Original Halloween Art 2015

I have serious adoration for the artist who does my book covers.

I'm so pleased to announce that the art has found a new home! @QuietQuitter can now be found at Ello!

For Halloween this year, there are four new original art pieces which I fell in love with. It's all great and super dark and scary. I swear I'm going to have to write a horror story just to use this last one, The Devil's Tree, as the cover art. I call dibs!

Evil Eye

Hanged

Lost in the Woods

The Devil's Tree

http://ow.ly/ThkZB

#NationalComingOutDay: Support and Kittens for Everyone and Anyone Who Needs It!

This post is for anyone who is coming out, planning on coming out, has come out, has been the receiver of a coming out, has had a friend or loved one come out, has come out of their house to get the paper, has ever come out of a closet and had a random guy yell, "Hey look (guffaw) you're coming out of the closet dude!" Literally anything coming out or closet related, this is for you.

I'm not that old. Honestly, I know I feel that old some days, but I'm not bedridden or grey haired, yet. I have been told on occasion that I have an "old soul" but I think that's just a way of politely saying I know more than I should or that I'm intuitive or empathetic. More importantly, people always end up feeling instinctively that they can talk to me. About anything. As if I am somehow intrinsically trustworthy.

Have some kittens.
It's going to be alright.

They're not wrong. I never share secrets without a damn good reason. Over the years, this has led to a higher-than-normal amount of people using me as their sounding board for coming out. I usually get the tearful pre-coming-out phone call. Typically, asking if I would still be friends (or ceramic class partners, family, whatever) with the person if they decided they were something "else" that people didn't "normally accept" or similarly worded language.

Everything is fluffy and awesome.

Seriously. You know Fez gives
me nightmares.

My answer is usually something slightly sarcastic and incredulous like, "Well duh. I mean, I didn't stop being friends with you when you started liking One Direction. I didn't disown you after you made me watch That 70's Show. And you know how much I hate that show... Why would I stop being friends with you now?" It usually makes them giggle and breaks some of the incredible tension they've been feeling. I understand that not everyone can react with humor or even comfort the first time they hear someone they care about is coming out. Sometimes it can be difficult or scary to hear. And it's not usually because you think they're making the wrong choice, but because you're an adult. You've seen how hard it can be for anyone who doesn't live a "traditionally accepted" life.

We all wanted Brian. And Justin.
And the cute lesbians.
It's okay.

So, the first bit of good news! It is now easier than ever for non-traditional lifestyles to find acceptance. Online dating is there if you live in a small town where there's no awesome bar like on Queer as Folk. Gay/Straight Alliances are found at even the most unlikely schools. The large majority of people now accept that this is happening and they should probably stop being hateful. We've legalized gay marriage in most of the states now I think. Really, we're miles from where the people who are listening to the coming out speeches were when they had to form their battle hardened adult shells. So, cheer up! I'm not saying that living life is going to be easy, but look at all of you straight people out there who still can't find the loves of your lives! Does it seem like it's super easy for you either? Of course not, life is hard. That's fine.

The second bit of good news! If you are hearing from someone today that they are slightly different than you may have thought, be honored! They trust you. They care what you think. This is probably one of the hardest moments of their lives and you just get to relax and smile and say "Cool." at the end of it and that's it. Success! Hearing someone come out doesn't mean you throw a party or even that you change anything at all about how you treat them. I mean, you can throw a party. Who doesn't love cake?! So, take what they are giving you with grace and love and then let them know it's cool.

Cause we paint with ALL the colors here.

Now, for those of you who are coming out or plan to come out or have not yet come out. You may find this post. You may find plenty of other stuff on the interwebz talking about how it's a day of support, acceptance and a bunch of other positivity. While that is true, do not feel like you have to do anything right this minute. Coming out is an extremely personal process and you should never feel pressured by a hashtag. While joining a movement can be comforting, it isn't always the best way to get to your destination. That being said, take your time. Consider everything. Make the decision to come out when it's right for you, not the internet. Most of all, know that being a good person is always going to be more important that who you're sleeping with, and focus on what really matters in life. Good luck. I'm here if you need me.

It's going to be fine, have another kitten.
We have plenty.

Academic stuff.

Sexuality is fluid. Most people know what the Kinsey scale is, at least now they do. For those of you who don't, it's a handy way of measuring how "gay or straight" a person is. It's a self-measuring tool, but occasionally the results can be helpful in a clinical or therapeutic setting.

You can take a test here: Kinsey Scale Test and your results will be scored on one of these blue academic-looking scale things. There's a scale with 1-6, but there's a huge amount of variance contained in those simple numbers. Your results, if you take that test up there will look something like this:

Human sexuality really looks more like this:

Look at all the COLORS!

My point here is that most people don't fall strictly on one end of the spectrum or the other. We're all a mess of human instinct and sexual deviance and fetishes and emotions and a bunch of other stuff. What you like now may not be what you're into in 50 years. Goodness knows there's a huge amount of different between who I would consider sleeping with now compared to when I was 18.

Things can change. You may want to tick a different box someday. Or a few boxes. Or all the boxes and then erase and start over. Or just draw a picture on the side. Whatever!

Be tolerant. Be loving. Be honest with yourself and those around you. There's nothing wrong with living your life in the vicinity of a bunch of boxes, instead of inside just one.

Special thanks to Belle for her awesome graphics skills!

http://ow.ly/Tg0HH

Top 10 Fall TV Shows (That I Plan to Watch and Why You Should Too)

These are in no particular order. The reasons listed are my own, and I don't expect anyone else to share them. Feel free to ask on Twitter if you have any questions. All premier dates are for the US. For times, check the internet to make sure you get the right one for your timezone.

Caskett

Castle:
Premiers Sept. 21st, 2015
Reasons to Watch - Fun, lovable, Nathan Fillion, Caskett.
Not only is the probably the best murder mystery show being produced in the US, it's got humor and intelligence. Plus, as I have mentioned, Nathan Fillion. That's really all you should need.

Supernatural:
Premiers Oct. 7th, 2015
Reasons to Watch - Scary, fun, SamDeanCas, practical ghost hunting advice.
This is a bit more for younger fans, but honestly if you started watching this when it first aired about a decade ago, you're probably in your 20s at least. This show has a mostly rabid fandom, and is actually fun to watch most of the time. I recommend catching up on Netflix just in case you want to know what's actually going on. Otherwise, tune in just for the eye candy and fun. Salt and burn people!

The Blacklist:
Premiers Oct. 1st, 2015
Reasons to Watch - Clever, Dark, James Spader's voice.
This show is also available on Netflix for catching up on the first two seasons. It probably gets the award for most lovable bad guy, who might not be bad, but still... It's twisty fun, and who can resist seeing the criminals they deal with each week? The underlying story about fathers, daughters and the fate of the free world is pretty gripping as well.

AHS Hotel:
Premiers Oct. 7th, 2015
Reasons to Watch - Horror, Lady Gaga, Innovation.
The last few seasons of AHS have been a bit hit-or-miss for me, but I honestly can't stop watching them. They are all beautiful to watch and the story lines are at least trying to be original while still giving enough familiar imagery to tug at your sense of nostalgia. This year, there will be a great setting in the haunted hotel, and hopefully a great cast including Kathy Bates. It's a bit of a "cross your fingers and hope this iteration is good" show, but worth checking out the first few episodes.

Criminal Minds:
Premiers Sept. 30th, 2015
Reasons to Watch - Intelligent, Lovable Characters, Great Murders, Garcia.
For those of you who haven't seen CM, it's got all the seasons on Netflix now, so get to work! This is by far one of the best shows, right up there with Murder, She Wrote and Quincy for staying power. A sometimes rotating cast, great story lines and murders to solve, this one is a must watch every year. Unless they got rid of Hotch or Garcia, then I'd be done.

Scandal:
Premieres Sept. 24th, 2015
Reasons to Watch - Hidden secrets, wine, love triangles, Mellie Grant.
You know when you find a show that infuriates you but you can't stop watching? That's what Scandal is for me. Watch the first four seasons on Netflix before jumping in for season 5 because this is not an easy to follow plot. Everyone is lying about everything to everybody else and it is just fabulous. Plus I always feel like I should be drinking wine when I watch Olivia and her white-hat turned slightly grey-er hat adventures. She has a passion for red, and I like to be sympathetic.

We are Scorpion.

Scorpion:
Premieres Sept. 21st, 2015
Reasons to Watch - Fast-paced, Sylvester, flashy, Ralph, Walter's sister.
This show. I seriously don't have words to describe why you need to watch it, you just do. It's so great and a little Magnum PI-ish and just fun. They do big things, they have the amazing Robert Patrick, they have the adorable kid, this show just has everything. You should do everyone a favor and watch the second season.

How to Get Away with Murder:
Premieres Sept. 24th 2015
Reasons to Watch - The girl from The Killing, dark secrets, murder plots, fast rewinds, Frank.
Frank is by far the most interesting part of this show. Well, and the girl from The Killing. We may actually get to find out "Who murdered Rosie Larsen?" this time around! The first season is up on Netflix, and it's by the same creator of Scandal. You can count on the tough as nails African-American goddess to be at the center, this time in the form of Viola Davis.

The Librarians:
Premieres Nov. 1st, 2015
Librarians, action, Christian Kane.
Reasons to Watch - Based of the popular TNT movie franchise "The Librarian: Quest for the Spear", et al. This has a fun cast, cute special effects and encourages reading. I can't imagine a better use for a television show. It also has the yummy and amazing Christian Kane, who you may have seen in Leverage. He is paired with several people including the somehow-in-this-show Rebecca Romijn, who I hope is not coming back for season 2. She wasn't great.

NCIS:
Premieres Sept. 22nd, 2015
Reason to Watch - Gibbs.
We all have to know what happened! I have to be honest, I'll probably stop watching this show completely if they kill off Gibbs. I can't stand Bishop, and Tim and Tony are fine, but they can't support the show alone. They could just make it a show about Abby, that's I'd watch. ffMaybe if they brought back Ziva... but anyway, this is all on Netflix as well, and worth the watch.

The best friendship on TV

Honorary Mentions:

Person of Interest
I've already written a whole thing about that show, so go look that up on my blog here.
Doctor Who

Don't act like you aren't excited!

Obviously I'm taking for granted here that you are already watching the Doctor, since it already premiered. If not, address that before continuing with the list.
Sherlock BBC
This should be coming back for a Christmas Special this year, and a new season in 2016. You're silly if you don't watch.
The League/South Park
These are just personal faves, but I understand they aren't for everyone. Check them out if you like funny and occasionally dirty jokes. Or if you want to stay at the EBDBBnB.

Getting Started

Waking up today, I saw an email that a friend had purchased my book and written a review! I got so excited!!

And then I checked Amazon and got sad. I still don't have any reviews on my book, and the one I did have was not accepted by Amazon. It seems odd to me that you can give free copies of a book in exchange for a review, but if someone purchases a copy, but is personally known to you, they are not allowed to share their thoughts. The person spent money on the book, shouldn't they be allowed to post their opinion, regardless of the relationship to the author?

Well, its a slow start. I mostly published the book because I genuinely thought people might enjoy it. Who knows if it will ever go anywhere? In the mean time, I will continue to work on my next book and hope for the best.

If anyone out there knows how to get reviews from strangers, feel free to email me!