The following preview for the next episode of Smallville includes the Legion of Superheroes. The eighth season continues on January 15.

Milk.

TheCinemaSource.Com has posted an interview with Sean Penn about his title role in Milk. Penn discusses how he approached the part of murdered civil rights leader Harvey Milk, and how life might be different for gays if Milk had survived.

Wolverine.

New pictures from X-Men Origins: Wolverine appear at ComingSoon.Net, and a picture of Taylor Kitsch as the character Gambit appears at TheCinemaSource.Com. The movie’s trailer will debut with prints of The Day the Earth Stood Still, 12/12/08.

Battlestar Galactica.

As I mentioned before, SciFi Wire has revealed the almost kiss between Battlestar Galactica’s male characters Gaeta and Hoshi. The word "almost" counters past rumors, but I wonder if SciFi Channel intentionally leaked those kissing rumors, for increased publicity. If so, it certainly worked, and the article I just linked to still leaves the possibility open. Regardless, making a recurring character gay is a big step for the hit franchise, and it looks like that trend will continue in the spinoff series Caprica. (Updated later...it is an actual kiss).

SciFi Wire has revealed the almost kiss between Battlestar Galactica’s male characters Gaeta and Hoshi.

If you buy The Acorn Stories (or anything else) from bn.com before December 10, 2008, use the Coupon Code R9U3J8C to save 15% on one item. Details.

The Current Kindle e-Book Gay Fiction Top Five:

#1: Without Reservations
#2: No Irish Need Apply
#3: The Acorn Stories (Acorn, Texas)
#4: IM
#5: Michael Tolliver Lives (Tales of the City)

(Those charts update constantly.)

Ain’t It Cool News has posted the Star Trek trailer, with Leonard Nimoy.

Watch for the West Texas fiction collection The Acorn Stories
in the Christmas issue of The New York Review of Books!

The Current Kindle e-Book Gay Fiction Top Five:

#1: The Picture of Dorien Grey

#2: Cheating Chance

#3: Arbor Vitae

#4: Falling

#5: The Acorn Stories

(Those charts update constantly.)

Battlestar Galactica.

SciFi Wire has posted a promotional video for Battlestar Galactica’s final episodes, as well as a Caprica trailer. SciFi has managed to stretch out Galactica’s final season a long time, and it looks like the franchise might continue a while.

Stargate Atlantis.

Of course, Stargate Atlantis will end before Galactica. Only a few episodes remain. Those episodes, including the show’s 100th episode, will air in December and January.

Milk.

Milk looks like it might finally give the civil rights activist more recognition, and allow more people to learn from his story. It also looks like a well-made film from director Gus Van Sant. The genre films Twilight and The Day the Earth Stood Still, as well as the historical epic Australia, all look exciting. However, I hope their hype won’t drown out publicity for this important docudrama.

EQuality Entertainment.

EQuality Entertainment has posted a review of Milk that explores the movie’s relevance in 2008, despite the fact that its events took place thirty years ago. Of special interest to doorQers, that site also examines the gay elements in books, movies, and Star Trek.

X-Men.

SciFi Wire reports on plans for Josh Schwartz to write X-Men: First Class. Schwartz, also known for Chuck and The OC, will focus on the next generation of mutants. I haven’t seen any details about which characters to expect.

The Current Kindle e-Book Gay Fiction Top Five

#1: The Acorn Stories
#2: Brethren: Raised By Wolves, Volume One
#3: The Secret Tunnel
#4: Best Gay Stories 2008
#5: The Kid

Gay Science Fiction News


Hero, Perry Moore’s teen novel about a gay superhero, might soon be a TV series on Showtime, thanks to Stan Lee. SciFi Wire posted an article about the plans: Showtime Readies Lee's Gay Superhero.


Degranon: A Gay-Themed Science Fiction Adventure (Sons of Taldra) recently returned to the top 10 in Kindle’s gay fiction charts.

Read more about Gay SciFi and Fantasy.

J. L. Langley.

Blogger Jesse Ware recently posted an interview with J. L. Langley, the author of The Tin Star and Without Reservations. Langley’s books tend to focus on gay male characters, and sometimes include dark fantasy elements.

Legend of the Seeker.

Based on the Sword of Truth books by legendary fantasy author Terry Goodkind, the TV series Legend of the Seeker isn’t bad. Still, could the writers stop cramming “the Seeker” into the dialogue every few seconds? We get that Richard is the Seeker. Really. Couldn’t his friends call him Richard now and then?

Craig Horner plays Richard Cypher in the series, which airs in syndication, including the cable station WGN. Watch the Seeker Preview.

Game of Thrones.

Speaking of famous sword-and-sorcery novels, SciFi Wire reports an update on HBO’s adaption of A Song of Ice and Fire, the fantasy series from George R. R. Martin.

Push.

SciFi Wire also posted images from Push, a new science fiction movie that stars the Fantastic Four’s Chris Evans.

Thank you, U. S. Veterans!

MSNBC has posted an NBC Nightly News story about the discovery of some amazing World War II footage, including aerial combat.

Read about the The Acorn Stories in the November/December issue of Bookmarks. Read the reviews at Kirkus, Amazon.Com, bn.com (2nd edition reviews), and bn.com (1st edition). If you buy The Acorn Stories (or anything else) from bn.com before November 16, 2008, use the 10% off Coupon Code: A3X3A9B (for non-members) or the 15% off B&N Member Coupon Code: C3N4T4J.

With the Texas Tech University Red Raiders football team on a winning streak, West Texas is receiving more media attention than usual. The Acorn Stories provides a fictionalized but often too-true look at West Texas, including Lubbock.

Book review: The Rylerran Gateway by Mark Ian Kendrick.

Mark Ian Kendrick’s ambitious science fiction epic, split into three sections in a single volume, involves two men who fall in love before embarking on an inter-dimensional adventure. Of the Consortium’s fourteen inhabited planets, only Andakar approaches Earth in wealth and a desire for equality.

After Lieutenant Commander Darreth James-Po and Dr. Naylon Ress, the two young lovers, crash land on another of the so-called “Inhab” planets, they accidentally discover a gateway to another dimension, almost like their own but with a different power struggle. Here, the human race wars with an alien race. Instead of the Consortium, a military force rules.

Kendrick uses his interests in science and language to enrich his world-building with interesting technology and terminology. The glossary in the back of the book explains all of that in brief phrases, and also lists the various characters. I never needed to refer to that glossary, though, because it all becomes clear in context. The other-worldly language adds to an exciting, textured science fiction experience.

While Kendrick stays focused on entertaining his audience with battles and political intrigue, he also shows how easily people can justify injustice, such as discrimination and even slavery. The characters interact in believable yet often unexpected ways.

Ultimately, the romantic relationship between the men Darreth and Naylon provides the glue for the expansive narrative. Even though they only appear together in certain key parts of the novel, these two heroic men pull readers in and will keep them wanting to find out what happens next.

The Rylerran Gateway should entertain anyone who enjoys science fiction, and especially the many readers who share Kendrick’s frustration with the odd lack of gay characters in science fiction. As he explains at his website, he wants to change what he and his partner see as the disappointing lack of gay people depicted in the genre they love.

Visit that website to read more about Mark Ian Kendrick’s writings, which also include Stealing Some Time Volume 1, Stealing Some Time Volume 2, Desert Sons, and Into This World We’re Thrown.

***
Read more about Science Fiction for Gay Readers.

Texas Tech University, College Football, Lubbock, West Texas.

Texas Tech is receiving national exposure this weekend, including the news that 'GameDay' heads to Lubbock, location will be Engineering Key. The undefeated Red Raiders will face their rivals from the University of Texas, the Longhorns.

Lubbock is also receiving exposure because of its centennial celebration.

The West Texas fiction collection The Acorn Stories is also nearing an anniversary, ten years since first appearing in print! Read reviews of that book (which includes scenes set in Lubbock) at Kirkus, Amazon.Com, bn.com (2nd edition reviews), and bn.com (1st edition). And read about The Acorn Stories in the November/December issue of Bookmarks, on newsstands this week.

Secrets and scandals in a Texas town!

Read all about Acorn.

Holding Me Together is currently #1 yet again in Kindle's Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction Chart. Those charts update constantly, though. The paperback edition is still out as well. Holding covers many timely topics, such as coming out, gay marriage, and "don't ask, don't tell."

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 10/15/08. This week, season finales, The Forever War, a gay sf/f publisher, and a look back at Fat Diary.

SEASON FINALES.

Sordid Lives: The Series will end its first season on Logo, October 29. BBC America decided to air the first two seasons of the time-bending series Primeval without a break in between. Season two ends November 1.

THE FOREVER WAR.

The Playlist has posted Ridley Scott To Direct (First Ever?) Homosexual Sci-Fi Film? (The title seems inaccurate.) I haven’t read the book he’s adapting, The Forever War, but it sounds interesting. Please post comments about it if you’ve read it.

BLIND EYE BOOKS.

YaoiAndYuri=YaY! posted an interview with gay sf/f publisher Blind Eye Books, covering books from Astrid Amara, Josh Lanyon, and Ginn Hale.


FAT DIARY: ARCHIVE.

It’s over; the fat lady sang. Over the past several weeks, I posted “Fat Diary” in installments at doorQ. That story uses a librarian’s diary to introduce readers to a scifi geek, a closeted mayor, and many other offbeat characters, in the West Texas town of Acorn. Read Part 1. Parts 2 and 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6. Conclusion.

(Read about gay marriage and bigotry-inspired constitutional amendments in Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure.)

Coming Out Day Contest.

I recently posted a review here of the charming gay comedy The Curiosity of Chance. Bigfoot Entertainment, the production company for that movie, is sponsoring a contest, in which you can win $500 for your humorous coming out story. Honorable mentions will receive a copy of The Curiosity of Chance.

You can tell your story in writing or on video. The contest will be open throughout October, in observance of National Coming Out Day. Click here to read more.

I will also announce the winner in my blog.

Some pictures from the film follow below.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 10/08/08

Visit doorQ for VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 10/08/08. This week, Praxis, Torchwood’s John Barrowman, and the conclusion of Fat Diary. Fat Diary uses a librarian’s diary to introduce readers to a scifi geek, a closeted mayor, and many other interesting characters, in the West Texas town of Acorn.

Lubbock, Texas: Tuesday, October 14, 4:30-6:30 PM. I’ll sign copies of The Acorn Gathering at Barnes & Noble (6707 Slide Road). From a scandal-rocked town in West Texas to the Blackfeet Indian reservation in Montana, these short stories take readers to surprising places in America and the human heart!

The Acorn Gathering is a fiction anthology that raises money for the fight against cancer. I edited that book and wrote four of its stories.

Read the reviews.

Visit doorQ for VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 9/29/08. This week, Queer Wolf, Thor, Kelley Eskridge, Steve Berman, Thomas M. Disch, and Part 6 of Fat Diary. Fat Diary uses a librarian’s diary to introduce readers to a scifi geek, a closeted mayor, and many other interesting characters, in the West Texas town of Acorn.

Visit doorQ for VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 9/26/08. This week, Sanctuary, Knight Rider, and Doctor Who. Last week, in Part 4 of the comedy Fat Diary, some little old ladies learned a little too much about the mayor’s secret gay life. Fat Diary uses a librarian’s diary to introduce readers to a scifi geek, a closeted mayor, and many other interesting characters, in the West Texas town of Acorn.

Visit doorQ for VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 9/17/08. This week, movies and more gay scifi/fantasy reviews. Also, in Part 4 of the comedy Fat Diary, some little old ladies learn a little too much about the mayor’s secret gay life.

Rainbow Reviews has posted a review of my gay-themed novel Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure. Read the review.

Visit doorQ for VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 9/8/08. This week, Supergay, Twilight, J. V. Jones, Click, and Parts 2 and 3 of Fat Diary.

Visit doorQ for VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 9/3/08. This week, vampires, a fantasy artist, fighting cancer, and Part 1 of Fat Diary.

SUPERHEROES.

MovieWeb has posted Comic-Con 2008 footage of Smallville cast members Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan) and Justin Hartley (Oliver Queen/Green Arrow) and the new villains Sam Witwer (Davis Bloome/Doomsday) and Cassidy Freeman (Tess), talking about the new season. MovieWeb had recently posted other Smallville news from Comic-Con: The Legion of Super-Heroes is Coming to Smallville. Also on the Man of Steel front, Variety has posted a Superman Status Update, regarding the long-rumored movie.


I barely saw The Dark Knight in time before reading some major spoilers. Everyone assumes everyone else has seen it. Despite all the hype about the late Heath Ledger’s role as the Joker, I wasn’t at all surprised by his excellent performance. I’ve enjoyed Ledger’s work since seeing him on the short-lived fantasy series Roar. However, I thought the entire cast of TDK fit the roles perfectly, and I look forward to seeing Christian Bale in his next genre film, Terminator Salvation.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 8/12/08

This week, Books, Jake, Star Trek: The Experience.

BOOKS.

The Kindle edition of The Acorn Stories, winner of a Pride in the Arts Award, is currently charting as follows. Those charts update constantly.

#1 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Gay & Lesbian

#2 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Short Stories > Gay

#3 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Anthologies


The rest of the gay fiction top five is dominated by queer-themed scifi, fantasy, or horror.

#2 Second Thoughts: More Queer and Weird Stories by Steve Berman, an author whose works I’ve praised before.

#3 Without Reservations, J. L. Langley’s queer werewolf epic.

#4 IM, Rick R. Reed’s cleverly promoted tale of stolen identity. Reed, a doorQ-er, is passing himself up, with his thriller Deadly Vision at #8.

#5 is a magic-tinged book from Mark Abramson, with a title that might say it all: Beach Reading.

SciFi Wire lists the Hugo Awards. SciFi Wire also talks to fantasy author Patricia Briggs about her werewolf POV novel, Cry Wolf.

JAKE GYLLENHALL.

For beach viewing, try Jake Gyllenhaal is the Shirtless Prince of Persia.

STAR TREK.

I finally caught Star Trek: The Experience! See it before it ends! It’s geeky fun!

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 8/7/08

This week, In The Closet, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate, and Doctor Who.

IN THE CLOSET.

ThisWeekInTexas.Com has posted my review of In The Closet, as well as an updated version of my review of A Four Letter Word. In The Closet is a production of the gay scifi/fantasy/horror site doorQ.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA.

The SciFi Channel has announced plans for another Battlestar Galactica prequel. Edward James Olmos will direct the feature, which takes place just before the mini-series and series, but will air after the series finale in 2009. SciFi had previously announced the prequel pilot Caprica, which takes place much further in the past.

STARGATE.

The new direct-to-DVD movie Stargate Continuum is an exciting romp, filled with nostalgia. It also contains hints about a new villain, suggesting more installments in the movie series. If the sequel prequel sequel The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior can happen, you just never know.

DOCTOR WHO.

The site io9 has posted an Exclusive Interview with Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat. The new show-runner discusses his plans for the series, which won’t return until 2010, except for some specials.

Arizona Sky. Distributed by Guardian Pictures.
Review by Duane Simolke for ThisWeekInTexas.Com.


Jeff London, the writer/director of And Then Came Summer and Regarding Billy, returns with another warm hug of a movie. Like all of London’s films, Arizona Sky relies on dialogue and character development to tell its story. The lack of a large budget never deters London, who keeps sharing quiet but heartfelt tales about gay lives. This new film often feels like a videotaped play, and could easily translate to the stage.



The story starts with an awkward conversation, as teenaged Kyle (Kyle Buckland) and Jake (Blaise Embry) get ready to leave for a camp-out. After they arrive at the camping spot, we soon learn that their innuendoes and uncomfortable glances reflect just what they suggest: that these two best friends are more than just friends. Neither can accept what that means; instead of exploring their feelings, they discuss how their lives will change after one of them makes an impending relocation.


A decade and a half later, Jake (now played by Eric Dean) is unhappy in his life as a Hollywood filmmaker. His new best friend encourages him to figure out what’s missing in his life. Jake knows it involves his home town, and the friend he left behind. They had gone all those years without contact.

The adult Kyle (Jayme McCabe) also has a new best friend. In both cases, “best friend” no longer serves as a shield or euphemism for something more, but those fulfilling friendships provide a counterpoint for the untapped potential of Jake and Kyle’s possible love.

Kyle and Jake slowly explore how they really feel about each other and themselves, providing the conflicts and romance for the remainder of the story. London interjects other characters from Kyle’s life as well. They reveal a man who obviously qualifies as marriage material.


Still, Kyle hurts those loved ones in a way, by not giving them credit for their ability to unconditionally love and understand him. I don’t want to make Arizona Sky sound like an issue-driven movie, though. It mostly offers viewers an old-fashioned romance that simply happens to involve two men.




Patricia Place, Brent King, Bernadette Murray, and Emerson Smith also star in Arizona Sky. Cinematographer Matthew Skala captures the beautiful but sometimes harsh-looking setting of Lake Havasu, Arizona. Mark Krench, the composer for London’s film Regarding Billy, provides a soundtrack with a touch of romance and Western charm.

Gay SciFi for the United Kingdom!

Degranon is gay-themed science fiction. The paperback is currently charting as follows at Amazon U.K.

#18 in Books > Fiction > Gay & Lesbian > Fiction General > Gay

#49 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature

#96 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Adventure


Meanwhile, here in the U.S., The Acorn Stories (West Texas Fiction) is still holding at Number # 1 in Amazon Kindle’s gay fiction chart.

Best-selling gay fiction!

The Acorn Stories (West Texas Fiction) is Number # 1 yet again!

The Kindle edition of The Acorn Stories, winner of a Pride in the Arts Award, is currently charting as follows. Those charts update constantly.

#1 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Gay & Lesbian

#1 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Anthologies

#2 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Short Stories > Gay

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 7/29/08

This week, DVD’s, Green Arrow, and More Genre TV.

DVD’s


Fans of Edge of Seventeen might enjoy The Curiosity of Chance. It uses a safe formula of teen angst plus eighties music but still manages to entertain. Sassy drag queens help too. Tad Hilgenbrinck (American Pie Presents: Band Camp, Lost Boys: The Tribe) charms as Chance. Brett Chukerman of Eating Out 2 also stars in this fun coming out film.


Speaking of Lost Boys: The Tribe, that film and Stargate Continuum both arrived on DVD today. Another direct-to-DVD sequel, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, arrives August 5. I look forward to seeing all three movies—especially Stargate Continuum—and look forward to hearing what other viewers think of them. I can guess now that I’ll love Stargate, but I hope the other two might turn into pleasant surprises.


GREEN ARROW


SciFi Wire has reported an update to rumors about a possible Green Arrow movie: Warner Aiming At Super Max? Meanwhile, on the CW, Justin Hartley will return as Green Arrow in season eight of Smallville. See the fan site JustinHartely.Net for more about the actor’s upcoming appearances.

MORE GENRE TV


The Sword of Truth TV series will begin in November with a two-hour pilot; the series already underwent a name change from Wizard’s First Rule (the name of the first novel in Terry Goodkind’s fantasy series) to Legend of the Seeker.


Eureka returns to the SciFi Channel tonight, and the episode will feature a sneak peak at the new Amanda Tapping/Robin Dunne series Sanctuary. SciFi ordered a full season of Eureka this time. However, as with Battlestar Galactica, much of the season won’t air until early 2009. Friday on SciFi, watch for the 90-minute season finale of Doctor Who, followed by a new episode of Stargate Atlantis.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 7/22/08

This week, Witchblade, Gay DVD’s, Gay Love.

WITCHBLADE

SciFi Wire reports that Michael Rymer will direct Witchblade. The new film version of the comic isn’t related to TNT’s Witchblade TV series. Rymer, a director and producer for Battlestar Galactica, recently completed the SciFi Channel pilot Revolution.

GAY DVD’S

My quick thoughts on some new or recent DVD’s follow. Watch here for a link to my detailed review of In The Closet. Long films, short review—short film, long review; it’s almost like irony.

2 Minutes Later, a new film from Robert Gaston, feels like a pilot for a TV series, though definitely not commercial TV. While this suspense movie only becomes truly suspenseful in a few scenes, it provides plenty of humor and eye candy.

In the Blood, another gay thriller, goes for creepiness, and finds it. This movie relies heavily on atmosphere and violent imagery, crossing into the realm of horror, or supernatural thriller. It involves a gay man who wants to protect his sister from a campus killer. I enjoyed In the Blood, but I probably wouldn’t watch it repeatedly, after learning the plot twists.



Back Soon, a film I mentioned here recently, also involves supernatural elements. Gay-film fave Matthew Montgomery (Socket) plays a man whose life intertwines with a stranger’s life, at a time of change. This is a nice, quiet, love story, with a little bit of action and a lot of heart.

Montgomery also recently appeared in the gay romantic comedy Long-Term Relationship. The comedy doesn’t always work, but the romance definitely makes Long-Term Relationship worth the short-term commitment of watching.

Some upcoming DVD releases: I Dreamt Under the Water, Oh Happy Day, Torchwood: The Complete Second Season, Derek, and Will & Grace: The Complete Series Set.

GAY LOVE

Essays and poems from Holding Me Together continue to garner attention in the blogosphere. Mc Dull and Darby’s blog looks at the meaning of the gay love poem Home.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 7/14/08

This week, Hellboy, Genre Writing, Worried, Judas Kiss.


HELLBOY, MEET BATMAN

According to the Associated Press, Hellboy II: The Golden Army took in about $35.9 million during its first weekend, making it the top movie in a genre-heavy box office. I haven’t seen it yet, but I love the original! Advance reviews for The Dark Knight, however, make it sound like the ultimate summer movie for 2008.


GENRE WRITING

I just read about a new project for writers of gay-themed scifi, fantasy, and horror, Collective Fallout Magazine. That blog includes details and submission guidelines.


WORRIED

I’m currently writing Worried: A Science Fiction Adventure, a stand-alone sequel to my gay-themed novel Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure. A rough draft of Worried Chapter 1 appears at WEbook.


JUDAS KISS

Brent Corrigan has joined the cast of Judas Kiss, an upcoming gay-themed film, directed by his In The Closet co-star J. T. Tepnapa. The site includes production notes, as well as an on-line comic based on the film.



Duane Simolke co-wrote The Acorn Gathering and The Return of Innocence: A Fantasy Adventure.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 7/8/08
This week, scifi TV, YouTube, Kindle, and Star Trek.

SUMMER SCIENCE FICTION TV

Stargate Atlantis begins its fifth season this Friday on SciFi, after Doctor Who. Atlantis ended its fourth season with much of the cast apparently dead. Actually, Amanda Tapping really left as a series regular, because of her role on the upcoming series Sanctuary. But the cliffhanger last season should lead into another exciting season of Atlantis! Hopefully, the rampant cast changes (past, present, and apparently future) won’t hinder the series.

Of course, cast changes also plague Doctor Who. Rose is back but not really in our universe; Jack and Martha keep stopping by then leaving; the Doctor now has a daughter but thinks she’s dead (but he no longer thinks Jack is dead); and it sounds like Donna (Catherine Tate) might soon meet her doom. Somehow, though, the show still remains engaging.

Doctor Who fans might enjoy Catherine Tate’s zany role in the new British import Love and Other Disasters. Brittany Murphy, Matthew Rhys (the gay brother of Brothers and Sisters), and Santiago Carbrera (the prophetic painter of Heroes) also appear in that enjoyable, gay-friendly comedy.

Speaking of Brits, the British scifi series Primeval premieres Saturday, August 9, on BBC America. The show, which I mentioned here before, involves tears in the fabric of time, bringing humans into the past and dinosaurs into the present. I’m still looking forward to seeing it.

Eureka begins its third season on July 29. Cast members say to look for a return to the lighter tone of the first season.


VIDEOS AND E-BOOKS

My video Gay Pride has now surpassed 3000 views at YouTube. Gay Love Poem is currently at 5,762 views.

My Kindle e-books Degranon: A Gay-Themed Science Fiction Adventure and The Acorn Stories both reached the top five in Kindle Gay Fiction this week.

STAR TREK: THE EXPERIENCE

The interactive attraction Star Trek: The Experience will close after September 1. Interactive rides, a museum, a store, Quark’s Bar and Restaurant, and the occasional wedding attracted Trekkies and Trekkers to the Las Vegas Hilton for the past eleven years. Oh well, there’s still that new Star Trek movie coming up.

Hit Gay SciFi!

Degranon: A Gay-Themed Science Fiction Adventure (Kindle Version) is currently charting as follows. Kindle charts update constantly.

#4 in Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Gay & Lesbian
#22 in Kindle Books > Science Fiction > Adventure
#62 in Kindle Books > Fiction > Action & Adventure

In Kindle Gay Fiction, Degranon trails three hot-selling novels:
#1: No Irish Need Apply, by Edward C. Patterson
#2: Michael Tolliver Lives, by Armistead Maupin
#3: Band Fags, by Frank Anthony Polito

Degranon is the first book in the Sons of Taldra, a series of novels about the twin gay sons of a brilliant scientist.

The Acorn Stories is #1 again!

After my earlier post today, the Kindle edition of The Acorn Stories, winner of a Pride in the Arts Award, went up the Amazon charts as follows. Those charts update constantly.

#1 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Gay & Lesbian

#1 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Short Stories > Gay

#3 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Anthologies

The Kindle edition of The Acorn Stories, winner of a Pride in the Arts Award, is currently charting as follows. Those charts update constantly.

#2 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Short Stories > Gay

#5 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Anthologies

#7 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Gay & Lesbian


In the category Gay>Short Stories, the only book passing The Acorn Stories is once again Brokeback Mountain.

Read reviews of The Acorn Stories at Kirkus, Amazon.Com, bn.com (2nd edition reviews), and bn.com (1st edition).

The Acorn Stories, an interconnected collection of West Texas tales, also led to a spin-off, The Acorn Gathering.

Gay Love Video, With Book Link

Gay SciFi Video, With Book Link

Gay Pride Video, With Book Link

The Click List: Ultimate Queer Videos

Passing videos by Culture Club, Scissor Sisters, Queen, George Michael, Mellissa Etheridge, Telling On Trixie, and many other artists, a scifi-themed video topped The Click List: Ultimate Queer Videos, last Sunday night on Logo. The video is of Ari Gold’s song “Where The Music Takes You.”

According to a description with Logo’s online posting of the video, “In the future, Ari Gold rules the world with an iron, club-banging fist. From his new album, Transport Systems, Ari's got the masses shaking their animated booties.” Visit The Click List: Ultimate Queer Videos to see all the videos, which Logo fans chose.

Science Fiction for Gay Readers.

The Stargate site Gateworld has posted the tribute Don S. Davis: 1942-2008. The article, which chronicles the actor’s career, reveals that Davis had left his weekly role of General Hammond on Stargate SG-1 because of health problems. Davis passed away June 29, 2008.

It took the impressive Beau Bridges to create a character who could fill the void Davis left on SG-1. Still, Stargate fans will always remember General Hammond and the actor who played him. Davis was 65. One of his final performances will appear in the movie Stargate Continuum.

Gateworld also includes an interesting teaser, Wright: Stargate Universe news may be close. Stargate Universe, if it happens, would become the third live action Stargate TV series.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 6/27/08

This week, site suggestions, book suggestions, a gay comedy, and some boy from Hell.

A friend just introduced me to the site Good Reads; it helps you find and suggest books. Find links to some similar pages—and numerous gay sites—via my Link Trades page.

I loved the book Weird Texas! I just started reading Weird U.S., and it has some good stories so far. The concept is simple: combine first-person reports of local folklore and urban legends with road-trip investigations. It should appeal to fans of the TV show Supernatural.


SciFi Wire includes an interview with Hellboy 2’s Doug Jones. That sequel looks it might be even more fun than the original.

The gay comedy A Four Letter Word arrives on DVD, August 14. It stars actor/OUT columnist Jesse Archer and Dante's Cove hunk Charlie David. (As opposed to all the ugly people on Dante’s Cove.) Read my review at ThisWeekInTexas.Com.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 6/18/08

Star Trek star George Takei has posted photographs and details about his engagement to long-time partner Brad Altman. They have been partners for over 21 years. In a blog entry, Takei writes that “As a Japanese American, I am keenly mindful of the subtle and not so subtle discrimination that the law can impose. During World War II, I grew up imprisoned behind the barbed wire fences of U.S. internment camps.”

In my novel Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure, gay marriage is a non-issue, and racism is a distant but painful memory. Unfortunately, people now face discrimination for their weight, as well as for their religious and political views. In science fiction, like in reality, we always need to struggle against prejudice.


Some news about scifi TV follows.

In a video at the ABC Family Kyle XY page, the narrator simply gives 2009 as the return date. The same page says “ALL NEW SEASON coming soon!” Soon?

Fox has posted a Fringe page. At this point, the page only shows strange images from the upcoming Joshua Jackson series.

SciFi.Com has posted new details about the syndicated series based on Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth novels: Wizard's Gets Show Runner.

SciFi.Com also posted Battlestar Galactica clarifications; the clarifications might cause more confusion. We’ll see what the future holds; if the rest of the season proves anywhere near as good as that midseason finale, viewers should stay tuned.

More Gay Love and Marriage Buzz.

Norway Passes Law Approving Gay Marriage

California gay couples rush to wed as vote looms

George Takei Celebrity Interview Supporting California Same-Sex Marriage

Opinions and More: The California gay-marriage decision - more comment.

Gay Marriage Would Increase CA Spending

Scenes from a Gay Marriage


Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure

This revised version of Duane Simolke's science fiction adventure Degranon features more gay characters and a sharper focus on diversity themes. On the planet Valchondria, no illness exists, gay marriage is legal, and everyone is a person of color. However, a group called "the Maintainers" carefully monitors everyone's speech, actions, and weight; the Maintainers also force so-called "colorsighted" people to hide their ability to see in color.

The brilliant scientist Taldra loves her twin gay sons and thinks of them as the hope for Valchondria's future.

Some Gay Marriage Buzz, During the Big Day in California.

1st California Gay Marriage License Issued Today

California Same Sex Marriage: Guide to Getting Married in California

California Gay Marriage Blog

Couple Marks California's First Same-Sex Marriage

Deanna’s Ramblings: Same-Sex Marriage Begins Today

Bil Browing: Looking for that Day to Arrive

Dear Sugar: Same-Sex Love Stories

Marriage Equality Is Golden

Let Them Wed

The CNN Wire: First same-sex weddings to take place Monday in California

BBC News: California Gay Couples Set to Wed

Gay Love Poem

Holding Me Together



BTW, this is blog entry #350 for Acorn Universes.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 6/12/08

About.Com has posted 2008 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Parade Dates.

My video Gay Pride has received 2,595 views at YouTube. "Editing" is a poem about past and present homophobia. This video contrasts the dark imagery of "Editing" with colorful, positive pictures from Toronto Gay Pride, showing a refusal to let fear, violence, or hatred silence us. "Editing" appears in my book Holding Me Together, which also includes the essay "Reactions to Homophobia" and the gay love poem "Home."

My other videos follow: The Return of Innocence: A Fantasy Adventure, Fight Cancer, Texas Fiction, Gay Science Fiction, and Gay Love Poem.

Watch here for news about a new movie (and a new Web site) from Jeff London, director of And Then Came Summer, Regarding Billy, and the gay horror flick When Darkness Falls.

Mania has posted a new Babylon A.D. trailer. Vin Diesel stars in the French production, based on a popular science fiction novel of the same name. Mania also posted a Mirrors teaser trailer; that horror film stars Kiefer Sutherland.

Gay DVD: New Releases


ThisWeekInTexas.Com has posted my review of NOT | GAY. Frameline offers a new DVD compilation, described as “four short films exploring the joys and frustrations of gay/straight friendships.”


The new DVD Back Soon is a gay love story with a supernatural twist. And speaking of supernatural and twisted, Dante's Cove: The Complete Third Season just arrived. For another gay love story, Brad Rowe returns in Shelter.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 6/5/08

SciFi.Com has posted an interview with Robert Wertheimer, executive producer of Charlie Jade. That dimension-spanning series comes to SciFi this Friday.

The direct-to-DVD sequel Starship Troopers 3: Marauder arrives August 5. That site includes details, news, and images. The trailer looks promising, and didn’t give me eye-strain—unlike the poorly lit ST2.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete First Season arrives on DVD August 19, while Smallville: The Complete Seventh Season drops September 9; of course, both shows will return to TV in the fall.

Queer Writers, a resource for LGBT readers and authors, has relocated. Previous members need to rejoin.

Degranon nearing a sequel; The Acorn Stories nearing 10th anniversary

Watch for a sequel to Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure. I'm working on it now, but it could take quite a while. Some excerpts from reviews of Degranon appear below.

“A must read.” –Joe Wright, for StoneWall Society

“It's a very good story.” –HomoMojo

“In Degranon, author Duane Simolke establishes his voice in gay genre writing.” –X-Factor

“A reminder of the danger of fanaticism.” –Mark Kendrick, author of Stealing Some Time

“A fascinating scifi excursion.” –Ronald L. Donaghe, author of Cinátis

“DEGRANON is sci-fi that warrants the attention of any serious aficionado, gay or straight, fascinated by alien worlds that mirror our own world.” –William Maltese, author of Beyond Machu

2009 will mark the 10th anniversary of when my first book, The Acorn Stories, first went into print. The ebook release reached its 10th anniversary this year.

“A lush tangle of small-town life branches out in this engrossing collection of short stories.” –Kirkus Discoveries

“The ability to depict such a wide cross section of humanity, including details of each character’s breadth of knowledge and experience, takes a talented, insightful author, and Duane Simolke is such a writer.” –E. Conley, Betty’s Books

“If you liked WINESBURG, OHIO…rejoice.” –Watchword

“By the time you have finished reading these tales of the people who inhabit the fictitious town of Acorn, Texas, population 21,001, you will have met some endearing as well as irritating characters, from the Mayor to the local would-be gigolo; from the busy-bodies to the business owners; from those who grew up in Acorn and have tried to escape the small town to those who have moved to Acorn to escape from the real world.” –Ronald L. Donaghe, author of Uncle Sean

“A well-crafted collection of short stories.” –L. L. Lee, author of Taxing Tallula

“It was a real pleasure to read about the fictional town of Acorn, Texas.” –Mark Kendrick, author of Desert Sons

“There are people that you like, some that you can't wait to see if they get theirs.” –Joe Wright, StoneWall Society

“Each of Simolke's stories lets us look into the lives of some of the most interesting characters I have ever read about.” –Amos Lassen, Literary Pride

“When you finish, when you put the book aside, Acorn will still be with you.” –E. Carter Jones, author of Absence of Faith

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 5/29/08.

This week, Charlie Jade and gay films.

Charlie Jade, a Canadian and South African co-production, will become part of the SciFi Channel’s SciFi Friday line-up on June 6. From what I’ve read, this popular series is a gritty murder mystery that crosses dimensions. View the Charlie Jade trailer at YouTube.


My review of the DVD Not | Gay will appear soon at the gay site ThisWeekInTexas.Com.


Frameline Films released that short film collection, distributed by Strand Releasing Home Video. Besides bringing gay films to viewers at home, Frameline also organizes an annual film festival. Frameline32: San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival will run June 19-29, 2008. Besides screening various gay classics, the festival will also introduce audiences to many new films. This year’s program includes the following, and much more.


In Breakfast With Scot, two uptight gay man adopt a flamboyant boy. In Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild, characters from the outrageous comedy Another Gay Movie decide on a new contest. The documentary Be Like Others introduces viewers to the transsexual community in Iran, while Call Me Troy reintroduces us to Metropolitan Community Church founder Troy Perry. Tilda Swinton stars in and produced Derek, a doc about filmmaker Derek Jarman. The Gay Bed and Breakfast of Terror spoofs horror movies and the ex-gay movement. The short film Just Me? involves a young lesbian’s discovery that that she might not be the only pink sheep of the family.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 5/22/08

This week, Stargate Atlantis, War Games, Marvel, Prince Caspian, In The Closet.

According to GateWorld, Stargate Atlantis will begin Season Five on Friday, July 11. That site also includes details about the new season, and the new SG1 movie, Stargate Continuum.

Wednesday, May 28, is my forty-third birthday. Of course, all I want for my birthday is for more people to order Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure or The Acorn Stories. That sounds reasonable.

And speaking of things that have been around for a while, July 29 brings us War Games (25th Anniversary Edition) and the new direct-to-DVD sequel War Games: The Dead Code. It could feel like 1983 again, if only I heard Duran Duran playing on the radio. Oh, wait.

For something younger, yet older, Ben Barnes Goes from Prince Caspian to Dorian Gray.

Marvel Studios, oh so giddy over its Iron Man money machine, announced details of upcoming comic book films, and a bit of trivia about a Captain America allusion in the Iron Man movie. The Iron Man movie lives up to its hype, by the way, but will The Incredible Hulk?

Publicity photos are now online for the gay-themed short horror film In The Closet. Pictures include a behind-the-scenes look, as well as an album with stars J.T. Tepnapa (Star Trek: Phase II) and Brent Corrigan (Another Gay Sequel).



Photo: Brent Corrigan of In The Closet

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 5/15/08

Watch for a TV season heavy in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Details about some of the networks’ plans for 2008/2009 follow.

Fox

CBS

ABC

The CW

NBC

SciFi Channel, as usual, won’t wait until the fall for new scripted programming. While the current Friday night line-up will continue for a while, viewers can also look forward to a third season of the quirky hit Eureka on July 29.

For fans of gay-themed shows or movies, Logo will offer Sordid Lives: The Series, starting July 23. The movie Sordid Lives continues to grow as a cult classic. Here in West Texas, many viewers cringe while they laugh, because some of the characters in that comedy remind us of people we know!

And for fans of TV shows that became movies:

The cover of Stargate Continuum, the second direct-to-DVD feature.

Here TV will premiere Kiss Me Deadly, a gay thriller starring Queer As Folk’s Robert Gant, on May 2. Directed by Ron Oliver (Third Man Out and Shock to the System), this original film also stars Shannen Doherty and John Rhys-Davies.

A&E Television is offering an exciting original as well, a miniseries of The Andromeda Strain. The cast includes Benjamin Bratt, Andre Braugher, Ricky Schroder, Christa Miller, Lost’s Daniel Dae Kim, and Will & Grace’s Eric McCormack.

io9 has posted a Complete Guide to Science Fiction Season.

The Acorn Stories is #1!

The eBook The Acorn Stories (Acorn, Texas) is currently #1 in Kindle’s Gay Fiction chart. Kindle’s charts update hourly.

The eBook The Return of Innocence: A Fantasy Adventure is currently #11 in Kindle’s Gay Fiction chart. Kindle’s charts update hourly.

VIEWS FROM THE ACORN UNIVERSE, 4/28/08

Welcome back to the Acorn Universe!

And speaking of welcome back, Moonlight and Supernatural both return from a strike-induced hiatus this week, with new thrills.

Two trailers for summer scifi follow: Stargate Continuum and Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D.

Though demonic superhero Hellboy won’t return to the screen for Hellboy II: The Golden Army until July 11, the film’s director is already weighing in on a third installment to the comic book adaptation. Del Toro: Hellboy III Would Be It. With plans for the Justice League movie and the X-Men spin-offs, it shouldn’t surprise comic fans to learn of a possible Avengers movie: Hulk Sets Up Avengers.

Socket has received a lot of gay media coverage lately. It’s a fun scifi/horror flick with gay characters.

Turning to pages, Blind Fall, the new thriller by Christopher Rice, doesn’t include supernatural elements, but it explores tensions between the military and the gay community in San Diego. It’s actually the first novel I’ve read by Christopher Rice, and definitely worth putting on your to-read list.


(Duane Simolke wrote Holding Me Together.)

Acorn Universes, Assorted News, 4/17/08


Stargate Continuum, the second Stargate SG-1 DVD movie, arrives on DVD July 29, 2008. If it’s anywhere near as good as Stargate: The Ark of Truth, I’ll probably love it!

And speaking of TV series becoming movie series, the second X-Files movie is titled The X-Files: I Want to Believe, in homage to the poster in Fox Mulder’s office.

Author Mark Kendrick is wrapping up work on his next gay-themed scifi novel, The Rylerran Gateway. He plans to release it in August 2008. I interviewed Mark in 2002, for StoneWall Society. Visit that site to read the interview. He talked back then about plans for gay sf novels, back before the publication of his gay time travel romance, Stealing Some Time.

Acorn Universes, Assorted News, 4/10/08

May 17 is the Day Without Homophobia! Find more resources on my Reactions to Homophobia page.

Arnold Vosloo and Steve Bacic, two actors familiar to scifi fans, star in the SciFi Channel’s original movie Odysseus: Voyage to the Underworld. It premieres April 12.

Yes, it died twice, but that never means the absolute end, at least not in science fiction. Jericho Seeks Home on Comcast.

Oh, and if none of that sounds interesting, then…Radcliffe to Make B'way Debut in Fall. An earlier story, about the London production, follows: Photo Flash: Daniel Radcliffe Stars in West End's EQUUS. It’s a disturbing play, but I’ve never seen it with Radcliffe.

To read about movies, please visit my DVD review section at the gay site ThisWeekInTexas.

Duane Simolke, author of Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure.

Ex-Ex-Gays Web Site

Truth Wins Out is a newly launched multi-media web site that exposes the ex-gay movement and its backers. It includes blogs, news, personal stories, videos, and a variety of other resources. While they try to sound harmless and helpful, ex-gay groups actually tear apart families and teach people to hate themselves. Please visit the site.

My book Holding Me Together often focuses on the ex-gay movement. A supposedly ex-gay character appears in The Acorn Stories and The Acorn Gathering.

Scifi, Fantasy, and Mainstream Fiction, Book News

For a limited time (at this writing), paperback editions of The Return of Innocence: A Fantasy Adventure, The Acorn Stories, and The Acorn Gathering: Writers Uniting Against Cancer are available at special low prices, along with the hardcover edition of Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure: Kindle Edition.

Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure: Kindle Edition is currently charting as follows in Kindle:

#4 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Gay & Lesbian

#13 in Kindle Store > Books > Science Fiction > Adventure

#32 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Action & Adventure

Kindle charts update hourly.

New or Upcoming Gay DVDs.

The twentieth anniversary of Tongues Untied finally brings the controversial film to DVD, with updated bonus material. Marlon T. Riggs captures performances of poetry and music to explore the lives of black gay men. Read my DVD review at ThisWeekInTexas.Com.

Watch for my review of NOT | GAY.


More upcoming gay DVDs: Shelter, The DL Chronicles: The Complete First Season, Dante's Cove: The Complete Third Season, In the Blood, Back Soon, You Belong to Me.

Duane Simolke, author of Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure.

eBooks Charting, 3/19/08

In Amazon Kindle’s Gay Fiction Chart, and its Genre Anthology Chart, The Acorn Stories: Kindle Edition is currently #1! It’s also the #2 book for gay short stories in general, not just Kindle eBooks. Brokeback Mountain is passing it up there as #1.

Acorn isn’t one of my scifi/fantasy books, but the eBook of Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure has also been charting recently. Sf/f/h in the Kindle Gay Fiction Top 10 follows:
Without Reservations (by J. L. Langley), #4.
Eternal Darkness (by Rob Knight), #5.
Vintage: A Ghost Story (by Steve Berman), #6.
Falling, #7.
IM (by Rick R. Reed), #9.

(Amazon’s charts update hourly.)

Amazon Kindle E-Books: SF/H in Gay Fiction Top 5 on 3/9/08.

Toby Johnson’s gay scifi novel Secret Matter is currently #1 and my book Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure is currently #2, in Amazon Kindle’s Gay Fiction chart. The werewolf novel Without Reservations (by J. L. Langley) is currently #5.

I originally mentioned the premiere of New Amsterdam repeating tonight. Actually, it's a new episode, Golden Boy! I enjoyed the premiere, and look forward to getting to know the main characters better.

From SciFi Wire: Amsterdam Has Strong Debut. That article includes sad news about ratings for Jericho.

Also from SciFi Wire: Amsterdam Lives to Die.

Duane Simolke, author of Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure.

Heartbroken? Involved with someone who only calls you when no one else is available? Feeling kicked around like a scifi series on the Fox network? John Amsterdam knows how you feel.

The delayed, delayed, probably shelved, and now heavily promoted scifi series New Amsterdam premieres on Fox tonight, repeating Thursday night, and then moving to Monday night. The main character (played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) looks good for a four-hundred-year-old cop, and seems to have acquired a clever sense of humor during his extended tenure.

Knowing how Fox treats scifi, they might keep moving this show around, and then cancel it quicker than you can say “Firefly,” but they’re short on scripted programming, so it might stand a chance. It looks interesting; visit the New Amsterdam site for photos and video clips.

And speaking of cancelled scifi series, resurrected fan favorite Jericho runs right after New Amsterdam tonight, over on CBS.

—Duane Simolke, author of Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure.