I would like to see more Romance. I'm all for hot sex sex (in fact I like it lots:)...I would just love to see more romance to go with it.
Thanks!

M Rae wrote: "I would like to see more Romance. I'm all for hot sex sex (in fact I like it lots:)...I would just love to see more romance to go with it.
Thanks!"

I agree: I love the down-and-dirty, but it's even better when I love the couple finding their way together. <3

My favorite m/m stories not only have romance, humour, sex and a plausible story arc but show character growth as the story progresses. This means the characters must be three-dimensional, not cardboard one-dimensional cliches. I adore slice-of-life stories and details revealing character quirks and habits.

Debbie wrote: "My favorite m/m stories not only have romance, humour, sex and a plausible story arc but show character growth as the story progresses. This means the characters must be three-dimensional, not card..."

Nice! I love slice-of-life moments, too. When I co-write with Talon, we call her the "detail bitch," because she always knows every little quirk and habit of characters. It's not always easy to work them in without telling rather than showing, or what we think of as "info dump." :)

Thanks for adding the multicultural aspect! I'd like to see more humor, and a stronger sense of place in MM novels. And better dialog, too.

Urbanista wrote: "Thanks for adding the multicultural aspect! I'd like to see more humor, and a stronger sense of place in MM novels. And better dialog, too."

Good writing always needs good dialogue, definitely! And I just love humor, great point! When you say "place" do you mean more sense of the setting (physical, natural) or era or...?

By place, I mean either a physical or cultural location, rich with distinctive details specific to that place. I am disappointed sometimes when books are set in generic places that could be anywhere, or when characters have no cultural resonance at all.

Urbanista wrote: "By place, I mean either a physical or cultural location, rich with distinctive details specific to that place. I am disappointed sometimes when books are set in generic places that could be anywher..."

Yes, that sense of place can add so much, bring you into the narrative and its characters. It's often given little attention so we can get to the romance.

Bkrdr wrote: "I would like more interaction and/or dialogue between the main characters rather than having many long sex scenes in a story."

Definitely understood. The more I know and care about characters, the more the sex is integral to the romance rather than gratuitous. (Not that I mind gratuitous sex sometimes!)

I think I personally would love to see more helpless "nerds" in my M/M books. LOL... I really got into it this year and though, there has been a few more, there still isn't enough to fully satisfy me. Whether a computer nerd or Science freak or Math dork, comic freak or even a Japanese Manga obsessed Otaku, Star wars, star trek --whatever. I want more Nerds!! lol... some angst, drama, ;A; maybe sadness, BRING ON THE TEARS... but still... I want more Nerd Love and Happily Ever Afters! ;) heh....

Thank you so much for the contest! \^o^/

EDIT: OMG! Also, Office Love... UNFF~~ Some hot smut and loving against the office window, desk, door, chair, wall..~~ more office smut! lol... but still I want more nerds. ;P heh...

Judianna wrote: "I think I personally would love to see more helpless "nerds" in my M/M books. LOL... I really got into it this year and though, there has been a few more, there still isn't enough to fully satisfy ..."

I love the category of "helpless nerds" -- great subgenre to start a list with! Funny: I just read Jana Denardo's Xmas story "Peace in the Valley" where the lovers gush over Doctor Who paraphernalia for Xmas gifts and watch Indiana Jones for relaxation. Angelo, one of the main characters in After the First Taste of Love is a librarian type grad student who loves yaoi manga (the last page of the book is an artist's mock-up of a page in the pretend manga we make-up and describe in the novel) -- if you win, I hope you like it! Ooh, and I know Storm Moon Press has an LGBT Coffee Break-themed collection coming out soon for your office fetish!

Ok, enough with the plugs for various random books: thanks for entering and sharing your desires!

What would I like to see? Positive messages for our youth that life will get better, give them hope for a positive future and that the struggles they are suffering from today will be a thing of the past. We need to send out youth positive messages. We are loosing kids that could be brilliant politicians, doctors, lawyers, etc. and that is not acceptable. We need books that parents of said children could read as well so they can get an understanding of the struggles their children are going through, books that will teach them that being LGBT is not a choice!

Have a brilliant and prosperous New Year!

~Rush~
taina1959@yahoo.com

Rush wrote: "What would I like to see? Positive messages for our youth that life will get better, give them hope for a positive future and that the struggles they are suffering from today will be a thing of the..."

Oh yes and hell yes, Rush. I could not agree more. I've recently compiled a collection of some of my short stories and, if published, plan to donate all profits to It Gets Better. While I do too much erotica to be a parental educator, my work always emphasizes the positive -- the overcoming of struggles to reach self-aware happiness, for example. Thank you so much for your comment!

Salome wrote: "I love the category of "helpless nerds" -- great subgenre to start a list with! Funny: I just read Jana Denardo's Xmas story "Peace in the Valley" where the lovers gush over Doctor Who paraphernalia for Xmas gifts and watch Indiana Jones for relaxation. Angelo, one of the main characters in After the First Taste of Love is a librarian type grad student who loves yaoi manga ..."

Aha! SEE? Eeek!! More reason why I need to have this! lol.. :p If I don't win I'm just gonna go out and get it. Hopefully it's still on sale by then cuz that tidbit just made it a MUST HAVE NOW! <3 lol...

Aha, and really? Office Love? Yay!! Something to really look forward to! \^o^/

Salome wrote: "Rush wrote: "What would I like to see? Positive messages for our youth that life will get better, give them hope for a positive future and that the struggles they are suffering from today will be a..."

In all reality, If it was me, I'd donate the money to an LGBT Youth homeless shelter. Unlike the other groups, I consider shelter would need the most help. My all time dream have always been to be able to open shelter for those kids in all the large cities in the US.

Rush wrote: "Salome wrote: "Rush wrote: "What would I like to see? Positive messages for our youth that life will get better, give them hope for a positive future and that the struggles they are suffering from ..."

Thanks for the recommendation. I believe NYC has a shelter organization; will look into it.

Judianna wrote: "Aha! SEE? Eeek!! More reason why I need to have this! lol.. :p If I don't win I'm just gonna go out and get it. Hopefully it's still on sale by then cuz that tidbit just made it a MUST HAVE NOW! <3 lol...
Aha, and really? Office Love? Yay!! Something to really look forward to! \^o^/"

I believe there is also an anthology coming out -- can't remember which press -- called Geek Love, with fiction and art. And I'm thrilled you're excited about our novella. It was definitely a labor of nerdy luv!

Salome wrote: "Debbie wrote: "My favorite m/m stories not only have romance, humour, sex and a plausible story arc but show character growth as the story progresses. This means the characters must be three-dimens..."

Yes, I have tried to move myself away from too many details from my earlier works. Talon can tell you about those - I was once called Detailzilla! LOL!

bakayaro onna wrote: "Yes, I have tried to move myself away from too many details from my earlier works. Talon can tell you about those - I was once called Detailzilla! LOL!"

Go Detailzilla! As you crush Tokyo, you are able to name every building and street along the way! ^_^

I'd love to see more unusual themes or settings worked in, something that makes the characters and their interactions more distinctive. (One of the reasons the menage in Josephine Myles' THE HOT FLOOR worked so well for me was that each character had such a unique personality outside the bedroom as well as in. You don't see glassblowing, macrame, or plumbing discussed in most books, let alone m/m!)

Koozebane wrote: "I'd love to see more unusual themes or settings worked in, something that makes the characters and their interactions more distinctive. (One of the reasons the menage in Josephine Myles' THE HOT FL..."

Great point! Especially when unique quirks and traits are worked into interactions and plot well. I love cool hangouts for characters that make me wish I could go there, too.

I want to see more fun female friends instead of the naggy evil females LOL I also want more romance between the MC's!

Emily wrote: "I want to see more fun female friends instead of the naggy evil females LOL I also want more romance between the MC's!"

Fabulous point, Emily. Negative female characters can be a plague in m/m fiction. In our novella, we made sure that the closest female friend to our friends-to-lovers protagonists (Marina) is witty, funny, and very likeable! :)

Yay I look forward to Marina :)

I'd like to see some more straight couples. I mean obviously I read m/m for some gay lovin', but sometimes it seems like the entire locale is populated by gay people.

Also, I'd love to see some more books where religion is presented negatively. I realize that this one is a controversial issue, but not all of us have problems with homosexuals....

Ashley E wrote: "I'd like to see some more straight couples. I mean obviously I read m/m for some gay lovin', but sometimes it seems like the entire locale is populated by gay people.

Also, I'd love to see some mo..."

Ooh, you hit me right where I live on the religion issue. I'd like to see more happy atheists, and am always willing to see open critique of "well-meaning" religious folk. Our novella has gay men brought up in a mix of religious backgrounds who have plenty of critique and no fear of hell.

As for straight couples, you're so right that some m/m novels are their own gay utopias! We have straight, bi, and lesbian characters in our novella, and our main couple doesn't just hang with gay folk.

Thanks for making me think about all of this!

I have to admit that I usually skim through most of the sex scenes in books. I mean some 'hot' scenes are just boring! There's only so much I can take of 'A plunging his 10 inch rod into B's quivering little pink hole' before I succumb to intense jealousy!!! I'd like to read more books with a strong story line and lots of humor.

Giselle wrote: "I have to admit that I usually skim through most of the sex scenes in books. I mean some 'hot' scenes are just boring! There's only so much I can take of 'A plunging his 10 inch rod into B's quiver..."

*snort* Isn't "plunging his 10 inch rod" into a "quivering little pink hole" humor enough for ya? :) It can be difficult to keep finding new ways to depict nookie, but it can be even more exhausting reading them! I love humor when its well done (and intentional), and you're so right about strong storylines. Our novella is more slice-of-life; intentionally so as the first of 3, but it may put some readers off who, like you, want a stronger plot. Thanks for joining in the discussion!

Salome wrote: "Giselle wrote: "I have to admit that I usually skim through most of the sex scenes in books. I mean some 'hot' scenes are just boring! There's only so much I can take of 'A plunging his 10 inch rod..."

I think 'A plunging his 10 inch rod into B's quivering little pink hole' is more of an ouch moment, nothing to laugh at!!!

Giselle wrote: "I think 'A plunging his 10 inch rod into B's quivering little pink hole' is more of an ouch moment, nothing to laugh at!!!"

LOL! True that!

I'd like to see more interaction with straight people. Most m/m stories seem to stick to the gay scene but gay people live in the real world too.

Ilona wrote: "I'd like to see more interaction with straight people. Most m/m stories seem to stick to the gay scene but gay people live in the real world too."

Amen! Making a magic world of all-gay people doesn't even reflect San Francisco accurately! :) I'm happy to report that straight people outnumber gay people in our novella! Thanks for joining in!