The Venus Trilogy: Conquering Venus and Remain In Light

Remain In Light reading Jan. 31

2012-01-29T23:22:00.001-05:00

If you're in Atlanta on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 7:15 p.m. please come out to the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St., for my debut reading from Remain In Light hosted by Georgia Center for the Book. Bound to be Read will be selling copies of both Remain In Light and Conquering Venus, so bring cash, cards or checks. There will be a Q&A and autographing session after the reading.

In other book news, author Jenny Milchman has featured my "Made It Moment" essay about the creation of my novels at her Suspense Your Disbelief blog. You can read it at this link. Thank you, Jenny!

Remain In Light a finalist for Townsend Prize for Fiction

2012-01-12T16:51:00.002-05:00

The big news I've been wanting to share for a couple of weeks can now be shared: Remain In Light is one of the 10 finalists for the prestigious 2012 Townsend Prize for Fiction.

Previous winners of the prize include Alice Walker, Ha Jin, Kathryn Stockett, Judson Mitcham, Terry Kay, Philip Lee Williams and my friend and mentor Ferrol Sams. To even be nominated in the same category with these authors who have inspired me is the true honor. The award will be given at a ceremony in April at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

If you haven't read it yet, the book is now available in paperback or eBook. You can see a list of where to buy it in the sidebar of this blog.

Remain In Light out now in paperback

2012-01-09T19:52:00.001-05:00

The trade paperback of my mystery/suspense novel, Remain In Light, is now available in paperback from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Powell's will have it soon. If the novel is not on the shelves of your favorite local bookstore (fewer and fewer small press books are these days), then please ask them to order a copy. Once again, thank you for your support. If you're in Atlanta on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 7:15 p.m. please come out to the Georgia Center for the Book event for my debut reading from Remain In Light. I hope to be scheduling other readings both in Atlanta and elsewhere for later in 2012.

Pre-order paperback of Remain In Light

2012-01-02T12:32:00.001-05:00

You can now pre-order the trade paperback of my mystery/suspense novel Remain In Light at Amazon. The book is $14.95 and Amazon has Jan. 5 as the release date, although it might be a few days later than that. It will be exciting to hold the physical book in my hands after living with it in eBook format since October. If you would like the eBook edition, there are two additional retailes who are carrying Remain In Light: the Apple iBook store and Kobo. Don't forget to mark your calendars for the big launch event at Georgia Center for the Book on Jan. 31.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T15:43:00.000-05:00

Galeries Lafayette, Paris

If a shiny new Kindle, Nook or other eReader is under the tree this year or if you're just looking for something new to read, check out the fabulous free eBooks available for a limited time at the Indie Book Review blog. My mystery/suspense novel Conquering Venus is one of them, so this is a perfect time to get caught up with The Venus Trilogy before Remain In Light comes out in paperback next month. Visit this link to see all the eBooks available. Better hurry, because this won't last long. Thanks to Lisa Graves for putting this together!

Speaking of Remain In Light, mark your calendars for the big launch reading on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 7:15 p.m. being hosted by Georgia Center for the Book at the Decatur Library Auditorium. The paperback will be available for purchase.

Remain In Light reviews & updates

2011-12-07T19:16:00.001-05:00

Remain In Light received a glowing review from David-Matthew Barnes at Lambda Literary. You can read it at this link.

Georgia Magazine featured Remain In Light in its big literary round-up in the December issue (print and online). You can read the magazine online at this link.

Amazon still has the eBook for $2.99. Bargain!

Finished the edit for the print layout for the trade paperback and Vanilla Heart says we're still on track for a mid-January release. The launch will be Jan. 31, 7:15 p.m. at Georgia Center for the Book.

Remain In Light eBook just $2.99!

2011-11-24T19:02:00.001-05:00

For Black Friday, the eBook edition of Remain In Light is just $2.99 in the Amazon Kindle Store. If you haven't purchased your copy, the sale price continues through Nov. 30, 2011.

The trade paperback edition is still on track for a mid-January release. More details soon.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Remain In Light now available for the Nook

2011-10-22T14:02:00.001-04:00

The eBook edition of Remain In Light is finally available for the Barnes & Noble Nook eReader. You can purchase the book for $4.99 at this link. You can also buy the eBook at the retailers below.

Amazon Kindle Store
Amazon UK Kindle Store
Amazon German Kindle Store
Amazon France Kindle Store
Smashwords (multiple formats for Kindle, Nook, Apple iBook, Sony Reader and even PDF to download and print)
OmniLit/All Romance

A round-up of news and reviews

2011-10-15T15:56:00.000-04:00

Red Room featured Remain In Light on its homepage yesterday and added the book to its What to Read Next column. Woot!

Many thanks to the folks who have given the book shout outs on their blogs including Kelli Russell Agodon, January O'Neil, Malcolm Campbell, Ben Tanzer and Jameson Currier at Queer Type. I can't even begin to thank all the kind people who have posted links to the book on their Facebook pages, Google+ and on Twitter.

Amos Lassen posted back to back reviews of Conquering Venus and Remain in Light, while fellow author Marshall Moore left a fantastic review at Goodreads. If you're on Goodreads, please add Remain In Light to your "to read" queue.

Remain In Light is also now available in the newly-launched French Amazon Kindle Store, which seems appropriate since the novel is set in Paris. Vive le France!

If you're reading Remain In Light, please consider posting a review at Amazon, Smashwords or on Goodreads. Every review helps put the book in front of new eyeballs.

Did you know that you can have your eBook of Remain In Light autographed? Head over to Kindlegraph and request an autograph and a personalized note from me will be sent to you via PDF. What will they think of next?!

Remain In Light reviews & updates

2011-10-08T13:46:00.000-04:00

Remain In Light is selling steadily at Amazon and Smashwords and reviews are starting to come in. The best so far is by Jason Pettus at the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography.

Great as a standalone book, or even better as part two of a grander whole, this is the rare sequel that easily outperforms its predecessor in just about any way you can name, and it comes with a highly enthusiastic recommendation.

You can read the entire review at this link.

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Like the Dew published my article on authors and eBooks, where I got to talk about the "digital first" release of Remain In Light and interview Tayari Jones, Jessica Handler, Grant Jerkins and Man Martin about their eBook adventures. You can read it at this link.

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If you follow me on Facebook, you might have noticed my note on the one star review Remain In Light received at Amazon from some nutbag upset over my dislike for Tori Amos' latest album. Yes, very random and crazy. Amazon removed the review because it violated all their terms, but being called a "pseudo-intellectual literary snob" who writes "borderline didactic claptrap" was a hoot. In the few hours the review was up, I sold 9 books at Amazon.

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There's a great article in Atlanta INtown about Remain In Light. You can read it at this link.

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Lisa Graves featured Remain In Light on her Indie Book review blog at this link.

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Fellow author Rochelle Weber interviewed me at her blog at this link.

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If you're reading Remain In Light, please consider posting a review at Amazon, Smashwords or on Goodreads. Add the book to your "To Read" list on Goodreads and suggest it to your followers. All of these little things helps put the novel before more potential readers.Thanks again to everyone for their support for while I shameless self-promote.

Remain In Light updates

2011-10-03T09:41:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who has purchased the eBook of Remain In Light. I haven't seen any numbers yet from Vanilla Heart, but judging from the Amazon ranking (which is very hard to judge) there were quite a few sales yesterday. After you read it, please consider leaving a review at Amazon or Smashwords. And also click the "Like" button on the Amazon page (it's right below the title). This helps push the book toward more potential customers. The eBook is also now available for Kindle readers in the UK and Germany.

An advertisement for Remain In Light is now on the homepage of Lambda Literary and will remain there for the entire month of October (pictured above). I understand that a review is forthcoming at Lambda as well.

Between the Lines, the literary program hosted by Valerie Jackson on NPR affiliate WABE, has added Remain In Light to its Suggested Reading List for Fall. Thank you!

Official publication day for Remain In Light

2011-10-01T10:12:00.000-04:00

This is the official publication day for the eBook version of my mystery/suspense novel, Remain In Light. The eBook is just $4.99. Here's a list of retailers who have Remain In Light available for download now:

Amazon Kindle Store
Amazon UK Kindle Store
Amazon German Kindle Store
Amazon UK Kindle Store
Smashwords (multiple formats for Kindle, Nook, Apple iBook, Sony Reader and even PDF to download and print)
OmniLit/All Romance

Please help support the book by sharing the news on your blog, Facebook or Twitter. You can also help with the rankings and visibility in the Kindle Store simply by clicking the "Like" button next to the title at the Amazon page. And please consider posting a review of Remain In Light at your point of purchase.

The trade paperback edition is scheduled for a mid-January release and the first reading/signing will be hosted by Georgia Center for the Book on Tuesday, January 31, 7:15 p.m. at the Decatur Library. Mark your calendars!

Remain In Light out now for Kindle!

2011-09-28T23:22:00.001-04:00

Remain In Light is out a few days early for Kindle readers. You can download the eBook from Amazon for just $4.99 at this link.

The eBook will soon be available at Barnes & Noble for the Nook, Smashwords, AllRomance and other eBook retailers!

"Remain In Light" eBook edition out Oct. 1

2011-09-24T15:09:00.000-04:00

The eBook version of Remain In Light will be available starting Saturday, Oct. 1, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and more. I'll have a complete list of eBook retailers carrying the novel on the day of release. I've been busy as hell working on publicity, so we'll see how my efforts pay off in October. The print edition is still scheduled for January and the launch will be late in the month at Georgia Center for the Book. More details soon. If you haven't checked out the synopsis, watched the book trailer or read the sample chapters, just click this link or check out the links in this blog's sidebar.

Remain In Light ebook coming in October

2011-09-01T18:40:00.003-04:00

The ebook version of Remain In Light is scheduled for the first week of October! The novel will be available at Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Smashwords and other ebook outlets. Stay tuned for more details!

Remain in Light book trailer

2011-08-01T08:17:00.005-04:00

Here's the book trailer for Remain in Light. Please feel free to share it, repost it and link to it! The music is by the brilliant Brokenkites and is called, appropriately, "Into the Light."

Remain in Light update

2011-07-19T16:21:00.001-04:00

The ARCs (advanced reader copies) of Remain in Light are going out to reviewers and select folk beginning this week. Vanilla Heart is still aiming for a late October release of the ebook and January for print. Very exciting!

More than 600 people have read the sample chapters of Remain in Light at Scribd. The chapters are still up, so check them out at this link.

Win copies of Conquering Venus

2011-06-26T15:23:00.001-04:00

More than 400 people have registered to win the free copies of Conquering Venus I'm giving away at Goodreads. Wow! There's only three days left to enter, so check out the widget in the sidebar.

As of this posting, nearly 400 people have read the sample chapters of Remain in Light at Scribd. You can still check them out at this link.

More updates on the status of Remain in Light soon! And please join my new Facebook page, where I will be posting regular updates about all my writing projects. You can click the link in the sidebar to join.

Remain in Light cover & sample chapters!

2011-06-01T09:07:00.001-04:00

Even before Remain in Light was finished, Kimberlee at Vanilla Heart was working on cover concepts based on the title and "moments" from the novel. There is a pivotal scene near the end of the book that takes place on the gallery of Notre-Dame Cathedral as one of the main characters studies the iconic Le Stryge gargoyle. I love how the cover harkens back to the "vanilla sky" look of Conquering Venus and fits so perfectly with the mood of the story.

You can read the first four chapters of Remain in Light right now at Scribd or you can download a free sampler of both Conquering Venus and Remain in Light at OmniLit or its sister site All Romance. These chapters are from the uncorrected proof, but will give you a sense of the mystery and suspense that awaits. The ebook will be released this autumn – just in time for the holiday shopping season and the print edition has been moved up to a January. More details on that soon!

Remain in Light cover, chapter samples coming June 1

2011-05-26T21:12:00.000-04:00

Vanilla Heart will reveal the cover and offer the first four chapters of Remain in Light as a download on June 1. The chapters will be from the uncorrected proof, but will give you a glimpse of what's to come in the second book in The Venus Trilogy. Check back for updates!

Remain in Light goes to the publisher

2011-05-11T21:17:00.000-04:00

After nearly two years of work, Remain in Light is now in the hands of Vanilla Heart Publishing. I wrote the first few chapters back in 2002 when Conquering Venus was being marketed by my then-agent. We were certain Venus was going to be picked up then and my agent wanted the second book in the trilogy ready to go. Who knew it would be another seven years before Venus made it into print.

Those early chapters, which take place on the night of and immediately after the death of Princess Diana in Paris, are still pretty much as I wrote them, but the rest of the novel evolved and changed quite dramatically as I worked on it these past few years.

I had the incredible thrill of being able to write two of Remain in Light's most pivotal chapters while I was in the UK and Paris last summer. Being able to sit in Jardin des Plantes, walk along the Seine and return to rue Rampon energized the writing and made it, hopefully, more authentic.

The plan is still to have the ebook version available for the holidays and the print version by February 2012. I'll keep you posted. The book cover will be revealed this summer.

Remain in Light editing update

2011-05-03T12:09:00.001-04:00

My editor, the fabulous Kathy Vogeltanz, completed her edit of the Remain in Light manuscript ahead of schedule, so I'm doing small rewrites, fixing typos and getting ready to send it to Vanilla Heart by mid-May. Kathy wrote the word BRAVO! in red pen across the title page, so that was a big boost. I was also pleased that she said the book totally stands on its own, even if you haven't read Conquering Venus. That was the biggest challenge, and I feel like I've succeeded.

I cannot tell you how excited I am about this novel. It's morphed into a literary mystery/suspense kinda story. It even has a touch of Hitchcock's Vertigo about it, with double identities, jumping over rooftops and obsession.

Meet the new characters of Remain in Light

2011-04-05T13:51:00.001-04:00

The main characters from "Conquering Venus" are in limbo when "Remain in Light" begins: Irène has yet to find Frederick, the man who holds the answers to her husband's death; Martin is involved with an older man, but is unhappy in the relationship; Diane is back in Memphis living with her parents; and David's whereabouts are uncertain. The story begins on Aug. 31, 1997 - the night of Princess Diana's fatal car crash in Paris - and re-introduces the characters from "Venus" as well as six new ones.

Euan McEvoy: The thirtysomething owner of The Anglophile bookstore on the Left Bank and Martin's boyfriend.

Christian Riva: The young poet Martin falls in love with, who just might be too good to be true.

Bernard Sullivan: A private detective hired by David's parents to find their missing son.

V. Hugo: The former mystery writer, descendant of that other V. Hugo, and detective hired by Irène to help her find Frederick.

Inspector Arnaud: The hostile, bigoted Paris police officer whose interest in David's disappearance hides a bigger agenda.

Frederick Dubois: The elusive man who holds the key to Jean-Louis Laureux's death in 1968.

An vlog update on Remain in Light

2011-04-03T20:16:00.001-04:00

Remain in Light update!

2011-03-12T18:50:00.001-05:00

Very excited to announce that I've finished the first draft of the second book in the Venus Trilogy! Remain in Light will debut in eBook format for Kindle, Nook and all other formats this Christmas followed by the print edition in early 2012. More details soon!

Inspiration notes for Remain in Light

2011-03-03T19:55:00.002-05:00

The Double Life of Veronique

Here are some of the books, films and music that have not only inspired the writing of Remain in Light but also get a hat-tip in the story itself:

Orlando - The film of Virginia Woolf's novel directed by Sally Potter

Through the Looking-Glass - Lewis Carroll

The Double Life of Véronique - The film directed by Krzysztof Kieslowki starring Irène Jacob

Time Regained - Marcel Proust

Until the End of the World - The film directed by Wim Wenders

Cleo from 5 to 7 - The film directed by Agnès Varda

Breathless - The film directed by Jean-Luc Godard

The Dreamers - The film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci

Elevator to the Gallows - The film directed by Louis Malle, soundtrack by Miles Davis

The Portrait of a Lady - The novel by Henry James & film directed by Jane Campion

Something that got cut: A character cut from the novel was Dr. Juliette Lacombe, who was Martin's psychiatrist. I had written long, involved scenes with her, but ultimately she was one character too many and Martin isn't ready for more couch time. Her name is a hat-tip to Dr. Lacombe, played by Francois Truffaut, in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I had actually thrown in a slight reference that she might actually be that Lacombe's daughter. Maybe she'll reappear in the third book.

Inpsiration from Cartier-Bresson

2011-02-19T12:53:00.000-05:00

Student Demonstration, Paris
June 1968
printed 1968
15 5/8 x 23 1/16" (39.7 x 58.6 cm)
MoMA, Gift of the photographer

This past week I attended the media preview of Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century retrospective at the High Museum in Atlanta. I love his photos from Paris, but I was stopped in my tracks from the images of the 1968 demonstrations. The photo of students marching through the streets, arms locked in solidarity and the Panthéon in the hazy distance actually made me a little verklempt. Maybe it's because the last part of Remain in Light is set 1968 during this tumultuous time. I could so easily see Jean-Louis and his young lover Frederick in the faces of the young men marching. The exhibition was a new wellspring for inspiration. Back to writing.

A short update

2011-02-12T19:24:00.001-05:00

The first draft of Remain in Light is nearly complete. I've been in touch with Vanilla Heart and we are discussing a timeline for publication. I can tell you that the ebook version will come first and the paperback a month or so later. Ebook sales of Conquering Venus trumped print, which is no surprise if you've been following the news that Amazon sold more ebooks than hardcover books in 2010 and reported just last month that ebook sales for the Kindle had even eclipsed paperbacks.

A couple of weeks ago, Kimberlee at Vanilla Heart sent over a round of cover concepts for Remain in Light and we've already picked one. I actually love it more than Venus, so I can't wait for everyone to see it very soon!

Conquering Venus makes Amazon bestseller list!

2011-01-14T20:40:00.001-05:00

Conquering Venus made Amazon's bestseller list for gay titles today, peaking at number 14. There's been an uptick in sales (both print and ebook) and word-of-mouth has picked up again, so although the book has been out for over a year, it continues to find readers. Thanks to everyone who has read the novel and has sent their good wishes as I continue to work on the sequel, Remain in Light.

Speaking of Remain in Light, the Lambda Literary Association mentioned it and the re-issue of Slow To Burn from Seven Kitchens Press this summer in their Book Buzz section. Thanks to Lambda and John Morgan Wilson for the shout out!

Fellow Vanilla Heart Publishing author Janet Lane Walters interviewed me this week for her Eclectic Writer blog and we talked about inspiration, characters and more. Thanks, JL!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T11:51:00.000-05:00

The year 2010 is winding down and I'm already looking ahead to 2011. My calender of readings and events is starting to fill up and I have projects galore to finish or begin. My goal of having a complete draft of Remain in Light completed by tomorrow has fallen by the wayside. Since a good portion of the last part of the book takes place in 1968, I've found myself being more particular about making sure my "historical fiction" has basis in fact. That means more research and reading to steep myself in the time period. It's critical for the second novel, so I'm not going to rush through it for the sake of a deadline I imposed on myself.

The highlight of 2010 was my adventures in the UK and France over the summer. From guest lecturing at Worcester College at Oxford University and reading with my BFF Karen Head and Ivy Alvarez in Cardiff to spending time with great friends in London and working on the novel in Paris, it really was one of the most amazing trips of my life. Those weeks gave me ideas for poems, fiction and fodder for the memoir.

This is the final weekend to get the Kindle edition of Conquering Venus for just $3.99!

Joyeux Noël

2010-12-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve Update

2010-12-24T14:28:00.002-05:00

I've written a new article for AOL Travel about Literary London. I've been going to London for the last 15 years, so I think I've hit most of the famous (and infamous) spots, and a few off the beaten path. For the last five years, I've stayed at the Tavistock Hotel in the center of Bloomsbury, which was London's literary epicenter. The hotel sits on the site of Virginia Woolf's house that was destroyed in the London Blitz. I love the area and always feel inspired to write and explore. You can read the article here: Literary Hot Spots: London.

On Saturday, Feb. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m. I'll be teaching an afternoon poetry workshop for The Atlanta Writers Club at the Dunwoody campus of Georgia Perimeter College. The cost is $75 and I'm limiting the class size to 10 poets. This will be a critique and generative workshop, so each poet can bring in a draft in progress and then we'll move on to writing exercises. For more information and to register, visit this link.

Kindle edition holiday sale

2010-12-21T16:48:00.000-05:00

If you've bought a new eReader for Christmas, or expecting one under the tree, please consider buying a copy of Conquering Venus. Through Dec. 31, the Kindle edition is only $3.99. Kindle now has apps for the iPhone/iPad, Android and even laptops and desktop computers, so it's easy to download and read. You can also gift Kindle editions to friends!

Vanilla Heart Dine-A-Round Celebration

2010-12-17T18:18:00.000-05:00

Just in time for the holidays – books and food! What more could you want? Vanilla Heart Publishing authors have planned a scrumptious menu for an elegant dinner party. The recipes for this Dine-A-Round Celebration Sale are inspired by VHP titles, so I chose something essentially French since Conquering Venus is set in Paris.

While I was in the City of Light over the summer, I stopped by rue Rampon and asked Irène Laureux to share her crème brulée recipe. She was busily editing a manuscript and chain-smoking Gauloises, but she rummaged through a notebook in the kitchen and found a faded piece of paper with the following recipe. As part of this fun event, you can buy the ebook version of Conquering Venus – as well as titles by fellow VHP authors – for just $3.99! See all the books at this link.

Visit my Modern Confessional blog to see the recipe and the full menu from VHP authors!

A sneak preview of 'Remain in Light'

2010-12-15T00:00:00.001-05:00

Here is the prologue to my second novel, Remain in Light. If you've read Conquering Venus, you'll instantly recognize the characters, but if you haven't that's okay. I've written this novel to be a continuation and a standalone story. I welcome your comments.

Prologue: Time Ticks

Hands in motion. Fingers fly over letters and numbers, type out a message, a brief history of self, of time, of need and directionless desire. The screen bathes those hands in bruised light, flickers on a face in the darkness. A face grown two years older, forehead scarred by a bomb blast and more tiny lines around the eyes. There is an unmistakable tattoo on the left hand: two interlocking crosses, equal but opposite.

Here is how the monster is kept at bay: he surfs through pornography, lurid images and chatrooms, searches for the lowest common denominator. There’s a picture of a beautiful young boy, only eighteen, on one side of the screen and an open dialogue box on the other. 17 Rue Ferrandi, the boy types. I am Christoph. What is your name?

He types back: Martin.

He leaves the apartment on rue Rampon silently, makes sure not to wake his roommate. But she is awake. She hears the almost imperceptible click as the laptop switches off; his feet pad down the hardwood floor of the hallway. Then there’s the other click, the one that makes her mouth go dry with dread and disappointment. It’s the sound as the door softly opens and closes, a maneuver only she hears. Even the cat at the foot of her bed, with preternatural senses, sleeps through his leaving. These late night disappearances happen at least twice a week, and they’ve been going on for months. Every time he leaves, it’s still a surprise, as if it’s happening for the first time. She gets out of bed and opens the doors to the balcony.

It is late summer, the tourists have gone home, the city is quiet, but there is expectancy in the air, something or someone she cannot name. She feels it as intensely as when Martin Paige’s arrival was imminent just two short years ago. It is early morning; Venus is visible overhead. It rivals the moon for the sky. Irène Laureux leans on the balcony, the tattoo on her pale left hand in sharp relief against the metal railing even in the weak light. Equal but opposite – the same ink she shares with Martin. Irène looks up, summons the inevitable with words that have served her well in the past: Paris, Paris, Paris.

Sequel title revealed

2010-12-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Remain in Light

Yes, that's the name of the sequel to Conquering Venus. I've been working on this novel for more than a year. Actually, if you want to get technical about it, I've been working on it for eight years. The title comes from a poem written by the main character, Martin Paige, that appears toward the end of the novel. And the line itself, of course, was inspired by Talking Head's 1980 album of the same name.

Remain in Light begins with a letter written by Martin to David that recaps the events in Conquering Venus and then moves at a pretty fast clip to set up a storyline that does not require you to have read Venus to "get it." Irène has hired a detective to help her track down Frederick, who holds the secret to her husband's unexplained death during the 1968 Paris riots. Martin is in a tentative relationship with Euan, a Brit who owns a bookshop on the Left Bank. That is until Martin meets Christian, a young poet who seems almost too good to be true. Then Diane whirls back into town – more crazy and foul-mouthed than ever – with the news that David has gone missing.

While Conquering Venus was a mood piece, Remain in Light is more of a literary thriller. There are detectives, clandestine meetings, a bigoted Paris police inspector, stolen identities, drug dealers and all sorts of unsavory characters who inhabit the city's underworld. What remains from Venus is a sense of magical realism and poetry. Irène is having a strange series of backwards dreams, which continue the theme of synchronicity that began in Venus, and Martin's poetry features throughout.

While you're waiting for Remain in Light, I'm offering a special Holiday Pack with signed editions of Conquering Venus, my chapbook After the Poison and a certificate for a signed copy of the new edition of Slow To Burn when it comes out next summer from Seven Kitchens Press. The price for all three: $25! That's a bargain, if I do say so myself. You can purchase them via PayPal by using my email address collinkelley@gmail.com. If you have questions, send an email to that same address or leave a comment.

Book news, interviews and Twitter

2010-11-20T12:10:00.001-05:00

My chapbook, Slow To Burn, will be reissued by Seven Kitchens Press in July 2011 as part of the ReBound Series. I am, obviously, thrilled. Along with Slow To Burn, Steve Turtell's Letter To Frank O'Hara, Jeffrey Beam's Midwinter Fires and Louis McKee's No Matter will also be released as part of the series. Many thanks to editor/publisher Ron Mohring for making this happen! The reissue, which will feature a new introduction by my friend and fab poet Karen Head, will also be a limited edition of 125 copies and the design will harken back to the original version. Pre-sales will begin next spring.

Many thanks to poet and blogger Robert Lee Brewer for interviewing me at his Writer's Digest blog, Poetic Asides. I talk about Twitter, self-publishing, writing poetry and fiction, blogging and more. You can read the entire interview at this link.

Nic Sebastian, who so beautifully reads my poem "After Adultery" at Whale Sound, interviewed me for her Very Like A Whale Blog about the experience of hearing my poem re-interpreted. Thanks again, Nic!

I reached a Twitter milestone last night: I have more than 2,000 followers! Small potatoes compared to Ashton Kutcher or Lady Gaga, but I'm excited just the same. You can follow me at www.twitter.com/collinkelley.

The title for the Conquering Venus sequel will be revealed on Dec. 1 and there will be a link to a short excerpt from the first chapter on Dec. 15. Watch this space!

Venus in Autumn

2010-11-05T19:08:00.002-04:00

Conquering Venus has been out for well over a year now, and I'm wrapping up my active, personal appearance promotions for the book this weekend. I'll still be promoting online and seeking new opportunities to spread the word about Venus, especially since the sequel will be coming in 2011 or 2012 (fingers crossed).

Tomorrow I'm leading a workshop on confessional writing for poets and novelists at the Red Clay Writers Conference at Kennesaw State University. The workshop is called "Writing that Resonates" and I'll be discussing how to mine personal experiences that can be turned into thought-provoking, universally understood poetry and fiction. If you're coming to the conference, please consider sitting in on my workshop.

My Lambda Literary article about LGBT books for teens that deal with suicide and bullying has gone viral, being picked up numerous websites and even a couple of print publications. I'm glad that piece is getting some attention.

Now, I turn my attention to completing the first draft of the sequel. I'll be announcing the title and posting a little teaser just before Christmas, so stay tuned for that. I'm also going to do a Conquering Venus giveaway on Goodreads for the holidays and there will be a special Holiday Gift Pack with Venus and my poetry collections After the Poison and Slow To Burn. The Gift Pack will will be for sale exclusively here and at my Modern Confessional blog. More details coming soon!

Article at Lambda Literary

2010-10-30T11:34:00.000-04:00

The folks at Lambda Literary asked me to compile a list of 10 LGBT novels for teens that deal with suicide and bullying. With the recent tragic suicides of gay teens, I hope this list will be a resource for young people and adults. The list includes books by such notables as Alex Sanchez and Kate Bornstein, and new books that definitely deserve your attention. You can read the article at this link.

Conquering Venus is set in motion by the suicide of Martin's boyfriend, Peter, who is fearful that is coming out of the closet will mean banishment from his family and circle of friends. David, who Martin falls in love with on the trip to Europe, is also tormented by his sexuality because of his parents' religious view and intolerance.

If you or a teen you know is suicidal or being bullied because of their sexuality, please read one of the books in the article. It does get better.

Ebook available from Vanilla Heart Instant Download

2010-10-17T19:46:00.000-04:00

Vanilla Heart Publishing has made Conquering Venus available in ebook format direct from VHP Instant Download. You can buy Venus and any VHP title for just $4.99!

New marketing tactic for Venus

2010-10-13T10:39:00.000-04:00

Since Oprah won't call, we decided to try President Obama. ;-)

Upcoming readings

2010-10-07T14:39:00.001-04:00

I'll be at the Southern Festival of Books this weekend in Nashville. My reading is at high noon on Friday in Room 30 at War Memorial Plaza. I'll be reading from and signing Conquering Venus, so if you happen to be in town, drop by and say hello.

Next week, the fourth annual Atlanta Queer Literary Festival is Oct. 13-16. I'll be hosting the opening night event at Charis Books on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., moderating journalism and social media panels and giving a short poetry reading on Saturday at the Decatur Library. This year's festival is going to be diverse, so check out the full schedule at this link.

Another sequel update

2010-10-02T14:54:00.001-04:00

As you can see from the previous post – the INTERPOL memo – the sequel to Conquering Venus has more of a mystery/thriller vibe. It's not going to be The Bourne Identity or anything like that (although Martin does leap across a rooftop in one scene – hmmm...), but there are detectives, policemen and one secret agent. The challenge has been to keep the characters and plot as grounded and realistic as possible while ratcheting up the mystery aspect.

Venus was not marketed as a mystery, although two of its major plot lines do fall into that category. The mystery of Peter's suicide is revealed at the end of Venus, but what happened to Irène's husband and the last person to see him alive, his lover Frederick, remained unanswered.

Since I want this book to be both a sequel and a standalone book for those who haven't read Venus, the book opens with Martin writing a letter to David that succinctly wraps up the action from the first book and launches the reader into the new story.

Back to writing!

David McLaren is missing...

2010-09-27T14:57:00.000-04:00

Book festival update

2010-09-06T16:02:00.000-04:00

It was an amazing weekend at the Decatur Book Festival! Thanks to those who bought copies of Conquering Venus from Charis Books and others who already had copies and found me to have them signed. I appreciate it so much! For a complete report and photos from my weekend at DBF, read the Modern Confessional blog.

2010-09-03T15:33:00.002-04:00

The annual Decatur Book Festival returns this weekend, Sept. 3-5, with hundreds of authors on hand for readings, signings, panel discussions and more. Here's what my schedule is looking like.

On Saturday at 10 a.m. I'll be reading poems from Persistent Voices: An Anthology of Poets Lost to AIDS with Franklin Abbott, Megan Volpert, Cleo Creech and Theresa Davis. Editor David Groff will be on hand to discuss the anthology. At 11 a.m. I'm moderating a social media panel with Karen Head, Jessica Handler, Laurel Snyder and Jef Blocker. Both of these are happening at the Holiday Inn/Decatur Conference Center. Copies of Conquering Venus will be for sale, too!

On Sunday from 4-6 p.m. I'm hosting a great group of poets on the Local Poetry Stage at Java Monkey Coffee House including Mike Dockins, Lisa Allender, Eve Hoffman, Dustin Brookshire, Cleo Creech, Anne Webster, Gypsee Yo and the fab Charles Jensen. The regular Java Monkey Speaks open mic will begin as usual at 8 p.m. (sign up at 7:30, but come early to find a seat and get your name on the list!). The special guest is my pal, the wonderful Patricia Smith.

For a full schedule of events at the Decatur Book Festival, visit www.decaturbookfestival.com.

An update on the Venus sequel

2010-08-26T12:17:00.000-04:00

I wanted to give a full status update for those who have asked so kindly about when the next book in the Venus trilogy will be published. The goal is to have a finished draft before the holidays. Then a couple of trusted friends and my editor will get their hands on it to make suggestions. Then, it's off to Vanilla Heart, who will decide when they want to put it out and all the planning that entails. It might be late 2011 or it could be 2012.

The story picks up two years after the events in Conquering Venus on the night Princess Diana dies in Paris. Martin is living with Irène on rue Rampon and he's been dating an Englishman, Euan, who bought the apartment across the hall and runs a bookshop on the Left Bank called the Anglophile. Martin has had no contact with David since 1995. and while he's tried to commit to Euan, he's still restless.

Diane has returned to Memphis after blowing her savings traveling across Europe and has been forced to move in with her parents. She's about to start a new job teaching in a private school, when she has an explosive encounter with David's parents. David has gone missing and they believe he's headed to Paris to reconnect with Martin. Diane goes to Paris to try and intercept him, but she finds out that David's "disappearance" is more than just a missing person case with connections to drugs, crime and stolen identities in the City of Lights.

Meanwhile, Irène has hired a private detective to help her track down her late husband's lover, Frederick. From Provence to Calais to the Rhone Valley, the detective has been in hot pursuit of the elusive man, who holds the key to Jean-Louis' mysterious death. And Irène is having strange dreams again, that seem to be a backwards puzzle that are leading her to an inevitable confrontation with Frederick.

It's a very intricate plot, full of new characters and even has a touch of thriller about it. While it's a sequel, the book will also stand on its own. I can't wait for you to read it!

Paris, je t'aime

2010-08-07T13:22:00.003-04:00

You can read more about my recent Paris adventure at the travel website, Gadling.com. The folks at Red Room hooked me up with Gadling to write several pieces about my trip last month. Here are the links:

Three Days in London

Three Days in Paris

Another article on my visit to Cardiff is coming soon. You'll also noticed this blog got a little tweak this week with the addition of the nav bar above. You can now easily find the plot summary, book club questions and reviews under these permanent tabs.

Returning to Rue Rampon

2010-07-27T18:43:00.001-04:00

I've just returned from an amazing trip to Europe. I guest lectured on social media at Worcester College at Oxford University and read from my poetry in Cardiff with Karen Head and Ivy Alvarez. I also returned to Paris to celebrate the 15th anniversary of my first trip – the one that inspired Conquering Venus – and to do a bit of location scouting and research for the sequel.

While I was in Europe, I did manage to finish a chapter, knock out a new one and start another. The sequel is coming along nicely and it's full of twists and surprises you probably won't be expecting. At least I'm hoping so. Of course, while I was in Paris, I had to return to Rue Rampon, where much of the action in Venus takes place.

The street, located in the 11th arrondissement near Republique Square, has changed very little from when I first visited in 1995. Some of the businesses on the ground floors have changed and the former Bel Air Hotel (where Martin, Diane, David and the teens on the summer trip check in) is now the upscale Le General. That's it at left.

What hadn't changed was Irène's apartment building. Her balcony is still full of flowers and, although you can't see it in this photo, the rooms still appear to be lined with bookcases. I really did want to ring the bell and say hello to who lives there, but how do you explain you've co-opted their home as the prime location of your book? Of course, my description of the building in the novel is slightly different – there's no flat roof, there's no business on the ground floor and Irène's balcony is bigger.

Despite that, walking along Rue Rampon brought back many memories and reignited my desire to finish the sequel. I also went back to Notre-Dame, the Left Bank and spent the morning in the Jardin des Plantes, Paris' botanical garden. A big scene in the sequel takes place in the garden, so I took my notebook and sketched out ideas and bits of dialogue while I was sitting there in the center of beautiful Paris.

Venus a bestseller at Saints & Sinners Literary Festival

2010-06-30T14:23:00.000-04:00

Found out today that Conquering Venus was one of the bestselling books at the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival last month. Here's the full list:

The World of Normal Boys by K.M. Soehnlein
A Field Guide to Deception by Jill Malone
Red Audrey and the Roping by Jill Malone
Probation by Tom Mendicino
Letters to Montgomery Clift by Noel Alumit
Inheritance by Steven Reigns
If Jesus Were Gay and Other Poems by Emanuel Xavier
Conquering Venus by Collin Kelley
Vieux Carre Voodoo by Greg Herren

See more at www.sasfest.org.

Fantastic review at Naughty Book Kitties

2010-06-25T19:46:00.004-04:00

This might be my favorite review of Conquering Venus so far because of the source. Brent is a 15-year-old blogger who loves literature and he's on a mission to make sure libraries have more books with gay characters for young adults. He's received a lot of ink lately, including articles in the New York Times, Huffington Post and gay websites like Queerty. On his blog, The Naughty Book Kitties, he reviews mostly young adult fiction, but he asked to see a copy of Venus and his review posted today.

The review is hilarious and it was a treat to hear what a teen thinks of the book, because I've always thought it would have resonance to younger guys who are questioning their sexuality. Here's one of my favorite lines from the review:

And ooooooh, girl. David, Martin’s sort-of lover. I wanna slap the fuck outta him! He claims to be straight. I’m sorry, boo boo, but when you suck a dick, you’re gay. And at the end, when he finally accepts the fact that 1) he loves Martin and 2) he’s gay, he does something so fucked up you wanna slap him again.

Brent, I'm honored! Read the full review at this link.

A compelling read...

2010-06-08T19:57:00.000-04:00

Author Marshall Moore has given Conquering Venus an excellent review at Goodreads! Here's a little excerpt:

"It's a compelling read, with prose that adheres to what I consider the highest standard: it flows without drawing undue attention to itself. It's a page-turner without being lighter than air and containing nothing but pleasant-smelling vapors. The characters are meticulously drawn, as is the Paris setting. There is a palpable sense of tension in the book that never boils over but keeps things moving along at an engaging simmer. Yes, I really liked it."

I'm thrilled! You can read the full review at this link.

New Venus Review

2010-06-01T19:22:00.000-04:00

Many thanks to Joy Richardson for her lovely review of Conquering Venus at Suite101.com. Here's an excerpt:

Collin Kelley's debut novel is an irresistible read. Conquering Venus is a compelling mystery and love story told through well-crafted prose.

Read the full review at this link.

Saints & Sinners and New Interview

2010-05-22T14:45:00.001-04:00

Last weekend's Saints & Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans was fantastic. I sat on a panel about social media with writers Jess Wells, Gregory Gerard, Cecilia Tan and publicist/marketing guru Michele Karlsberg. It was one of the most well-attended panels of the weekend. I also read from Conquering Venus (pictured) and sat in on some other panels about time management and writing short fiction. I had an idea to take some of the minor characters in Venus and create a series of short stories about them to post here on the blog. I'm exploring that idea.

Many thanks to Nic Sebastian for including me in a new series of interviews about poets, writers and technology at her Very Like A Whale blog. Check it out at this link.

If you happened upon the Venus blog from Google or some other source, make sure to visit my main site, Modern Confessional, where I post rants, raves, reviews and general thoughts about my life in general.

Buy Venus in May and support equality

2010-05-04T23:12:00.001-04:00

During the month of May, Vanilla Heart Publishing will be donating 25 percent of the publisher's proceeds from my novel, Conquering Venus, as well as L.E. Harvey's Loving Her, Kate Evan's Complementary Colors and Sarah Natalia Lee's Saving Amy, to the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) to aid in the case of Greene vs. County of Sonoma.

While the NCLR is helping spread the word, the case actually involves two elderly gay men, Clay Greene and his 20-year partner Harold Scull, who were forced by a hospital and Sonama County in California to separate and go into different nursing homes. They're relationship was ignored despite the fact that they had drawn up legal documents including wills, powers of attorney and medical directives. What happened to them is one of the worst cases of injustice I've ever heard about. It's also further proof that gays and lesbians do not have the same civil and human rights in this country.

After a serious fall, Harold was hospitalized and Clay should have been the one making his partner's medical decisions, but the hospital and county stepped in and forcibly put them in separate nursing homes. Clay was not allowed to see Harold and while they were in the nursing homes, the county went a step further and sold all their personal belongings and had the lease to their home terminated. Worst of all is that Harold died in the nursing home and Clay did not get to say goodbye.

The case will go to court in July and supporters of Clay and Harold are raising money to take this all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. You can read all the details at this NCLR link or at the New York Times. There is also a Facebook page about Clay and Harold.

If you haven't purchased a copy of Conquering Venus, this is the month to do so. Visit this link to find out where to buy Venus and the other titles. If you already own the book, please make a donation to NCLR to help Clay and Harold find justice. The fight for equality continues.

Baby Got Books reviews Conquering Venus

2010-04-28T22:51:00.002-04:00

Many, many, many thanks to reviewer Anne Stanford for the brilliant review of Conquering Venus that appeared today on the popular blog, Baby Got Books. Anne said the book contained "an intriguing story and fantastic writing." You really can't ask for more than that. It was the perfect tonic after the sales report from the weekend. You can read the full review at this link.

Sample Conquering Venus on BookBuzzr

2010-04-27T13:43:00.006-04:00

If you look over in the sidebar, you'll see a cool widget from Bookbuzzr. This hand-dandy little thingamabob lets you sample the first 22 pages of Conquering Venus. When you click on the "Read Free Sample" button, it will take you to a new screen to read the full-sized pages. You can flip through them just like an e-book on Kindle. If you like what you read, there is also a button to give you a list of retailers, an option to read reviews, interviews and find out more about the author (that's me!) and to also recommend the book to others via Twitter.

You might have noticed the blog is undergoing a bit of renovation. Looks nifty doesn't it?

More reviews and a Tallahassee recap

2010-04-16T19:49:00.003-04:00

Two fabulous review of Conquering Venus posted online in one week! Huzzah! On Monday, Nanette Rayman-Rivera posted her take on Venus at Goodreads. Here's an excerpt:

Mr. Kelley does a wonderful job of creating the atmosphere of Paris in the 1990’s and Paris under siege during street revolutions in the 1960’s under DeGaulle. Mr. Kelley finds a compelling way to wind each character’s story around and back from the past to the present.

Yesterday, The Next Best Book Blog posted a lengthy review from Lori Hettler, who gave it three stars. Here's a quote:

Overall, an intense look at a world of which I was not overly familiar with. While I don't have much experience with Gay Lit, I do have a TON of experience with reading in general, and Kelley can certainly hold his own with the best of them.

Those reviews bookended my reading from Venus on Tuesday night at Tallahassee Pridefest. I was thrilled to be back (I read poetry there in 2008) and delighted to share the stage with my pal Terry Galloway, who read excerpts from her Lambda Award-nominated memoir Mean Little Deaf Queer. Seriously, folks, if you haven't read it, go to Amazon or your local bookseller and buy it. I hope she wins! We had a packed house at The Warehouse for the reading and I also got to have dinner with the reading's organizer, Patrick Patterson, a charming and dapper host.

And thanks as always to uber-mensch Ben Tanzer for his continued support of Venus. He recommended the novel to The Next Best Book Blog in the first place.

In Memoriam: Malcolm McLaren

2010-04-10T21:38:00.003-04:00

The great music manager, promoter, artist Malcolm McLaren passed away earlier this week. I paid tribute to Malcolm by giving the character David his last name in Conquering Venus. In 1995 - the year the novel is set -- McLaren released the brilliant album Paris, a homage to the city featuring Catherine Denueuve and Francois Hardy. He also composed the masterpiece "Madame Butterfly," based on the opera. Both videos are here. Watch, enjoy, remember. Thanks for the inspiration, MM.

Tallahassee Pridefest, April 13

2010-04-09T18:59:00.002-04:00

If you haven't checked out the Tallahassee Pridefest website, please do. It's an exciting line-up of events and folks, including yours truly. I'm reading Tuesday night with Terry Galloway at Pridefest's literary event, Quill, at The Warehouse, 706 Gaines Street. It begins at 7 p.m. and it's free!

Many thanks to Jessica Handler (author of the brilliant memoir Invisible Sisters) for recommending to the organizers of the Red Clay Writers Conference. I'll be leading a workshop on confessional writing (both poetry and fiction). The conference is in November at Kennesaw State University and I'll be in fine company with Marc Fitten, Hollis Gillespie and many others.

The Writer's Center reading

2010-04-02T13:53:00.002-04:00

Reading from Conquering Venus at The Writer's Center in Bethesda this afternoon.

Poet Susan Tichy reads from her work at The Writer's Center.

Many thanks to Charles Jensen at The Writer's Center in Bethesda for inviting me to read from Conquering Venus, along with poet Susan Tichy. It was a great weekend in D.C.

Conquering Venus reading at The Writer's Center

2010-03-25T10:02:00.003-04:00

On Sunday, March 28, at 2 p.m. I'll be reading at The Writer's Center in Bethesda, MD with poet Susan Tichy as part of the Open Door Reading Series. I'll be reading from Conquering Venus and books will be for sale. There will also be a Q&A session. If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello.

Examining Place: The Paris of Conquering Venus

2010-03-20T13:52:00.003-04:00

Many thanks to novelist Chelle Cordero for hosting my essay Examining Place: The Paris of Conquering Venus at her blog! Paris is an integral part of the novel -- and the two to follow -- so I consider it one of the main characters.

Awards and appearances

2010-03-17T23:14:00.002-04:00

Sadly, Conquering Venus was not selected as one of the finalists for the Lambda Literary Awards. Disappointing, yes, but there's no point dwelling on it. Venus is officially a nominee for the Georgia Author of the Year Award for First Novel and those awards will be handed out in June. Fingers crossed.

My next reading is a big one: The Writer's Center in Bethesda, MD. I'll be reading along with poet Susan Tichy on Sunday, March 28, at 2 p.m. If you're in the D.C. area, I hope you'll come out and say hello.

More reviews are on the way (hopefully good ones!) and please continue to tell your friends about the book. Word of mouth recommendations are very important. Also consider writing a short review on Amazon.com or at Barnes & Noble (bn.com). If you haven't read it yet, check the sidebar for links to read the prologue and first chapter and watch the video trailer.

Review in OutSmart Magazine & More

2010-03-02T15:53:00.005-05:00

OutSmart Magazine has given Conquering Venus a lovely little review in the latest edition. Reviewer Angel Curtis says: "This stunning debut novel is everything—a poetic page-turner, a wonderful mystery, and a compelling story of self-realization." Read the full review at this link.

Poet Pris Campbell also had some lovely things to say about Venus at her blog, Songs to a Midnight Sky. Many thanks to Pris for helping to spread the word about the novel.

Thanks to fellow novelist Ben Tanzer for the shout out in his interview at The Next Best Book Blog.

I've been invited to read at the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans, May 13-16. More details soon.

Reading the prologue to Conquering Venus

2010-02-24T18:54:00.002-05:00

Poet and writer Will Kenyon has kindly posted a clip of me reading the prologue for Conquering Venus at his blog Will Kenyon's Little Corner of the Universe. Make sure you check out Will reading from his own novel, A War Between the States.

Blog love for Conquering Venus

2010-02-18T18:30:00.003-05:00

Jessica Handler, author of the brilliant memoir Invisible Sisters, did a Q&A with me about Conquering Venus at her blog, Swimming in the Trees. I appreciate the support!

Also showing Conquering Venus some love is poet Diane Lockward, who features the book trailer on her blog, Blogalicious, in a thoughtful discussion on using trailers to promote literature. Thanks, Diane!

Conquering Venus makes Top 10 in Preditors & Editors Poll

2010-02-07T13:23:00.005-05:00

Thanks to everyone who voted in the Preditors & Editors Readers Poll 2009, putting Conquering Venus not only in the Top 10, but the Top 5! While it was a bit odd that Venus was in the mystery category, I am happy that it's been embraced by mystery fans. You can see the final results at this link.

Dream casting the Conquering Venus film

2010-02-02T18:46:00.007-05:00

Although the character of Irène is based on the great actress Jeanne Moreau, everyone at the Facebook Fan Page for Conquering Venus thinks Catherine Deneuve would be perfect.

William Mosely, who plays Peter in The Chronicles of Narnia films, was my pick to play Martin.

Parker Posey would be a treat as the edgy, crazy and hilarious Diane.

Sexy Mitch Hewer, best known for his role in the hit UK series Skins, got a thumbs up to play David.

Conquering Venus: From rough drafts to published novel

2010-01-20T23:30:00.005-05:00

Now that I'm working on the second book in the Venus trilogy, as well as a few other projects, I decided it was time to make room in my file cabinet. The photo above shows four of the rough drafts of the novel, plus the screenplay version (in the yellow envelope). I wrote the screenplay in 1995 and the finished novel came out just shy of 15 years later. What a long, strange journey it's been to publication by Vanilla Heart. The rough drafts are now in my archive, which will eventually be housed in the special collections department of the Alanta-Fulton County Library.

Vote for Conquering Venus

2010-01-09T16:41:00.003-05:00

Conquering Venus is a nominee in the mystery category for the annual Preditors & Editors Poll at the Critters Workshop site. The deadline is Jan. 14 and you only have to leave your name and email address (for vote verification) to cast a vote. I would appreciate your support.

In other book news, the Lambda Literary Foundation released its long list of nominees and Conquering Venus is there for debut fiction. Fingers crossed that it becomes a finalist. The announcement will be made by March 15.

The Importance of Being Venus

2010-01-02T20:17:00.005-05:00

Many, many, many thanks to my friend and muse Vanessa Daou -- the great musician, poet and artist -- for the lovely thoughts about the novel at her blog. If you haven't heard Vanessa's music, I suggest checking out her website and you can read a conversation between us about her lastest project, Daouhaus, at Soldout.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-24T21:57:00.003-05:00

Christmas tree at Galeries Lafayette

Happy Holidays and many thanks to everyone who has read Conquering Venus and been so supportive this year.

Reading from Conquering Venus

2009-12-20T13:25:00.003-05:00

The kind folks at Bound to Be Read Books filmed me reading a chapter from the novel last weekend during the Queer Literary Showcase event. A pretty good reading, despite the interruption by a rambunctious child.

A video review of Conquering Venus

2009-12-13T12:44:00.002-05:00

Many thanks to Erica Hensley at Bound to Be Read Books in East Atlanta Village for this video review of the novel!

Review in New Southerner

2009-12-12T12:31:00.003-05:00

Many thanks to Jennifer Perry and New Southerner magazine for the fantastic new review of Conquering Venus. You can read it at this link.

Reading in Nashville, Dec. 10

2009-12-05T12:55:00.003-05:00

I'll be in Nashville on Thursday, Dec. 10, 7 p.m. for a reading from Conquering Venus at OutCentral, the city's LGBT cultural center, followed by a book signing at OutLoud Books. OutCenteral is at 1709 Church St. and the bookstore just next door. If you're in Nashville, please stop by and say hello!

Conquering Venus podcast with Ben Tanzer

2009-11-19T19:31:00.003-05:00

Many thanks (again!) to novelist Ben Tanzer for his support of Conquering Venus. On Tuesday night, Ben and I sat down for dinner at The Flying Biscuit restaurant in Atlanta and recorded this podcast that ranges from writing fiction, to poetry, to favorite authors and hopes that Arianna Huffington will call. Hey, now that Oprah's retiring, the Huffington Post Book Club might be our last hope. List to the podcast at this link.

And I highly recommend you check out Ben's novel, Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine. The dialogue is crisp and the story about urban hipsters navigating personal relationships in pre-9/11 Manhattan crackles with realism.

New Interview by Justin Evans

2009-11-10T18:55:00.002-05:00

Many thanks to poet Justin Evans for this lengthy, insightful interview with me about poetry and Conquering Venus. You can read it at this link.

Out In Print Review of Conquering Venus

2009-11-03T14:05:00.002-05:00

A wonderful new review of Conquering Venus by Jameson Currier in Out In Print. Read it at this link.

This Book Will Change Your Life

2009-10-31T12:47:00.002-04:00

Many thanks to author Ben Tanzer for giving Conquering Venus such high praise on his This Blog Will Change Your Life site. Ben has been a mensch helping to promote my book. Please visit his blog and check out his new book, Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine. It's on my coffee table right now.

New Review & Interview

2009-10-29T10:20:00.004-04:00

Jason Pettus reviews Conquering Venus at the CCLaP website.

A new interview at the What to Wear During an Orange Alert website.

News & Notes for Conquering Venus

2009-10-28T11:58:00.004-04:00

If you're a book club looking for literary fiction with a dash of mystery and suspense, please consider Conquering Venus. There are discussion questions for the novel at this link. I am available to speak to book clubs in the metro Atlanta area and if I am visiting a city later this year or in 2010, I'll be happy to try and work a visit into my schedule. Please contact me at collinkelley@gmail.com to inquire.

Many thanks to publishing gurus Russ Marshalek and Brett Sandusky for having me read in New York and for the interview at their irreverent new vlog, Quit Being A Hooker, Hooker. I'm happy to be in the company of Eoin Colfer as one of the first interviews on the site. Please note the interview is not safe for work, small children, house pets or nuns.

If you're in Atlanta on Saturday, Oct. 31, I will be reading at the Atlanta Pride festival in Piedmont Park on the Budweiser stage. The literary portion of the event begins at 2:15 p.m. and I will probably read around 3 p.m.

Although I try not to obsess over Amazon rankings, it was cool to see Conquering Venus in the 75,000 range.

Conquering Venus podcast with Will Kenyon

2009-10-21T08:44:00.003-04:00

Many thanks to Will Kenyon for interviewing me about Conquering Venus for the podcast on his blog. You can listen to it now at this link.

Reading tonight at The Tank, NYC

2009-10-19T10:35:00.000-04:00

Monday, Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m.

Just Working On My Novel: The bi-monthly reading series that's drunken and curious. That makes it drunkenly bi-curious.

"Just Working On My Novel"-a night to air the bones and skeletons rattling in the closet, that take the shape of half-finished, mid-craft pieces of fiction and nonfiction. It is a reading series, and it is awesome. It is a force of nature, and it tastes like candy.

"Just Working On My Novel"-Because everyone's writing a novel. There are some who believe everyone should write a novel. Obviously Lauren Conrad agrees. If she can do it, are you telling me you can't? It doesn't even have to BE a novel. Nonfiction works, too, but "Just Working On My Somethin' Somethin' " doesn't have the same ring to it.

Host for this go-round of Just Working On My Novel are not one but TWO esteemed authors-South Carolina's Elise Blackwell and Atlanta's Collin Kelley.

Collin is an award-winning poet and journalist, and has recently published his first novel, "Conquering Venus". Elise has released three novels to critical acclaim, "Hunger", "Grub" and "The Unnatural History Of Cypress Parish" and is on the faculty at the University of South Carolina.

What Elise and Collin will do: read from what they've published. Read from unpublished works. Talk to you. Drink.

What you will do: Show up at 7 to inquire about a place in line to read your 5-10 minute unpublished work of fiction or nonfiction. Be prepared for critiques. Drink. Donate to support the tank nonprofit art space, because it loves you and you love it.

Signup at 7 p.m., readings at 7:30 p.m.

Conquering Venus featured on The Page 69 Test

2009-10-13T23:08:00.003-04:00

Many thanks to Marshal and The Page 69 Test for featuring Conquering Venus. The concept for the blog is for authors to turn to page 69 in their book and write an essay about how what's happening on that page and how it relates to the rest of the novel. On page 69 of Venus, Irène tells Martin about the root of her agoraphobia. You can read the entire essay at this link.

Interview in SubtleTea.com

2009-10-11T17:50:00.001-04:00

Many thanks to SubtleTea.com editor David Herrle for the in depth and thoughtful interview about the creation of Conquering Venus. You can read it at this link. Be sure to explore the rest of this fantastic online literary 'zine!

There was a small audience for my reading this afternoon at Bound to Be Read Books, but some great questions and discussions. Many thanks to the folks at the store for having me read and sign as part of their fourth anniversary celebration.

Upcoming Readings

2009-10-05T23:42:00.000-04:00

October 11, 3 p.m. - Bound to Be Read Books, 481-B Flat Shoals Ave. S.E, Atlanta, GA 30316

Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m. - Fierce: The Sharper Side of Fiction, with Elise Blackwell, Katie Kitamura, Sarah Rainone and D.E. Rasso. The Tank, 354 W. 45th Street, New York, NY, 10036

Oct. 19, 7:00 p.m. - Just Working on My Novel (hosting and reading with Elise Blackwell), The Tank, New York

October 23, 8 p.m. - Voices Carry (hosting and reading with Cecilia Woloch, Tania Rochelle, Karen Head, Theresa Davis and Kodac Harrison). Sycamore Place Gallery, 120 Sycamore Place, Decatur, GA

Oct. 31, 2:30 p.m. - Atlanta Pride, Piedmont Park

Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m. - Atlanta Queer Literary Festival, reading for My Diva: 65 Gay Men on the Women Who Inspire Them anthology (with Michael Montlack, Regie Cabico, Jim Elledge and Cleo Creech), Outwrite Books, 991 Piedmont Ave.

Nov. 7, 3 p.m. - Atlanta Queer Literary Festival, reading from Conquering Venus, Decatur Library auditorium, 215 Sycamore St.

A missing scene

2009-09-26T22:43:00.003-04:00

This is a cut scene from the first chapter where Martin first meets David at a mixer for the students going on the trip to Paris. Some of the dialogue was worked into other parts of the chapter, but this flashback moment ultimately broke up the flow. Diane gets a couple of extra zingers.

Martin knew David was curious. He remembered the evening in March when he had first laid eyes on David at the social for the students and chaperones to mix and mingle before the summer trip.

Martin had fancied himself looking vaguely glamorous as he swept into the library wearing a long black coat and hat, cheeks blushed from the cold. He pulled off his hat and shook out his hair, running a hand through to smooth it back. David had been standing right next to him, eyes moving from Martin’s face to the tattoo.

“Cool tattoo,” David said.

“Thanks.”

“How come I’ve never seen you before?”

“I don’t go to school here.”

“I didn’t think so.”

Martin stared at him, arms folded across his chest.

“So how did you…I mean, how are you going on this trip?” David was having trouble making complete sentences under Martin’s inscrutable gaze.

“I’m your chaperone,” Martin said, walking toward Diane who had been waving to him from across the library. He looked back over his shoulder and David was still staring. He was elated and couldn’t wait to ask Diane about him.

“Who is that?” he asked.

Diane looked around Martin and whispered in his ear, “David McLaren. He’s our resident cocky jock boy that every girl wants to go down on.”

“And the boys, too, I bet.”

“He plays baseball, swims…runs with his own kind. You are not his kind…not even Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And he’s underage. Jailbait. Michael Jackson fodder.”

“He’s too old for Michael.”

“And too young for you. Now get some punch and keep your dick in your pants. I’m thrilled your libido appears to be reemerging from dormancy, but this ain’t the guy. Use him as a jack off fantasy and move on.”

Martin had ignored Diane and called David. They had gone to a movie and a dance club where David had to sneak in because he was underage and they had driven around in David’s prize possession—a Jeep. There was always something unspoken in those moments. A good time was had, but Martin always went home feeling that something else needed to be said. David had to know Martin was gay, but it was never mentioned, and only alluded to by subtle flirtations.

David asked questions about Martin’s past and he had carefully sidestepped them all. One night David came and picked him up in the Jeep. They drove for over an hour, not speaking, the radio turned down to a low hum.

“Thanks, man” David said as he dropped Martin off at his apartment. “I just needed to get out and drive and think about some stuff, but I didn’t want to be alone. You know.”

Martin had smiled and nodded, but he didn’t know, not really. David was a moody boy, and that drew Martin like a moth to flame. Just like it had drawn him to Peter.

Meeting Jeanne Moreau

2009-09-19T12:51:00.001-04:00

Dedicated to the brilliant Vanessa Daou, who inspired me while I was writing Conquering Venus.

Blog Book Tour Begins

2009-09-13T13:00:00.005-04:00

The blog book tour for Conquering Venus beings today and the first stop is at Christine Swint's wonderful Balanced on the Edge blog. I did a Q&A with Christine a few works ago about the novel and it's creation.

The blog tour will consist of Q&As, essays, reviews and video interviews. Here's the other blogs on the tour. Exact dates are still being discussed:

Balanced on the Edge (Christine Swint)

Flux Capacitor (Maggie May Ethridge)

The Peach Tart (Deborah Bailey)

I Was Born Doing Reference Work in Sin (Dustin Brookshire)

Will Kenyon

SheelerBirth (Jackie Sheeler's YouTube channel)

Justin Evans

Being and Writing (Kate Evans)

Poet Mom (January O'Neal)

Xanga (Chelle Codero)

Music and Film Inspirations

2009-09-11T19:44:00.006-04:00

If you've read the novel, you might have noticed that some of the chapter titles are taken from songs and films. There are also moments in the novel that were inspired by some of my favorite movies. Here's a few:

The Rilke epigraph that begins the novel (For here there is no place that does not see you...) was inspired by a scene from Woody Allen's criminally underrated drama, Another Woman. The great Gena Rowland reads from Archaic Torso of Apollo in the film.

Chapter One (The Dreaming) is named after Kate Bush's album and song, which was inspired by Aboriginals who believe that every person in an essential way exists eternally in a state called Dreamtime. Dreams are an essential part of Conquering Venus.

Chapter Two (The Other Side of the Mirror) is an allusion to Alice in Wonderland and Stevie Nick's song, which is also about Alice. Martin and Irène first see each other through a looking glass.

Chapter Seven (Affliction) from Paul Schrader's film starring Nick Nolte, James Coburn and Sissy Spacek, about a cop who has a mental breakdown while investigating a murder.

Chapter Seventeen (Fantomes dans la Machine) from Arthur Kostler's book where he theorizes that as the human brain grows, it builds upon earlier, more primitive brain structures, and these are "ghosts in the machine." Koestler's theory is that at times these structures can overpower higher logical functions, and are responsible for hate, anger and other such destructive impulses (thanks to Wikipedia for putting it so succinctly). It's also the name of a fabulous album by The Police.

Also in Chapter Seventeen, there is a scene where Irène and Martin see themselves on television and the image is reminiscent of a photograph take of Irène and her late husband. This was inspired by a scene in Krzysztof Kieslowski's film Red, starring Irène Jacob, about logic-defying connections between a young fashion model and a retired, bitter judge.

Chapter 25 (The Dead) from James Joyce's story and the film adaptation by John Huston.

Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window was on my mind while writing about Irène's spying on the Bel Air Hotel across from her apartment.

Reading at the Decatur Book Festival

2009-09-07T13:34:00.003-04:00

With, l-r, Shawn Stuart Ruff and Z Egloff during the Q&A session at the Decatur Conference Center.

Reading from Conquering Venus on the Decatur Conference Center stage at Decatur Book Festival. The bookseller, Bound to Be Read Books, sold out of copies for the signing that followed!

Thanks to Julie Bloemeke for the photos.

Deacatur Book Festival, Sept. 5-6

2009-09-04T15:56:00.005-04:00

I'll be reading from Conquering Venus at the Decatur Book Festival on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 1:45 p.m. on the Decatur Conference Center Stage sponsored by PBA. I'll be reading with Z Egloff (Verge) and Shawn Stuart Ruff (Finlater). On Sunday, Sept. 6, from 4-6 p.m. I'll be reading and hosting poets (including Ginger Murchison, Amy Pence, Katie Chaple and more) on the Local Poetry Stage presented by Poetry Atlanta at Java Monkey Coffee House. See the full schedule at this link.

The Paris of Conquering Venus

2009-09-02T18:15:00.002-04:00

View The Paris of "Conquering Venus" in a larger map

A map of some of the key locations in Paris where Conquering Venus takes place. Click on one of the pointers to read more. Click the map for a larger version.

Cover To Cover interview & more updates

2009-08-29T13:24:00.004-04:00

Novelist Man Martin interviewed me for Georgia Public Broadcasting's literary radio show, Cover to Cover, a few weeks ago and it will air tomorrow night (Aug. 30) at 8 p.m. If you live in Georgia you can hear it on the radio or visit the Cover to Cover site and listen online. Man asked some insightful questions and I read a passage from the novel.

Creative Loafing is posting a Poem-A-Day at its website in the run-up to the Decatur Book Festival and "Why I Want to Be Pam Grier" was featured this week on the site. Thanks again to writer Curt Holman for asking me to participate in the Loaf's coverage of the festival.

Two more fabulous reviews of Conquering Venus from Lisa Allender and Stacey Lynn Brown. I especially love that Stacey had to use her little book light to keep reading late into the night. A number of folks have called the novel a "page turner," and that's high praise in my book.

Many thanks to Howard Pousner and Jamie Gumbrecht for the shout out in the article about the Decatur Book Festival which appeared in yesterdays Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Conquering Venus Updates

2009-08-25T22:35:00.004-04:00

Many thanks to Curt Holman at Creative Loafing for the article in this week's edition about the upcoming Decatur Book Festival. He quoted me at length -- mostly about poetry -- but there's also a plug for Conquering Venus.

Helen Losse, wonderful poet and Dead Mule School of Southern Literature poetry editor, has written the first long review of Conquering Venus and its now posted at Blogcritics. Here's a taste:

Kelley carefully and masterfully creates characters who must deal with the difficult situations in their various pasts — broken marriages, betrayal, sexual confusion and dishonesty, death, suicide, and family acceptance or denial of these — and a plot that draws them together on a trip to Paris.

Read the full review at this link.

Book PR guru Russ Marshalek has worked his magic and arranged back-to-back readings from Conquering Venus at The Tank space in New York. On Sunday, Oct. 18, there will be a "literary burlesque show" and I'm reading with Elise Blackwell and other writers Russ has assured "will make me pee" when I find out who they are. Then, on Monday, Oct. 19, Elise and I will co-host Just Working On My Novel, where we'll read from our just-published work and something in progress.

I found out tonight that Conquering Venus is the number one seller this week at Outwrite Bookstore in Atlanta. It's exciting to be number one anywhere! Oprah, are you out there?

Inspirations for Conquering Venus

2009-08-22T12:30:00.000-04:00

Martin, Diane and the students leave from Waterloo Station in London on the Eurostar to Paris.

They arrive at the beautiful old Gare du Nord in northern Paris.

At busy Republique Square, Martin is closer to his destiny. Rue Rampon and Irène Laureux are just around the corner.

Without Jeanne Moreau there would be no Irène Laureux.

Rue Rampon is the 11th arrondissement.

More places to buy Conquering Venus

2009-08-20T13:12:00.007-04:00

I'm thrilled that Powell's Bookstore is now selling Conquering Venus. It's one of America's greatest indie stores. You can order it at their online store or stop by and ask for one. Here's an updated list, with more options for those in the United Kingdom:

If you live in Atlanta, Outwrite Books now has autographed copies in the store. Stop by and support one of the city's best bookshops!

First reading, Amazon availability abroad & more

2009-08-18T15:14:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow night (Aug. 19) is the official launch of Conquering Venus at Outwrite Books at 7:30 p.m. I'll read a couple of chapters followed by a Q&A and signing. Outwrite is located at 991 Piedmont Avenue in Midtown Atlanta. www.outwritebooks.com.

The novel is also now available for purchase at Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.jp, Amazon.de, and Amazon.ca. As a matter of fact, all the Amazon stores have it except China. If you're a reader from abroad, please purchase a copy and let me know what you think of Conquering Venus.

Yesterday afternoon, I recorded an interview and reading for the Georgia Public Broadcasting radio show, Cover to Cover. Fellow author Man Martin interviewed me and asked some insightful questions. Not sure when it will air, but I'll put up a post and the link to the podcast that will be available afterwards.