Dumb as Rocks

Dumb as Rocks by J W Smith, in the current issue, is a story about lifelong best friends. It's touching and heart-warming. You'll like it.

Here's an excerpt:

Tom’s known I’m gay for years. Hell, since we were in high school. It never made any difference to him. He remained my best friend. I never had any difficulty talking to Tooley about anything … well, except how I felt about him.

“Oh, it’s silly. Damn, at thirty-eight you’d think I'd know better.” I commenced to tell him the whole story. Our food came and as we ate I finished the story and ended up feeling sorry for myself all over again because I couldn’t tell him what really had me feeling down.

Tooley spooned up the last bit of the red chili sauce on his plate and pushed it away. He finished off the second beer that he’d had with his meal, set the bottle next to his plate and leaned forward. “Shay?”

I looked up at my old friend. He reached across the table and took my hand. I stared at our hands. “Can I ask you something?”

I looked back up at him and shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

“Why do you keep doing it? I mean I’ve been watching you ever since that damn Lee left you - what? - ten years ago? You keep meeting these guys and you keep trying to form a relationship out of a toss in the sack. Every one of them leaves you high and dry. Why, Shay? Why do you do it?”

Issue 6

Issue 6 of Wilde Oats will be published in December. The deadline for fiction subs is 8th October.

Our theme for this issue is historical, though we'll also consider seasonal stories. We've had some interesting submissions already, but we still need more. Authors out there.... please submit.

The Memoirs of Colonel Gérard Vreilhac

Anel Viz has been a frequent contributor to Wilde Oats and its predecessor Forbidden Fruit. Recently his first published novel The Memoirs of Colonel Gérard Vreilhac has been published by DreamSpinner Press, as an e-book and paperback.

You can read a review of Mr Viz' novel here.

Here is a quote from the review:

"There are four main romantic interests in Gérard’s life and each is drawn in loving detail. There is Julien, the charming and endangered aristocrat, who appears and disappears more than once in the course of the novel. There is Laurent, the Parisian, effeminate in his dealings with Gérard but adventurous and bloodthirsty when it comes to soldiering. There is Akmoud, the exotic Egyptian servant, who makes Gérard’s time in Egypt pleasurable and memorable. There is Anatole, the French prostitute who leaves the streets for Gérard and eventually follows him into the countryside. There are others, but these four are at the heart of the book and we care deeply for the fate of each one. Nothing runs smoothly for anyone, and there is sometimes almost unbearable tension, which can be followed by tears of pity or a sigh of heartfelt relief. Whilst Gérard never denies his attraction to other men, he admits to loving these four and it is one of the strengths of the novel that the reader is brought to love them too."

One of the things we pride ourselves on at Wilde Oats is how tyro writers in our pages go on to fame and fortune. Anel Viz is just one of them. We provide a place for quality gay-shaded fiction, a place where gay/bi fiction can be published and read, whether you're an unknown or the doyen of gay publishing.

Keep reading our zine -- one day you'll be able to say.... I knew him (or her) when....

Wilde Oats August 2010 (Issue 5)

The latest issue of Wilde Oats is now available, here. There are 9 new stories from a mixture of familiar and new writers, and an excerpt from Ruth Sims' latest novel; book and film reviews; an interview with the doyen of gay writing, Victor Banis; and a new artist, Gene Moore, with some very sexy and pleasing paintings, one of which we've posted today.

Enjoy!