Slash, Fandom, and Sexy Men

I'll admit my introduction to slash fiction came at a science fiction convention. I sat in on a panel for fanfiction, because as a writer, I love to explore the worlds of my favorite shows (read Buffy) through fanfiction. I hadn't yet dipped my toe into those waters, hence my attendance at a late night discussion held in someone's hotel room.

Suddenly I found myself catapulted into a world where Kirk and Spock did more than discuss logically the evidence before them, where any male character of any show could be paired of with a male character (or two, or three) from another show. And I loved it! As a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan I discovered, Spander, Spangel, Sprilley (oh yeah! Spike & Riley), Angel/Xander, Xander/Oz, Spike/Giles, Angel/Giles, the list goes on and on...

As a heterosexual woman, I find the idea of two strong, alpha males showing lust, love, mutual affection, or just a night's release, to each other sexy. I want to watch. Hell, I want to join in!

And so, in my own way I do. I write slash. My published novel Riding Partner features two Olympic Show Jumper Riders going through their relationship when one man is forced to sell his prize horse in order to pay off debts. A work in progress I have now, Cowboy Up, deals with a dressage rider and an ex-rodeo cowboy who now rides reining horses (both Olympic or FEI level sports). As a fanfiction writer, I have a Xander/Riley (with all the accompanying, "oh my god I slept with my best friend's ex angst on Xander's part) story I started back in March that I need to finish, and actually am working on a cycle of Riley/Lorne fiction. (Note the Riley theme).

Two men expressing sexual love is a beautiful thing. (Just as a man and a woman or two women, but this blog is for homoerotic gay romance). And I can say that I'm proud to write gay erotic romance!