Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Hats for Homeless Youth at GRL 2014

It's April!  It's finally warming up!  (Knock on wood.)  The Easter Bunny will be here soon!  This can only mean one thing.  It's time to warm up those knitting needles and crochet hooks and start making a few hats for homeless LGBT youth.

Last year at GRL (GayRomLit for the uninitiated) I collected handmade hats, scarves, and mittens for the kids at Lost-n-Found Youth.  We ended up with about 75 items for the kids, which I'm sure came in handy considering the kind of winter Atlanta had.

This year GRL will be in Chicago, and there will be another collection, this time for The Broadway Youth Center.  If you knit or crochet and would like to make some things for these kids who are in such need of our love and support, that would be great.  BYC works with youth ages 12-24, so a variety of sizes and styles will work.  These items will probably see heavy use, so machine washable yarn would be a good idea.  If anyone needs help picking a knit pattern, I can make a few suggestions.  I don't crochet, so I'm pretty useless there.  And since someone asked last year, if you don't knit or crochet, or if you just don't have the time to make anything, we'll happily take store bought items for the kids, too.

Thank you for taking the time to help.  Homelessness among LGBT youth is a huge problem, often because of family rejection.   Anything we can do to help them out and let them know there are people who care about them is a good thing.

And now, if you will excuse me.  A big box of yarn arrived yesterday, and I need to get knitting!


Tuesday, January 7, 2014

My Reading List- 2013

It's time once again for my year end reading list.  My goal for the year was to end the year with fewer books in the TBR than I started with, and I achieved that goal- by 1 book!  But a win is a win, so I'll take it.  I've set the same goal for myself again this year.  Maybe I'll win by 2 books this time!

Anyway, here are the books I read in 2013.  The titles in bold are the ones I particularly enjoyed.

1. Cold Days- Jim Butcher
2. Beach Balls- Tara Lain
3. The Party Boy's Guide to Dating a Geek- Piper Vaughn & Xara X. Xanakas
4. The Scientist and the Supermodel- Tara Lain
5. The Flesh Cartel #3: Choices- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
6. Quid Pro Quo- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinov
7. The City's Son- Tom Pollock
8. Who We Are- TJ Klune
9. My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap!- Wade Kelly
10. Permanently Legless- JL Merrow
11. Liberating Lacey- Anne Calhoun
12. My Summer of Wes- Missy Welsh
13. Take the Lead- Johnny Diaz
14. Catching Kit- Kay Berrisford
15. Natural Law- Joey W. Hill
16. Circuit Theory- Kirby Crow
17. Sand & Water- Shae Connor
18. Ethan, Who Loved Carter- Ryan Loveless
19. Never Seduce a Scot- Maya Banks
20. A Rose is a Rose- Jet Mykles
21. The Flesh Cartel #4: Consequences- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
22. Backwoods- Cara McKenna
23. The Lost Night- Jayne Castle
24. Shivaree- Cara McKenna
25. Not His Kiss to Take- Finn Marlowe
26. Blind Space- Marie Sexton
27. Something About Trevor- Drew Hunt
28. All the Gear, No Idea- Kim Dare
29. Wrestling With Desire- DH Starr
30. Once a Brat- Kim Dare
31. Darker Still- Leanna Renee Hieber
32. Too Stupid to Live- Anne Tenino
33. Like Pizza and Beer- Elle Parker
34. Plan B- SJD Peterson
35. Laying Ghosts- James Buchanan
36. Blood in the Sand- Robin Saxon
37. Games Boys Play- Fae Sutherland
38. Hearts and Flour- Tara Lain
39. 40 Souls to Keep- Libby Drew
40. The Replacement Guitarist- Lori Toland
41. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance- Lois McMaster Bujuold
42. Dance With the Devil- Megan Derr
43. The Flesh Cartel #5: Wins and Losses- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
44. Timeless- Gail Carriger
45. Ruin Me- Cara McKenna
46. More- Parker Sloan
47. Dark Soul Vol. 1- Aleksandr Voinov
48. Family Man- Heidi Cullinan & Marie Sexton
49. Genetic Attraction- Tara Lain
50. A Reason to Believe- Diana Copland
51. Dark Soul Vol. 2- Aleksandr Voinov
52. More Than This- Shannyn Schroeder
53. Perfect Day- Josh Lanyon
54. The Darkling Thrush- Josh Lanyon
55. Best of Both Worlds- Liz Andrews
56. The Flesh Cartel #6: Brotherhood- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
57. The Tradesman's Entrance- Cameron Vale
58. Star Crossed- Kele Moon
59. Screwing the System- Josephine Myles
60. Screw the Fags- Josephine Myles
61. Special Delivery- Heidi Cullinan
62. Idaho Battlegrounds- Sarah Black
63. Offside- Ryan Loveless
64. Dirty Laundry- Heidi Cullinan
65. Under My Skin- ML Rhodes
66. The Price of Falling- Melanie Tushmore
67. Out of Bounds- TA Chase
68. Inland Empire- James Buchanan
69. Far in the Wilds- Deanna Raybourn
70. My Fair Dork- Daisy Harris
71. Giving and Inch- Heidi Belleau & Amelia C Gormley
72. Covet Thy Neighbor- LA Witt
73. Battle Scars- Meghan O'Brien
74. Slam!- JL Merrow
75. Static- LA Witt
76. Tigers and Devils- Sean Kennedy
77. Bad Attitude- KA Mitchell
78. Alien 'n' Outlaw- KC Burn
79. Nine-Tenths of the Law- LA Witt
80. AJ's Angel- LA Witt
81. The Marrying Kind- Ken O'Neill
82. A Spear of Summer Grass- Deanna Raybourn
83. Play Me, I'm Yours- Madison Parker
84. Diva and the Frat Boy- Daisy Harris
85. Never a Hero- Marie Sexton
86. Doubtless- Cat Grant
87. Fearless- Cat Grant
88. Flawless- Cat Grant
89. Vulnerable- Amy Lane
90. Miss Lacey's Last Fling- Candice Hern
91. Dirty Kiss- Rhys Ford
92. A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious- Mary Wine
93. Cherries on Top- Rowan McAllister
94. Take it Off- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinow
95. A Hellion in Her Bed- Sabrina Jeffries
96. The Flesh Cartel #7: Homecoming- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
97. China House- Vincent Lardo
98. Die For Love- Elizabeth Peters
99. Fear, Hope, and Bread Pudding- Marie Sexton
100. Bolt-Hole- Amy Lane
101. A Purrfect Match- Chris T Cat
102. Until Forever Comes- Cardeno C.
103. You Belong With Me- Jeff Erno
104. Freshman: Uncut- Daisy Harris
105. Gaming For Keeps- Seleste deLaney
106. Blood Red Butterfly- Josh Lanyon
107. Finding Master Right- LA Witt
108. The Casual Vacancy- JK Rowling
109. Tattoos & Teacups- Anna Martin
110. Not One Word- Kim Dare
111. Turbulence: Into the Bermuda Triangle- Jordan Castillo Price
112. Turbulence: Autopilot Engaged- Jordan Castillo Price
113. The Flesh Cartel #8: Loyalties- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
114. Turbulence: Red-Eye Dawn- Jordan Castillo Price
115. Good Breeding- JL Merrow
116. After Hours- Cara MeKenna
117. Snowball in Hell- Josh Lanyon
118. Dark Soul Vol. 3- Aleksandr Voinov
119. Lingerie Wars- Janet Elizabeth Henderson
120. Pickup Men- LC Chase
121. Butterfly Hunter- Julie Bozza
122. Convenient Strangers- Cara McKenna
123. Turbulence: Connecting Flight- Jordan Castillo Price
124. Gunmetal Magic- Ilona Andrews
125. Hairy, Horny, and Over Here- JL Merrow
126. Breaking Cover- Kaje Harper
127. Fortune Hunter- Ava March
128. Sweet Young Thang- Anne Tenino
129. Omens- Kelley Armstrong
130. I Spy Something Bloody- Josh Lanyon
131. I Spy Something Wicked- Josh Lanyon
132. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide- Nicholas D. Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn
133. Apple Polisher- Heidi Belleau
134. Tracking the Tempest- Nicole Peeler
135. Reaper's Property- Joanna Wylde
136. Sophomore: Undeclared- Daisy Harris
137. Finding Shelter- MJ O'Shea
138. The Flesh Cartel #9: Trials and Errors- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
139. A Rogue By Any Other Name- Sarah MacLean
140. Tigerland- Sean Kennedy
141. Santuario- GB Gordon
142. A Good Time- Shannyn Schroeder
143. Tempest's Legacy- Nicole Peeler
144. From the Ashes- Daisy Harris
145. Love You So Hard- Tara Lain
146. Wanting- Piper Vaughn
147. Hounded- Kevin Hearne
148. His Kind of Woman- Nona Raines
149. Inside Out- Jordan Castillo Price
150. My Cowboy Heart- ZA Maxfield
151. Thaw- Jordan Castillo Price
152. Many Happy Returns- Jordan Castillo Price
153. Glitterland- Alexis Hall
154. Mind Reader- Jordan Castillo Price
155. The Stroke of Midnight- Jordan Castillo Price
156. Junk- Josephine Myles
157. First Impressions- Josephine Myles
158. In the Dark- Jordan Castillo Price
159. Fuzzy- Josephine Myles
160. Last Chance- Josephine Myles
161. Spook Squad- Jordan Castillo Price
162. Catch My Breath- MJ O'Shea
163. Willoughby Spit- Katey Hawthorne
164. Eye of the Tempest- Nicole Peeler
165. The Haunted Heart: Winter- Josh Lanyon
166. Junior: Unscripted- Daisy Harris
167. The Flesh Cartel #10: False Gods- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
168. Left on St. Truth-Be-Well- Amy Lane
169. Choices and Changes- KL Belanger
170. Noah- Ben Ryder
171. Grime and Punishment- ZA Maxfield
172. Mystery of the Tempest- Sam Cameron
173. Widdershins- Jordan L Hawk
174. Dark Soul Vol. 4- Aleksandr Voinov
175. Dark Soul Vol. 5- Aleksandr Voinov
176. Fish & Chips- Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
177. Dance With Me- Heidi Cullinan
178. American Love Songs- Ashlyn Kane
179. The Red Thread of Forever Love- Nicole Kimberling
180. 18% Gray- Anne Tenino
181. Bonding- CB Conway
182. Starting From Scratch- Georgia Beers
183. Fall Hard- JL Merrow
184. Clockwork Mafia- Seleste deLaney
185. Devil at the Crossroads- Cornelia Grey
186. Rainbow Boys- Alex Sanchez
187. Illumination- Rowan Speedwell
188. All He Ever Desired- Shannon Stacey
189. Catch a Ghost- SE Jakes
190. Chaser- Rick R Reed
191. Sibling Rivals- Summer Devon
192. Senior: Uncommitted- Daisy Harris
193. FAST Balls- Tara Lain
194. Good Boy- Anne Tenino
195. Frost Burned- Patricia Briggs
196. Blacque/Bleu- Belinda McBride
197. Hard and Fast- Erin McCarthy
198. Love Lessons- Heidi Cullinan
199. An Inner Darkness- Ally Blue
200. Color of Grace- AM Arthur
201. Bayou Dreams- Lynn Lorenz
202. Where the Heart Is- Ally Blue
203. Bayou's End- Lynn Lorenz
204. The Magpie Lord- KJ Charles
205. Wallflower- Heidi Belleau
206. I'll Be Your Drill, Soldier- Crystal Rose
207. Reverb- Jet Mykles
208. Threshold- Jordan L Hawk
209. The Little Death- Michael Nava
210. Natural Disaster- Chris Owen
211. The Rebuilding Year- Kaje Harper
212. Love, Like Ghosts- Ally Blue
213. Demon Dog- Ally Blue
214. Divide & Conquer- Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
215. Rayne's Wild Ride- Jambrea Jo Jones
216. The Flesh Cartel #11: Permanent Record- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
217. Long Time Gone- SE Jakes
218. Eat Play Lust- Tawna Fenske
219. Home Work- Kaje Harper
220. Compensations- Kaje Harper
221. City Mouse- Amy Lane & Aleksandr Voinow
222. Brute- Kim Fielding
223. The Elegant Corpse- AM Riley
224. Masks: Rise of Heroes- Hayden Thorne
225. What Binds Us- Larry Benjamin
226. Warrior's Cross- Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
227. Armed & Dangerous- Abigail Roux
228. All In With the Duke- Ava March
229. The Cranberry Hush- Ben Monopoli
230. Dine & Dash- Abigail Roux
231. Ali's Intuition- K-lee Klein
232. In Plain Sight- Josh Lanyon
233. Pretty Monsters- Andrea Speed
234. Wild Justice- Kelley Armstrong
235. The Parting Glass- Josh Lanyon
236. Flowers For Him- Marie Sexton & Rowan Speedwell
237. Eight Days- Cardeno C.
238. Sleepwalker- Jordan Castillo Price
239. Disasterology 101- Taylor V Donovan
240. Let it Snow- Heidi Cullinan
241. If It Flies- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinov
242. Light Me Up- James Buchanan
243. Learning Curve- Kaje Harper
244. Mending Noel- Charlie Cochet
245. I Spy Something Christmas- Josh Lanyon
246. Sweet and Sour- Astrid Amara
247. Eight Nights- Keira Andrews
248. Daybreak- Keira Andrews
249. If It Fornicates- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinov
250. Merry Gentlemen- Josephine Myles
251. Sinner's Gin- Rhys Ford
252. Pretty Red Ribbon- Jet Mykles
253. Bad Brad- Cheryl Dragon
254. The Flesh Cartel #12: Paradise Island- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
255. Rules of Engagement- LA Will
256. Rain- LA Witt
257. Mistletoe- Lyn Gardner
258. Fate's Edge- Ilona Andrews
259. Love Brokers: Mister Romance- LC Chase
260. Southern Winterland- Taylor V Donovan
261. Stroke to His Cox- JL Merrow
262. Wish List- KA Mitchell
263. Midsummer Night- Deanna Raybourn
264. Do-over- Amy Lane
265. Mistletowed- Tara Lain
266. The 51st Thursday- Mercy Celeste
267. Tempted by Infamy- Sylvia Ketrie
268. How I Met Your Father- LB Gregg
269. Long the Mile- Ally Blue
270. Lost and Found- ZA Maxfield
271. Rogues- Ava March
272. Christmas Kitsch- Amy Lane
273. Beyond Shame- Kit Rocha
274. Until We Meet Once More- Josh Lanyon
275. Twice the Cowboy- James Buchanan
276. Fair Game- Patricia Briggs
277. Where the Lovelight Gleams- Keira Andrews
278. Turbulence- Lyn Gala
279. Bound by Deception- Ava March
280. The Forester- Blaine D. Arden
281. Happy Birthday to Me- Anne Tenino