m/m graphic novel appreciation series: a guest post by mary calmes

Posted on 14/07/2010 by Kris


Awesomesauce author Mary Calmes; she of A Matter of Time series fame tasted by me here, is the next guest blogger in my m/m yaoi and graphic novel appreciation series.

I will be meeting Mary at Yaoi-Con. *chair bouncing* I am so fangirl-squeey excited!

*****

Yummy Goodness

Two hot men together has always been my idea of yummy goodness, just the biggest turn on ever. One of the first stories I ever wrote had two knights who were best friends and traveled around together. I was twelve, and there were no women in the story and my family asked where the heck the damsels in distress were. Sorry, no girl-cooties needed or wanted, just the boys was hotter. As I got older and discovered Yaoi, it was like finding heaven.

Everyone is gorgeous in yaoi, there is clearly the big, strong handsome alpha guy, or seme, and the other guy, even more beautiful than the first, the uke, with big eyes and feminine features who is pursued, sometimes relentlessly, by the stoic, smaller eyed, seme. There are definitely yaoi influences in my own writing and the cover for my first book from Dreamspinner Press, Change of Heart, done by the amazing Anne Cain, is clearly done in the “yaoi” style.


As there are good in bad in all things, in yaoi one of the reoccurring themes that I don’t care for is the non-consensual sex that is later forgiven because the uke finds that he has feelings for the seme and so it’s all water under the bridge. I get that love conquers all, but there is often crying and lots of begging to stop that is hard for the reader to move past. I find that my favorite yaoi books don’t have that piece in them but there are still those that I will admit do have it that I still love. Here is a list of some of my favorites:


The Crimson Spell Volumes 1 & 2 by Ayano Yamane. The story is amazing and so is the artwork. Also, A Foreign Love Affair by the same author. The second story in that volume with the professor and his matchmaker is charming.


Love Control Volume 1 & 2 by Ai Hasukawa. This story has two very well matched men, both in business, one a developer/manager and the other an interior designer. They are thrown together at work and sparks fly. Their relationship actually has to navigate normal waters to find success and there is no non-con anywhere in either book.

Wild Rock by Kazuza Takashima has a nice story where the prettier Yuen thinks he is fooling the more masculine Emba into falling for him so that their two tribes can co-exist in peace. Man’s Best Friend by the same author has Ukyo finding a dog that, when he gets excited, turns into a very hot guy with cute ears and a tail. It sounds weird but when you read it, it just works. The second story called Summer’s Here Again has Kasumi in it who has “thee” most beautiful hair you have ever seen bar none. They all have great hair but his is a masterpiece. There’s also a third story about a goldfish that turns into a really feminine looking boy. It’s all a pleasure to look at.


Hinako Takanaga sucked me in as her illustrations are stunning and the stories are well developed and involved. She started with You Will Fall In Love, moved to You Will Drown In Love and has recently released You Will Drown In Love 2. She has others, The Devil’s Secret about an incubus seducing a priest that has some of the prettiest demons I have ever seen. I just finished Liberty Liberty which has no sex in it at all and had a nice story. Her men are all fragile delicate perfection, even the semes.

U Don’t Know Me by Rakun is also beautifully illustrated but does have the seme attacking his uke, here because Yoojin thinks that Seyun has been sleeping around already and that he won’t really hurt him. Little does he know that his friend is a virgin. But he is forgiven and all ends well.

I have many, many more shelves of yaoi in my house but these are my favorites, the ones I will schlep to Yaoi-Con in hopes of getting them signed.

*****

Thanks Mare!

So, do any of Mary’s favourites tempt you?

Posted in guest post, m/m graphic novel appreciation series, mary calmes, yaoi | 16 Comments

dear author

Posted on 13/07/2010 by Kris


Dearest Author

It may have escaped your attention somehow, but the year is officially 2010.

WOULD YOU STOP FUCKING USING ‘TURN OF THE CENTURY’ TO DESCRIBE HISTORIC EVENTS AND OBJECTS!

OR HASN’T IT OCCURRED TO YOU THAT THIS WOULD ONLY MAKE THINGS 10 YEARS OLD?!

*mutterdumbarsesmutter*

Yours sincerely,

Kris of Kris ‘n’ Good Books.
Posted in dear author, me, pet peeve/fave rant | 34 Comments

maybe it’s me, but…

Posted on 12/07/2010 by Kris


Does anyone else think that, at first glance, this girl looks like a lion??
Posted in book covers, maybe it's me but, weird | 34 Comments

things that make you go O_o (nsfw)

Posted on 11/07/2010 by Kris


So, I read this m/m romance the other day – shocker, I know – and was right in the middle of a BJ scene – well, the characters were, not me – when all of a sudden the BJer spat out the BJee’s cock…

O_o

‘Spat out his cock’??

o_O

Is he a little kid who doesn’t like what’s in his mouth? Or did he just bite the whole thing off or something?

Weird.
Posted in m/m, probably tmi, things that make you go O_o, weird, WTF | 33 Comments

cookie awwws

Posted on 10/07/2010 by Kris

Cos I’m in a sappy mood…





Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Posted in cookies, pretties | 21 Comments

encounters with my baby brother: 7

Posted on 08/07/2010 by Kris


The Baby Brother dropped in for breakfast the other morning and this was how the first part of our conversation went~

The BB: Here, I brought you some pastries for break-… *glances at computer monitor* Fucking turn that off. It’s too early for me to be trying to ignore you looking at that shit.

Me: What do you mean?

The BB: Those pictures.

Me: But these aren’t gay boy pictures. Look, see this one is a guy by himself…

The BB: Yeah, but what about that one?? *gestures with his head* It’s poo.

Me: Mate, that’s a girl with a guy. Not two boys together.

The BB: It is not.

Me: *points out girl hands and curves*

The BB: See, what you have done to me. I can’t even fucking tell the difference anymore.


*acknowledges standing ovation*

And, thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

My work here is done.
Posted in encounters, my brother | 44 Comments

m/m graphic novel appreciation series: a guest post by ingrid

Posted on 07/07/2010 by Kris


I get quite a few emails from people about yaoi and what I would recommend to those new to the genre and to those who want some good reads.

In light of this, and given the diversity of dis/likes out there, I thought it would be great to start a series where I invited fellow readers to talk about their favourite yaoi novels and manga as well as other forms of m/m graphic novels.

Much to my delight a number of people said yes and I’m pleased today to launch what I hope will be a weekly event with a post by our very own, the lovely Ingrid. 🙂

********

Last week I was cordially invited by Kris to write about yaoi. Right. I will get to that in a minute. First something about me. I am Dutch, 34 as of 24th June, Cancerian, bloodtype … no clue and I don’t have my own blog to ramble on so need to look for it. I started reading m/m around July 2008 and sometime last year I was asked if I wanted to read some yaoi by a certain someone. I wish I had never responded to that question! *Kris: Hey! How rude!*

Just kidding, the entertainment value of this genre is so big, it can be hilarious, touching, very smexy to the totally absurd.

After reading the first few books were I was totally flabbergasted because you have to read them from right to left (and down and across) I got hooked to the genre and started to looking out for more. So I found this site. I have spent loads of hours there reading the yaoi and looking at the pretty pictures. I noticed that I did not like all of them, some artwork just did not catch me or the story wasn’t. Like some people are raving about Tyrant Falls In Love but I got bored after one book. The artwork is ok but the rest isn’t. The one protag keeps screaming no, no and it got tiresome. Now will you think, “don’t they all scream no?” True, they do but this instance it grates on my nerves.

One of the first books I read was You’re My Love Prize in Viewfinder by Amano Yamane. I am sure this was the book that cemented my love for yaoi. The artwork is gorgeous, as all her books, the story is gripping, fast paced and sweet at times too. It has all the ingredients of a typical modern yaoi book, a stern Yakuza leader, a twinky who gets in situation he isn’t supposed to be, the bad guys and a very bad guy, its explicit and has happy ending. Although I understand that there is another book coming.

Another series that is a big favourite of mine is Okane ga Nai (No Money). I read the book and later I discovered the anime. The story is about a man, well boy who we have been told is 21 but does not really look the part, is sold at an auction by his cousin due to gambling debts to a money lender. In order to pay of his debt Ayase has to work for it, meaning have sex with his buyer Kanou. This continues for 37 chapters plus extra’s and it is still not finished. Of course this grates with Ayase and Kanou is highly jealous of Ayase’s dealings with other men and so it goes on. One thing the books has plenty of are chibi’s. These are the tiny figures of the persona. In this case they are so cute and funny.

The anime only shows the first chapters of the book but is beautifully done.

Another big favourite of mine is Junjou Romantica. At the moment I am waiting for book 9 to arrive from the Emerald City aka Book Depository. It is in anime. I love the two for different reasons. It is a romantic comedy and the comedy aspect shows much better in anime then in book form. In the books I can follow the development of the relation of these two much better. The books have the stories of three couples but I like the ones about Misaki and Usami the most.

When Kris asked me to make a list of my favourite yaoi I also thought of the books I enjoyed but for totally the wrong reasons. Yesterday when researching for this blog I came across a real gem. The title only is hilarious: The Vibrator Company. Inside are 4 short stories, each one more bizarre the other one and they are all very very explicit, it is like a comedy PWP in yaoi form.

Another book I enjoyed but not because of the exquisite artwork or story line is Animal X. It is about a hermaphrodite of some sort and weredinosaurs. Yes you read that right wereDINOs. No wolves, bears or kangaroos but dinosaurs, the T-rex type. It has kidnapping, secret biochemical companies, bad guys and love. You will be amazed about what all happens before they get their HEA.

This is yaoi after all.

Posted in guest post, ingrid, m/m graphic novel appreciation series, yaoi | 18 Comments

a random life moment from kris

Posted on 06/07/2010 by Kris


Note to Self:

It is better to let the boy kitten get wet than to try and haul his 7 kilo, wiggly arse out of the shower tub whilst covered in Nair.
Posted in extra further randomness, me, my boys | 27 Comments

are m/m readers obsessed with ‘girl cooties’?

Posted on 05/07/2010 by Kris


Me again with an ‘am I the only one who thinks this is weird arse?’ post.

What set me off this time? Well, it was the reaction by some m/m readers to a lesbian couple in Sean Kennedy’s Wings of Equity.

No, this isn’t anything about defending a mate’s work, which he knows because I told him that already. :p

It’s actually about my complete bafflement and simmering anger to what seems to me to be an over-reaction by some – only some mind – people to reading about lesbians in gay romance.

Tell me I’m not the only one who sees the irony in that.

Here’s the thing:

Yes, I was one of the readers who got majorly pissed off about a year or so ago when a few epublishers kept releasing m/m/f apparently thinking readers of m/m would be okay with that.

Yes, I also get tetchy when I’m not ‘warned’ – for wont of a better word – when one of the main characters has a sexual relationship with a chick in what is marketed to be an m/m romance.

Regardless, the off-hand remarks about the so-called ‘girl cooties’ in Wings of Equity had me totally scratching my head.

Firstly, the blurb makes pretty clear there is a lesbian couple who are secondary – that would be secondary – characters in the book. Therefore, readers can choose to buy it or not if that doesn’t appeal.

Secondly, they are lesbians. Erm, FYI, but this generally means there will be no ‘girl cooties’ impacting on the main gay characters. Strange, I know.

Thirdly, and maybe this is me, but the few people who are going on about this like it’s a major issue… can they seriously not see how offensive they are being?

I mean, what’s the big deal? Is it the possibility of reading girl-on-girl sex they have a problem with? Or is it they just don’t want to read any sort of sexualised female character in m/m?

Whatever it is, they’ve made their choice so should build a friggin’ bridge and get over it already.

Because right now, some of the comments they’re making, no matter what their original intention, well, they seem pretty homophobic.

I don’t know about you, but that gets right up my nose.
Posted in f/f, glbtq, m/m, serious randomness, serious shit | 52 Comments

matthew’s story: your choices

Posted on 04/07/2010 by Kris

Everyone was so very mean to Matthew. I’ve taught you well.

The story prompts:

1. the setting ~ a museum after hours

2. some background to one of the main protags ~ he is a beast – literally – a man who transforms into a Jackalope

3. another character/s ~ a couple of nerds who think they are Sam and Dean from Supernatural

4. a conflict ~ one of the heroes is allergic to fur

5. an object/phrase to be mentioned in the story somewhere ~ a cattle prod that comes with a warning that it shouldn’t be used for sexual practices

*snickering*

So, I guess this is where we should wish Matthew good luck…

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Posted in a choose your own m/m story, matthew vandrew | 20 Comments