23Apr/21

Catherine Disabato

April 23, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Catherine Disabato as the guest on Episode 317 – Fun, Slow, and Fast!

Catherine “Catie” Disabato joins us for a great conversation about all things LA queer fiction, and shares her latest release, U Up? We also discuss weird mysteries and how covid could effect writing in the years to come.

Follow Catie and support her work:

Mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

Catie Disabato is a young woman in her 30s. Her novels The Ghost Network and U Up? are available wherever good books are sold.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

OR Watch on YouTube:


12Apr/21

Review – Summoned by J. P. Jackson

J. P. Jackson will be interviewed by WROTE in the very near future. In the meantime, I received an ARC of his new novel, Summoned, in return for an honest and fair review.

Is it wrong to say my favourite character was a twig? Bear with me…

This was a fun story which grips from the first page. Full of sexy times, gory bits and terrific world building, I’d go so far to say this is his best book yet. Daimonion and Magic or Die were fun, deliciously dark reads, but this is on another level.

The main character, Dev, has had a lifelong wish to join the Shadow Realm and become a witch, but he gets more than he bargains for when he buys a summoning board and persuades his best friend, Cam, to have a go with him. The moral to take from this story is a) be careful what you wish for and b) never meet your heroes. I could also add c) don’t fall head over heels in love with a friendly, sexy redhead who seems perfect. He won’t be. And d) don’t rely on your best friend not to say something stupid. They will.

I made the mistake of picking this up ahead of every other book I’m supposed to review, just to have a peek and see what I was letting myself in for. Of course, I ended up reading the whole damned thing.

There are some great spell-casting scenes, a lovely burgeoning relationship between Cam and a grumpy werewolf after they find themselves trapped in the same dungeon, and some sexy, hairy scenes between husky Dev and the ginger bear-ish man of his dreams. Or is he? On a side note – these aren’t ripped, model-gorgeous, no-hair, twinky guys but normal men with hair and bellies and morning breath. They felt real.

I also loved Byron and Addas, his partner, who he is trying to save from being infected with werewolf venom. The methods an increasingly desperate Byron resorts to in order to save him are disturbing to say the least, made more so by their early domestic scenes, which are lovely.

Top marks for world-building and great side characters, including Cam’s mum, who is hilarious even though she only has a small part to play. And the twig. If you don’t have a lump in your throat after discovering the fate of the Spriggan, you’re a psychopath. End of.

All the dialogue runs smoothly and feels natural, and the characters are convincing to the max, with all their human frailties and foibles, as well as their strengths. The story didn’t end on too much of a cliffhanger, although there is another book to come. It could be read as a standalone, I guess, but my bet is no one will be happy with just one helping of these great characters.

It was a great read and I can’t wait for the next one!

BLURB

Devid Khandelwal desperately wants to experience the supernatural. After years of studying everything from crystals to tarot to spellcasting, nothing has happened that would tell him the Shadow Realm is real. And that kills Dev. As a last-ditch resort, he purchases a summoning board, an occult tool that will grant him his ultimate desires.

Cameron Habersham is Dev’s best friend. Cam loves Dev like a brother and will do anything for him, as long as he looks good doing it. So when Dev asks him to perform the summoning board’s ritual, he reluctantly agrees, but he knows nothing will come of it. Nothing ever does.

However, within a day, Dev and Cam’s lives are turned upside down as wishes begin to come true. They discover the existence of a supernatural world beyond their imagination, but peace between the species is tenuous at best.

Dev finally gets to see the Shadow Realm, meets the man of his dreams, and is inducted into the local male coven. But for all the desires that were summoned into existence, Dev soon realizes the magical community dances the line between good and evil, and Cam ends up on the wrong side of everything.

The old adage is true: Be careful what you wish for.

02Apr/21

Richard LeMay

April 2, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Richard LeMay as the guest on Episode 314 – The Best Idea Wins!

Richard LeMay – filmmaker, screenplay writer, and novelist – joins us to discuss his film projects as well as his his foray into authoring his first novel, All The Way to Wrightsville.

Follow Richard and support his work:

Mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

Acclaimed filmmaker Richard LeMay is best known for directing the remake of Francis Ford Coppola’s DEMENTIA 13 for NBC/Universal. Before his foray into the horror genre, LeMay was a prominent voice in LGBTQ cinema. He produced CHILDREN OF GOD, winner of 27 awards internationally and wrote, produced and directed the critically acclaimed NAKED AS WE CAME which the NEW YORK TIMES calls “A lovely surprise of a film.” Though LeMay is an accomplished screenwriter, ALL THE WAY TO WRIGHTSVILLE is his first novel. He resides in New York City with his husband and two dogs.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

OR Watch on YouTube:


19Mar/21

Rick R. Reed

March 19, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Rick R. Reed as the guest on Episode 312 – Come Join Us At The Q

Rick R. Reed returns with his latest releases, including his newest, The Q, as well as what else he’s been up to since appearing on the show last year. It’s a great conversation and we’d love you to give it a listen.

Follow Rick and support his work:

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Bio:

Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his husband, Bruce, and their two adorable rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin. You can find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

OR Watch on YouTube:


December 25, 2020

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Rick R. Reed back as the guest on Episode 300 – Big Screen, Small Screen, Any Screen!

Rick R. Reed shares his latest release, The Man From Milwaukee, which leads us into a talk about the value of #ownvoices in the horror genre.

Follow Rick and support his work:

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Bio:

Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his husband, Bruce, and their two adorable rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin. You can find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

OR Watch on YouTube:


September 25, 2015

A_Demon_Inside_webThird_Eye_webDinner-at-Fiorellos_webBlink_webDinner-at-Home_web It gives us great pleasure to announce Rick R. Reed as the guest on Episodes 021 and 022: The Demon You Invite Inside, parts 1 and 2
Join us as we talk with Rick about the early start he took in writing, his most recent release “A Demon Inside,” the Queer aspect in writing, and genre fiction.
You can find Rick’s novels here:

Follow Rick on the web:

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

 

 

12Mar/21

Britt East

March 12, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Britt East as the guest on Episode 311 – There Is No Greater Wisdom Than Kindness

Britt East shares his A Gay Man’s Guide to Life, covering creating queer families, cultivating substantial gay friendships, and finding love. It’s a heartwarming discussion to listen to!

Follow Britt and support his work:

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Bio:

BRITT EAST is an author and speaker who uses his experience, strength, and hope to challenge and inspire change-oriented gay men to get down to the business of improving their lives. With over two decades of personal growth and development experience in a variety of modalities, such as the 12 Steps, Nonviolent Communication, yoga, meditation, talk therapy, and the Hoffman Process, Britt is committed to building a personal practice of self-discovery that he can then share with gay men everywhere. He lives in Seattle with his husband and their crazy dog.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

OR Watch on YouTube:


05Mar/21

Kim Fielding

March 5, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Kim Fielding back as the guest on Episode 310 – Pew Pew!

Kim Fielding unveils her latest release, The Muffin Man. As part of the Magic Emporium series, it’s a comedic fantasy with sentient sourdough! Yikes! We also have fun discussing writing grand space operas and more!

Follow Kim and support her work:

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Bio:

Kim Fielding is the bestselling, award-winning author of over 60 novels and novellas. Like Kim herself, her work is eclectic, spanning genres such as contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, horror, and historical. Her stories are set in alternate worlds, in 15th century Bosnia, in modern-day Oregon. Her heroes are hipster architect werewolves, housekeepers, maimed giants, and conflicted graduate students. They’re usually flawed, they often encounter terrible obstacles, but they always find love.

Having migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States, Kim calls California home. She lives there with her family, her cat, and her day job as a university professor, but escapes as often as possible via car, train, plane, or boat. This may explain why her characters often seem to be in transit as well. She dreams of traveling and writing full-time.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

OR Watch on YouTube:


May 1, 2020

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Kim Fielding as the guest on Episode 266 – Marry In A Cemetery!

Kim Fielding shares her current releases, The Bureau 2 and Hallelujah, and the necessity of quality research when writing about anything to do with the Criminal Justice System.

Follow Kim and support her work:

Books mentioned in this episode:

Kim’s Criminal Justice for Authors:

Bio:

Kim Fielding has migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States and currently lives in California. She’s a university professor who dreams of being able to travel and write full-time. She also dreams of having two perfectly-behaved children, a husband who isn’t obsessed with football, and a house that cleans itself. Some dreams are more easily obtained than others.
Kim donates 100% of the royalties from her self-published stories and audiobooks to Doctors Without Borders.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or right here:


December 27, 2019

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Kim Fielding, LA (Lori) Gallagher Witt & FE Feeley Jr as the guests on Episode 248 – 2019 Authors Roundtable!

LA (Lori) Witt, Kim Fielding, Frederick Feeley, Jr, and SA “Baz” Collins are herded by Vance Bastian as they reflect on their careers, struggles writers face, and what we look forward to in the future. A great discussion for rounding out the year!

Follow the authors on Twitter:

Follow the authors on Facebook:

Bio:

Kim Fielding has migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States and currently lives in California. She’s a university professor who dreams of being able to travel and write full-time. She also dreams of having two perfectly-behaved children, a husband who isn’t obsessed with football, and a house that cleans itself. Some dreams are more easily obtained than others.
Kim donates 100% of the royalties from her self-published stories and audiobooks to Doctors Without Borders.

L.A. Witt and her husband have been exiled from Spain and sent to live in Maine because rhymes are fun. She now divides her time between writing, assuring people she is aware that Maine is cold, wondering where to put her next tattoo, and trying to reason with a surly Maine coon. Rumor has it her arch nemesis, Lauren Gallagher, is also somewhere in the wilds of New England, which is why L.A. is also spending a portion of her time training a team of special ops lobsters. Authors Ann Gallagher and Lori A. Witt have been asked to assist in lobster training, but they “have books to write” and “need to focus on our careers” and “don’t you think this rivalry has gotten a little out of hand?” They’re probably just helping Lauren raise her army of squirrels trained to ride moose into battle.

F.E.Feeley Jr is married to his wonderful husband, John. Freddie is an avid reader of Mysteries, Horror, and Suspense, and biographies. He’s also a gamer. His favorites include Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Star Trek Online, Skyrim, Assassin’s Creed, Fallout, and Civilization Five. He LOVES to cook and dives into trying new recipes. He’s an avid music junkie from POPular music to Opera, to Showtunes, Gospel, Rock, Rap, and Hip Hop.

SA “Baz” Collins hails from the San Francisco Bay Area where he lives with his husband, and a kitten named Taki. A classically trained singer/actor (under a different name), Baz knows a good yarn when he sees it.
Based on years of his work as an actor, Baz specializes in character study pieces. It is more important for him that the reader comes away with a greater understanding of the characters and the reasons they make the decisions they do, rather than the situations they are in. It is this deep dive into their manners, their experiences and how they process the world around them that make up the body of Mr. Collins’ work.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or right here:

26Feb/21

Valerie Miner

February 24, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Valerie Miner as the guest on Episode 309 – You’re Gonna Get Into Big Trouble With This!

Valerie Miner shares her latest release, Bread and Salt: Stories. We discuss the work, and her other releases as well as spend some time on the value of “other” and those voices often repressed within the publishing world.

Follow Valerie and support her work:

Reading Mentioned in this episode:

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Bio:

Valerie Miner is the award-winning author of 15 books. The latest is BREAD AND SALT: STORIES. Two of her previous story collections were finalists for the Lambda Award in Lesbian Fiction. She teaches at Stanford University and lives with her partner in San Francisco and Mendocino, California.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

OR Watch on YouTube:

12Feb/21

Tyler Davis

February 12, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Tyler Davis as the guest on Episode 307 – A Handbag With A Paintball Gun!

Tyler Davis delivers the first in his new political dystopian series, New America: Awakenings. We talk about how to craft a dystopian work without being centered on futuristic tech or fictional epidemics. It’s a great conversation all around.

Follow Tyler and support his work:

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Bio:

Tyler Davis is an LGBTQ and contributing politics writer for Palmer Report and Medium, blogger, and author.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

OR Watch on YouTube:

05Feb/21

Mike Munich

February 5, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Mike Munich as the guest on Episode 306 – Choose Your Own Adventure!

Mike Munich shines in a FABULOUS conversation on finding our inner divas! As a queer performer and healer, Mike leads a thought provoking and humorous exploration into why divas are so important to queer culture and how harnessing yours can lead to a more healthy life.

Use promo code “WROTE” at getstardusted.com to get $50 off your first session!

Follow Mike and support his work:

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Bio:

Mike is a double Gemini with a Sagittarius rising, he’s never not lip synching, and his diva is Kylie Minogue. But more importantly, Mike is your permission— your permission to be weird, to feel all of your feelings, and to wear a wig on a Tuesday afternoon. As a dancer and musician, he’s been using the power of music to heal, release, and express since childhood. Music is his driving force. After a decade in the entertainment industry, Mike discovered a theme running through both his personal and professional lives. By surrendering to his truth as a queer artist (ie: giving zero fucks), Mike had inadvertently given his friends and followers the permission to be do the same. Today, Mike lives his life as this beacon of freedom, hoping to inspire those around him to unlock that power within. STARDUST was created to bring this freedom to you.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

OR Watch on YouTube:

29Jan/21

Christopher Zyda

January 29, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Christopher Zyda as the guest on Episode 305 – Who Are You Texting At 2:32 In The Morning?

Chris Zyda shares his cathartic work, The Storm: One Voice From the AIDS Generation. Though a deep subject, our conversation focuses on the journey of writing a deeply emotional memoir and his approach to the work.

Follow Christopher and support his work:

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Bio:

Christopher Zyda was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1984. In 1989, he earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. He served as Disney’s Chief Investment Officer, overseeing more than $4 billion of company investments. In 2007, he launched Mozaic, a boutique investment management firm. Chris serves on the Board of Visitors for the UCLA Department of English, the Advisory Board for Veterans in Media & Entertainment, and the Advisory Board for the Landing Zone Grace Warrior Retreat.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or Listen Right Here:

OR Watch on YouTube: