Now, I don't know what you think that title might be referring to, but I can guarantee it's not anything fun and spanky.

I feel like this is my much anticipated return (and it is, at least by my lone reader out there addisonalbright  ). Somehow I don't think there will be much rejoicing in the streets though. Hmmm.

But onward we thrust (can you tell I started my writing day off today with a sex scene?).

So for those of you who don't know, I do this crazy thing where I work on a rotation of stories. Right now I'm only rotating back and forth between two, but...I know that's something that might make some of you who are clearly more sane than I crazy. I attribute it to a lack of deadlines. I work best under pressure, and without any pressure I flit from story to story. Sigh. And...oh, er right. Yes. Theme. Sorry.

So I was kind of stumped on which theme to choose, because I could snatch one from either WiP, but I decided to go with one that I'm actually very anxious to hear your opinion on.

How do you feel about the political in m/m romance? How much can an author reveal through their characters? How much should they say? Or not? Do you prefer your men to live their daily lives without thought to the bigger issues in the world? Want them to focus on what really matters--teh buttsex? (Ha, I kid. I think.) Or does it frustrate you that characters never look beyond that?

Now, before you get to thinkin' I'm referring to political theater that is EVERYWHERE right now in the US, sure that could be part of it. But I'm also referring to basically...everything that concerns--or doesn't--society. You might think, "hey, that's not really what I'd call political..." Lemme tell you, though, that after four years in DC...it's ALL political. Everything.

So how much of a message or a point do you think an author can get away with making about world issues? Or does the idea really turn your crank? Have you read any m/m books where think the author really handled the issue well? Any books where it made you want to throw it against the wall?

One book that comes to mind for me is Clear Cut by Alexa Snow. Logger vs. Environmentalist. You have natural deep conflict right there. And I think it's obvious what the message or theme of that book is, but Snow does a really crack job--IMO--of having the characters arguing two sides. Getting each other to take a little turn on the other side of the fence for a moment. I really enjoyed that story.