Note
from Suz: HOT TARGET postcards are now
available! To get one, send an oversized self-addressed stamped envelope
to: Countdown to
12/02/04
26 days (and counting to Hot Target, in stores on December 28th)
Note
from Suz: HOT TARGET postcards are now
available! To get one, send an oversized self-addressed stamped envelope
to:
HOT TARGET Postcards
PO Box 5092
Wayland, MA 01778
Note: Ballantine will be sending these postcards out to all readers on their snail-mailing list (ie readers who sent in previous books' rebate coupons!). Watch for yours in the mail. (And don't worry, I asked for lots of extra postcards -- if you don't get one or you want a "mint" copy, just send me an SASE! But make sure the envelope is big enough -- the postcards are 4 and 1/2 x 7 inches!) (OR: If you don't particularly care about getting a pristine copy, send a postcard stamp and a mailing label -- we'll send you the postcard through the mail!)
HOT TARGET Countdown Interview!
I always like to feature an interview or two during my countdown, but during the countdown for FLASHPOINT, we tried something a little different. I invited you, the readers, to ask the pithy interview questions!
I thought that worked really well -- you got to ask the questions that you want answered, and some of you asked some pretty interesting, enormously pithy stuff! So we're going to do this again!
If you have a burning question for me, email it to SuzanneBrockmann@aol.com Make sure you put "Countdown Interview" in the subject header! Also, please send your email so that it arrives by noon on Tuesday, December 7th. My plan is to post the questions and my answers on December 16th. (Date is subject to change should Max start acting up. <g>)
If, like last time, I get a ton of wicked awesome questions, I'll print 'em out, put 'em in a hat and pick some of them out to answer. If I only get a few emails, I'll answer 'em all.
Oh -- just so we make it clear up front -- I won't answer any questions that will reveal spoilers for Hot Target. And I'm not prepared to talk about Max & Gina's book, Breaking Point, which I am currently writing. (Well, I might answer some general questions in a very vague way... LOL!)
One last thing -- please include in your email the exact way you'd like me to credit your question. Please use the words "credit me as..." at the end of the email, okay? (As in Credit me as Donna, or Credit me as Donna G., or Credit me as D.G. from Peoria, or Credit me as an anonymous reader from Peoria, or Credit me as LuvsMax92@nomail.com... You get the idea, right?) If you aren't specific in how you want to be credited, I will leave out any mention of your name. (Which is fine, too. Some people enjoy being mysterious! <G>)
Thanks so much for participating in the HOT TARGET Countdown Interview!
Oh yeah -- a quick commercial!
Target: Tampa -- If you haven't heard, we're having a weekend-long party down in Tampa on January 14th through 17th, 2005.
Join me (along with special guests Catherine Mann, Alesia Holliday, and Navy SEAL author Chuck Pfarrer) for a full weekend of book discussions, parties, trivia games, door prizes, booksignings, readings, and more book discussions! Can't come for the full weekend? There's a special Saturday only option, too! Click HERE for more information. (Hope to see you there!)
Also -- we're holding our usual VIRTUAL SIGNING for Hot Target (and giving away a mint, signed copy of LADIES MAN to one lucky participant!) If you'd like a signed copy of HOT TARGET, but don't live in range of any of my book signing locations listed on my upcoming appearances page, you can still get a signed, personalized book via mail! Click HERE for more information!
Gay 101: Tolerance is a Fabulous Value!
From the American Psychological Association:
Q&As about Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality
source link: http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/answers.html
Is Sexual Orientation a Choice?
No, human beings can not choose to be either gay or straight. Sexual orientation emerges for most people in early adolescence without any prior sexual experience. Although we can choose whether to act on our feelings, psychologists do not consider sexual orientation to be a conscious choice that can be voluntarily changed.
Is Homosexuality a Mental Illness or Emotional Problem?
No. Psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals agree that homosexuality is not an illness, mental disorder or an emotional problem. Over 35 years of objective, well-designed scientific research has shown that homosexuality, in and itself, is not associated with mental disorders or emotional or social problems. Homosexuality was once thought to be a mental illness because mental health professionals and society had biased information. In the past the studies of gay, lesbian and bisexual people involved only those in therapy, thus biasing the resulting conclusions. When researchers examined data about these people who were not in therapy, the idea that homosexuality was a mental illness was quickly found to be untrue.
In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association confirmed the importance of the new, better designed research and removed homosexuality from the official manual that lists mental and emotional disorders. Two years later, the American Psychological Association passed a resolution supporting the removal. For more than 25 years, both associations have urged all mental health professionals to help dispel the stigma of mental illness that some people still associate with homosexual orientation.
That's all for now! Be sure to come back for tomorrow's installment in the Countdown to HOT TARGET!
(Note from Suz: I'm going to try to post each new day's countdown page before 10:00 a.m. eastern time. Please be patient if I'm a little late...)
See you tomorrow!