Dusk Peterson

Dusk Peterson writes historical speculative fiction: Arthurian-inspired mythic historical fantasy, gaslamp alternate history, and retrofuture science fiction. Amidst dangerous events, love often occurs in the stories: family affection, friendship, platonic life-companionships, and romance (f/m and m/m). Visit duskpeterson.com for serials, series resources, e-book previews, and notices of new releases.

Website: http://duskpeterson.com
Blog: http://duskpeterson.dreamwidth.org

19th century fiction    adventure    alternate history    alternate universe    alternative history    alternative victorian    ancient fantasy    arthurian fantasy    asexual    asexual fiction    asexual romance    asexuality    bisexual characters    bisexual protagonist    bisexual ya    blood brothers    blood feuds    classical fantasy    coming of age fantasy    disabled queer    edwardian era    edwardian fiction    emperors    epic fantasy    fantasy    fantasy books about friendship    fantasy family    fantasy gods    fantasy mythology books    fantasy myths    fantasy romance    fantasy series    fantasy spies    fantasy spy    friendship    friendship fiction    friendship stories    gaslamp    gay adventure    gay adventure fiction    gay alternate history    gay amnesia    gay crime fiction    gay crime romance    gay crime stories    gay dungeon    gay fantasy    gay fiction    gay historical    gay historical fantasy    gay historical fiction    gay jail    gay love    gay mysteries    gay mystery    gay police    gay police procedurals    gay prison    gay prison romance    gay prisoners    gay romance    gay sci fi    gay science fiction    gay scifi    gay suspense    gay victorians    goddesses    gods    guards    high historical fantasy    historical fantasy    historical high fantasy    lgbt historical fiction    lgbt sci fi    lgbt science fiction    lgbt teen    lgbt teens    lgbt ya    malemale    maritime fiction    medieval fantasy    military fantasy    military fiction    mm crime fiction    mm fiction    mm romance    mythic    mythic fantasy    mythopoeia    myths    nautical fiction    new adult fantasy    prison    prison fiction    prison gay    prisoners    progressive era    prostitutes    prostitution    queer historical fiction    queer sci fi    queer scifi    roman empire    roman fantasy    roman legion fantasy    roman slaves    romantic fantasy    romantic friendship    slave fiction    slaves    slaves fiction    spies    spy fiction    steampunk    teen fiction    teen scifi   

• Smashwords Style Guide on Aug. 05, 2011
  
  I appreciate that the style guide provides so much useful information, and that it is refined periodically. It has gotten a lot better in the two years since I first read it. However, I agree with what L. Frank Turovich says: "I think the guide would be much improved if the steps were more layered in organization. I know I don't want to wade through page after page looking for that one specific step I need to remember, then read through several long paragraphs for the exact info I need." His suggestions for how to layer each step are terrific.
  
• Shattered Glass on Feb. 22, 2016
  (no rating)
  I originally picked up this novel at Scribd one bedtime because (1) I'd seen the cover occasionally at Amazon and (2) the author has the domain name slashfiction.org, which I figured was a good sign. Upon opening the novel, I discovered that the first scene consists of a guy in a restaurant getting distracted from his phone call because the busboy is wearing bunny slippers. "Oh, good," I said to myself. "Best sleeping aid ever." I was only a little off. What I should have said was, "Wittiest novel ever." I haven't laughed so much since I read "Three Men in a Boat" as a teen. The novel is also angsty as heck. Dark humor is my favorite sweet-and-sour dish. The mystery in the novel was a bit hard to follow, but I hardly noticed, because I was too sucked in by the colorful characters. They include a millionaire cop, a male prostitute with a mysterious past, a high-powered attorney, another high-powered attorney who is a spurned fiancee (bad combo), a Russian mobster mother, an Albanian mobster mother, a genius teenager who's bipolar, a leather bartender who wears hot pink chaps, and a mangy cat who steals the scene in the middle of a suspense sequence.
  
• Children of the Star: The Complete Trilogy on Dec. 26, 2021
  
  Best known for her Newbery Honor book "Enchantress of the Stars" (which has recently been reprinted), Ms. Engdahl deepened her exploration of that novel's themes in "Children of the Star." Although the trilogy's literary style can be prosaic at times, "Children of the Star" has so much that I enjoy in a story: friendship, romance, mentoring, rebellion, imprisonment, religion, science, sociology, oodles of ethical dilemmas, and some of the best plot twists I've ever encountered. Do *not* do as I did and spoiler the first novel by reading the blurbs for the last two novels before you start the series. Back in February 1979, when I was fifteen, I read the first two novels in this series. Then a major snowstorm hit, and I had a week off from school, so I read the novels again. In college, I got up the nerve to send a fan letter to Sylvia Engdahl; she kindly took the time to answer, informing me that there was now a third volume in the series. I promptly bought it. Years later, I discovered Ms. Engdahl's website and found that the trilogy had been updated and released as a single volume, "Children of the Star." And now the trilogy is available as a self-published e-book, reasonably priced. I hope it will reach a new generation of readers.