Happy Belated Mother’s Day and Happy Monday! Well, it’s a semi-happy Monday for me. I woke up this morning, so that’s always a great thing, but unfortunately, I woke up thanks to an unruly uterus. Overshare much? Maybe, but cramps are THEWORST. My morning was spent curled up on my couch in a fetal position. 😒
Despite a bodacious drum solo playing on my insides, I didn’t let those pesky cramps stop me from writing this morning during my 4 am sprint, and I sure as heck wouldn’t let em stop me from getting this blog post up. But on the bright side, RT begins this week! I’ll be stalking many author friends social media accounts! TAKEALLTHEPICS, PLEASE! I sat out Reno this year but next year… New Orleans, I will be in you!
Soooo… what am I digging this week?
Into the Badlands
*whispers* Lewis appears at the start of the clip, but you also see his fight sequence ramp up at 1:31
I have a celebrity crush. Okay, to be fair I have a lot of celebrity crushes. A LOT. But my latest crush? Lewis Tan. I follow him on Instagram and Twitter, and I even got a couple of likes and a response to one of my comments. WOOO! I AMWINNING! When Lewis announced he was joining the cast of Into the Badlands, I decided to watch the show. ITHASEVERYTHING: A GREATSTORYLINE, ANEPICANDFORBIDDENROMANCE, AWESOMEVILLAINS, AMAZINGCOSTUMES, ANDYUMMYEYECANDY.
Peeps, it was the BESTDECISIONEVER. I cried at the end of Season Two. Like openly wept. Into the Badlands has to be one of the most inclusive shows on TV right now, ANDTHEFIGHTSCENESAREEPIC. Trust me on this. Binge the show on Netflix. The first season has six episodes, the second season has ten episodes, and the current season (Season Three) is now airing on AMC. Lewis’s character, Gaius Chau is about to light it up! I’m really anxious to see how everything plays out. I don’t want to give too many spoilers, but I certainly want you to watch the show. Doooo eeeeet!
Seven Seconds
Netflix knows me. Like really really really well. We’re BFF’s. I think we’ve only had one disagreement when it came to a suggestion recommended for me. I hated Dr. Strange, but I needed to watch it, and Netflix knew that. I would have missed an intricate part of the Avengers: Infinity War had I not viewed the film. THANKS, NETFLIXFORBEINGSOPUSHY! Anyway, Seven Seconds was another suggestion offered. To be fair, I’ve had enough to deal with in regards to police shootings involving unarmed black men and boys in the news, and my initial thought was HARDPASS, Netflix. But I have a rule: Give a TV show one episode. If I can make it past the first episode and I want to know more about the characters and their journey, then the show deserves a fair shot. I do the same litmus test for books. If I’m not hooked by the first chapter, I bow out.
Glad I stuck with it. Seven Seconds was some of what I expected but a lot of what I did not. It was gut-wrenching and at times very infuriating, but it made for fantastic television. I should have known with Regina King cast in a prominent role it was going to be worthwhile. The show also spotlights Jersey City, NJ. It’s the city on the other side of the Holland Tunnel you drive through to get to I-95 South. It was interesting to see how they tackled a smaller police force in NYC’s backyard. I enjoyed it, and I recommend you watch it.
I’m Diggin’ the Following Articles:
I’m only digging this because I don’t know if I fully grasp the fascination. It’s odd yet alluring. Peeps, fish sex is a thing, and I cannot deal. Listen, this is part of the reason I still haven’t watched the Shape of Water. ITINVOLVES A MANWHOIS A FISH. We’re not talking hot merman here… 😕
The story behind Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’. Of course, I had to include a video clip for your viewing pleasure. Steve Perry’s hair is glorious.
Happy Monday! I’m celebrating another sunny spring day in the Big Apple. I’ve also been dragging my arse since my 4 am wake-up time, but hopefully, a mid-afternoon cup of coffee will help. I’ve followed today’s featured author on Twitter for some time, and I was curious to learn a bit about her so I asked if she’d be interested in being interviewed for the blog and here we are! Without further ado, take it away Christa!
I always find author interviews kind of boring. We only get to see one side of an author, the polite side. If you had an evil doppelganger, what detail would they enjoy revealing about you to the public that people would find surprising and possibly questionable?
Oh, my goodness. I’m so boring that it took me forever to think of an answer for this! I guess I’ll go with the fact that I’m not the biggest fan of sex. That’s weird, because I’m an erotic romance author, right? But it’s true. I don’t know if that makes me Ace or Demi or whatever, I just know for the most part, I’d rather not. I do love writing steamy and emotional scenes. But it always makes me laugh when someone asks if I’ve experienced the things I write about (wink-wink, nudge-nudge) because no. Not at all.
Are there any laws or social rules that completely baffle you?
This is a great question and, I was just thinking of this recently! Honestly, the fact that sex work is illegal is so odd to me. I often think this when I come across sex work talk on Twitter. I understand the history of controlling (mostly) women’s bodies and the repressive views western culture has towards sex. But it’s just so ridiculous. It’s a job. As long as the person is an adult and doing the work of their own free will and using safe practices, I don’t see what the problem is.
What are you freakishly good at?
Figuring out what words mean. I’ve never studied how to break down words or learned the Latin origins etc. But I’m still really good at hearing or looking at an obscure word I’ve never come across before and immediately knowing what it means.
In elementary school, who was your most interesting teacher?
My first-grade teacher, Mrs. Cheryl Burbage. She was awesome in so many ways. She wore turtle necks and had big glasses and brought in masks and instruments on loan from her African friends. And she encouraged me to read a lot, even more than I already did, and put books by African American authors in my path. She was also the first person to encourage me to become a writer.
If someone were to dive into the M/M Romance subgenre for the first time, what book would you recommend they read?
I’m going to rec one of mine, partly because it fits but also because I always blank when it comes to recommendations. I’d say try Bad Boys Need Love Too: Nate. It’s short, so the reader won’t have to spend too much time before they decide if they like it or not. It’s sweet and sexy, so you get a little taste of each. And it’s diverse, with a biracial (black and white) hero. Best to start off reading the genre on a nice, inclusive note. 😉
What movie or television show always makes you laugh no matter how often you watch it?
There are so many! My favorites are probably things that weren’t meant to be funny, but my family and I watched it, somehow found humor there and made a thousand inside jokes about it. But to answer the question, I’ll say Modern Family. That show always has me screaming with laughter. The actors are amazing, and the writing is perfect.
What’s something that everyone, absolutely everyone, in the entire world can agree on?
Uh… that Everybody Hates Chris? Haha! I’m not sure actually. Maybe that naps are the bomb and, we should all take guilt-free naps when necessary.
What about the opposite sex confuses you the most?
That they don’t understand how annoying it is when they ‘well, actually’ or take over a conversation in general. Such a turn-off.
How do you feel about putting pineapple on pizza?
Love it! Especially with black olives and Italian sausage. That’s my go-to order of toppings.
My face reading Christa’s answer: 😐
If you were given a one-minute ad slot during the Super Bowl and you couldn’t sell your books, what would you fill it with?
An ad for women’s roller derby! I played in the league in Houston and I love the sport. It would be awesome for it to get that national exposure so more people can get involved.
**Bonus Question**
Ever tried BDSM? If not, would you?
I’ve never tried it. But I did go to a play party for research purposes when I was writing my first published book. It was very interesting and there were so many nice people who reached out to welcome me and help with information.
Bio:
Christa Tomlinson is an exciting up and coming author in erotic romance. Her first self-published novel, The Sergeant, was an Amazon Best Seller for Gay and Lesbian Erotica for seven weeks straight.
Christa graduated from The University of Missouri-St. Louis with a degree in history. She loves to create stories that are emotional and lovely with sex that is integral to the characters’ romantic arc. Christa lives in Houston, Texas with her two dogs, and is a retired roller derby player.
Happy Monday! Can you believe we’ve already blown past April? Where the heck did the time go?! My post is a little late today because I’m still recovering from the weekend. I attended the New England Chapter of the Romance Writers of America’s conference in Burlington, Massachusetts. I drove up north with some of my New York City RWA chapter mates. Who doesn’t love a good road trip? Even though we got back to the city last night, today, I had the day off from work and my intention was to get some writing done, but after not getting anything done for three days I had to play catch up with a laundry list of author responsibilities.
I’ve been following Pigeons & Planes on Twitter for some time now, and I have to say this tweet thread made me laugh so damn hard! It’s a pretty genius idea.
Speaking of Kanye West if you’ve been living in a social media blackhole allow me to get you up to speed. Last week he posted a picture of himself wearing one of those red hats 45 supporters love. You know the ones. The slogan boldly displayed across the front challenges us to return America to its former glory days when oppression was super in vogue and I’d be considered 3/5 of a human being. YAY! 😑
The result of Kanye posting the photo? He lost 9.2 million Twitter followers in about ten minutes. That may not seem like a lot to some people since he has more followers than you and I will ever see in our lifetimes, but woo boy, I had a good cackle. Look, I had a fondness for Kanye and his music before 2011, but he’s lost all credibility since. It’s hard to let go when you adore someone’s artistry, but imo problematic people shouldn’t be rewarded which is why I stopped spending money on Kanye years ago. Nonetheless, his Twitter foolishness makes for an entertaining feed when the hot takes happen.
Speakeasy
My DVR is about 80% full, and last week I decided it was time to free up some space. I watch a LOT of PBS. A LOT. Documentaries and music specials are my jam! I recorded an episode of Speakeasy back in November in which Jimmie Vaughan (badass guitar player and older brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan) interviewed Gary Clark Jr. They lit up the stage, and it’s pretty amazing. Watch for yourself.
The Paris Review Interviews: Vol 2
I purchased this book used about a week ago. I am in love with the Paris Review! Writing is haaaard, you guys. I whine about this a lot because some people think it’s simple. NOOOOOPE. Not so. At times, it can be easy to forget why I do this but reading interviews by some of my favorite authors (James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Gabriel García Márquez, Stephen King) has renewed my desire to tell stories as only I can. I think every author goes through periods of, “WTFAM I DOINGWITHMYLIFE?” My latest period of self-deprecation has only lit a fire. If I’m going to stick to my production calendar, I will have to find creative ways to keep my eye on the prize. These interviews certainly helped. When the going gets tough, look to the ones who’ve come before you and paved the way. No one has it easy. If you want to succeed, you’ve got to put in the work.
Trust me… I AMWORKING.
And that’s about it for this week. Kinda. I had two more things I wanted to share, but if I’m going to check off a few more things on my to-do list before I head to bed, I’d better end the post here.
