Friday, March 14, 2014

RainbowCon Guest Post: Putting the FUN in the Dysfunctional by Shae Connor


Putting the FUN in Dysfunctional
By Shae Connor

When I first got started in this whole professional writing thing four years ago, I had a bad case of nerves about it. What if no one liked my stories? Worse, what if no one liked me? I can get over a book being rejected, but would I be the wallflower in the corner, making the “forever alone” face?

Ha. As if this crowd would let that happen.

The romance genre in general, and the gay romance community specifically, opens its arms to everyone. Sure, there are squabbles and kerfuffles, and the occasional flounce, but most people are warm, smart, and funny. And most of us know how to enjoy ourselves.

Y’know, writers are kind of weird. We have imaginary people talking to us from inside our heads, but instead of sending us off to a psych ward, people pay us to let them talk. We gripe about our characters taking over, but we’ll happily follow them wherever they go. And we spend the bulk of our time alone, hunched over a keyboard, but get us all in one place, and we can’t stop talking.

Conventions like RainbowCon are great on multiple levels, but for authors, it’s really our time to shine. We extract ourselves from our hidey holes, get gussied up, put on our Professional Writer hats and our dancing shoes, and wallow in what makes being a writer awesome: readings, signings, panel discussions, workshops, and, of course, parties. (Never forget the parties.) We stay up late talking about our favorite stories—ours and others’—and we drink too much alcohol and coffee. (Is there any such thing?) We meet readers and bloggers and other authors, and we share everything that makes our genre great.

And sometimes, we come away with ideas for new stories. Or, say, an anthology.

(Nice segue, eh?)

A couple of years ago, a group of authors on a panel at a convention put together an idea for an anthology. About pirates. Butt pirates, to be exact. And they had to be in space. Of course. And thus was born Butt Pirates In Space! The ink was hardly dry on the shiny new book before we were planning for the follow-up, and next month, you’ll all have the chance to experience the glory that is Butt Ninjas from Hell!

Featuring eight stories from eight authors, Butt Ninjas from Hell will be out in ebook on April 16 from Wilde City Press. (Print will follow soon after, for those who prefer the hard copies.) Naturally, that timing means I’ll be pimping the hell out of it at RainbowCon, so if you’ll be there, look me up. I might even have a little goodie to give you.

And even if you’re not interested in a little butt ninja action, look me up anyway. Introduce yourself. Come to a panel and ask me a question. Tell me about your favorite authors and stories, and I’ll tell you about mine. Who knows? Maybe they’ll match up, and we’ll be instant besties!

Or if nothing else, maybe we’ll come away with another story recommendation or idea, or three, and head back to our computers re-inspired and re-invigorated for another year of writing and reading. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about?


Author Bio

Shae Connor lives in Atlanta, where she’s a lackadaisical government worker for a living and writes sweet-hot romance under the cover of night. She’s been making things up for as long as she can remember, but it took her a long time to figure out that maybe she should try writing them down. She’s conned several companies into publishing her work and adds a new notch on her bedpost each time another story is unleashed onto an unsuspecting universe.

Shae is part Jersey, part Irish, and all Southern, which explains why she never shuts up. You can find her hanging out on Twitter most any time @shaeconnor, but for the more direct route, you can email her at shaeconnorwrites@gmail.com or visit her website at shaeconnorwrites.com.


Butt Ninjas from Hell

They move like shadows through the night… when they aren't tripping over the furniture. Prepare your loins for the unsheathing of fleshy swords, the plunging of steely blades, and the unmasking of your deepest, hottest desires as Kage Alan, JP Barnaby, Ally Blue, TC Blue, Shae Connor, Jevocas Green, Kiernan Kelly, and Eden Winters bring you… Butt Ninjas from Hell. You’ll never see them coming!

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