sado-masochism display. They care about each other. They genuinely care about others outside of their family, though they don’t quite understand social conventions well enough to show it to outsiders in appropriate ways.
But romance can go darker. In the setting and overarching plot, sure, but I think it feels more like a dark romance when the darkness is a noticeable part of the main couple’s dynamic, and feeds into the romance rather than taking from it. A lot of vampire stories are good examples of this. At least the ones that involve a love story that doesn’t end tragically. Vampires are about seduction. About giving up a piece of your soul and humanity and embracing something that is feared and conventionally thought of as ‘wrong’.
This can exist without vampires. Without anything supernatural at all. Human beings have so many taboos to play with. So many social conventions to break. So many fears to exploit. What do the characters willingly sacrifice to be with the one they love? The more they lose touch with morality, or what we see as good and human, the darker the romance can get.
Hannibal, the series, is a good example of this. Though it wasn’t explicitly stated that Hannibal and Graham were a thing, their love and obsession with each other was clear. I don’t consider this a dark romance, but I think it had enough elements that it could have become one. It teetered on the edge of one. It played with death, murder, fear, cannibalism, mental illness, and hatred so desperate and dark, somehow it twisted into an obsession that resembled love.
Love cannot exist between perpetrator and victim. That, to me, is why abusive relationships in fiction don’t count as romance. The power dynamic is all wrong. Stockholm Syndrome is not romantic.
So then why is Hannibal used as an example? Hannibal clearly victimized Graham. The power balance was way off. For me, it’s like the relationship between Beecher and Keller in HBO’s show Oz. There’s a tipping point in the relationship where the power balance shifts. The victim does something drastic to take back what they lost. They often lose more of their soul or their humanity in this, but they gain the upper hand somehow in the relationship. Their dynamic swings like a pendulum and they become equals, and when that happens, it usually ends tragically rather than romantically, like with Oz. But there was that hint of romance trying to break through the darkness.
I love this shit. I prefer the stuff that doesn’t end tragically for the main pair — I had such high hopes for Hannibal! I love it when I feel guilty for wanting them to win against the world. I love when morality isn’t black and white, but grey and splashed red with blood.
How do you feel about dark romance? Do you have a favourite example? I’m always thirsty for more, so if you know any tv shows, movies, or books, shout em at me! You know where to find me: Comment section, or twitter!
(This was originally posted on my website, samclover.com)
What Couples Can Learn From Gomez and Morticia Addams - Paging Dr. NerdLove
Think Morticia and Gomez Addams. They’re in love. Their love for each other is chock-full of darkness, from their celebration of mortality and danger, to their aesthetic.
I’m bringing them up first, because I worry when people think of dark romance, they think of terrible things, like tragedy or abuse. That’s not what dark romance is about. When a relationship dynamic becomes tragic or abusive, it loses its romance real quick. Though tragedy and abuse can play a part in making a story dark, when it comes down to it, romance needs to be romantic.
The Adams Family represents the camp side of it. Their morality is clearly present, even if they scare people and engage in the occasional PG-13 sado-masochism display. They care about each other. They genuinely care about others outside of their family, though they don’t quite understand social conventions well enough to show it to outsiders in appropriate ways.
But romance can go darker. In the setting and overarching plot, sure, but I think it feels more like a dark romance when the darkness is a noticeable part of the main couple’s dynamic, and feeds into the romance rather than taking from it. A lot of vampire stories are good examples of this. At least the ones that involve a love story that doesn’t end tragically. Vampires are about seduction. About giving up a piece of your soul and humanity and embracing something that is feared and conventionally thought of as ‘wrong’.
This can exist without vampires. Without anything supernatural at all. Human beings have so many taboos to play with. So many social conventions to break. So many fears to exploit. What do the characters willingly sacrifice to be with the one they love? The more they lose touch with morality, or what we see as good and human, the darker the romance can get.
Hannibal, the series, is a good example of this. Though it wasn’t explicitly stated that Hannibal and Graham were a thing, their love and obsession with each other was clear. I don’t consider this a dark romance, but I think it had enough elements that it could have become one. It teetered on the edge of one. It played with death, murder, fear, cannibalism, mental illness, and hatred so desperate and dark, somehow it twisted into an obsession that resembled love.
Love cannot exist between perpetrator and victim. That, to me, is why abusive relationships in fiction don’t count as romance. The power dynamic is all wrong. Stockholm Syndrome is not romantic.
So then why is Hannibal used as an example? Hannibal clearly victimized Graham. The power balance was way off. For me, it’s like the relationship between Beecher and Keller in HBO’s show Oz. There’s a tipping point in the relationship where the power balance shifts. The victim does something drastic to take back what they lost. They often lose more of their soul or their humanity in this, but they gain the upper hand somehow in the relationship. Their dynamic swings like a pendulum and they become equals, and when that happens, it usually ends tragically rather than romantically, like with Oz. But there was that hint of romance trying to break through the darkness.
I love this shit. I prefer the stuff that doesn’t end tragically for the main pair — I had such high hopes for Hannibal! I love it when I feel guilty for wanting them to win against the world. I love when morality isn’t black and white, but grey and splashed red with blood.
How do you feel about dark romance? Do you have a favourite example? I’m always thirsty for more, so if you know any tv shows, movies, or books, shout em at me! You know where to find me: Comment section, or twitter!
(This was originally posted on my website, samclover.com)
February 27, 2021
Dream Sequences and How to Write Them
Content Warning: You may feel attacked because of my choice of language (f-bombs!), but I promise I’m not angry cursing. I curse when I’m passionate about something. And when I talk normally… I just fucking swear a lot, and I’ve given up on trying to pretend I don’t.
I have written my fair share of dream sequences, and I’m not proud of that. I don’t like them. I avoid them completely in my recent works. So why, you ask, am I writing an article about these fucking things? The purpose of this is to help writers understand the perspective of someone who may whip their books at the wall the moment their dream sequences pop up.
Don’t worry, I’m not just going to rant about why dream sequences are terrible and urge you not to write them. I’m going to talk a bit about what really gets my goat, and also ways in which they can be, and have been, done well.
Please go into this ready to take my opinions with a grain of salt. If you do everything I say not to do, and flip the bird at everything I say will work, I will not read your fucking book, but there are likely many readers who will, and who might even love it. Do what makes you happy. Write the book you’d like to read.
Your Intention
What purpose does your dream sequence serve? This is important. Through my conversations with other writers and readers about dream sequences, this is the single point that comes up the most often with people who hate them. Are you wasting our time?
Purpose 1: Backstory
If your dream sequence’s sole purpose is to spoonfeed us bits of back story, it’s essentially a flashback. Those of us who hate dream sequences tend to hate flashbacks just as much. It feels like an info dump. It takes us out of the story. Especially if you got yourself a page turner. Suddenly being forced out of the events while we’re hungry for more is frustrating in a bad way. Most of the time, I’ll skip it completely, or skim over it. If there’s more than one, I’ll go find another book to read.
Purpose 2: Character Development
These are usually brief glimpses into a character’s state of mind. Especially prevalent in stories about mental illness. I skip/skim these too. We don’t normally need to have a story-stopping glimpse into how a character is feeling to know how they’re feeling — body language, dialogue, and decision-making are effective ways to present a character’s state of mind without breaking away from the events of the story.
Purpose 3: Plot
This is forgivable. I still don’t super enjoy them. Usually wish the author had opted for a more immersive way to give us plot details, but plotty dreams can certainly work. Especially if they’re brief and interesting. You can slip bits of character development and backstory into these as long as you don’t go crazy with it. Like putting vegetables in brownies, if you do it right, us dream-hating-peeps won’t even realize you’ve done it.
Purpose 4: Setting
This is my favourite, and the only one I don’t blatantly hate. When dreams are woven through the narrative kinda like a fantasy element, but not completely. Pan’s Labyrinth comes to mind. Maybe even Alice in Wonderland, or stories about descending into a psychotic break where it’s hard to tell reality from hallucination. This method of storytelling can be compelling as fuck. It doesn’t have to be super important to the plot if it’s serving as an escape for the character. Or if the character’s state of mind is the plot.
Level of Weird
Okay, so you got your dream sequences, and you’ve established that some of us dream-sequence-haters would burn your book, or forgive it based on its purpose alone. But how surreal should it be? Dreams can get really fucking surreal, but we all know if it gets too weird, you’re going to lose even the most avid dream-sequence supporters.
Complete Inanity
Does your dream sequence resemble Naked Lunch? Are there cockroaches playing poker and dogs dancing on the sun? Does your character melt into a puddle of pistachio pudding and get licked up by an alpaca wearing a fedora? Unless your story is meant to be a fever dream and your target audience consists of people heavily dosed with hallucinogens, maybe pull back a bit.
Bad Trip
Weird can be good. Some people don’t like it to be weird, but if your narrative is already out there, making the dream sequences even more crazy isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As long as you keep the purpose of it clear. As long as the characters are recognisable, and your reader isn’t just confused the whole time, go for it. Do not confuse your reader. You do not want to dive so deep into metaphor that your reader comes out of the dream sequence not knowing WTF they just read.
Vaguely Twisted Reality
This is my favourite. When a dream is clearly a dream, but it’s not out there — when emotions twist into vague disorientation in moments that otherwise feel real-ish. If you’re writing a stress dream or a nightmare, this is the best way to go, in my opinion, because the ridiculousness of the last two options would work against you. If it’s too weird, it feels silly, and silly is not scary or tense, so you lose the impact of your character’s fear/anxiety.
Indistinguishable from Reality
These can be good. They can also enrage, so if you’re trying not to piss off dream-sequence haters, tricking us into reading a dream sequence is a good way to get your book yeeted out a window. I swear, if I read a significant section of a book, or even a whole book, that turns out to be a dream, and I was unaware until the end, I feel like my time has been wasted, and I never read another work from that author again. Some people really like that shit, so if you want to do it, do it, just be aware that you’re going to make enemies out of some of your readers. However, if you have super realistic dream sequences where no weird shit happens, but you’ve clearly signified that it’s a dream, you should be fine. Even better, if it’s brief!
Final Note
Okay, I think I’ve insulted enough of my fellow writers with my judgmental bullshit. If you feel called out, I’m sorry! I respect you and your dream scenes, and I recognize that my opinion says nothing about your ability to write and the quality of your stories, so please do not take this rant as an attack.
I’ve heard from a lot of writers on twitter on this topic. You may even be one of them! But if you have more thoughts on the subject, I’d love to hear them. Do you have examples where dream sequences were done well? Have you written them yourself and want to defend their honour with a rant of your own? Do you have a blog post on the subject you’d like me to link to? Hit me up! Comment here, or contact me on Twitter — my DMs are open, as long as you’re not trying to sell me shit! Good luck! ♡♡♡
You can find me on twitter: @CloverErotica
Original Post
I have written my fair share of dream sequences, and I’m not proud of that. I don’t like them. I avoid them completely in my recent works. So why, you ask, am I writing an article about these fucking things? The purpose of this is to help writers understand the perspective of someone who may whip their books at the wall the moment their dream sequences pop up.
Don’t worry, I’m not just going to rant about why dream sequences are terrible and urge you not to write them. I’m going to talk a bit about what really gets my goat, and also ways in which they can be, and have been, done well.
Please go into this ready to take my opinions with a grain of salt. If you do everything I say not to do, and flip the bird at everything I say will work, I will not read your fucking book, but there are likely many readers who will, and who might even love it. Do what makes you happy. Write the book you’d like to read.
Your Intention
What purpose does your dream sequence serve? This is important. Through my conversations with other writers and readers about dream sequences, this is the single point that comes up the most often with people who hate them. Are you wasting our time?
Purpose 1: Backstory
If your dream sequence’s sole purpose is to spoonfeed us bits of back story, it’s essentially a flashback. Those of us who hate dream sequences tend to hate flashbacks just as much. It feels like an info dump. It takes us out of the story. Especially if you got yourself a page turner. Suddenly being forced out of the events while we’re hungry for more is frustrating in a bad way. Most of the time, I’ll skip it completely, or skim over it. If there’s more than one, I’ll go find another book to read.
Purpose 2: Character Development
These are usually brief glimpses into a character’s state of mind. Especially prevalent in stories about mental illness. I skip/skim these too. We don’t normally need to have a story-stopping glimpse into how a character is feeling to know how they’re feeling — body language, dialogue, and decision-making are effective ways to present a character’s state of mind without breaking away from the events of the story.
Purpose 3: Plot
This is forgivable. I still don’t super enjoy them. Usually wish the author had opted for a more immersive way to give us plot details, but plotty dreams can certainly work. Especially if they’re brief and interesting. You can slip bits of character development and backstory into these as long as you don’t go crazy with it. Like putting vegetables in brownies, if you do it right, us dream-hating-peeps won’t even realize you’ve done it.
Purpose 4: Setting
This is my favourite, and the only one I don’t blatantly hate. When dreams are woven through the narrative kinda like a fantasy element, but not completely. Pan’s Labyrinth comes to mind. Maybe even Alice in Wonderland, or stories about descending into a psychotic break where it’s hard to tell reality from hallucination. This method of storytelling can be compelling as fuck. It doesn’t have to be super important to the plot if it’s serving as an escape for the character. Or if the character’s state of mind is the plot.
Level of Weird
Okay, so you got your dream sequences, and you’ve established that some of us dream-sequence-haters would burn your book, or forgive it based on its purpose alone. But how surreal should it be? Dreams can get really fucking surreal, but we all know if it gets too weird, you’re going to lose even the most avid dream-sequence supporters.
Complete Inanity
Does your dream sequence resemble Naked Lunch? Are there cockroaches playing poker and dogs dancing on the sun? Does your character melt into a puddle of pistachio pudding and get licked up by an alpaca wearing a fedora? Unless your story is meant to be a fever dream and your target audience consists of people heavily dosed with hallucinogens, maybe pull back a bit.
Bad Trip
Weird can be good. Some people don’t like it to be weird, but if your narrative is already out there, making the dream sequences even more crazy isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As long as you keep the purpose of it clear. As long as the characters are recognisable, and your reader isn’t just confused the whole time, go for it. Do not confuse your reader. You do not want to dive so deep into metaphor that your reader comes out of the dream sequence not knowing WTF they just read.
Vaguely Twisted Reality
This is my favourite. When a dream is clearly a dream, but it’s not out there — when emotions twist into vague disorientation in moments that otherwise feel real-ish. If you’re writing a stress dream or a nightmare, this is the best way to go, in my opinion, because the ridiculousness of the last two options would work against you. If it’s too weird, it feels silly, and silly is not scary or tense, so you lose the impact of your character’s fear/anxiety.
Indistinguishable from Reality
These can be good. They can also enrage, so if you’re trying not to piss off dream-sequence haters, tricking us into reading a dream sequence is a good way to get your book yeeted out a window. I swear, if I read a significant section of a book, or even a whole book, that turns out to be a dream, and I was unaware until the end, I feel like my time has been wasted, and I never read another work from that author again. Some people really like that shit, so if you want to do it, do it, just be aware that you’re going to make enemies out of some of your readers. However, if you have super realistic dream sequences where no weird shit happens, but you’ve clearly signified that it’s a dream, you should be fine. Even better, if it’s brief!
Final Note
Okay, I think I’ve insulted enough of my fellow writers with my judgmental bullshit. If you feel called out, I’m sorry! I respect you and your dream scenes, and I recognize that my opinion says nothing about your ability to write and the quality of your stories, so please do not take this rant as an attack.
I’ve heard from a lot of writers on twitter on this topic. You may even be one of them! But if you have more thoughts on the subject, I’d love to hear them. Do you have examples where dream sequences were done well? Have you written them yourself and want to defend their honour with a rant of your own? Do you have a blog post on the subject you’d like me to link to? Hit me up! Comment here, or contact me on Twitter — my DMs are open, as long as you’re not trying to sell me shit! Good luck! ♡♡♡
You can find me on twitter: @CloverErotica
Original Post
February 19, 2021
Alien Romance
Inter-species Love Stories in Science Fiction
As I prepare my second book for publishing, I find myself thinking about this topic quite a bit. As if I needed an excuse to think about alien dudes banging.
My story is an m/m xenophiliac love story between a humanoid reptilian and a synthetic human. Silas, the synth, loses the only home he's ever known and is thrust into a terrifying universe of hostile creatures, hungry tentacle monsters, and mind-boggling social conventions. The reptilian people aren't fond of humans. What little peace there is, is tense as fuck and preceded by thousands of years of wars and widespread willful ignorance. So when Loc, a big, grumpy lizardman, encounters this small, seemingly helpless human man, he's wary, to say the least.
What follows is a tumultuous love affair that spans planets. The odds are against them, and so are all the damn people, but Silas and Loc will not go down without a fight!
I am a massive fan of xenophiliac romances. If you know anything about me, that probably doesn't come as a big shocker, but for those of you that don't: hell yeah, bring on them tentacles and big sexy Reptilians and weird-multi-mouthed-oblong-headed-murder-machines. Okay, maybe "Alien" was more horror than romance, but that's what fanfiction is for, right?
My favourite example has to be the Mass Effect game series. I'm not sure that it even really occurred to me before that? I mean, besides the obvious — I will neither confirm nor deny that I've read my fair share of tentacle monster hentai mangas… But Mass Effect was the first time I ever saw something like an inter-species alien romance treated seriously. Like not just ridiculous porn, and I fell in love with the concept. The whole romance aspect of that game played a big role in the inspiration for my book, in fact!
The Shape of Water (2017 film) was another outstanding example of inter-species romances done right. I'm not sure the creature in that movie is an 'alien' exactly, but it's close enough. Xenophilia and Teratophilia are so fucking closely related, the lines for me are blurred into a gradient. The love story is the focal point of that movie, and they've even got a sex scene or two that was super awkward for me, because I had watched it with family. But had I watched it alone, it would have been right up my fucking alley.
I don't know what it is about it. Maybe it's the taboo nature of an interspecies romance, or maybe it illustrates a feeling some of us live with daily, where we don't feel quite human. Maybe we feel like aliens and monsters in a way: Misunderstood, cast out, rejected by convention, or hidden parts of us would be if we let anyone catch a glimpse of who we really are. Perhaps it's the exotic nature of it, something completely different and outside of our realm of understanding, yet safe to project upon or escape into.
What are your thoughts? I am woefully lacking any proper m/m alien romance examples, so if you know of any good ones, throw em at me!
Note: This article was also posted on my wordpress site, and on my buymeacoffee page.
As I prepare my second book for publishing, I find myself thinking about this topic quite a bit. As if I needed an excuse to think about alien dudes banging.
My story is an m/m xenophiliac love story between a humanoid reptilian and a synthetic human. Silas, the synth, loses the only home he's ever known and is thrust into a terrifying universe of hostile creatures, hungry tentacle monsters, and mind-boggling social conventions. The reptilian people aren't fond of humans. What little peace there is, is tense as fuck and preceded by thousands of years of wars and widespread willful ignorance. So when Loc, a big, grumpy lizardman, encounters this small, seemingly helpless human man, he's wary, to say the least.
What follows is a tumultuous love affair that spans planets. The odds are against them, and so are all the damn people, but Silas and Loc will not go down without a fight!
I am a massive fan of xenophiliac romances. If you know anything about me, that probably doesn't come as a big shocker, but for those of you that don't: hell yeah, bring on them tentacles and big sexy Reptilians and weird-multi-mouthed-oblong-headed-murder-machines. Okay, maybe "Alien" was more horror than romance, but that's what fanfiction is for, right?
My favourite example has to be the Mass Effect game series. I'm not sure that it even really occurred to me before that? I mean, besides the obvious — I will neither confirm nor deny that I've read my fair share of tentacle monster hentai mangas… But Mass Effect was the first time I ever saw something like an inter-species alien romance treated seriously. Like not just ridiculous porn, and I fell in love with the concept. The whole romance aspect of that game played a big role in the inspiration for my book, in fact!
The Shape of Water (2017 film) was another outstanding example of inter-species romances done right. I'm not sure the creature in that movie is an 'alien' exactly, but it's close enough. Xenophilia and Teratophilia are so fucking closely related, the lines for me are blurred into a gradient. The love story is the focal point of that movie, and they've even got a sex scene or two that was super awkward for me, because I had watched it with family. But had I watched it alone, it would have been right up my fucking alley.
I don't know what it is about it. Maybe it's the taboo nature of an interspecies romance, or maybe it illustrates a feeling some of us live with daily, where we don't feel quite human. Maybe we feel like aliens and monsters in a way: Misunderstood, cast out, rejected by convention, or hidden parts of us would be if we let anyone catch a glimpse of who we really are. Perhaps it's the exotic nature of it, something completely different and outside of our realm of understanding, yet safe to project upon or escape into.
What are your thoughts? I am woefully lacking any proper m/m alien romance examples, so if you know of any good ones, throw em at me!
Note: This article was also posted on my wordpress site, and on my buymeacoffee page.
December 24, 2020
New Website and a Free Short Story!
Welp! I finally did it! I created an author website. Soon as I can afford it, I'll slap a proper domain name on that baby too!
https://samcloverwrites.wordpress.com/
I wrote a blog post there about writing sex scenes, for any writerly peeps who may be interested!
Merry Christmas to those of you who are celebrating today!
Here's a little Seasonal Short Story I wrote for a friend (and also a discord holiday collection). Don't worry, it's free! Trigger warning: Gore, and implied suicidal ideations.
Summary:
Gen escapes her trainwreck of a life to go roughing it out in the woods. All alone, where no one can find her. Where she can finally breathe. It's a desperate attempt to remind herself beauty still exists in this cold world, but on her first night, she discovers she's not as alone as she thought she'd be.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/278...
If you have topics you'd like me to cover in my blog, feel free to throw them my way. Either in comments, or on twitter. My DMs are always open to writers and readers with genuine questions and prompts!
If you enjoy my content, consider showing your support by buying my book, or buying me a coffee!
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SamClover
https://samcloverwrites.wordpress.com/
I wrote a blog post there about writing sex scenes, for any writerly peeps who may be interested!
Merry Christmas to those of you who are celebrating today!
Here's a little Seasonal Short Story I wrote for a friend (and also a discord holiday collection). Don't worry, it's free! Trigger warning: Gore, and implied suicidal ideations.
Summary:
Gen escapes her trainwreck of a life to go roughing it out in the woods. All alone, where no one can find her. Where she can finally breathe. It's a desperate attempt to remind herself beauty still exists in this cold world, but on her first night, she discovers she's not as alone as she thought she'd be.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/278...
If you have topics you'd like me to cover in my blog, feel free to throw them my way. Either in comments, or on twitter. My DMs are always open to writers and readers with genuine questions and prompts!
If you enjoy my content, consider showing your support by buying my book, or buying me a coffee!
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SamClover
December 20, 2020
Blue Lips
Drabbles are stories that are EXACTLY 100 words. (Not including titles/the ends)
This is one I wrote for a contest it turns out I was not eligible for, sadface. Soooo Instead I'm gonna slap it up here!
This is one I wrote for a contest it turns out I was not eligible for, sadface. Soooo Instead I'm gonna slap it up here!
Blue Lips
By Sam Clover
It would be the last thing he saw. The thought struck him as he watched the bruise spread up his arms from a bloody bite mark. Spiderweb-thin tendrils of veins swelled their way over his elbow. He didn’t even feel it. It felt numb. Cold.
His eyes darted up to the man standing over him. “Ethan...” His voice came out a strangled rasp. His next word, a baffled plea, wouldn’t even come. Why?
Ethan’s blue eyes were cloudy and lifeless, but a mournful moan came in answer as Craig watched his own blood dribble down his husband’s gaping blue lips.
The End.
December 16, 2020
The Release of Cold Snap
A lifetime of bad experiences has left Iddy homeless and wary of shelters.
Rumors of a monster hunting the city streets at night surface, but between the cold and predators of the human variety, Iddy has more important things to worry about. That is until he comes face-to-face with the monster and survives. Now, it has him in its sights.
Cold Snap is not the first story I've written. I've been writing since I can remember. Fantasy, horror, drama, sci-fi. I've written stories about kings, about drag queens, about martial artists in love, about a psychopath granddad's genetic engineering fails gone awry!
It is, however, the first time I've had enough confidence in myself to attempt publishing. And it certainly won't be the last, as I am halfway through the second draft of a Space Opera.
About a week ago, the release date hit me. Like a truck. The night before I had spent hours freaking out about all the things I might have done wrong—about how TF to market this thing, about things I may had forgotten to do to prepare. I was certain my release would be met with silence. Maybe a friend or two would buy my book and that would be it for my publishing journey.
Instead, at around 6 am, a review came in. The dread in my heart shattered. It was a short review by someone who got an advance review copy, but I was stunned. It was good! I was beyond thrilled! I was already planning to frame and mount it on the wall. Then, over the next couple hours, tweets started pouring in; sites were doing giveaways of my book. People were adding it on goodreads!
I was jumping out of my skin!
I realize I am a "first time" author in a crowded genre that many don't even realize exists. I am not deluded to think I'm on the road to fame. But I'm happy. Those of you who have supported this release, you have no idea how much it means to me. I've spent my entire life in poverty, in anonymity. And for a few days, I've gotten a taste of what it's like to be seen.
2020 has been a shitfest for everyone, but you have made it brighter for this neurotic Canadian.
December 8, 2020
Learning To Write: 6 Tips
My first Goodreads post is advice for writers because that's what I do: my entire life revolves around giving pep talks to nervous or struggling budding writers. I love it. I'm not even being sarcastic; watching writers overcome their insecurities and develop their voice gives me life.
I started writing when I was 11. I wrote this terrible horror movie script called the Haunted Attic, and to this day I vividly remember how awful it was, but it was fun! Somewhere along the way, my friends got involved, and it turned into this community-written monstrosity that we acted out on the front lawn for confused neighbours.
Writing can feel so solitary, but it shouldn't be. It doesn't have to be. That script never got better, but I did. That was a jumping off point into a lifelong passion for the magic that happens when creative souls feed off each other.
I am 34. I have been writing for 23 years now, beta-reading for 18, and for the last year and a half, I have been running a discord server for erotica writers where I have had the honour of watching so many amazing beginners cut their teeth. And, 2 years ago, I finally got up the nerve to submit a manuscript to actual publishers that led to my first book's recent release.
That's why I picked this topic: because writing is about community to me. The following tips are for writers who are struggling. Whether you have just begun, or have been writing for a while and are feeling stuck, I hope I can help.
1. Go Easy on Yourself
There is no such thing as a perfect writer.
Language is an evolving creature, and art is incredibly subjective. Understand that not everyone will love your writing, and that's okay. That doesn't mean there's something wrong with you or something wrong with them - unless they're a jerk about it, in which case, it's all on them!
Take breaks. Writer's block happens. Real life gets in the way. It's okay to stop and breathe and put the writing aside for a few days. When a few days turn into weeks and months, however, maybe it's time to buckle down and get back to it.
2. Prioritize your Learning.
Know what your goals are. It's okay, they can be fluid. They can change as you discover new weaknesses you want to work on. The important thing is that you know what you want to target so you can focus on it.
Do you want to be better at dialogue? Do you need to learn how to use active voice and passive voice? Is pacing an issue for you? The internet is full of amazing resources for every specific issue. My personal favourite place to look for knowledge is on YouTube.
3. Learning Requires Listening.
When we get feedback, sometimes we get this urge to explain why we wrote something the way we did. Sometimes we want to argue with poor advice or advice that doesn't work for us.
Most of the time, countering feedback appears insecure or defensive. It also makes other writers less keen to give feedback in the future. Doesn't mean you should take all the advice you're given, but your craft will improve so much better when you learn to listen and absorb and percolate on feedback instead of countering it.
4. Learn to Let Go
Not all advice is right for you. Not all feedback, not all reviews are created equal, and part of learning how to write includes learning to discern between what you should absorb and what you should ignore.
If it's something you disagree with, but you're getting the same advice from several people, it may be time to consider it. If it's advice coming from a single source, then consider that source. How well does this person know your genre and the craft of writing? If they're a writer, are they someone you want to emulate?
5. Try New Things
It's so easy to get attached to your own methods. If you've done something the same way for years, you feel you've perfected it. Maybe you feel like it's your way of doing things and those other ways of doing it are antithetical to your style.
Try them anyway.
For example, say you write strictly in 3rd limited POV, past tense. Maybe you outline your stories to death before you dare write a single word of your first draft. Maybe you have a beat sheet you follow to the letter. Break out of that box. Try 2nd POV, even if you hate it. Try discovery writing. Or maybe try a vague 3 act outline. You can learn so much just by dipping your toes into different waters.
6. Find Your Community
Try Facebook groups. Try discord. Try twitter. Talk to other writers. Reach out. If you can't find a community that suits your needs, perhaps you should create one. The most important thing is to find peers you respect that you can learn from, who can learn from you. Exchange tips, discuss craft, just chill together.
It's okay to lurk until you feel comfortable. I'm 90% introvert. I have severe social anxiety. If you are anything like me, it can be hella scary, and I get that, but it is also so worth it.
I'm here. If anyone has questions about this post, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be found on twitter: @CloverErotica.
I don't know who you are, but if this is what you want to do with your life, welcome to the writing community. It might be hard. It might be easy, but either way, I believe in you. You got this.
I started writing when I was 11. I wrote this terrible horror movie script called the Haunted Attic, and to this day I vividly remember how awful it was, but it was fun! Somewhere along the way, my friends got involved, and it turned into this community-written monstrosity that we acted out on the front lawn for confused neighbours.
Writing can feel so solitary, but it shouldn't be. It doesn't have to be. That script never got better, but I did. That was a jumping off point into a lifelong passion for the magic that happens when creative souls feed off each other.
I am 34. I have been writing for 23 years now, beta-reading for 18, and for the last year and a half, I have been running a discord server for erotica writers where I have had the honour of watching so many amazing beginners cut their teeth. And, 2 years ago, I finally got up the nerve to submit a manuscript to actual publishers that led to my first book's recent release.
That's why I picked this topic: because writing is about community to me. The following tips are for writers who are struggling. Whether you have just begun, or have been writing for a while and are feeling stuck, I hope I can help.
1. Go Easy on Yourself
There is no such thing as a perfect writer.
Language is an evolving creature, and art is incredibly subjective. Understand that not everyone will love your writing, and that's okay. That doesn't mean there's something wrong with you or something wrong with them - unless they're a jerk about it, in which case, it's all on them!
Take breaks. Writer's block happens. Real life gets in the way. It's okay to stop and breathe and put the writing aside for a few days. When a few days turn into weeks and months, however, maybe it's time to buckle down and get back to it.
2. Prioritize your Learning.
Know what your goals are. It's okay, they can be fluid. They can change as you discover new weaknesses you want to work on. The important thing is that you know what you want to target so you can focus on it.
Do you want to be better at dialogue? Do you need to learn how to use active voice and passive voice? Is pacing an issue for you? The internet is full of amazing resources for every specific issue. My personal favourite place to look for knowledge is on YouTube.
3. Learning Requires Listening.
When we get feedback, sometimes we get this urge to explain why we wrote something the way we did. Sometimes we want to argue with poor advice or advice that doesn't work for us.
Most of the time, countering feedback appears insecure or defensive. It also makes other writers less keen to give feedback in the future. Doesn't mean you should take all the advice you're given, but your craft will improve so much better when you learn to listen and absorb and percolate on feedback instead of countering it.
4. Learn to Let Go
Not all advice is right for you. Not all feedback, not all reviews are created equal, and part of learning how to write includes learning to discern between what you should absorb and what you should ignore.
If it's something you disagree with, but you're getting the same advice from several people, it may be time to consider it. If it's advice coming from a single source, then consider that source. How well does this person know your genre and the craft of writing? If they're a writer, are they someone you want to emulate?
5. Try New Things
It's so easy to get attached to your own methods. If you've done something the same way for years, you feel you've perfected it. Maybe you feel like it's your way of doing things and those other ways of doing it are antithetical to your style.
Try them anyway.
For example, say you write strictly in 3rd limited POV, past tense. Maybe you outline your stories to death before you dare write a single word of your first draft. Maybe you have a beat sheet you follow to the letter. Break out of that box. Try 2nd POV, even if you hate it. Try discovery writing. Or maybe try a vague 3 act outline. You can learn so much just by dipping your toes into different waters.
6. Find Your Community
Try Facebook groups. Try discord. Try twitter. Talk to other writers. Reach out. If you can't find a community that suits your needs, perhaps you should create one. The most important thing is to find peers you respect that you can learn from, who can learn from you. Exchange tips, discuss craft, just chill together.
It's okay to lurk until you feel comfortable. I'm 90% introvert. I have severe social anxiety. If you are anything like me, it can be hella scary, and I get that, but it is also so worth it.
I'm here. If anyone has questions about this post, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be found on twitter: @CloverErotica.
I don't know who you are, but if this is what you want to do with your life, welcome to the writing community. It might be hard. It might be easy, but either way, I believe in you. You got this.
