'Chasing the Rainbow' Surprise Snippet Saturday #1

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Time to start giving you guys some Chasing the Rainbow  love since Jody and Bobby's story comes out super soon. We're just a couple weeks away! I set out to write a short, sweet book. I got a little carried away with Bobby being an idiot, but for me it's pretty sugary. Hope you guys don't mind me taking a cutesy break.

SO today I'm giving a surprise Snippet Saturday. It's from the beginning of the book. Jody Olsen had a very brief marriage to a girl he dated in college. VERY brief. Jody's ex, Angelina, was BFFs with the ex wife. Well, by a bit of kismet, Jody saw Bobby at a going away party for Angelina some 5 years later and our story kinda kicks off. This is the scene where Bobby's sought Jody out for the first time since their first re-encounter at the party. Jody's on break at a coffee/book store he works at. So ... here goes...

“They pay you to read the books or what?” Bobby teased. Jody’s heart fluttered in his chest, much to his chagrin.

            “Uh, hey.” Be cool. “What’re you doing here?” Of course, that was a dumb question. Bobby’s left hand held a Frappuccino, which was entirely incongruous with his tough guy looks. Of course, in response, Bobby shook said Frappuccino, smirking.

            “Right,” Jody said. “Like our fraps?”

            “They’re the best,” Bobby confirmed, suckling on his straw. Fuck, the way his adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, the way he licked the white drink left behind by the straw—Jody’s pants were suddenly not as comfortable as they’d been five seconds ago.

            “Uh. Awesome,” Jody squeaked. He wasn’t proud of how high his voice had just registered. Bobby’s gaze roamed Jody’s face, assessing same as the other day when he’d given Jody a ride to the subway station. Do not think about riding, don’t even think the word.

            Thankfully, Bobby didn’t comment. But his eyes did flicker when he noticed the cover of Jody’s book—the one with two very shirtless men. Jody knew he blushed then. But he wasn’t ashamed, he wasn’t going to hide something Bobby would already know. It was bound to be awkward for Bobby having his first true evidence of Jody’s gayness in his face. But Jody hadn’t looked back once since he’d come out, wouldn’t start today. Even if he’d hate to see disgust on that handsome face.

            “You like working here?” Bobby asked.

            Jody blinked, surprised by how easily Bobby went on with regular converstion. He felt kind of bad for having expected Bobby to be a jerk. “Yes. It’s not so bad. Much more laid back that working a corporate gig.”

            “I’ll bet.” Bobby’s expression grew wistful as he surveyed the store. “I’d love being surrounded by books all day.”

            Jody frowned, feeling like a jerk again for his assumption that wouldn’t be something Bobby G was into. They guy had said he liked books the other day, and if Jody was remember correctly, Bobby was the only of his brothers to have gone to college.

            Bobby laughed. “It’s okay, I get that a lot.”

            Jody blanched. “What? I didn’t— ”

            “You did, but it’s okay. I suppose dressed like this—” Bobby waved his hands up and down, indicating his dusty Penn State t-shirt and holey jeans. “—one doesn’t automatically assume I’m a scholar.”

            “No. It’s not that. I actually don’t even know you that well so it was rude.”

            “Ah, but we all judge books by their covers, right?”

            It was Jody’s turn to study Bobby carefully. He wasn’t entirely sure what Bobby meant. He’d spoken plainly, but that seemed to mean something more than he’d actually expressed, heavier.

            “I guess,” Jody said.

            Bobby smiled kindly, his eyes crinkling in the corner. Those brown eyes were full of good humor, displaying lines of a million smiles. Not many people made aging look quite as nice as Bobby Gugino was managing. Because he’s so much older than you.

            Bobby rose to standing, dropping a heavy pat on Jody’s shoulder, a showing of fondness Jody was surprised by. “I’ll get out of your hair. Just thought I’d say ‘hi’.” He winked, leaving Jody with the understanding he’d followed his instructions. How many people actually did stop by to say hi when you told them to?

            He wasn’t getting his hopes up, though. He knew Bobby and his girl had been together for a long time even back when he was with Izzy. Bobby was probably just being nice.

            Jody’s dick was annoyed with his dismissal of the option of Bobby as a prospect. He watched the guy’s wide shoulders, wishing he could run a hand over them, as Bobby walked away and out the front doors, into the crowd of pedestrians wandering hither and thither.

            He shook his head, feeling silly, and returned to reading his book. At least there, the straight guy turned out to be the Prince Charming the other man hoped for.

That's it! Yes, gay romance has a kind of a minor role in the story. It's one of Jody's pastimes. ;)

I'll have the official blurb up soon. [UPDATE: blurb has been added to the GoodReads page, linked below] Stay tuned for more snippets and giveaways!

Until next time.
<3kaderade

 Chasing the Rainbow

Coming May 25

GoodReads

It's Just a #TeamBottom Thing [NSFW]

This post has gratuitous ass pics, just because. So NSFW.
 

Here I go again. Rambling, maybe ranting some, but trying to answer a question I've gotten a few times in the last several days and this was the best way I could think to do it. I always did prefer just being on record... "I blogged about it...go look it up" is the most succinct answer ever haha.

I posted a video about the inappropriate questions straight people tend to ask gay people. After that, an interesting convo happened... Let me ramble and make my way there.

Whether you're at a friend's hen night or chilling at a new gay club in Hell's Kitchen, you more often than not find yourself answering the inevitable question: so, are you a top or a bottom? Uh.... And if you're with your boyfriend, they'll drop the "so if you're the bottom, you're like...the woman right?" (and I think MAYBE they ask the former question, thinking it's more polite than the latter. It isn't.) I've actually typically dated guys who are good at stopping them and calling them out on that last question.

So before I answer those—because they fit into the context of the conversation I originally mentioned—I'll tell you how the whole conversation started. A friend text messaged me:

You were on FB blasting people for it not being their business, 

but on your twitter your bio says #TeamBottom. Is that not

contradictory? 

Since she wasn't the first or last to ask me a variation of that, especially after my rant on it not being people's fucking business, I thought I'd answer. Long and short? No.

And I'll explain.

I stand by the fact, it really is NOT your business. Now, another gay man can ask me all day, because he has a vested interest in whether I'm top/bottom/vers, because he would obviously have a chance at hooking up with me. You with your vagina, have not a chance; straight boy with your gawking are just making things awkward. Stop.

But then why be so open? Why #TeamBottom?

Because of the second question, the one in the second paragraph—the inevitable followup regarding my (or any other bottom) being the "woman" or "bitch" in the relationship. THAT's why I #TeamBottom. It's also why I'm pretty cavalier in bringing it up as a preference, usually making it a bit of a joke. A) It makes me less uncomfortable to just answer you like it's so funny when really I'm cringing inside from you having asked what I like sexually, in the first place; and B) I'm trying to take away a little of the stigma.

No matter how far we advance in our understanding of human anatomy, erogenous zones, and  human sexuality there's still such a negative connotation that comes with being a bottom. Bottoms are always thought of as The Woman. Bottoms are less than, willing to play catamite to the fierce and proud top.

I find this true across society, the sexually receptive partner being considered the weaker or fairer. So I'm utterly shocked to find such a large faction of women, even ones who read M/M or have many gay friends, have the same mindset. But then again, gay culture is as Top Centric as society is Patriarchal so why wouldn't they?

I don't know about you... But I discovered 'pussy power' long ago (no gold star jokes here... and dear heavens don't ever call it a 'boy pussy', please). Surely, you can agree that plenty of people know they are the purveyors of pleasure and know that that comes with a certain amount of 'power'. I don't mean it in a negative, I lead my man around by his dick way, but in a way I guess it is that a little. If you have a good man, his respecting your right to say no is not only a good sign of your mutual respect, but shows how he treasures what you may or may not do for him in bed. So, there's nothing weak about being receptive, whether you're male or female. In fact, I tend to know more couples in which the women are the
more dominant in their every day life. I've never been one for dating guys with a major "alpha" complex. My personality is pretty loud, so I usually lead outside the bedroom.

But... ask anyone and they think we all want the Alpha Male. And what's sexier in a book than two Alpha Men who never bottom, but after a battle of wills, one bottoms... Because he's been shamed into bottoming by losing. SMH. If you don't get the latent homophobia in that, you're pretty dense. There's also the books I'll read reviews for and I'll see things like "I wish this character hadn't been so femme." That statement alone astounds me, but then I read the book and realize the character was never so much "effeminate" as he was a shamelessly wanton bottom-boy, otherwise he was no more so or less butch/whatever than the Toppy McTopperson top-man. And there you have it. Bottom boy, top man. So a bottom will grow up to be a top? Twink to bear? PUH-leeze. I've seen some big, bad, biker looking mother fuckers whose flame registers on the Kelvin scale, while seeing small, twinky pocket gays whose dick has been in more boys than ... well... You get the point.

Hell, even if you look to the BDSM community.. You think there aren't "Sirs" who are just power bottoms, but they still are the dominant in the relationship? I get that, thanks to Western Judeo-Christian society, with it's Puritanical and Victorian hang ups, still think a woman is subserviant to her man, should stay home and raise the cildren, etc... But you can not prescribe that to a gay relationship. It just... isn't possible. Yes, there may be a more dominant personality, or I've seen couples who were totally equal. But I'll digress.

And finally, one that chafes so much, in gay culture, the Tops are treated like all other insertive partners, like the prize bull. He's the Prince Charming to my Cinderfella. And he's SO popular cuz he knows how to sling his dick, meanwhile I'm thought to probably be a disease ridden trollop because I've had sex with more than two of the men in the room—my two to his eight. Because being a top is "virile". He's spreading that seed, even if it's fruitless. Boys will be boys and bottoms will be sissies.

Hell, you'd think we'd get a little more respect with all the shit (no pun intended) we go through to make sure it's a ... welcoming experience for our toply suitors. Just sayin'. 

So yeah, I #TeamBottom because I'm not a slut, even when it's one of those things some people like to spread at a convention like it's 9th grade. (Though if I were to talk about a woman's expression of her sexuality, I'd be called a slut shamer........ Bottom shaming is A-Okay, though? Cool. Noted.) I'm not weak or less of man, nor am I waiting for my big, strapping, manly man to come save me and protect me. It's cute in fairy tales, but honey, if you know me you know I'm not exactly one to sit down and take some asshole's controlling BS.

I #TeamBottom because, even if it's uncomfortable to talk about my sex life, I want you to think twice when you think less of me for admitting it; think about your own prejudices and where you picked that up. Because reading gay fiction, being an ally, being the best "straight-dude friend" ever, does not magically make you immune to latent homophobia.

I #TeamBottom because I am NOT less.

<3kaderade

PS: Oh, and a final note, because she ended her convo with this statement as well... "For someone so team bottom, you sure are all about asses." My response? "For someone whose vagina literally can't fuck one, you sure are all about asses."

***I do not claim to be the authority, here. Some gay men may be shaking their heads right now, so if they want to post otherwise, go ahead.***

Cover Reveal: Chasing the Rainbow

Hey guys!

Surprise! Got all my scheduling stuff worked out, and though some things had to be shuffled, I finally have a release coming up for the summer! Thank everyone so much for bearing with me. I'm so stoked. I've got some cover art from the FABULOUS Reese Dante as well as ... well, it's more tag-line/teaser than blurb, but it's the gist, and I thought I'd share as a "thank you for the patience" as well as a "YAY! It's Rainbow Book Fair weekend in New York City!" I'll post something about RBF after the weekend, which promises to be a fabulous good time. But this post is all about Chasing the Rainbow.

Here we go!

“Oh, Jody," Bobby said on a sigh, "How could I not have told you I’ve fallen for you?  It’s like since I realized that I was gay, since I really just accepted it and started being… well, gay, I guess it’s like I wasn’t so much chasing my youth as I was chasing this rainbow. And everyone saw it.  This huge part of me as a person was unlocked. I wanted to squeeze so much rainbow the fucking skittles popped out" 

Chasing the Rainbow

by Kade Boehme

COMING MAY 2015

Two New York City divorcees; one with his nose in romance novels and his heart in the clouds, the other chasing a missed youth and trying to find his place in the big gay world that Catholic guilt kept him from. 

What could go wrong?

<3 YAY! Hope you all love it as much as I do. Jody and Bobby have just been such fabulous characters to get to know and I love how Reese brought them to life.

Have a wonderful weeked! We'll get started on those Seven Sentence Sundays soon!

<3kaderade