Five Stars to Blood Red Butterfly by Josh Lanyon

On By Rhys FordIn Review6 Comments

Blood Red ButterflyBlood Red Butterfly by Josh Lanyon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have had the honour of reading this novella by Josh prior to its release and with the full disclaimer of professing my deep, abiding affection and worship for Josh’s writing, I wanted to jot down a few praises for this book.

Regardless of said affection, Blood Red Butterfly is a fantastic jump back into the world of Josh’s writing. Having been gone on a self-imposed semi-hiatus, Lanyon returns to us with an exciting, complicated tale of gay men struggling through cultural differences and with loving another man.

The suspense in this novella is tight and the reader is taken on a short, sweet ride through murder and intrigue, culminating with an action sequence most Hollywood films would envy.

Fantastic read. Good pacing. Great characters. Grab the book when it comes out and spend a day with Lanyon. You won’t regret it.

View all my reviews

So… What DOES A Rhys Look Like?

On By Rhys FordIn Heh36 Comments

Well, since I finally have some headshots…sorta… I thought I’d post them here and on Facebook. My mom wanted recent photos so these were a part of her Holiday pressie.

My beloved chibi Ren took these. We’d spent more than an hour doing the whole formal headshot and nonsense then finally zero fucks were being given and we just tossed all that shit out the window. I’m not much on formal. I’m just not.

There’s a pond behind us. Apparently it was the Gay Turtle Bathhouse because there was some smexing and farting going on behind me. All it needed was a disco ball and boom shaka laka music.

Terrifying. And hilarious.

The formal standard poses were hideous. I just am not a very serious person in aspect. I feel much more relaxed in a casual setting. Also, neither one of us had enough coffee in us and I think we were getting lightheaded from the lack. No really. LACK OF COFFEE IS A CRIPPLING MORNING CONDITION. Do not mock me. It’s even got statistics behind it. Or something.

Discussion: Abuse Thereof.

On By Rhys FordIn Opinion16 Comments

lotusHow am I feeling? Kinda contemplative. I’m kind of giving the hairy eyeball to people who profess to know everything about child abuse survivors. Especially where molestation happened.

In Sinner’s Gin, Miki has sex. A lot of real-life child abusees have sex. In reality, a lot of teens who have been sexually abused as children adapt their behaviour to flirtation and promiscuity because it was a form of affection and attention they were groomed for. My own personal experience aside (’cause yeah, that’s there), years of working in Juvie as a counselor pretty much drove that little point home. It’s a confusion, mental mess that no ONE person has the answers to. Everyone deals with it differently.

Some people don’t deal with it at all.

Yeah, Miki’s going to have sex. He might even have therapy someday. But not today. Doesn’t want it. He’s not ready.

But if you yourself been abused and you’ve reached the point where you need to talk about it or heal, please do so. Please reach out to someone. Survive the experience. Do not let someone in your past…or present…victimize you. Kick them in the balls… even if it’s only in how you think of them.

Come on out the other side. We’ll cheer you on.