Tag: blogging

Daily Prompt: Going Beyond Vague

Daily Prompt: Going Beyond Vague

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How did Tyler know if someone liked him? When Justin with the dark skin and wavy brown hair waved at Tyler in the halls, butterflies formed in his stomach and a giddy feeling followed him around all day. That only explained how Tyler felt about the other boy; it didn’t show what Justin thought of him.

Friendly greetings led to careful conversation that gradually turned more genuine as the butterflies inside Tyler grew and got tired of living in their cramped confines, beating their wings so ferociously they threatened to tear out of his body and soar into the air above him.

Looks in the hallways, a flirty word here or there. It could all mean something. It could also be completely innocent. The rules of dating were vague. Yet he wasn’t quite desperate enough to turn to Cosmo or Teen Vogue for tips on how to know if your guy was into you.

What was it his mother said? ‘If I want something done right, I have to do it myself.’ No, he wasn’t going to ask his mom to find out if a boy liked him; that would be worse than turning to a lady’s fashion magazine for advice.

The time for coy words and fond gazes was over. He had to find out for himself. If Justin wasn’t going to ask him out, he’d ask Justin instead.

Infatuation and crushes don’t last forever. Heartbreak doesn’t last forever. To build something solid, you have to put in the work and lay the foundation. To start something great, first you had to start.

via Daily Prompt: Vague

Something Real. M/M short story

Something Real. M/M short story

by fnmanning ♥ 0 Leave a Comment
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photo from pinterest

“Oh god, is that really necessary?” Three sets of eyes swiveled to Stephen, who was looking around the table with disdain. “Do you need to post pictures of your lunch?” he continued. “No one cares.” I set my phone down, guilty, while the other two carried on without shame.

“But… it’s pretty. It’s sushi!” defended Abby with a pout from across the table.

His withering look was one of my top five favorite looks, which he delivered now while saying, “All of your acolytes have seen sushi before.”

“Is this an acolyte?” Milo said to Abby, pointing at an item on his plate. “I thought it was a California roll.”

Stephen stared at him in horror from across the table. It gave me a chance to speak up, so I did. “Come on,” I shoved him playfully with an elbow and he turned to me and resumed a haughty look. With his blue argyle sweater and wide, dark brown glasses, he was the most adorably offended nerd ever. “Even you know they’re called followers and not acolytes.”

He only scoffed at my remark and I tried to look as bored with him as everyone else instead of pleased. I had a perfect view of the spark in his amber eyes that always appeared when he really got going before he turned to address everyone.

“It’s superficial. Social media is all so fake.” He reflexively moved a hand to sweep his chestnut locks out of his face even though his perfectly coiffed hair was still in place and neat as ever.

“No,” Milo defended, “All my followers are real. I’m not using bots or something. That’s cheating.”

“I’m sure they exist,” Stephen said dryly. “If you can call being attached to a screen 24/7 existing.” He merrily started in on a rant about technology and the superficial nature of consumerism or something.

Abby looked annoyed at Stephen starting another patronizing speech and looked to me for support. I shrugged. Yeah, the words weren’t great, but he looked so good when lecturing about something. I used to be annoyed by it until I got the feelings. It was a pretty good strategy, I thought, having a crush on your most pompous friend made everything he said more bearable.

“Taking picture after picture of the best moments of your life and adding a fun filter is so trivial,” Stephen continued.

“…Sometimes I add a caption too,” Milo muttered, which apparently wasn’t worthy of a response as Stephen turned to me again.

“I can’t believe you’re participating in this too, Will.”

“We’re out of school today and we’re having a nice lunch,” I argued. “That’s something to celebrate.”

That answer didn’t sway him. I pretended to listen to his rant while watching the way his face flushed as he continued to talk and talk.

“No one is authentic anymore. Nothing is real.” Those words filtered through my admiration of his features and his passion. He said he wanted real, but my real big crush on him might be enough to shock him into silence for a full minute. Maybe two if he was especially horrified.

“And that’s what you want?” I asked.

“Desperately,” Stephen said with feeling while looking me in the eyes. He didn’t know what he was asking for. But maybe he was right. Maybe I was tired of pretending. I thought I knew how he’d react if I told him, but all the disaster scenarios I imagined weren’t real. There was only one way to find out for sure.

“Okay, if that’s what you want.” I leaned over and kissed him on the mouth.

How’s that for authentic?

via Daily Prompt: Authentic

S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G B-E-E

S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G B-E-E

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Spell checking is vital component in my life. I’m a terrible speller. I vaguely remember school spelling bees where I was never the worst but I never won either. Yet somehow the Scripps National Spelling Bee is something I’ve loved for years.

Watching adorably awkward kids spell insane words and trying to guess them is fun for some reason. Back in 2015, both the winners were from the same region I was born in, and the girl who won from Olathe, KS, is from the same area I grew up in, so that was neat. They were my favorites to win just because of where they were from, but I normally root for whoever is funny and/or painfully shy (because the shy ones need the support!).

In What Love Means, the two main characters are former spelling bee competitors who are now helping their siblings with the bee. It’s the backdrop for the action, but you don’t have to like or know anything about spelling bees to read the book.

I took the official prelim test for the past year and was not at all surprised that I didn’t make the cut. Out of a possible 30 points, a score of 27 was needed to advance. I got a 25, which is actually pretty good for me. I got the majority of spelling questions wrong and most of the vocab questions right. Then I got the round two word right because I’ve read Harry Potter. How did you do on the test?

The Five W’s

The Five W’s

by fnmanning ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Here’s what you need to know about my book What Love Means using the five W’s: who, what, when, where, and why.

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Who: Finn Manning. Me! That one was easy enough. And I’m not an egomaniac by putting that one first, it’s just how the list goes.

If you want to know a little more about me: I’m a queer author who writes queer fiction. I’m in my early 20’s and I live on the West Coast in North Carolina. I have two nephews I adore, a dog I spoil, and my interests include Zumba, going to the beach, and working my way through a giant queue of books and TV shows. I’m currently reading Reasons to Love a Nerd Like Me by Becky Jerams and just got done watching the latest season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I planned on watching season five of Arrow next but started Wild, Wild Country instead because Netflix told me to.

What: What Love Means is a gay YA romance. Without falling back on my fancy synopsis, it’s about two old friends who parted on bad terms. Max and Cal are about as opposite as can be. One is rich and the other is poor, one is an uptight academic and the other is a bad boy with a motorcycle, one is brunette and the other is blonde. You get the idea. Aside from mutual lust, the only other thing they have in common is that they both have younger siblings. When the kids both start competing in spelling bees, Max and Cal must confront their past and find out whether they could have a future together.

When: It’s contemporary, so it takes place now. The main characters are beginning their senior year of high school.

Where: New Jersey. Let’s see, the action takes place in many locations. There’s a party at an abandoned warehouse where our heroes have a chance encounter that makes sparks fly. There’s one tiny apartment and one fancy ass mansion. Max has two uncomfortable conversations in two coffee shops. A sexy scenario happens in the least appealing place Cal can think of: his old middle school. An emotional conversation happens in what Max considers the worst place for a serious discussion: the parking lot behind the auto shop where he works.

 Why: My previous work, One Little Word, involves the classic jock-nerd dynamic. I wanted a similar opposites attract scenario without doing the same thing, and I love spelling bees. That led to the concept of two old friends meeting again years after their last bee. One of them is the studious, hardworking teen one might expect would come from the spelling bee (i.e. an uptight nerd for those who aren’t familiar with spelling bees) and the other has gone through a complete transformation and become the dangerous, carefree rebel that first character really shouldn’t be attracted to, but dammit, he is anyway.

What Love Means is available now on Amazon.

What Love Means- April 15 Release!

What Love Means- April 15 Release!

by fnmanning ♥ 1 Comment

It’s almost here! My new book What Love Means will be released on April 15. You can order it here. As a celebration, I’m giving away ten gay YA romances and you can enter here.

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What Love Means

Can two opposites turn their attraction into something more?

On the surface Max Keller and Calvin Winthrop-Scott should repel each other. Between their shared past that ended badly and their polar opposite personalities, there should be no love in their love/hate relationship. They have nothing in common. Except for their attraction to each other.

A friendship between their siblings and the kid’s shared interest in spelling bees brings the former best friends back together. Neither one of them wants to be friends anymore, but can they admit to themselves and everyone else that they want something more?

Max and Cal know how to spell love, but they’re about to find out what it means.

This high school romance features a bad boy with a soft spot for his little sister and a prep school brat whose perfect world is about to get more complicated. In this teen LGBTQ story, opposites attract, enemies become lovers and a second chance means two old friends could become more.

Excerpt:

 

Our jibes weren’t really antagonistic or biting, and the mood had turned almost playful. I only realized once it ended. Max scowled and his hands clenched. Oh well, I might as well take the advantage when it’s offered. “Touch a nerve?” I asked.

Just when I thought I might get the upper hand, Max smirked. “You touched more than that,” he leered. His face turned wolfish. I wanted to smack that look off his face or bite and kiss it away.

It was my turn to grimace. “About that.” I couldn’t let my stupid libido win. I had to be reasonable about this. Being reasonable and careful was as easy as breathing for me. Except when Max was around.

“We should keep it between us?” he whispered, sounding mocking as he stepped closer. We probably looked ridiculous: two teens outside a library acting like we were auditioning for West Side Story as we postured and glared. Or maybe Romeo and Juliet. “Well, what’s in it for me if I do?” he flirted.

“The feeling of being a good and decent person?” I suggested, struggling not to lean into the tempting heat of his body.

“Maybe I’d rather feel you instead.” His hands ghosted right above my chest. I prided myself on not moving into the touch. It was just a little chilly out suddenly, and his broad, hot body next to mine was alluring. Because of the temperature. It’s not like I had a leather jacket to keep the cold at bay.

“This doesn’t have to be a big thing,” I said and immediately realized my mistake.

Max grinned. “Oh, you didn’t just say big thing.”

I made a frustrated noise. “Can you take anything seriously?”

“Do you wanna see what I can take?” he shot back. I was the one to walk away this time even though Max followed merrily after me.

“Is this what we’re going to do? Just annoy each other to death?” I asked while he trailed behind me.

“Why, you can’t handle it?” Max caught up and stopped me before I entered the library. His hand was on my arm where I wore a navy long-sleeved shirt; the heat of his hand bled through easily. I didn’t say anything. “Hello?” he asked after a few moments.

I thought of and rejected several responses to his question. “I just don’t know how to answer in a way that won’t sound like an innuendo,” I admitted.

His lips pressed together in a mocking pout. “You’re no fun.”

“You’ll stop teasing me then?”

His eyes sparkled with mischief. “I didn’t say that.”

Yeah, I didn’t think it would be that easy.

 

 

Simon Says

Simon Says

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51wewihfnjlSimon vs the Homo Sapiens is a book I haven’t put on any of my rec lists. It’s not time for an unpopular opinion like GOD I REALLY HATE THAT BOOK. But maybe you will see those words I put in capital letters and be tempted to read. Is that clickbait? Hey, lots of websites do it, why can’t this little blog join in? Anyway, Simon is one book I’m confident people already love or will find anyway when looking for gay teen fiction.

But with the movie coming out, I wanted to talk about the Simon franchise a bit. I read one Love, Simon appreciation article from GLAAD that I enjoyed:

Love, Simon should not be held to a higher standard than any of its heterosexual contemporaries. When discussing any film from the litany of teenage rom-coms, no one is ever going to ask, “But do straight teens really need Teen Beach 2?” In my opinion, it comes down to this: If straight teens are allowed to happy-ending rom-coms, queer teens deserve at least the same. The good news for us is Love, Simon delivers that and more.

I have to give some love to the book and the movie Love, because I am all for the lighter side of queer representation, especially when targeted towards youth. We deserve lots of happy gay rom-coms and I hope this is only the first of many. That reminds me of a tumblr post I saw once asking for a Grease remake with Taylor Swift as Sandy and Kristen Stewart as Danny. Who do I pay/threaten to make that happen?

We’re Number One!

We’re Number One!

by fnmanning ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Thank you to everyone who got a FREE copy of L-O-V-E on Amazon! It ranked as the top free book in YA LGBT fiction. I’m thrilled so many people are checking out my book about stubborn boys and spelling bees. I hope you enjoy the excerpt. Those who haven’t gotten a copy yet for free still can here.

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My contest giving away 10 gay romances for young adult readers is also still going on. Enter for your chance to win!

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And once again, thank you for selecting and reading my work! It means a lot to me (and my dog) while I try to support us as an author.

Queer Books Galore

Queer Books Galore

by fnmanning ♥ 1 Comment

If you like queer books and free stuff, then you’re in luck. Is it too much of a stretch to say this is St. Patrick’s Day related? It’s March and leprechauns are supposed to be lucky, so… I don’t know. What I do know is that there are TONs of free novels and samples available as part of the March Queer Your Heart Out Event.

I think, technically, a ton is 200 pounds. There’s more than 30 books, so maybe if the weight of all the paperbacks were combined, it would be a ton. Anyway, not all the books are YA but they seem to span the gauntlet of queer fiction. There’s bad boys, alphas, harems, lesbians, and more. Go check it out and find your next book to read! 56c9fe7e74f3594d0b69c4fafbca7ec4

We’re Crushing on Matt Lanter! — Gay Pop Buzz

We’re Crushing on Matt Lanter! — Gay Pop Buzz

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Until I saw this article, I didn’t know this actor’s name. I knew him as ‘that hot guy from 90210’, otherwise known as the ‘only reason I had a brief interest in 90120’. I was happy to see him on Timeless because he’s pretty and that’s a show I was actually interested in. I saw most of the first season and can’t say I absolutely love it or got addicted, but it’s a cute show and I’m happy it got a second season. It’s fun, full of all the weirdness you’d expect from a time travel show and has a pretty diverse cast.

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Hi Matt – Woof! Are you a fan of blond haired, blue eyed guys? How about men who channel a manly vibe? Does it help if the guy is a celeb? If the answer is […] The post We’re Crushing on Matt Lanter! appeared first on Gay Pop Buzz.

via We’re Crushing on Matt Lanter! — Gay Pop Buzz

Gay Cavemen

Gay Cavemen

by fnmanning ♥ 1 Comment

Just how artsy were they? Archeologists have made an amazing discovery. During the late Paleolithic period, which began 2.6 million years ago, cavemen apparently created the world’s oldest known paintings. Yes – you read that […] The post Are We Moving Closer To Finding Evidence of Gay Cavemen? appeared first on Gay Pop Buzz.

via Are We Moving Closer To Finding Evidence of Gay Cavemen? — Gay Pop Buzz

My first thought when it comes to history is “please no,” so maybe that explains why I’d never considered gay cavemen before. However, now that I’ve discovered the concept, I instantly wondered how many books there were about gay cavemen on Amazon. I mean, Amazon has everything, including gay romances featuring dinosaurs and Donald Trump… though, as far as I know those are two separate things and nobody is shipping Trump/dinosaurs. Trumposaurs? Dinorump? If that does exist, there’s two fascinating but slightly terrifying ship names.

When I searched for gay cavemen, I found six results. Of course none of them are in my genre; there’s no teen cavemen going to prehistoric and falling in love after a series of misadventures. As far as I can tell, it’s all erotica. My favorite title is “Survival of the gay cavemen.” So don’t worry, there may not be evidence of gay cavemen yet, but fiction about them is already and well.