Where In The World Is CJ England???

Inquiring minds want to know... And will continue to question through the month of May...

Hey all,

It's the last of the month and this will be my final pre-done blog. I hope you've enjoyed my travel writings. I know I loved sharing my adventures with you.

Over the next few weeks I'll share my thoughts and memories about those areas I didn't have a chance to do yet because of internet difficulties. Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal and China. I know there is so much more I will want to give to all of you.

For now, I'll stay with the MWF blogging schedule, with my guest blogger on Wednesday. I know I'll be very busy trying to get my writing back on track so I don't want to spread myself too thin. Also, there is a chance we may be moving soon, so I'll have that on my plate as well.

For today's blog I thought I'd share a few more pictures of our travels in Southeast Asia. Just for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Here is one of my favorite places in Singapore. Haw Par has so much legend and folklore in it I could have spent months just learning all about it. The colors and creativity involved are beyond belief and I have several books planned from the stories I read about there.

We went to an island called Pulau Ubin right off of Singapore. It is very primitive and the only village is right at the boat ramp. The rest is all rainforest and small homes, with a couple of resorts sprinkled in. When we finished the day exploring, we came back to the village and had the best pepper crab on the planet, I swear!!! Inexpensive and beyond yummy!

One of the many beautiful flowers I found at the Botanical Gardens in Singapore. The Orchid Garden is definitely worth the $5.00 to go in. The many flowers, plants and landscaping were some of the best I've ever seen in all my travels.

One of the hides in Sungei Buloh where you can watch the animals come down to drink. This park was one of the best constructed places for animal and bird watching I've ever seen. Kudos to the park authorities for taking the time to do it right.

This is the Sentosa Resort where Jonathon has been working. It is big and grand and totally decadent. There is a lot more to do here, but overall it is one beautiful place to come play. We enjoyed our time at the casino.

So there you have it. A few more pictures and memories of our time in Singapore. I hope you'll keep logging in and seeing what I'm about even if I don't do a continuous travelogue. LOL I'll be back on Wednesday with another guest blogger, my good friend Denyse Bridger. She'll have a lot to say, I promise you.

Take care and remember to keep dreaming!!!

Hugs,
CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams

Where In The World Is CJ England???

Inquiring minds want to know... And will continue to question through the month of May...

Hey all,

Since Jonathon and I are on our own private retreat, there will be no real blog today. Instead I'm putting up an interview I did with CK2S Kwips and Kritiques. Some of you may have seen it before, but since I've received a lot of fan mail recently about my book, Don't Spank the Vamp, I thought it might be appropriate.

Enjoy and please let me know what you think in the comments below!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This month we will be talking to CJ England about her release, DON’T SPANK THE VAMP, her career, and what is to come in the future.

1. Congratulations on your release, DON’T SPANK THE VAMP. This story is a bit spicier than some of your previous books. Can you tell us a little bit about the story?

Sure… Here is a quick blurb…

Dawn is a sculptor who spends more time with her hands in clay than on a man. When her friends take her to a special kind of toy shop, her entire outlook on life changes.

Aidan is a vampire who loves to walk on the wild side. He has existed for over a century waiting for his twin flame... his soulmate to find him.

Dawn is told by the shop's fortune teller that she will find her destiny if only she will reach out and take it. Will she be brave enough to push past the fear and embarrassment and grab hold of a very special kind of love? One that could last forever?

An artist looks for inspiration and when Dawn meets Aidan she is inspired to give up her safe boring life and take a walk on the sexy side.

Toys included. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wrote this book because I wanted to explore a part of sexuality that I hadn’t yet in a book. I believe that good creative sex is VERY important between lovers and I had fun doing the research, I gotta tell you. But the basic premise of all my books remains the same. True love.

2. A common theme in your books seems to be the issue of soulmates. This theme is prominent in both DON’T SPANK THE VAMP as well as THE MYLARI CHRONICLES: SOULMATES. How much of this theme comes from your own personal life and beliefs?

Only… all of it. I believe that we all have soulmates out there. Sometimes you are fortunate enough to find that person quickly, while others wait a very long time. And sometimes you don’t find them at all.

I’m fortunate in that I married my best friend not even knowing he was my soulmate. Finding each other has been the most painful and joy filled experience of my life! When you read my books, you will see a little of that journey in each of them.

3. Dawn, the main female character in DON’T SPANK THE VAMP, is an artist. It made me wonder: how much of CJ do we see in any of the characters you create?

I am a very creative person. I am a jill-of-all-trades when it comes to art and different crafts. I have painted, done pottery, photography calligraphy, tole and many other types of art. I did a singing tour in Europe when I was in my early twenties, and actually did some acting in San Francisco. So I’ve done it all.

I have a great respect for all artists. I usually will make one of my characters an artist to honor them. Plus… I’ve noticed that most of us creative types are more likely to suspend disbelief and do some of the things that happen in my novels, so I guess it’s for a practical reason as well.

4. Your stories have spanned several genres- from a shapeshifting rabbit, to fantasy, to steamy romance, to a very sensual vampire. Is there a particular genre you prefer?

While I write in all genres… I really like to write paranormal and fantasy. It seems to be what flows the easiest. My Jonathon tells me it’s because I live in my own little world. But like the t-shirt says… it’s okay ‘cause they know me there and tell me all these fantastic stories so I can write them down for you. I would like to write a mystery or suspense someday, but that would mean planning ahead and that often makes my head hurt.

5. I know that you provide other writers with a lot of support and encouragement and have stated you wished you had pursued getting published earlier than you did. What was the catalyst that pushed you into pursuing your writing in a published form?

I do try and support other writers. It doesn’t have to be a cut throat business. My chat list is like a big family and I know of two newly accepted authors that were encouraged by my list to submit. I will take the time right now to invite any authors to ‘come dream with me’ on my list and promote themselves. Contests, excerpts, and announcements are all welcome!!! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

I personally have been writing since I was in second grade. I’ve done newspapers and magazines, but I’d never taken the time to send off a story until I discovered e-publishing. I researched and dreamed and six weeks later, I had a full length novel accepted.

My first novel was actually The Peacekeeper Journals: The Joining but I didn’t know quite where to send it to, since it isn’t an erotic romance, but more sensual.

I love e-publishing for its ease of use and availability to both authors and readers. Even though I have been asked to submit to New York, I plan to keep e-publishing.

6. What first sparks a story idea for you? Is it the scene, the characters, or something else that kickstarts your creative muse?

YES! I can be inspired by the weirdest things. It can be a TV show like Supernatural and The Mythbusters. I got to thinking… what if you combined the two and boom… The Mythfinders, one of my WIPs was born.

Or then there is the other side of the coin when I have no idea where the thoughts come from. Like Here Comes Peter… still haven’t figured that one out yet!

But as you probably know, most of my ideas come from my dreams. Either I go to sleep and dream a book, or I take an idea to bed with me and when I wake up in the morning, I have a new story.

7. I know a lot of authors credit varying musical artists with providing them inspiration and motivation while writing. What inspires you while writing?

I sometimes listen to music. It isn’t what inspires me though. I have my desk set up so I can look right out my window at the lake. I also love to hear the wind blow. My air totem is the wind and it inspires me to dream.

When I do listen to anything, it will depend on what mood I am in, but country music is what I enjoy the most.

8. Your stories seem to have a lot of “Kleenex moments”. How do you visualize the balance of sensitivity and alpha qualities in your male characters?

I make it my goal to write about life. Even in a fantasy or paranormal, art should imitate life. And life has tons of both laughter and ‘Kleenex moments’. Someone just asked me how I put humor into my books so effortlessly and I responded with the simple answer… just look around you. Life is hysterical... all you have to do is write it down.

On the flip side… life can be full of sadness too and when you are in love you usually move between the two. If you have ever had your heart broken, you will understand my books. Life hurts, but the great thing is in my books, no matter what they may go through, you will always see a happy ever after. It’s in the CJ rule book.

Men in real life are never one dimensional. I never enjoy as much the stories that focus solely on the woman’s point of view. I like a balanced story which means letting the reader know what they both think. A good alpha male will be sensitive, just like a kick-ass heroine will have a soft heart too.

And of course they will always love and be true to each other.

9. This question goes hand in hand with the previous one. How would you describe the ideal romantic hero?

This is a tough one, because I adore so many types of men. But if I were to describe my favorite hero to write it would be this way... Tall, dark, handsome in a bad boy rough around the edges way. And he’s got to be in great shape. I don’t go for the guys who are so built they can’t put their arms around a girl. But I do want nicely defined muscles and rock hard abs. And a nice butt is a must.

Long hair and bedroom eyes and he has to know how to use his hands and mouth. And kiss…. he’s got to know how to kiss.

That’s the outside. But the inside is just as important. Even though he’s rough around the edges, he has a kind heart. He’s proud, a touch arrogant, honorable and of course totally alpha. But he’s got that hidden sensitive side. And, the most important thing of all… he is utterly and overwhelmingly in love with his lady. She is the center of his world.

Whether he be a prince or a witch or a vampire, a rabbit, a divemaster, or a hot tub installer. No matter what is going on in his life, she will always come first.

10. What author or authors have made you say, “I wish I’d written that”? And if we were to peek, which books would we find on your bookshelf?

I love quite a few authors, but my four favorite authors are Nora Roberts for her wonderful characters and story telling, Linda Howard for her great heroes and hot sex scenes, Jayne Anne Krentz for her humor and alpha males that aren’t the norm and finally Elizabeth Lowell for her heartrending ‘Kleenex moments’.

If I had thing that I wished I had written, I think it would be the series by JD Robb (Nora Robert’s alter ego) Murder by… I love that series. It’s got your kick-ass heroine, a gorgeous alpha male and a world that is so creative I wish I could do half as well. Who knows maybe The Peacekeeper Journals will go that route some day.

11. Do you have any personal celebrations or rituals that you perform once a book is completed?

Once I totally finish a book, I get it all ready to go. Whether it’s an electronic submission or mail, I give it a squeeze and a kiss and then mail it.

When I get an acceptance, Jonathon always brings me home chocolate! Last time it was Ben and Jerry’s Double Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream! YUM!!!!!

12. Your relationship with your husband, Jonathan, is an extremely important part of your life. How do you balance your writing time, promoting your books, and still spend time with him?

My relationship with Jonathon IS my life. If I didn’t have him, I wouldn’t be complete. I know that may not sound politically correct, but there it is. He is my soulmate, my lover and my best friend.

It isn’t easy to balance everything. I’m an all or nothing person, so it’s tough sometimes. I try hard to make sure that if he’s home and wants time with me, I drop everything. He and my kids have to come first. I have to practice what I preach and my books all say the same thing. Love is the most important thing in the universe.

I’m very organized. I have lists everywhere and it’s only because of those that I can get everything done that I need to!

13. Which book has been your favorite to write and why?

Tough question. I love all of them, or I wouldn’t have written them in the first place. My readers all seem to love Here Comes Peter… because of the sexy alpha hero and all the fun puns and jokes in it.

But overall I think I love The Peacekeeper Series the most. My first creation, it’s got six sexy heroes and one heroine who is innocent yet can kick some serious ass when she wants to. I’ve built an entire world around this series and I’ve dreamed up books for each of them.

My proof reader said that ‘Peacekeeper is like a fine brandy. You savor it slowly. Just swirl it in the snifter and smell the bouquet and take a sip and enjoy the flavor and swallow slowly.’

14. Your stories are very sensual. How would you explain the difference between sensual/erotic stories and porn?

I think in some ways it’s a matter of personal belief. You can stand ten people in a room and ask them that same question and get ten different answers. Even RWA can’t decide.

But for me, I believe that sensual romance isn’t a heat level but an emotion level. My books are all very hot and sexy but the emotions between the characters are just as, if not more important. In many erotic novels, that isn’t the case. It’s more about the sex and the relationship is secondary or non-existent. I like the term romantica better for books such as mine. The storyline is strong, the sex is hot, but more importantly the characters are deeply in love with each other. That is the difference.

Most porn has no love story, it’s just about getting off. And if there is a storyline, if you took the sex out, it would fall apart.

15. I understand that your mom is also a writer. What does she say about your books?

My mom, bless her, tried to read The Mylari Chronicles: The Soulmates, but she couldn’t do it. She’s a bit shy about sex. She said she had trouble reading it with one hand over her eyes. Told me the love making scenes were too long. She said the story was great, but it was hard having to read ‘all that stuff’.

Suffice it to say, my mother writes a more traditional story. She loves me and says she supports me, but she’d rather have me write inspirational stories. I’ve done those too, but right now, my heart is with my sensual romances.

16. Thank you so much CJ for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions. Is there anything you would like to say in closing?

I would like to invite all of you to join my chat group. We are a family and love to get to know new people.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

And I’d also like you to go visit my website. I update it regularly and you can find out more about me, read excerpts from ALL my books and see what contest I have going.

http://www.cjengland.com/home/

Finally, I have a list of some other places you can find me on the web. Get to know me a little more and then email me. I love to hear from my readers!

Newsletter group... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsDreamtimeNewsletter/
My CHAT BLOG... http://cjslivingdreams.blogspot.com/
My FREE READ Blog... http://cj-england.livejournal.com/
Email... womanofthewind1@yahoo.com

Thanks Anne for having me. I appreciate you taking the time! And good luck to CK2S Kwips and Kritiques. It is a wonderful review site!!!!

And remember everyone… Follow your dreams... for they will lead you into a world of imagination.

Interviewed by Anne
August 2006

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There you have it! I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little better. Come on back on Monday where I'll have my last pre-set blog before getting back in gear for normal blogging life!

Hugs to all,
CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Sultry Summers Blog- Don't Have

Hey all,

It's time for another guest blogger. Today I have the honor of introducing Selena Robins, a fellow Samhain author. This is what it says about her on her website...

Unable to stay focused in school—science and math didn’t equate to happily ever after—Selena excelled in Daydreaming 101 and Creative Writing. Her entrepreneurial skills became evident in the latter part of Junior High when she found herself penning essays and short stories for five bucks a pop. Her future as a writer was foreshadowed by winning first prize in a contest run by the Humane Society—a romance about two race horses who fell in love (the filly won the race and the stud).

And the rest is history. LOL So let's get to know her a bit better, shall we? Please join me in welcoming, Selena Robins!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Where In The World Is CJ England???

Inquiring minds want to know... And will continue to question through the month of May...

Hey all,

As promised, since Jonathon and I are on our private mini retreat, here are some cartoons to keep you amused. Please keep us in your prayers and thoughts still. I'll be back the first week of June to pick up my life again and maybe actually get some writing done. LOL

Hugs to all of you and enjoy the cartoons!!!







I'll be back on Wednesday with another guest blogger, Sultry Summers. She'll have some interesting things to share with you all. Until then, take care and I miss you all!!!!

Hugs,
CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Where In The World Is CJ England???

Inquiring minds want to know... And will continue to question through the month of May...

Hey all,

Today will be my last blog here in Southeast Asia. We've had a marvelous time, met wonderful people and learned so many new things. The food, the shopping, the sights we've seen...all a richly embroidered tapestry that will live in our memories forever.

And I've got enough dreams to keep myself writing for the next fifty years!!! Lucky you!!! LOL

We will be doing any last minute things here in Singapore before we head out on a last mini vacation. A private time, just for Jonathon and I. This time I won't have any internet capability so I won't be able to respond to any messages you all may leave.

Jonathon and I want to thank you for all the prayers and good thoughts that came our way during our time here overseas. As we get back into our "normal" routine we'll probably go through a real time of culture shock. And just WHY aren't my dishes done? My bed made? You mean I have to cook? Where is the MRT? LOL

But all good things must--if not come to an end--at least change to something else. We look forward to seeing just what the good Lord has in store for us.

I'll be back on Monday with some cartoons to keep you amused while I'm gone. And as usual, keep us in your prayers and thoughts for these last few days of the month.

Hugs to all,
CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Let's Meet David Russell

Hey all,

It's time for another guest blogger. Today I have the honor of introducing David Russell, an author with Devine Destinies and Rose Dog Books. He is an artist in many ways and I'm pleased to have him with us. Here is a little more about him.

Born 12 June 1940 and living in West London, UK, David is a writer in all genres, including poetry, fiction, and criticism, and he is a guitarist and singer-songwriter. Some of David’s erotic poems have been featured in anthologies produced by Forward Press. He has a collection of poetry and prose entitled Prickling Counterpoints, that has been published in many magazines.

Please join me in welcoming David Russell to the blog!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi everybody,

I will have come across many of you via CJ's FollowYourDreams Group. I am a (hopefully) well-preserved person in my late 60s, based in London, UK. I am a keen reader and writer of romantica and erotica, and it's been great over recent years to have savored the great abundance of such on the net. I am always keen to swap ideas/compare notes in that area.

I also write poetry and speculative fiction, as well as literary journalism (book reviews and reports of poetry readings/lectures).

I am a very keen amateur photographer. My favorite subjects for this are trees and their foliage, which I find inexhaustibly rich in making dazzling displays full of colour and texture. I also do a certain amount of painting and drawing, some abstracts and quite a few figures (I'd quite like to do a romance cover).

In the musical area, I am mainly a singer-songwriter. I like songs to be literate; among my favourites are Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Suzanne Vega. I do some settings of famous poems. I like to be experimental with words, chords and phrases, using many open tunings on guitar. I play both guitar and keyboard, and am a regular feature on the London acoustic music and poetry scenes. In addition to that, I am a singer - songwriter, and have had much material on CD.

My romantica publications are: Explorations and Self's Blossom (Devine Destinies) Therapy Rapture (Rose Dog Books).

My main CD Recordings are Bricolage (Hangman Records, and Bacteria Shrapnel (Posterity Recordings)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, David for taking the time to let all of us know a little more about you. It sounds as if you have quite a few pans in the fire. Nothing like keeping busy to help make a person --ahem--well preserved! *smile*

To learn more about David, go to either of his publishers and check him out. Devine Destines and Rose Dog Books.

I'll be back on Friday with my pre-set blog about Xi'an China and those awesome warriors made of terracotta! I can see a book coming already!!!

Hugs
CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Where In The World Is CJ England???

Inquiring minds want to know... And will continue to question through the month of May...

Hey all,

It's Monday May 17th and today we should be in Xi'an China. I've wanted to see the dig of the terracotta warriors ever since a smaller display of them came to the China Pavilion in Epcot at Disneyworld. The awesomeness of the detail and the overwhelming amount of the warriors, horses, chariots and other statues will be an eye-opener I'm sure.

According to the websites I've read, there are three pits of the soldiers, one well excavated, the others partially so. It can take all day to explore it and Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. They have a movie to tell you how the statues were discovered and about a thousand hawkers outside just aching to sell you a genuine copy of a statue. Any size available. *grin*

If we have time, we will wander around Xi'an for awhile. See the Bell and Drum Tower (pic below) and maybe the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but the real reason we are here is sitting in three dusty pits. I'm hoping we will be able to see some of the excavation going on.

Once we are done with the warriors, we will head back into town and clean up before we head out on our next flight. This one back to Singapore.

It will be a great trip and I wish it could last longer. But reality calls and who knows where the wind will blow us next. Will it be back to Orlando? China? Indonesia? Africa? Tennessee? Maybe we will wind up heading to Antarctica and tagging penguins!!! That will be a change in climate! LOL

I'll be back on Wednesday with guest blogger, David Russell who will tell him a little about himself and his life. Until then, keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Hugs to all,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Where In The World Is CJ England???

Inquiring minds want to know... And will continue to question through the month of May...

Hey all,

It is Friday, May 14th and if all goes right, we will be setting out for Beijing, China! We will have several days in this great city, but I don't think it will be enough. There is so much to see and do. Some must sees of course are the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, Tienanmen Square and the Summer Palace.

And out of the city you HAVE to go walk on the Great Wall of China. So as you can see our days will be pretty filled up.

We will arrive about midday and go straight to our hotel. After we drop off our stuff, we'll probably head right back out to go sightseeing. The Forbidden City will be our first destination and we'll probably spend most of the day there. I'm told you can spend weeks exploring this beautiful area and I've wanted to see it ever since saw my first documentary on it way before foreigners were allowed in. Checking this off my list was something I thought I'd never get to do.

Then Tienanmen Square and wandering around that night to see the Beijing night spots and markets. There is so much of Beijing I know little about. I look forward to just rambling and finding things I never expected.

The next day we will head for the Great Wall. We've decided to go to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. It is better restored and not so touristy as Badaling which is closer to the city. We are going on our own. No package tours for us. We want to take our time and wander at will. It is a full day's excursion and we want to spend it doing what we want, not what a tour director wants us to do.

Can you say rebellious? LOL

Anyway, the views from this section of the wall are amazing. I can't wait to share them with you once I get the pics. And you can eat lunch at this cool little restaurant at the base of the wall with views of it's own. What a great way to see the country!

The next day we will wander around Beijing some more. See the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven as well as any other touristy sites on our list. Then that night we take the overnight train to Xi an to see the Terracotta Warrior Army Site. Another new Wonder of the World.

If all goes well, I might have internet so I can either add a blog or edit this one. But we'll see. Just because they say they have it, don't make it so. LOL

When next we meet I'll have a pre-set blog about Xi an and what to expect as we see all those intricately sculptured statues dug up after so many years. Keep us in your prayers! And blessings to you all!!!

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Girls Who Write Boys

Hey all,

It's time for another guest blogger. Today I have the honor of introducing Bryn Colvin. Bryn and I "met" way back in the beginning of my career and we've stayed professional friends and colleagues the whole time. Check out the interesting bio on her web site.

Please allow me to introduce myself. This site has quite a mix of stuff on it, for the simple reason that I do a lot of different things. I am an author, druid, and folk enthusiast, as my pages reflect. I write fantasy, comic scripts, mumming plays, poetry, erotica, reviews, essays and just about anything else that occurs to me. I use Bryn Colvin on my purely erotic fiction, and Brynneth N Colvin on everything else, although with some of the fantasy novels the distinctions aren't so clear.

I was born in Gloucestershire in 1977 and grew up not far from the River Severn, in Dursley - the place JK Rowling named the horrible Dursley family for. I learned music, read folklore, fell in love with the landscape, and discovered that I'm an unconventional soul deeply driven to follow my own path.

As you can see, Bryn is an interesting person to get to know. So let's see what's on her mind, shall we? Join me in welcoming, Bryn/Brynneth Colvin...

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The first time I encountered m/m and yaoi fiction I was bemused by the idea. (Ok, it was a long time ago, I was younger, less informed, less kinky, less... you get the idea). Women, writing for women, about gay men. I had no idea how that was supposed to work. Fairly new to erotica, I was sticking to what I knew – mostly straight with occasional forays into f/f and light on kink. Back then most of my work was written from a female perspective.

Over the years since then, I’ve done a lot of reading, and writing, and listening to others. The appeal of m/m is one I really understand now. There’s a number of attractions. As a female reader, gay blokes are about as exotic as it gets. They can do things to each other that I will never be able to do, feel things I cannot imagine. That’s fascinating. They can be as rough as they like, and I do not need to feel threatened. They can be convincingly male, or chicks with dicks, or somewhere in between and however it works, it’s a different perspective on humanity and sexual possibility.

As a writer, the appeals are different. ‘Write what you know’ gets tedious after a while. Unless your existence is seriously wild, then the scope for plundering personal experience is limited. I got bored writing about me a long time ago. These days, I’m more interested in research, observation, getting into other people’s heads and trying to create plausible characters who are not me at all. And again, gay blokes are about as exotic as it gets, and I love a challenge.

There remains the niggling question of whether we are exploiting gay men, or the idea of gay men by doing this. Enough women dislike the way guys go for lesbian material after all. A female writer cannot know what it is like to be a gay man. However, all authors spend a lot of time writing what we don’t know first hand. No one expects mystery authors to kill anyone. You can write history without having lived it. In all other cases, what matters most is the research.

One of the best ways into writing m/m is, I think, to read the kinds of erotica gay guys write. There’s all kinds of interesting technical details you can pick up. Many male authors of the genre tend to be more direct than the women, and less angsty about the sex. Don’t imagine that guys have to be tough, macho, unemotional, unexpressive... men are complex people too, and they come in all kinds of shapes and mindsets.

The only way to avoid exploiting and disrespecting gay men, is by doing your homework. Make sure you know what you’re talking about. Read. Listen. Learn. Go further if you dare.

These days I’m as likely to write from a male perspective as a female one, regardless of whether the story is m/m or m/f. I’m increasingly inclined to feel that people are people, all utterly different from each other, and all very much alike, and in that paradox lies the attraction that keeps me reading, and writing, and trying to understand. I want to learn more about what it is to be human.

If you want to explore my m/m fiction, it’s at www.loveyoudivine.com along with the work of a number of excellent and diverse authors of the genre – M King, Nix Winter, Max Griffin, Jon Michaelsen, Jaime Samms, Sarah Masters, Ryan Field, Alex Morgan and more.

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As someone else who dabbles in m/m romance, this is one of the genres that also interests me. I like certain gay stories more than others, but like my m/f books, it has to be emotional, real and always have that true love conquers all ending.

Thanks, Bryn for sharing your view with us. If you want to learn more about Bryn/Brynneth please visit her WEBSITE. And let her know what you think in the comments below.

I'll be back on Friday with a pre-set blog about Beijing and what we are doing there. If we have internet, I'll try and give you one in person! WooHoo!!!

Hugs to all!


CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Where In The World Is CJ England???

Inquiring minds want to know... And will continue to question through the month of May...

Hey all,

As you read this, Jonathon and I will be sipping tea at 7136 feet above sea level. This is the highest we've ever been, though we might have come close when we were touring in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

We'll fly into the city of Kathmandu and look around there. There are several places I want to see, especially this bar called Rum Doodle. It is famous for all the adventurers that have eaten there. And I adore the name. LOL The link goes to where you can read reviews of the place. I enjoyed those, too!

There are temples, walks, shopping and other things to do in Kathmandu, so we'll take advantage of those before we leave for the rest of our time in Nepal.

Later that evening we'll head up into the mountains for five days. We can't wait. The view should be simply amazing. I know I'll want to show you pictures.

We'll be staying in the EcoHome Resort. Check it out to see why we chose it. Below is a picture and the view it has. Can't beat that, can you? Especially when the price is only 20.00 a night!!! Seriously, guys, this resort is #1 in all the area for taking care of it's guests and so far, the email conversations have been great. If he takes as good a care of us in person, I may not come home!!!!

Since we love the mountains, we are in our element here. We plan to hike all over. Even take an overnight hike up higher to see the "real" Nepal if you know what I mean. I dig the tourist stuff, but I also want to see how people really are.

And of course, waking up to sunrise over the Himalayas? How can you beat seeing the sun rise and set on Mt. Everest? Everything we've read says this will be one of our favorite parts of the trip.

We get to spend six days in Nepal, most of them up here in the mountains. With all the hikes we can do, we'll have difficulty deciding exactly how we want to spend our time!

And of course...we'll be chasing down that Yeti. I wonder if I can make that slavering beasty into a hero for a book? What do you all think? LOLOL

Anyway, the next blog, I'll be in Beijing, China. The Forbidden City, Tienanmen Square and the Great Wall. It will be a blast! As always, keep us in your prayers and thoughts!

Hugs to all,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams

Where In The World Is CJ England???

Inquiring minds want to know... And will continue to question through the month of May...

Hey all,

It's Friday, May 7th and this week Jonathon and I are traveling in Cambodia and Vietnam. I may have access to internet. The hotels we are staying at say they have it, but... Well, you know how that goes. LOL

But if all goes according to plan, by the time you read this, we will have visited the wonderful city of Siem Reap and explored one of the Wonders of the World, the Temple of Angkor Wat.

Can you say amazing? I had forgotten completely about this beautiful temple until I started researching Cambodia. At first we didn't think we could go because of border difficulties. But we were able to move things around and fly into the airport and visas are easy to come by there.

But just look at the picture. I can't wait to discover all there is to see there and you can bet your bottom dollar I'll get a story out of it. How could I not? Can't you see this used in a sci-fi book? Or maybe a fantasy about elves, trolls and goblins? I'm getting all dreamy-eyed thinking about it.

We also have plans to visit a silkworm farm, get a massage and spend time at several of the villages nearby. Our days will be full and so enjoyable.

That all happened while you were entertained by my guest blogger, Joe Vadalma. As you read this today, Jonathon and I will be exploring Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and taking a trip down the Mekong Delta.

There is so much to see, I'm not sure we'll be able to cram it all in, but we'll do our best. Taking a trip down the river to one of the famous floating markets, then on past rice paddies, jungles and villages, we'll be able to see a good deal of the countryside. And if we have time, we want to run over and do some snorkeling in the beautiful waters of the South China Sea.

Then later on, after our journey, we plan to explore Ho Chi Mihn City (Saigon) a bit more. It is supposed to be a lively city with all kinds of shopping, entertainment and night markets. All I really know about Vietnam is what I heard about during the war and I look forward to seeing this country in it's new form.

After that, it's back to Kuala Lumpur to get ready for our next destination. Kathmandu, Nepal. Due to visa problems (can't get a visa to India unless we go home to the states or pay exorbitant rush fees) we don't get to see the Taj Mahal. I'm bummed about it, I really, really wanted to go to India, but it's not all bad news. Since we can't go to India we get to spend even longer in the Himalayas. How cool is that? I'm so going to scope out the Yeti and take his picture! LOL

And, we get to do some trekking in the mountains and see Mt. Everest. Now that is something to check off the Bucket List. Morgan and Jack would be so proud! LOL

We won't have any internet while up in Kathmandu, so other than the pre-planned post, you won't hear from me. But keep me in your prayers and thoughts. We'll need it!

Everyone take care and I'll post if and when I can!!!!

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

My Love of Fantasy and Science Fiction

Hey all,

It's time for another guest blogger. Today I have the honor of introducing Joe Vadalma. Joe is a self professed sci-fi/fantasy genre lover who has taken that love and turned it into some great stories of his own. I found this bio about Joe on SFFworld.com...

I am a technical writer retired from a major computer company and am a voracious reader of all kinds of books, but especially science fiction and fantasy. I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, but have been living in a small town in upstate New York for many years. I am married with four children, ten grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. My hobbies, other than writing, are computer games and do-it-yourself projects. I have had many short stories published in internet E-zines such as The Fifth Dimension, SFF, Dark Moon Rising, Swords Edge, Aphelion, Writer's Hood, Martian Wave, and Planet Magazine.

As one who also writes in the sci-fi/fantasy genre, my love of this type of book is solidly rooted in my childhood, just like Joe's was. Give a listen to how he puts it. I'll bet it makes you smile and remember, too!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I loved these genres since I was very young. My parents were great readers and so I became one too. I loved to go to the local library and browse through all the wonderful books. I liked books about pirates and the usual fairy tales.

When I was seven, something wonderful happened to me. It was the movie "The Wizard of Oz." Back then, it was shown in theaters. On the big screen, it was wonder of wonders. After that I began to buy Oz books, of which there were many, not only by Frank L. Baum, the creator of Oz, but by his successors, Ruth Plumly Thompson and John R. Neil (who by the way was the illustrator for all three authors).

The next good thing happened when I was in the third grade. I came across a book about an imaginary trip to the moon and the planets. That hooked me on science fiction. I read everything I could find about space travel, time travel and so forth, mainly the comic books, Superman, Captain Marvel, Planet Comics and so forth.

When I was twelve, I discovered the pulps, eight and half by eleven magazines with garish covers and printed on thick cheap paper. These contained stories by such greats as Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Robert Silverberg and so many more.

About that time I also saw the movie "House of Frankenstein" with a great cast, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., John Carridine and Glen Strange. It's still one of my favorite movies. Although billed as a horror flick, it's really science fantasy.

Speaking of movies, a few years later one of my favorite movie of all time came out, "2001, A Space Odyssey," which I saw on the wide screen. Believe me, it is stunning in the theater. Since then, there has been "Alien" and its sequels, all the Star Wars movies, Star Trek and its spin-offs, Jurassic Park and its sequels, etc., etc. We're living in my idea of paradise as far as movies go.

And then there are the books. I have so many favorite fantasy and SF authors that I could fill this page with their names.

From a love of these genres I decided to try my hand at writing genre fiction. The results you can buy at Renaissance Page Turner Editions, Fictionwise.com and other online book sellers. My web site, which gives information about my novels, contains a free short and serial, and a blog can be found at http://papajoesfantasticworld.com

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Thanks, Joe for giving us that look at how you went from being a sci-fi/fantasy reader to being a writer. For a lot of us, those movies, books and magazines were the fodder for a great many dreams! Did he make you remember a few of your favorite movies or books? Tell him so in the comments below!

Stay tuned for my next blog. It will give you an update on where I should be this week, visiting the World Heritage Site, Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia and traveling on the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

Take care and hugs to all,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Where In The World Is CJ England???

Inquiring minds want to know... And will continue to question through the month of May...

Hey all,

It's Monday, May 3rd and as you read this I'm wandering around Kuala Lumpur. We are just back from our trip through the rainforest and taking the Jungle train, so civilization right now may not be so bad. LOL

It's cheaper flying out of Kuala Lumpur than from Singapore (go figure) so all our flight originate and end here until the very last one.

So today is a "rest day". I'll do a little laundry, repack our bags and then go sightseeing.

I love this country. Malaysian people are so friendly and everything is so cheap if you know where to look. Stay out of the touristy spots and head into the smaller villages. I've bought so many wonderful things for next to nothing.

Although Jonathon grumbles that it's NOT next to nothing when we try and pack the damn stuff. *snicker*

It will be interesting to see if it is the same in the bigger cities as it was in the smaller ones we've already visited. I wish I had time to do more. Like I said, I really like it here. Wouldn't mind staying a little while longer.

Anyway, I'm off to see all the sights here in town while Jonathon finishes up some last business before he's done with working in Singapore for good!

I'm going to see the Petronis Towers--one of the tallest buildings in the world (see pic above), Petaling Street (shopping), The Star Gallery (more shopping), or maybe I'll give that one up and head out to Batu Caves and see if there are any bats amongst the beauty of the caves (see pic to right). Who knows...but it will be fun!!!!

Stay tuned for my next guest blogger who will hold down the fort while I'm gone. Joe Vadalma shares his love of all things sci-fi and fantasy and he's got some great thoughts to share!!! As he takes you down memory lane I'll bet you remember some of the same things. I know I did!!!

Anyways, remember to keep me in your prayers. We will be off soon on another adventure in Cambodia and Vietnam. Both places I never thought I'd ever have a chance to see and experience.

Hugs to all,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/secondchances
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/