Want to see something gross?

I was following links from Ralan.com, looking at new calls for spec. fic. submissions. One link led me to Journey Books Publishing, which is reading for a book called UNPARALLED JOURNEYS 2. Sounds exciting, eh? Well:

We do not accept work that promotes gay lifestyles.

Says their guidelines. Hmm. That language, both "promotes" and "lifestyles" makes me feel gross. I wonder if they will accept work speculative work that interrogates gender ? Or that dismantles sex roles? Or that challenges heteronormativity? You know...all those things that excellent science fiction can do, has done, should do, will keep doing...

I just wish they would say that instead of "promotes gay lifestyles." YUCK.

Best Gay Love Stories & Delany Reading

Last night I went to see Samuel R. Delany read. He was one of my teachers at Temple and I adore him. Adrian, Shinelle and I met up (& Junior, Jr was representing too: Emily and Rachel L.!) and Chip read from his newest novel, Dark Reflections. It's not spec.fic. in any way and is, according to Chip "highly structured." One excerpt he read was set in the pre-Stonewall Stonewall, when it was a black gay bar instead of the (white) Homothermopylae historiography has made it. Very interesting look.

The lovely and talented Don Belton was there. After the reading, the six of us went out for dinner and talked about the Temple program, and because Don and Adrian were there, how fierce Diana Ross and the rest of the Supremes (but especially Flo) were...Chip and Shinelle and I might have tried to talk about something less diva-riffic, but we probably didn't. Don is launching a website soon!!

Just heard from Alyson: my shore story "The Day the Governor Came Out" will be in Best Gay Love Stories: Summer Flings, edited by Brad Nichols. No cover art yet, but the last Best Gay Love Stories volume is here.

Anyway, as a newish Philadelphian trying to make it in a hardcore family of shore goers, I'm thinking that publishing a story set in Wildwood can only help..

Friday round up

Three things happening to me this week:

I got paid for DORM PORN 2. Whoo-hoo cashing checks for writing.

I got a yes for a new Alison Tyler book, a Christmas-themed anthology. But you never know 'til there's a contract! (thanks to RKB for the link.)

My BF has a column in the Citypaper this week. And it's his birthday.