Welcome to author Z. Alloro who is visiting Love Bytes talking about the Gay for You thrope , offering a excerpt of her newest release and offers a giveaway also !
Welcome Z. !
Gay for You…. Love it or hate it? With Wings dabbles in that sexual gray area. Some have suggested ‘Out for You” might be a better term. The concept of a love so strong not even gender and confusion is enough to stop it. I think that’s extremely beautiful.
One of the things I explore in The Dark Angels is sexuality. I don’t think there are only three boxes (Straight, Gay, Bi) that we all should stuff ourselves into and lope off parts that don’t fit. (OUCH)
Kinsey came up with a sliding scale from exclusively heterosexual to exclusively homosexual. The mid-point is bi-sexuality with variations on either side of this center to strictly homosexual on one side and heterosexual on the other. He even developed an X factor for no socio-sexual contacts of reactions so now we have eight boxes.
Klein didn’t think that was enough. His model of sexuality pushed open the boundaries society seems to need to attach a bit more. His grid looks at sexual attraction, sexual behavior, sexual fantasies, emotional preference, social preference, lifestyle preference and self-identification in terms of desires vs. actual behavior. Some people might not act or even acknowledge their desires but they are still there and a part of that person. He also added the dimension of time, which suggests sexuality has the potential to change over time.
Enter the sexual fluidity study that suggests sexuality maybe less rigid than we suspected and I have to say the ‘Gay for You’ sub-genre isn’t so farfetched. Some people (or characters Darius Stone) may just never explored that part of themselves until someone (like Angel Luv) flips their switch and gives them the reason.
I’ve listened to rants about how ‘Gay for You’ is simply impossible. It can’t possibly happen in real life. For some people this is true. They simply can’t envision their own feelings would ever change, which is absolutely their reality. But I refuse to paint everyone with the same brush.
I have heard tales in my PFLAG group about someone not being aware they were gay or at least bi-sexual until they were well into their forties or until they met a certain person. I just read an article about how this occurred to someone (I added the link at the bottom).
The world is a big and diverse place. I truly believe love can conquer all and sexual orientation isn’t an insurmountable barrier. Love is love, my Pretties.
The lights go down and stage lights up. The Dark Angels have arrived. With his come-hither voice and body made for sin, lead singer Angel Luv draws lovers like a magnet. And when he caresses and taunts shy guitarist Darius Stone on stage, well…it’s an act, right? But every touch lights a fire, and every flirtatious glance chips away at Dare’s certainty that he’s straight. No one else has so captured his imagination.
Temptation beckons. It’s hard not to notice the want in Dare’s eyes, the way he stares when he thinks Angel’s not watching. One wrong move might scare him away, but a work trip to exotic Bali might be the perfect place to let Dare explore his sexuality, with none to be the wiser. But their “friends with benefits” pact has an expiration date, that just might sour their friendship.
Buy Link:
Excerpt For With Wings:
Chapter 1
The drunks in the hole-in-the wall bar were there to get laid, not to listen to Darius Stone play guitar with a gloried cover band. Fuck it, he didn’t care. He pretended his twist on another band’s musical hits was the reason a major fight hadn’t broken out in over a week and the police hadn’t intervened in over a month. It didn’t matter that the bar owner tried to cheat the band out of their take of the door. He was playing in New York City, and that helped block out the negative dialogue still powerful enough to slip around his wall of defense.
His father’s words nagged, questioning Dare’s sanity and his moral compass for following his rock and roll dreams. He’d heard the slurs and skewed stereotypes a thousand times, but each insult still stung. Musicians are nothing but a bunch of druggies and sex-depraved homos. If you’re going to play at being a musician, at least play a respectable instrument like the piano. You’re going to wind up in some alley OD’ed.
Not even the abusive words Darius carried in his heart could dissuade him from his love for the guitar. While his buddies had saved up to buy cars, he’d put his pennies away to buy a Fender American Standard Stratocaster electric guitar in ebony burst black. Every performance convinced Darius he’d made the right decision. The guitar was his first and only love.
When his eyes adjusted to the stage lights, he raised his head and was jolted by an instant connection. The guy from last night was back. Dressed in all black, he sat in the same seat, his amber eyes seeming to Dare’s fingers as they played each note. Guitar wails bridged the gap, joining them. He’d never felt so drawn to a fan, and remained captivated by the stranger throughout the entire set.
He closed his eyes and bent his fingers over the guitar’s strings, stroking out one last vibrato. Fuck, he was on fire tonight. The music injected a burst of love, mixed with lust, and the most incredible satisfaction imaginable, with an adrenalin chaser into his blood. All made better by the unique link he’d forged with the amber-eyed stranger. The connection nourished something in his soul. Nothing else came close to this kind of ecstasy—not even sex.
Fucking A, that was awesome. He opened his eyes, but now, with the music done, he avoided the stranger’s gaze and jumped off the tiny stage. It was weird to have been so deeply connected with a member of the audience. He hoped the guy didn’t get the wrong idea about him.
His gaze skated over to the guy in black, still there. He never socialized, and waved off anyone who approached. The guy’s focus remained on Darius, quite a feat since the outlandish lead singer, Paul Martin, usually demanded everyone’s attention. The shirt Paul had torn from his body, now in tatters littering the stage, was evidence that he’d do anything to get the audience’s love.
Darius hated most of the members of this lazy-assed band he’d fallen in with as a temporary replacement three years ago. On a daily basis he questioned why he’d agreed to play with a bunch of losers who thought the name “Doesn’t Matter” ironic.
But holy hell, he flew tonight. Until he found another band, he couldn’t walk away from this feeling. When it was good, there was no better high. He’d read somewhere that intermittent reinforcement was the strongest form—he’d have to agree.
He tipped his head so a lock of hair would hide his eyes while on stage fell forward. The same move worked offstage as well, allowing him to stare back at the man who appeared to be eye-fucking him.
The guy’s cool confidence could be experienced across the room. His black-polished nails ran through his hair, and he licked his full lips as if savoring something delicious. An odd sensation spread through Darius, but he refused to name it. If he were interested in guys, yeah, this would be the one for him. But Darius was straight.
As if on cue, Paige Rimsky, college student, fan, and his current fuck buddy, bounced over, reinforcing the simple fact of his heterosexuality. The celebration in her voice almost erased his unease. “I told you sitting in on the master’s class would up your game. Your phrasing was flawless tonight. I…”
She followed his line of sight. “Oh, were you showing off for tall, dark, and yummy?”
“What? No!” Maybe a little, no, the connection was just so… Why was the guy here again?
Paige put her hands up and laughed, drawing his attention. “Don’t get defensive, Dare. I’m just asking. Hell, I’d do him.”
Dare pushed his hair out of his eyes and focused on his maybe friend.
Her teasing smile turned into a dirty giggle. “I’d do you both.”
Fuck, rolling around in the sheets with the man in black and Paige wasn’t the image he needed in his head. He let his hair fall back to hide his eyes and fumbled with releasing his guitar strap. Since he’d forgotten to unplug the instrument before jumping off the stage, the wire tangled with his strap.
His sometimes bed partner snorted inelegantly, standing by waiting for him to de-wire himself. “So, who is Mr. Hotness Intensified? You think he’s as emo and sensitive as he appears?”
“No clue.” Best not to dwell on the answer to her questions, and he didn’t want to analyze why he’d love to know the guy. Untangled from the lead he’d failed to unplug earlier, he reached back to put his guitar on its stand.
“Well, he’s gorgeous. I’d fuck him.” Her voice was probably louder than she intended, and carried to their least favorite person.
Ace Starr, the asshole drummer of the band, came up and groped her. “You’d fuck anyone.”
“Anyone but you. Now take your goddamned hand off my ass or I’m going to put my fist in your fucking face.” She leaned into him and he winced.
Ouch! Damn, crunching the asshole’s foot with her heel must have hurt like hell. Paige had grown up in the foster care system and could take care of herself, but Dare was sorry she had to be on guard. If he jumped to her defense, though, she’d eviscerate him. All he could do was keep an eye out to make sure Ace and all the other assholes that crossed her path, in a bad way, were put in their places.
Ace released her ass and attempted an apologetic look. “Sorry, baby cakes. Hey, why don’t you come home with a real man tonight and not some demented elf?”
“Fuck off.” She wrapped an arm around Darius and continued to glare at numb nuts.
“Oh, honey, I would fuck you till the sun came up.” Ace used what he probably considered a sexy purr on her.
“Eww… Why would I want to do that?” Her beautiful face scrunched up, like screwing Ace was the worst possible fate.
Darius couldn’t hold in his laughter. Paige could be a real bitch when the situation called for it. Damn, he was just glad she liked him.
His gaze traveled back to the man in black. The stranger sipped a liquid with a crooked smile on his face. His expression sparkled with a little too much glee, making Darius wonder if the guy heard more than Paige’s outburst. Fuck. He didn’t need this right now.
Ace slunk away to search for a bed partner with lower standards than Paige’s. She nudged Darius. “So, my demented elf, you wanna get laid?”
Dare returned to the stage to buy time. When he twisted back around, the guy in black was gone, vanished. Fuck! Why did regret replace the nervous butterflies dancing in Dare’s belly? So what if he never got the chance to speak to the stranger?
Paige cleared her throat. She’d never had to ask twice. “So?”
No. Yes. No. “Not tonight.” He hated himself for putting a frown on her face.
“Got a headache?” She mocked him until she glanced over at the empty table. “Ah, say what you want, but I think you’re crushing on him.”
“I’m straight,” Dare protested.
“Whatever. Everyone is fluid. Some people just acknowledge it easier than others.” Spoken like a true pansexual, she was convinced everyone would be happier being gender blind and following attraction wherever it led. Paige taunted him, “Darius has a boy crush.”
***** I’d love to hear from you. Tell me your opinion of ‘Gay For You’ or anything else you want to talk about to in the comments section and be registered to win an e-book copy of With Wings. I look forward to hear from you.
Hugs, Z.
For more information on the topic:
http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/research/ak-hhscale.html
http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/otherwise-straight-man-love-best-friend-jvinc
Even though I’m more inclined to believe “out for you,” I’m always amazed at how even supposedly tolerant people get all twitchy about bisexuality, or when someone is attracted to a person outside the usual gender lines. It’s the 21st century, gang!
It is insane Trix!!! I despise when people dismiss the bi-sexuality if/when the person is in a monogamous relationship. The attraction to the sex not of their partner was not just a phase.
Hugs, Z.
I think attraction can cross lines anytime anywhere. What good for one is not good for another. I like it that way.
I think for certain people it can. I’ve known several men and a number of women who simply decided gender didn’t matter as much as the love for the other person. Hugs, Z.
I don’t think that “gay” is in everyone, but I do think that given the right circumstances, and if society was more accepting, there are many, many more people that would be open to same sex relationships.
Barbara,
I agree it is very individual. I like Klein’s expansion on the Kinsey scale because not everyone is wired the same way and our perceptions change over time based on our experiences.
Hugs, Z.
I think the “gay for you” trope is maybe a little overused, esp in fanfic, but I enjoy it and think that it is as valid as any other sexual experience. I think attraction isn’t explainable, and comes from more varied sources than people like to think. We just label that attraction differently depending on who we think we are, and what rules/walls/barriers we have accepted and put into place.
Bastdazbog,
You’re probably right but I find it one of the most romantic troupes: 2 people so connected that not even their gender/orientation can prevent the expression of their love. Romance is about overcoming odds… and well that’s a pretty big damned hurdle for most of us. For me it is the pinnacle of love is love…
Hugs, Z.
I enjoy a will written gay for you story. I’m not really sure about it in real life though.
sstrode at scrtc dot com
Sherry,
I know I always favored the idea of ‘out for you’=someone who is bi-sexual but never really feeling the urge to act on their urge a little more in line with Kinsey’s study which suggested 46% of males had bi-sexual experiences (at the time of the study late 40’s early 50’s female bi-sexual was much lower). However, sitting in PFLAG for the last 2 yrs I can tell you I’ve heard stories of people truly not believing they were anything but straight until something/one triggered a change in their behavior. Hugs, Z.
http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/research/ak-data.html
I enjoy a good GFY, and I think it does happen in real life too. Just not very often.
Alishea,
I agree. But I love watching these types of stories unfold.
Hugs, Z.
I think anything can happen in real life. Always felt how do I know what someone else feels. Most of the time I don’t question if the relationship is possible in reading unless it is beyond unbelievable.
Thank you Cornelia… you just reminded me… The Dark Angels series is a hot rocker series sooooo I go over the top ala Yaoi Style…. This isn’t a serious contemporary but hopefully a bit of a wild ride. (The original was written while I was living in Suzhou China and I had just discovered Yaoi…) Hugs, Z.
Out For You….sounds interesting, I love the GFY stories when the straight guy realises maybe he’s not as straight as he thought
I think it happens in real life…we just don’t get to see the story unfold
‘Out for You’ & ‘Gay for You’ are about the same topic just stated in a bit of a different way. Gay for you suggests=totally straight & flipping their sexuality for the individual. Out for you suggests=someone with bi-sexual tendencies they had no explored until this wonderful person gave them the reason to do so… Though Kinsey would argue only a fraction of the population is strict homosexual and a fraction on strictly heterosexual and the rest fall in a spectrum of in between. Klein adds the reference of time (& life experience) to that mix.
I love watching stories unfold with a character slowly accepting him/her self and their sexuality.
Hugs, Z.
I like these stories. I think denial can be a very powerful thing. Even in this day and age, too many people say hurtful and dismissive things, fully supporting stereotypes. I imagine for some people, even coming out to themselves can be a struggle. I remember a Boy Sets Fire song from After the Eulogy” where the singer was coming to terms with being gay. Some of the lyrics were “this is not me, this can never be me” “deny myself with every joke” and “now I’ve broken my own wrist” and I think for the first time it really hit me how hard it can be for someone to accept themselves, despite having so many lesbians in my immediate family. So, I imagine out for you is more common in reality, but I in no way want to downplay someone else’s experience. I don’t see why gender and attraction can’t be fluid things.
Lindsayb,
YES!!!! Exactly!!!! Everyone’s sexuality is there own.
I agree with fluidity (& I get how for some people that’s not even an option which is fine).
When I was 4 I knew my cousin who was 6 liked girls. Didn’t bother me it was just the way it was… (plus meant more boys for me). I watched her struggle for years for something I’d already accepted about her.
I need to find the song you reference sounds powerful.
Hugs, Z.
I think a gay for you book can be a great read. There are some that may not be as believable, but I enjoy the troupe. In addition, I do think that it’s easier to avoid thinking something and deny than it is to step forward sometimes. People allow others to influence them all the time, it can be easy to conform to what others think when a person doesn’t have a reason to rock the boat. I don’t know why people can’t be more accepting, but maybe someday we will get there.
Your book sounds really good.
Thanks Jen! Just keep in mind With Wings is yaoi-lic-ious! So I let the characters (hot rockers) go a bit over the top. But I don’t ease the sexual acceptance for the sake of the reader. Dare keeps on repeating he’s straight even though evidence/reality/his actions and his words are counter to that. I know I wanted to shake the hell out of him… (but having watched a number of people go through the acceptance process it’s not that easy and can take years.)
Hugs, Z.
I like reading gfy books. I like to be optimistic about it possibly happening in RL.
H.B.
I think it is the one of the most romantic concepts in the world… I love this person enough that not even their gender can keep us apart, not even the character’s orientation can stand in the way of true love… Love is difficult enough add in self acceptance and all the obstacles that come with same sex relationships… and it can be quite satisfying to see love conquer all…
Hugs, Z.
I think if people just led with their hearts more people would be open to either gender. I totally believe that love is love and you can be gay for you if you meet the right person.
jasdarts at hotmail dot com
Jillprand…. I’m right there with you and for people who can’t that’s fine just don’t say other’s can’t…
Hugs, Z.
I love reading stories that have a gay for you theme. I also know that this is a very real thing. My cousin just recently married her girlfriend. Before that, she was married to a man and had 3 children with him. Some in our family were very shocked (some did not approve), but not me. I totally support the two of them and just want them to be happy. 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!