J.L. Langley ~ The Tin Star
From: Loose Id
You want to make a lot of so called “experts” look like complete and utter idiots flapping their lips? The idiots who proclaim that M/M Romance is written by “straight” women for “straight” women and that is it’s main audience and “gay” men would never read that stuff.
You want to know what the 2008 bestselling book for A Different Light in San Francisco was? The gayest bookstore in the gayest city in the gayest neighborhood on the fucking planet. Take a look above.
The whole point is that THE #1 BESTSELLING BOOK OF 2008 AT A GAY BOOKSTORE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CASTRO IN SAN FRANCISCO was not only a M/M Romance written by a straight woman (J.L. Langley) but also a book in print from an ePub (Loose Id). Got it?
We are going places people.
Let’s stop thinking so limited and realize all it takes is the right book, the right cover, the right story, and simply letting book store managers know where they can buy it (Ingrams) and you will not only cross all borders but be very successful in doing so.
Keep an eye on that Amazon bestseller list for Gay & Lesbian Fiction and tell me that J.L. Langley and M.L. Rhodes and Ally Blue do not keep popping up in the top twenty. That from my experience is a pretty accurate reflection of what I found in the Castro. So you might not like the fact they are getting the sales or like how they write books but quit saying it is “only straight women” buying them. The facts say otherwise.
Tags: Gay Romance, Grade A, J.L. Langley, Loose Id, Wank, WesternTags: Gay Romance, Grade A, J.L. Langley, Loose Id, Wank, Western
Cat Grant wrote,
That’s fantastic, and well deserved, too. J.L.’s a great writer.
Link | January 14th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Jade Buchanan wrote,
JL rocks!! Very deserved news for her :) I remember talking to a few customers at A Different Light and they all said they love reading the books written by Ally and Laura and JL, etc. A good book is a good book, regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the name on the front.
Link | January 14th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Ally Blue wrote,
I was SO excited to hear this! I loved this book, as I love all of J.L.’s books. She can spin one hell of a hot, fascinating tale :D
John and all the guys at A Different Light were absolutely wonderful to all of us when we were there in September for J.L.’s signing. In fact, everyone we met at ADL and in the Castro district was just as wonderful. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so instantly at home anywhere. Whatever hangups some other people may have about straight women writing gay romance, the customers at ADL evidently don’t share them :)
Link | January 14th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
TeddyPig wrote,
Ally,
Samhain or Loose Id should really get you guys together and send you off to spread the news and sign some books.
Between A Different Light and Lambda Rising Gay Bookstore chains you got the east and west coast right there.
Link | January 14th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Ally Blue wrote,
FSM, that would be WAY too much fun O_O
Link | January 14th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
vein wrote,
If you think I said any of those things (as you seem to suggest in comments on ERECsite) allow me to clarify. I didn’t. But as I am not an expert either I assume you are referring to someone else who did.
Link | January 14th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
TeddyPig wrote,
Not you Emily,
I was reading something on DA when I wrote that if that gives you a hint.
Link | January 14th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
vein wrote,
Okay, sorry for leaping to conclusions. My ego does that sometimes.
I am off reading DearAuthor for a while. I am trying to kick my personal content to drama ratio back into line.
Link | January 14th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Louise van Hine wrote,
Gay readers have always been a significant audience for M/M stories in my experience. As well as for slash fan fiction. So whoever those “experts” have spoken to haven’t talked to enough gay men.
Link | January 14th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Amanda wrote,
Way to go JL! This is the second year in a row, isn’t it?
Link | January 14th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Erastes wrote,
*Happy* The Tin Star has pretty much consistently been top of the Gay section of Amazon USA for over a year now, and that’s got to say something. Well done, JL and here’s to an even better 2009 for all of us. It’s started pretty well.
Link | January 15th, 2009 at 5:22 am
Treva Harte wrote,
Why yes, I did know that. JL was kind enough to forward the email on. Of course now we have to see what else that bookstore might sell. (Write faster, JL dear.)
Link | January 15th, 2009 at 6:07 am
P.A. Brown wrote,
I’m happy to hear this. I always thought I was writing for anyone who loved men loving men and I’ve always done my best to make my characters a whole lot more than just some straight woman’s fantasy. Someday I hope to make it west again so I can get to A Different Light You guys rock.
Link | January 15th, 2009 at 7:08 am
Alex Beecroft wrote,
I do wish people wouldn’t try to dictate who was allowed to read or write what. I write for people – for anyone who likes to read a romance between two men. I don’t think I would even know how to write specifically ‘for women’. Do all women really share the same tastes, and no men at all share them? I don’t think I believe that.
Link | January 15th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Laura Baumbach wrote,
I’ve always know that. That’s why the author co-op, Manloveromance.com, I founded markets to both gay men and straight women equally. We know where our readers are and always have. Our fan mail tells us. The distributors buying from MLR Press tell me.
The reception we got from the staff and customers at ADL this past summer was AWESOME. JL, Ally, Jade, Kimber and I could hardly get away when it came time to head back to the hotel. *g* We had a marvelous time and I can’t wait to go back again.
Link | January 15th, 2009 at 7:59 am
JL Langley wrote,
Thank you very much, all of you. Your support means a lot to me. In my opinion, this is wonderful for all of us and our genre. I get emails from men all the time telling me how wonderful it is to be able to read “romance” and not just erotica. This honor would appear to say the same thing, so keep up the good work ladies and gentlemen. The gay community appreciates what we are doing.
Link | January 15th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Erastes wrote,
Absolutely, J.L. When I first started I wanted to write romance for men, because I didn’t see that there was ANY out there. I kept getting “no market for this genre” sent back – or they’d say “we’ll accept it if it has a sex scene in each chapter and you change the end” so in despair I got in touch with Scott and Scott who said that yes, men did want romance, but no-one will publish it, which is why they started their own publishing company. I gave up for a while after that. Then the gay son of a friend pushed me back saying that he was longing for the same sort of romances that women read – men in regency times, highwaymen, fantasy romance as well as contemporary romance. So I was encouraged. Most gay men I know are hopeless romantics, after all. Sorry guys, but you are. :)
Link | January 15th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Louise van Hine wrote,
Highwaymen. With rakish stubble. Mmmmm…
Link | January 15th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Jeanne Barrack wrote,
Why on earth wouldn’t gay men read something romantic with a HEA ending? My gosh, there’s enough unhappiness out there and so much ‘literature’ that is depressing, why not lift your spirits with love finding a way over great odds? Or even little odds? :~D
Congratulations, JL and Ally.
Link | January 16th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Mark R. Probst wrote,
Congratulations on conquering ‘Frisco, J.L.! I am truly impressed by the loyal following you have created. Your books are always high on the Amazon gay fiction charts and none is higher than “The Tin Star.” Gay Westerns are finally coming into their own and I think you can take some of the credit for that.
Link | January 16th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Kayelle Allen wrote,
Tin Star is one of my favorite reads and re-reads. :) JL, everything you write has been good. You’re truly talented and I’m glad to see your ability rewarded.
I’ve written 4 M/M SciFi Romances and have a the first of an M/M trilogy releasing at Loose Id in Feb. What I wish is that I could come out there with some of the Manloveromance people – I love being in that group. It gives my work exposure to a cross-section of real readers. Besides, I’d love to hang out with my friends and meet customers, talk to them about what they want to read. It’s a lot more fun if you’re not the only writer present.
Congrats again, JL! Definitely one of my favorite authors. I loved My Fair Captain and the Broken H. I need to get all the rest in your portfolio.
Link | January 17th, 2009 at 4:21 am
clive wrote,
I’d just like to say a big thank you to ALL the authors of all the M/M Romance novels out there and congrats to JL too.I have read JL’s excellent novel and I am an avid reader of the female/male M/M authors mentioned in this post.Particularly JL,Ally Blue,W A Hoffman,Erastes(your novel is one of my favourites btw),and many many more.I have to agree with Erastes,I am a gay man,and I am one of those hopeless romantics.
Just one small gripe about M/M Romance novels.I am not too keen on EROTIC M/M romance.Rather than reading a sex scene on every other page,I would rather read more romance with the very OCCASIONAL sex scene.I often spend hours looking for NON-EROTIC Gay fiction,in ebook format.
If any of you could recommend any good NON-EROTIC M/M fiction sites,could you please let me know.My favourite genres are: Gay Western,Gay Period Romance and Coming Out Romances.
Many thanks again to you all
Link | January 25th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Erastes wrote,
Aw – thanks, Clive, it’s lovely of you to say so!
Have you perused “Speak Its Name”? http://www.speakitsname.wordpress.com. There’s also Rainbow Reviews which has over 800 reviews to help you find a book.
On Speak Its Name I attempt to list every single gay historical book I can find, romance or otherwise, so you are bound to find lots there to please you. If you email me on erastes at erastes dot com I can provide you with a list of books which are more romantic than erotic.
Link | January 26th, 2009 at 7:29 am
clive wrote,
Erastes thank you sooooo much for the links you posted.Those sites have become VERY useful.
I shall email you for the list of books you mentioned later on today.
Appreciate your help
Link | January 26th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Don wrote,
I rather completely agree with Clive, about wanting the non-erotic type books. I have tended not to buy gay themed fic because my experience had been (back when we were reading that tricky cuneiform stuff and hauling those clay tablets around) that almost anything “gay themed” meant “lots of erotic scenes.”
This, quite frankly, bored me silly, so I stopped even looking at it.
It’s nice to see there’s apparently — hopefully — stuff coming out for those of us who prefer “and the lights fade on our heroes…”
D.
Link | January 26th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
M/M: Labels & Branding | The Naughty Bits wrote,
[...] am just saying that J.L. Langley’s The Tin Star was a bestseller over at A Different Light in 2008 and the shelf it was on was not labeled “M/M” just Gay Fiction. Tags: eBook [...]
Link | October 1st, 2009 at 8:15 am
The Cake Is A Lie! | The Naughty Bits wrote,
[...] am just saying that J.L. Langley’s The Tin Star was a bestseller over at A Different Light in 2008 and the shelf it was on was not labeled “M/M” just Gay Fiction. Tags: eBook [...]
Link | October 1st, 2009 at 8:21 am