Guest Post: Erica Pike's Black Hurricane Blog Tour: Sweeping out the Cobwebs: The Icelandic LGBTQ Library

Black Hurricane Blog Tour

Erica Pike

Smoocher’s Voice, September 22, 2014

Title: Sweeping out the Cobwebs: 

The Icelandic LGBTQ Library

2012 was the first year I walked into the Icelandic LGBT center, a week before the first Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia launched. I got this rush as I walked into the rainbow marked house on the main street of Reykjavik as I had no idea what I’d find on the other side. Once there, I met with the director, Arni Gretar Johannsson, and we had a chat. Afterward, I took a look around the small library. They had a lot of DVD’s and non-fiction books about LGBT matters, a lot of magazines, and a nice collection of LGBT fiction. However, the most recent gay fiction I could find was from 2003. When I asked Arni about it, he said that the center was funded only by donations and member fees and they didn’t have money for stocking up on new fiction. Whatever they had had been donated from other people’s bookshelves.

That got me thinking about all the wonderful gay romances I’d read. None of the modern M/M books had made their way onto the shelves as Icelanders are still generally oblivious about the brilliance and existence of gay romances. There were no horrors by Rick R. Reed, sci-fi books by K.C. Burn and Angel Martinez. There were no heart-wrenching romances by Amy Lane, Marie Sexton, or Mary Calmes. And what about all the rock star books? And the paranormals? And the cowboys? Icelanders were seriously missing out.

I went home and sent out a request on the GRL yahoo group, explaining the situation and asking if anyone was willing to donate a book. Over twenty people and publishers promptly replied that they’d be happy to donate a book or two. Arni was pleasantly surprised when I told him (right after I donated my own book) and after speaking to the board of directors, he gave me a bunch of 78 pins as tokens of gratitude (they’re called Samtökin “78 - or Organization “78). So, a few months later, I visited Albuquerque and had a blast. People kept giving me books and I gave them pins as thanks. I ended up with 64 books in my bag to take to the center! That was beside a few books I’d bought/swapped for myself and the copies of my own books I wanted to take with me to Iceland. Naturally, I had to buy an extra bag, but since Iceland Air is awesome, and I had a AM-EX card (they allow an extra bag), I didn’t have to pay anything extra for bringing three big suitcases into the country (hey, it was also a shopping trip). Fortunately for the center, some of the people were donating more than one book, so everyone got a pin.

So, there are still no books by some of the authors I mentioned above, but there are now awesome, modern books in many of the sub-genres of M/M romance by many fantastic authors. 

Book Name: Black Hurricane

Author Name: Erica Pike

Author Bio: Erica lives in Iceland with her adorable little twin boys. She often says that her real name sounds like Klingon to foreigners. Seriously, if “Eyjafjallajökull” looks like a random strings of characters, it’s nothing in comparison to Erica’s name.

She’s been writing for several years, or ever since reading became an obsession. Aside from a business degree, Erica has taken English courses at the University of Iceland and gulped down anything that might help her in her career as an author. She takes great interest in English, but will break every single grammar rule for the sake of The Voice.

Author Contact:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEricaPike

https://twitter.com/EricaPike

https://www.goodreads.com/EricaPike

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/94436-gay-romance-by-erica-pike

Cover Artist: Scarlet Tie Designs

Publisher: MLR Press

Excerpt: “Jazz, take pictures!” Eric pokes me hard in the side with his bony elbow.

I wince and raise the camera, clicking a shot.

“Go to the front, like they’re doing.” He points at the photographers running to the front and clicking madly on their cameras.

Heaving a sigh, I drag my ass off the chair to walk forward. I rake my hand through my hair before I glance back at the monstrosity on the platform. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be in this position. Suddenly oil paint and new guitar strings don’t seem all that important. I just wanna get out, but Eric needs these pictures for the magazine and I’d rather die than let one of my friends down.

My heart thuds when I see Dean looking right back at me as I approach. His brow furrows as if he’s trying to place me. Typical. Of course he wouldn’t remember me. Why would he? My heart hammers a fast beat as my body breaks out in sweat. The inside of my throat thickens, stopping half of the oxygen from reaching my lungs. And still, I’m having the hardest time looking away.

Am I nervous under his green-eyed gaze? Or is it just the hate? It’s been years since I last saw him.

Not wanting to give the wrong impression of an adoring fan, I narrow my eyes and spew out all the venom I feel for this man into one, hateful glare, just before I raise the camera and snap my shots.

Sales Links:

MLR Books

All Romance Ebooks

Amazon

Tour Dates/Stops

August 11: Because Two Men Are Better Than One

August 18: Full Moon Dreaming

August 25: MM Good Book Reviews, Hearts on Fire

September 1: Velvet Panic, Fallen Angel Reviews, Havan Fellows

September 8: Decadent Delights

September 15: Up All Night, Read All Day, Love Bytes

September 22: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Smoocher’s Voice

September 29: Prism Book Alliance

October 6: It’s Raining Men, Michael Mandrake

October 13: Cate Ashwood

October 20: The Novel Approach

October 27: The Hat Party, Dawn’s Reading Nook

November 3: Tara Lain,

November 10: My Fiction Nook

November 17: Emotion in Motion, Kimi-Chan

November 24: Amanda C. Stone

Rafflecopter Prize: A $50 Amazon Gift Certificate and signed paperbacks of A Life Without You, Hot Hands and The Walls Have Ears. One (international) winner for the lot.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other books by Erica:

Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia: Transphobia

Thank You for joining us for our 2^nd Annual Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia post in honor of International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia.  And thank you to the amazing Authors: Theo Fenraven, Aleksandr Voinov, and Vicktor Alexander who have so very kindly donated to our giveaway that will be running until May 27^th.

They say that ONE Transgender person is murdered every three days around the world. This doesn’t include deaths by suicide or accidents.

One informal study suggests that 50% of transgender people have attempted suicide at least once by age 20. Current suicide rates are estimated by some to be between 31% and 50%, but others believe that it is closer to 60-70%. These statistics are terrifying to me.

http://www.lauras-playground.com/transgender_suicide_report.htm

I have a few transgender friends. I have found them to be some of the strongest, beautiful, most amazing individuals that I have been BLESSED to meet. And I don’t understand “transphobia”.

Transphobia….

I really, really hate using the word PHOBIA.. It implies that someone FEARS Trans people. Maybe on some level they do, but I think it is more that they HATE what they don’t understand, or challenge their “traditional” beliefs.. But remember that at one time people were taught “traditionally” that the world was flat. We evolve and change, that is one of the most amazing things about human beings.

Imagine, you wake up as the opposite gender, and you KNOW that you don’t belong in the body you are in, but it’s too crazy for someone to believe you. 

Now, imagine being BORN that way. And maybe when you are little and gender roles aren’t as big of a deal then it doesn’t matter, but then puberty hits. You wake up in a body EVERY SINGLE DAY that you feel is betraying you. You feel wrong, and uncomfortable. You KNOW that you and your body are at odds. You know it’s not a phase or something you are going “grow out” of. You are really in the wrong body.

You are an adult, and you’ve taken steps to maybe look or feel more at peace with yourself. Maybe you “pass” or maybe you don’t. You fear that you may lose your job, or your home. You have no real protections under the law. Of course with the work of many organizations, that is changing, slowly but surely, however, it’s not enough.

I want to talk for a moment about GENDER VS SEXUALITY.

Gender is whether you feel that you are Male, Female (or possibly in between or neither)

Sexuality is who you are attracted to.

So it’s possible to be born with a penis, Identify as female and be attracted to women.

Or be born with a vagina, identify as male and be attracted to men.

Gender and sexuality are not the same at all. Sexuality and gender can be combined in a myriad of combinations, and at the end of the day it SHOULD NOT MATTER.

We need to get better about speaking up and speaking out on behalf of our Transgender members of the LGBT community. The suicide statistics I talked about earlier SHOULD be chilling. Some of the people to attempt suicide were as young as 7 years old. I am the mother of a 7 year old, and the thought TERRIFIES me.

What would I do if my child told me they were really the opposite gender? LOVE THEM, attempt to find a gender therapist and ensure that they were given every opportunity within my means to live a happy and whole life, because that is what EVERY child deserves.

I don’t allow my friends to use derogatory terms regarding Gay people, Trans people, or ANY people. All of us are beautiful. Fat, skinny, tall, short, scarred or “perfect”. You are beautiful. You deserve to have a wonderful life.

Kindness costs us NOTHING, and in fact it garners a pretty amazing return. When we are kind, that kindness tends to be revisited upon us.

So keep your chins up, and look forward, not behind you, and if you ever need an ally or a friend, please know that my facebook/email is always open.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Give OUT Day: Lost N Found Youth, Hosted by Brandon Shire

Give Out Day 2014

May 15 is the second annual Give Out Day. The purpose of Give OUT Day, a national initiative, is to engage hundreds of organizations and mobilize thousands of people on a single day across the country to give in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.

It’s a chance for LGBTQ groups large and small, to work across the wide range of issues and activities that matter to the LGBTQ community from sports to policy change, families to the arts. It is your chance to support these organizations and stand up for the LGTBQ causes you believe in.

Here at the Smoocher’s Voice blog, we strive to support the LGBTQ community and its allies. We welcome author Brandon Shire to the blog today to write about the importance of supporting LGTBQ youth organizations, such as Lost-n-Found Youth (http://lostnfoundyouth.org/).

Brandon has always had a special place with us at Smoocher's Voice and we could think of no better community member to host today. 
He can be found at Brandonshire.com

People sometimes ask why I donate part of the proceeds from my books to charity.  For me, this isn’t the type of question that I would normally ask (anyone), but I smile politely and tell the person that making a difference means more to me than simply talking about how things could/should/would be different if… 

You, my reader, are the if.  I am the if.  Together we are the entire what if factor that makes things change.

Let me tell you what we have (collectively) accomplished together:

We have raised thousands of dollars. We have directly impacted over 200 homeless lgbt kids in the last year. We have helped purchase a property that will soon hold a safe house for more homeless lgbt kids. We have helped open a thrift shop so that a charity can self-sustain. We have identified almost 1000 lgbt kids who still need our help. We have gotten a movement together that is beginning to blossom (nationwide) and has just lately demanded action from the federal level on youth homelessness.  We have brought lgbt programs to a part of the country that had none. We have led the fight to stop bullying of lgbt kids in school. We have helped set up a Safe House program. The list goes on…and on and on.

I didn’t do this by myself. You didn’t do it by yourself. The two organizations which my readers and I support directly did not do this by themselves. There are a growing number of lgbt youth organizations, there are a growing number of volunteers, there is growing awareness, and… there is still a growing need.

LGBT children are still being pushed into the streets, still being pushed into a life of sexual survival slavery, and still taking their own lives at disproportionately higher rates than their hetero-sexual counterparts.

But sometimes it is just one voice, one minor donation, one pair of socks that makes a difference. It seems odd that a pair of socks can give a person a sense of self worth. But it’s true. I have seen it.

Children crying over socks – to witness this is soul-breaking.

Have your kids ever cried over socks? Have you? Me neither. As a kid I tossed them aside and went for the real gifts.  Now I donate them. What a turn-around.

So, as you consider what Give-Out Day is really about, and wonder if your small donation makes a difference. Let me assure you that it does.

Some kid you’ll probably never meet has food, a roof, and cleans socks. That makes a difference, a huge difference. It changes lives. Sometimes, it even saves them.

DONATE for National Give Out Day

As a thank you for coming by the blog and (hopefully) participating in Give Out Day, we have had several authors generously donate to a massive give-away. There will be more than one winner and we would LOVE for as many people as possible to come participate. 

We want to thank the following authors for their generosity in donating items for a prize drawing:

(http://www.jamiemayfield.com/) 

(http://ckennedyauthor.blogspot.com/), 

(http://www.suebrownstories.com/).

Prizes:

swag and A signed Print copy of A Broken Kind of Life by Jamie Mayfield

A signed Print copy of Omorphi by C. Kennedy

An ebook copy of the Sky is Dead by Sue Brown (review here)

A Print copy of the Lost and Found Anthology edited by Kris Jacen (donated by Smoocher's Voice)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia: And the Winner is....

I want to say thank you to all those who participated in the blog hop, and certainly to everyone who stopped by, and left lovely comments on my post about addiction. 

I've drawn a name, and the winner is Karl. Congratulations Karl! I am on the road today to do the whole parent/kid exchange thing so I will email you at the address you provided when I get back, or if you are in a hurry you can email me: engineerqueen@rocketmail.com  and let me know what book you would like from Amazon, and as a bonus I'm still going to donate 10$ in your name to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. 

Review: Cold by Brandon Shire

Title: Cold
Author: Brandon Shire
Self-published 
Rating: 4/5 hearts 

Blurb: 
Book 1: Prison is a brutal, heartless, and demeaning environment. No one knows this better than a man sentenced to life in prison for murder. Lem Porter is a high-profile prisoner who had a solid career ahead of him in a field he loved until he killed his brother. He has spent almost eighteen years behind bars and doesn't have much hope left.

Anderson Passero had it all. He built a career, a name, and a relationship with a man he thought he loved. Only after he very publicly landed in prison did he realize how ignorant he’d been. He has eight months left on his sentence and he is eager to go home and put prison life behind him. He doesn't know it yet, but he will always carry these eight months with him, and they may just help him to understand what love really means.



Review: 

I don't like prison books. Partly because I was a criminal justice major for a long time. Partly because my dad was a prison guard for awhile. One of my best friends is also a prison guard. I have a hard time feeling sympathy for prisoners. My mind likes to dehumanize them. I have a very strict inner moral code, so I just have a hard time getting into stories centered in the prison system.  My review is a little colored by those things, so I figured I'd be upfront going in. 

Right from the beginning I really felt for Lem. He is obviously devastated by the crime that landed him in prison. He relives his crime constantly (even while there is no reason given for the crime). He obviously feels an incredible amount of guilt despite never having outwardly shown remorse. He truly believes that he SHOULD be in prison, partly because there is nothing left for him on the outside. He can't have what he really wants so there is no hope in his mind. 

Anderson, I felt less sympathy for. Maybe because it was a drug crime, and even if he was an accessory after the fact it still irked me. I felt like he still, even at the end of his sentence, believed himself to be better than the men he was serving time with. That somewhat annoyed me, although I realize that he was mostly just scared. 

I love what the two men found in each other despite all their differences... size, background, crimes. I really don't feel like I can delve too deep into the plot of this story because I don't want to give anything away. You really must read it in order to let the layers and the story be built for you. 

This was another book that definitely needed the tissues at the end. I really would love to see a continuation of this book, because quite certainly all the questions were not answered.

Even if you don't like prison setting stories.. TRY this book. It is sooo worth it. ;) 

Also join us here TOMORROW on the blog as I'll be putting up the interview with Mr. Shire as part of his COLD Blog Tour, and Mr. Shire will GENEROUSLY be giving away an ebook copy of COLD.


You can learn more about Brandon's books by visiting his website www.brandonshire.com 

You can follow him on Twitter: @TheBrandonShire 

You can purchase Cold from the following retailers:

AMAZON

KOBO

SMASHWORDS 

ARE

As always 10% of profits from his books go to LGBT charities. 

**I was provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review**

Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia: Addiction & a Give-Away

ADDICTION AND THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY

Thanks for coming by in honor of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

At first I was going to tell you about my addiction. How by the time I was 16 years old (deeply in the closet) I was an alcoholic. I was going to talk about how at 24, I had something open my eyes and I chose to stop drinking, on my own with no help. I was going to talk about how instead I punished myself by getting married, and having children. I came out and asked for a divorce when I was 30. I turn 33 in a few months and still haven't successfully achieved the divorce, but we have been separated for over 2 years. I was going to talk about my 8 year struggle to stay sober, but that isn't really what this is about. 

Members of the LGBTQ community are much more likely to abuse substances like drugs and alcohol than our straight counterparts. I feel like this is directly related to non-acceptance, either by friends and family or just by society at large. Addiction is not something that should be a right of passage for our youth. You can be young and have fun and make idiotic decisions without the haze of drugs and alcohol to lead the way. Our kids shouldn't feel like they NEED alcohol and drugs to numb the pain of living, because living INSIDE the addiction isn't living. I promise you this.

It makes me angry sometimes the excuses that I hear people use.. Well, I'm not as bad as I used to be, or I don't drink THAT much. You don't hate me do you? I don't HATE you, I just wish that you could see how amazing you are without a chemical in your system. That you shouldn't have to feel guilty about being different. You shouldn't have to be loaded to be okay. You are beautiful and amazing and perfect just the way you are.

But chemicals aren't the only thing those of us in the the LGBTQ community get addicted to. Sex. Society projects this image of promiscuity specifically in the gay community and we have latched on to it with a fervor that is terrifying. Nameless, faceless, meaningless sex. Don't get me wrong.. I like sex as much as the next person. And that shouldn't have to be a right of passage either. If you are hardwired that way, then awesome and more power to you. But if you aren't and you think that's all there is, that's simply untrue. If what you want is a stable relationship, then being lesbian, gay, trans, bi, whatever... shouldn't be a deterrent to that.

But you have to LOVE you, before anyone else truly can. And honestly I think that is what most addiction boils down to. People that LOVE themselves don't cut, or abuse drugs and alcohol, or use sex as a tool for keeping people from seeing the real you.  The most important relationship you will ever ever have is the one you cultivate with yourself. And it is a relationship like any other. You have to keep nurturing it, because if you don't, you can find yourself in some shitty places.

Did I love myself when I quit using? Probably not. It took me a long time to get there, and some days I'm still struggling both with the addiction and with my own self image. I know that I don't want to see kids struggling with the same things I did. I know that we can only do that by continuing to work towards change, even if it's only one person at a time. I don't have all the answers, or necessarily any of them. I know we have to keep on moving forward. We have to keep speaking out against injustice, and not just injustice perpetrated against us but against everyone. Bad people win when good people do nothing.

Soooo enough of my rambling and onto what you are really here for. The give-away..  I thought long and hard about this and was pretty stumped as what to offer, so I have decided to offer an lgbtq e-book of your choice from Amazon *10$ or under limit please* OR a $10 donation in your name to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. I will randomly draw a winner on 27 May. The winner will be announced on the blog. On our Facebook  and on my Twitter feed (@engineerqueen), I will also email the winners if they haven't responded by May 29th.

To be entered in the giveaway all you have to do is comment below with your email address. :)

Review: The Sky is Dead by Sue Brown

Title: The Sky is Dead
Author: Sue Brown
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Rated: 5/5 hearts 

Blurb: 

Danny is young, gay, and homeless. He lives in the park, preferring to avoid attention, but when thugs confront a stranger, Danny rushes to his rescue. He and the would-be victim, Harry, form a cautious friendship that deepens months later, when Harry persuades Danny to visit his home. Daring to believe he has found happiness, Danny finds his world turned upside down yet again when tragedy strikes.

Until he runs out of options, Danny won’t trust anyone. Finally he has to accept the offer of a home, and Danny becomes David, but adjusting to a new life isn't easy. When he meets the mysterious Jack, it stirs up feelings he thought were long gone. Can David dare to allow himself to love? Or will the truth bring his new world tumbling down around him?

Review: 

The fact is that life for many gay teens is less than ideal. I'm not sure what the statistics are in the UK (where this book was set) but here in the US, up to 40 % of homeless youth identify as LGBT and 7/10 of those youths cite family rejection as the reason for their homeless state. 62% of LGBT homeless youths attempt suicide. Do those numbers frighten you? They do me. 

Homelessness doesn't sound romantic to me. It's a tragic circumstance that many people either find themselves in or choose. So I bought this book with some trepidation. Because I know what young people often have to do to stay alive on the streets. 

Sue Brown tackles this subject with a fearlessness that at times took my breath away. She didn't sugar coat the conditions, or some of the circumstances that such a kid might find themselves it. Danny's trust issues aren't any surprise given the life he'd been handed. He had to fight for everything that he'd gotten, until he met Harry. A kid that had a huge heart, and together they began forming a happiness of sorts. Then the unthinkable happens and Harry slips out of Danny's life. 

When circumstances back Danny into a corner, he find himself forced to take a helping hand and he begins a new life, as David. Enter Jack... There are some definite plot twists in there that you really just have to read about. This is an amazing story about a young man's determination to live despite the odds stacked against him. It's a story about how love can find us in the strangest circumstances. It's also a story about how a few people can make a huge difference, even if it's only one person at a time. 

Sue Brown is a brilliant storyteller. She is always on my to buy list, and hopefully she'll make it onto yours. I would also like to point out that royalties from the sale of this book will be going to the Albert Kennedy Trust. That makes an amazing book even more awesome. :)

If you wish to purchase The Sky is Dead you may do so through

Dreamspinner

Amazon

ARE

Barnes and Noble 

There can be Only One.

I've read so many wonderful books this year. EVERY single one of the books on this blog are amazing. Every single one of the authors that I've read (for the most part) this year are amazing writers. I've said it several times this year, but M/M romance probably has hands down some of the best writing across all genres. I've read in the neighborhood (and probably more than) 2000 books this year. So narrowing down the ones published this year and ranking even a top 50 would probably be just about impossible, but I can easily choose my favorite novel. That ONE novel for me that shone above all the rest.

I had the great fortune to happen upon Brandon Shire on twitter. We tweeted back and forth a little, and I found him immensely interesting. I started my review blog On March 7th, 2012, and I already had a few reviews lined up to start. Brandon's book Listening to Dust came out March 10, 2012. Sometime towards the end of March, Brandon emailed me and asked me to review Dust. I had never read Brandon before, so I purchased the Value of Rain before even opening Dust. I read VoR, pretty quickly. Mr. Shire had a distinct voice that was powerful. I read Listening to Dust, and started my review immediately,while I was still trying to see through the tears I was crying. Then I stopped, walked away for a couple of days and came back to the review. To say that this book touched me would be inadequate. It changed me. It made me want to WANT better, Do better, BE better.

Listening to Dust is probably hands down one of  THE best book I've ever read. It's a total bonus that the author is an amazing fellow that I have come to respect and admire VERY much. This self-published author rocked my world. So many readers, and reviewers don't want to take a chance on reading "Indie Authors" but in my experience they are amazingly talented people, and I actually prefer reviewing self-published/small press authors to some of the others.

Thank you very much Brandon for allowing me the honor of reading and reviewing your work. :)

Smoocher's Voice #1 book of the 2012

My Review

Brandon's Website.

Review: Afflicted II By Brandon Shire

Author: Brandon Shire

Rated: 4/5 Stars 

Blurb:

Hunter and Dillon have finally come to terms with the idea that they want more than just hot sex with each other.

But can they make what they found permanent?

Can Dillon let his past go? Or will it intrude upon his present?

Can Hunter open enough to build a future? Can he speak his heart?

Can either of them?

Review:

Afflicted II is set just after the end of Afflicted, and continues on with Hunter and Dillon's story. I already fell for the boys in Afflicted, and I did even more so in this sequel. Actually Hunter in love is a much more likeable character, and not such an ass, however I do recognize a lot of the "new love" mindset with both MC's. 

The story is centered on Hunter and Dillon trying to figure out and deal with their family issues, and Dillon's past in general. Dillon is admittedly in love with Hunter, but Hunter isn't sure if he's there yet. Complicating matters and bringing family problems to the forefront is the fact that Hunter's mother is dating Dillon's cousin Travis. With Travis now in the picture it pushes both men's buttons. Surprisingly, I really liked Hunter's mom in this book. I also really liked Maggie, partly because she calls Hunter on his bullshit. 

Mr Shire's talent for weaving a scene is amazing. I particularly love the way he brings us into Hunter's sightless world. Specifically, the love scene with the rain. (that is all I will say about that!)  I had some issues with what certain things in the story were meant to accomplish, however all in all this is a great read. My biggest complaint as always is that it had to end.  I don't like put spoilers in my reviews, so I will forgo pointing out a few of the reasons I loved this book. 

If you've read Afflicted and loved it, you won't be disappointed with this sequel! 

If you follow the Above link (just Click on Brandon's name) it will take you to Brandon's website, where he has links on where you can purchase Afflicted II. 

**Thank you very much to Brandon for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.