Author: Kassa

A Report from Winter by Wayne Courtois

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A Report from Winter by Wayne Courtois

Blurb:
A Report from Winter is a death-in-the-family story, a love story, and a meditation on the meaning of ”winter” ~ as a season and as a metaphor for family relationships.

It’s January 1998, and southern Maine is recovering from one of the worst ice storms in history. Into this unforgiving environment comes the author, flying home from Kansas City after a ten-year absence. His mother, Jennie, is dying of cancer. Though receiving excellent care in a nursing home, she has lost the ability to communicate. Needing support, Wayne makes an SOS call to Ralph, his longtime partner. Ralph boards a plane to Portland for his first exposure to a Maine winter, and to Wayne’s family as well, including a feisty aunt and an emotionally distant brother. The contrast between a nurturing gay relationship and dysfunctional family bonds is as sharp as the wind sweeping in from the sea.

Stubbornly unsentimental, A Report from Winter weaves childhood memories of winter with the harsh realities of living in a family where there’s not enough love to go around. The memoir is a tribute to hard-won relationships built on mutual trust and understanding, defying an uncaring world.

Beautiful and touching..

Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Nicole Kimberling

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Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Nicole Kimberling

Blurb:
Small town Pacific Northwest reporter Peter Fontaine wants to level up. A job offer in Austin seems to be the answer to his prayers, but there’s one catch: his boyfriend, Nick Olson, artist, recluse, and snow-loving outdoorsman.

When Peter agrees to go to the Freezing Man snow sculpture competition, he thinks he’s going to get a lesson in making love in a hollowed-out snowball in the woods. He thinks he’ll either find a way to convince Nick to come to the Lone Star State or be forced to say goodbye. But one frozen corpse derails Peter’s personal plans entirely…

Common Sons by Ronald Donaghe

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Common Sons by Ronald Donaghe

Blurb:
Set in a small town in the middle of nowhere in the mid-1960s, Common Sons not only anticipates the coming gay revolution, but delineates its fields of battle in churches, schools and society, pitting fathers against sons, straight teens against gay teens, and self-hatred against self-respect.

From the opening scene (where a reckless bout of drinking at a dance ends in a very public kiss between two teenage boys), the citizens of the small town of Common, New Mexico, become aware of the homosexuality in their midst.

The two boys are unable to deal with their struggle in private as the story of their public kiss spreads through the small town. Some seek to destroy the relationship between the two boys, while others seek to destroy the two boys themselves. Common Sons is a moving tale of self-discovery, love and finding the courage to come out and come to grips with truth in the face of hatred and adversity.

Cross-posted to TDB..

What do you like in your blurb?

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Today it was my turn in the opinion piece over at Three Dollar Bill so I’m asking for a little reader participation. The topic of question is what do you like to see in your blurbs? How much information or what information? So if you have an opinion on the all important blurb – please pop on over and leave a comment.

Also this week we have four reviews up.
My reviews are Bashed by Rick Reed (which got some interesting comments) and Hero by Perry Moore. Both are good books and worth reading, though I adored Hero.

Emily did a review of a transgender sci-fi anthology that sounds fascinating and also a Noble Romance new release. Be sure to look at those.

So far we’ve gotten a great response and several review requests. I also have a bunch of recommendations and have started to use my points from paperbookswap to get some books. So look for some older titles in gay lit to show up soon.

As always, feedback of any kind is welcome and encouraged!
Have a good weekend!

Hero by Perry Moore

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Hero by Perry Moore

Blurb:
Thom Creed is used to being on his own. Even as a high school basketball star, he has to keep his distance because of his father. Hal Creed had once been one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of The League–until the Wilson Towers incident. After that Thom’s mother disappeared and his proud father became an outcast.

The last thing in the world Thom would ever want is to disappoint his father. So Thom keeps two secrets from him: First is that he’s gay. The second is that he has the power to heal people. Initially, Thom had trouble controlling his powers. But with trial and error he improves, until he gets so good that he catches the attention of the League and is asked to join. Even though he knows it would kill his dad, Thom can’t resist. When he joins the League, he meets a motley crew of other heroes, including tough-talking Scarlett, who has the power of fire from growing up near a nuclear power plant; Typhoid Larry, who makes everyone sick by touching them, but is actually a really sweet guy; and wise Ruth, who has the power to see the future. Together these unlikely heroes become friends and begin to uncover a plot to kill the superheroes.

Along the way, Thom falls in love, and discovers the difficult truth about his parents’ past. This is a moving, funny, and wonderfully original novel that shows that things are not always what they seem, and love can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

Cross-posted to TDB

A Stranger’s Touch by Anne Brooke

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A Stranger’s Touch by Anne Brooke

Blurb:
Male prostitute, Red, is given an assignment by his pimp and lover, Robbie, with a very unusual client. Red meets the stranger in a darkened house in London and, during their sessions, he learns more than he ever knew about lust, love and his own personal history.

How will his curious and life-enhancing encounters with the stranger affect his relationship with Robbie and his clients, and can love ever be part of a hooker’s life at all?


definitely different…

Bashed by Rick Reed

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Bashed by Rick Reed

Blurb:
Three haters. Two lovers. And a collision course with tragedy. That October night, Donald and Mark had no idea their lives and love were about to be shattered by fag bashers, intent on pain, and armed with ridicule, fists, and an aluminum baseball bat. Bashed charts the course of a journey that encompasses suspense, horror, and–ultimately–romance.

Cross-posted to TDB