Richard LabontéRezensionen

Kind of put off by the fact that two of the first three essays are by a cis woman who only dates queer men and calls herself a "queer heterosexual" (it's not like queer is a reclaimed slur or anything, nooo) and a cis woman who only dates trans and gender variant people and casually throws around a lot of slurs. I'm sticking this out for Ivan E. Coyote, but I'm not as excited about it as I was. :/

ETA: Okay, it turns out that those two essays were the most iffy in the book. Lots of interesting stuff about different relationship models from gay and queer guys. Some other good ones I'm not remembering. Ivan's was all the way at the end and worth the wait, but sad. Overall: decent, but not amazing.

This is an easy, enjoyable read. It's full of essays that reflect the ever-changing definition of queer, and how one can be socially ostracized from the heterosexual scene for being queer and from one's own queer group for not being queer enough. One essay that I particularly enjoyed, written by Karen Taylor, discussed how, for her, being a lesbian and a strong woman was linked to her Jewish faith. This anthology is also filled with blatant truths that left me smiling and chuckling to myself. A worthwhile read.

A collection of stories about gay romance and desire. The varieties of this desire provide ample fodder for the narratives included in this fine collection.

Not normally something I would pick up, but having a story appearing in A Taste of Honey has made me wonder as to what else is out there and I'm curious how they compare in style.

Not normally something I would pick up, but having a story appearing in A Taste of Honey has made me wonder as to what else is out there and I'm curious how they compare in style.

An uneven mixed bag of short stories -- not recommended.½

There are some very weird, disturbing stories in this collection. On the whole I found it more thought-provoking than erotic.

A diverse and exciting collection of essays.

Contains story "afflicted."

Every year, erotica writers gear up for the O Henry Awards of erotic writing: mainly Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Bondage Erotica, and Best Woman's Erotica (as well as the Susie Bright's Best American Erotica, but that ended in 2008--this must be brought back!). For me, Best Gay Erotica (aka BGE) is always something to look forward to. The collected stories always show that erotica writing is like any other form of writing, where craft is king and emotional resonance is as important as sexual turn-ons. These are not quickie Nifty (NSFW) stories, these are writers with two hands on their keyboards, working the lines between porn and literary intellect.

While last year's BGE was at best uneven, the 2011 edition is strong and I'd say more mature.

Like previous editions, the judges (this year, Kevin Killian) and editor (as always the legendary Richard Labonte...and this guy still doesn't have a Wikipedia page yet), point to the dangerous fact that erotica is a dying art. "In recent years, I culled fewer stories from the gay glossies," writes Labonte. Likewise, Killian questions the thin line between porn and mainstream culture in his introductory essay "When Porn is Everywhere and Everything Is Porn, What Is The Place for A Book Like This?" Killian writes: "Sex mutates into front pages of newspaper, all over the Internet, used to sell everything from cars to shoes to kitchen appliances. Gay sex is fashionable and mainstream."

The question here is can erotica be erotic when we are living in a "trans-sexual" (that is, the movement of sexuality into the public sphere) age?

Some of the stories here attempt to answer or at least explore that question. If there was a theme for BGE2011, it could easily be these blurred lines.

In "Counterrevolution" for example, Thomas Ree deals directly with the question of sexuality and pornography as a narrator masturbates and watches the same loop of internet porn. The narrator muses about how technology as infiltrated not only our sex lives, but our experiences of public space: "A former lover of mine tweeted a while back that Grindr at the airport makes U look at EVERY1 diffrrntly."

The story seems to assert that sexual technologies (A) have erased our sense of the real (on the amateur porn star, the narrator says, "Georgies is posting videos of his svelteness to the Internet because he's teasted at school for holding his Diet Coke with his pinky up, or because he does Irish dancing on weekend, or because everyone knows what he tried to do to Keenan last summer during the camping trip;" in this reality is masked: one can be anybody on the internet) yet at the same time, (B) make us know our own desires better (the narrator concludes "I wish I had an iPhone.")

Traditionally, or perhaps falsely assumed, erotica is about fantasy. BGE2011 showcases literary erotica in which reality is clearly present within the fantasy and this perhaps makes the set of stories here so strong: we can relate to it. From talking politics in Jeff Mann's "Saving Tobias" (here, he uses the speculative genre to explore a very real issue) to racism in James Earl Hardy's "The Last Picture. Show." One of the best stories here is Natty Soltesz's very short "I Sucked Off An Iraqi Sniper," originally published on the BUTT blog. The sex is hot and awkward but still hot, yet at the same time (when you get to the end) he breaks your heart. Sex is ambivalent and dangerous in this book. From the necrophilia in Boris Pintar's "Blossom in Autumn" to Rob Wolfsham's rape fantasy in "Attackman" (after following the career of this particular writer for while, I would say his writing has matured since last year's BGE [not saying that "The Bed From Craigslist" was bad, I'm just saying...]) and the slave/master relationship in Jonathan Asche's "Shel Game."

Another thing that BGE2011 debunks is the myth of poorly crafted writing in erotica. In this volume, we see works that are close to prose poetry (as in Shane Allison's "I Dreamt") to short stories that are spot on in wording. Johnny Murdoc's "Bodies in Emotion" displays such adept craftsmanship. Murdoc's style is simplistic that while uses beautiful metaphors ("I try not to, but I'm like a meteor that can't avoid Earth's gravity. I'm like the moon."), also uses deadpan and spot-on sentences that expresses perfectly sex as not just fucking, but complicated matters of heart, mind, and cocks:

"I want to suck your dick," I say. I want to suck his dick, I want to eat his ass, I want to fuck him. I want to cuddle with him. I want to punch him.

While some stories come off as outlandish (Hardy's "The Last Picture Show" and Cox's "The Nose Commit Suicide" and Pike's "And His Brother Came Too") these stories's absurd tone add variety to a solid collection that year after year explores gay sexuality that is smart, complicated, and fully human as well as erotically stimulating.

Pedestrian "coming out" erotica. Dull.½

I was very excited when my book club announced a science fiction title for our next read. Normally the club tends toward "literary" fiction with an occasional non-fiction book thrown in for good measure. Being a speculative fiction fan, I was thrilled one of my favorite genres was getting a turn as well. At first glance, The Future is Queer seemed to be a decent choice. The anthology features some fairly recognizable (and award winning) names in SF and queer literature: L. Timmel Duchamp, Candas Jane Dorsey, and even Neil Gaiman, among others. I was looking forward to reading it.

Richard Labonté and Lawrence Schimel are both probably most well known for their work as editors for anthologies. They each wrote their own introduction to the book. While both introductions were strong, Labonté's "My Love Affair with Queer Boys, Gay Lit, and Science Fiction" was particularly good. The anthology's initial theme was to be queer inspired "near-future, social science fiction, depicting plausible, possible realities" although this was eventually expanded to included "future-based fantasy." If I was excited about this book before (and I was), I was even more so after reading the introductions. Unfortunately, the collection didn't quite meet my expectations.

I did appreciate the wide variety of stories that the editors included; it's particularly impressive as there were only six short stories, an even shorter comic, and a novella. Most of the stories had at least a glimmer of something that spoke to or interested me, but ultimately didn't do much for me. The comic, "From Homogenous to Honey," that Neil Gaiman (a favorite of mine) collaborated on with Bryan Talbot was particularly disappointing. I love the fact that comics are appearing more frequently in anthologies, but this one, while not bad, was nothing special. The strongest story was also the last one--"The Beatrix Gates" by Rachel Pollack. (I knew Pollack as a tarot expert; I had no idea that she was an award-winning fiction writer as well, so that was pretty cool.) As for the rest of the contributions, I generally enjoyed the underlying concepts more than the stories themselves. However, this was often enough to interest me in the authors' other works.

While not a horrible anthology, The Future is Queer wasn't fantastic either. Short story collections seem to be a tricky format to work in, and it probably didn't help that the last couple I read (Dreams Underfoot, Sex in the System) were particularly well done. I might not insist everyone drop everything to go read a copy of The Future is Queer, but there is enough in it that if it happens your way it might not be amiss to glance through it.

Works included: "Introduction: My Love Affair with Queer Boys, Gay Lit, and Science Fiction" by Richard Labonté; "Introduction: Looking in All Directions" by Lawrence Schimel; "Obscure Relations" by L. Timel Duchamp; "Instinct" by Joy Parks; "The Chosen Few" by Caro Soles; "...the darkest evening of the year..." by Candas Jane Dorsey; "From Homogenous to Honey" by Neil Gaiman and Bryan Talbot; "My Long Ago Sophia" by Diana Churchill; "The Sleep Clinic for Troubled Souls" by Hiromi Goto; "The Beatrix Gates" by Rachel Pollack.

Experiments in Reading

First Person Queer was, overall, a great anthology. I especially loved Nalo Hopkinson's essay.½

This is an athology of love stories, most of the seeing throught the pink glass of romance.

Henry and Jim by J.M. Snyder: two men are together for more than fifty years, but one of them has a progressive illness who cause him to forget even the more simple things. But a little sign by him will prove that love will be never forgotten.

The Empire Room by Dale Chase: a man goes to the funeral of his suicidal cousin and guilty overcomes him. But he meets a man here that maybe will help him to move on.

Coming Home by Shanna Germain: a man chose city over country and now he is back home after some years. He meets his stepbrother, maybe one of the reason who drove him to leave home, and a heated afternoon in the barn will unveal many things.

The Belt by Kal Cobalt: a couple plays a bit of D/S game, but the rituals allow them to prove that they are two part of an item and that they are stronger and happier thanks to it.

Boyfriends: A Triptych by Shaun Levin: the first story is only a little fairy tale. The second is about two men who meet in a hot bath and that share a night of passion. They could be a perfect couple, but the morning after they kiss goodbye. The third is about a man who eaversdrop another man giving his phone number and he starts to call him, not to threaten, but to slowly wooing him and finally build a solid relationship together.

Endless Against Amber by Matthew Lowe: they are teens and they love each other. But they are also in an age where a dare move still is a fearful blind step and so, in the end, they don't have the courage to claim their love forever.

A Not-So-Straight Duet by Natty Soltesz: in the first two college mate got paid to make an home made gay porn, but they discover that make sex together is not a thing they could simple forget. In the second two best friend share a night of passion induced by a drunken move, but the morning after, when the alcohol is over, the passion is still there.

Falling by Simon Sheppard: A man tries to overcome the lost of his lover (probably for death) writing him letters. He passes from sadness to anger to apathy. He recalls their love and life together and perhaps he manages to deal with the loss. A very heartbreaking story.

The Bike Path by T. Hitman: two men have a very strong and faithful relationship even if they are at opposite pole. But they have learnt that balance is the secret of life, and if one time I let you do something, next time you will second me. Also a very good and 'intimate' sex scene.

The Country House by Jameson Currier: A quarrelling couple likes to host friends in their haunted country house. Two ghost lovers of the past will help a couple of today to stay together. A little story with an high sense of details, very intriguing.

The Rush of Love (The Titanic '70s Before the Iceberg of Irony) by Jack Fritscher: an hot encounter when love was still simple and not a life risk matter.

Fucked on Kilimajaro by Jay Starre: two men meet during an hiking on Kilimanjaro. During the cold night in an isolate tent they share night of passion, and at the end of their adventure, they decide to give a try to the relationship even on their ordinary life. Another hot sex scene that manages to mix 'graphic' sex with romance.

Gone Fishing by Rob Rosen: a man tired of clubbing finally meets Mr Right Man, but event on event seem to conjure against him. Luckily true love is a powerful force.

Viva Las Vegas by Max Pierce: the classical gay man who likes old movie stars and fashion dress has the chance to finally go to Las Vegas and live the glittering life of the city. But reality is not like in the movie. But he approaches life with style and he manages to turn a fiasco in a dream.

What the Eye Reveals by Jason Shults: a man is questioning his love and life with his partner. Can he read the truth in the eye of his lover? Or maybe it's him that has changed his mind?

The Canals of Mars by Victor J. Banis: a man is horrible scarred and he thinks that no one will love him again. But a man, who probably he before would not even consider, will teach him that love his not an eye matter, but something from the soul: and through loving eyes you can see what you want or maybe you can see the truth.

A very beatiful anthology, highly reccomended

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1573443034/?tag=elimyrevandra-20

All the stories in this anthology are more quick flash in the life otf the boys than complete tales, but they are all very involving and sometimes heartbreaking. All the anthology is a bit sad, there are not funny moment in it, but I think it's due to the fact that tells us, for the most, the first approach to sex of a lot of different guys.They are stories of journeys of provincetown or country good boys to the big cities like London, San Francisco and New York. Sometimes they will find a place for themself other times they will feel a sense of inadequacy and they will return the their safe home.

Live from New York by Rachel Kramer Bussel: a guy from provincetown arrives for the first time in New York during New Year Eve. He will meet a former provincetown boy who will help him to spend a pleasureful night and then will direct him to a safe place. A good memory for the years ahead.

Unable to Hold Back by Kemble Scott: a guy is not sure of his sexuality and finds help in a 'hidden' activity which take place in the last train of the BART; jerking off looking to another guy makes the same it's a pretty unoffensive thing to do. But maybe he then will desire something more touchy feeling.

My Evil Twin by Sam J. Miller: two guys very similar in looks but totally different in life. One is a provincetown guy who arrives in New York for a night out and to make experience, the other one is an homeless, who manages to survive in the big city without having a too miserable life. They share a pleasurily night together, but the morning after provincetown guy will return to his safe home, and homeless boy will have a too near approach with real life and to what he can happen to him in the near future...

I like very much this story, but as the ultimate romantic as I'm, I would like to read an happily ever after for this guys. But they are young and maybe this tender and loving encounter, will help them to grew and enter the adult life in a better way.

One of the Guys by Jameson Currier: provincetown guy works in big city and wants to share some of the experiences his fellow workers could have every night. But maybe sex, drugs and rock and roll are not so shine as their appear from outside.

This is a very sad but true story. I was deeply moved by this guy and by his desire to be part of something, and I hope that he will understand that he not necessarily needs to be part of that life.

Tiny Golden Kernel by Lee Houck: provincetown boy manages to build his life becoming a high paid hustler, with even a steady boyfriend by his side, but sometimes he wonders why he can't be the son his parents would want.

Taming the Trees by Jeff Mann: a bear man living alone in his cabin. His last lover left him for big city and he is still mourning the loss, but he no way could live in big city. Cause big city changes men and he likes to be as he is, rough and primitive, both in life than in love.

Another story who has left me a bit sad. Till the end I hoped for this man to find another soul to share his life, but maybe, remaining faithful to his true him, he will find the right man, soon or later.

Drug Colors by Erastes: back when sex and drugs were still an enough safe life style, a maybe too old guy to be still punk, wanders streets and clubs enjoying the naivee boys who look up to him like a semigod, but then he is him who worships a young and alluring guy, from wealthy countryside family, who enjoys to play rebel.

Other Residences, Other Neighborhoods by Douglas A. Martin: the ups and downs of a provincetown boy who manages to build his life in the cultural circles of big city, still young and with all the world in front of him.

Juniper House by Alana Noel Voth: a troubled guy, out from a rehab center, dreams on movie stars but in the end he will have to stop dreaming and open the eyes to the world around him, where, maybe, he will find true and simple love.

Wild Night by Simon Sheppard: a former boy recalls as it was San Francisco back when being gay and clubbing around, was still a joyful life style and not a life risk behaviour.

Half-Life by Dale Chase: a near fifty man, after an heartbreak, has to admit that he has not a perfect life with his lovely wife and that he lusts over his new gay colleague. And said colleague will be willing to take him step by step out of the closet.

This is maybe my favourite one. It's tender and heartbreaking (no pun intended). I like the discovery journey of this not so young man, and I'm happy for him that he is not alone in this journey.

The Birds and the Bees by Alpha Martial: a country boy recalls how he has loved and lost in big city and how he is still in pain to leave the past behind his shoulder and move on.

God Hates Techno by Zeke Mangold: a young guy has his horizon and life style open by a very friendly and 'no string attach' disk jockey, who shows him the wild side of life, but also a life he feels comfortable in.

Local Fame by Ted Cornwell: a famous photographer recalls his first steps in adult life and all the people he has met, and maybe lost. And in particulary a man, which whom he has shared only few days, but maybe that could be the real love of his life.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1573442909/?tag=elimyrevandra-20

well, you have to aknowledge the effort. But I cannot believe that these were the best stories submitted for the anthology. Niel Gaimans graphic short is ridiculous, a second semester art student couldn't have written a more cliché story about a totalitarian future, Carol Soles 'the chosen few' is a load of crap. I hope this 'Queer Starship Stormtroopers' knockoff was just a failed attempt of beeing ironic.
Only exception so far is Rachel Pollacks 'The Beatrix Gates', a truly queer vision of a post-gender world without physical boundaries on sexuality.½