I’ll let you all in on a little secret.  This little secret is something that people who know me will choke with laughter when they hear me mention it.

I’m not exactly a shy person.

I’m not someone who will hang at the back of the crowd and pray madly that they are not picked to go up on stage and help hand out the awards.  Oh, I’m not a spotlight searcher, but if there is a message to get across to the crowd, I will shout it out.  If there is a job to be done, I will do it.  If someone needs something read out, as long as it’s not my own work, I can read it.

I will approach the stranger in our midst and strike up the conversation.  I can (if needs be) enter the crowd and find someone to chat with.

I’m also one of these people who doesn’t stand back when something needs to be done.  Recently I went to a play, and while walking down the steps at intermission, an elderly lady fell and bumped her head.  She was at least three people behind me, so I stopped to make sure that she was okay.  She was with other people, and after two minutes of watching people just gather around and look, I grabbed my bag of tissues from my handbag, and approached the lady.  She was around 70-80 years old, and was still lying face first on the floor.  I spoke with her, checked for bleeding, asked her where it hurt, checked she didn’t have any injuries apart from the bump on her head, then asked her if she thought she could stand.  The poor dear was very shaken. Some paramedics arrived five minutes later and convinced her to go and get the bump checked out, but the point is I don’t stand back and allow things to happen in front of me.

To my husband’s absolute agony and fear, I’m one of these people who will intercede in a fight between strangers in an attempt to cool tempers.  I attempt to stop bullying if I can.

So today, at my son’s football game, when a group of five 8-year-olds all began chanting at each other, “You’re gay” – “No, you’re so gay”, I immediately turned around and put a stop to it.  I reminded the boys that it was being derogatory and that the club would suspend them if they heard them use those words in that manner.

Oh, I could’ve launched into a huge speech about what the word really means, sexual orientation, name calling, political correctness, and how gay people can do anything they like, but in the end, these were a bunch of boys who probably wouldn’t listen to my impassioned speech, even if they understood it.  So the threat of suspension worked to stop it (along with a stern frown from an adult), and hopefully in a couple of years, they will come to understand it.

I’m a firm believer in that it takes all kinds of people to make the world go around.  For years I was put down by my family for “being too loud” and for being too forward, and in fact, I still am today.  My family and other people like to make jokes about me, which makes me feel awful.  As a child I was on the debating team and made the lead in most of the musicals the school put on.  My family didn’t want me to do it, and tried to talk me out of it.  As an adult, I can see that it was their own insecurities coming through – they loved me and didn’t want me to be embarrassed, like they would be at having to stand up on stage – but as a child, it was confusing.

It took me a while to appreciate the skills that other people have, that I don’t.  I was in my early 20’s and attended a course that classified people’s personalities, and then explained the strengths (and weaknesses) of each one.  I still remember that course.  People were categorised and likened to a bird.  Each person had their dominant personality, and their secondary.  The birds were:
                Eagle = strong personality, loud, high energy, movers and shakers
                Peacock = showy personality, can be loud, high energy, usually sales people
                Owl = “plodder” personality, quiet energy, likes rules, doesn’t get flustered
                Dove = supportive personality, quiet energy, doesn’t volunteer, people-focused

Yeah – I was an eagle.  I have a high energy, strong personality and I get in to the ruckus.  Eagles also have a habit of being impatient, steamrollering over others, and crashing unexpectedly.

(See the full explanations here).

I know I’m an eagle, and I recognise my weaknesses now, so I work on them.  It doesn’t mean that I don’t get hurt when others say hurtful things, but it means that when someone says something like, “Ask Renae.  She’s always willing to open her mouth and say things,” I don’t take it to heart.  It’s true.  I am willing to open my mouth and say things.  If someone is in the wrong, then I will correct them.  If someone is being bullied, I will protect them.  If someone is struggling, I will help.

Which is why I can’t stand around and let people mouth off against gay marriage “because of their religion.”  For those who don’t know, we don’t have same-sex marriage in Australia.  Yet.  I heard recently that 72% of Australians support same-sex marriage.  It’s a big thing in our media this month – especially with the Ireland referendum. 

Just this week a news article came out about a Catholic school giving out pamphlets at their school assembly condemning same-sex marriage.  The mother of one of the students was horrified, and very rightly so.  Especially since her older son is gay.

Today, the Catholic Archbishop of Perth released an article.  One that is obviously aimed at “damage control” and at pushing forward the Catholic Church’s view on same-sex marriage. 

(I wish to point out at this time, that it is the Catholic Church’s view, because not all churches in Perth and Australia follow this view.  I know, for example, my church has pushed for same-sex marriage for three years in a row at their yearly synod, and has been vetoed each time by the Archbishop.)

The article in today’s news quotes the Catholic Archbishop Timothy Costelloe as saying it is “unworthy to suggest that those who argue against the proposed redefinition of marriage are homophobic, intolerant or in some way lacking intellectual depth.”  And he also says, “It is unfair to suggest that they (opponents to same-sex marriage) are trying to force their views on others.”

Whoa.  Hold it!

You can write it in any article, preach it at any sermon and make it pretty however you want, but handing out pamphlets to school children saying that same-sex marriage is bad, and not presenting any other side of the argument, is pretty much the definition of forcing your view on others.  And, I’m sorry, but grouping a section of the community based on their sexual orientation, and then condemning them for it is classic homophobia. 

He considers that the church and those against gay marriage are not intolerant?  Who is it that is crying out, “We will not tolerate this behaviour”?

Oh, and then he comes out with the old one that marriage between a man and a woman is better for the children.

**Renae bashes her forehead against the desk**

Tell me, has anyone thought to ask the children?

I mean, if the only leg the Catholic Church has to stand on to oppose same-sex marriage is that children will be better in a marriage where there are two opposite gender parents, then it’s a rather shaky leg.  I can think of hundreds of items that are more detrimental to a child’s physical and mental health, yet the Catholic Church isn’t handing out pamphlets about them. 

As far as I’m concerned, the very earliest marriages listed in the bible were about property, not children.  If you’re using the bible as a platform, make sure your platform is flat.  Stable.  Solid.  You know?  Like how marriage should be between two loving people?

So I will vocally tell ABp Costelloe that while I faithfully believe in Jesus, I will also faithfully open my heart to the teachings of him.  I wonder if ABp Costelloe remembers some of the stories in the bible, where Jesus, a young man hardly old enough to be separated from his parents, went to the temple and showed the priests that although they knew the teachings, they were not following the word of God.  I wonder if ABp Costelloe feels a little uncomfortable when reading those verses in the bible?

If Jesus was around these days, he would be overturning tables in the church.  How dare these people take the love of God and apply it to only the small portion of the world that they want?  Everyone is included at God’s table.

Everyone.

Amen.

Renae:  OMG OMG OMG – I’m so excited.  Today I have visiting me one of my favourite people on this earth.  I can hardly sit still with my happiness.  In case you didn’t know, Nic Starr isn’t just a brilliant author and beautiful person, she is one of the nicest people in the world. 

Proof of this?  When I hear that there’s a new Nic Starr novel out, I go, “Eeee!”

NIC + “E” = NICE!
Okay, okay – do you guys realise that day time for USA and Europe means the middle of the night for Australians like me and Nic?  We’re sleep deprived.

So without further ado, let me introduce Nic’s new novel, Charlie’s Hero, which releases the 17th of June.

Schoolteacher Charlie Matthews returns to his hometown, looking to regain a sense of community, reconnect with friends, and settle down. It looks like his dreams have come true when paramedic Josh Campbell attends an accident at the school. It’s love at first sight, and a romance begins.

But Josh’s reluctance to come out to the brother who raised him, puts pressure on their fledgling relationship. While Charlie understands Josh’s concerns, he can’t help growing impatient. After all, Charlie came out years ago.

It’s not until Charlie confronts his own parents and realizes he hasn’t come to terms with their rejection that he fully understands what Josh has to lose. But Josh is Charlie’s hero, and Josh will do anything to prove to Charlie that to be part of a family, he doesn’t need his parents.

Renae:  Welcome Nic Starr!

Nic:  Oh, wow! What an introduction. I’m so happy you invited me to visit. I promise to play ‘nice’. *grin*

Renae:  Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but this is your first ‘novel’?  All of your other writings were classified as ‘novellas’?  Was there any particular reason that this story took longer in the telling?

Nic:  Spot on. All my other published stories are novellas. They vary in length from approximately 20k words to about 36k words. Charlie’s Hero reached the magic word count to be classified as a novel. I had a smile from ear to ear when it was accepted by the publisher, because novel length meant it would be published as a paperback. I couldn’t resisting taking a photo of my first ‘real’ books when they arrived in the post today. Isn’t the cover wonderful? Big thanks to cover artist, Bree Archer for doing brilliant work.

Although I’m rapt to have a printed book, that wasn’t the aim when I wrote the story. The length was determined by the story itself. A wise woman once told me to not be afraid of words, and to let them flow naturally. Yes, Renae, I did listen to you and Charlie’s Hero is the result. Thank you.  *wink*

Since I completed this book, I’ve finished one other novella and two more novel length stories. So a bit of a mixture in story lengths. I think each have their place, and I’ll let the characters and plots determine where my stories end.

Renae:  And this book is the start of a series?  What is the series about, and when are you looking at having the second book release?

Nic:  The series is called Heroes and there are four novels planned. The series features characters who are heroes in their hearts, and in the eyes of those who love them.

The second book is titled Andrew’s Promise. It’s the story of Josh’s brother, Andrew. I don’t want to say too much about it because it’s best read after Charlie’s Hero, but I have a real soft spot for Andrew.

Andrew has willingly made sacrifices to raise his little brother. He’s put his own life on hold and deserves his happy ending. Andrew’s Promise will release in mid-August.

Renae:  So Charlie’s returning to the hometown where his parents still live?  The parents that rejected him?  Oh, gosh – that must be tough.

Nic:  It is tough for Charlie, but he’s willing to fight for the life he wants to lead. Charlie attended college in a larger town and worked there after graduation. However, he missed living in a place with a strong personal connections and missed his friends.

For Charlie, home is about true friendship, history and community. For him, the sense of belonging to a community, is worth dealing with knowing his family are close by and ignoring him.

Renae:  And Josh is having trouble stepping out of the closet?  Each person must make their own journey for that, but is there a particular reason Josh is hesitating?

Nic:  Andrew raised Josh, stepping up to ensure Josh had a roof over his head and family, when foster care could have been a real possibility. Andrew has made sacrifices, and is a loving brother, the only family Josh has. When Josh was fifteen, Andrew rejected a good friend, and the friend disappeared from their lives. Josh is worried the same thing will happen to him if he reveals his sexuality, and he doesn’t want to lose his family.

Renae:  Was there any particular incident that sparked your idea for this book?

Nic:  Good question, and a tough one! The timeline from first idea to published book is a long one. This book began its life nearly a year ago, so I’m not sure I can even remember where the specific idea started.

I get flashes of a story from many sources. Inspiration could be from listening to a song, hearing something on the news, reading a magazine article, or plain old people watching.

I was standing in the not-so-express lane of the supermarket checkout a while ago. There were two cute guys in the self-service section, scanning their lunch items. They were tradies, dressed in their work gear with hi-vis vests etc. Before I got to the front of the queue, I’d turned them into a couple, and started building their background. No-one is safe. *wink* Don’t tell anyone, but I even snuck a photo of them. I’d give it to you to include with this post but I think that would officially make me a stalker!

Renae:  Now, can I ask – do the guys get to play doctors and nurses during the book?  Or naughty boy being sent to the Principal’s office? *prays Nic says yes*

Nic:  LOL. Not so much role-playing, but the boys do get up to a bit of mischief. Actually, quite a lot of mischief. Mischief of the sexy, naughty kind. *wink*

Renae:  Looking at your other works, this is your fifth publication in less than a year.  Congratulations!  You’re doing so well for your first year out.  Where do you find the time?

Nic:  Thank you. It’s been a busy year and it looks like staying that way. In the last month, I’ve had three books going through edits at the same time which has been interesting (amongst other things!).

I don’t think there’s ever enough time in anyone’s day. Between family, and work, and a multitude of other obligations, it can be difficult to find quality time to focus. But it’s also easy to use ‘too busy’ as an excuse.

I try to get some words down each day. I track my word count on a spreadsheet, and I’ve participated in Nanowrimo and Camp Nano which I find very motivational. In fact, Andrew’s Promise was my Nano story last year – 50k words written on it during November.

The key for me is commitment. But I’m also lucky that I love what I’m doing. I love the writing process, the publication experience, and the wonderful m/m community we are part of. It’s so much easier when you are doing something you are passionate about.

Renae:  I’ve read all your works, and one thing that I adore about them is that I know I can pull it out on a day I’m not feeling well.  Your writing is easy, sweet and you’re not going to broadside me from out of the blue with some huge, emotionally draining, gut twisting, terrible plot twist.

Do you think this is your signature style?  Do you think that this is how you write?  Or is your writing evolving?

Nic:  Thank you for the lovely compliment <3

I do write on the sweeter, romantic side and I don’t see that changing any time soon. I adore a comfort/hurt theme, and giving my heroes their happy ever after. However, I do think my writing is evolving. I’d like to think my writing is improving as I work with the wonderful betas and editors on each of my books. I’ve learnt so much over the last year, and my stories are benefitting.

One thing you will notice is my later stories are a bit heavier on the sex, although not sex for the sake of sex. I’ll leave it to you to read Charlie’s Hero and let me know what you think of the developments. *wink*

Renae:  So can we expect some BDSM from you next time?  Some puppy play? *wink*

Nic:  I’d never say never. Maybe I’ll work my way up, starting with some light BDSM. J But seriously, if I was to explore that path, I’d need to do a lot of research to keep it true and do it justice. I love to read a good BDSM story myself, however I’m not sure I’m ready to write one. I’ll leave it to the experts for now.

Renae:  What other stories are you working on at the moment?

Nic:  I have a number of stories in different stages.

Andrew’s Promise is being proof read so it’s nearly finalised. I’m at the fun part – covers! I can’t wait to see what it looks like.

More Than a Friend – I’m currently doing first edits for the second book in my More Than series. This book is Scott and Tim’s story and follows More Than a Superstar. It’s due for release in Oct/Nov.

Rustic Melody – I’ve finished the first draft and it’s currently sitting with my wonderful beta readers for their feedback. This story is set in Australia so is a bit of a departure from my recent books.

I also have a number of WIPs on the go. The third story in the Heroes series, and the third story in the More Than series. Rustic Melody has a sequel and I’m writing a standalone about a guy who runs a mobile book shop.

Renae:  Has reading always been a passion of yours?  Has writing?

Nic:  Reading has always been part of my life, since I was young enough to hold a book. I grew up on a diet of romance novels and was blessed with a mother who loved to read so provided an endless supply of books.

Writing (apart from business writing) is a recent development. Or as my hubby refers to it, my midlife crisis. *wink*

Renae:  Do you think you’ll still be writing when you’re 84?

Nic:  I certainly hope so. I also hope someone wants to read it.

Renae:  Where can people find you?

Nic: 

Website & Blog: http://www.nicstarr.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Nic-Starr/e/B00MAWRRQG/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicki.nicstar
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NicStarrAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicstar000
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nicstar000/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8139967.Nic_Starr

Renae:  Thank you for joining me today.  I’ve had a lot of fun, and now we just need to count down to release day.  Congratulations again, and I hope this one shoots straight to the top for you!

Nic:  Thank you so much for having me, Renae. It’s been a pleasure, as usual.

 

 

 

I'm not a fan of "open letters" that are spread all over the internet.  But sometimes a piece of writing just needs to be shared.  Oh, it's not my best piece of writing (that's somewhere in a book, published for the world to marvel and smile over), but it is a lovely document that I must share.

The following is my letter I've sent to a not-so-nice site called Australian Marriage Forum.  They advocate not legalising same-sex marriage in Australia for the sake of our children.





Dear Australian Marriage Forum,

FINALLY – someone is speaking sense!

From your website:

We are people and organisations who are concerned at how advocates are pushing for same-sex marriage without really presenting the reality of what this means for our nation. We are disappointed with the one-sided debate which sees 'marriage equality' only in terms of adult rights, and we urge our fellow Australians to consider the rights and needs of the child as well.

This site will help people to think from the child's perspective in addition to the adults' perspective and consider what it means to normalise, with the force of law, a domestic model where a child is deprived of either a mother or a father. Further, this site will consider the implications for school education, where the normalising of homosexual 'marriage' will be used to further normalise homosexual behaviour. Finally, this site will look widely at implications for the stifling of free speech and free conscience that has been observed in overseas jurisdictions which have introduced same-sex marriage.

It's important to note that legislation to support same-sex marriage will have enormous consequences on our culture and we want an open and honest debate on this - free of the intimidation that so many defenders of natural marriage have been subject to in recent years.

But why are you stopping here? OMG – every child should be raised in a loving household with a mother and a father.  You should be supporting celibacy before marriage – with severe punishments to anyone who disobeys – and definitely compulsory sterilisation of every person who is deemed to not be a loving mother or father.  In fact, you should be putting your money into mass producing birth control that the government can oversee – a compulsory injection to stop you having children until you can prove yourself a person worthy of having a child.  Let’s crowd fund it!

And no single parents – ever.  I completely agree.  Should a spouse die or divorce, then the children should be immediately removed from the household.  Immediately.  They should not be allowed to see their single parent again, because it may be detrimental to their upbringing. Imagine! Deprived of a parent!  Who would allow such a thing?

And normalising homosexual behaviour?  Oh my my my.  We must ban ALL mention of homosexual behaviour because it will warp childrens’ brains.  Starting by taking out the all the people in history who may’ve exhibited this abnormal behaviour – and we do not want to read about the love between Samuel and Jonathan in the bible.  No no no. And of course, any animal that has ever been witnessed to display homosexual behaviour, well now, we must exterminate them.  Sheep, cows, swans...  It is all abnormal.  I hear that lions raise their young in groups where there are many female lions and only one male.  That must mean that those baby lions are not getting a true representation of their needs.  Imagine that?  Only one daddy?

And I’m SO glad you brought up the topic of school education.  I mean, really?  A lesbian couple could never get their children to school.  They would be way too busy in the bedroom.  Therefore, school education must come first with our society by stopping any child that could possibly be raised in a household where there is not a single mum and dad as the parental union.  Two mums or two dads cannot be entrusted with our precious children and their education.

Your comment about “natural marriage” however, did haunt me, and sent me to Google to have a look at natural marriage.  I’m not sure which example you are hoping to follow, so I would appreciate an email back to tell me which natural marriage example we should all be following.  For example:

·         Ancient Athenian men apparently disliked women immensely and put off marriage until they were in their late 30s, then married teen girls.
·         Ancient Egyptians married their siblings.
·         Native American Indians often took numerous wives, and could marry a person of “the third gender” who was not a man or a woman.
·         The Pawnee tribe of American Indians would often share their wives with their brothers in a polyandry union.  Young boys would also became “junior husbands” to their mother’s brother’s wife, and have sex with her until he married.
·         In the Comanche tribe, when a man died, his wife would then become the wife of his brother.  “In anticipation” of perhaps dying one day, a man would often share his wife with his brother.
·         In Australian Aboriginal culture, a man can take more than one wife at a time, and divorce is easily obtained via mutual agreement.
·         In Amazonian Zo’e culture, marriage doesn’t occur at all.  Women have children with whatever man they wish.
·         In Amazonian Yanomami culture, they practice polygamy and wives are regularly beaten to keep them docile and obedient.
·         Ancient Japanese marriage required both parties to be of equal social standing.
·         In Ancient Chinese culture, only marriage between a parent and child were banned.  All other marriages (siblings, cousins, grandfather-granddaughter) were allowed.  In some periods of China, a single woman would be married to all the brothers in one family who then shared her.
·         Traditional Jewish marriage requires a strict seven year engagement between the couples.
·         Islamic marriage can be polygamous and child brides are often chosen.
·         In ancient and present Kyrgyzstan, bridal abductions are commonly practiced, where women are kidnapped and forced into marriage.
·         The Wodabee of Niger marry their cousins in polygamous marriages.
·         In Somalia, brides can be promised in marriage before they are born.
·         The Nandi people of Western Kenya allow two women to marry, with one woman becoming the female husband.  She takes the male role in the marriage, and the wife is allowed to have children with whatever man her female husband choses for her.
·         In Zimbabwe, a girl-child is married to her paedophilic rapist.

But enough of that.  What does the bible say?  Natural marriage should come from the bible, after all.  The Islamic translation of Genesis chapters 23 and 25 confirm that Isaac married Rebecca (the mother of Jacob and Esau) when Rebecca was three-years-old, and took her to wife (ie had sexual relations).  If it’s in the bible, then it must be okay, right?

So therefore, I thank you for your fight for the rights of children and their natural marriage.  Under your guidance, parents will only need to be parents for three years until the husband takes over.  Which makes the education (and those lazy lesbians who can’t get their kids to school) a moot point.

So yes – let’s bring forth the honest debate.  Let’s bring forth the openness and stop discriminating against those who wish to keep our “natural marriages.”  We must allow all people to have their say.  Free speech for everyone!

Oh – except for those who support same-sex marriage.  We don’t want them to have a say.  Why, think of the horror?  Those men who marry other men and make the conscious, rational, loving decision to have a child?  Those men who were brought up by straight people?  Those men who have an adult right to love and care for a child?

And lesbians?  They can just move to Kenya, right?

And all those who identify as something other than homosexual or heterosexual.  Madness that they should demand to have a say in their own love life, and sexual reproductive life.

Let us not forget the perfect children that come from the union of one man and one woman.  Because without those pesky non-straight people, our jails wouldn’t be full.  Because straight people in a marriage are perfect specimens who never break the law, never abuse children, never do anything to harm children.

Bravo, Australian Marriage Forum.  Bravo.

#sarcasm

With kind regards,
Renae Kaye