Back on “Night Shift” – April 13th from JMS Books – #GayFiction

Coming April 13th from JMS Books, the 2024 edition of “Night Shift”, a slice of life novella, contemporary gay fiction. It’s all new sequel, “Landing” is in the works!

Interested in a review copy? Just contact us!

LONG BLURB:

To escape a troubled home, Jamie works the night shift at a box store along with a rag-tag group of punks, war veterans, and bickering couples. He’s unsure what direction he wants to take in life until a mysterious new co-worker arrives.

With his long ponytail, faint accent, and quiet manner, Derrik manages to disturb or fascinate everyone, not just one pint-sized Southern boy who wants to escape his boring life.

Jamie finds himself falling for Derrik, and recognizes mutual attraction, but will the secret the older man harbors end the dream of a happily ever after?

SHORT BLURB:

While working the nightshift at a box store, small town Georgia boy Jamie dreams of gay freedom through escape to Europe. When Derrik, a handsome new co-worker from abroad joins the crew and takes an interest in him no less, Jamie starts to believe his dreams may come true, yet a secret the older man holds may ground that flight before it ever takes off.

One liner: A Georgia boy tired of small-town life. A handsome newcomer, foreign and mysterious.

Keywords: secret romance, young protagonist, slice of life, southern US setting, older protector, undercover operative

EXCERPT:

Jamie was really quite attractive, Derrik mused, as he watched the young man enter the restaurant. Instead of immediately signaling him over to the far corner table he’d chosen, which was partially hidden behind partitions but had a clear view of the front door, Derrik enjoyed observing: looking from side to side with a slightly worried frown on his smooth brow, Jamie scanned the room, lower lip caught lightly between his teeth. With a grinning slice of guilt, Derrik finally raised a hand to signal the young man over. Derrik’s heart fluttered when Jamie’s blue eyes lit up after spotting him, a smile spreading across the open, trusting face.

Those at the store who seriously gave Jamie a hard time or dismissed him as a poof were either affected by his almost androgynous beauty or simply jealous, Derrik decided. The fellow college students who teased Jamie in a condescending way were idiots. He’d quickly learned that, for all Jamie’s bright-eyed innocence, it fronted a quick and agile intellect. With experience and time, no doubt Jamie would gain the confidence to express himself more ably and lose some of his naïve air. Hopefully, however, he would never lose his honest and gentle nature.

By the time Jamie arrived at the table, he appeared to have settled somewhat, though curiosity still shone in his vivid gaze. Pulling out a chair and sitting, Jamie fidgeted for a few moments, before leaning forward with his arms crossed on the table.

“Hey,” Jamie replied to his greeting, looking up from under feathery bangs slanting across his eyes. “Sorry I’m late.”

Derrik wondered how people got their hair to fall just right, in that kind of romantic style, his never would achieve even if he desired it. His hair was too unruly and contrary unless it was the length he had it now or clipped very short. Jamie’s hair framed his face perfectly, giving him a pert, wild look that, when combined with the blush across the wide cheekbones, suggested being windblown in some artic region of Scandinavia instead of stuck in this overheated nether hell of the southern USA.

“You’re not late. Thanks for coming,” Derrik said. His admiration must have shown in his eyes, for Jamie flushed deeper, looking down.

“Um, so why’d you want to meet me?” Jamie asked.

“I wanted a chance to get to know you outside of work. There’s always someone watching there or snooping around.” Jamie’s blue eyes flashed up to his, slight wariness and puzzlement in equal measures. “And—and I thought you wouldn’t mind.”

“No,” Jamie hurried to say, “no, I don’t mind at all. I’m glad. I’m really curious about you, personally that is. I guess I’m surprised you don’t mind being seen with me at a public place considering…what most people think about me.”

Derrik knew the likely answer but wanted Jamie to say it aloud to be completely sure. “And what do they think, Jamie?”

“That I’m gay,” Jamie said in a low voice, nails lightly working at an arm. “That…”

“Are you?” Again the quick questioning glance, but the young man answered. “I…I think so, I mean…yes, though I’ve only just once…” Jamie stammered, making a comical sound of annoyance at himself before concluding with a little spark of defiance. “Yes.”

“I don’t mind gay, Jamie. No one should,” Derrik said, wanting to reach across and give a reassuring touch. “And remember, don’t let anything they say or seem to think bother you. I’ve not known you as long as them and I think you’re very okay just the way you are.”

The tenseness in Jamie’s shoulders relaxed along with his tightened knuckles. Their eyes met and held. Jamie’s curving lips parted. Derrik’s glance was drawn hungrily to them, early morning desire rearing its carnal head. Clearing his throat, Derrik picked up one of the menus.

“Lieutenant’s Love” – 2024 Version – #NowAvailable from JMS Books LLC #Gay #HistoricalFantasy

Today, March 16th, “Lieutenant’s Love” will be available again through JMS Books LLC. It’s a historical fantasy of loss, love & war first published in 2010, and my very first work released by a traditional publishing house.

Its genre is #gayromance, with tags of battle scenes, #gaymilitary, secret love, and heroism. Heat level is mild, as my focus especially in shorter works is the characterization and relationship… and keeping it a love story.

Blurb: “A heart-broken veteran weary of war. A young recruit with nothing to live for…”

Description: “Lieutenant Jarryd Alyt has given blood and soul in service to the Duke, yet suffering the loss of a beloved companion and best friend drives him near the brink of despair. Disillusioned though still loyal, when new recruit Arin arrives, Jarryd is struck by the youth’s innocence and beauty. But will the horror of war strike before Jarryd summons the courage to love again?

*****

While working with the editor after all this time, I reflected on the character descriptions, backgrounds and details I had created, from the perspective of someone who has discussed and criticized BIPOC representation issues in western society for over a decade. Stereotypes, troupes, i.e. the one dimensional stoic Native, the comedy relief or angry/saucy Black person vs. the heroic/innocent Anglo, or one who might be “evil” but rationalized. Many complainers conveniently skip over the fact: we are not and have never said someone from outside an ethnic group, culture or reality should not write about those “others”. We said accurate, informed, nuanced, multi-faceted representations of those others is the key, yet society and publishing continues to be awash in one-dimensional characterizations of BIPOC, GLBTIIQ2S, dis/abled people or other marginalized or minoritized folks used only as vehicles, props and troupes.

One thing I almost always include as an important detail of main characters whether in fantasy or contemporary settings, is someone of mixed ethnicity. This represents my reality. “Lieutenant’s Love” is no exception. BIPOC aren’t the only ones who may have mixed cultural heritages that can greatly affect their identities and lives. But there we go. This kind of thing is compartmentalized and viewed negatively in Germany and western society in my experience, writing across genres. But I am multi-faceted, too. I can compile and write research reports on critical societal patterns and history, and also tell a rocking love story. After all, my knowledge of psychology, my life experiences, travels, triumphs and failures are what I know helps me create better characters and stories that speak to real life challenges.

---

** If you are interested in a review copy for your website or group, please let me know or contact JMS Books LLC directly. In the next months, a few other of my best works will also be re-released, as well as their sequels and other new novels both in fantasy and contemporary genres.

** I am also open to interviews, as it’s been several years since I worked directly in fiction writing. I’ve mostly been a technical writer, editor, documentary filmmaker, and a psychology expert and researcher on issues including intergenerational historic trauma, suicide prevention, and GLBTIIQ2S/ gender expansive support and needs, for which I received an award scholarship in recognition of my service in 2023.

Author Interview: Dana Ravyn on life, art & their new novel “The Suicide Switch”

Bio: Dana Ravyn is a transfem poet, novelist, and educator. She is the author of two novels, Fearless Heart and The Suicide Switch. Her poetry appears in numerous anthologies and literary journals and three of her recent poems are found in Varied Spirits Anthology, edited by Red Haircrow and Manuel Ricardo Garcia. When not writing, Dana works on empowering health literacy in her community in coastal Delaware, USA.

Dana’s second novel, The Suicide Switch, will be released in April. It is a suspenseful look at suicide research gone awry.

Dana is donating 100% of royalties from the purchases of The Suicide Switch e-book or paperback in 2023 to The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people. If you buy it at BookBaby (store.bookbaby.com), The Trevor Project gets a $10 donation. The Trevor Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

“Money shouldn’t be a barrier to reading! Anyone can read The Suicide Switch for free at Dana’s website, danaravyn.com and it’s available to read for free from most libraries on the Hoopla, Libby app or your ebook reader.”

Interview

Why do you write?
First, to give voice to the parts of myself that are otherwise vulnerable to the oppressive nature of society and its limiting effect on imagination. Writing allows me to escape binary and linear thinking and embrace the beauty of ambiguity and contradiction, to challenge prevailing morality and taboos. To me, writing is a sort of spiritual alchemy—the power to take an imperfect world and turn it into something precious: characters, place, events from my imagination. I am an introvert, so writing provides a creative space that is private and safe.

 

What excites you about writing?
Writing is where I can be completely free, intellectually and spiritually. I am electrified by the possibility that my writing can evoke feelings or ideas that are emotionally or spiritually meaningful to the reader.

 

What genre(s) do you write?
My primary work as a writer is to create poetry. In fiction, I strive to bend genre. In my new novel, The Suicide Switch, there is plenty of suspense and action, but I wouldn’t call it a thriller because the plot is subordinate to character and theme. And I use elements less common in the mystery/thriller genre, like flashbacks, dreams, allegory, overlapping narrative arcs. That’s not to say my novels are stodgy. If you are going to write about something as serious as suicide, it’s important to balance the mood. In The Suicide Switch, I use humor, satire, romance.

Is your identity as a trans person important to you as a writer?
While gender identity is not usually an overt element of my poetry or fiction, the lived experiences of being a writer who is transgender have profoundly affected my way of seeing the world and influence my writing, regardless of the subject. I try to draw on dimensions of my trans life that resonate with the universal in the reader to bridge divergent human identities.

In The Suicide Switch, the teen character Luc is gender nonconforming. His brief life reveals the tragic results of the marginalization and violence trans people experience daily. But it also says a lot about the pressure on gender queer people to characterize or categorize their identity. Luc’s remarkable character allows him to defy expectations. Although he pays a price for lacking heteronormative and cisgender privilege, it’s given him a degree of self-awareness and self-actualization seldom seen at his age, or even in adults.

 

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
Everything I do is an endeavor to write because I see my life primarily as a creative exercise that is manifested in poetry, fiction, and visual art. I might write 2000 words daily for weeks, then not write for days. I always write best in the morning, often starting my day before 5 AM. I never push myself if things aren’t flowing. If I have writer’s block, I find the best thing is to change my environment, travel, or do something outside my comfort zone.

 

What strategies do you use to develop a novel?
Early on, I try not to think about plot and embrace the work conceptually. That might mean free writing or paying attention to dreams and liminal phenomena. For example, I often have lucid dreams and my hypnogogic hallucinations—the visual and auditory experiences that people have between waking and sleeping—are more intense than most.

Sometimes I start with an idea and explore it through ekphrastic methods like going to a museum and writing about art related to what I’m mulling over. For example, when thinking about the protagonist’s flashbacks of Zen training in The Suicide Switch, I spent time sitting at Ōgi Rodō’s Ceremonial Tea House at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. As things crystallize, I do tons of research. For The Suicide Switch, I went to Laos, traveled up the Mekong, and I’ve spent a lot of time in Thailand.

Once I start writing, I like to visualize plot development, characters, and timelines. For this, I use things like spreadsheets, mind maps on large sheets of paper, pasting ideas on the wall, and “getting on the floor” with pages and notes. I always have something to write on so I can capture creative “Aha” moments from dreams, music, film, and conversation. I try to let my inner spirit and subconscious do the creative work and then use those impressions.

Who are your favorite authors and why?
Foremost are poets who write fiction. Ocean Vuong, because of his brilliant poetic prose. Sylvia Plath. Marieke Lucas Rijneveld is a penetrating observer of the human condition who reveals shadows lurking behind the mundane. So many of the literary devices in fiction come from poetry. I envy Haruki Murakami for his genius of surrealism. James Baldwin’s poignancy. Virginia Woolf for the glimpse into the dark yearning of the soul, Yukio Mishima for his ability to write from the torture of his existence and his insight into themes I love, like beauty and emptiness. Toni Morrison for her skill revealing the soul of identity. Kazuo Ishiguro, for the discipline and courage to write deliciously slow stories. The Icelandic Sagas and Homer because they come first from oral tradition. Good writing has to sound good.

 

Name one thing that your readers would be surprised to know about you.
I was a researcher and educator at a medical school, where I studied tick-borne diseases.

 

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Don’t be discouraged by rejections or reviews. Remember that a rejection of your work primarily reflects its subjective value to the editor. Whether beginning or seasoned, listening to editors’ feedback is a valuable way to improve one’s craft. But remember that some enormously talented writers have often been rejected, too. While editors are tuned to good work and can be a barometer for the quality of your writing, they have their own preferences. If those are commercial value, popular trends, or avoiding uncomfortable realities, consider yourself lucky for rejection. Don’t be bothered by reviews. Getting prickly reviews means I am doing my job as a writer because writers raise uncomfortable truths. Literature is a mirror on the human soul, which is unnerving. For some, it’s easier to attack the writer, who is the proximal cause of their discomfort.

What is your measure of success as a writer?
If I am true to myself as a writer or poet, I’ve already achieved the most important success any artist can aspire to. Early on when I did one of my first poetry readings, someone from the audience told me she had tears as I read. That means more to me than winning a poetry award or being on a bestseller list. My job is to write poetry that helps readers return to the beauty and joy in their heart—not as a conveyance, but as a sort of incantation that opens the doors of liminal experience. It’s kind of daunting when you think about it that way. I can only compare it to what a Zen Master said to me when I took my Buddhist precepts, “You only have one job, to save all beings from suffering.” I’m no Boddhisatva, but hey, I have this poem I want you to read…

New Novel “The Suicide Switch” by Dana Ravyn – Special Pre-order Deal and Trevor Project Support!

Happily sharing a message from author, Dana Ravyn about their new novel, The Suicide Switch. 

Dear Friends,

Just wanted to let you know that my novel, The Suicide Switch, has been released and it’s going to help kids!

I am donating 100% of royalties in 2023 to The Trevor Project, whose mission is to end suicide among LGBTQ youth. The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people.

And for every preorder from Amazon until June 1, I’m matching the donated royalties personally!

For a limited time you can read it for free at my website danaravyn.com and the ebook is available for free from most public libraries on Hoopla.

Thank you so much everyone! 

Warm Regards, Dana Ravyn

 

Note: The Trevor Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and does not endorse products or services.

Book Details:
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C2JZH9D8
Publisher ‏ : ‎ BookBaby (June 1, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 318 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8987912027

Description: What would happen if there was a biological switch in the brain that could turn suicidal behavior on and off? It might be more possible than you think.

When psychiatrist Jules Solaris accuses his mentor of cooking the data in their suicide research, he opens the floodgates of an international conspiracy that takes him from the halls of Ivy League medicine to five countries in pursuit of the truth. With his mentor mysteriously exonerated, Jules is sent to work on a clinical trial in Thailand where he quickly finds that things are not what they seem. Patients are dying from a drug that is supposed to help them and it’s connected to the research back home. In Bangkok, he meets and falls in love with Astrid Kallström, an investigative reporter from Stockholm. But explosive revelations from Jules’ earlier years in Thailand working for a NGO challenge their bond. A dark web of espionage unfolds as Jules and Astrid learn the reason global adversaries will stop at nothing to acquire the secrets of the ‘suicide switch.’ Through it all, they risk everything as they peel back layers of deceit and betrayal to expose the pernicious forces operating in the shadows.

BookLaunch – “Varied Spirits – An Anthology” – A Gathering of #Transgender #NonBinary #TwoSpirit & Other Voices

Now available! Published on 31 March 2023, on the Transgender Day of Visibility, even as countries and governments like the USA continue to allow violent attacks, discrimination and organized oppression and legislation to destroy rights and lives.

Varied Spirits Anthology – Volume 1 (31 March 2023), in print  or on Kindle. 50 pages, English.

Published by Flying With Red Haircrow.

Contributors include Ana Oihan Ametsa, Vyacheslav Konoval, Hexe Fey, Dana Ravyn, Kat, C.S.W. Henry, Rachel Andeen, Lara Holy, Folami Bayode and Fierce Grandmother, from the countries or unceded territories of the USA, Canada, Mexico, Ukraine, Germany, and the UK. Edited by Manuel Ricardo Garcia and Red Haircrow.

Length: 50 Pages
Format: Softcover on art paper
Art & Text: Color and Black/White
Size: 148 x 210 mm

 

There are two things that we ask in releasing this anthology:

1) Please be inclusive in your support and advocacy. Genderfluid, nonbinary or trans*women, and trans*men, and trans-masculine people, but especially BIPOC and ethnicities that have been minoritized and marginalized, continue to experience the least support, acknowledgement and protection even from advocates and their LGBTIIQ peers as racism, stereotypes and white supremacist ideologies and behaviors prompt lateral violence.

2) Please understand this is an anthology produced from our personal time and limited funds in these (post?) Corona Pandemic times. But we did so because we believe “Varied Spirits” adds to the critically needed dialogue and understanding of persons who have been important parts of our societies and communities since time began. For those who can, consider gifting the volume to others who may not currently have the extra paper.

---

 “Varied Spirits” is a poetry, prose and art collection focusing on writers, artists and creatives who identify as transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender-queer, trans-feminine, trans-masculine, or other self-identifying terms both ancient and historic, and Native/Indigenous persons who identify as Two-Spirit.

Description: “We live in societies designed to crush our bodies and spirits, that seek to compartmentalize and confine us in every way, especially into heteronormative roles and bodies although gender, sexuality, even intelligence are naturally on a spectrum.

Variance, the state of being varied, is often seen as negative. Yet skills such as adaptability and variability helped our ancestors survive, and today are essential in gaining and maintaining balance, well-being and mindfulness. Being trans and/or also part of other minoritized or marginalized groups adds extra challenges for being accepted as who you are, of just living your life, of feeling safe in society, in your home, in your body.”

This anthology is a gathering of the dignity, the sacrifice, and the beauty of our lives, loves and living. Of our spirits.”

 

Would you like a copy to review for your website, blog or organization? Contact us.