Big Boys Do Cry

This is one of those things guys aren’t supposed to talk about, which is, I think, a good reason to talk about it. I cry easily. Always have. Sacrifice scene in a book? I bawl. Poignant story on the news. Bawl. That’s under normal circumstances.

In the last 12 months, I’ve said a final goodbye to one of my oldest friends, a beloved aunt, and two of the finest dogs it’s ever been my pleasure to associate with. I’ve also had my most successful year ever in terms of my career and ability to produce art that I’m proud of. It’s been a huge emotional roller coaster, and it’s a rare day where I don’t at least tear up a touch and go rough throated.

My point? That that’s fine. Crying has been a safety valve and a solace. I miss those I love that I have lost, and the tears are honest tribute. It’s part of saying goodbye to Mike and Lee, and to Cabal and Moonbear.

(Originally posted to Facebook Feb 12, 2013. Reposted as part of the reblogging project)

Men Reading Women in Comics

I'm Batman Dammit
Kelly Reads Birds of Prey

My friend, the fantastic photographer Kyle Cassidy tweeted about a men reading women in comics tumblr designed to dispel the myth that men aren’t interested in reading comics by and about strong, diverse, interesting women. As an author who feels it’s very important to have strong smart women characters in my books I decided this was a project that I wanted to support. I thought it would be fun to send in a picture of me reading Birds of Prey since I was recently drawn back into reading comics in part by the work of the wonderful writing and stories of the Gail Simone run on Birds of Prey. So I called up another fabulous photographer friend Matthew A Kuchta who did my most recent couple of author photos as well as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe shoot with my wife and I at Neil Gaiman’s lamppost, and I asked him if he’d be interested. We decided that since I did a lot of my comics reading while inverting after a workout it would be fun to play off that. This picture, which I love, is the result of that call.

Just For the Record

The kind of gendered hate speech that Cat Valente talks about here, the kind that gets heaped on the heads of women who express strong opinions on the internet, is never acceptable, and she is absolutely right to call it out. I strongly agree with what Jim Hines and John Scalzi have had to say about the topic as well. I’m a man, which means I don’t generally get subjected to this shit, but I can call it out when I see it and I can absolutely let the world know that I don’t and won’t give the people who are making this kind of attack a pass. If you’re wondering what makes me put this post up now, it’s that Abi Sutherland over at Making Light just reminded me that it’s important that those of us of the male persuasion also need to speak up.