I was reminded of my post Mary Balogh’s Tangled: An Erotic Romance? recently, and thought I would give it a plug here.

Preview of A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn, a romantic mystery (or romance with mystery elements) set in colonized 1920s Kenya.

Preview of Nicholas by Grace Burrowes, a historical romance.

Thorn Abbey by Nancy Ohlin, a supernatural YA rewrite of Rebecca. Sort of.

Every Contact Leaves a Trace by Elanor Dymott, a contemporary mystery that leans toward the literary side of things.

Over the Edge by Suzanne Carroll, a contemporary romance set in Australia.

Little Green by Walter Mosley – yay, more Easy Rawlins! Hardboiled meets hippies in 1967 Los Angeles.

Princeton May 1917

Here Freedom stood by slaughtered friend and foe,
And, ere the wrath paled or that sunset died,
Looked through the ages; then, with eyes aglow,
Laid them to wait that future, side by side.

(Lines for a monument to the American and British soldiers of the Revolutionary War who fell on the Princeton battlefield and were buried in one grave.)

Now lamp-lit gardens in the blue dusk shine
Through dogwood, red and white;
And round the grey quadrangles, line by line,
The windows fill with light,
Where Princeton calls to Magdalen, tower to tower,
Twin lanthorns of the law;
And those cream-white magnolia boughs embower
The halls of “Old Nassau.”

The dark bronze tigers crouch on either side
Where redcoats used to pass;
And round the bird-loved house where Mercer died.
And violets dusk the grass,
By Stony Brook that ran so red of old,
But sings of friendship now,
To feed the old enemy’s harvest fifty-fold
The green earth takes the plough.

Through this May night, if one great ghost should stray
With deep remembering eyes,
Where that old meadow of battle smiles away
Its blood-stained memories,
If Washington should walk, where friend and foe
Sleep and forget the past,
Be sure his unquenched heart would leap to know
Their souls are linked at last.

Be sure he walks, in shadowy buff and blue,
Where those dim lilacs wave.
He bends his head to bless, as dreams come true,
The promise of that grave;
Then, with a vaster hope than thought can scan,
Touching his ancient sword,
Prays for that mightier realm of God in man:
“Hasten thy kingdom, Lord.

“Land of our hope, land of the singing stars,
Type of the world to be,
The vision of a world set free from wars
Takes life, takes form from thee;
Where all the jarring nations of this earth,
Beneath the all-blessing sun,
Bring the new music of mankind to birth,
And make the whole world one.”

And those old comrades rise around him there,
Old foemen, side by side,
With eyes like stars upon the brave night air,
And young as when they died,
To hear your bells, O beautiful Princeton towers,
Ring for the world’s release.
They see you piercing like grey swords through flowers,
And smile, from souls at peace.

–Alfred Noyes

Terrific essay from Foz Meadows on The Truth Of Wolves, Or: The Alpha Problem.

I think/have thought about some of the issues she raises quite a lot, but not as insightfully. Below are some of my own posts relating to shapeshifters in romance and urban fantasy.

Paranormal Allegories.

Romancing the Beast.

Paranormal Appropriation.

In May, I’ll be attending WisCon. One of the panels I’ll be participating in is a discussion of Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis Trilogy. Rather than delve into the depths of my collection to unearth my original mass market paperbacks, I purchased a Kindle version that compiled all three books: Lilith’s Brood: Dawn, Adulthood Rites, and Imago. The electronic edition meant it was much easier for me to highlight quotes I thought might be relevant to the discussion. I didn’t realize I would end up with approximately 8,500 words of quotes.

I also made quite a few notes of potential discussion topics. In the hope of getting some feedback before the convention, I am posting them here, so please feel free to comment!

First, a quick summary: the trilogy opens after humanity has destroyed itself in a war. The first point of view character, Lilith, survived the destruction and is now held captive on a spaceship full of aliens, the Oankali, who want to save humanity, but on their terms. The terms are not revealed immediately, but eventually we learn the aliens wish to trade genetic material with the humans, to create a new, hybrid species that will someday venture back into space and find their own new “trade” partners. The humans will not be allowed to breed on their own; there will be no more pure humans born, because pure humans, by combining intelligence with hierarchical social structures, are doomed. A few unchanged Oankali will go back into space; however, the ones who stay on Earth will only survive through the genetic Constructs who result from tailored mating with humans. The blending of species is made possible by a third oankali sex, the ooloi.

There are a lot of intersections in these books. Humans/aliens are the major one, but human gender is explored as well as alien gender, with a lot of male/female human conflict and some exploration of race, mostly through the lens of Difference between humans, aliens, and human/alien constructs. It’s reiterated a number of times that the alien beings called ooloi are neither male, female, or both male and female; they are a third sex. There’s exploration of complex power relationships between the humans and the aliens. Slavery/freedom is addressed from a number of angles, both in the relations between the humans and the aliens and among the humans alone.

However, there’s a lot of gender essentialism – where are the gay humans? If they’re there, they’re not shown; thinking along that path, there’s the possibility that the Oankali chose not to revive any because gay people might not go along with the mating plan, though they were probably harvested for genetic material, since there are so few surviving humans. I can believe the Oankali might have set gender after adulthood because they likely chose that system, being focused on reproduction; they have the ooloi to back it up in the womb and even afterwards since they can control your hormones, your sexual pleasure, etc.. Gay people are a glaring absence in the whole trilogy. I would have expected at least a mention of the topic, unless Butler deliberately avoided it. In Imago there’s a single hint of non-heterosexuality: one of the Oankali adults asks if the human Francisco has a “female mate,” which suggests that the possibility of a “male mate” is on the table, with humans.

The five-person mating groups that make human/alien genetic blending possible are a way of exploring alternate sexualities, but the focus does not seem to be on polyamory as a choice. Reproductive needs make these groups more of a mandate. The human pair who have sex through an ooloi feel repelled when they physically touch each other, so despite the great pleasure they receive through the ooloi, they have lost something they previously had. The oankali partners have sex through the ooloi as well, but one human and one oankali do not ever seem to have sex with an ooloi, and the human and oankali partners do not seem to practice sexual touching without an ooloi partner. The humans in a mating group do not seem to go outside of it for sex at any time, nor do the Oankali; biological markers seem to make this repellant to all concerned.

To the oankali, parenting a same-sex child seems to be a special and necessary bond.

“You want to be what you are. That’s healthy and right for you.” (Nikanj to Jodahs, Imago) – that quote covers a lot of ground. The constructs in future generations, as more physical changes happen, might have more variation. The goal is more variation, using the abilities the oankali gained from examining and understanding human cancers. My theory is that even the oankali take time to adapt to change, even change which they have initiated.

The gender essentialism exception in the first two books is always the pre-metamorphosis children – it’s reiterated that they are truly neutral, but the human-born constructs at least seem to be referred to as “daughters” and “sons” before metamorphosis – in fact Nikanj tells Lilith in Dawn that she is pregant with a daughter, and later on Jodahs says that the human-born rarely change from such a designation (Jodahs, however, becomes ooloi). However, Akin’s “sister” becomes male after their early separation. So there’s some complexity going on there. Biological influences are shown to be stronger than anything else, presumably because the Oankali in particular exist to reproduce and change and spread. Their whole society’s purpose is negated if they don’t reproduce. There are hints that Oankali without mates are very sad and desperate beings who might even die from sexual hunger (in Imago), but there are no hints that alternative methods of mating are possible, though it ought to be; why can’t the ooloi make reproduction work differently, at need?

Everything gets more complicated in Imago. Jodahs is called “male” as a child, but becomes ooloi. Butler made a wise choice in having the ooloi narrator be first person; it’s thus much easier for the reader to immerse in the character and its differences from baseline humans. The oankali are also shown to have difficulties with Jodahs’ differences from oankali ooloi.

Manipulation is also a large issue in the books. The ooloi have a whole range of ways to manipulate through chemicals and physical changes in others, but they also are shown to have a strict moral code achieved in large part by consensus with all oankali. However, the ooloi seem to have more societal power than males and females, so their opinions/decisions seem to have/would likely have more weight…I’m not sure if this is borne out by the text, or if my human hierarchical tendencies are influencing my opinion!

It’s unclear if the ooloi in Adulthood Rites wanted Akin to remain with the resistors, for example, though the consensus among all oankali was otherwise; it seems unlikely, given how worried the ooloi were about creating a human-born male construct in the first place, that they would want to risk him.

The Oankali always believe their decisions are best because the humans are flawed (intelligence plus hierarchical behavior) and doomed because of it. It’s not until Akin brings his point of view that humans are allowed fertility and autonomy on Mars, but despite the oankali consensus to allow this, they still believe that humanity is ultimately doomed. While believing in the doom, they nevertheless improve the health of the Mars humans as far as possible to aid in their survival. The continuation of life is the oankali’s ultimate moral as well as physical drive. The oankali feel this gives them the right to sometimes, as Lilith puts in, treat the humans like animals by improving their health without prior consent. Lilith and the resisters are the voice against that. Lilith remains torn between the desire to survive and the desire for autonomy through the entire trilogy.

Her new album, Electric Lady, is out this fall! This is the first track released. Note the Philip K. Dick reference near the end. I love so much than she’s a geek as well as an incredible artist.

Janelle Monáe – Q.U.E.E.N. featuring Erykah Badu [Official Video]

Jimmy Doane

Often I think of you, Jimmy Doane,—
You who, light-heartedly, came to my house
Three autumns, to shoot and to eat a grouse!

As I sat apart in this quiet room,
My mind was full of the horror of war
And not with the hope of a visitor.

I had dined on food that had lost its taste;
My soul was cold and I wished you were here,
When, all in a moment, I knew you were near.

Placing that chair where you used to sit,
I looked at my book:—Three years to-day
Since you laughed in that seat and I heard you say

“My country is with you, whatever befall:
America—Britain—these two are akin
In courage and honour; they underpin

“The rights of Mankind!” Then you grasped my hand
With a brotherly grip, and you made me feel
Something that Time would surely reveal.

You were comely and tall; you had corded arms,
And sympathy’s grace with your strength was blent;
You were generous, clever, and confident.

There was that in your hopes which uncountable lives
Have perished to make; your heart was fulfilled
With the breath of God that can never be stilled.

A living symbol of power, you talked
Of the work to do in the world to make
Life beautiful: yes, and my heartstrings ache

To think how you, at the stroke of War,
Chose that your steadfast soul should fly
With the eagles of France as their proud ally.

You were America’s self, dear lad—
The first swift son of your bright, free land
To heed the call of the Inner Command—

To image its spirit in such rare deeds
As braced the valour of France, who knows
That the heart of Amerca thrills with her woes.

For a little leaven leavens the whole!
Mostly we find, when we trouble to seek
The soul of a people, that some unique,

Brave man is its flower and symbol, who
Makes bold to utter the words that choke
The throats of feebler, timider folk.

You flew for the western eagle—and fell
Doing great things for your country’s pride:
For the beauty and peace of life you died.

Britain and France have shrined in their souls
Your memory, yes, and for ever you share
Their love with their perished lords of the air.

Invisible now, in that empty seat,
You sit, who came through the clouds to me,
Swift as a message from over the sea.

My house is always open to you:
Dear Spirit, come often and you will find
Welcome, where mind can foregather with mind!

And may we sit together one day
Quietly here, when a word is said
To bring new gladness unto our dead,

Knowing your dream is a dream no more;
And seeing on some momentous pact
Your vision upbuilt as a deathless fact.

–Rowland Thirlmere

A Most Scandalous Proposal by Ashlyn Macnamara, a historical romance.

What Darkness Brings by C.S. Harris, a historical mystery (Regency period).

Dark Tide by Elizabeth Haynes, a contemporary mystery, with houseboats and pole dancers.

The Jezebel by Saskia Walker, a historical erotic romance.

Lord of Secrets by Alyssa Everett, a historical romance.

Darius by Grace Burrowes, a historical romance.

Sinner’s Heart by Zoe Archer, a historical paranormal romance.

Headed for Trouble, a collection of shorts by Suzanne Brockmann.

Fantasy for Romance Readers – in particular, a bunch of classic authors you can glom.

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway – time travel from the Regency era!

Romance Divas are currently soliciting proposals for their online conference, September 9 through 11, 2013, and for 2014 general programming.

Romance Divas, an award-winning community for romance writers, is accepting proposals from interested instructors and presenters for our virtual conference Back to School 2013 and for monthly 2014 programming. We are seeking craft-focused workshops for the September event and workshops on craft, business, promotion, writer’s life, and more, for general scheduling. Our workshops are held on the Romance Divas forum.

Proposals for workshops for the September Back to School event should be 1 to 3-day workshops. Proposals for general scheduling should be for workshops of no longer than two weeks.

Your proposal should include:

1. Workshop Title and Duration (days, weeks)
2. Level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced or Mixed)
3. Prerequisites
4. Description and outline
5. Presenter bio (including publishing and education credits)
6. Presenter contact information

All Romance Divas workshops are open to all members free of charge.

Proposals for the September 2013 event must be received by 6/15/13 but Romance Divas is always looking for workshop presenters and has opportunities throughout the year.

Decisions for the September 2013 event will be made and presenters contacted for confirmation by 7/15/13. All proposals should be addressed to: Emily Ryan-Davis, rdivasworkshops@gmail.com. Please include “Romance Divas Proposal” in the subject line of your e-mail.

***Permission to Forward Granted***

“Join the Mod Squad: Enhance Your Moderation Skills”
Fri, 4:00–5:15 pm, Assembly

Ever go to a panel and spend your time thinking, “With a good moderator, this would be a much better panel?” We will review several ways to be that good moderator, offer tips and tricks, and generally work on improving WisCon’s already high standards for panel moderation. We strongly encourage you to attend this panel if you are moderating at WisCon, especially if it’s your first time. It’s also a great experience if you ever have, or think you ever will, be a panel moderator anywhere.

“Imaginary Book Club”
Sat, 10:00–11:15 am, Room 634

Each of five panelists presents a review of an imaginary book, and other panelists discuss the books, arguing improv-style. Possible books: Gardner Dozois’s anthology of voicemail-focused speculative fiction; Joanna Russ’s long-lost vampire romance; “Monitor (Lizard)” by Cory Doctorow and David Icke.

“The Xenogenesis Panel”
Sat, 1:00–2:15 pm, Conference 4

Octavia Butler’s groundbreaking Lilith’s Brood trilogy (Xenogenesis) explores many issues, in both science and social realms. The exploration of genetic engineering and medical enhancements in sexual and reproductive technology is remarkably prescient. These books also address sexism and racism, among other issues.

“The Doctor is a Jerk”
Sat, 2:30–3:45 pm, Room 629

The Doctor is a hero and a champion to many, but often times he’s also a jerk. He seems to vacillate between these two poles at random, but there may be a method to this characterization. We’ve seen many examples of this in both Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat’s tenures in the New Who as well as in the original run. In this panel we’ll explore some of the Doctor’s more questionable actions and whether the writers and producers are engaging in unconscious skankitude or failing at ambiguity.

“Moderating 201”
Sun, 2:30–3:45 pm, Conference 5

So you’ve been to the Moderating 101 panel, and you know how to get a panel up and running. You’ve modded a couple panels, even. But now you want the advanced class. How do you further define the panel in the pre-Wiscon email? How do you handle a panel that is going off the rails? How do you shut up That Panelist who is taking other people’s time to answer? How do you handle audience members who don’t raise their hands? How do you remember to tell people the panel hashtag? Come learn and collaborate about what to do about it.

Source.

I read a fair amount of recent Young Adult and Middle Grade books over the last year. These are some of my favorites, in no particular order.

Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia McCall is a YA fantasy involving five sisters who find a body floating in the Rio Grande. Their father has recently run out on their mother, and it happens that their paternal grandmother, whom they haven’t seen in some time, lives near where the dead man came from. They worry the dead man’s family won’t know what became of him, and end up making a trip to Mexico to bring him home, a journey which has magical elements akin to The Odyssey. The characters are really vivid and appealing – all five sisters have distinctive personalities, not just the eldest who’s narrating.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund is a science fictional retelling of Persuasion. I loved the characters and their complex problems, and the worldbuilding gave rise to a whole host of interesting conflicts that I wouldn’t mind seeing further explored in future books, because their world and their class system is in flux. Plus there are Science Conflicts. However, I don’t think that particular Austen book can work very well with teenagers, even in a world where they have to grow up quickly, so I was less invested in that aspect. Your mileage may vary on that.

Goblin Secrets by William Alexander is secondary world fantasy, Middle Grade, and very page-turny. I loved the intriguing ways the author used masks both in the worldbuilding and thematically. Also the dustfish. It has elements of Baba Yaga, and steampunk, and of course goblins, who seem to fill the role that traveling folk have in our world. (Somewhat gypsies, somewhat traveling actors, but with other elements as well; they are all fascinating individuals.) And after the satisfying ending, there are a few small mysteries still unsolved.

Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Regan Barnhill is MG – note for younger readers, it has some serious scariness when the queen falls ill after a miscarriage. It has an unusual heroine, a not-beautiful princess. The story is told well and with a number of interesting narrative and pov choices; it comes together as feeling like a new fairy tale. The narrator is the royal storyteller, ostensibly, but there is some omniscient going on. Cool worldbuilding includes a mirrored sky and dragons who must store their hearts outside of their bodies. Both the male and female lead characters have a good bit of agency.

Passion Blue by Victoria Strauss is historical YA (Renaissance Italy), with a slight speculative element that is real to the narrator but may not be objectively real (I think it’s intended to be real, but you can read it either way). The heroine has been essentially sold into a convent and desperately wants out so she can marry as her mother (a nobleman’s mistress) had hoped for her. But inside the convent, there is a rare thing, a painting studio. The heroine happens to be an artist and loves drawing more than anything. I really loved the outcome of this story, and the decisions the heroine made. Also, there was some excellent art-neep.

Cat Girl’s Day Off by Kimberly Pauley is fun, humorous fluff in which lots of people have weird psychic gifts; the narrator’s is that she can understand what cats are saying, and have them understand her. Since her mother and sister are geniuses, and her other sister has multiple gifts, and her dad has a really cool gift, Natalie feels somewhat shortchanged, but not in a bitter way. I actually wanted more story about her family. The plot involves a remake of “Ferris Bueller” and a celebrity blogger and Natalie’s friends, one an aspiring actress and the other a celebrity gossip hound. Blessedly, the romance element is minor, and very well-done.

I’m hoping to read more by all of these authors!

Source.

I have some more recent posts up at Heroes and Heartbreakers and The Criminal Element.

Artistic Liberties: Heroes and Heroines Who Are Artists in Historical Romance.

A post on Again by Kathleen Gilles Seidel, an older romance set amidst the production of a soap opera, “My Lady’s Chamber.”

And many previews:

Crazy Thing Called Love by Molly O’Keefe, a contemporary romance.

Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd, latest in a series of WWI historical mysteries.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer, second in a Young Adult science fiction series that references fairy tales.

Speaking From Among the Bones by Alan Bradley, fifth in a historical series about a preteen detective who’s also a chemist.

A Cold and Lonely Place by Sara J. Henry, a contemporary mystery set in and around Lake Placid, NY.

The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord – science fiction with romance.

I have sold my very first (and very short!) zombie story to Zombies: Shambling Through the Ages, edited by Steve Berman for Prime Books. You can get a good idea of the contents from the title. The anthology will be out August 2013.

Table of Contents

~~Before Lazarus~~
“Blood Marker” by Victoria Janssen
“Selected Sources for the Babylonian Plague of the Dead (572-571 BCE)” by Alex Dally MacFarlane
“Immortals” by Nathan Southard
“The Cost of Moving the Dead” by E. L. Kemper
“Hauntings and Hungers on the Banks of the Vipasa” by Rajan Khanna

~-After Lazarus~~
~Antiquity~
“A Frenzy of Ravens” by Christopher M. Cevasco
“The Wedding of Osiris” by Adam Morrow

~The Middle Ages~
“The Hyena’s Blessing” by Alex Jeffers
“The Good Shepherdess” by S. J. Chambers
“The Fledglings of Time” by Carrie Laben

~16th and 17th Centuries~
“Hung from a Hairy Tree” by Samantha Henderson
“Good Deaths” by Paul Berger
“Dead Reckoning” by Elaine Pascale
“Grit in a Diseased Eye” by Lee Thomas
“Theater is Dead” by Raoul Wainscoting
“The Suspected Deaths of Henry Everey” by Fedini

~18th Century~
“Deathless” by Ed Kurtz
“Tantivy” by Molly Tanzer
“Cinereous” by Livia Llewellyn

~19th Century~
“The Wailing Hills” by L Lark
“As the Crow Flies” by Rita Oakes
“Seneca Falls: First Recorded Outbreak of Strain Z” by Dayna Ingram
“Pegleg and Paddy Save the World” by Jonathan Maberry
“Dead in the Water” by Richard Larson
“Starvation Army” by Joe McKinney
“Lonegan’s Luck” by Stephen Graham Jones
“The Rickshaw Pusher” by Mercurio D. Rivera
“The Revenge of Oscar Wilde” by Sean Eads

~Early 20th Century~
“The Gringo” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
“The End of the Caroll A. Deering” by Bob Hole
“Tell Me Like You Done Before” by Scott Edelman
“Wineville, California (1928)” by Richard Gropp
“The Fated Sky” by Aimee Payne
“The Crocodiles” by Steven Popkes

Source.

I’ll be attending Arisia this weekend, January 16-21. Here’s my schedule; yes, I am doing that late-night panel on Friday. But only because it’s Dr. Who.

Friday, 11:30 PM, Revere
“Doctor Who: Companions Through the Ages”
Our celebration of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Who doesn’t overlook the importance of his companions. From schoolgirl Susan to sword-swinging Amy, they have run the gamut. Who are your favorites and why? What makes a “good” companion and who were you glad to see go?
Victoria Janssen [mod], Gordon Linzner, James Zavaglia, Jennifer Pelland, Santiago Rivas

Saturday, 4:00 PM, Hale
Authors Victoria Janssen, Daniel José Older, and Sonya Taaffe read selections from their works.

Sunday, 1:00 PM, Otis
“YA You Want to Read”
Come discuss the best YA SF/F that came out in 2012 and what to anticipate in 2013.
Victoria Janssen [mod], Adam Lipkin, Vikki Ciaffone, Aurora Celeste

Sunday, 8:30 PM, Revere
“Doctor Who: The Dissertation of the Daleks”
We continue our celebration of all things Who with a look at the Daleks, one of the Doctor’s oldest and most persistent adversaries. Why are they so popular? When will they return? And how can they be stopped now that they don’t need to climb stairs?
Adam Lipkin [mod], Samantha Dings, Victoria Janssen, Forest Handford, Michael Lee

(Please note that if I’m still listed in the program book for any items on Monday the 21st, those listings are in error; I will not be present on that day.)

A Study in Revenge by Kieran Shields, a historical mystery which I previewed at The Criminal Element.

Merciless by Lori Armstrong, a contemporary mystery in the Mercy Gunderson series.

Watching the Dark by Peter Robinson, a police procedural featuring Alan Banks.

Parlor Games by Maryka Biaggio, a historical about a real-life con artist – or was she?

And over at Heroes and Heartbreakers, my fantasy cast for Mary Jo Putney’s Fallen Angels series.

The Next Wave in Paranormal Romance. In my humble opinion. Ahem.

I revisit The Mark of Merlin by Anne McCaffrey.

Robyn Carr’s My Kind of Christmas came out at the end of October, despite being about Christmas in the town of Virgin River.

Beneath the Abbey Wall by A.D. Scott, a mystery set in 1950s Scotland.

Kept by Shawntelle Madison, urban fantasy with an unusual heroine.

Killer Librarian by Mary Lou Kirwin, first in a new series of cozy mysteries.

Fox Tracks by Rita Mae Brown.

Happy Holidays! I’ll be back in the New Year.

This post is about my story for Alison Tyler‘s anthology Morning, Noon and Night: Erotica for Couples, just out this month. There is one story for each hour of the day, plus one extra for lagniappe!

The first things I thought of when I was assigned 8:00 pm were: television, prime time, appointment teevee. The silly thing is, I don’t have television anymore. I don’t have cable or streaming capabilities at home, so I generally watch things on DVD, months or years after they’ve aired, with the only exception being Dr. Who – friends with BBC America keep me caught up on that. It was my present state of tv-watching that resonated with the 8:00 pm time slot; it was the nostalgia factor.

The last shows I watched every week on live television were The X-Files and Buffy:The Vampire Slayer. I didn’t have cable even then, and because I live in the midst of a lot of tall buildings, it was often tricky to adjust my antenna just right. I would swear a lot. Sometimes, I could only tell characters apart by their voices (Robert Patrick!). But I watched, faithfully, because I cared deeply about those characters.

My story for Morning, Noon, and Night is not only a love (and sex) story about Martha and Sven, it’s also a love story about people and the television shows they love, and the sometimes absurd-seeming ways that love is expressed. It’s about how a shared activity like tv, and being a fan of a particular show, brings people together. After all, if you can love a tv show that much, then what can happen when you love the person next to you on the couch, even more?

Read The City’s Oldest Known Survivor of the Great War by James Doyle here.