Homosexuality & Writing: J.M. Snyder, Author of The Positions of Love

The Author

An author of gay erotic and romantic fiction, J.M. Snyder began in self-publishing and now works with e-publishers Amber Allure, Aspen Mountain, and Torquere Presses. Snyder’s short fiction has appeared online at Ruthie’s Club, Tit-Elation, and Amazon Shorts, as well as in print anthologies by Alyson Books and Cleis Press.


Want to learn more about J.M.? Check him out at his official site // Vic and Matt Fan Site // blog // Yahoo! Group!

The Book

Vic Braunson is a city bus driver who falls in love with Matt diLorenzo, a swimmer he meets at the gym. When they finally hook up, there's no denying the energy between them. Something about Matt brings out the best in Vic—literally. Every time they have sex, Vic gains new superhuman powers from his lover.

When Matt gives Vic a copy of the Kama Sutra for Gay Men as a Christmas gift, they find it doubles as a handy reference guide to Vic's super powers. All they have to do is test out the positions to see which one gives him what ability.

This paperback collection contains all twelve stories in J.M. Snyder's best-selling e-book series, The Positions of Love, and will be available in print December 2008.


Click the cover above to order THE POSITIONS OF LOVE today!

Questions

How have your works been received by readers of all orientations?
I’ve found a great response among people of all orientations, particularly those who write themselves. Writers tend to gravitate toward other writers and connect over a shared craft, regardless of genre. Still, gay fiction (and, in particular, gay erotic romance or romantic fiction) is mostly purchased by straight women and gay men, so this is the demographic to whom I market my books. The majority of my electronic sales are to straight women, usually mothers, who read romance in general and have a rabid interest in M/M or “male/male” storylines. However, my print books sell more to gay men, and I target the marketing to independent GLBT bookstores who are more likely to carry my titles than the large conglomerate stores such as Books-A-Million or Barnes and Noble.


In the stories you have written and are planning to write, what ideas and themes do you see reoccurring that shed light on homosexuality?
In my stories, I don’t treat homosexuality as “other” or “abnormal.” So many books out there make a big deal about a character’s homosexuality, either through denial or confusion, and I hate the stories where an otherwise straight man is “gay” for his best friend. That’s just silly to me. My characters are queer and they know it; there is no wavering over whether or not they like another man, no morality or judgment involved, nothing of the sort. My characters embrace their sexuality and don’t go out of their way to change it or deny it. They celebrate it, and I like to think that readers come away from my stories with a sense of embracing every part of oneself.

Additionally, I like to portray my characters’ relationships in a positive, domestic light. I think that’s why my work appeals to gay men so much, because I show them a world where their sexuality is the norm—where two men can share a meal or a movie or a life together in domestic bliss usually reserved for heterosexual couples.


At the end of the day, if there was one thing you wanted your readers to remember in regards to homosexuality, what would that thing be?
I like to believe that one day we’ll move toward acceptance of love in all its many facets, and we can only get there by breaking down the preconceived prejudices we’ve been taught to harbor. I hope my writing helps show that gay relationships are the norm and not an “alternative lifestyle” as they’re so frequently labeled.