The M/M Meme

I was tagged by Hilcia from Impressions of a Reader for this M/M meme, created by Kris at Kris ‘n’ Good Books. Here are the rules that Kris has given us:

Rules:

1. Answer all the questions below in either the comments here or post it on your own site. If you post it on your own site you have to come back and give the link here so I/Kris can mosey on over and see if you answered correctly have a sticky beak.

2. You have to tag two other people once your done and pester them relentlessly until they do the meme too.

3. Instead of a meme image thing you have to post a cookie, preferably a twofer. It is an m/m meme after all. ;)

Questions:

1. How long have you been reading GLBTQ fiction?
For erotic/romantic fiction, about a year or so. For things a little more on the literary side, off and on for about 6 years. For slash fanfiction, about 10 years.

2. What was the first book you read in this genre?
Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. Until I stumbled upon m/m erotic romances last year, most of my GLBTQ reading was more of the literary F/F type. My first m/m erotic romance was Josh Lanyon’s Dangerous Ground. I’d tried reading Chris Owen’s Bareback just before that but never finished it (I wasn’t in the mood for group scenes at the time). Since then, I’ve been an equal opportunity reader – I read teen, romance, erotica, literature, history, etc. in the genre.

3. Are you ‘out’ as a reader?
My hubby and my closest friends know.

4. Ebooks, print or both?
Both, though I have more ebooks at the moment. We have moved 3 times in the past year and a half and it’s just so much easier to move the spare hard drive than more boxes of paperbacks.

5. Do you buy direct from publishers or from secondary sellers?
For ebooks, it’s mostly secondary sellers so I can get a better selection of authors and titles across a myriad of publishers. For paperbacks, I try to buy used when I can (paperbackswap.com is my best friend).

6. Prove you’re a Book Slut. How many books would you say you buy a week?
If all the bills are paid and there’s food in the fridge, I can buy an average of 5 to 10 ebooks and 3 to 6 (used) paperbacks a week. Sometimes less, sometimes more. I only wish my reading could catch up with my buying.

7. Are you a cover, blurb or excerpt buyer?
I read blurbs first. If that doesn’t convince me, then I’ll try the excerpt.

8. Yeah, you read reviews, but do you actually take notice of them?
Yes! If the blurb and the excerpt don’t grab me, I look up a few reviews to see what others are saying. If those seem favorable, especially the ones from readers with similar tastes to my own, then I’ll buy the book, no question.

9. Who’s your fave publisher?
Right now, it’s probably Samhain and Loose-Id running neck and neck.

10. What about authors? Your top two only!!
I don’t think I could choose just two authors. My favorites are always changing, new books are always coming out. I couldn’t possible choose just two. I think it would break my brain to try. I will say that my two highest rated m/m books read in the past few months were written by A.M. Riley and L.B. Gregg. How’s that?

11. Is there a sub-genre you particularly dis/like?
I am a total geek for historicals, especially those set in the Age of Sail. I’m not so fond of menage stories. Too many bits to keep track of, too many emotional variables.

12. Short or long?? *rolls eyes* And, no, I’m not talking about cocks.
Depends on what’s going on in Real Life. I love a well-written short story that I can finish between work, baby, and the house. But I also love a nice, long story that I can spend my downtime really getting involved in.

13. Anything turn you off about m/m or is all just glorious smut to you?
I love glorious smut just as much as the next guy or gal, but I do prefer stories with a little more substance to them. Give me great characters, an engaging plot, and writing that’s been well-edited for typos and I’ll love it whether there’s smut to be had or not – though all those things including smut can only be that much better. :)

14. Finish this sentence. You know it’s m/m twu wuv when…
one, or both, of the characters is willing to give or sacrifice something in their life or about themselves in order to make the relationship work.

15. What trope or theme are you heartily sick of in m/m romance?
I heartily dislike it when BDSM is badly written or badly researched. Far too many stories treat it as the “Kink of the Week” without giving a lot of thought to safety and communication. I also agree with Hilcia about “insta lurv”. lol

16. If you could choose any 3 characters for a m/m/m who would they be?
I’m not really all that into the 3 (or more) some thing.

17. What new GLBTQ release are you most hanging out for right now?
I’m looking forward to Josh Lanyon’s The Dickens with Love when it comes out next month.

18. What GLBTQ book has completely blown you away this year?
A.M. Riley’s The Elegant Corpse

19. What do you think we’ll see more of in m/m romance in 2010?
I don’t know, but I’m hoping for more historicals!

20. Don’t you agree that author Josh Lanyon should kill off arsehole character Jake Riordan?
I don’t feel qualified to answer because I’m saving this series for a rainy week. :)

I tag for this M(e)/M(e):
Natsroshan
Rossy

The Cookies: (NSFW)