Special announcement about Texas book for the new year!

“Amazing and hard to put down.” –Kimmie Sue’s Book Review and More. #TexasHumor eBook The Acorn Stories 50% off with coupon code BNPACORN50, 1/4/20-1/31/20. #TexasBooks #LubbockAuthors #TexasAuthors

HALLELUJAH - A Circus/Queer Film [Gay Love, Hate & Religion.]

A film by Matthew Richardson, @circusspinner. I've watched more of his films on YouTube, and they feature amazing dancers exploring themes that affect the queer community. This one also features a powerful cover of Leonard Cohen's classic. Click through the video to watch it on YouTube and read Matthew's comments.

Please also visit Reactions to Homophobia, here at this blog.

Gay SciFi Special Opportunity

Readers can save 30% off the eBook Sons of Taldra: A Science Fiction Adventure at Smashwords until Jan. 8, 2020, using the coupon code DQ23C. That novel features a diverse cast in an alternate reality, protecting the human home world from alien shapeshifters.

#QueerSciFi #LGBTQbooks #WeWantDiverseBooks #SciFiTrailer

Now That We're Grown: Gay Romance: Teaser 3

Now That We're Grown will begin appearing on Wattpad shortly after June 4, 2020.

Featured Site: Queer In Color

The Queer In Color site includes a variety of books, broken down by genres and sub-genres. Those works share a common thread: queer characters of color. The blog there features interviews and seeks to bring more attention to those characters and/or authors of color. There and in the About Us section, we also learn about the dedicated team and their reasons for creating Queer In Color.

I found the entire site both easy to navigate and a good resource for authors and readers. The webmasters generously included my diversity-themed scifi novels Degranon and Sons of Taldra on the page Science Fiction/Fantasy/Paranormal Fiction, putting my work in the good company of many talented writers.

Readers can sign up at Queer In Color for an email newsletter to read about new releases, free books, and more. The Twitter account Queer In Color also includes updates.

More AllAuthor Magic Tool Images

More images made with the AllAuthor Magic Tool.

New Book Promotion Tool from AllAuthor: #MagicTool #AllAuthor #MagicToolForAuthor

I agreed to beta-test the AllAuthor Magic Tool for Author and created some great imagery to promote my books. It was just a matter of clicking on the book covers then clicking on the template I wanted to use.

Some follow below and in the next blog post.

Now That We're Grown: Teaser 2

Four years ago, Gavin Hernandez endured cyberbullying after posing for photographs in his wheelchair. Now he’s helping wounded veterans design a park and gym for people with disabilities. The friend who took those pictures is now his boyfriend.

Now That We're Grown will begin appearing on Wattpad shortly after June 4, 2020.

Now That We're Grown: Teaser 1 of 3

Gavin Hernandez and Peter Montoya meet before high school. Gavin admires how Peter never complains about being gay or using a wheelchair. During their senior year, Gavin takes profile pictures of Peter in that chair, but the gesture of good will leads to online bullying and a painful final stretch of school. Best friends slowly drift apart.

After college, they reunite in Dallas as more than friends. Gavin now designs facilities for people with physical challenges. Peter finds a job to match his business degree. The past might destroy their relationship, or their love might change their lives.

Now That We're Grown will begin appearing on Wattpad shortly after June 4, 2020.

Texas Humor

...no teenagers within a forty-mile radius of Acorn could get drunk, stoned, beat up, arrested, or pregnant without their parents asking, “You’ve been hanging around with that Jacobs boy, haven’t you?”

from The Acorn Stories.

QueerRomance Ink

Visit me at QueerRomance Ink, where you'll find many other queer books and even details on free books.

Kadie Elder, Cher, Elton John, RuPaul, Angel Gonzalez, and Lady Gaga

Singers or their songs mentioned in the short story Now That We’re Grown: Kadie Elder, Cher, Elton John, RuPaul, Angel Gonzalez, and Lady Gaga. In the story, a gay teen endures bullying over pictures his friend took of him in his wheelchair. After college, the two reunite and face the past. #MMromance #GayRomance #GayDisabled

Now That We're Grown. Gay Romance.

Now That We're Grown will begin appearing on Wattpad shortly after June 4, 2020.

Kayla's Reads and Reviews: The Return of Innocence by Duane Simolke with Toni Davis

Kayla's Reads and Reviews: The Return of Innocence by Duane Simolke: Synopsis: Though born to a noble maternal lineage, Sasha Varov lives in exile on a dangerous island. Her family faces constant threats...

Thom Allison Hints at Pree Suprises During the Final Season of Killjoys

After Thom Allison retweeted a message that we'll soon get a season premiere date for the science fiction series Killjoys, I tweeted "More Pree, please." Thom retweeted me with an interesting reply: "Our fans are going to get a Pree they didn’t see coming!!!!" Thom plays a complex character. Like many of the cast members, Pree has changed a lot over the years. We first meet him as a bartender: tough, gay, and hilarious. We later learn he's a warrior with an enigmatic past.

I'll post the season five premiere date when I see one. Killjoys runs on Space and SyFy. Also look for it on DVD or Netflix.

Our fans are going to get a Pree they didn’t see coming!!!! #Killjoys https://t.co/2ddtZURmib

— Thom Allison (@thomallison) May 24, 2019

People Using Those Leviticus Passages and Other Bible Verses to Bash Gays

From https://twitter.com/LGBTPlusProud:

Are you against gay marriage because of the bible? A hilarious flow chart. pic.twitter.com/TAXvaEPU7j

— 🏳️‍🌈LGBTPlusProud - Be proud 🏳️‍🌈 (@LGBTPlusProud) May 22, 2019

Writing A Novel: Cutting, Keeping

I created Captain Laaron and his ship The Equestar for my #SciFi novel Degranon but cut them because they didn’t fit the storylines. They played an integral part in the sequel Sons of Taldra, about thirty years later. Glad I kept them. #Creativity #DiverseReads #WritingLife #Gay

Gay SciFi/QueerSciFi at WattPad

Use for hashtags or searches:

gaysciencefiction

gayscifi

lgbtq

ownvoices

projectprism

queerreads

queerscifi

wattpride

wewantdiversebooks

And read the opening chapter from Sons of Taldra:

#GayRomance at Wattpad. #WattPride

Now That We’re Grown: A Gay Romance Short Story

Gavin Hernandez and Peter Montoya meet before high school. Gavin admires how Peter never complains about being gay or using a wheelchair. During their senior year, Gavin takes profile pictures of Peter in that chair, but the gesture of good will leads to online bullying and a painful final stretch of school. Best friends slowly drift apart.

After college, they reunite in Dallas as more than friends. Gavin now designs facilities for people with physical challenges. Peter looks for a job to match his business administration degree. The past might destroy their relationship, or their love might change their lives.

Contains bullying, threats, mild violence, and sexual references.

This gay romance short story will be available as an eBook in late 2019. I’m still revising it from the version that appeared online in 2018. Read a new draft of Part 1 at Wattpad.

Excerpt from gay scifi adventure

In this excerpt from Sons of Taldra, Telius barely survived an attack from an alien shapeshifter. His family and his boyfriend visit him in the hospital.

More About Why Taldra’s Family is Iroquois

I updated my blog entry Why Taldra’s Family is Iroquois, adding a teaser about my next science fiction adventure.

Who is your favorite character from my books?

Did you relate to the character, or just find the character entertaining in some way? Which would you like to see again? Please post your answer(s) on twitter and include the tag @DuaneSimolke. Visit my twitter profile.

Other people's insecurities...

A quote from Reactions to Homophobia. #NoH8 #QueerReads #LGBTQ #Pride

Queer Reading

BookBlogger reviews fantasy adventure with strong female lead: "YA fantasy needs more heroines like her."

At the book blog Kayla's Reads and Reviews, Kayla Eklund reviews The Return of Innocence: A Fantasy Adventure. An excerpt follows.

"I loved Sasha. She was a fierce woman who took no crap from anyone and knew what she wanted. She wouldn't let anyone stop her, or get in her way. I think YA fantasy needs more heroines like her."

Read more.