When Karma Smiles

Life is a funny thing.
Good deeds come unexpectedly and sometimes bad ones as well.
I'm a believer in trying to do what's best for peace of mind, and hopefully that includes helping others, being accessible to novice writers, and always answering my emails. Little things, yes, but what it means is that I care about a person's time and feelings.
In a day when communication brings people lap to lap at fingertips, what excuse do we have to not say hi back, or hi first? None. No longer is there a reason for losing touch, yet people still do. The effort for some to email back or be kind is still rare.
We are a product of our upbringing and environment. Our behavior is who we are.
As a writer of gay erotic fiction, I get many questions as to why I write what I write. I answered that in many ways. An example would be, women like to read about men together, how sexy it is...that kind of thing. But as I reach the 70 novel mile mark I have come to think more about what I do every year.
Yes, I am in the adult entertainment business. I admit that. But- I know in my heart my reasons are much deeper. Is it too much to ask for people to live and let live. I didn't invent that quote, believe me, you all know that. But no one seems to believe it or practice it.
Live and Let Live.
My novels are about men in love who want to love other men, to marry, and to be free to be themselves.
In my world as a gay romance writer, I had the pleasure of meeting Scott Hall who is the founder of Gay American Heroes. This man is trying hard to get humanity to recognise the toll our GLBT community is taking at the hands of violent offenders. Scott is someone who gives without thought of gain. More people should be the kind of advocate Scott has become. But passion and empathy are mandatory if you want to be like Scott. Without it, you become a narcissist who thinks of only yourself.

Where am I going with this?
Karma smiling. In giving to Scott's foundation with proceeds from Unnecessary Roughness, a novel about gay violence on a college campus, Scott has given to me. He has given me photographers, models, and a friendship.
Guess what people? Giving, kindness, being open to fans and making good friends by taking the time to respond to them openly makes you a better human being.
In a world of so much death and sorrow, how hard is it for one individual to say a nice thing or offer help?
Remember the next time you ignore a person's fan mail, or cut a fellow author to shreds in a review, or gossip behind people's backs to make yourself feel better...remember a lesson from me, someone who never thought she'd make so many goddamn amazing friends- that Karma is not only smiling at me, she's patting me on the back.
Through my books my fans have become friends. Real friends. And no matter how long I continue to write, or hang around on this crazy planet, I will always appreciate them and Karma for her generosity.

Be safe, be kind...and give of yourself.