NICO JAYE

In completely non-writing-related news...

2013-05-17T11:34:00.000-04:00

I'm currently knee-deep in sorting through my apartment as I prepare for my move from NYC to San Francisco. So of course that means I'm finding any and every reason I can to procrastinate. *grins shamelessly* And one of those finds was a Chibi maker. What's a Chibi? Well...

This is a Chibi. Specifically, this is Chibi ME.

Yup, so that's my big reveal of the week. This is pretty much what I'd look like if I were a Chibi, right down to the black tank, grey cardigan, bright corduroys, black flats, and red glasses. Plus the mug of tea in my hand (can't forget that!).

Anyway, if you're curious and want to make your own Chibi, check out the Chibi maker here at deviantart. But make sure you have an hour to kill because let me tell you - cartoonifying yourself can be STRANGELY addictive. :D

Putting the "pro" into procrastinate,
NJ

P.S. Actually, I lied - I have some writing-related news. My short story was accepted by Dreamspinner Press to be included in their next anthology! Woop woop! This is the one that just flowed out of me in the course of 2.5 days. It felt SO damned good to write, and I'm so glad that DSP thought so, too! So keep your eyes peeled for the Cuddling anthology, which will focus on established couples. More info on this story and the anthology later. :)

OMGWTFBBQ - I haz a story for LHNB.

2013-05-06T12:12:00.000-04:00

So yes, I submitted my Love Has No Boundaries story last week (a whole two weeks early). Yayzerbeams! I'll keep y'all apprised of the date that it'll be posted to the group.

As a treat for the folks who actually check out my blog, I'm posting a blurb-y type thing right now. :)

Warning: I kind of suck at blurb writing, but I tried. >_< And it's right here:

When Aidan logs onto the Internet one night during winter break, he hardly expects to meet tall, dark, and handsome Jake - let alone discover over the course of their chats and emails that Jake may actually be...well...pretty much perfect. However, with Jake studying abroad 8,000 miles away, Aidan soon finds himself struggling with the intense feelings that he has for a man he's never actually met.

With an ocean between them and all of the doubts and questions that come with the distance, will their relationship ever find wings? And when they finally meet in person, can their online romance become an IRL happily ever after?

Stay tuned for more tidbits on the story, including the date when it'll be available and the official cover. The cover is pretty simple, but the picture is perfect for one of the scenes in the story. I'll also post a sneak peek excerpt soon. :)

Thanks for reading!
NJ

Active Pro Athlete Comes Out

2013-04-29T18:14:00.001-04:00

Today's...no, this month's...no, make that THIS YEAR'S big news: NBA player Jason Collins comes out as gay.

I just got back from Turkey and am kind of recovering from traveling right now. That said, I'm still awake and aware enough to do a little (good!) freaking out/flailing about the first active pro athlete (other than, perhaps, the 1970s baseball player Glenn Burke) to come out to the world as gay.

So, yes, consider this Jason Collins post the COMING OUT AS A GAY ATHLETE big, bold, all-caps post towards which the previous posts in this series of discussions (here, here, here, here, and here) were leading.

The Sports Illustrated article containing Jason Collins's narrative is honest and straightforward. The truths that he shares are simple in presentation, but contain a courage in their simplicity that reveals his desire to live his life without hiding from the world this basic part of himself. As Collins says, "The most you can do is stand up for what you believe in. I'm much happier since coming out to my friends and family. Being genuine and honest makes me happy."

So far, the reactions to his coming out seem to be positive and supportive. Today and in the upcoming days, I'm sure we'll see whether earlier interviews with sports personalities and athletes that showed support for a theoretical gay teammate will prove true in the face of an actual gay teammate.

In my opinion, the most interesting and telling question of support may not be known until this summer when we see what happens with Jason Collins's free agency. His career thus far seems to have been reliable and productive, and he's set to become a free agent in July. In the world of sports, "free agent" means he's up for grabs, and he has stated that he intends to pursue a new contract. It looks like he has more basketball to play in him, and seven-feet-tall players don't just grow on trees. With that said, the biggest and most revealing question of acceptance may come in whether and/or how the NBA teams react. Will Jason Collins receive a new contract offer? Will the contract offer(s) reflect his abilities? Will the team(s) take into account only merit or will they also consider his status as a gay athlete? Not to be a downer or realist, but these questions are still unanswered.

Setting that aside, let's focus on the positive. For now, this is amazing news. Groundbreaking, really. An active pro athlete came out today as gay. Wow. Can you imagine that headline even five or ten years ago? Perhaps more active gay pro athletes will follow in his footsteps. Perhaps other major professional sports will get their own "firsts" soon. And perhaps there will eventually be a time when coming out as a gay athlete won't actually be front page, all-caps news at all.

Rooting for number 98,

So. Much. News.

2013-04-09T11:18:00.000-04:00

Ahhhh! So much to share! But also...so much stuff to do still! I guess that means this is going to be a type-by, info-heavy posting. :D

First, I went on a spontaneous and last minute trip to Iceland. Yup, ICELAND. It was awesome with really stark and stunning landscape and nature-y stuff everywhere. I booked the trip a few days before flying out largely because I wanted to see the Northern Lights. That was kind of on my mental bucket list (if I were to keep one, that is), and Iceland in late March just seemed like the perfect opportunity. After booking a tour to go out onto the bay and ocean in a boat, I saw the Northern Lights on my first night. The whole night was really an amazing experience, and everything else on my trip was a bonus after that. :) Gratuitous pic of the beautiful Gullfoss waterfall!

Second, upon my return, I received a message from Less Than Three Press about accepting my swimmer/massage therapist manuscript for publication. YAYAYAYAY! Let me repeat: yay! *ahem* So yeah, the contract is all signed up now, and it'll go through the editing process and all that stuffs. Not sure what the ETA is for publication, but I'm not too concerned. What's awesome is I got the "yes," and my big surly swimmer and happy hapa massage therapist have found a cozy new home. So yeah, the big takeaway is the yay! :)

Third, I've been making some serious progress on my latest WIP, the LHNB event story. After a rollicking good start, I jumped out to around 10K words by the time I flew out to Iceland. Since returning, I'm now at 14K and around 80-85% done. I'd loooove to finish this by the time I fly out, but it might have to happen while I'm IN Turkey. And how interesting would that be, eh??? :) The most difficult part, though? I can't think up a danged title, and the title info is due tomorrow! Well, to be fair, I've thought up a couple potential ones, but I still am not 100% sold on them. :/ :/ So even though the words are coming, the big picture title stuff is not. Roar.

Finally, I leave for Turkey tomorrow! Whoa. I know, a lot of travel lately, but it's just my way of taking full advantage of my voluntary unemployment. After all, when else will I have (a) the free time and (b) the money set aside specifically to do stuff like this? Also, I figured it would make sense to travel to Europe while I'm still on the East Coast. It might help if I got myself into gear, though, with the packing. And the figuring out what I'm doing in Turkey part. Eeks! I'm just gonna have to go with the flow and trust that things will turn out ab fab. :)

That's about it on my end. Oh! Also, it was 70 degrees today in NYC. Forget that dumb groundhog, who was a big fat liar! Here's a curious daffodil checking out its own shadow:

Stay sunny, folks!

Marriage Equality

2013-03-26T16:50:00.000-04:00

I hope we get it right this time.

History is being made right now in the highest court in the land. Today and tomorrow, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) hears arguments regarding same sex marriage, including California's ban on same sex marriage under Proposition 8.

In my mind, the issue has eerie similarities to landmark discrimination cases, most notably Brown vs. Board of Education, which struck down "separate but equal," and Loving v. Virginia, which struck down laws against interracial marriages.

Scott Fujita, an NFL linebacker with a hapa Japanese heritage, recently published an eloquent essay in support of same sex marriage in the New York Times about "Acceptance by Example, on the Field and at Home." He presents the issue from a unique perspective - as a parent, as a professional athlete in an intensely physical and testosterone-dominated sport, and as a person of mixed racial heritage. I love the quiet simplicity of his explanations, and I, too, share the hope that, years from now, we will look at today's "controversy" over same sex marriage in the same way we now look back and shake our heads at the "controversy" of interracial marriages before the 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision.

The same sex marriage issue brings me back to my law school days, so bear with me as I share a few thoughts on the legal aspects involved here. For the most part, it's a constitutional issue under the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. To me, the marriage prohibitions limit marriages based on gender, and gender is a quasi-suspect classification under the EPC. For quasi-suspect classifications, the courts use intermediate scrutiny to determine whether a law is substantially related to an important government interest.

Further to the EPC arguments on suspect classification, I also wonder about another constitutional EPC issue - that of fundamental rights and, particularly, the right to privacy. From my understanding, the right to privacy includes decisions about marriage, and it seems arguable that the decision to marry a certain person - namely, a person of the same sex - would be included within that category of decisions about marriage. If the same sex marriage prohibitions are considered intrusive on that fundamental right to privacy, then the court would use strict scrutiny, under which the law needs to be narrowly tailored and necessary to a compelling government interest.

In my mind, the question then becomes how to define the government's interest. I hope that the government interest here lies with protecting marriage. Contrary to conservative voices that equate protecting marriage to denying same sex marriages, I would suggest that protecting marriage actually means protecting the basic right to marry - or not marry - for all citizens. As the Warren court in Loving v. Virginia held, "marriage is one of the "basic civil rights of man," fundamental to our very existence and survival....Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State."

So will the 2013 Roberts court apply the same reasoning to its decision on the freedom to marry a person of the same sex?

It makes sense to me, and it is my hope that the court takes such a stance. My dream? For the Roberts court to issue a unanimous decision in support of same sex marriage. As background, I should note that the SCOTUS decisions are often split - and, many times, 5-4 splits - because, by the time the issues in question come to the SCOTUS, they are often borderline cases that could go either way. However, the SCOTUS can - and does - issue unanimous opinions at times in order to send a message as to the court's unity on that point.

Previous SCOTUS decisions that were unanimous include Brown v. Board of Education and Loving v. Virginia.

Equality. It's a simple enough idea.

Waving her equal rights flag,
NJ

New WIP!

2013-03-18T15:07:00.002-04:00

*sounds the alarm* The Goodreads M/M Romance group recently launched their big Don't Read in the Closet annual writing event! :D

The Don't Read in the Closet event is what got me started as a writer a year ago with Man-to-Man Coverage, and um...let's just say the writing bug bit me. :) I've chosen a new prompt for this year, so be on the lookout this summer for a story about sweet college boys.

Check out more info on the group's webpage (note: must be a member of the Goodreads group to access the site)! Take a peek around and, if you are so inclined, submit a Dear Author request letter of your own. It's super easy - just find a pic that you like, write a prompt about the picture to inspire an author, and cross your fingers that an author will claim your letter. In past years, I believe 99% of letters were claimed, so you have a pretty darn good chance of getting a custom story - all you need to do is muster up the courage to ask for it. :)

Separately, if you've ever wanted to try your hand at writing M/M, this is a great opportunity to spread your wings. The environment is super supportive and friendly. If a prompt speaks to you and you can follow the submission guidelines, then go for it!

Okay, gotta rev up those engines on this WIP. What with my Turkey trip next month and moving cross-country in May, it's gonna be a busy next couple of months! :)

Hugs,
NJ

For Love of the Animals

2013-03-12T12:06:00.000-04:00

So I'm pretty much kitty-obsessed or, at the very least, Nico (the feline) obsessed. He's my little cutie boy, and I had sooooo much fun hanging out with him when I was back in SF. *cues up the song "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb*

What prompted this post, however, is this really awesome article I found showing unusual animal pairings. You know, have you ever seen those adorable pictures that show, e.g., a monkey has made friends with a squirrel? Yup. I found a whole plethora of them, but BONUS. These include cute little "animal version" and "human version" descriptions of their friendships.

Here's the link to the picture (squee!) slideshow: A Guide to Love in Any Species (Animal Odd Couples)

So adorable, right?

I also found it especially humorous that the "human version" explanations of the odd couple pairings often sounded verrrrrrrrrrry familiar. As in, yes, I think I've read that trope in romance before. *grins* In fact, I'm kind of curious to read some more of those stories, so if you need a prompt on which to base your next WIP, definitely check 'em out. Especially #1 (the Cheetah and the Anatolian Shepherd), #5 (the Bobcat Kitten and the Fawn), and #6 (the Donkey and the Mutt), hint hint. ;)

Feeling warm and fuzzy about the beasties,
NJ

Here's the Dilly, Yo

2013-03-10T18:51:00.000-04:00

How's everyone doing? Just a quick update on what's going on around my neck o' the woods.

After weeks (over a month!) of studying, the bar exam is finally over and done with. Whew. I survived, but um...whether or not I passed is a whole other story. Afterwards, in the last week that I had back at home in SF, I was a total lazy bum. And honestly? It felt fan-damn-tastic.

Back in SF, I watched a few different movies, but two really stood out as um...outstanding. Wow, yeah, my vocab is a little shot this evening. *shameless grin* Anyway, I super duper recommend "Pitch Perfect" and "Argo." Both were awesome in totally different ways.

"Pitch Perfect" was super feel good and had lots of fun karaoke-worthy songs with unique acapella arrangements. The humor is lighthearted and silly, and there's even a meta-love story for you romance junkies. Yes, I'm pointing at myself. :)

"Argo" was also surprisingly feel good with a thrilling, suspenseful rush of a story. I love that it's based on actual true life stuff. Both movies were awesome and totally worth checking out. They're out on DVD already, so no excuses! :)

Ever since I got back to NYC, though, I've had a serious rush of productivity hit me. Gonna finish up a slashy fic thingee I'm working on right now (shh!) and then send out a couple of other things for consideration. In the more immediate "productivity" column, though, I did my taxes, booked my intra-Turkey flight to Cappadocia, and booked my hotel in Istanbul last night. Yep, just one night. Because I was feeling like Super-Productive Girl in my flowing cape of stapled together 1099 forms and my mask of TripAdvisor owl goggles. *grins*

Now I need to scour teh internetz and figure out what y'all have been up to while I was living under my bar exam rock. :) Hrmmm....what kind of mischief have y'all been making in my absence?

Cheers,
NJ

P.S. Also, in case I don't get a chance to mention it later, my friend's debut from Dreamspinner Press, A Simple Romance, releases on Wednesday, March 13th, so go check it out!

"Going for Gold" Giveaway!

2013-03-01T09:15:00.000-05:00

Just a quick type-by posting for you lovelies. There's a huge jock m/m book giveaway going on right now at review site Joyfully Jay. You can enter to win one of sixty-four - that's right, SIXTY-FOUR! - jock/sports-related m/m books. Check it out here, and enter to win a copy of Going for Gold today!

Going for Gold includes my story about a diver...and a bartender...and some wonderfully wet Speedos. ;) Also found in this substantial anthology are seven other stories from some great authors. The stories are long (most of them over 10,000 words!), and the whole set is over 100K words. You'll definitely have plenty of Olympics goodness to keep you company.

Just leave a comment on the giveaway post with your top picks, and you'll be entered to win. Note that comments on this blog are not entries; you have to enter at Joyfully Jay's contest page. The contest closes at the end of the day on Saturday (tomorrow!), so go get your entries in!

Cheers,
NJ

First Out & Active Gay Pro Athlete = Somebody That You [Probably Don't] Know

2013-02-27T11:00:00.000-05:00

Or, as I could have titled this post, "Coming Out as a Gay Athlete, Part I-Can't-Even-Count." :)

I've mentioned in my posts in the past that there's been a lot - and I mean a LOT - of press about gay athletes and the professional sports world recently. As you may have guessed by now, I'm very interested in the topic, which seems to bring news every week.

This time, though, I unearthed some news in my Internet wanderings, but it's not really NEW news.

Have you heard of Glenn Burke?

Well, if you haven't, then now you have. He's the first (and only?) known professional athlete who was out to his team. And, if the story's got it straight, he was out to the Bay Area gay community, too. Basically, it sounds like Glenn was out to almost everyone in his life/community - just not publicly in media outlets. And this was in 1977.

Here are a couple of articles on a recent Glenn Burke documentary, titled "Out: The Glenn Burke Story," which aired in the Bay Area in 2010:

Sports Illustrated
LA Observed

According to the Sports Illustrated article, his teammates were pretty cool with him - indeed, it sounds like, despite some discomfort, there was enough respect and acceptance to go around to include a gay ballplayer. The reaction of the team (i.e., management), however, left much to be desired. Rumor has it that the Dodgers offered Glenn Burke $75,000 to marry, to which he replied "I guess you mean to a woman."

I don't know about you, but I would hope things were better for athletes now than they were in the 1970s. However, as the article points out, there still aren't any active gay athletes, and it's like the professional sports world will tolerate any number of "taboos" (their word, not mine) - from dog fighting to domestic violence - but there's still a shroud of negativity surrounding homosexuality.

I haven't watched the documentary, but I was completely fascinated by this discovery of Glenn Burke and his openly gay lifestyle. And now you know about him, too.

Keep him in mind next time you hear about gay athletes - or the lack thereof - or the sports world's intolerance of homosexuality.

Hoping more barriers are broken,
NJ

The Moment of Truth

2013-02-18T01:41:00.000-05:00

Hey, folks! Just a type-by posting to mention I'll be out in the wilderness of San Francisco for the next 2+ weeks. Yes, the same wilderness of the holidays, when I didn't have internet access. I scheduled a post for next week, though, that I (a) hope works and (b) think you might find verrrrrrrrrrrrry interesting. So keep an eye out for that on Wednesday, 2/27!

Anyway, the moment of truth. *deep breath* Whew! Yeah, it's here. And yeah, I'll be taking the bar exam very very soon. After six years of practicing, you'd think I would be a pro at legal eagle stuff, but oh my stars! There are so many rules and guidelines and practices that I just never touched in my daily professional life. I've been studying a lot these last couple of weeks, so let's hope that works.

Wish me luck!

Signing off...for a while,
NJ

P.S. I'll be seeing Nico the feline tomorrow, which seems like a pretty fan-damn-tastic birthday present, if I do say so myself. :)

Love Actually Is All Around

2013-02-08T10:09:00.000-05:00

Besides being a line from one of my favorite holiday/wintertime movies, everyday life really brought new meaning to that phrase recently.

My life right now basically revolves around studying for the bar exam. I've been walking to the library to study, which has really helped when I feel like my focus is flagging. As I was sitting down in Bryant Park for a quick sandwich lunch the other day, I noticed that there were brass placards on some of the seat backs of the cafe chairs scattered around the park.

And this one at my table really made me take a step back and think about how the world is full of love stories that have never been told.

I don't think I need to explain why this simple message got me a little choked up. I finished up my sandwich, and, after a moment, it was with a small smile that I packed up my sandwich wrapper and slowly walked towards the library's entrance. And I couldn't help but think about that message even as I was settling into my spot in the reading room with my massive bar review book opened and waiting for me to dig into it.

So, yeah, even while I spend hours on end sitting at the giant library tables and learning about the Statute of Frauds, apportionment of community property, and fee simples with conditions subsequent, it's actually rather comforting to know that the big wide world is still out there and filled with everyday love stories.

Perspective. It helps.

Wondering about your love story...and his...and theirs...and hers,
NJ

Coming Out as a Gay Athlete: Super Bowl Edition

2013-01-31T14:04:00.001-05:00

Although I feel a little strange writing two "Coming Out as a Gay Athlete" posts in a row, (a) it's the Super Bowl this weekend, (b) my team (the 49ers) are in the news, and (c) they're not just in the news for the upcoming Super Bowl. Rather, they're talking about gay athletes.

First off, let me just say GO NINERS!

Secondly, here are the two stories to which I'm referring when I say the Niners are making headlines about gay athletes: (1) In an interview with a shock jock this week, cornerback Chris Culliver made homophobic remarks that a gay teammate would not be welcome on the team. (2) Separately, a story broke that served to "out" former 49ers player Kwame Harris after he was held on charges for a confrontation with an ex-boyfriend.

Where to start, where to start?

I had very mixed reactions to the Chris Culliver interview coverage. My initial reaction was to smack my forehead and groan that, just when it seems like the NFL is taking a progressive step forward to show tolerance and respect for a potentially gay athlete, some idiot - and not just ANY idiot, but an idiot on my team! - goes and drags them two steps back. I mean, the 49ers are seriously one of the most LGBT-friendly teams in what is pretty much the gay capital of the world. It's ridiculous that one of their players would give voice to such intolerance.

But then I saw the swift and uncompromising statement released by the 49ers organization in response to Culliver's ridiculousness, and that rebuttal served to restore some faith in my team. The team shot down Culliver's statements and made it patently clear that his bigotry is not something tolerated by the organization. Even so, it really sticks in my craw that this idiot can just go and apologize and then nothing else will happen. Ugh.

Will the NFL take actions like the MLB did when Yunel Escobar wore an anti-gay slur on his eyeblack? As I mentioned in October, Escobar's suspension was seemingly nominal, but at least it was something. Will the NFL even do anything in this case? Then again, perhaps the fan backlash against Culliver will be enough punishment. He's definitely not marketable for an endorsement deal at this point.

Separately, I saw that a former 49ers player, Kwame Harris, was recently inadvertently "outed" when charges were brought against him in connection with a confrontation he had with an ex-boyfriend. Again, I had some mixed reactions to this news. I mean, domestic violence is definitely a no - please don't think I'm condoning those actions in any way. In addition, being outed when you're not ready to be out is also not cool. From what I've read, it sounds like Harris was openly gay in his private life with family and friends, but this is a whole other level and a hell of a way to be outed to the world.

With that said, I thought the reactions of a couple of the 49ers players interviewed in connection with the revelation of Kwame Harris's sexuality were completely on point. Unlike Culliver, who made inflammatory remarks about the possibility of having a gay teammate, these guys actually did have a gay teammate. They actually played on the team with Kwame Harris, and hey! Guess what? They were cool with it. While Harris wasn't out while on the team, this info still reaffirms my belief that more NFL players are ready for a gay teammate than they would have been even five or ten years ago.

Now, with the question of gay athletes on everyone's mind, the atmosphere may be ripe for a public outing. I dunno...to me, it seems like the Super Bowl would be the perfect occasion to reveal the first openly gay professional football player, wouldn't it?

Rooting for the red-and-gold,

Coming Out as a Gay Athlete, Part Drei

2013-01-24T11:49:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't seen the headlines or you don't follow sports news, an eyebrow-raising story broke in the last week or so about a top college football star who lied about a "girlfriend" whom he met online and with whom he had a relationship. Now, the story is still unfolding, but the reactions I saw to the whole situation were heartbreaking in their bigotry and closed-mindedness. Sooooo many comments I saw online basically boiled down to the theory that GirlfriendGate was all a cover up to hide the fact that the football player is gay.

While the idea of having to go through that elaborate scheme to hide your sexual orientation is unfortunate in itself, what really broke my heart was to see how many sports FANS - not necessarily athletes, but FANS of these athletes - came across as closed-minded and completely intolerant of the idea. I will admit that one of my first thoughts upon hearing of this GirlfriendGate was this question: Could Manti Te'o become the first out professional football player?

So, yes, the thought did cross my mind because (1) when there's a lie about a non-existent girlfriend, things just look a little suspicious, and (2) this Heisman Trophy runner-up will no doubt be drafted into professional football and likely early in the first round, too. However, the difference is that I shrugged it off and thought "that would be cool and a huge step towards acceptance in that elite sports world," whereas others whose opinions I encountered online instead spewed vitriol and put him down to no end.

I've written about "Coming Out as a Gay Athlete" on this blog before back in September and October. In those posts, I focused on the acceptance a professional gay athlete would find in the locker room amongst teammates and fellow players, and what I found were mostly accepting and positive attitudes towards having a gay teammate.

What I never considered could be an issue was the reaction of sports fans to having a gay athlete on their favorite team.

I just don't understand why an athlete's sexual orientation would even matter to the fan who is rooting for that team. It's not like being homosexual would affect one's skills on the field or turf. As long as the player continues to play at his peak, then why does it even matter?

In the end, I think the answer to my Manti Te'o question is "no." Subsequent interviews with the college athlete seem to indicate he was duped and had no knowledge of the hoax played on him. It's too bad that he had to go through that experience on national television, but what I find equally unfortunate is the discovery of these intolerant sports fans who have come out of the woodwork.

To end things on a slightly more positive note, let me also say that I'm really excited that my San Francisco 49ers are in the Super Bowl! You know that SF fans wouldn't be like that. Hey, gay athletes who have Manti's talent, we have room on our team for your skills! :)

Rooting for the Niners and hoping things get better rather than worse,
NJ

3T, 01/17/12 - Crazypants update edition!

2013-01-17T10:18:00.000-05:00

Brought to you by the letter "T" this week! Okay, so it's been a while since I did a 3T, but I noticed I was slacking on my posting and wanted to do an update on that crazy thing called life.

Yay, life!

So I was in a kinda winter-induced funk that may also have been influenced by Nico withdrawal. I know, I know, it's kinda sad that I'm so co-dependent. Poor baby is back in San Francisco, and I'm here, Nico-less. I was dealing, okay? :) Anyway, I was kinda hibernating in my apartment, sleeping in late and being fairly unproductive. Finally, this past week I kind of picked myself up by my bootstraps (is that the right idiom??) and got with the program.

1) T is for Time: So I realized I'm running out of time here in NYC. Yikes! That's kind of crazy! I need to do my NYC stuff, so I was monitoring the tickets line for the Jimmy Fallon late night show. (I love Jimmy Fallon.) Finally, they had an announcement that they had tix available. Yay! After setting my alarm to wake up at a decent hour (9AM), I called and scored tickets for a taping next month. Awesome!

Also, I realized I'm running out of time to study for the California bar exam. Yikes! Legitimate yikes, I mean. As in...time to get on that, girl! As an explanation, even though I don't necessarily think I want to practice law in California, I want to have that option just in case. Also, I was a lawyer for six years and went to law school for three years, so just completely throwing that out the window feels a little foolish. I signed up for the February bar exam, and I started studying this week with the books I'd acquired for that purpose. Let's hope things go well.

2) T is for Tomas: Yes, Tomas. Heh heh. I finished my story last week, and I'm psyched! It's about a swimmer named Tomas who tries to figure out how to woo Derek, his (temporary) massage therapist. Problem? Tomas isn't quite that romantic and definitely isn't that good at communicating his intent, so how can he be sure if Derek is even getting the picture? I'm submitting it soon. Cross your fingers and toes that good things are coming for Tomas and Derek!

3) T is for Turkey: As in...the country. As in...I booked a trip to Turkey because I'm crazy like that. Specifically, I'll be going to Turkey, visiting Istanbul and possibly taking an intra-Turkey flight to stay in a cave hotel, for a week or so, after which I'll depart on a Turkish yacht to cruise around and check out the Mediterranean islands. I love to travel (seriously love it), and I budgeted some serious travel money into my VU plan. This is my first big trip with that money, and I'm psyched! Turkey looks like an amazing place rich with history and cultural opportunities. :D

That's what's new with me. What's new with you guys? Any WIPs or vacations coming up for you?

Pumped that she kicked her funk,
NJ

Books I Loved in 2012

2013-01-07T09:10:00.000-05:00

This post may be a tiny bit tardy, but I consider anything "2012 in retrospect"-ish fair game as long as it's done in January. Yes, yes I do.

And, well, 2012 was the year of m/m romance for me. A romance reader for all of my adult life, I read an overwhelmingly large proportion of m/m romance this year. In no particular order, here are the top romances that I read this year.

Muscling Through by J.L.Merrow - Oh, Al. *sighs a dreamy sigh* The best and most unique narrative voice I've read this year and perhaps even...ever. Wonderful contemporary m/m set in the UK with a gentle giant narrator.

Handyman by Claire Thompson - A coming out contemporary m/m story with a gay-for-you theme. The discovery of their feelings for each other was sweet and lovely.

Gambling Men: The Novel by Amy Lane - Smokin' hot contemporary m/m about two best friends who become the best of lovers. Really beautifully told story with lots of steamy sexytimes.

An Unexpected Gentleman by Alissa Johnson - Delightful, lighthearted historical romance. The practical heroine and the rough-around-the-edges hero who has loved her from afar. Just an all around sweet romance. My first read of 2012, and it was quite a wonderful way to start the year!

Drunk Text by seventhswan. - The best of the freebie online m/m fics that I read this year. Quite simply, I loved it and its cocky, sexy chameleon narrator, too.

Pillow Talk by J.H. Knight - The Goodreads M/M Romance group's Love is Always Write event produced some gems, and this was my favorite of the lot thus far. Really great and engaging characters in a contemporary m/m with a best friends-to-lovers/gay-for-you theme. This author is definitely one to watch!

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole - YA? Really? Yup, YA. And it was fantastic. Detailed worldbuilding in a postapocalyptic setting, interesting characters, and a hot Cajun. What more can you ask for?

Thief of Shadows and Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt - Two historical romances from the Maiden Lane series. Really just beautiful and emotional romances with unique main characters and sensuous sexytimes.

Let's hope 2013 brings plenty of excellent reading, too!

Cheers,
NJ

Happy 2013, Romance Readers!

2013-01-01T20:30:00.000-05:00

Happy new year, everyone!

Wow, 2012 was a year of change, and here's hoping 2013 brings with it just as many (pleasant) surprises. :) It's so strange to think that just one year ago my being "Nico Jaye" didn't exist and was nowhere on my radar even.

You see, in 2012, I began writing. Specifically, on February 27, 2012, I began writing, and it has been quite a journey of self-discovery and fun man-loving scandalosity ever since!

How did my writing adventures begin?

Well, a football picture and prompt were presented as part of the Goodreads M/M Romance group's Love is Always Write event, and when nobody picked it after a couple of days, I raised my hand (slowly...tentatively...with my other hand covering my eyes...) to volunteer my then-completely-unknown and -untested writing skillz to write a story for it. That's how Brad and Cam came into existence, and now I seriously <3 them like none other. The original picture and story posting discussion threads can be found here and here (note: must be a member of the group to view the thread).

Man-to-Man Coverage has just been re-released as part of the Love is Always Write anthologies, which the Goodreads M/M Romance group recently published and made available for download. Check out Love is Always Write: Volume Six, downloadable on the Goodreads book page here. I am so proud and honored to be included in this project, and this FREE 500-page anthology includes twelve m/m romance stories for your reading pleasure.

In summary, the year of 2012 was quite a time of transition, from my discovery of writing adventures to my recent decision to enter into voluntary unemployment, and I look forward to seeing what's in store for me in the year ahead.

Best wishes for the new year to all! May 2013 be filled with love, laughter, and more scandalosity (even if it is just between the pages)! :D

Raising her glass of non-alcoholic bubbly,
NJ

Note: I'm not expecting; I just don't like the taste of alcohol. Blasphemy, I know! :)

Asians in Romance

2012-12-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

Due to traveling over the holidays, here's an attempt at a scheduled post with some thoughts on a topic close to my heart.

The depiction of Asians in mainstream media and, more specifically, the romantic aspects of such media, has always been something of which I was keenly aware. Perhaps it's because I grew up in the diverse city of San Francisco or perhaps it's because (surprise!) I'm Asian myself.

Yup, I'm Asian, and I write about boys who like boys. Talk about breaking stereotypes, eh?

Image from Myxer.com.

Anyway, this subject came to my attention again recently in an unexpected way. I happened to have "Prince Ali" stuck in my head (yes, the song from Aladdin), which led me to think about the Disney princesses. And, being the romance novel reader that I am, of course that led me to think of the romantic attachments of said princesses.

Now, call me crazy, but is it just me or did Mulan get shortchanged in the prince department?

It's been a while since I've seen that movie, to be honest, but I seem to remember lots of focus on the movie's action, very very very little, if any, focus on the romance. In fact, I just had to IMDB search to confirm that the guy's name is Shang. While the name might not be all that important as an indicator (e.g., I know Little Mermaid/Ariel's dude was Prince Eric, but I don't remember if Sleeping Beauty/Aurora's prince ever had a name), I still think there was a distinct lack of romance in Mulan compared to the other Disney animated films. They don't even kiss, for Pete's sake! I think he might've shown up at the end or something, but it was definitely not romantic enough to get my HEA buzz going.

The first time I looked deeper into the non-romanticizing of Asian characters actually occurred in college, when I wrote a paper on the depiction of Asians in the Jet Li/Aaliyah action movie Romeo Must Die. Now that I think about it, I'm probably the only person who can say that they made that movie the subject of a serious academic paper. BUT I got an A, so my use of it was totally legitimized. :D Anyway, don't read the rest of this paragraph if you've never seen it and you don't want some gentle spoilers. ***ARRR, SPOILERS BE HERE!*** So the title of this movie seems to suggest a "Romeo & Juliet" type doomed relationship between the young leads, and, indeed, the movie's plot is loosely based on Shakespeare's play. In the movie, two rival Mafia-like families - one Asian and one African American - are competing for waterfront property for a business deal. Children within each family - an Asian guy and an African American woman - are caught up in the fight. However, instead of a love story, they have...a friendship. Instead of sharing kisses, they share...an ice cream cone. To which I respond: Where's the romance??? ***ARRR, SPOILERS BE DONE!*** So, yeah, you could say I was a little disappointed.

Finally, in romance novels, I very rarely have seen an Asian, and when I have, they're usually women. Maybe there's some m/m out there, but as far as I'm aware, I've only read one thus far. (That was Z.A. Maxfield's Drawn Together.) If anyone has any recommendations for good romances with Asian characters, please drop me a line!

The thing is, I don't think of myself as some kind of crusader for the rights of Asians to be depicted as totally hottt and sexay men and women. Not all Asians are hottt and sexay. Yours truly not included, of course. *tosses hair saucily* Totally j/k there, in case you couldn't tell. :) But really, I'm not saying every single face on a romance cover or movie poster should look like mine. It's just that I find it really odd and unrealistic when there just...aren't any of them out there. And really, I don't even think that's a product of my growing up in San Francisco, a city heavily populated with Asians.

The other thing that I wanted to mention on the subject is that not all Asians eat with chopsticks, are really good at math, love wearing the color red, or have long, shiny, and straight silky hair. No, really, we aren't all like that. It's possible to be Asian in America and, as an Asian American, have grown up (1) eating Twinkies and Honey Nut Cheerios with milk (no, we're not all lactose intolerant), (2) taking AP English and not AP Calculus, (3) going to the New Kids on the Block concert (woop woop!) with your dad, and (4) regularly seeing spaghetti with meatballs or chicken a la king on your dinner table. Really, a lot of us Asian Americans aren't that much different from everyone else, which is why it's so bizarre to me that there are pretty much no Asians having their romances told between the covers of the thousands and thousands of romances that are being published every year.

That's about all I have to say on the subject for now. Yes, I'm still working on my WIP, and, yes, one of the guys is half-Asian. But it doesn't really manifest itself outside of his looks, and he's not much different from any other romance hero dude between the pages (or...sheets? *gasp*). That's the point.

Out here in the real world, we Asians are gettin' some lovin', too, and the books available now should reflect that fact.

Asian for life (literally!),
NJ

FREE HOLIDAY STORY - "A Man-to-Man Christmas" by Nico Jaye

2012-12-17T09:30:00.000-05:00

In lieu of this week's 3T post on Thursday, I'm posting a holiday short that I wrote for the Man-to-Man Coverage series. (Go here for more info on downloading the FREE Man-to-Man Coverage stories.) This holiday quickie, titled A Man-to-Man Christmas, offers a glimpse into Brad and Cam's holiday with the Hunters. Note that it is SUPER sappy, so if you have an aversion to cheesiness, then you might want to give it a pass. (Don't say I didn't warn ya!) :)

"A MAN-TO-MAN CHRISTMAS" BY NICO JAYE - CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE PDF (Click "File" -> "Download" for the PDF.) Edit: Note that it appears the temporary view of the PDF might be a little wonky. You can still download and save the PDF file if you do the "File" -> "Download" method. Thanks for your patience!

You can also find a downloadable PDF version on the new Goodreads book listing here: "A Man-to-Man Christmas" on Goodreads.

I've posted the full holiday story after the jump:

A Man-to-Man Christmas

By Nico Jaye

Word count: 3,019

"What do you have there?"

Cam smiled to himself and straightened from his crouch behind the tree. He turned to see Brad standing there with an indulgent look on his face. As he picked his way through the presents, Cam answered lightly. "Just hiding Lock's present behind the pile of gifts my parents have amassed for him, Callie, and Spencer."

Brad leaned closer and peered around the tree as though to check the gift's placement. The large box gaily wrapped in green and gold striped paper and tied with a festive gold bow was nestled in amongst a host of other bright packages. "Hrmm," Brad murmured as he turned his attention back to Cam. "I think that's as close as you're gonna get. Hidden in plain sight and all," he added with a quirk of his lips.

Cam sent him a small grin. "Yeah, well, it's got plenty of camouflage already, thanks to your evil genius. Lock's going to love it." Cam couldn't wait until Christmas morning when Lock would see his present. Brad had had the brilliant idea to hide their admittedly small-sized gift in a gigantic box, and now both of them were eager to see Lock's reaction.

Brad stepped closer to Cam, his arms coming to circle gently around Cam's waist. "Mmm…not as much as I'm gonna love you once we're back home," he whispered against Cam's lips before pressing a soft kiss to them.

Cam felt his cock stir to life, but he didn't dare indulge their desires now, not in his parents' house. He returned the kiss briefly even as he wrapped his fingers around Brad's wrists and unwound those familiar arms from around his waist. Darting a look around for witnesses, he saw that there thankfully weren't any…yet. He leaned in for a quick peck before taking a step back and releasing Brad's wrists.

"I love you, Brad, but you know we can't do stuff like that here. You—you know how my parents are. Especially my dad. We…we just can't. Not now, at least." Cam took a deep breath. "It's a big step that we all can finally spend Christmas together and with them embracing Lock like they have. I just…I don't want to shock them with too much all at once." Cam chewed his lip and hoped – prayed – that Brad would understand.

Brad tilted his head, and the corner of his lips ticked upwards. "I know, babe. For you, Cam, I promise to keep the raging beast tamed," he teased.

He lifted his hand and smoothed Cam's chewed lip with his thumb. A mischievous elf made Cam purse his lips and suck that thumb into his mouth for a split-second. Brad's eyes widened, and his gaze dropped to stare at Cam's mouth with a hungry look in his eyes. His voice was rough when he spoke. "But if you keep doing that, I can't swear that the beast won't break free."

He met Cam's gaze, and his hazel eyes were almost smoky grey with desire. Cam's breath caught in his throat, but he knew better than to act on his impulses.

At least, not now, anyway.

The three of them had arrived in Tennessee yesterday, and true to his father's words, Brad had been placed in one of the guest rooms. Separate from Cam, that is. In fact, the house was filled to the brim with every bedroom taken. Cam was in another of the guest rooms, and the last bedroom was occupied by Anne and her husband, who had arrived from Cherry Hill a few days earlier. The three kids were in the den, with Lock on the pull out couch and the two kids camping out on inflatable mattresses. It was a tight setup, but it was home for the holidays.

And he and Brad could share it – finally – together.

Cam smiled into Brad's beautiful hazel eyes and felt his heart lift. Brad, who had been by his side through their coming out, through his father's estrangement, through…everything, really. His family's adjustment to their relationship was just another hurdle they'd have to climb, but Cam knew that they'd get through it and come out on the other side like they always did.

Together.

Brad's expression softened, and he slid his hand to the side to caress Cam's jaw with his palm. "Anything for you, you know that," he said with a warm look. His eyes darted to the side before he leaned in conspiratorially with a sexy curl of his lips. His voice was a low growl, but his words were clear with pure – or rather, impure – intent. "Just know that when we get home, I'm gonna fuck you into the ground."

Cam blinked in shock even as his body reacted violently to the explicit images of entwined limbs and hard penetration that those words conjured.

Brad studied him for a moment before he turned away with a satisfied smile. "Mrs. Hunter, do you need help with…" Brad's words trailed off as he moved towards the kitchen.

Cam watched his retreating back and swallowed.

The next three days would be much easier if he didn't have to worry about a constant hard-on.

***

"Your boy Lock is so good with the kids, Cam," Anne said as she blew across the surface of her hot cocoa.

They were gathered around the fire pit in his parents' backyard as Lock helped Anne's younger children, Callie and Spencer, skewer marshmallows for their s'mores. The night air was cool, and everyone was bundled up in coats and scarves, their gloved hands cupping mugs of hot cocoa. It was a Hunter tradition to leave a s'more out for Santa, so rather than head to bed after returning from services, they had fired up the open pit and prepared to indulge in a sweet midnight snack.

Christmas Eve Mass had been beautiful, and it had almost brought a tear to Cam's eyes as he'd stood alongside his family, singing hymns and taking in the holiday good cheer. Their parish was a relatively liberal one to which his family had belonged for years. While they hadn't necessarily embraced Brad with open arms, there hadn't been any rude incidents, either.

Baby steps, Cam reminded himself. That's what it would take.

Cam took a sip of his cocoa and turned in Anne's direction. "Thanks, sis, but I can't take all the credit. Brad found this great program, so we've been volunteering at the local children's ward since the summer." Cam looked over at Brad, who stood across the way behind Cam's mother's chair.

Cam recognized that Brad was keeping his physical distance at his own request, and a rush of warmth filled him at the knowledge that Brad would try so hard to ensure that things stayed comfortable for his parents on this trip. Cam smiled at Brad and knew his heart was in his eyes. "We're trying to show Lock how rewarding it is to give back, and it helps to show him that people in need aren't nameless or faceless. They're real people, and some of them are kids, too." He and Brad shared a warm look before Brad coughed and turned towards the picnic table laden with ingredients for their midnight treat.

"Now, I know Cam wants a s'more with that sweet tooth of his," Brad said with a teasing look over his shoulder. "Anyone else?"

"Oh, Brad, dear, can you make me one, too?" his mother asked from her spot by the fire.

"Of course, Mrs. Hunter," Brad said as he fixed up the marshmallows.

Cam's father glanced back and forth between Brad and Cam for a moment before clearing his throat. "Cam's sweet tooth, huh? Gets it from his mother, clearly," he said with a half-smile.

They chuckled together, and the kids and Brad stepped closer to the fire to toast their marshmallows. Callie was chattering about reindeer and the Barbie dollhouse she hoped Santa would bring her.

"What if it doesn't fit down the chimney?" she asked, her brow furrowing in concern behind her blonde bangs.

"Santa knows magic, of course," Lock assured her. "That's how the reindeer can fly without wings," he said with an authoritative nod.

"Ohhhh," she said and released a "whew" of relief that had the adults smiling.

"He must know magic. He knew I wanted you under my tree even when I was too blind to know it myself yet," a soft voice said into Cam's ear. Cam turned with a smile to see Brad offering a perfect square of graham cracker-chocolate-marshmallow perfection.

"Thanks, sweetie," Cam murmured as he took off his glove to accept the s'more.

"Mmm…you're the sweet one," Brad whispered back as his fingertips lingered on Cam's in the transfer of the campfire treat. "In every way," Brad said with a suggestive smile.

Cam felt his face flush before his gaze darted guiltily towards his parents. His mother was speaking with Mark about whether the forecast for tomorrow meant they might be able to go sledding. His father, though, was watching them with a contemplative look.

Cam met Brad's eyes regretfully. Before he could say anything, though, Brad spoke. "Don't worry. Not now, I know. But later…I'm getting my fill of that sweetness, and that's a promise." Brad winked and flashed a half-smile before he turned back to his benign s'more-making duties.

Cam's gaze dropped longingly to admire Brad's denim-clad ass before lifting up to the star-filled sky in an effort to clear his thoughts.

Because, quite honestly, when Brad Jameson made promises like that, Cam always found it hard to think of anything else.

***

Even though it was miles away from New York and New Jersey, Tennessee still boasted a chill to the air this holiday season. Cam made his way up the stairs towards his old bedroom – now a guest room – and smiled as he spotted the sprinkling of snow coming down to dust the evergreens outside the window.

It would be a white Christmas tomorrow.

Even though it was only for a few days, which was all the time their football season schedules would permit, he was home for the holidays and with his loved ones.

All of them.

Maybe not in the way he'd have liked to spend it, cuddled up with Brad and waking up to his beautiful smile every morning, but being here together was a start, and he was grateful for the steps his parents – and particularly his father – were taking to include their little family this season.

It wasn't perfect, but for now, it would have to be enough.

***

The winter sunlight reflected brightly off the snow frosting the trees and landscaped yard outside. Cam smiled to himself before turning back to face the idyllic holiday scene unfolding in his parents' living room. In keeping with tradition every year, the house was decorated to the gills with boughs of holly, ropes of pine, golden bells, and red poinsettia strewing the staircase and practically every surface, and the air was warm with the scent of spiced cider and good-natured laughter.

They were winding down the gift giving portion of the morning, and all that remained was for each of the children's largest gifts to be opened. He'd received a nice pair of leather gloves from his sister, and his mother had knitted him a scarf.

He and Brad had agreed beforehand not to bring their presents here in case that could prove awkward for his parents. He didn't know what Brad had in mind that might be an awkwardness-inducing present – he blushed to even think of it – but he hoped Brad would like his gift. They'd talked about going on a getaway together now that their relationship was public, and the short jaunt to the Caribbean would be perfect, he hoped.

Cam watched with anticipation as Lock picked up the bright green and gold-wrapped box and shook it.

"You guys!" Lock exclaimed, looking back and forth between Cam, who was seated on the sofa, and Brad, who sat cross-legged on the floor. "It's so light. What the heck did you put in here? Popcorn?"

Cam and Brad exchanged a mischievous look before turning their attention back to Lock.

"Go ahead and find out," Brad said, nodding his head at the package.

Lock grinned and unwrapped the gift, pulling off the bow and ripping through the paper. He lifted the lid on the box slowly and began picking out the pieces of tissue paper one by one, inspecting them curiously. Finally, he stopped and pulled out a piece of paper.

"What in the…?"

Cam shared a conspiratorial glance with Brad. They watched Lock's lips move silently as he read the paper. His jaw dropped, and his gaze scanned the entire page again. His eyes were wide when he looked up.

"Space camp? Space camp? For me? Are you serious?" Lock's voice rose until it broke on the last sentence.

Cam knitted his brows. "That's…good, right?"

"Oh my god, it's good. It's SUPER good. No, wait, it's not just good – it's AMAZING. I get to go to space camp! Thank you thank you thank you!" Lock launched himself at them both, his gangly arms wrapping around them.

Brad laughed, a little out of breath from the impact. "We figured if you were gonna be a mad scientist, that'd be a good place to start."

Lock straightened up and glanced at the paper again. His eyes were bright, and his smile was huge when he looked up. "This is so so so cool. You guys are the best," he said, grinning. Lock's eyes went wide. "Oh! I almost forgot!" He clutched the paper to his chest as he raced out of the room.

Brad was smiling as he turned to Cam. "What was that about?"

Cam was nonplussed. "No idea, but I think he liked it, right?"

"His eyes lit up like the Rockefeller tree. Trust me, he loved it." Brad moved to stand up. "I'm gonna get some more orange juice. Be back in a sec."

"Okay," Cam said with a smile.

Lock came back into the crowded living room then and approached Cam with two lumpy wrapped packages. He looked at the spot where Brad was sitting. "Hey, where's…"

Cam hastened to explain. "He just went into the kitchen for a sec. I'll go get him," Cam offered when he saw Lock's disappointed look.

Cam intercepted Brad just as he was about to enter the living room again. They paused in the doorway for a moment, and Cam couldn't hold back his smile. "Oh, there you are. I think…I think Lock might have something for us," Cam said in a low voice. Honestly, Lock himself was gift enough for him this year, but he was still excited to think that Lock had gone to that effort.

Brad's brows shot up. "Oh really? That's—"

"Mommy! Mommy!" Callie's voice was loud, piercing, and attention-getting. The adults and children alike turned to look at her. She pointed in Cam and Brad's direction and grinned. "Uncle Cam's standing right under the mistletoe!"

They all looked up, and, sure enough, Cam spotted the sprig of rounded leaves and white berries nestled in amongst the pine bough that draped across the top of the doorjamb.

"Go on, Uncle Brad! Kiss Uncle Cam!" Callie called out with a giggle.

Cam's gaze shot to his father, who sat in his usual easychair and had his usual inscrutable expression, and then Brad, whose eyes went wide. After a moment, Brad took a step back and turned to Callie with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Why don't you give Uncle Cam a kiss instead, sweetheart?"

Callie's face fell, and she frowned in confusion. "But…Uncle Brad, you're right there! And you love Uncle Cam!" she said with the unassailable logic of a seven year old.

Anne, who had been there through the estrangement earlier this year with their father, glanced in the direction of the easychair before reaching over to smooth her hands over Callie's shoulders. "Honey, maybe Uncle Brad's feeling a little, um, shy."

Callie's eyes were wide as she turned her guileless gaze back in Brad and Cam's direction. "Are you feeling—" she looked around adorably before leaning in and whispering in a voice that was nonetheless the same volume of her normal voice – which is to say, attention-getting loud – "shy, Uncle Brad?"

Cam and Brad shared a reluctantly amused look before Brad turned back to face the room. Before he could answer, though, a voice boomed out.

"I think that Uncle Brad should kiss Uncle Cam, too."

All heads swiveled in the direction of the easychair. Cam's eyes popped.

"Um, Dad?" Cam thought his voice might have squeaked for the first time since puberty as he uttered that single syllable.

His father shifted in his chair a bit before shrugging. "If Brad's not feeling too shy, that is," he added, offering up a tentative smile.

Cam studied his father's expression before turning to Brad in growing wonder. A slow smile spread across Brad's face, and Cam reveled in the love reflected in his gaze.

"Definitely not shy, sir. Definitely not," Brad murmured as he leaned towards Cam.

Cam's lids fluttered shut as Brad pressed soft lips against his in a kiss that held the promise of love, hope, and many more warm and joyous holiday seasons to come.

***

The next day, they flew back to New Jersey wearing their gifts from Lock: "World's Best Dad" sweatshirts in their respective Railers and Diamonds colors.

Lock had presented them with the packages yesterday. "I was hoping…it would be okay if maybe…I called you guys 'dad?'" he'd said hesitantly, a question in his eyes.

Cam's heart had nearly stopped at the question and then started up again in double time as he'd impulsively embraced Lock and Brad together. Tears had stung his eyes at the time, and they threatened again now as he ran a hand over the superlative embroidered across the front of his maroon shirt.

Of course, they said yes.

And of course, they lived up to the name.

THE END

In case ya missed it, the downloadable version of this holiday short can be found here in PDF form: "A Man-to-Man Christmas" by Nico Jaye - PDF. Or, if you're having trouble downloading, just shoot me an email, and I'll send you a free copy.

Happy holidays to all!

Hugs and best wishes for this holiday season and the year ahead,

Psst...type-by posting for "A Man-to-Man Christmas"

2012-12-15T17:05:00.001-05:00

I'm putting the finishing touches on a holiday short for Brad and Cam, the boys from Man-to-Man Coverage. Be on the lookout for A Man-to-Man Christmas, coming soon!

I'll be posting this holiday quickie (~3000 words) on Monday morning. It's suuuuuuuper sappy, but what can I say? The holidays just bring out the cheese in me. ;)

UPDATE: The story is online HERE and on Goodreads HERE!!

Nomming on sweet cheese and sappiness,
NJ

3T, 12/13/12 - Holiday Shenanigans

2012-12-13T11:10:00.000-05:00

Note: I've decided to get all mathematical and use the algebraic "3T" as shorthand for "Three Things for Thursday." I know, I just out-nerdify myself sometimes.

1) Baltimore! I spent the weekend in Baltimore eating stupid amounts of food and, in particular, crabcakes. Mmmmm.....crabcakes.

The occasion? My friend's wedding. The wedding was stellar - delicious food (seriously, plus there were THREE types of cake - all amazing, and yes, I did try them all *shameless grin*), unique setting, touching ceremony, and lively DJ. But yes, another wedding. This is my fifth wedding in the last six months. As some of my friends have pointed out, I'm just in that age range when everyone and their mother (well, maybe not their mother) is getting married. What's weird, though, is that while that may translate to a ticking time bomb to some people, it really doesn't feel that way to me. Ever since I was little, I never wanted to get married, and, in my adulthood, not much has changed except I've sort of analyzed that initial feeling to death. Perhaps I'll expand on that further one day, but today, alas, is not that day.

2) Holy crap, it's mid-December already. I haven't finished holiday shopping. In fact, I don't even know if what I have so far counts as having started. I dunno...the pressure to find the perfect gift during the holidays may be getting to me, to be honest. On the one hand, I want my family and friends to know I appreciate their awesomeness. On the other hand, why do we have to wait for December to give these gifts? With my best friend, we give stuff to each other all the time, and honestly? It's pretty awesome. It just feels more genuine when I show up at her place and say "surprise!" than needing to give a gift on X day, no matter what.

3) The P in WIP. So I've definitely made progress on my swimmer story. I'm liking it, but it needs some tweaking. I'm not yet at the sexytimes part, but I think I've set the stage, so to speak.

Separately, though, I've been making P on another thing. Specifically, I had a brainspaz for a short peek into Brad and Cam's holiday with the Hunters. Yes, a Man-to-Man Coverage Christmas! So I started writing it. Tuesday night.Well, Wednesday morning. At 3:30AM. It'll be a little glimpse into their holiday season, and I hope to have it to you all soon!

Pecking away at her little keyboard,

Inveterate Romance Seeker

2012-12-10T17:28:00.002-05:00

Just a quick post to confess to something most people might not know about me "in real life."

I am an inveterate romance seeker.

Since childhood, I have always focused on the romance of a story, whether it was the classic Disney retelling of Beauty & the Beast or reading about Elizabeth and Todd in the Sweet Valley High series. Now, in adulthood, this interest has manifested itself in my genre of choice: romance.

Available on the Starz website.

Something happened recently that caught my attention and really drilled home how much romance is at the center of what I seek out in my stories. I began watching the Starz show Spartacus, and even though the blood and gore are truly not to my tastes, I found myself watching the first two seasons straight through in the span of one week. Indeed, I watched season two last night. As in....the whole thing, and thank goodness I'm not working because I made it to bed at *cough cough* four AM *cough cough*. What's funny to me, though, is I now recognize that, in retrospect, my enjoyment of the series definitely increased the moment there appeared to be a potential romance in the works.

Don't get me wrong - there was a reason I was watching it in the first place. I was initially drawn by the promise of bare chests and thick, steely man-thighs. Duh. Yes, I have no shame, and I freely admit it. However, to be honest, I was almost completely turned off by the gore and extreme violence that were in the first episodes in ABUNDANCE. Once the hint of romance came onto the scene, though, I was sold.

I was especially gratified by season two's romancing. There's an adorable and sweet (m/m!) romance between Agron, one of the gladiators, and Nasir, one of the liberated slaves. There are just little tastes of them throughout the season - you know, just enough to make me want more more more! :) Luckily, I discovered that there are also really adorable fan sites like this Tumblr and wonderful YouTube videos dedicated to this budding romance. Their soft glances sprinkled in amongst the blood, violence, and hard living gave me hope and helped me believe that there really was a human element beyond just war and battles.

Now, I don't have Starz, but I just might have to find someone who does so that I can get my fix of them - I mean *ahem* this show *ahem* - when season three premieres in January 2013! For now, I'll just have to make do with YouTube and hrm...I'm sure there's some slashy stuff written on them somewhere... ;)

Hitting "repeat" on the Nagron YouTube videos,
NJ

Three Things for Thursday, 12/06/12

2012-12-06T10:52:00.000-05:00

Ahhhh!!! It's December already!

1) Things to Come. December??? What??? Holy smokes, where has the year gone, everyone?? Well, I have my update for today, and I'll have one for next week, I promise! With my upcoming holiday travels, though, I'm going to be entering The Dark Zone. There's no internet at my parents' place *gasp*, so I'll be radio silent for a while. Yes, it'll be like an addict who's gone cold turkey. *deep breaths*

But fear not!

I'm testing out the "schedule a post" option and *knocks on wood* will be posting a couple of updates on topics of...SUPER interest. I actually drafted one already about which I am muy excited. I hope you guys like it. Let's just say...my WIP right now includes a half-Asian character, and I haven't seen many Asians out there in romance. *wiggles eyebrows*

2) NYPL Holiday Open House. This weekend I attended the New York Public Library's Holiday Open House for donors to the library. I didn't know what to expect, but I was impressed in the end by the sheer joy I felt in the air and the friendly people I met there. One really interesting exhibit that they currently have at the main library is called "Lunch Hour," and it explores anything and everything to do with the lunch hour, from power lunches to authentic automats to delis to the origins of sushi in NYC. It was really an awesome exhibit, and it's free at the main library until Feb. 17, 2013. I highly recommend it if you're in the area!

3) Ladies love Letterman. Yesterday I went to the taping of the Late Show with David Letterman. It wasn't my first time attending a TV taping, but it was still a cool experience. Also, to think that the Beatles debuted on that stage is pretty amazing. :)

On a writing note, I'm still not done with my WIP, but I'm making progress. That arbitrary due date helped light a fire, and I hope to have it to my friend soon for a second pair of eyes. *crosses fingers and toes*

Have a wonderful week, folks!

Embracing the holiday spirit,
NJ

Three Things for Thursday, 11/29/12

2012-11-29T13:04:00.000-05:00

Here's what I'm thinking about this Thursday (and for the past week!):

1) WIP Progress: Also known as "How Nico got her groove back!" Yesssss. I have a WIP, and I am psyched about it. After almost two months of little to no progress on the college boy WIP (they just weren't speaking to me), I started a new WIP maybe two weeks ago. I was making little to no progress on that one, too, until this weekend, when I brilliantly set myself an arbitrary deadline. Because those work so well, you know. But it did this time! I'm aiming to finish a first draft by the end of this month. Yes, that means by Saturday. Realistically, I think this could translate to finishing the relationship-building up to the actual sexytimes, but still...this is progress! This is grooving! This is groooooovy! Yes, I'm excited, and it's worthy of exclamation points.

The true culprit in my non-progress up til now? The internet. The above cartoon depicts this perfectly.

The experiment: I turned off my wireless, and apparently I write around 150-200 words for every 10 minutes without wireless. That's kind of amaze-balls for this notoriously glacially slow writer. So I've decided I must go live in a cave that miraculously has power outlets. Yes, yes I must.

So, yes, I've written around 4000 words in the last two days. Let me repeat: this is amaze-balls for me.

I am psyched and cannot wait to get Tomas and Derek's tale on the page. They are awesomesauce and a whole bag of chips.

2) Nico the Feline. I'm totally sad-panda-ing over bringing Nico back home for the holidays. First there's the stress of air travel with a kitty who loves being in his homebase so much that he hardly even brings himself to walk down the hallway outside my apartment. Most of all, though, it's the super sadness I'm feeling over leaving him in San Francisco for six months with my parents while I (1) study for the California bar exam, (2) travel around, and (3) figure out logistics for moving back in June. I know it's better for him than having to continue finding sitters or boarding him, and I definitely know it's better than having to stress him out by having him be smack in the middle of a cross-country move. Nonetheless, I'm experiencing separation anxiety already...and he's not even gone yet!

3) California Bar Exam. Ugh. Yep, I signed up to take it. Not thrilled about this prospect, but I determined in the end that I should do it "just in case." It's a rather expensive endeavor, but law school and six years of lawyering were a rather significant portion of my life thus far. It would make sense at least to be able to practice in California by having the California bar exam under my belt. So, yes, I ordered some study materials, and I'll be doing this thing. Wish me luck!

3.5) An extra random thought: Drag Queen Bingo! I went to bingo night hosted by drag queens earlier this week. It was unabashedly ridiculous and also ridiculously awesome. :)

My feelings...they are a-jumble, but yay for WIP progress and (fictional) boys who are talking to me!

Thrilled to be typing away about her swimmer and the object of his affection,
NJ

My hands have been very busy.

2012-11-25T01:21:00.001-05:00

Being crafty...like a fox. Rowr.

I've been very hands-on since funemployment began. Baking, cooking, and...crafts!

What happens when it's midnight and I have pliers and a paperclip in hand?

Yup...this is what happens. Thanks to inspiration from the I Spy DIY blog, I now have a cute little heart ring on my finger.

In addition to that, I also have supplies for bracelet (and other jewelry) making and my previous new find of needle felting to keep me occupied in the crafty way. Needle felting, by the way, is totally awesome. I repaired holes in my cashmere sweater and also created adorable little heart-shaped elbow patches. So easy and so quick! I highly recommend it. :)

I have two thoughts about this recent explosion in craftiness on my part:

1) Lawyering and being a legal eagle was stifling my creative side to such an extreme extent that I now feel this subconscious need to compensate for that lost time. At the end of the day, being behind a desk and working on docs and agreements didn't necessarily produce anything substantive or tangible. Don't get me wrong - I'm not putting down lawyering. However, it's impossible to wear an agreement or accessorize with a private equity fund memorandum. There's no getting around that Doing crafts and creating things with my hands is just much more satisfying to that part of me that needed to produce something physical from all of my effort.

2) Crafting has, unfortunately, also been accompanied by a massive case of writer's block. Boooooooo. Perhaps there's a parallelism to my above thought number 1 because with writing I'm also sitting in front of a computer versus physically using my hands and materials to create something fun and tangible. Regardless of the reason, though, it's immensely frustrating. I recently started a second story, so I have two WIPs now. However, I haven't made much progress on either of them, and I really need to focus. Basically, I can't seem to sit still because, now that I think about it, my reading has also really tapered off in the last two months.

So...yes.

Being crafty like a fox is, on the one hand, awesome because I get to make cool stuff like my paperclip ring, and my friends will get handmade jewelry as little presents from yours truly. It is also, on the other hand, super frustrating because I can't seem to focus myself so that I sit down and flesh out what I have in mind for the boys in my stories. I'm quite torn because I have this desire to be creative; it's just not creative in the writing sense right now. I've just been going with the flow since this started with funemployment nearly two months ago, but wow...it's pretty much a writer's block the size of Stonehenge at this point. *cringes*

Anyone have any ideas for how to kick this writing slump while still feeding my thirst to get hands-on creative nowadays?

Trying to find a balance between using her hands for creating crafts versus stories,
NJ