“It’s people like Mama and me, I guess, who like to make the regular happenings in our town—like what happened to Joshua and David—sound like myth. There are those who doubt the veracity of my words. But I know. I was there.”So begins the voice of Eric Gottlund in Jim Provenzano’s latest novel, Now I’m Here, as he begins his tale of how two boys discovered, lost, and then found each other again in the small town of Serene, Ohio, in the 1970’s and 80’s. It is both pointed and poignant. As the town’s history is slowly erased by fading memories and encroaching suburbia, Eric brings back to life the two friends who showed him what true courage is. Fighting religious intolerance, small-mindedness, “rehabilitation therapy,” the lure of fame, and the heartbreak of AIDS, the two boys grow into men before our eyes. And through their love of each other and rock’n’roll—and the English rock group Queen in particular—Joshua and David breathe life back into their home town, if only for a while. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian & Stéphane are Back, Spreading Mischief, Mayhem, and Loads of Laughs!Buckle up for a wild ride in the fifth installment of the Twilight Manors series! Brian and Stéphane embark on an unforgettable journey to New Orleans via Amtrak—Stéphane to dazzle at a Powder Puff Convention, and Brian to soak up the city’s vibrant chaos. But their adventure takes a jaw-dropping turn when the train is hijacked by the outrageous Barbie Liberation Front!As the pair are plunged into the heart of Texas, they encounter a bizarre cast of characters: a jubilant hooker, a man with an unusual affection for sheep, a curious peeping Tom, a woman claiming to own Ingrid Bergman’s DNA, and a footsie-loving Mennonite woman. Each character adds to the madness.The craziness escalates upon their arrival in New Orleans, where the convention reveals its own set of troubles. Someone is kidnapping chihuahuas, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.Join Brian and Stéphane as they navigate through a whirlwind of opera, voodoo, tortoise painters, biker gals, killer chefs, and the biggest ding-dong on this side, or any side, of the Mississippi. Oh, and don’t miss Stéphane taking a cure for his homosexuality—SPOILER ALERT: it doesn’t work!Dive headfirst into Twilight Manors in Palm Springs: The Great New Orleans Powder Puff Caper for a side-splitting, page-turning adventure you won’t want to miss! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Call South Florida sweeps aside the glitter and glamour of the Sunshine State's LGBTQ nightlife scene to reveal the vibrant tapestry of real people who thrived on both sides of the bar. From the harrowing days of bar raids and police arrests to the triumphs of hard-won rights, this book dives deep into the lives of those who made history.Meet the investors and entrepreneurs who built the foundation, the entertainers, bartenders, go-go boys, drag performers, and "bar celebrities" who brought life to the stage, and the customers who found solace and community in these havens. This isn't just a nightlife chronicle; it's a celebration of a resilient community that emerged stronger from every challenge.What makes South Florida's LGBTQ bar scene unique is its dazzling blend of glamour, diversity, and unyielding spirit. Historians Fred Fejes and Rick Karlin have meticulously researched this distinctive community, covering an era from Prohibition to the present day. Focusing from Palm Beach to Broward, and Miami-Dade to Key West, they capture the essence of a community that has withstood the test of time and adversity.Fejes and Karlin's journey unearthed countless personal stories and experiences, bringing the history of South Florida's LGBTQ bar community to life. Their extensive archival research and interviews have culminated in a captivating book that informs and entertains.Last Call South Florida presents a rich tapestry of recollections, memories, histories, and artifacts. It's not just a book; it's a vital contribution to LGBTQ history, preserving the legacy of a community that shaped the cultural landscape of South Florida. Dive into this fascinating chronicle and celebrate the vibrant, resilient spirit of South Florida's LGBTQ bar community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You're Never Too OldPhilip Gambone’s long-awaited second book of short stories takes off from where his highly acclaimed first collection ended, taking us now into the lives of older gay men. These sixteen, loosely interconnected stories are about men who have experienced a lot: marriages and break-ups; rekindling old loves and starting new romances; the search for sex in an online era; the loss of familiar gay culture; the death of loved ones; and always the adventure of living in a world where they have to make up the rules as they go along.Gambone takes us to a radical faerie wedding; a closeted French teacher’s classroom; the weekly café gathering of a group of older gay bohemians, one of whom has adopted a child; a randy eighty-year-old portrait painter who insists his clients pose in the nude; a gay man who discovers his brother is HIV positive; a man in a wheelchair who hires a straight, 23-year-old companion; another who periodically hooks up with a married man; and a long-standing gay couple whose weekly visits to a sports café in Boston’s Italian neighborhood present a delicious and dangerous temptation.As George Stambolian said of his first collection, “Philip Gambone he has done something extraordinary—he has written with honesty, humor, and compassion about the lives of ordinary gay men. His characters speak to us in voices that are almost hypnotically real. They charm us with their words only to catch us with startling revelations of truth.”Now these “ordinary gay men” have reached a new stage in their lives, where the pull of multiple responsibilities, conflicting desires, and cross-generational connections both enriches and tests the identities they they’ve built up over the years. Exhilarating, heart-warming, sexy, and very real—Gambone’s stories zigzag through the twists and turns of each character’s life toward a place where gratitude, peace, self-acceptance, wisdom, and even spiritual growth abound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this coming-of-age literary thriller, Ahdaf, a gay Syrian refugee, after watching his cousin executed by ISIS for being homosexual, flees to Istanbul for safety. Ahdaf’s reputation as apeople smuggler has put him in danger once more. A Syrian refugee himself,Ahdaf earns a meager living in Istanbul helping others make the crossing toGreece – a perilous line of work, but no less so than what he would face if thetruth of his sexuality were discovered by ISIS.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Magic has been lost for centuries, and when 16-year-old Destiny stumbles upon it, she accidentally unlocks it for all the descendants of the ancient clans, but some of them want it only for themselves and are willing to kill to keep it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the award-winning author of Fragile Brilliance comes another gripping Ronan McCullough thriller.Recovering from the emotional and physical damage of his last case, Ronan McCullough is trying to put his life back together. But when a federal agent's charred remains surface, linked to a professor's encrypted money laundering scheme, Ronan becomes embroiled in a high-stakes game of life and death with someone who is willing to kill everyone that knows anything about the encryption codes.Ronan soon uncovers several dark secrets and learns that nobody is being honest with him, including the people he trusts the most. When the encryption codes are stolen and Ronan learns their real purpose, he finds himself in a race to stop a plan that will make it nearly impossible to stop the funding of dangerous crimes.As the body count rises and secrets are unearthed, Ronan must navigate a web of deceit to uncover the truth. How will Ronan succeed when the main suspect is a set of numbers? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stories collected by the author about those who have been banned and restricted from posting on social media, many times over innocent or harmless posts, because computer algorithms don't understand humor, sarcasm or satire. It takes everything literally. Sudi (Rick) Karatas ended up a "Prisoner of a Social Media site starting with the letter "F" slammer" when he commented "Stick a fork in him he's done" meaning the guy's career was over. Karatas was "charged" with "promoting violence" and he was "locked up" for 30 days in "Jail" unable to post. After a couple more "run ins" this book was born.Thousands of others have also been wrongly accused and punished. Karatas collected stories which include those with the most outlandish and bizarre reasons they were locked up and punished. The funny stories may cause you to bust a gut (not literally, that reference would flag the algorithm). For example, "Bombing the basement for a flea infestation" was considered to be violent by the "Community Standards" bots. But there's a darker side to this phenomenon. Many small and individual owned businesses make their living either directly through or by using social media, it can in fact bring the entire business to a standstill. For example, Kelly O'Brien, a legitimate Dolly Parton tribute act, has had her page shut down several times. There is no way to challenge the bot's random decisions, no humans available, and users are stuck with the decision, despite the real and serious consequences to their livelihoods. As the author explores these stories, he hopes comedy in the face of serious and often detrimental acts by one of America's business giants can make a difference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicky Sullivan is the resident manager of a sober living home in Chicago. There she rides herd on ten newly sober addicts and alcoholics, trying to point them in the right direction while keeping their chaos to a minimum. But when one of her residents is murdered, Nicky turns to the investigative skills honed during her past career as a homicide detective. She calls on her old police partner who has been assigned the murder investigation along with his new partner, a woman beautiful enough to give Nicky pause. The body count starts to mount as it becomes clear a serial killer is at work, targeting newly relapsed women, all of whom have some connection to Nicky. Each death makes her feel she’s wielded the knife herself. In the midst of the tragedy, she finds herself falling in love.With the lives of fragile women in the balance, Nicky finds her own sobriety threatened. Can Nicky save her lover and find the killer? How many others must die before she does? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Jersey State Trooper Jon Mazer has been charged with killing Black investigative reporter Stewart Marshall in a racially charged, headline-making murder. The evidence against criminal defense attorney Erin McCabe’s new client is overwhelming. The gun used is Mazer’s off-duty weapon. Fingerprints and carpet fibers link Mazer to the crime. And Mazer was patrolling Marshall’s neighborhood shortly before the victim took three bullets to the chest. Mazer’s argument? He’s a gay officer being set up to take the fall in an even bigger story. Mazer swears he was a secret source for Marshall’s exposé about the Lords of Discipline. The covert gang operating within the New Jersey State Police is notorious for enforcing their own code of harassing women, framing minorities, and out-powering any troopers who don’t play their rogue and racist games. With everyone from the governor to the county prosecutor on the wrong side of justice, Erin and her partner, Duane Swisher, are prepared to do anything to make sure Mazer doesn’t become another victim. As Erin deals with an intensely personal issue at home, and faces an uphill battle to prove her client’s innocence, both she and Duane find themselves mired in a conspiracy of corruption deeper than they imagined—and far more dangerous than they feared. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the morning of May 16, 1922, a young man's body was found on a desolate road in Westchester County. The victim was penniless ex-sailor Clarence Peters. Walter Ward, the handsome scion of the family that owned the largest chain of bread factories in the country, confessed to the crime as an act of self-defense against a violent gang of "shadow men," blackmailers who extorted their victims' moral weaknesses. From the start, one question defined the investigation: What scandalous secret could lead Ward to murder?For sixteen months, the media fueled a firestorm of speculation. Unscrupulous criminal attorneys, fame-seeking chorus girls, con artists, and misogynistic millionaires harnessed the power of the press to shape public perception. New York governor and future presidential candidate Al Smith and editor of the Daily News Joseph Medill Patterson leveraged the investigation to further professional ambitions. Famous figures like Harry Houdini, Arthur Conan Doyle, and F. Scott Fitzgerald weighed in. As the bereaved working-class Peters family sought to bring the callous Ward to justice, America watched enraptured.Capturing the extraordinary twists and turns of the case, Shadow Men conjures the excess and contradictions of the Jazz Age and reveals the true-crime origins of the media-led voyeurism that reverberates through contemporary life. It's a story of privilege and power that lays bare the social inequity that continues to influence our system of justice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Randy’s honest and heartbreaking stories from childhood to adulthood show us what it means to be human in an age when homosexuality is still under attack. Having been one of the “attackers” himself for a period of his life (through ex-gay ministry), we learn how anyone can be groomed to do harm to others—especially when they are desperately searching for connection and community.If you’ve ever wondered how someone can join a cult and go against their own community, this book documents the journey from abuse to brainwashing to betrayal, ultimately arriving at truth. In his page-turning memoir, author Randy Scobey shares his most personal moments and explores what it means to live—truly live—his life as a gay man of faith.WHY: A Memoir - Kindle edition by Scobey, Randy, Heche, Anne. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Step into a world where red-blooded American men roam freely, exploring themselves and each other across the vast landscape of the United States. In Daniel M. Jaffe's latest collection of short stories, prepare to be captivated by tales of mischief, sacrifice, joy, and unexpected romance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clyde's idyllic afternoon in the surf with his mates is interrupted by the news that there's been a quadruple suicide in an apartment overlooking the beach.Two of the deceased are the parents of Barry Wilkinson, one of Clyde's childhood friends, a man he hasn't seen since Clyde donned the khaki and left for war. Wilkinson engages Clyde to discover the identity of a mysterious woman who has been left a huge sum of money in his father's will.On the surface, what appears to be a straightforward case evolves into a complex story of deception, lies, violence and murder. Relationships are tested and new ones formed, and Clyde discovers that those connections that seem unrelated are closely linked behind a veil of secrecy.The early summer of 1957 is a time in which Clyde nearly loses everything he holds dear—his own life included—all because of two couples who died while playing bridge at the beach.Bridge at the Beach (The Clyde Smith Mysteries Book 5) - Kindle edition by Jones, Garrick. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1939, fourteen-year-old Violet and her parents arrive at the Sulphur Springs Hotel, drawn in along with other desperate guests by legends of the waters’ restorative properties. Here, curious young Violet strikes up an instant friendship with the hotelier’s worldly daughter, Julia. Together, they attempt to solve the mysteries behind the hotel’s luxury façade — including the cases of the brownie thief, the secretive hotel director, and the flirtatious gardener.But when one of Violet’s investigations leads her to commit an act of treachery, she unwittingly aides a murderous plot. Seventy years later, the killer has yet to be caught.In 2009, a widowed Violet returns to the hotel, now in ruins. Her intention is to solve this cold case. The scene of the crime reveals new clues and revives old memories, including that of her lost family and her own sexual awakening. Now, confronting her final years, Violet is desperate to make peace with her ghosts, even if she may be seventy years too late.The Sulphur Springs Cure - Kindle edition by Round, Jeffrey. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 25 years, how do you rebuild your life?Hannah's wife has died unexpectedly.Just as 70-year-old writing professor Hannah Greene walks into her retirement party, she's called to the ER because Grace, her wife of 25 years, has been in what turns out to be a fatal car accident. This was definitely not part of the plan the two had for their lives, especially since Grace was ten years younger than Hannah. The plan had been for Hannah to join her art history professor wife on a sabbatical trip to Europe. Grace would do research, and Hannah would figure out what she wanted to do in her retirement.How does an independent, feisty lesbian adjust to both her suddenly widowed and newly retired life? How can she survive the loss of the spouse who statistically should have survived her?Grace Period tackles these questions head-on in an intimate, witty portrayal of a woman grappling with the new and unexpected turn her life has taken. It is a tale of love, loss, and survival.Grace Period - Kindle edition by Nonas, Elisabeth. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who wouldn't want sage yet sassy advice from the ghost of their dead cat?It's 1987 and New York actor/singer/waiter Matthew is struggling to restart his career, regain a sense of optimism, and open himself up to dating in the aftermath of his lover's death from AIDS-all with the spiritual guidance of his recently deceased cat, Hobo. Life is uncertain in this turbulent era of the '80s, as the gay community is reeling from the onslaught of AIDS and struggling with the government's lack of support. After some missteps seeking love in all the wrong places, will Hobo's lessons for Matt on how to believe in himself, and in his ability to find love, lead to romance once again? Can he get his career back on track if he auditions for a new and timely show? Will he find his voice on the grand stage and realize his dream of making it to Broadway? Find out in this journey of discovery- a sweet and entertaining valentine of a yarn.A Cat in the Act - Kindle edition by Arsenault, Brian. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women Empowered, Enlightened, and TransformedStep back in time to the revolutionary 1970s with Desert Haven, a compelling exploration of a hidden facet of history. Born at the crossroads of feminism, sexual liberation, lesbian separatism, and a return to nature, this novel breathes life into the movement that sought to forge self-governed women-centered societies within intentional communities. Across a span of forty years, Desert Haven meticulously weaves the political, social, and spiritual tapestry of a marginalized subgroup within the queer community. Through nuanced storytelling, the women grapple with the challenges of preserving their vision, offering tales of grief and hope, loss and celebration, passion, and solitude.Against the evocative backdrop of women's land, where cactus and creosote stand beneath expansive skies and monsoon rains paint the landscape, Desert Haven unfolds through fifteen interconnected characters over four decades. Each character, a chapter in this rich narrative, contributes to a chorus of diverse voices that resonate with the intricacies of the broader community. As women seamlessly flow in and out of each other's stories, Desert Haven reveals a network of evolving relationships, creating a captivating portrayal of resilience and the enduring bonds that shape our collective history.Desert Haven - Kindle edition by Starr, Penelope. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a popular mystery novelist dies suspiciously, his writing partner must untangle the author’s connection to a serial killer in award-winning John Copenhaver’s new novel set in 1950s McCarthy-era Washington, DC.In May 1954, Lionel Kane witnesses his apartment engulfed in flames with his lover and writing partner, Roger Raymond, inside. Police declare it a suicide due to gas ignition, but Lionel refuses to believe Roger was suicidal.A month earlier, Judy Nightingale and Philippa Watson—the tenacious and troubled heroines from The Savage Kind—attend a lecture by Roger and, being eager fans, befriend him. He has just been fired from his day job at the State Department, another victim of the Lavender Scare, an anti-gay crusade led by figures like Senator Joseph McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover, claiming homosexuals are security risks. Little do Judy and Philippa know, but their obsessive manhunt of the past several years has fueled the flames of his dismissal.They have been tracking their old enemy Adrian Bogdan, a spy and vicious serial killer protected by powerful forces in the government. He’s on the rampage again, and the police are ignoring his crimes. Frustrated, they send their research to the media and their favorite mystery writer anonymously, hoping to inspire someone, somehow, to publish on the crimes—anything to draw Bogdan out. But has their persistence brought deadly forces to the writing team behind their most beloved books?In the wake of Roger’s death, Lionel searches for clues, but Judy and Philippa threaten his quest, concealing dark secrets of their own. As the crimes of the past and present converge, danger mounts, and the characters race to uncover the truth, even if it means bending their moral boundaries to stop a killer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four years ago, Bryan Hicks left behind a lucrative corporate job to open a bakery with his trans girlfriend, Nadia Brooks.In conservative Houston, Texas, they had to sue a transphobic landlord just to lease a space. Even so, the shop washumming along until the Covid-19 pandemic slowed their business to a trickle. Cash-strapped and desperate, Bryan turnsto an unsavory character for a loan; when he's unable to pay it back, he's forced to rent out the bakery to an illegal transstrip show to make some extra cash. The dancers and customers trash the place, and one night it gets so rowdy Bryanfires a gun just to clear the store. How did his dream become such a nightmare? The novel moves back in time to tell thehistory of the bakery, from the first "love cake" Bryan made for Nadia to Nadia's Hail Mary effort to win cash in a TV bakingcompetition. All the while, Bryan strives to be a supportive father to his queer son and his increasingly right-wing daughter.Can Bryan save his bakery and his relationship with Nadia, or is he about to lose his love and livelihood in one fell swoop?Bell's workmanlike prose captures both the tranquil atmosphere of the bakery and the wild energy of the trans party scene,as here, when Bryan and Nadia visit a strip club: "Now that they were inside, Nadia looked overwhelmed, standing verystiff. She looked scared to touch anything. Bryan grabbed her and led her through the mesh of bodies to the middle bar.He handed Nadia a beer, and they both turned around to check out the raw scene." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5.6 - April 2024 Alan Warren & John Copenhaver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first Orchid Isle cozy mystery, set in tropical Hilo, Hawai'i, introduces a fun and feisty LGBTQ+ couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions!Retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen have come to the Big Island of Hawai'i to treat themselves to a well-earned tropical vacation. After the recent loss of her brother, Valerie is in sore need of a distraction from her troubles and is looking forward to enjoying the delicious food and vibrant culture the state has to offer.Early one morning, the couple and their friend - tattooed local boy, Isaac - set out to see an active lava flow, and Valerie is mesmerized by the shape-shifting mass of orange and red creeping over the field of black rock. Spying a boot in the distance, she strides off alone, pondering how it could have gotten there, only to realize to her horror that the boot is still attached to a leg - a leg which is slowly being engulfed by the hot lava.Valerie's convinced a murder has been committed - but as she's the only witness to the now-vanished corpse, who's going to believe her?Determined to prove what she saw, and get justice for the unknown victim, Valerie launches her own investigation. But, thrown into a Hawaiian culture far from the luaus and tiki bars of glossy tourist magazines, she soon begins to fear she may be the next one to end up entombed in shiny black rock . . . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a dream assignment. Former Senator Dorothy Gibson, aka that woman, is the most talked-about person in the country right now, though largely for the wrong reasons. As an independent candidate for President of the United States, Dorothy split the vote and is being blamed for the shocking result. After her very public defeat, she’s retreated to her home in rural Maine, inviting her ghostwriter to join her.Her collaborator is impressed by Dorothy’s work ethic and steel-trap mind, not to mention the stunning surroundings (and one particularly gorgeous bodyguard). But when a neighbor dies under suspicious circumstances, Dorothy is determined to find the killer in their midst. And when Dorothy Gibson asks if you want to team up for a top secret, possibly dangerous murder investigation, the only answer is: “Of course!”The best ghostwriters are adept at asking questions and spinning stories . . . two talents, it turns out, that also come in handy for sleuths. Dorothy’s political career, meanwhile, has made her an expert at recognizing lies and double-dealing. Working together, the two women are soon untangling motives and whittling down suspects, to the exasperation of local police. But this investigation—much like the election—may not unfold the way anyone expects . . . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to South Hill, a neighborhood of wealth, secrets, gracious Victorians, and austere manor homes overlooking the port of Fairhaven and the dark waters of Bellingham Bay. Seventeen year-old Trevor Blackmoore has lived here his entire life, shunned and feared, along with the rest of his clan, by the elitist and superstitious families that surround them and who regard the Blackmoores as the devil's concubines.As a young medium-clairvoyant dealing not only with the dark secrets of his family but also with his homosexuality--two things which have made him an outsider--he struggles to find normalcy.Trevor's life is made extremely difficult by his tormentors and former childhood friends: Cheri Hannifin, Greg Sheer, and Christian Vasquez; the school gods of the prestigious Mariner High School.His only saving grace is Braxton Volaverunt; a captivating young man with secrets of his own.A diabolical plan sets in motion a chain of events that will fulfill the doomed prophecy of the Blackmoore family, as a centuries' old curse comes to an end, releasing an ancient and bloodthirsty evil set on wiping out the family on Trevor's eighteenth birthday, Christmas Eve, and Trevor learns that he is at the center of it. Realizing that he is all that stands between this darkness and his family's survival. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In October 1992, Dr. Ellen Haskell begins a new therapy practice in Princeton after a tragic error with a former client. Demoralized by her failure, Ellen strives to restore her emotional and professional confidence. Her parents have departed for Greece, leaving Ellen alone in their secluded country house. As her clients are introduced through their individual sessions, Ellen becomes unnerved when she receives hang-up phone calls and a series of bizarre gifts from an anonymous admirer—first at her office and then at home. As the obsessive lover increasingly invades her life, Ellen's anxiety crescendos and she begins to fear the stalker's behavior will escalate into violence.The Psychologist's Shadow is a simmering literary suspense and a portrait of a compassionate, introspective therapist who finds herself in a dangerous struggle. As tension accumulates, the reader gains insights during sessions and through the stalker's journal entries, which serve as discordant counterpoints. Who is the shadow lover? An acquaintance, a shopkeeper, an old boyfriend, or a client? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monreith, Massachusetts, was once a small community of whalers and farmers. These days it’s a well-to-do town filled with commuters drawn to its rugged coastline and country roads. A peaceful, predictable place—until popular restaurateur Laurel Thibodeau is found brutally murdered in her own home. Suspicion naturally falls on Laurel’s husband, Simon, who had gambling debts that only her life insurance policy could fix. But there are other rumors too . . .Among the group of six friends gathered for Alice Stone’s fortieth birthday, theories abound concerning Laurel’s death. Max Barbosa, police chief, has heard plenty of them, as has his longtime friend, Unitarian minister Georgia Fitzhugh. Local psychiatrist Farley Drake is privy to even more, gleaning snippets of gossip and information from his patients while closely guarding his own past.But maybe everyone in Monreith has something to hide. Because before this late-summer evening has come to a close, one of these six will be dead. And as jealousy, revenge, adultery, and greed converge, the question becomes not who among these friends might be capable of such a thing, but—who isn’t? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do we live with a God, or ourselves, if who we are dooms us to Hell?As a joyful boy who realized I was gay,I fought for my happiness and faith as prejudices of family and religion isolated me from the world. Battered and withdrawn, could I rediscover the God of love I first learned about as a boy? In the process, could being gay be the gift that introduced me to my soul?In the dark night of our soul we find our own light! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years after finishing his tour of duty in the Occupational Forces in Japan, Damson O'Reilly arrives in Siena, Italy. Sight-unseen at a local auction, he buys an abandoned Tuscan farmhouse in which he aims to write, paint, and start a new life.The house, passed over at auction, becomes an impulse buy when it's put up for a final time. He's prepared for a semi-ruin, happy to turn his hand to renovating the house - however, what he's totally unprepared for are three dead bodies, one of which he stumbles over when he arrives at La Mensola, the name of his isolated farmhouse on the road between Siena and Montepulciano.Against the backdrop of a series of grisly murders, The Road to Montepulciano is the story of a young man, still suffering the scars of war, who, despite betrayal of trust and surrounded by a complex web of lies, finds friendship, love and the warmth of community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bell in the Fog, a dazzling historical mystery by Lev AC Rosen, asks―once you have finally found a family, how far would you go to prove yourself to them?San Francisco, 1952. Detective Evander “Andy” Mills has started a new life for himself as a private detective―but his business hasn’t exactly taken off. It turns out that word spreads fast when you have a bad reputation, and no one in the queer community trusts him enough to ask an ex-cop for help.When James, an old flame from the war who had mysteriously disappeared, arrives in his offices above the Ruby, Andy wants to kick him out. But the job seems to be a simple case of blackmail, and Andy’s debts are piling up. He agrees to investigate, despite everything it stirs up.The case will take him back to the shadowy, closeted world of the Navy, and then out into the gay bars of the city, where the past rises up to meet him, like the swell of the ocean under a warship. Missing people, violent strangers, and scandalous photos that could destroy lives are a whirlpool around him, and Andy better make sense of it all before someone pulls him under for good. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lambda Literary Award-winning author introduces readers to the crime-fighting duo of Fin Donner and Devorah Longstreet—Lovers. Investigators. Women ahead of their time.New York City, 1899—a city on the cusp of a new century. A city growing taller, faster, a city of new inventions, new ideas—and old dangers on its shadowy streets where crime, misery, and murder lurk.When Pauline Godfrey, a young woman embodying the coming modern age, is viciously murdered, her throat cut, private inquiry agents Finola “Fin” Donner and Devorah Longstreet must navigate a world of violence and passion, lust and betrayal, where duty is twisted into bitter obedience and love is soiled.Fin, a tough survivor of the dockside slums, and her beloved companion, the elegant, intellectual socialite Devorah, probe deep into the festering secrets of a family, the rot and corruption of the police department, and the sinister world of the city’s thieves, whores, and thugs to find the killer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The third terrifying volume in the award-winning anthology series of original queer horror.Like the final girl in a slasher film, the LGBTQIA community knows first-hand what it’s like to fight for its survival. Beaten and bloodied after an extended chase scene through modern-day politics and the courts, we think we’ve triumphed and conquered our oppressors. We breathe a little easier knowing our rainbow is ascending in the distance. But—like the indestructible slasher villain—our enemies rise up again and again, as if on a looping third-act jump scare. It’s a seemingly never-ending return to battle as the pendulum of progress swings back.In this third volume of the award-winning anthology series, the darkest minds from both the LGBT+ and horror literary communities join forces to bring readers an all-new collection of terrifying tales from that line on the horizon where the dark rainbow rises.Stories by Chad Helder, Hailey Piper, Mathew L. Reyes, A.P. Thayer, J. Daniel Stone, Yah Yah Scholfield, Oliver Nash, Holly Lyn Walrath, Paul Tremblay, Carmilla Voiez, James Cato, Lucy A. Snyder, Maxwell I. Gold, Zachary Rosenberg, Matthew Blain-Hartung, Maryse Meijer, Vincent Kovar, CG Inglis, Craig Laurance Gidney, Dan Coxon, Kaitlin Tremblay, Michael Thomas Ford, Craig Brownlie, Amanda M. Blake, Sara Tantlinger, and Eric LaRocca. Edited by Vince A. Liaguno.Praise for Unspeakable Horror: From the Shadows of the Closet: “There is much to praise in Unspeakable Horror: From the Shadows of the Closet, a sharp, new gay-themed anthology. The 24 entries comprise a sophisticated collection of topnotch tales of terror, most of which could appear in any fright anthology without qualification and suggest the maturing of ‘gay horror’ into a viable and solid genre indeed.”—Fangoria MagazinePraise for Unspeakable Horror 2: Abominations of Desire: “If Unspeakable Horror: From the Shadowsof the Closet helped to establish speculative fiction as a mature and important genre for queer fiction when it was published about a decade ago, then Unspeakable Horror 2: Abominations of Desire takes it to new heights and creates an expectation of excellence. Tightly written and edited, free of tropes and mundane writing, these stories propel the queer horror genre to scare us while making a statement about our world and accomplish it with the best of writing possible.”—Lambda Literary ReviewProudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A relaxing trip to a Palm Springs resort turns deadly for Mason Adler and his friend Walter Wingate when first one of their fellow guests, then another, ends up murdered. Suspects and motives abound among the remaining guests as well as the owner of the Oasis resort, Marvin Gagliardi, an old friend of Walter’s.Mason investigates, hoping to prove Marvin’s innocence, but the more he uncovers, the more he wonders if Marvin actually might be the murderer. Distracting Mason is the handsome and eligible police detective assigned to the case, Brian Branchford. Mason had vowed not to become interested in anyone living a five-hour drive from Phoenix, but Branchford’s green eyes, gray hair, and toothbrush moustache are compelling reasons to give it a try.It’s up to Mason to uncover the truth about the deaths at the Oasis, and to discover if there’s romance as well as murder at the Oasis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"the patient routine is a merciless, anxiety-charged, possible-apocalypse, possible-zombie thriller, long narrative poem about the body in maddening conversation with itself. luna rey hall takes us through the terrifying halls of a hospital in lockdown while deftly exploring an immensely personal journey through the shifting realities of an over-medicalized mind, a body snared in systems that do not understand or serve it. The tension between inner and outer worlds is relentless and the body horror hits all the worst/best buttons while raising philosophical questions of identity and power. What a torturously smart little book."— Joe Koch, author of The Wingspan of Severed Hands and ConvulsiveAshton is convinced they are dying. whether it be from cancer, heart disease, or a fungal infection, they know something bad is always about to happen. after a night of health-related panic attacks, & urged by a voice in their head, Ashton decides to check in to the ER again but when another patient is brought in with an unknown ailment that puts the entire hospital on lockdown, Ashton may be trapped in their worst nightmare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Backed by his band The Close Contacts, Reuben’s unmissable live shows have sold out in Australia, London and Europe, winning the prestigious Off West End (Offie) Award for Best Cabaret in London as well as multiple Australian Green Room Awards for Best Artist & Best Cabaret Production, as well as the Adelaide Fringe Award for Best Cabaret twice, gleefully proving that he is the much needed, swarovski studded revolt against the ever narrowing views of an increasingly conservative world and he’s done it all while looking fabulous! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He went into the woods…and never came out.In 1986, thirteen-year-old Jeb Kleber vanished during his small town’s Fourth of July fireworks. His mysterious disappearance left his first love, Sammy Blake, grieving for years.Flash forward to present day. A now middle-aged Sam Blake has a comfortable and predictable life with his husband Marc in Chicago. All that changes when a stranger arrives at Sam’s door, claiming to be the missing Jeb Kleber. The stranger knows things he couldn’t possibly know—including the hidden love the boys shared during the summer of ’86. He also wears an amethyst pendant Sam gave him shortly before he disappeared.Could this be the real Jeb Kleber, missing for thirty-seven years? If not, who is this mysterious stranger? And what does he want after all this time? His appearance plunges Sam’s life into a nightmare of questionable identity, long-buried secrets, and perhaps even murder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even time cannot stop love.University professor Matthew Richter hates complications. Planning his every day down to the second leaves no opportunity for a social life, which he doesn’t feel the need for anyway.Jian Wei helps run his family’s business. The only thing he enjoys more than tormenting his parents and siblings with endless pranks is plotting his next trick on a certain uptight customer.Though so different, chance inexplicably draws them both to a World War II photography exhibit, and the aging photographer Milton Glass.Milton shares the story of two soldiers brutally cut down on the battlefield—which has haunted him for the better part of his life—and his suspicions that the soldiers shared a bond they never fully realized.Now, in the twilight of his life, Milton can’t help but wonder if Matthew and Jian share a potential bond of their own. Could they possibly be the same men from so long ago, returned for a second chance at being together? Milton can hope. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boy Wonder by Day. Boy Toy by Night.A child TV personality from a prominent Filipino family and the son of an accomplished academic, Jobert Abueva was a high achiever at his all-boys Catholic international school in Tokyo, Japan. Whatever Jobert did, he had to be the best, racking up achievements. He was a favorite among his fellow students, who elected him three times to the Student Council as class president, vice president, and president. Jobert was a triple all-star winner on the brain bowl interschool academic competition, debate, and speech teams, as well as a varsity track hero. He wrote for the school newspaper and yearbook and performed in school plays. A golden boy who could do no wrong. But Jobert had a secret nobody could know. After school, he led a clandestine existence turning tricks with foreign male guests at Tokyo’s world-renowned Imperial Hotel. So it’s not surprising that he had to be the best and was handsomely paid for it. More exciting and better pay than waiting tables. A BMOC (Big Man on Campus), he juggled dual identities of boy wonder and boy toy, sure that if exposed, he would be shunned by his friends and devastate all who groomed him for greatness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Stonewall Award winner Bill Konigsberg, a remarkable, funny, sexy, heartbreaking story of two teen boys finding each other in New York City at the height of the AIDS epidemic.The first thing I noticed about C.J. Gorman was his plexiglass bra.So begins Destination Unknown -- it's 1987 in New York City, and Micah is at a dance club, trying to pretend he's more out and outgoing than he really is. C.J. isn't just out -- he’s completely out there, and Micah can't help but be both attracted to and afraid of someone who travels so loudly and proudly through the night.A connection occurs. Is it friendship? Romance? Is C.J. the one with all the answers... or does Micah bring more to the relationship than it first seems? As their lives become more and more entangled in the AIDS epidemic that’s laying waste to their community, and the AIDS activism that will ultimately bring a strong voice to their demands, whatever Micah and C.J. have between them will be tested, strained, pushed, and pulled -- but it will also be a lifeline in a time of death, a bond that will determine the course of their futures.In Destination Unknown, Bill Konigsberg returns to a time he knew well as a teenager to tell a story of identity, connection, community, and survival. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Compassionate. Provocative. Moving.In this new collection, Thomas Westerfield challenges our expectations about the stories that can be told regarding sexuality, race, love, abuse, trauma, art, and intergenerational relationships.We meet, among others, a men’s sexual abuse group in rebellion against their earth mother therapist; a ninety-six-year-old gay cult writer who confronts a young queer interviewer; a burnt-out white professor playing dangerous academic games with his Black lesbian colleague; a teenager in a small Kentucky town in 1971 who experiences gay life for the first time through the movie, The Boys in the Band; a retired man sharing a Las Vegas roulette table with a lonely drunk college student celebrating his twenty-first birthday; a little boy terrified of what his Barbies will do to him in the dark of night; and a sex-trafficked young man, now free, explaining why he will never return to his family.Some find acceptance, even peace, within the many contradictory and often warring elements of their hearts; some do not. But all are embraced with compassionate acceptance as they go on, without the world’s understanding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prepare to Feast on LIfe!Robert (Raub) Karr and his best friend, Walter, planned a relaxing cruise from Seattle to Mexico. Little did they know that their vacation would be upended when they met the author and creator of Auntie Mame, Patrick Dennis, on board the ship. Dennis was traveling under an assumed name. And much like his character Mame, Patrick Dennis brought a whirlwind of mayhem, fun, and chaos into the lives of those onboard the ship.Raub, Walter, and Patrick became fast friends, with Patrick attracting a collection of eccentrics and oddball characters wherever he went. What was supposed to be a simple cruise turns into a full-blown adventure when Patrick and Walter jump ship and disappear into Mexico. Later, Raub comes to their rescue. Wealthy widows, art connoisseurs, masked midget wrestlers, ladies of the night, and hunting rats are just part of the trio's comical escapades.The story behind At Sea with Patrick Dennis: My Madcap Mexican Adventure with the Author of Auntie Mame is as fascinating as the memoir itself. When Raub Karr passed away in 2017, his memoir languished unpublished and was doomed to be lost forever. Fortunately, theatrical hair designer, Bernie Ardia, rescued the manuscript from obscurity. Ardia instinctively knew this story needed to be shared with the world.So, don your best jewelry, fix yourself a cocktail, and prepare to laugh as you come on a madcap Mexican adventure with Patrick Dennis, Raub, and Walter. To quote Patrick Dennis's most famous character, Mame, "Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving."Patrick Dennis, Raub, and Walter pile their plates high and feast from the banquet of life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Septic by Mark Allan Gunnells: The year is 1988. When Carl finds himself trapped in a school bathroom with a faulty lock over Christmas break, things seem bad. When the pain in his abdomen increases and he realizes his appendix has burst, things get worse. Can he manage to free himself in time? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Longlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel PrizeWhen a young DeafBlind man learns the girl he thought was lost forever might still be out there, he embarks on a life-changing journey to find her—and his freedom.Arlo Dilly is young, handsome, and eager to meet the right girl. He also happens to be DeafBlind, a Jehovah’s Witness, and under the strict guardianship of his controlling uncle. His chances of finding someone to love seem slim to none.And yet, it happened once before: many years ago, at a boarding school for the Deaf, Arlo met the love of his life—a mysterious girl with onyx eyes and beautifully expressive hands which told him the most amazing stories. But tragedy struck, and their love was lost forever.Or so Arlo thought.After years trying to heal his broken heart, Arlo is assigned a college writing assignment which unlocks buried memories of his past. Soon he wonders if the hearing people he was supposed to trust have been lying to him all along, and if his lost love might be found again.No longer willing to accept what others tell him, Arlo convinces a small band of misfit friends to set off on a journey to learn the truth. After all, who better to bring on this quest than his gay interpreter and wildly inappropriate Belgian best friend? Despite the many forces working against him, Arlo will stop at nothing to find the girl who got away and experience all of life’s joyful possibilities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nathan has a special gift that has been with him for as long as he can recall.He can see the dead, and they whisper secrets to him. But his unique talent isn’t appreciated by everyone, nor is his flamboyant style. Growing up without a mother, raised by a single father, dressing fabulously, and being a seer of the invisible leads to all kinds of schoolyard problems. Despite his father’s never-ending support, Nathan finds comfort in his darker side.When Nathan discovers his love of fashion, femininity, and fierceness, it’s only time before he evolves into Azadore Necrophilia Hex—the newest drag queen on the scene.With dedication and study, and some spirits of the long-departed helping her along the way, Azadore soon becomes a local sensation. A big dark bear of man becomes a huge fan, and on their very first date, Azadore is introduced into the world of magicals, where she finally finds home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

George Michael was an extravagantly gifted, openhearted soul singer whose work was both pained and smolderingly erotic. He was a songwriter of true craft and substance, and his music swept the world, starting in the mid-1980s. His fabricated image—that of a hypermacho sex god—loomed large in the pop culture of his day. It also hid—for a time—the secret he fought against revealing: Michael was gay. Soon his obsession with fame would start to backfire. As one of the industry’s most privileged yet tortured men began to self-destruct, the press showed little sympathy. George Michael: A Life explores the compelling story of a superstar whose struggles, as well as his songs, continue to touch fans all over the world.    Acclaimed music biographer James Gavin traces Michael’s metamorphosis from the shy and awkward Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou into the swaggering, dominant half of the leading British pop duo of the 1980s Wham!; he then details Michael’s sensational solo career and its subsequent unraveling. With deep analysis of the creative process behind Michael’s albums, tours, and music videos, as well as interviews with hundreds of his friends and colleagues, George Michael: A Life is a probing, definitive portrait of a pop legend Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

THE START OF A BEAUTIFUL PARTNERSHIP— A DETECTIVE DUO WITH HEART AND FURSteve’s ripe for a new relationship—divorced, over forty, and still dusting himself off from a lamentable sojourn in prison, an unusual experience for a professor, to say the least. (He really must do something about his hacking habit!)Rochester’s a handsome, homeless, loveable golden retriever whom Steve had always found too big, too enthusiastic, and too shaggy.But tragedy struck their neighborhood when someone murdered Caroline, Steve’s nice next-door neighbor, while she walked her best friend, Rochester. Steve’s the unlucky guy who finds her body and he just knows, despite their differences, that he has to take in the broken-hearted pooch.Once they’re both properly rehomed, these two form a detective partnership that’ll make you sit up and beg for more. Eat your hearts out, Spade & Archer—pretty soon they’ve got a warm and fuzzy thing going. Big furry forthrightness—not to mention heart—meets tech-savvy craftiness as they work their case.Rochester has no idea he has the potential to be the greatest doggy detective since Rex the Wonder Dog was a pup. But he’s got a job to do and he has to find a way to train Steve in the fine art of investigation. Unbeknownst to Steve, his life just changed radically—because a big furry mentor has just trotted into it. Both want justice for Caroline, and Rochester’s way of expressing it is simply to sniff out one clue after another in the hope his two-legged colleague can piece them together.Steve’s way—when all’s said and done— is still to bend the law a little, with the help of Caroline’s contraband laptop. And also to follow Rochester’s trail of treats.Fans of animal cozies—and all cozies!--will find pure gold here especially aficionados of mutt heroes from the aforementioned Rex through the immortal pooches created by Spencer Quinn, David Rosenfelt, Garth Stein, and Laurien Berenson. Lovers of canine classic films like TURNER AND HOOCH, BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA, and the immortal BENJI will also want to sit and stay awhile. Luckily, there’s a whole litter of cases out there.Neil S. Plakcy is the author of the award-winning Mahu mystery series, and coeditor of Paws and Reflect: A Special Bond Between Man and Dog. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A therapist who treats LGBTQ clients often must be more than “gay friendly.” Clinical experience, scientific research, and cultural understanding are advancing rapidly, and the task of being LGBTQ informed is ever-changing in today's world.This book covers topics such as how to avoid making the common mistake of believing that "a couple is a couple," thus treating LGBTQ couples the same as their heterosexual counterparts; how to treat clients struggling in "mixed" orientation marriages and relationships (straight and LGBTQ spouses in the same couple); and how to work with all clients who have non-heteronormative sexual behaviors and practices. Perhaps most importantly, the book discusses covert cultural sexual abuse (the trauma suffered from having to suppress one's own sexual and gender identity) as well as the difficult process of coming out to family and friends. A therapist's job is to help clients and their identities through their own lens and not anyone else's—especially the therapist's. The gay affirmative principles put forward in this book will help you build a stronger relationship with your LGBTQ clients and become the go-to therapist in your area. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever dream of finding the perfect lover? When Alexandra Wyatt meets Marnie Hardwick, Alex is thrilled to end her solitary, unhappy existence. After several blissful months, the two women buy a house set deep in a dense pine forest. However, the landscape soon dissolves from idyllic to disturbing as Alex begins to suspect the relationship is an illusory trap. Fueled by jealousy, anger, and curiosity, Alex rushes into a bizarre intersection of past and present that holds treacherous consequences.Doublecrossed is a suspenseful tale of desire, deception, betrayal, and smoldering revenge that sparks a complex plot to achieve retribution. At once a strange love story and a cascading nightmare, written in the tradition of Patricia Highsmith, the novel entangles the reader in a web of psychological intrigue.Doublecrossed includes scenes of physical violence and abuse and is recommended for mature adults.“Doublecrossed is a psychological thriller that drops you in the middle of an intense relationship which turns disturbing after several months. As the blissful honeymoon phase fades, the protagonist's concerns grow for whether she knows her lover at all. Laury Egan's descriptions will place you in the thick of Alex's world, wondering what will happen next. Be prepared for this story to burrow in your mind and set up shop. It will linger long after you finish reading.”—Jazzy Mitchell, author of Leveling Up Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Without Earth, Nel has nowhere left to runHot-tempered Dr. Nel Bently is not cut out to save the world. After her last project ended in fire and death, Nel must put aside her distrust of just about everyone and embark on a lo-fi search for a deadly radio transmission.Earth’s survivors are torn between the austere superpower of IDH and the high-tech grassroots Los Pobledores. At every turn more allies go missing and Nel questions where everyone’s true loyalties lie--and on which side Lin will fall when a line is finally drawn.They need experts. They need firepower. But it looks like the only thing standing between Earth and devastation is Nel: archaeologist, asshole, and functioning alcoholic with anger issues.ALIEN meets LARA CROFT in this queer, snarky science fiction adventure about where we came from, and where we’re going from International Bestselling author V. S. Holmes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dinny and her brother make their escape from slavery on the pirate ship the Hades. It is the last place in the world Dinny imagined she’d meet the love of her life. Lei, a Chinese exile, recognizes Dinny as the woman of his destiny. But their new life is shattered when her former owner seeks his revenge. With the help of their friends, family, and colleagues, Dinny and Lei will face the challenges of finding love and happiness in the Caribbean world of the 17th century.Enjoy this erotic historical romance with true-to-life relationships of both heterosexual and LGBTQ partnerships. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.