Aug 07
Kris Jacen, Executive Editor of MLR Press will be at the Marketing for Romance Writers Yahoo Group, on the 8th and 9th of September to listen to pitches for MLR and its imprints, Passion in Print (Het Romance) and Featherweight Press (YA). If you’re interested in making a pitch for publication sign up to the group and hang around on the 8th and 9th. Just…be careful. The group tends to generate a lot of email each day, as authors and writers discuss the ins and outs of marketing books.
Aug 06
We are very happy to announce that Matthew’s novella, tentatively title The Way You Are, has been contracted to Dreamspinner Press. This will be Matthew’s first story available through Dreamspinner, and we are all very excited to be working with them.
The Way You Are follows Leon, a shy, self-effacing business student at the University of Newcastle, who starts to visit coma patient Travis ‘Rook’ Rookford, a heterosexual student who gets gay bashed by a group of bogans*. At the hospital he meets, falls in love with, and has a lovers tiff with hunky male nurse Warrick, in that order. Then, when Rook finally wakes up, Leon is surprised to find Rook convinced that he and Leon are dating. In the midst of dealing with loving a man in conservative regional Australia, Rook’s upcoming court appearance and his own studies, Leon has to come to terms with what he wants, and gets to find out whether every gay man’s dream of having a hot straight guy fall for you is everything it’s cracked up to be. And he hasn’t even started Christmas shopping yet.
*Bogan, according to the 2012 Oxford English Dictionary, is a “depreciative term for an unfashionable, uncouth, or unsophisticated person, especially of low social status”. It’s a very Australian term, and has, so we are told, nothing to do with the town of Bogan in New South Wales.
Stay tuned for updates and eventual cover art from this exciting new development!
Jul 24
Our dear friends at banQuetpress are running a limited time only sale for both print and ebook copies of their 2010-2012 Anthologies, including banQuet Men 2011, which includes Matthew’s story, Mr. Perfect, and banQuet Men 2012 which includes Screens.
There are of course the banQuet Women 2010, 2011 and 2012 Anthologies for fiction and art about girls who like girls, and we highly recommend those as well. 2012 print books are available for $18 including shipping, and the 2010-2011 print books are available for $13 including shipping, that’s down from a cover price of $25.
Visit TryBooking to place your order, and note that the sale is on until mid-August, as long as stocks last, so if you don’t already own one of these gorgeous books, get yours today.
If you’d rather get an eBook, you can get both Men’s and Women’s 2012 Anthologies for half price at $5 each, also at TryBooking, delivered direct to your email (mobi/epub format). If you just want Matthew’s stories, you can also pick up a eBook copy of Mr. Perfect from Smashwords or Amazon-and don’t forget you can get your Kindle ebooks autographed at Kindlegraph.
Happy reading and look out for more stories as soon as we get Matthew to write a bit more!
Jul 13
With the Geek Mook launch less than twenty four hours away, we’re happy to be able to provide an update on the lineup. It looks like it’s going to be a great night, and we hope you’ll be able to join us and Matthew at the event.
Comedian Ben McKenzie will be MCing the night, and will give you a bit of Dungeon Crawl, an improvisational comedy show based on the role playing game Dungeon and Dragons, is widely believed to be the greatest invention of the geek mind since X-Ray glasses or the Commodore 64.
Following the show will be readings by four incredible Geek Mook contributors Nancy Mauro-Flude, Kent MacCarter, Angela Meyer and Benjamin Solah.
Matthew will not be reading at the launch, but has stated that he would face some difficultly reading out his random tables in an entertaining fashion, as funny as we all think the entries to be. Yes, pandering to the author is definitely something that’s good for job security here at matthew-lang.com.
The Geek Mook itself will be launched by Dr Thomas Apperley, author of Gaming rhythms: Play and counterplay from the situated to the global, a man who has truly delved into geekdom and lived to tell the tale.
So come for the launch and stay on to attend Mr McClellands Finishing School (an awesome retro dance party) for free.
When: 6pm for 6.30pm start, 13 July 2012
Where: Bella Union, cnr Lygon and Victoria St, Carlton VIC 3053
Cost: Free!
Geeky dress (pocket protectors/Cosplay) highly appreciated, but not mandatory.
Jul 01
It’s a real winter down here in Australia, a real wet winter and it feels like it’s been raining every day. At least in Melbourne, anyway. Just for fun I’ve decided to put a recipe together, which I threw together for dinner, and I’m curious to see what you think of it. It’s a simple, seasonal take on soup and salad, although it’s possible to tweak it into a stew without too much trouble.
Baby Octopus and Tomato Soup
I love baby octopus. I love octopus actually, but it’s amazing how many people just won’t eat it if it’s not crumbed, fried and otherwise unrecognisable. Maybe it’s the tentacles. But as winter gets going, the little baby octopi (or octopuses depending on what school of thought you subscribe to) start appearing at fish markets, cleaned, gutted and ready to eat. You can of course use older octopus in the recipe below, but I find the tenderising and cleaning to be a much more tedious process, especially if the ink sacs are left in. Okay, have I put you off yet? Personally, I love the soft, yielding texture of well cooked octopus, especially infused with the sweetness of a tomato and carrot broth, so I have a tendency to make this when the cold rolls in.
6 Baby Octopus cut into segments
10 Prawns, shelled and de-veined
2 cans of whole tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 large carrots, grated
1 chilli, sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup of red wine
salt and pepper for seasoning
A neutral cooking oil (rice bran suggested)
Extra virgin olive oil for flavour
In a large saucepan, sweat the onion and garlic in the neutral cooking oil, and then add the baby octopus, tins of tomatoes, rosemary, grated carrot, chilli, red wine and a good grind (or pinch, or half teaspoon) or salt and pepper. Allow to simmer on a low heat for 2 hours, or until the carrot breaks down.
Add in the tomato paste to add extra flavour, and allow to reduce to the desired consistency–remember to taste, taste, taste! If you’re after a soup, you’ll want a more watery consistency, if you’re after a stew to be served over rice, mash or cous cous, you’ll want to allow it to reduce more. Add the prawns about 5-10 minutes before you take the soup off, as they take less time to cook, and adjust seasoning to taste. Remove the woody rosemary stalks. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve with crusty bread.
If you’re feeling artistic, garnish with some perennial basil from the salad (below).
Serves 2-4.
Suggested tweaks:
Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad
This is hardly a new combination, and it’s a classic, but if you’ve never tried it, I suggest you give it a go. It certainly beats getting beetroot from a can!
8 baby beetroots
100 grams soft goats cheese
A good bunch of basil (I used perennial, but sweet basil will work just as well)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper.
Clean up you baby beets by removing any excess ‘hair’ from the root system. You don’t want to take it all off, but leaving too much on isn’t too pleasant to eat later. Boil your baby beets in just enough water to cover them until soft (a sharp knife should slide into them easily), and then toss them in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pepper and salt and roast for 20 minutes in a 180 degree (Celcius, about 360 Farenheit) oven. Once roasted, cut them into quarters and place them in a bowl along with the picked leaves of your basil, and crumble the goats cheese over the top. Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and lemon juice for a quick dressing, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serves 2, or 3 not too hungry people.
If you want to bulk up the salad and want to add some other elements, try adding in boiled green beans or slicing in a raw yellow capsicum. Or both. Both works very well.
And that’s it. I don’t know if that’ll go down well, but I’ve been doing a fair bit of cooking at home recently, and thought I’d share. If you try it, let me know if the recipe works or if it needs a bit of tweaking!
Jun 26
MLR Press is calling for Vampire short stories. Got one you want to tell? Send it in!
What can be hotter than a cold-blooded warrior using his weapons of choice – blade, brain, fang? A vampire out fighting every night for…love? Does he weld his brain or his brawn? Show us some fang!
Submissions should:
Have at least one vampire as a lead character
Be a minimum of 5k, maximum of 40k
Any subgenre is welcome and all prohibitive guidelines are observed
Deadline for submissions: November 15, 2012 Titles will release in the Spring of 2013
Submit stories to: special_submissions@mlrpress.com
Jun 18
Warning. Do not watch this video if you do not want to know what the truth about the great evil that is the gay agenda.
Jun 06
Calling all geeks and lovers of geekery! Matthew’s first foray into the realms of non-fiction writing will be launched as part of Vignette Press‘ Geek Mook launch on Friday the 13th of July. For everyone who doesn’t know, Vignette Press is and Independent publishers sepcialising in Mooks, which are a hyrbid of magazine and book. Previously publishing Sex Mook and Death Mook, and currently putting together Fat Mook, the next launch is in celebration fo the geek!
Costumes are optional, and as of yet Matthew has not revealed any plans to dress up. We hear he’s considering going as Inspector Gadget though. Frankly, we think he should go as a Torchwood Weevil.
Watch this space for a geekstastic launch line up, and there’ll be free entry to Mr McClelland’s Finishing School, a retro and indie dance party afterwards if you stick around!
May 23
For the blog hop against homophobia I posted stories from the people not typically heard in the fight for equality: our straight allies. Of course, once I started filming at the Equal Love rally in Melbourne, there were a lot of other people who spoke and I believe that their stories too should be shared. Plus, no one found the elusive Tellytubby. Also, I promised everyone I’d post Kendrie’s full story. So here it is:
Kendrie Coonan’s Full Story
Photo by Ali Bakhtiavandi 2012
Challenging homophobia is something I am very passionate about. As a mother of two small children I want nothing more than for my children to grow up to be accepted and respected regardless of their nationality, religion, or in this instance sexual orientation. As parents we try our hardest to bring up well balanced, caring individuals and we want them to be judged always and only for the people they are, not their circumstance.
Both my husband and I have a long history in theatre and dance and have from an early age been immersed in a culture where homosexuality is prevalent and warmly accepted. In theatre, people are people, you are judged more for your talent than anything else. I suppose not everyone has had the open and honest experiences we have been lucky enough to have, but those experiences, those interactions with fabulously lovely individuals of many different walks of nature have shaped our ideas on many things in our adult life and most importantly our parenting.
The stories I have heard of gay friends struggling to come out, being confronted by closed minded family, frowned upon and feeling the need for secrecy has always saddened me. People deserve love and acceptance, they should be encouraged to be themselves and live the life they are internally pulled to live. In our family it is important that our children know that we love them for exactly who they are.
Our kids know that when they grow up and fall in love, that person may be male or female. They understand at 5 and 2 years of age that, that is their choice and either way is more than fine with us. When my son is snuggling me on the couch and I jest that in years to come some little girl or boy will be snuggling him instead of me he giggles. Having homosexuality and heterosexuality both viewed as normal and natural in our house is paramount. I will not have my children ever question my support of them or be concerned for my acceptance. They will know from small daily interactions that our love and support is a given.
A proud moment occurred when out for dinner with some extended family recently. A member of Gen Y in conversation exclaimed “That’s so gay!” and before I even needed to say a word my 5 year old scolded him immediately with “You can’t say that. We don’t use that word like that!” We were all taken back and the desired result prevailed when the Gen Y male replied with “I’m sorry Will, I shouldn’t have said that.” A little dent in a big battle yes, but little moments like this can make a difference. Having your homophobia and ignorance challenged makes an impact, especially when you are being pulled up by a child.
I believe that things are getting better, that awareness and support for the LGBT is on the rise. I also believe that the issue needs to be tackled actively every day. Holding the people around you, your loved ones, friends and family to the standards you hold yourself to. Simply challenging the little things, the throw away statements, especially around your children, all make a difference. I have heard my husband stop a family member who said “raging faggot” and clearly explain that, that language was not acceptable. The interaction was not easy or comfortable, but it was necessary. Imagine if we all took the time to say “that’s not on” when faced with the little things we shake our heads at and know are wrong. Like I said before- little dents in a big battle.
The real victory will be having a new generation of openly accepting, loving individuals. People who know love is love regardless of the packaging it arrives in. I look forward to the time when our children can’t believe how primitive and conservative the ideas of the past have been towards homosexuality. That to me will be a great day.
I’d like to thank Kendrie and Helen again for sharing their stories with me and the world, and to everyone who came along and spoke at the Equal Love Rally in Melbourne, including Carl Katter, the out and proud brother of conservative, homophobic politician Bob Katter, who has been using homophobia as a selling point in an attempt to enhance his political stature.
We were also incredibly privileged to have Magda Zubanski speak, the much loved Comedian who has been a constant presence on our TV screens, and publically came out in February, revealing her own struggles and suicidal thoughts when she was a teenager.
The rally was a timely reminder that it has been nearly 8 years since the Howard government rewrote the marriage act to define marriage as being between one man and one woman, and has urged everyone to take to the streets on the 11th of August, on the anniversary of that event.
Oh and in case you were wondering which Tellytubby showed up, it was Po, the little red one who for some unknown reason, speaks in Cantonese. He appeared very briefly in one of the crowd shots in Tommy Little’s video, here:
Oh, and congratulations to the winners of my little corner of the blog hop, Kimberley and Yvette! Oh, and don’t forget to sign up to my Newsletter while you’re here, as I’ll be posting all new competitions and book news there first! Thanks again for visiting my corner of the world and I hope you enjoyed the IDAHO blog hop. Oh yeah, and if you like what you’ve read, please consider buying one of my books. It’ll keep me fed, housed, and hopefully writing more.
May 17
Being invited to write a blog post for the International Day Against Homophobia aroused a large number of conflicting emotions within me–there’s just so much to talk about. There’s the attempt to make homosexuality a crime punishable by death in Uganda, our straight brothers and sisters being jailed in Russia for supporting the cause of equality, the still entrenched racism in the Gay community itself or the evils of religions still peddling their so called ‘gay-cure’ remedies.
All of these are serious issues, but there’s one story that we often forget to talk about–those people who are outside the GLBT (or LGBT or GLBITQA or whatever alphabet soup you choose to use) community who are championing the cause of equality. Some of them do it loudly, some not so loudly, but a lot of them do it without a lot of recognition or thanks. And some of them do it in the face of being told by their religious or cultural leaders that they shouldn’t, and quite often their faith or beliefs can be demonised by the GLBT community. So I thought, for today, in addition to giving away an ebook copy of The Secret of Talmor Manor, or my short story, Mr. Perfect, and directing you to other amazing blogs around the internet, I wanted to bring you stories and experiences from our heterosexual allies, because it’s often too easy to forget that we are not alone.
So I put a call out for people to share their stories with me, and I got a few amazing responses, some of which I hope to share with you today, as well as some video footage from the Equal Love Rally from Saturday the 12th of May. So enjoy, be inspired, please share your stories and take inspiration from the people who are all around you–all you might need to do is reach out and maybe have a cup of tea with someone you wouldn’t ordinarily talk to.
Oh and before I forget, simply leave me a comment (and don’t forget to fill in your email address) to go into the draw to win one of my ebooks–and if you can correctly tell me which Teletubby was at the May 12th Rally, you can get an additional draw in the competition!
Kerrie Bietzel of PFLAG Victoria speaks at Equal Love, May, 2012
Kendrie Coonan’s Story:
Kendrie Coonan is a married mother of two with strong links to the Amateur Theatre scene in Melbourne, Australia. Although we share a number of friends in common, we’ve never met.I want nothing more than for my children to grow up to be accepted and respected regardless of their nationality, religion, or in this instance sexual orientation. As parents we try our hardest to bring up well balanced, caring individuals and we want them to be judged always and only for the people they are, not their circumstance.
Our kids know that when they grow up and fall in love, that person may be male or female. They understand at 5 and 2 years of age that, that is their choice and either way is more than fine with us. When my son is snuggling me on the couch and I jest that in years to come some little girl or boy will be snuggling him instead of me he giggles. Having homosexuality and heterosexuality both viewed as normal and natural in our house is paramount. I will not have my children ever question my support of them or be concerned for my acceptance. They will know from small daily interactions that our love and support is a given.
A proud moment occurred when out for dinner with some extended family recently. A member of Gen Y in conversation exclaimed “That’s so gay!” and before I even needed to say a word my 5 year old scolded him immediately with “You can’t say that. We don’t use that word like that!” We were all taken back and the desired result prevailed when the Gen Y male replied with “I’m sorry Will, I shouldn’t have said that.” A little dent in a big battle yes, but little moments like this can make a difference. Having your homophobia and ignorance challenged makes an impact, especially when you are being pulled up by a child.
The real victory will be having a new generation of openly accepting, loving individuals. People who know love is love regardless of the packaging it arrives in. I look forward to the time when our children can’t believe how primitive and conservative the ideas of the past have been towards homosexuality. That to me will be a great day.
-Kendrie’s full story will be posted soon.
Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens at Equal Love Melbourne
Helen Manont’s Story:
Living in Perth, WA, Helen has been known to swim with dolphins, bake rainbow cakes and quietly exposes people to new ways of thinking.
I have a long term close friendship with my daughter’s ex-boyfriend. (He is 24 and I am 53). He came out some months after they separated, and we have remained very close for about 7 years. He has in turn introduced me to many of his friends, and they graciously allow me to socialise with them. I assume this is because I relate to them in a recreational way, rather than in a motherly or judgmental capacity, whilst maintaining my own values and principles.
When I mentioned to some of my friends that I was writing this, the only comment they all agreed upon was that they now feel less and less need for approval from the greater community. On a personal level, I have managed a dental surgery for 19 years, and one of the dentists, who is now 42, has always displayed typical homophobic tendencies. I also have a 23 year old receptionist, who has been raised a devout Christian (issues abound). In the past 3 years, I have slowly “infiltrated” the patient database with my friends in the GLBTIQ community. This gradual exposure to my colleagues has resulted in an encouraging acceptance, and a complete turnaround in their approach, demeanour, and attitude. Indeed, my receptionist is now on very good social terms with many of them! My other small but meaningful achievement, has been the banning of the term “that’s gay” both at work and at home. While I am not directly involved in political and social sides of solidarity, which optimistically are more frequent and acknowledged by the media than ever before, I find it heartening that many of our politicians are now voicing their views in respect to the rights of the GLBTIQ community.
Comedian Charlie Pickering speaking at Equal Love Melbourne
Oh and if you’ve made it this far, yes I should remind you this is a blog hop. What that means is there’s over 200 other blogs out there with posts going up over the next few days. And all of them are offering a prize–a book perhaps, or some swag, or a donation in your name to a great local charity. And just to remind you, I’ll be giving away two ebooks: a copy of The Secret of Talmor Manor, and one of my comic short, Mr. Perfect.
To enter the competition–simply leave a comment below (don’t forget your email address), and remember, for an extra draw, watch the videos and tell me which teletubby was present at the Melbourne Equal Love rally. The two winners will be announced on this blog once the blog hop is over (come back on the 22nd), and will also be contacted by me.
Find out more about the blog hop and other sites to visit on the official IDAHO blog hoppers blog! Note that this page in particular tells you where you should go to get other great freebies.
Comedian Tommy Little speaking at Equal Love Melbourne
Found the teletubby yet?
For other resources, I suggest checking out my friend Dan Witthaus’ site, Beyond That’s So Gay, which has some useful fact sheets distilled from his one man trip around Australia with Bruce, his gay truck, and also check out his book, which contains resources for combating homophobia in your local high school.
