When Andreas and I went to a gay film festival last year, there was only one movie on the docket that sounded interesting: Judas Kiss. I wasn’t clear on the plot, but I caught the words “time travel.” I couldn’t imagine how that would play out in a gay movie. A pink police box? Or a DeLorean blaring Lady Gaga at 88 decibels to break through the time barrier? The man who introduced the film at the festival said: “Here’s a film about very unusual events … uh … Just watch it and see what you think.” At the time, it seemed a lousy intro. Now I find myself agreeing with the guy. You really should just watch it, preferably a few times, and see what you think.

But you probably want to know more, so here we go. First the basics. Judas Kiss does have elements of science-fiction, but only in a Twilight Zone kind of way. There are indeed unusual events, namely the main character meeting his younger self. There’s no cheesy plot device or tiresome explanation of how this happens. Instead, the main character Zachary Wells takes a trip back to the university where his career as a filmmaker hit its peak. Once there, things get a little surreal when he meets his younger self, Danny Reyes (who hasn’t yet changed his name to Zachary Wells), and gets caught up in the very events he feels ruined his life. Sound convoluted? It is, but that journey of discovery makes the fist viewing of Judas Kiss such a joy.

Zachary tries to stop his younger self from making the same mistakes, which is hopeless since Danny is on top of the world and still at that age where he feels invincible. Plus he has problems of his own. The most influential guy on campus, Shane Lyons, has taken a shine to Danny and has the power to make or break him. And then there’s adorable doe-eyed Chris, Shane’s former pet project, who knows first hand how Danny will be used and discarded. Chris wants to protect Danny while stealing his heart away from Shane. Oh, the wonderful drama of it all!

That there’s so much happening in Judas Kiss makes it delightfully rewatchable. Aside from the ninety minutes stuffed with plot and the complex relationships of the major players, the secondary and sometimes silent characters also have their stories to tell if you pay attention. And while your mind is enraptured, your nether regions will be just as pleased, since the boys of Judas Kiss are very hot. Best of all, they aren’t the muscle bound clones that infest many gay films. They each have character and charm that makes them delicious to the eye. Charlie David (Zachary) is hunky, Richard Harmon (Danny) is haunting, Sean Paul Lockhart (Chris) is notoriously attractive, and then there’s Timo Descamps (Shane) who plays the bad boy to perfection. Not only do they look good, but each is a competent actor as well.

Judas Kiss has got it going on and deserves the praise it’s been getting. If you’re put off by the sci-fi elements, don’t be. There is plenty of love and romance in this film to keep you satisfied. There’s also much that is new and fresh, which I feel is long overdue in gay cinema. Give Judas Kiss a shot—really give it your full attention—and I think you’ll discover an exciting new movie that promises a successful future for the creators of the film, and many more delights for us in the audience.

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As for birthday presents, in addition to the award for most desired sequel, Something Like Summer also won for Best Young Adult Characters and scored another award for Best Cover. Go Andreas! Crashing the party, Hell’s Pawn won awards for Best World Created and Most Surprising/Unique Plot Device. Along with the total of eight nominations, my little gang of books are really feeling the love. I have all of you to thank for that. Come give me a hug! 2011 was an incredible year, and I promise to work my hardest to make 2012 just as exciting.

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Here’s the official Something Like Summer movie press release:

‘Judas Kiss’ Director, Producer Re-Team for ‘Something Like Summer’ Adaptation

SEATTLE — The makers of this year’s acclaimed scifi fantasy, “Judas Kiss,” are teaming with Seattle-based Jade Knight Productions to adapt the bestselling coming-of-age love story, “Something Like Summer,” for the screen.

The new project will be helmed by director J.T. Tepnapa, with screenwriter Carlos Pedraza penning the screenplay, based on the book by author Jay Bell. Tepnapa’s and Pedraza’s Los Angeles-based company, Blue Seraph Productions is a co-production partner.

“I’m honored that Jay Bell and producer Tom Ly have asked Blue Seraph Productions to turn the critically acclaimed novel into a movie,” Tepnapa said. “The life of the main character, Ben, mirrors so many moments in my own life, I cannot help but want to treat his own journey with care. I love this story, and I want to see it come to life.”

“Something Like Summer” traces the tumultuous relationship of Ben and Tim, secret high school sweethearts who grow over the years into both adulthood enemies and complicated friends.

The novel is Bell’s second and most acclaimed, earning a spot in Amazon’s Best Books of 2011 list, with a customer rating of 4.7 out of 5, and outstanding reader reviews on the popular literary site Goodreads.

Queer Magazine Online said the novel “not only has lots of passion, humor, angst and twists and turns, it also takes an in-depth look at how the choices we make in life affect not only ourselves, but everyone around us.” The Alpha Reader review commented: “Jay Bell has written one of the most heartfelt and sincere romances I have ever encountered.”

The book was optioned by Jade Knight Productions of Seattle and producer Tom Ly. With Blue Seraph Productions on board, the project moves into development immediately.

“We are on track to have the screenplay ready by Spring 2012,” screenwriter and co-producer Pedraza said. “J.T. and I are looking forward to translating the magic of this story from page to screen.”

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to work with J.T. and Carlos,” Ly said. “I was so impressed by what they accomplished with ‘Judas Kiss.’ I know they’ll take us to the next level with ‘Something Like Summer.’”

Author Bell had similar praise for “Judas Kiss”: “I was blown away after seeing the film in Germany this year. My heart was pounding when I left the theatre and I knew that this was the right creative team for a ‘Something Like Summer’ movie. Ben, Tim, and Jace are in very safe hands, and I can’t wait to see them on the big screen.”

“Something Like Summer” will be Tepnapa’s and Pedraza’s second feature film, following quickly on the heels of their debut, “Judas Kiss,” the genre-bending scifi fantasy released in 2011, garnering critical acclaim and multiple awards from film festivals around the world. The film is in distribution worldwide, and continues at the top of the sales charts in its genre.

Blue Seraph Productions is a Los Angeles company headed by Tepnapa and Pedraza. Their work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, Variety, The Advocate, Edge Magazine, ATV Network, Frontiers, Fab magazine, the Today Show, MSNBC, and other international news outlets.

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While you’re there, my stories have also been nominated in a number of other categories. Thank you those whatever kind souls did that! Here’s a breakdown of all the categories my books are in, should you be so inclined:

Best Story that Should/Must have a Sequel:
Something Like Summer

Best Young Adult Characters (theme):
Something Like Summer
The Cat in the Cradle

Best Short Story 25 pages or 15K words or less (book):
Language Lessons

Best Free Story:
Flesh and Blood

Best Cover:
Something Like Summer

Best World Created:
Hell’s Pawn

Most Surprising/Unique Plot Device:
Hell’s Pawn

Best of luck to all those other talented authors and artists that made the list. The people have the power on this one, which I absolutely love. Let’s hope this is the first of many years for the M/M Group’s Member’s Choice Award!

Update: Some wonderful readers loyal to Ben and Tim have expressed concern about these characters having their happily-ever-after ruined. The “sequel” I have in mind would be a book retelling the story from Tim’s perspective, while also showing what he got up to in all those years apart from Ben. Without going into detail, I’m confident I can tell a new story that runs alongside the first book, one that gives us another chance to spend time with Ben and his friends.

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2. One of the main characters is an irresistibly sexy and charming demon. Another a scruffy Irishmen without a moral to his name. And then there’s the main character, who is searching for love and purpose, something we can all relate to.

3. Sex in the afterlife! Have you ever wondered what it would be like, or if it’s even possible?

4. The book deals with the religious beliefs of different world cultures, and presents the information in a way that’s fun to read and easily digestible. Just think how smart and worldly you’ll sound at the next party you go to!

5. Because you’ve already read tons of boy-meets-boy books, and it’s good to branch out occasionally and try something new.

6. Hell’s Pawn is an award winner, landing a Rainbow Award for Best Gay Fantasy and an honorable mention as Best Gay Novel of 2011.

7. My prices are awesome. Most gay themed books cost twice as much as mine, if not more. That doesn’t mean I skimp on the editing or presentation. You’re still getting a professional product, just at a ridiculously cheap price. Plus, buying this book will help keep me alive and fed so I can write that book you guys have been clamoring for. You know the one!

8. All the good reviews at places like Amazon, or even Forbes.

9. It may be fantasy, but the settings and characters are contemporary, and there is plenty of gay romance and hot guys involved. In a sense, it’s only fantasy because it’s such a wild tale.

10.

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Considering this, you can understand why I feel so proud to be recognized on that site. For once, Something Like Summer wasn’t the star performer. Hell’s Pawn won a Rainbow Award for Best Gay Fantasy and also won an Honorable Mention in the Best Gay Novel category. Of course the most popular kid in school didn’t go completely unnoticed. Something Like Summer scored an Honorable Mention in the Best 2011 LGBT Cover contest. My lovely husband has much to be proud of. His art was up against hundreds and hundreds (and hundreds!) of covers, with some really stunning work on display this year.

The biggest winner in the Rainbow Awards is the reader, since it’s not just the top sellers that are gaining recognition. A lot of overlooked books rise to the top through this contest, which means we can look over the list of winners and runners-up on Elisa’s site and discover great new books to read. But first, I’m off to buy some champagne!

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My Gay Book Club is a wonderful site for gay fiction that has been hibernating the last year. Now it has woken up, just in time for winter, but maybe Something Like Summer is to blame since it’s the book of the month. Head on over there, check out some of the old reviews and discussions, and visit the brand new forums. And while you’re there, share your thoughts about Ben, Tim, and Jace. They’ll be listening.

There’s a wee little store you might have heard of called Amazon, and the good folks there (that just happen to keep food on my table) chose Something Like Summer as one of 2011’s Best Gay Books. And mine just happens to be the cheapest book up there. In price I mean, not in standards.

On to other unstoppable couples, my next gay romance novel has returned from the editor covered in more red than Carrie on prom night. This is good, because it means we’re one step closer to a new release. By the time you guys are tired of sucking on your frozen digits and begging for a little spring heat, I hope to have a new book to help warm you up inside. And no, I still haven’t revealed the title yet, because I’m weird.

Andreas has been a busy boy too, creating illustrations for the Cat in the Cradle sequel From Darkness to Darkness. The cover art is complete as well as half the illustrations. This time, instead of asking him to come up with an image for each chapter, I requested a handful that help bring key scenes to life. So far all the drawings for the sequel feature hot guys. Don’t tell anyone I said this, but I’m starting to think Andreas might be gay.

As for next month… Oh my gosh! That’s all I have to say for right now.

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All these things I feel make me strong, not weak: THE CAT IN THE CRADLE

I love you, so stop being afraid: SOMETHING LIKE SUMMER

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I’ve often said I’d rather write an entire book than a single synopsis. The same applies to choosing a title for a book. It’s so incredibly hard to sum up an entire story with just a few words. Impossible, really, so the best you can do is create an evocative title that makes a potential reader want to learn more. The working title of Something Like Summer was The Many Loves of Benjamin Bentley. A little long, but I liked it. Originally I planned on showing many more of Ben’s failed relationships, but then Tim and Jace ended up hogging the book. I was tempted to use the title anyway, until The Mysterious Case of Benjamin Button came out. Thieving Hollywood bastards! Suddenly I needed a new title. Thus began a month of me pestering anyone that would listen: Friends over email and phone, the checkout lady at the grocery store, and even Andreas in the bedroom. Inevitably, each clever title we thought up was already taken.

Then inspiration struck. Twelve Years of Summer. Perfect! Or so I thought. As a professional hermit, I don’t pay much attention to what’s going on in the world. My editor saved me/broke my spirit when she informed me of a recent movie called (500) Days of Summer. This time Hollywood had beat me to the punch. Their title was just close enough to make me appear a copycat—or worse—that I had written a parody. Back to the drawing board. I ate psychedelic mushrooms, fasted except for chewing gum, and conversed solely with small pebbles. Then I came up with it. Something Like Summer. But what does it mean? I recently posed this question on Twitter, and these are some of the replies:

@WanderingReclus (MacKenzie Stewart) said: “I thought the title meant to symbolize the heat and intensity of Ben and Tim’s relationship.”

@ladykatana70 (Stacia Hess) added: “because it makes you hot and sweaty..lol”

These two responses show why I wanted “summer” in the title. Summer conjures up visions of passion, heat, and sweat. The book is more romantic than erotic, but these associations also apply to intense emotion. But does the title mean more? Here are more responses:

@rolypolywoly (Alan) said: “Thought it might be ‘Something Like Summer’ ’cause the summer Ben & Tim meet is a starting point that reverberates through the story.”

@TaylorSalley (Taylor Salley) said: “Because summer is something really good that we all have a hard time letting go of. Much like Ben and Tim’s relationship.”

Leave a question for the reader to answer, and chances are, they’ll come up with something brilliant. I love the symbolism that these readers picked up on. I’m tempted to lie and say that’s exactly what I intended. My answer is much simpler. To me, summer is the time of year that I feel the best, both physically and emotionally. Perfect blue sky days when the sun warms my skin and makes the world beautiful—those summer moments make me feel sixteen again. There’s only one other thing that makes me feel so blissfully content. Love is something like summer.

There it is, my personal interpretation of the title, but that doesn’t make it true. The book has been set free and is out there in the world, romping through fields of imagination that no longer belong to me, and that’s how it should be. The title means what you want it to mean, and the story now belongs to you.




Er… Not legally of course.

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Werewolves –

Easily the best monster ever, werewolves have always played second fiddle to vampires. I’ll never understand why. What’s so great about sleeping in a coffin and exploding when the sun comes out? Werewolves have it so much better, living a normal life for all but three nights of the month. And there’s none of the delicate constitution of vampires. The only thing that can kill you is a silver bullet, which most hunters are way too cheap to keep in stock.

Werewolves are also sexy! Taylor Lautner aside, a man that is in touch with his primal animal instincts must be a tiger in the sack. Or a wolf, as the case may be. I suspect all that shapeshifting back and forth is great for muscle tone too. The only werewolf to appear in my books so far is Nikolai in The Cat in the Cradle. His rarely seen human form is as handsome as can be, and I even gave him his own short story, but I’d like to write an entire book about lycanthropes some day.

Skeleton Warriors –

If there were runway models in the world of monsters, skeletons would be the most sought after. That’s not a skinny joke either. Skeletons simply look great no matter what you put them in. Whether they are wearing a sombrero, a bride’s gown, a pharaoh’s cowl, or a classy suit and top hat, skeletons never fail to impress.

My most favorite skeletons accessorize with a simple shield and sword. In Jason and the Argonauts, an evil wizard tosses hydra teeth to the ground like he’s spreading grass seed. What grows is a terrifying army of skeleton warriors. Not only do they look great, but they make effective soldiers as well. What are you going to do, stab their flesh? Poke out their eyes? There’s not a lot of ways to damage a pile of bones, especially when it’s animated and trying to kill you. See for yourself:

Demons –

I’ve always found demons interesting. I don’t mean generic devils. The demons I like have strange names and roles in Hell’s hierarchy. Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Mammon, and of course Lucifer. Each has their own story, but better than that is the creepy art portraying them. Few things inspired the artists of old like the threat of burning in Hell. Hieronymus Bosch made this his life’s work, and even though his paintings are over five hundred years old, their nightmare visions remain terrifyingly original.

Of course demons also have their charming side, appearing in the night and seducing innocent women (and not-so-innocent gay guys) with sinful promises of passion and pleasure. The most famous of these are the incubi. Okay, so succubi are more popular, but we’re talking about hot demon lords here. My favorite of course is Rimmon, who has a starring role in Hell’s Pawn. I certainly enjoyed writing him, and had more than one feverish incubus dream while working on that book.

Multi-headed dragons –

I’ve never been much for dragons, the generic beast of fantasy novels. I have nothing against them, but they’ve never interested me much. But give me a dragon with more than one head, and suddenly I can’t get enough. I love hydras, and not just because their teeth can raise armies of skeleton supermodels. Hydras are cool because they’re so damn hard to kill. It’s hard to say how many heads a hydra starts with, but cut off one and two grow back in its place. The only way of preventing this is by burning the severed neck stump. Unless you’re really good at multitasking, the hydra’s other heads are going to kill you while you’re trying to deal with just one of them.

The best hydra of all is Tiamat. Forget Babylonian mythology, I’m referring to the modern Dungeons and Dragons creation. This Tiamat is a dragon with five heads, each a different color and possessing different kinds of breath. It’s like someone combined a pride flag and a hell spawned dragon for the ultimate expression of gay fury. The red head breathes fire, the blue head shoots electricity, and the green head spews delicious martinis that render foes drunk and vulnerable. Not only that, but while Tiamat is devouring you whole, the other four heads can function as a decent barbershop quartet!

Those are some of my favorite beasties. Even though I poked fun at them, they still capture my imagination to this day and always will. Come this Halloween season, I wish you many delightful nightmares filled with sword fighting skeletons and debonair demons. Oh, and be sure to leave a comment below and tell me about some of your favorite monsters!

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