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Jeff Baker

Light in Dark December – Boogieman in Lavender

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“This is a strange Christmas Eve…” –Winston Churchill, from Christmas speech to Congress in U.S., December 1941. There have been grim times in this country before, but there has not been a Christmas like this one. The darkness has covered the commercial glitter. In person events are cancelled. Families are celebrating the holidays separately. LGBT people are not really strangers to this sort of thing. People on their own, chosen families, making do or having something really traditional, this is how many of us have lived our lives. I have been seriously fortunate, having accepting family and good friends. I’ve … Read more

“On Beyond Cisgender; Part Two.” Jeff Baker, Boogieman in Lavender.

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books - pixabay

                            On Beyond Cisgender Part Two                                          By Jeff Baker             About a year ago I posted a column suggested by A. M. Leibowitz’ list of suggested reading for High School of sci-fi/mystery authors outside the usual straight-white-male paradigm. These next few may be considered addenda of sorts, but are not as readily available.             I have a thing for science fiction of the Nineteenth Century-early Twentieth Century and recently got the Dover Publications book “The Feminine Future.” Subtitled: Early Science Fiction by Women Writers, the book presents fourteen stories of sci-fi published between 1873 and 1930.  Cyborgs, mysterious rays, … Read more

Tales for October – Boogieman in Lavender

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This will be a Halloween season like no other. Fears are real. Trick-Or-Treat may be cancelled. Costume shops are devoid of costumes. Wearing masks has taken on a new meaning. With more time to read, the escape of good horror fiction has never been more needed. The fine writer Greg Herren has released a collection of mystery and suspense stories; “Survivor’s Guilt and Other Stories.” (Bold Strokes Books.) Including such fine tales as “Annunciation Shotgun” and the title story blending gripping plotting with fine character studies. Many of Herren’s stories have the feel of episodes of the old “Alfred Hitchcock … Read more

The Feminist World of Joanna Russ- Boogieman in Lavender

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Joanna Russ

Her literary criticism was blunt and uncompromising. Her humor was sharp and stinging. Her importance to the field of science fiction cannot be underestimated. Best of all, her fiction is still being read, enjoyed and learned from. She is Joanna Russ (1937 -2011.) Here, I must confess that I have not read much of Russ’ work, but I am familiar with it. Her book “How to Suppress Women’s Writing” is a must-read. I sat down with one of her collections; “The Hidden Side of the Moon.” I didn’t quite know what to expect, I certainly didn’t expect her sense of … Read more

L. Frank Baum and the Indians – Boogieman in Lavender

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In an era where statues are being torn down and schools names are being changed, this column may be more topical than when I first came up with the idea a few months ago when grabbing at straws for ideas for columns. Namely, the subject of author’s personal lives and opinions and how or if that should affect how the writing is viewed. I have written before about my affection for H.P. Lovecraft in spite of the author’s views on race and nationality (in “The Strange Bust of H.P. Lovecraft,” https://www.queerscifi.com/jeff-baker-boogieman-in-lavender-2/  ) from my vantage point as a Bi man … Read more

Pride Month Interview With Anthony Cardno – Boogieman In Lavender

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My friend Anthony Cardno celebrated Pride Month with a series of Interviews with artists, writers, performers and others in the LGBT community, a series of interviews which stretched into July. (Just think of every month as a source of Pride!) Anthony omitted an interview with himself, so he graciously consented to answer a few of my questions (and a few reworded questions he’d asked me and others!) Hi, Anthony! I’ll start off by borrowing one of your own questions:  What are you doing to stay creatively motivated in these unusual times? If I’m being honest (as one should be), I … Read more

Boogieman in Lavender: The Fire This Time…

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“The world has gone mad today and good’s bad today…” —Cole Porter, “Anything Goes.” As I write this, America is on fire. Not everywhere, but L.A., New York and Minneapolis are the scenes of riots complete with burnings and clashes with police following the murder (we can call it that now) of George Floyd in Minneapolis during a police stop. Lootings have occurred and opportunistic politicians are screaming. A convenience store a few blocks down from where I used to live had its windows shattered. But all may not be as it seems. A far-right group called the Boogaloos has … Read more

That’s The Signpost Up Ahead; Jeff Baker, Boogieman in Lavender

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  That’s The Signpost Up Ahead                                     By Jeff Baker Somehow in the last few weeks, nostalgia has been flowing freely here. Not the drinkable kind, but a feeling, that wistful mood of nostalgia for days gone by. Writers and other creative types are particularly susceptible it seems, at least this one is. A few songs play on the radio, a package arrives in the mail and then the nostalgia hits. And it brings up memories of a regret. I have been outrageously fortunate: I have lived a life with very few regrets; one of them goes back nearly forty … Read more

writing For Podcasts: Jeff Baker, Boogieman in Lavender

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                 Invasion of the Podcast People                                          By Jeff Baker                                           Some brief advice (with grateful thanks to Angel Martinez for invaluable information.) on writing a story for a podcast.             When I started writing fiction (back in the ‘90s) there was no such thing as a podcast, at least not that I know of. Now they are a regular, viable market for fiction of all kinds. Sometimes, they pay! As I have had my stories read on a podcast or two I can offer a few tips (which hardly count as expert advice, but every bit helps!)             … Read more

Boogieman In Lavender: Random Notes for March

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Mike Resnick

A few random notes this month. Every writer has inspirations. If they’re lucky, they get to meet them, and the meeting isn’t a letdown. Mary Higgins Clark died a few weeks ago. The bestselling suspense writer needs no introduction, but her magazine does. Running for a handful of issues in the 1990s, Mary Higgins Clark Mystery Magazine included fiction and regular features about mystery writers and their characters. I hadn’t thought too much about trying to write any mysteries before I read the magazine. In my undisciplined way I didn’t get around to writing or publishing any mysteries until about … Read more