Some Intentions for Writing In 2019!

In a writing sense, I hit the ground running in 2019 with a central focus on the 4th installment of my Fires in Eden Series. 

It has been some time now since Spirit of Fire (the 3rd book in the Fires in Eden series) was released.  That book, and The Undying Light (Book 4 of the Rising Dawn Saga) marked a time where I had a tremendous amount of output, content-wise, as a writer.  During the first few years after my first published novel The Exodus Gate was released (winter of 2009), I was able to get two larger novels out a year in addition to some short stories (alternating releases between the Fires in Eden Series and Rising Dawn Saga). 

As always, I never handed in anything to an editor until I had the manuscript where I wanted it. It was just a matter of being in a great groove, being able to sustain long writing sessions that were very productive, and keep on a steady pace.

Following the cancer diagnosis and passing of my mother in 2013, a time that affected me tremendously, I still continued to write and have new material published, but I leaned more heavily toward shorter formats, with a lot of short stories and smaller scale novels such as Heart of a Lion and Thunder Horizon.  I didn't have the same volume of output overall as my earlier period until 2018, when I hit a great stride with the writing of the Rayden Valkyrie and Ragnar Stormbringer novellas. 

Overall, 2018 (up to January 1, 2019) saw the release of eight novellas, two print compendiums, and a larger-scale novel.  To summarize the year:

Rayden Valkyrie Tales - (eBook-only stand-alone novellas)

Blood of a Queen

Winds of War

The Sun's Caress

Across Desert Plains

The Rayden Valkyrie Tales, Volume I (Print-only compendium, contains Blood of a Queen, Winds of War, and the Sun's Caress)

Ragnar Stormbringer Tales

Depths of Night

When the Cold Breathes

Altar of Gods

Tears in the Snow

The Ragnar Stormbringer Tales, Volume I (Print-only compendium, contains Depths of Night, When the Cold Breathes, and Altar of Gods)

Dream of the Navigator, Book One of the Faraway Saga.  

Having regained the kind of writing rhythm I had years ago, I began 2019 in a full throttle mode and have about 70,000 words of material so far for the 4th Fires in Eden novel. I have also been pouring through notes, making notes, and doing research for this book and others that I am aiming to work on this year. 

I think 2018 got me back into a great frame of mind for advancing both the Fires in Eden series and the Rising Dawn Saga.  I think part of the delay that occurred between 2013 and now was due to the fact that both series were developed and the first few installments of each were written when my mother, and father, were alive.  They were the first to read my earliest versions and both of them supported my path as a writer.  As such, they were a big part of my journey as an author in relation to these books. 

I was somehow able to maintain my ideal writing zone after my father passed in 2006, but after my mother passed I think that a shadow was cast over these two series in a creative sense, the more I look back at it.  (Thankfully, that creative shadow has finally passed)

Currently, and it may sound crazy, I am aiming to work on the following:

Book 4 of the Fires in Eden Series
Book 5 of the Rising Dawn Saga
Book 3 (the final installment) of the Dark Sun Dawn Trilogy
Book 2 of the Faraway Saga

In addition, I will be getting some more Rayden and Ragnar tales out there, and look to complete some more short stories that may result in anything from a Hellscapes, Volume 3 to a Chronicles of Ave, Volume 2, to an Annals of the Rising Dawn, Volume 1. 

No promises on those new short story collections being released, as they depend on getting a little extra time here and there, but I think there's a good shot that at least one of those can happen.

I have a real strong vision of the direction I need to go with the projected novels above, and barring any "life happens" kind of issues I think I can get most all, if not all, of my target list completed this year.  Yes, it sounds ambitious, but I am back to a higher volume of writing output and in a really good zone.  I am achieving longer writing sessions with a high level of productivity and keeping to a steady course.

Keep your fingers crossed!  2019 may see my best level of output yet!  I want to give my readers a lot to look forward to and reward them for their loyalty and support, so I will be giving it my all. :)

thank you for subscribing to my email list and keep your eyes out for much more to come!

sincerely,

Stephen
1-29-2019

The Multi-Faceted World of Today's Creative

This past week on The Creative's Cauldron, in our latest episode, Holly and I explored how today's independent creative is a "renaissance person", in terms of being active in different spheres of creativity. I relate to that dynamic myself in the areas of writing, filmmaking, music, martial arts, and broadcasting. I've found that engaging in multiple areas of creative activity, I bring myself lots of experiences and new perspectives that expand my horizons in each of the various spheres. My adventures in filmmaking, training in martial arts, exploring music, and broadcasting both in radio and visually have helped me grow further as a writer, for example. Every sphere of activity involves different experiences, disciplines, interactions, and so much more, which all lend to growing the pool of ideas, knowledge, and references that I draw from when engaging in a writing project. This results in more realism, better-developed characters, and many other things that help me develop my writing further. The different spheres also serve to inspire, in their own way. They involve different kinds of goals and milestones, the development of different skill sets, and each of these paths brings different kinds of inspiration. This is not a small area of contribution, as it is incredibly difficult to pursue the independent creative road and inspiration can make all the difference in the world when enduring some of the tougher stretches of the indie road. The multiple spheres of activity also introduce me to new audiences, who in turn discover the other things that I do. Reading audiences become aware of my independent film work, fans of independent film become aware of my novels, and all kinds of other examples of cross-pollination derive from my activity in several areas. It really is a good thing that today's climate for independent creatives fosters an openness to being active in different kinds of artistic expressions and pursuits. It has both practical and creative benefits, and I also think it helps contribute to attaining a more well-rounded approach to living life.

Looking Ahead, Writing Projects, Visual Media, and Much More.

I haven't posted here in a little while, as my friend Jorie (writer and reviewer/book blogger at Jorie Loves a Story) reminded me of.  Time slipped by fast over the holidays as I was engaged in a moving project, and moving during the holiday season is a double-whammy for sure!

I got back on a good writing rhythm again, and recently finished the manuscript for the second Rayden Valkyrie novel.  Tentatively titled Thunder Horizon, it is the followup to Heart of a Lion.  I am confident that readers will find it to be a very exciting, action-filled read that builds strongly from everything set in place in the first novel.  

I celebrated the finish of the book with a bottle of Blanton's, a wondrous bourbon made here in Kentucky that is a personal favorite of mine.  The photo below was taken a few hours after finishing the manuscript. 

The book has been sent to Scott M. Sandridge, the editor for the Dark Sun Dawn Trilogy.  I am hoping to see it released later this spring. 

Next on the writing horizon are two projects.  One is a YA novel, cross-genre, that I'm very excited about.  I'm probably about 2/3 finished on the manuscript and progressing daily.  

Also up is the 4th installment in the Fires in Eden series.  There's been a little time since Spirit of Fire was released, and I feel with how I've grown these past couple of years I'm in a good position to deliver the best title in this series yet.  With many threads well-established in the story I have a lot to work with, but expect a fast-pace, intense read with a lot of development with the characters and plot. 

On the movie front, we are preparing for the production of the TV Pilot Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart.  From storyboarding, to costuming, casting, and other areas, a lot is going on right now and we're building a great group to bring this to life.  Production will take place later this spring in Kentucky.  Going to be an exciting one for sure! 

 All of this, in addition to my ongoing work for Seventh Star Press (including Imaginarium 2017) means a very busy year looms.  I'll work to be better at posting updates here  as well! :) 

Help Us Support the Imaginarium Mission to Empower Writers

As Imaginarium Convention approaches its 3rd annual installment, I look back and see that we've made a lot of strides toward our goal of developing a creative writing convention that has a welcoming atmosphere for all genres and levels of writers, and also provides the highest quality of content in a manner that is accessible to writers who cannot afford to attend writing conferences that often charge fees as high as $200-500, and often much more for registration.

Over the three day convention we feature well more than 100 panels and a large number of workshops that cover a full range of topics concerning the craft of writing, various genres, screenplays, publishing, editing, and even game development and creating comics/graphic novels.  There are no additional fees charged, and the $65 registration gives an attendee access to everything, including all other areas of the convention like the film festival, gaming, all entertainment events, and more.

And for our attendees that decide to exhibit in our expo, we give them the best chance for making sales by having the expo portion of Imaginarium open to the general public for free.

Imaginarium is developing in the way we envisioned it.  You don't have to take my word for it, just read through a slew of testimonials we have received:

http://www.entertheimaginarium.com/testimonials-about-imaginarium/

As anyone who has run one can tell you, even a one day event involves a lot of challenges.  There are loads of costs involved with a convention, and meeting those costs while striving to keep access as inexpensive as possible creates a fine line in terms of making everything work.  All sorts of hotel-related costs, rentals, entertainment expenses, promotion expenses, convention materials, signage, and many other things

One area that many who love Imaginarium might not yet be aware of are our Patron and Friend level sponsorships which are low enough in price that individuals can easily participate.  They both offer logo display on the site for those who have companies or a service to offer.  This can be an event, or a product image like a book cover, the choice is left to the Patron or Friend of Imaginarium.

The Patron sponsorship is $150 and the Friend of Imaginarium sponsorship is $50.  Both are described in full on our sponsorship page, underneath the Platinum/Gold/Silver levels.  If you like what you see and want to help support the Imaginairum vision, you can come aboard right away:

http://www.entertheimaginarium.com/sponsorships/

Help us take Imaginarium to new heights and open more doors for all kinds of writers, of all genres. From novelists, to short story writers, to poets, screenwriters, game developers, comic creators and more, we are committed to hosting an event that empowers, educates, networks, and is also quite a lot of fun too!

New Interview Posted at the Blog of H.C. Playa, Covering Writing and Sword and Sorcery

It has been just a little bit since I had a new interview, but there's one that went live today at the blog of H.C. Playa.  Covers writing, sword and sorcery, and goes quite a bit into elements concerning both Heart of a Lion and the Fires in Eden Series.  Quite a few insights about Rayden Valkyrie in this one too.  Definitely worth checking out if you get a moment. 

Big thanks to H.C. Playa for interviewing me!

The direct link is! 

https://hcplaya.wordpress.com/2016/02/12/writers-ramble-stephen-zimmer-on-sword-sorcery/

2016 Looms. Will This Finally Be the Year?

As I've mentioned before, the holidays are a real trial period for me, for many reasons.  They have turned into something to get through and endure, not something that I enjoy anymore.  I do think I can return to the days when I loved the holiday season more than any other time of the year, but that time is not here yet.

Before I get too frustrated, I look at what's been percolating in the past year.  I've made more strides professionally and in early 2016 I will be getting underway with the development of the largest project I've ever tackled, one that will return me to the world of movie-making.  I'm going to be moving forward with the development of a potential TV Pilot based on my character Rayden Valkyrie, from my novel Heart of a Lion.  That's a world that holds a lot of potential for excitement, new horizons and new doors to open.

Physically, I've come to a place where I'm in the best shape I've been in since my 20's, and able to do some physical acts that I could not do back then.  Training has been solid and consistent.  I am always adding new elements and even today I added in some new kettlebell exercises.  Krav Maga has become a wonderful part of my world and something that gets me through the worst of days.  By the time spring rolls around, I think I can reach an amazing place in my physical journey, both skill-wise in martial arts as well as in my physical body.

Writing-wise, I am now underway on the follow-up to Heart of a Lion and also the 4th book in the Fires in Eden Series.  Both of those projects will be big parts of early 2016, and at least one of them should see release in this coming year.  It is also likely that a new volume of Hellscapes and possibly another Chronicles of Ave volume could come to light in the forthcoming year.

Seventh Star Press has made excellent strides, and some exciting new authors coupled with an array of new titles from our core author family give many reasons to expect 2016 to be a big step forward.  There is a lot of positive energy and momentum heading into the beginning of this new year.

I have some exciting things looming in in terms of some conventions I am looking to participate in, both as an author and as a representative of Seventh Star Press.  Some will take me to places like Las Vegas in 2016.  Those are always grand adventures with lots of new people to meet, new networking opportunities, and inevitably the birth of new projects.

I've also gone through two hard years developing the Imaginarium Convention, which is an event based entirely around creative writing.  The third year is primed to really take off.  In fact, we just landed a tremendous Guest of Honor, the one and only Brian Keene.  Imaginarium is something that I take a lot of pride in for what it does in empowering writers, filmmakers, musicians and other artists.

Despite all pitfalls and disappointments, I believe in myself.  I've paid a lot of dues at this juncture, and I've said for awhile the best is yet to come.  There are signs that those days may well be on the horizon, or at least a big step closer will be achievable with the coming of this new year.

Looking at it that way, I have a little more with me to help endure the holidays.  I have taken steps to change my world, and know that I can transform it entirely, and take things to an all-new level.  I will definitely give it my best shot.

Stiff Upper Lip

Sometimes, you just have to set a laser focus and get things done, even if you are tired, or dealing with stress/ emotions, or anything else.  This past week has been a good example of that. Every day, I've gotten a lot done for the press, I've proceeded excellently with my training, and while it hasn't been overly fun or entertaining, I do feel a sense of achievement as I write this late Saturday night.

We've had some new releases at the press, many ongoing blog tours, some new ones coming up, and a few other important initiatives.  Realistically, there are not enough hours in the day to cover it all, but I've hurled myself into it as best I can and have to say a lot of ground has been covered.

I've been working on my website as well, adding some new pages, and fun ones at that.  Z-tracks, which focuses on music I've been listening to, and I've also got pages in place dedicated to my physical journey/training, and the restoration of that Z-28 that means so much to me.  I will be sharing the story behind that car, by the way, so it will make sense as to why that car is special.  The physical journey page will hopefully show others who were in my situation that transformation is not just possible, but DOABLE.  I really hope to encourage those on the same journey as me, in terms of taking charge of the physical self.

Training wise, I had a killer workout today that marks the 11th day out of the last twelve that I've had solid, high-intensity sessions (the other day being a much-needed rest day).  Making progress all the time and was able to integrate some new, advanced martial arts techniques into my routine.  Those moments are milestones of sorts, though I notice improvements in my execution of all other areas.  My main workout is being tweaked and honed all the time and the results continue, so I know it's working! :)

The week ahead should be busy, and I will be preparing for the release of Hellscapes II during Halloween week, so that should be pretty exciting. :)

Stay tuned, October is going to be very active!

Moving Forward

I started the year on a high note, finding what I call sunshine, only to have things take an unexpected turn that I couldn't do anything about. Nevertheless, I gathered myself up and looked toward summer as a time to get back to the sunshine.

Did it happen? I guess it was a mix. I continued to train hard in martial arts, continued to shed pounds, get stronger, faster and fitter to the point that I have lost over 170 lbs over the past 18 months. I am in the best shape I've been in since my early 20's and getting better daily. Refocusing on martial arts has been a godsend, comprehensive improvement in strength, flexibility, endurance and mental focus. That has truly been a positive and one that I look forward to each and every day.

I've enjoyed the restoration of my 1992 Z28, a heritage edition, 25th anniversary coupe. I continue to make improvements to Valkyrie (the name I gave her), and this week alone I have a brand new dashboard cap and snazzy floor mats with silver Z28 logos on black coming in. She's running great and I've enjoyed having her back in my world.

Career-wise I have had some excellent moments. Imaginarium 2015 went very well, grew larger, ran smoother and improved. I also have Hellscapes 2 looming, set to come out Halloween week. I feel the writing in it takes another step forward and is a progression off of Volume I, a feeling shared by my editor on this one. The artwork turned out fantastic, by Aaron Drown of Aaron Drown Designs. I can't wait to share it, it really captures the vibe of this volume and series.

The personal front has been a disappointment. I really wanted to have a partner in crime ... I envisioned taking a special someone to explore Alaska, go to see a rock show in Vegas, and even a cruise later this fall. The dream is still there, even if the reality isn't. But I'm not giving up and I really believe that someone will figure out what I have to offer and thrive. That time isn't now, though, and I just have to steel myself and keep moving forward. It's all anyone can do.

The fall looms and I've found myself with a mixture of feelings. I'm working very hard, working out very hard, and continuing in my interests such as martial arts, guitar playing and writing. The personal side may still be elusive, for whatever reason, but I do know that things can change for the better in a heartbeat. Let's hope it does! :)

It's a New Day

Quite a bit has happened over the past couple of months and I do need to catch up here.  I'll address some things in parts, but in a nutshell the first couple months of the new year I was in a place where I truly found happiness and I devoted a lot of my time and focus and energy on this with the desire of seeing it becoming something lasting.  Unfortunately, the decision wasn't up to me in the end and I ended up getting hit with yet another personal storm and heartbreak.. but.. I found that I had grown much stronger on an interior level and was able to weather this much, much better than the period I went through in the fall of 2014.

I never wanted it to end, but I did learn that I could find happiness and sunshine again, and going forward I am set on finding an even brighter day.  I have had an outpouring of encouragement, support, and love shown to me by a great many during this time, so many who had been thrilled to see what had happened the first couple months of the year.  I intend to give them all reason to be thrilled once more.  :)

I still had kept myself on course with my training in martial arts and fitness, as well as playing guitar and writing.  All of that accelerated even more during March and April, and on April 26th I had the first professional photos taken of me in over a year.  This photo session with Eric and Kylie Jude of Frozen Creek Studios was truly remarkable and I feel really captured and reflected the path I have taken during the past year.

I have commented about the things I've embraced that help me keep focus and get through tough times, and all of that was reflected in the photos.  As you will see below, the photos do reflect the progress of the past year... clearly the outer change shows, but the outer change also reflects the inner growth too.

I hope this shows a guy who has remained resilient, and who has fought his way forward despite some truly heartbreaking experiences.  In that way, I hope it encourages others who are enduring personal storms that it is possible to get through the dark times and keep growing and developing stronger.

I'll be chiming in on the blog here much more, on a number of things.  But let's start with some positives that taken as a whole reflect a New Day.  ;)

Quiet, but Far from Inactive

It's a Monday and the new week begins, gradually getting back into a routine while still making sure I have the time to focus on the things that have been helping me get through the days lately.

I'm not making any appearances for the rest of 2014 as I get myself back in order and hopefully will be better than ever when I return in 2015.  I'm just not in the right frame of mind and it's not fair to any organizer or any reader if I'm not in a place where I can give my best effort.

There is some good news.  I have been able to start writing again, and even though I have some heavy-hearted days when I just can't do it, I have been able to get a little rhythm again, working on one novel in a genre I have never been published in and also working on some short stories.  While I haven't had the same level of output as I did before, it's a start and hopefully I'll get back there.

I did drop in this past weekend to say hi in Sheperdsville, KY for a couple hours (right outside of Louisville) at a small book fair where several of my author friends were appearing, such as Jetti NeCole, Rebekah McAuliffe, Amy McCorkle, Pam Turner, and Mysti Parker.  Spending some time and catching up with them was really great and they are all authors I really root for.

Training is going well, martial-arts wise, got to ride Freya some more (my bike), and have almost daily played the guitar.  One of the songs I'm learning is Judas Priest's Desert Plains, and I had a real epiphany of the full symbolism of that song in way that connects very strongly to my own world, and I plan to do a blog talking about that.  It covers some serious ground, so I have to get into the right zone to be able to get the words down, but hopefully I will in a day or two.

Writing Again...Another Step

The past several weeks, during the personal storm I've been going through, I've found myself unable to write. During other kinds of storms, I've been able to do so, and often it helps me work through things, but this time I found myself hit at such a core and fundamental level that I was truly unable to get words down.

There were a few times I tried. Sitting down in front of my writing computer with all the familiar trappings...and then nothing. Only one day I was able to get anything down, a very emotive session that may serve as the basis for a new book in a genre I haven't been published in. Other than that brief period, though, I couldn't get anything going.

As you have read in my recent blog post on Martial Arts, Motorcycles, and Music, I have been doing all I can to work my way back and even if the route doesn't seem direct, the fact remains that last Friday, Saturday and this morning I was able to write some new material. Some writing for Hellscapes Vol. 2, and some writing for that new book I mentioned earlier.

The word counts were not tremendous, but as I've always said, it is most important to write on a consistent basis, not worry about a word count in a given session.  Writing 3 out of 4 days is a positive step.

I played the guitar quite a bit, had some great workouts too. Weather didn't allow for biking, other than Sunday, but I chose to head to the hills of Eastern Kentucky for a day of hiking on the property of my friends Eric and Kylie, who are two incredible individuals. It was wonderful to be immersed in the magic of Kentucky's wilderness and definitely was a good day.

A taste of the scenery I hiked through. :)

Some amazing contrasts you see when hiking in the hills. :)

I know it's going to be a very long road back, so I take things a day at a time, but being able to write 3 out of 4 days is a bright spot that shows the lionheart is beating a little stronger yet. Day to day, step by step, keep moving forward, right? I intend to do just that.

A Change of Seasons

Fall moves toward winter, and each day is a step toward the next.  This week, I had a good stint on the bike, workouts have been strong, and I've really loved my journey back into the world of guitars.

I have been practicing The Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary", one of my favorite songs of all-time.  It is a song that has a tremendous amount of meaning and symbolism for me personally.  As a song, it has some challenging elements for a guy who hasn't picked up a guitar in awhile, but I am able to get it to where you can actually tell what I am playing!  I also have been playing with the intro to the Slash song "Ghost", which makes for a nice exercise in itself.  

The other interesting thing is that I've stumbled upon a few of my own riffs and progressions as I've been getting back into it, which has been a pleasant discovery.  As I told a friend of mine, I do think about music on a deeper level than I did the last time I picked up a guitar, and I think this is an early sign of that as I have an inclination to think about patterns and structure of songs, riffs, and progressions.  I am interested to see where this goes as things evolve.  Perhaps like a writer improves by reading a lot, I can make strides from the dedicated listening to music that I have done over the years.

The past month, with the exception of one day where I poured out a lot of emotive things into one writing session, I have been unable to write.  Just too much of a storm on the inside, but last night I felt the first tingles of a drive to get back at the writing.  Was thinking of the Hellscapes tales I've written, and the ones that are in process for Volume 2, as it is Halloween.   In the state of mind I've been in, opening the gates fully to these dark worlds might result in some interesting twists and material, and might ultimately be a good way for me to get a few things out of me.  I might give it a shot today or this weekend.

Like I've been saying, a day at a time...and maybe the seasons will change.

....and though the heart of what this song is about is far, far away from where I am now, this song really reaches into me and I look forward to getting the guitar playing down on this one:

Guest Visit by Peter Tupper, of An Angel Has No Memory

Stephen's Note: Today I'm welcoming an author who is with Inkstained Succubus, for a guest post. I do like to host guests who write in different genres from me, and who explore some different themes than I do. Today's guest, Peter Tupper, is an erotica writer, and the topic he addresses today is a real discussion starter, concerning the question of whether someone from different genders and/or orientations can write effectively and represent relationships of a different type than the ones they are personally engaged in. I think this gets at the core of what it is to be a writer and see things from all kinds of viewpoints when creating viable characters, and no matter what genre you write or read, I think Peter brings up some very valid points.

Greetings. My name is Peter Tupper. I’m a writer and journalist in Vancouver, BC, and I’m here to tell you about my new book, An Angel Has No Memory, published by Inkstained Succubus.

 Rose stood against the wall at Girlfrenzy, a semi-underground club just outside the arcology’s walls. She sipped her rum and diet cola and watched the women dance and make out on the club’s floor to the blasting dance music. After work, she had come here solo, hoping things would be different. Instead, this felt like the beginning of yet another night of watching every other lesbian, bisexual, bicurious or just-drunk-enough woman in the arcology have a better time than her. 

 Should a man, and a heterosexual man at that, write lesbian erotica or pornography? For that matter, should I, a white heterosexual man, write a story about a sexual relationship between two women, who are Asian and Latina to boot?

 Let me reflect that back with two other, related questions:

First, should white people make hiphop? I say yes, for the same reason I think black people should make heavy metal, and indeed anybody should make anything. The claim that any particular group has a monopoly on any particular form of expression goes against the whole idea of freedom of expression. Hip-hop itself is based on promiscuous borrowing and recombination of culture items, defying conventional categories of race and class and genre.

 Second, should white people dominate the charts and awards ceremonies for hip-hop, leaving black artists on the margins of the genre they created? That’s a thornier question.

We don’t live in a society with a level playing field. We never have, and we might never. Systems of reward for creative work, whether they are capitalist marketplaces, awards-granting institutions, critical reviewers, or the approval of fannish communities, are not a perfect reflection of merit or worth. They create hegemonies, and I can’t blame anybody for striving to be part of those hegemonies, to get the big check or the award trophy or the triple-digit “Like” count on a fanfiction site. It’s a rare person who makes creative work with no thought of reward, not even the approval of their peers.

 Hegemonies also impede creative expression, by imposing orthodoxies. If hegemonies becomes sufficiently entrenched, innovation only occurs in the marginalized spaces outside of their direct influence. And even within the marginalized spaces, there are mini-hegemonies. In the Elementary Erotica anthology published by Circlet Press (2011), a collection of erotica stories based on Sherlock Holmes, ever story except mine had Holmes and Watson in a sexual relationship. I have no objection to this. It’s a perfectly valid interpretation of the character. I do question why only my story considered the possibility that Holmes would be attracted to women, or even mentioned Irene Adler, whom Holmes called “the woman.” For some authors, “Sherlock Holmes erotica” could only mean Holmes and Watson together.

 I’m not saying that I was excluded or oppressed in this particular space; after all, my story was published. But it does indicate a certain orthodoxy of thought, of paths not explored or even considered, even within a community dedicated to fictional transgression of sexual and gender norms.

 On the other hand, it’s been a long hard road to get GLBT stories out into the world, and even longer to get those stories told by GLBT people themselves, instead of straight people. Representation matters, both in front of and behind the camera. I like to think that someday we can achieve a world in which straight men can write about lesbians without diminishing the ability of lesbians to write about lesbians.

So where does my little story fit into all this? I hope it meets with approval (sales would be nice too). I honestly don’t know if I succeeded in making the story authentic. I did try to take issues like institutionalized homophobia and sexual shame seriously. Even if it doesn’t really help, I hope it does no harm.



 For further information on Peter or his releases, please visit:

 Web: petertupper.com
 An Angel has no Memory is available from Amazon.com and http://www.inkstainedsuccubus.com