The post on Men in Sports: Why Are They Almost Non Existent in M/M linked here was incredibly popular and brought a number of sports fans out of the closet. 🙂 Some of the issues that emerged from the comments were that many female authors were not comfortable writing sports themed stories because they had never been involved in competitive sports in their formative years or had family members and close friends who played different professional sports. Consequently their knowledge was sketchy at best, they felt that the amount of research involvded would be daunting if they wanted to make the books and characters authentic, and sports fans would end up disappointed in the books if they got it wrong. Of course this doesn’t explain why more male authors are not stepping up and writing more of these books.
I thought it would be great if some of you who are knowledgeable about sports could beta for a few authors who asked for help in different sports. You would have to read parts of the manuscripts and advise the authors about the sports aspects of the stories. If this is something you would like to do, please add your name on the comments section of the post and indicate the sport in which you have some expertise or knowledge. You don’t need to indicate your email address since I can take it off the site. I could then develop a list that I would provide to those authors who require assistance.
Also please note that there is now a “sports” link on the site on the top left hand sidebar under Navigation. There are a few reviews under the link, not nearly as many as I would like but I’m working on building up the number by reading and reviewing more sports oriented books. I will be reviewing a couple of sports M/M books by A.J. Llewellyn and Stephani Hecht Fire and Ice (hockey) & A Hundred
Fires (boxing) within a few weeks.
I have added a few sports themed M/M stories to this post that were recommended by other readers, in case you would like to buy any of them . Please feel free to add your own recs. to help your fellow readers, including me. 🙂
These books were suggested by Quinn, another reader:
Northridge High Football Camp by S. Joseph Krol (High School Football) YA ***
Mahu by Neil S. Plakcy (Kimo is a detective AND surfer) ***
The Wild Man by Patricia Nell Warren (Bullfighting / Spain) ***
Changing Pitches by Steve Kluger (Baseball) ***
Eight Seconds by Jean Ferris (Rodeo) YA ***
Pins by Jim Provenzano (High School Wrestling) YA ***
Bad Boys by Diane Wieler (High School Hockey) YA
A Secret Edge by Robin Reardon (High School Track) YA **
Tag Team Studs by Clay Caldwell (Wrestling)
The Lions Den by Larry Howard (College Swimmer)
Gay Blades by Ben Tyler (Figure Skating) Fluff
*** Recommended
I’m not sure that all of these books are “pure” M/M so buyer beware.
_____________
Here are a few others I selected at random:
Bases Loaded (baseball) by Sean Michael
Perfect 10 (gymnastics) by Sean Michael
Personal Best 1, 2, and 3 (swimming) by Sean Michael
Making a Splash (swimming) by Sean Michael
Love Match (tennis) by Keira Andrews
City of Lights (tennis) Keira Andrews – this is a holiday short with characters from Love Match
Playing the Field: Teed Off (golf) JM Snyder
Playing The Field: Face Off (hockey) JM Snyder
Playing The Field: Play On (soccer) JM Snyder
Playng The Field: Served (tennis) JM Snyder
The above series is available in print as an anthology with all 4 stories
B.A. Tortuga has written the Roughstock series about the sport of bullriding but I don’t know much about them although I understand that many of the books are more about the personal relationships than about the sport.
A.J. Llewellyn wrote the following sports M/M books:
Hanalei Moon and sequel Blue Moon (surfing)
Stolen Magic (Boxing)
Blood Eclipse (Ultimate Fighting)
Coming Soon:
Hardsex (skateboarding) D.J. Manly and A.J. Llewellyn – July 1 eXtasy Books
The Mediator (boxing ) D.J. Manly and A.J. Llewellyn –August 13 Total-e-Bound
I guess it depends on whether you mean helping with regards to the sport itself, or with the locker-room aspect. If it’s the former, I could potentially help with football (American football, that is!). But for the latter…. I’d be no help at all. 🙂
Hi Marie
That’s exactly what I’m looking for – help both with regard to the sports, (the terminology and the important aspects of the game) as well as the locker room. In most sports especially baseball, football, basketball (maybe not golf as much) tennis etc. the locker room is pretty important in terms of the authenticity of informaton in the books. I’ll definitely put you on the list because as an author you can see both sides of the issue.
Thank you. I really appreciate you coming forward.
I also have no locker room experience (but now that you mention it, I may have to fantasize about it! :)) or actual playing experience, but I could help out with ice hockey. Mostly NHL, but I also have some familiarity with International rules and play as well.
My ex-father-in-law was a professional sports writer, so if I were still married he would make an outstanding resource. But, I still can’t bring myself to say it’s too bad I’m not still married to his son. 😀
I think it`s save to say I could help with a soccer themed story,because no one will write one. 🙂
I played soccer in a womens team for a short time(bad knees) so I have “locker room experience”:)
The Wild Man by Patricia Nell Warren is a wonderful story but – no offense,Wave – bullfighting (especially the spanish version) is not a sport!
Sport is when both competitors/teams have an equal chance to win(or loose).
>>The Wild Man by Patricia Nell Warren is a wonderful story
Yes.
>>but – no offense,Wave – bullfighting (especially the spanish version) is not a sport!
Okay, I personally don’t really disagree with that. But – many in Spain and some of the Latin American countries see it as a sport.
Quinn
I agree but are you willing to beta read and if so, what sport? 🙂
Hi Simsala
You lose – JM Snyder has already written a story about soccer and I’m sure that other authors will run with the idea if expert technical help is being offered. 🙂
No,no,no – J.M.Snyders story doesn`t count.
As you said – already written. 🙂
I am a baseball fiend, so anything baseball related (rules, terms, probabilities, history, etc.) I could help with….I also played city-league softball (rules differ a bit but terminology is relatively close to baseball most of the time). I love the game, and can play the game so, I have a fairly good understanding:)
I would love to be a beta reader for a book about cricket! Love the game. Any volunteers to write one?
I can beta anything to do with triathlon as I was an Ironman competitor for many years (finished 5 IMs and countless shorter distance races), as well as road cycling and marathon.
I can also help with ice hockey (sans locker room) and surfing.
🙂
Hi Terasu
Thank you so much. Your sports will give authors lots of plot bunnies I’m sure. 🙂
I’m drawing up a list and you’re definitely on it.
Sorry, the edit post wasn’t working for me – I meant to add “recreational” to surfing. I don’t know enough about professional.
I have watched MANY hours of Football (American) by now and shows with the “experts” talking, but I didn’t grow up with Football. I don’t know if my knowledge would be good enough to advise someone.
And I know a little bit about swimming and cycling (e.g. Tour de France).
And some more books:
Janey Chapel – TLC 101 (College Coaches for Football) – I loved the characters
Gregory Norris – You’ve Got Male (Ex College Hockey Player “Xhockeystud81” and bookstore owner “IWrite2” meet via the Internet) – I loved that story and the characters
Catt Ford – Extreme Bull (Bullriding) – I liked it
Mickie B. Ashling – Horizons (College Football) – Nice
Reno MacLeod – A Perfect Game (Baseball) – Haven’t read it yet
Tight Ends – An Erotic Gay Football Anthology (Of course Football) – The emphasis is on erotic, not plot
Shawn Lane – Jake’s Regret (Football) – One of the characters was supposed to be an (ex?) NFL Player, but the story was just about the relationship, and the story was kind of boring
Carol Lynne – Campus Cravings Series (about several sports and coaches) – I read one of the books, as far as I know the emphasis is on relationships and sex, but not much on plot, so I didn’t read more of the series
Thanks Quinn for all the recs. and you know what? We have either reviewed them on the site (TLC 101, Extreme Bull, Horizons, Jake’s Regret) I just have to tag them, or I have read them (Campus Cravings). Looks like I have a lot of work to do. 🙂
You’re on the list for football, swimming and cycling.
I’m a total newbie at providing feedback to writers but if anyone needs input on techical rock climbing (sleeping on a wall face, shorter climbs, etc), snowboarding (backcountry or resort), scuba diving, sky diving, mountaineering and a little surfing, I would be more than happy to help out. I’ve guided clients in rock climbing and snowboarding. I don’t know anything about locker room since most of the sports I know don’t really have a locker room. Would love to read about these sports!
I could provide advice on billiards, esp. three-cushion, artistic billiards and a bit of pool, if anyone would be interested.
Also, although I haven’t done it for a while now, I still remember much about hawking, and I’ve done a great deal of research in that field recently. I’d be happy to share this kind of knowledge
Thanks for volunteering guys. I’m not ignoring you but my compter is in the shop (fried motherboard etc. etc.) so I’m using my laptop which is worse than useless.
I’m hoping that more of you will volunteer as sports beta although I’m not sure that the sport of cricket will catch on in North America. I love it but I don’t think many people play the game except in Oz, India, the West Indies and the UK. 🙂
Wave, you will single-handedly create a new sub-genre in if you keep this up!
I can give pretty damn expert advise on every aspect of baseball, minor leagues or majors, on the field or off. Hell, I’m ashamed to admit I can even give the names of some of the hotels and pubs the teams like to frequent when visiting various cities.
To a lesser degree I can handle NFL too, but I’d only answer on-field questions about that one. Rules and situations and strategy.
I’ve played and coached softball and volleyball for years, with 6 years of Junior Olympic volleyball time put in before the shoulder went on me. That’s indoor volleyball, I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving advise on the ins and outs of beach; all I know about that one is I always wound up with sand in my bra….
Hi Abigail
>>Wave, you will single-handedly create a new sub-genre in if you keep this up!<< I'm hoping. I'm taking the names of all the volunteers including you, and I hope that by doing this, the mystique of writing a sports oriented M/M novel will no lonmger be there because there are readers and other authors who are willing to help with the technical aspects of the various games. >>That’s indoor volleyball, I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving advise on the ins and outs of beach; all I know about that one is I always wound up with sand in my bra….<< Maybe you could write a het novel with this information. 🙂 Thanks Abigail and I can't wait for your sports oriented novels, especially the ones on baseball, my favourite sport.