A to Z II - Q is for Queer

Good morning! Another day is upon us, which means it is time for another letter in my personal A to Z challenge. Going in chronological order, today's letter happens to be the letter q. Q is for queer.

I know I've spoken a few times about Joe being bi.

I've always branded myself as a writer of LGBT romance. As a member of the LGBT community, it's important for me to feel that we are represented in the literary world.

In the original Trajectory, there is nothing queer about Joe or the story line. I did myself and our community a disservice. I had always known Joe was bi. In the original NaNo manuscript, he was bi, but that got edited out when I hacked the story down from a novel to a short story. Again, I did us all a disservice.

When VHP and I decided to revisit Trajectory, the first thing I wanted to do was really explore Joe's identity and sexuality. Not to make the story erotica, per se, but to bring back his LGBT roots, so to speak. He is queer, and that is a theme that I wanted to make predominant in the story. I wasn't going to do away with Claudette; she is Joe's rock. Queer or not, Joe cannot live without her. However, I needed to do more than just state the fact that he was bi. I needed to do more than just have him discuss his fears of having the team find out. I needed him to live it. I needed him to live in his authenticity. I needed him to live in his queerness.

Michael was actually a character from another story. I had planned on bringing in a male character for Joe, just not necessarily him. However, my characters are headstrong little buggers. They don't listen very well - they love to do as they please. So, Michael decided to jump into Trajectory. His move was seamless. What I thought would be awkward and potentially stagnate the story was the polar opposite. He is a wonderful unexpected element. He is the giant monkey wrench, and I love how he mucks everything up. He brings out Joe's queer identity, and he forces Joe to face his fears head on. It is a beautiful thing.

If you were to look at Trajectory from a quick glance, you'd never expect it to be a queer story. Even as such, it might make you cringe at first (once you discover the true dynamic between Joe and Michael). However, once you really read the story, once you get into the meat of the book, Trajectory in all of its queer glory is absolutely wonderful. It's the queer story you never saw coming with the queer message you'd never expect.

Queer is not a bad word. Especially in this case.

A to Z II - M is for Michael

Good morning! We have reached yet another day in my personal A to Z challenge. We are up to day #13, which means we are half way through the alphabet! Crazy, huh?

 It also means that we are at the letter M. M is for Michael.

Now, if you've read the original Trajectory, you know that Michael is nowhere to be found. It's true. Trajectory started out as a NaNoWriMo challenge. In that original manuscript, there was a male love interest for Joe. As things changed, and Trajectory became a short story instead of a novel, I cut out his bisexuality and his boyfriend.

Since we're back to reviving Trajectory into the full-length story it was meant to be, I am bringing back Joe's true identity. As well, I am bringing in a male to gain Joe's attention.

Michael is an interesting fellow. He is awkward and lonely. He reaches out to Joe just to try to make a friend. He moved to Detroit for a guy, only to have his heart broken. When Joe confides his bisexuality, Michael feels as though he has met a kindred spirit.

As time goes on, Michael finds himself wanting more of Joe. Joe sends him mixed messages, which Michael tightly grasps. He becomes obsessed. When Joe finally informs him that he is not interested in Michael romantically, Michael doesn't take it well. Things take a very unexpected turn for the worse.

Michael is from the past, but he's also a completely new character - a man all his own. He's a very unique man. Unlike the original male love interest, he's dark and complex. He brings a very interesting element to the new Trajectory.

A to Z II - I is for Identity

We are moving right along! We are already up to the 9th letter in my personal A to Z challenge! In this challenge, I am focusing on my new and expanded version of Trajectory. So today, we're up to the letter i. I stands for identity.

Identity is a major theme in Trajectory. Joe's identity is everything to him. His identity as an army brat, his identity as a Marine, his identity as a SWAT sniper and a cop, his identity as a bisexual male...he is very much consumed by how he identifies himself.

Joe is very much stuck in his own head, so his perception of self is really all he has to go on. His identity, his description of himself is the only thing he knows about himself.


He knows he's the son of a good military man who went on one final tour, and never came home.

He knows he pushed himself very hard during his time in the Marine Corps, and it paid off.

He knows he's a good, honest cop, and that he does his job well as a sniper/observer. He's in high demand for good reason. He identifies himself based on the quality of his work.

He is incredibly focused on his identity as a bisexual male. It's something he's known about himself for years, but he has always tremendous trepidation about coming out. He worries about being judged for it. He holds on tightly to that part of his identity, always afraid to let it go.

Identity is a very strong theme in Trajectory. It is key in how Joe lives his life. How about you?

A to Z II - B is for Bi

Today, we are focusing on the letter b and the story Trajectory. B is for bi.

Though not discussed in the original short story, Joe is bisexual. By working this into a full-length novel, I am able to address his sexuality, his fears; I also address the complexity of his relationship with Claudette, and how that affects his relationship with a man named Michael.

Joe, just like any other person, is very complex. His sexuality is only one facet of his identity, but it's a facet that he focuses on. I don't want to give anything away, but it is a central topic in this new version. I've always known him to be bi, I just haven't addressed it until now. Becoming a full-length novel, I have the opportunity for him to discuss and explore his identity in a way I couldn't previously do.

You know I have to write LGBT fiction. It's what I do. Joe is my first male lead character, and also my first bi lead character. I think it's really important to discuss bisexual topics, and to address concerns that affect the bi community.

This is Joe's coming out moment. Yes, he's bi. Yes, it is central to his story. Yes, I address it as best I can. The new Trajectory will be another work of mine to help support the LGBT community, and to raise awareness for LGBT issues.