Just what readers across America are clamoring for: another tween vampire romance novel, right? Yes. This one. Gemini Bites is a vampire novel with heart (no stakes attached) and wood (still not talking about stakes). Twins and rivals-in-life Kyle and Judy are both attracted to Garret, a houseguest and self-proclaimed bloodsucker, who plays it infuriatingly close to the vest with his feelings. Is he straight? Gay? Or after plasma from whomever he can get? Even Judy Blume in her Maybe-I-Won’tingest moments didn’t go full-on homo like Ryan’s book does – good on you, Scholastic Press for bringing boners back to YA lit! – but Ryan keeps it classy, cute, and, once the masquerades end, completely real.

Gemini Bites by Patrick Ryan
Scholastic Press
4 ½ stars out of 5

originally published in Instinct Magazine April 2011

Let’s the basics out of the way first: Jon Macy’s art in “Fearful Hunter” is superlative. His “Teleny & Camille” was great, but he has (as he should) gotten stronger, more Macyesque imagery on the page. Boffo. And basic number two: the erotic charge of the story is part of the story and not the only story or, worse, filler to bring the book to an even number of pages. I read comics for the stories; I read nifty.org to get off. Macy has kindly brought two of my hobbies together. Again, well done.

But here’s what I really love: Macy has created intriguing characters in the couple of Oisin and Byron, two men who in the real world I would probably start a betting pool over how long and in what way their relationship would implode. Yes, I know this makes me a horrible person. Still, I found myself pulling for these two to come and stay together.

Oisin is a druid apprentice, taught by the older Tavius, who is full of plots and snares like Old Nick himself. Oisin wants to be a druid, but is distracted by what he is told he cannot have: a life involving other people. Magic requires that he be dedicated only to his work of safeguarding the Natural World. Still, he is fascinated by the wolfboy Byron, and is in earnest to heal Byron’s “sad heart”. Because that always ends well.

Byron, the wolf-boy, is magickal, hot, and as sensitive as a ficus. If I knew someone like this, I would definitely call him on a lonely Friday night after a contempt-filled watching of “Smallville”, but then shuffle him out the door after the deed was done and before I could hear how painful and difficult his week had been (which, yes, I know makes me a horrible person). Byron’s sensitivity, however, isn’t from the oh-so-common “my man done me wrong” syndrome that I’m certain anyone reading this article can relate to. Since he mates for life, there’s never been an emotionally stunted, abusive ex that swims in his subconscious, telling him that he’s worthless. He is simply fearful. And emo. So. So. SO emo. Which makes me wonder what it is that Oisin sees in him, or, more importantly, what Macy sees in him (he is, after all, the eponymous character). Of course, not every love story (and this is a love story) has to be peopled with noble characters of deep-set virtue who are not only self-aware and pithy at an early age, but who have a love like no man or woman has ever know handed to them for no better reason than Destiny has declared they be the Luke and Laura of their age. Flaws like Byron’s (and Oisin’s for that matter) make their story far more worthy a read, mostly because there is no guarantee here that love will conquer all, despite what Shea, the werefox, promises.

What I enjoyed most about “Fearful Hunter” is the world Macy created to house his people and their stories. Like Charles de Lint’s urban fantasies, our and the sidhe world aren’t countless dimensions apart, but literally right next door to each other. Neighbors, classmates, acquaintances could be fey and one would never know. Tavius and Oisin’s keep is a cavish affair, deep in the forest and underground, where they practice magic that should light them up like a Fukushima crab to even non-magical folk. Yet they are practically unknown to the nearby townies. There is a sidhe bar that is in plain sight of every slack-jeaned punk within a hundred miles (have I mentioned the care with which Macy draws men’s asses?) hangs out in with the Cousins that is just part of the fabric of this world. No walls or wardrobes separate Humans from the Others. In fact, it seems that only one’s unwillingness to see what is right there in plain sight is what keeps these peoples apart.

Jon Macy’s “Fearful Hunter” series comes highly recommended.

I won’t be watching the Super Bowl this year, but I do want to pass along this confection which be a part of the normal deluge of outstandingly creative advertising campaigns.

When I saw this on the magazine rack at HEB tonight, I COULDN’T believe what I was seeing! George Clooney – gay??? Matthew McConaughey – his cruller of love???? Oh, it was more than my poor heart could take, beating as fast as it was! Forget the Harry/Dumbledore/Snape slash fiction, here was a personal wet dream come true! All I could ask the Universe for was the chance to see them out at Rain some night (from my mouth to God’s ears) making out on the dance floor. Shirtless (maybe that’s asking too much).

Then cruel cruel reality set in as I snatched up the Heaven-sent People magazine and saw exactly how far the Universe would go to make sure there would be no boys-in-love superstars in my life. Why deny me, Universe? Why?!?

Anyway, here’s what the reality was.

Damn those racks at the grocery store! I like my version better.

Scott McCloud’s mind-blowing challenge, The 24 hour Comics Day ended today at noon. I participated 2 years ago (when it was still held in April) and wrote The Latter History and Subsequent Burning of Little Red Riding Hood. Let me tell you that is was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I mean, a page an hour??? By myself??? From scratch??? BUT it was an amazing rite of passage. Even though I didn’t finish, I certainly accomplished something.

Last night, I stopped by the Austin Museum of Art’s Laguna Gloria location looking GLBTQ folk who may have been participating. I found Katy Riggs and Regan Johnson, and got an article up on Prism about them. I can’t wait to see what they came up with in the end.

So, to anyone who is at all interested in getting into comics – DO THIS!!!!!!

While every slash story writer in the world hoped that Harry and Draco would finally admit that their searing, white-hot hate for each other was just a cover for their searing, white-hot lust for each other’s wands, they probably didn’t see this coming:

J.K. Rowling outs Hogwarts character

 

By HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer

NEW YORK – Harry Potter fans, the rumors are true: Albus Dumbledore, master wizard and Headmaster of Hogwarts, is gay. J.K. Rowling, author of the mega-selling fantasy series that ended last summer, outed the beloved character Friday night while appearing before a full house at Carnegie Hall.

After reading briefly from the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” she took questions from audience members.She was asked by one young fan whether Dumbledore finds “true love.”

“Dumbledore is gay,” the author responded to gasps and applause.

She then explained that Dumbledore was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards. “Falling in love can blind us to an extent,” Rowling said of Dumbledore’s feelings, adding that Dumbledore was “horribly, terribly let down.”

Dumbledore’s love, she observed, was his “great tragedy.”

“Oh, my god,” Rowling concluded with a laugh, “the fan fiction.”

Potter readers on fan sites and elsewhere on the Internet have speculated on the sexuality of Dumbledore, noting that he has no close relationship with women and a mysterious, troubled past. And explicit scenes with Dumbledore already have appeared in fan fiction.

Rowling told the audience that while working on the planned sixth Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she spotted a reference in the script to a girl who once was of interest to Dumbledore. A note was duly passed to director David Yates, revealing the truth about her character.

Rowling, finishing a brief “Open Book Tour” of the United States, her first tour here since 2000, also said that she regarded her Potter books as a “prolonged argument for tolerance” and urged her fans to “question authority.”

Not everyone likes her work, Rowling said, likely referring to Christian groups that have alleged the books promote witchcraft. Her news about Dumbledore, she said, will give them one more reason.

…except maybe in some transgressive, daddy fantasy sort of way. I know I never thought about it one way or the other, but I wonder if this means Michael Gambon will add something ineffable to his next performance of Dumbledore, something fey and… I dunno. “Sheer”, like the Pope’s silky stockings. It certainly couldn’t be any worse that Bob DeNiro’s lightning butt pirate in Stardust.

UPDATE: This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, especially “I knew it!”.