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Books By Alexandra Y. Caluen
Word Count: 34,100
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Theater professor Byron didn’t expect to meet a Broadway legend, much less to be saved from a fall off a curb, while his date walked on with a group of friends. By the time Byron and Cole were properly introduced, JoJo was halfway down the block with his gang, heading to another club. Byron sent a text and went to dinner with Cole instead. The next morning, it was clear that something needed to change. Cole was fascinated by his new man’s not-quite-previous relationship, and not at all averse to meeting the much-younger actor. Cole was new to LA, but he had a lot of connections in the industry; if JoJo needed a hand, why not offer one? Especially when it became clear that Byron wasn’t ready to pull the plug completely. Byron’s mild case of breakup guilt got serious when he and Cole learned exactly how JoJo was getting by. Between the two of them, they could make up for some of the ways Byron had failed the younger man. And along the way, they discovered that JoJo was just what the two of them needed. The only question was, did he need them the same way?
Word Count: 18,500
Character Identities: Gay, Non Binary
Summary: Darius Adams is at the pharmacy for his fall vaccines when he meets Rafael Balam. He’s instantly attracted to the cute, nonbinary costume designer. Over drinks at a nearby café, they discover a lot of things in common, from recently losing parents and moving house to people Rafael knows at Darius’ new teaching job. It doesn’t take long to decide they want to see a lot more of each other. Neither was on the hunt for a new relationship, but when it seems a good one has opened up in front of them, they walk right in. During the next few months, Darius and Rafael learn how to be boyfriends, then lovers. Then they open up the living-together conversation. At midlife, are they too set in their ways, or do they love each other enough to make it work?
Word Count: Information not available
Character Identities: Information not available
Summary: 2024 Top Ten Gay Romance brings together the best-selling short stories published by JMS Books that year. From first love to true love, from submission to sensual, from heat to sweet and everything in between, the couples in these stories are sure to keep you turning the pages as you fall in love with them. With stories by Alexandra Caluen, Holly Day, Nell Iris, Shawn Lane, K.L. Noone, Mere Rain, Ellie Thomas, Alexander Verlangen, Alex Winters, and Patrick Bryce Wright, this head-over-heels collection goes beyond bedtime reading. Whether happily ever after or happy for now, there’s an ending for everyone in here! Contains the stories: Empty Shelves, Full Hearts by Alexandra Caluen, The Snaccident by Holly Day, Snowstorm Confessions by Nell Iris, Glad Tidings by Shawn Lane, Midwinter Music by K.L. Noone, Three Wishes and a Miracle by Mere Rain, The Way Home by Ellie Thomas, Roses, Romps, and Romance by Alexander Verlangen, The Do Over by Alex Winters, and A New Season of Intimacy by Patrick Bryce Wright.
Word Count: 16700
Character Identities: Gay, Intersex
Summary: Benny Schneider has lived in Las Vegas for a lot of years, working in medical billing for the past fifteen. In February 2021, he runs into new friend Dorian Weathers at the supermarket and they start a conversation that goes in some unexpected directions. Dori’s seen a lot during his years of working as a hospital orderly, but hit the wall after eight months of coping with a pandemic. Now staying with a longtime friend, he’s been offered a free apartment in Los Angeles and help with tuition to level up his career. When Benny offers a room in his own house instead, Dori gets a vision of what might be possible. By the end of that first conversation, it’s clear they’ll be housemates with benefits. Over the months that follow, they grow closer. Benny’s twenty years older and he’s been through a change that even most of his friends don’t know about. Before long, Dori wants everything Benny is, was, and ever will be. With the support of their friends and the freedom of drag, they’re determined to embrace a new change. Can they carry it into the future along with everything else they are?
Word Count: Information not available
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A later-in-life M/M holiday romance short story. As he waits in the bar of a San Francisco restaurant for the rest of his work group to arrive, ex-Navy JAG counsel Ren Itano sees someone arrive. At the end of the evening, Ren gives ex-Navy Legalman Jimmy Rubio a ride home. Jimmy invites Ren in for a cup of tea. After a night together, they begin a conversation about meeting again. By Christmas day, both men suspect they're on the brink of being boyfriends. Can a chance meeting lead to the gift of a future together? Adult situations, themes, and language.
Word Count: 7500
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: With one month to go before the neighborhood bookshop closes, temporary manager Evan is mostly concerned with balancing the needs of owner and customers. He’s delighted to meet novelist Simon, who drops in after finishing a book tour. They instantly connect. As Christmas approaches, Evan and Simon become friends, then lovers. They meet friends and family, beginning to think about a possible future together. New Year’s Eve is the bookshop’s last day. Will the next day be the start of that future?
Word Count: 11200
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: At going-on-fifty, patent filing specialist Santo is the recently divorced single dad to a sixteen-year-old with Broadway ambitions. He’s thrilled to learn his new co-worker Martin is close to his age, also gay, and also a single dad. At the very least, they might turn into good work friends. Before many weeks pass, Santo and Martin are much more than work friends. Their teenagers, who go to the same high school, quickly bond. Having school and workplace in common takes a lot of the juggling out of trying to date in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Santo’s support helps Martin cope as an adoptive father to a niece still grieving her parents. He’s creating a new version of himself for this role. Will his turbulent entry into parenthood open a door to a future full of love?
Word Count: 25,300
Character Identities: Bisexual, Gay
Summary: Nick, Charlie, and Stephen, sons of an earl, a baronet, and a freshly knighted barrister, met at school and became fast friends. The young noblemen went on to university while Stephen read law in London. All three exchange letters and visits, even spending holidays together for the next thirteen years. Their terms of intimacy, while close, have been undefined: Nick and Charlie have a separate relationship, Charlie and Stephen another. In November 1819, Nick invites his two friends for three weeks at his country lodge. He worries that their bonds may be sundered by circumstance: he is to be married. While this was always inevitable, they must all now face up to the changes it will bring. Mere days into their country retreat, all three have confirmed their desire for more, not less, intimacy. Ideas are exchanged, affections shared, wishes expressed. Their days together strengthen the mortar of their new connection, giving it time to set. Along the way, they indulge in every kind of intimacy, safe in the privacy of the hunting box. Will their plans and promises hold once they must part?
Word Count: 74,600
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: John Hancock Darrow left his North Carolina hometown after college. The only reason he’s there twenty-eight years later is to deal with estate business when his mother and sister are killed in an automobile crash. The realtor he chooses to list his mother’s B&B can’t make that hurt less, but he can help John forget it for a while. Small-town, self-employed, multiple job holding Daniel Washburn doesn’t expect more than after-dinner sex with the big-city lawyer. When the man turns up at the local ballroom studio a few days later, Daniel’s happy to dance with him. When they start working out an unusual deal for the B&B, they begin to feel like friends. Then during one of their many phone calls, John asks if he can take Daniel to dinner. John and Daniel keep finding reasons to stay in touch. Then to be lovers. Then to get married. It’s a convenience, John says. Daniel knows it’s more. But John’s ten years older, successful, the kind of man who owns a million-dollar New York City condo and can afford to give away a house. If he wants Daniel on any terms, he surely has his reasons. Daniel’s willing to wait for the right moment to put that convenience nonsense to rest. Because he’s got his own reasons, and the truth will set them free.
Word Count: 35,900
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Neither 18-year-old Troy Nakamura nor 22-year-old Laszlo Jovanovic expect anything after their one-night stand. Troy is bound for college and Laszlo is heading to graduate school on the other side of the continent. They don’t see each other again for five years, when Troy’s former competition dance partner invites him to her wedding, where he can’t resist another encounter with Laszlo. Then he says more than he should. While Laszlo lets him down easy, the fact is Troy’s still in law school and the other man’s work is taking him to Europe. Their first parting wasn’t easy, but this one really hurts. As Laszlo winds up his final European contract seven years later, a traumatic incident disrupts his intention to stay with his parents for a while. Troy, now living near their families again, offers house room while Laszlo sorts himself out. Both of them had always thought What If. With privacy, peace, and the opportunity to learn just how they’ve both changed since that first momentous night, is the time finally right for love?
Word Count: 19130
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Ivan Reznik’s been part of the drag act at the Pink Pussycat Lounge for five years when Jaime Rivera joins the cast. They both worked as extras for a scene in an action comedy filming in Las Vegas; between the daily tests and the thrill of making a movie, a round of hookups was inevitable. Now 2020’s almost over, and Ivan can’t help wishing his new year might include more of Jaime. But first he has to tell the truth about something big. Jaime’s whole life changed with the lockdown. His roommate situation fell apart; his job went away; he had to move home with his parents in Phoenix; and his life of carefree casual sex seems to be over. He’s barely begun to think about what might be possible when he wakes up on Ivan’s couch to face a day full of upsetting truths. Ivan and Jaime decide to find out if the truth opened the door for a new way to look at the future. Could that be the holiday gift they both wanted most?
Word Count: 70,000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: When set medic Koa Sanders meets actor/stuntman Loren McCall, sparks fly. Loren himself just went flying—and got knocked out—in a dangerous collision stunt, setting off all Koa’s protective instincts. At the end of the day, when Loren suggests he wouldn’t mind having someone at home for post-head-injury monitoring, Koa tells himself it’s only to make sure the actor is okay. By the time he leaves the next morning, they’ve tested the question very thoroughly…and they want to see each other again. Loren is already thinking about drawing the line under stunt work. When his agent sends word of a potentially career-changing audition, he decides this is the time to take the leap. He’s facing a huge loss in the coming months. Getting a big part will complicate matters in a big way. But Koa’s right there, telling Loren he’ll help. Neither man was looking for a boyfriend; neither is willing to dismiss their instant connection. Loren isn’t used to needing help; Koa isn’t used to someone wanting it. And if they get through the year’s challenges together, their lives will change forever.
Word Count: 36,000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: *2024 Runner-Up : New England Romance Writers Reader's Choice Award - romance novella* Jeweler Lachlan Beattie does the Renaissance Frolicke event each year; it’s the only time he sees costume designer Taran Kimura. Their vendor stalls have been on opposite sides of the site. Then the year’s event package arrives with a new map: now they’ll be side by side. Taran sees the new map and considers sending a thank-you note to the management. Finally, no barriers to striking up a conversation with the sexy Scot. They’ve been eyeing each other for years. Taran’s almost fifty; it’s past time to step outside his comfort zone. Lachlan makes the first move; Taran makes the second. Once they start talking, they never want to stop. They have six weekends to see how far their connection could go. By the end of the second, they both know they want forever. What could possibly go wrong?
Word Count: 15900
Character Identities: Bisexual, Gay
Summary: In college, Paxton Barrilla and Mars Hudson built a strong foundation for lifelong friendship. Then their careers took them to opposite sides of the country. When they walked into a recording studio in Las Vegas, Pax as producer and Mars as clarinet player, they hadn’t seen each other for almost twenty years. At first, Pax’s plans were simply to make the best jazz record he possibly could. Mars? He wanted that too. But he wanted more: a chance to see if long-ago friendship and a gift for working together might add up to more. The overture was a surprise, but Pax was interested. After three weeks of the kinds of conversations they’d never had with anyone else, are they ready to see if they’ve struck the right chord?
Word Count: 75,000
Character Identities: Bisexual, Gay
Summary: *2024 WINNER - New England Romance Writers Reader's Choice Award - Short contemporary romance novel* A between-jobs vacation was all Angelo expected from Buenos Aires; when it turned into a holiday fling, he wasn’t about to say No. Ramon’s impulsive trip to Argentina started off as a disaster. The cute dance teacher offering a room share? An early Christmas present. The night dancing tango? A revelation. The next week turned into a series of great dates, the kind that would take months to set up in real life. By day two, they were both wishing they’d met long ago, in California, where they both grew up. Ramon’s heading back there; Angie’s bound for North Carolina. How could they possibly make it work? Could they try? Angie leaves Argentina with a head full of plans and wishes, but no regrets. Ramon goes home with a plan of his own, determined to turn some wishes into reality. A New Year’s Eve party was always going to be a challenging introduction to his new job. Left on their own by two key staffers, Angie and his junior instructors manage to pull it off. The next morning, he’s expecting a hard day of damage control. Instead he finds Ramon on his doorstep. One way or another, they’ll dance into the future together.
Word Count: 34000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A M/M holiday romance novella about finding your way home. Rhett Carpenter’s early fame ended with a crash. Sixteen years later, he’s working steadily: writing, producing, narrating, even acting. He’s made a decent life for himself. The trouble is, he never wanted a life that was only for himself, and he’s not sure he wants this one anymore. Gabriel Aguilar didn’t know who Rhett was when they met on the train, but it didn’t take long to find out. They noticed each other around the neighborhood, as well as on the Metro. Months later, when Gabriel’s apartment burned down, Rhett offered the vacant studio behind his house. They weren’t close, but they were friends. So when Rhett needed someone to reach out, Gabriel did. And before long, they were much more than friends. Adult situations, themes, and language; 34000 words and a happy ending. Content alert for depression.
Word Count: 32,500
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A midlife M/M romance novella about equality. Casimir has a good life: a nice little house, a hard-to-get job, and an online store for his Shakespeare-inspired paintings. The only thing he’s missing is someone to come home to. Then ballet teacher Misha rings his doorbell. Misha risked everything on America twenty years ago, and so far the risk has paid off. The only thing he’s missing is someone to share his future. Then he drops in at the online store’s showroom and meets the painter. Casimir let his job cost him one important relationship already. Within a day of meeting Misha, he’s willing to take the biggest risk of his professional life. And Misha’s willing to stand at his side, no matter what happens. Adult situation, themes, and language; 32,500 words and a happy ending.
Word Count: 77300
Character Identities: Bisexual, Questioning, Polyamorous
Summary: A F/F/M romance novel about having it all. Vicky and Sharon had a great place to live, jobs they liked, excellent neighbors and landlords, and a four-year-old daughter they loved. Ten years after they went from best friends to lovers, they were married and prospering, starting to talk about the one thing they were missing. What came next? Marco Hidalgo was still trying to decide how to tell his wife his show was cancelled when he got home and found the note. Four years after they went from co-workers to married, it was over. It didn’t seem to matter what came next, so he reached out to the one person who was always on his side. When newly-single Marco turned up on Vicky’s movie set, she called Sharon to ask What If. Sharon said Why Not, and Marco said it might be revenge. Vicky said if it wasn’t at least a little bit revenge, she’d be concerned. So they tried it, and it worked, and now all three of them had to figure out what came next. Adult situations, themes, and language; 77300 words and a happy ending.
Word Count: 55,700
Character Identities: Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Pansexual, Polyamorous, Straight
Summary: A romantically queer Edwardian novel in three acts. Six unconventional people find their unconventionally-perfect matches in a community of adventurers and academics. An American heiress travels to England in 1905, soon to meet an aristocratic lady adventurer who becomes the friend and partner of a lifetime … An Oxford solicitor finds himself possessed of a modest estate, yet has no one with whom to share it. Seeking a lady of intelligence, he finds his perfect match … A gemstone magnate from Ceylon forms a connection with the Spanish secretary to an English duchess. The time may be right for their love; the place is not. But in the south of France they can live together in the sun … A sweet, low-angst, ensemble frolic. Adult situations, themes, and language, with three happy endings.
Word Count: 30,500
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: An age-gap M/M romance novella about making beautiful music during lockdown. When all three of his roommates moved out, Davy Sun’s living situation was a mess. Then friends of a friend offered their pool house for the duration, and it was an offer too good to refuse. The last thing Davy expected while he was living in some random rich person’s backyard was to meet the man of his dreams. But it turned out the rich guy was friendly with guitarist Barry Teller, who came over to give an open-air lesson. The lesson turned into a picnic dinner, and then some playing and singing on the patio. Turned out Barry really liked Davy’s voice … and he wanted to hear it from up close. Content alert: this story is set in the real world of 2020. Adult situations, themes, and language, with a happy ending.
Word Count: 63,000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A hurt/comfort M/M romance novel about truth and consequences. Valentine Gale knew he was difficult. Too many years of not only hiding his emotions, but refusing to admit he had them. He thought his future would look a lot like his present. Then he met the new science teacher Christopher Parsons. Kit had been trying to find a moment to talk to the language-arts teacher for months. When the guy started that conversation at the academy’s year-end party, Kit was delighted. It turned out they had a lot in common. Including the way they liked to kiss. A few months later, Val and Kit were still tiptoeing around the truth of what they’d become to each other. Then Kit disappeared from a donor event, and suddenly Val couldn’t hide from it anymore. Content alert: this novel deals with recovery from sexual assault.
Word Count: 89300
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A slice-of-life M/M Hollywood romance novel about growing into yourself. Victor Garcia and Andy Martin had known each other for eight years. Been in love for seven and a half. Been together – really together – for six, and married for two. So many milestones, so much change. Victor looked at his life sometimes and thought, this can’t be for real. Going into 2020, they had a full year of work scheduled. Then life got weird, and for a minute it seemed a lot of things wouldn’t happen. It took some ingenuity and a ton of paperwork to make sure all those projects didn’t evaporate. It also took stepping up. Victor knew those two movies could be salvaged with a few changes, so he sent in spec rewrites. Not much later, they were in Europe for career-changing roles. Andy was thrilled, not just because both movies were going to be better this way, but because he loved Victor’s new confidence. Every time the guy tried something new and it worked, he opened up a little more. Andy had to match that, because it was only fair. Even when the things that spilled out hurt.
Word Count: 72,000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A later-in-life M/M love story about commitment and equality. Patrick Sarkisian could have been on another ridiculous date on that particular Saturday. Instead he was cheering for his niece at her first adult ballroom competition. Being the Good Uncle, not expecting the evening to be memorable in any way. Then he noticed one of the professional dancers, and things got interesting. Dmitri Vasko expected to spend the long evening as usual: round after round, out on the floor with his students. Then he heard someone yelling his number, saw the person responsible, and all at once wondered if this was the change he’d almost stopped hoping for. Their courtship was just long enough to determine that they really did want the same thing: each other. Then they had to figure out how to work around two established careers. How to be together, and how to stay together. Their partnership was built around change. One thing never changed: commitment to making it work. REVISED & EXPANDED EDITION including material previously published as 'Change Partners.'
Word Count: 11,000
Character Identities: Bisexual, Transgender
Summary: A trans/bi holiday romance novelette. After forty years of living in the wrong body, Patrice Diaz was finally reborn. She had two weeks in Las Vegas to try new ways of enjoying her new life. The nice-looking guy at the bar seemed like a good place to start, but she had to tell him the truth. Noel Arkady was at the point of ‘if you want something to change, you have to do something different.’ The pretty woman at the bar might have been only a pleasant dinner companion. Then she told him the truth. They had two weeks together before Patrice had to go back to Mexico for her TV shoot, and a lot of baggage to unpack. When they got to the bottom of everything, would they find what they needed to try moving on together? Adult situations, themes, and language; 11,000 words and a happy ending. Plus bonus short story!
Word Count: 80300
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A slow-burn, age-gap M/M romance novel about reaching for a dream … and finding the person who’ll give you a boost. When a porn director dropped her card in Manny’s guitar case, he was mildly flattered. But he was busy with all his other jobs, and a card wasn’t money, so he forgot about it. When her partner showed up to say they were interested in putting Manny in front of the camera, he started thinking about it again. Irv thought the spinning trainer was interested. But after a couple weeks without contact, busy with other projects, he forgot about it. Then, weeks later, Manny called to ask if they could talk. He wanted to be a legit actor. Irv said he could learn some skills, if he paid attention and took it all seriously. It turned out that Manny was very good at paying attention. He took everything seriously, and he learned fast. Pitching him to a casting agent was basically the same as waving goodbye; if the guy got enough legit work, he’d walk away from porn, and from Irv. A year later, Manny was heading to Mexico to shoot a new historical series. Before he left, he was determined to see if the vibe between him and Irv added up to anything. If it did, Manny wasn’t about to walk away.
Word Count: 34000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A M/M romance novella about finding the future you want. Once upon a time, Ashley Wong pledged the same fraternity as Justin Landau. They weren’t friends. The last time Ash saw Justin was the first time he realized the other guy was gay, too. Fast-forward to 2018: Ash is back in L.A. after nearly a decade away. Starting over with everything, except his job; that’s only a new location. Which happens to be in the same building as the law firm where Justin works. They still aren’t friends. But Ash belongs to an online chat group, and he’s friends with someone there. They both use aliases. At Christmas, they open up enough to discover they’re both in L.A., and they decide to meet. Justin has a moment of OMG No when he sees Ashley at the rendezvous. Things happened back in college. Those things weren’t Justin’s fault, but he didn’t exactly help, either. Should he walk away? Or should he trust that one kind of friendship could become another? Adult situations, themes, and language; 34000 words and a happy ending.
Word Count: 73500
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Forrest Kim was a young, successful, single lawyer; he was adept at fielding the usual kind of pass. The text from venture capitalist Julian Sherwood was not that kind of pass. It was, however, irresistible. Get picked up by a billionaire: was that a bucket-list item? Whatever it was – even if all it amounted to was dinner – Forrest was up for it. By the end of dinner, he was up for a lot more. It wasn’t going anywhere. It couldn’t possibly go anywhere. Forrest lived in Los Angeles, and ‘successful’ meant ‘third-year associate carrying five figures of student-loan debt.’ Julian lived in London, plus there was the billionaire thing. But Julian kept coming back to L.A., and every time he did they saw each other. Until they didn’t, and then they had to decide. Were they going to take this somewhere after all, or was this really the end?
Word Count: 32600
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: An age-gap, cross-culture M/M romance novella. Reggie Galant was a successful businessman: he ran a gay porn site called At Your Service, and it served him very well indeed. It supported his vocation as a painter, it bought his flat in London, and for a long time that was enough. Ro Gallo wasn’t getting anywhere in L.A. It was his home city, but it didn’t feel like home: nothing there was his. One of his jobs paid the rent, the other one paid for his health insurance, and between them there was just enough left over to live. They met by what might have been chance, at a party hosted by a mutual acquaintance. Two days later, Reggie asked Ro to visit him in London. Ro said he would. They’d never been on a date, never touched beyond a handshake, never kissed. Maybe both of them were crazy. On the other hand, maybe neither of them were.
Word Count: 27000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A neighbors-to-lovers M/M romance novella. For nine years, bookshop owner Dominic has been getting his coffee across the street. For nine years, café owner Louie has been wondering if he’ll ever risk making a move. Then weeks go by with no Dominic. Is it a sign of trouble for the bookshop (and the neighborhood), or only for the man himself? Louie doesn’t quite dare ask the booksellers; he and Dominic haven’t been that kind of friends. The relief when Dominic comes back is overpowering. So much so that Louie finally makes his move. Dominic expected the story of his life to pick up where it left off. He didn’t expect the next chapter to include Louie. But from a touch to a kiss to a best-ever date, their story unfolds with a new surprise on every page. A new thrill, and a new chance. Adult situations, themes, and language; 27000 words and a happy ending.
Word Count: Information not available
Character Identities: Bisexual, Questioning, Straight
Summary: A F/F bi-awakening romance novella. Vicky Russo and Sharon Weiss are co-workers and best friends. When Vicky finally shows her freeloading boyfriend the door, she and Sharon start spending even more time together. Sharon tags along when Vicky starts hanging out with Vince, because he’s entertaining and she likes to watch them dance. They both date other people, with varying degrees of non-success. But they keep coming back to “it’s more fun to be with you.” And at a certain point, there’s really no reason to be with anyone else. Adult situations, themes, and language; 24000 words and a happy ending.
Word Count: 71000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Dr. Liam Byrne had nothing to complain of. He was tall, he had good hair, his business was going great. But all the moves that went into building his career meant leaving people behind. At forty-two, what he needed was someone to share his life. He was starting to wonder if he’d missed his chance. Mark Valance made the move from stage to television, was in year three of a recurring role, and knew he was living the dream … but it felt like a nightmare. At thirty-eight, he couldn’t breathe anymore. He had to kick the closet door open, before he lost his nerve. When Liam and Mark met at their friends’ first Thanksgiving party, they had a moment. Neither of them was quite sure what it meant. They decided to meet again, to see if they could figure it out. Their next meeting lasted two days. They were both tired of going it alone, and something felt right. Right enough to do whatever it took to figure out a future together.
Word Count: 31500
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Paul Rosenberg never stayed up for New Year’s Eve anymore, so it was the morning of January 1, 2000 when he sat down with a cup of coffee and told himself it was time to start living again. He’d lived in this house for three years now, in Los Angeles for just over seven. Making new friends, building a new business, taking his history of success in New York and turning it into even bigger success here. Coming home alone every night of every week of every month of every year, because no matter how many attractive men he met in the West, none compared to Mark, the man he’d loved and lost before. Then he ran into a man who looked so much like Mark that Paul almost couldn’t believe it. Jan de Witt, an aspiring jeweler: well-educated, well-mannered, and much too young. Once he got over the shock, Paul couldn’t stop thinking about how he could help de Witt launch his career. He really tried not to think about anything else. Once he agreed to Paul’s proposition, Jan put his whole heart and soul, and a lot of work, into launching the business. And he didn’t care about the age difference. He hoped the business partnership would lead to more. Maybe to everything.
Word Count: 23,000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Paul Xiao considered himself lucky. He'd lost his husband after a grueling battle with cancer, but they'd had twenty-two years together. After six months, he started to live his life again, the parts of it he'd lost touch with during that five-year battle, the parts he could carry on with alone. Then he went to a fine-art miniatures show and met the painter Kevin Park. Before he knew what he was doing, Paul had invited Kevin to join him and his friend Patrick for dinner. And Kevin, who'd been so strongly attracted to Paul that he'd held those two paintings, hoping he would come back around and they could talk, said he would. Three months of cautious dates later, Paul asked Kevin for help with his home yoga practice. It was logical; that was Kevin's profession. But he was hoping that opening the door to his home would mean opening other doors too. After a lifetime of compromised relationships, Kevin was almost afraid to hope. There was just so much between them that was right. If they could find the right balance and breathe into this, maybe they'd both find space in their lives for love.
Word Count: 70200
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Bob Anderson knew it was not quite normal to be relieved that the woman he’d proposed to turned him down. He thought he was ready; he was thirty-six, it was time to choose a partner and take the next step. He wanted her as much as he’d ever wanted a woman. It was not quite normal to be sitting in a bar asking himself whether he’d ever wanted a woman at all. Jade Derecha wasn’t out to pick anyone up. He wasn’t out to meet anybody. He only went to sit with the guy in the suit because he looked so tragic. And then the guy put that ring box on the table without a word, as if it had a story to tell. Jade opened the box; thought wistfully about how good that ring would look on his own graceful hand; and put it on. By the end of the night, Bob was calling himself Robert, because he wasn’t the person who’d always been called Bob. Only one other thing in his life had changed. That one thing changed everything else. Because he woke up beside Jade and realized there was so much more to want.
Word Count: 70200
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: When Freddie Chandra went through the casino kitchen to see what was causing the commotion, he expected to find the usual: a cluster of vehicles in the alley, all refusing to give way. What he found instead was six people yelling at each other over a seventh, a thin dark man who made not a sound. Edmund Robert was mostly thinking well I’m buggered because he had no papers to display, no one was speaking in English, and the sign language he’d relied on for years wasn’t getting him anywhere. Then the most beautiful man in the world walked out of the kitchen, shut the rest of them up, and went to look at Edmund’s makeshift shelter. When he returned to the now-silent group, he said, “Bower bird.” Edmund looked up, startled, thinking how did you know? In short order, Edmund was David Marlowe. Along with the new name, he had a proper job, and the safest place in the world to live. Not long after that, he also had Freddie. But the man at the top was going to Los Angeles to make a movie, and Freddie – the interpreter, the man who could speak to anyone – was going with him. Leaving David – the man who couldn’t speak at all – alone on the private island. Safe, working, surrounded by friends, but more alone than ever. They were both such beginners at love. They’d barely learned how to be together. How on earth could they survive being apart?
Word Count: 29800
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Xi Duarte was still getting acquainted with the patients at Therapy Shop when Harry Sterling came through the door. All Xi could do for Harry that night was help the massage therapist. It was a surprise to realize he wished he could do more. Harry wasn’t Xi’s type, but something about him was hard to forget. The latest episode of acute back pain was one too many: Harry couldn’t take it anymore. Coming that close to breaking down, in front of that incredible-looking guy at Therapy Shop, tipped him over from resigned to angry. Two years of medical consultations got him nowhere. It was time to try a shrink. Six months later, Xi saw Harry again, outside the coffee shop. It was the perfect opportunity to get to know each other … and they were thorough. Now they needed to know if this was simply a spring affair, or if it was the connection they’d both been wishing for.
Word Count: 67000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A second-chance M/M romance novel about trust, truth, and recovery. When Richard picked up Willem at the dance studio, it was supposed to be a one-night stand. After six dates, he knew it was more. But it was too late, because Willem was leaving for the cruise-ship job. Their sixth date ended in a way that seemed final, though neither of them got over it. When Willem wrapped up the cruise gig, he decided to change his focus and start building a life he could share with someone. Maybe even with Richard. When Willem ran into Richard at a nightclub, inviting him to a wedding was an impulse. By the end of that date, they both knew they wanted to try again. This time they'd take it slow. They'd tell more of the truth. They'd dance together, using that common language to say things they were still afraid to say. After all that, maybe they'd be ready to take each other on forever. Adult situations, themes, and language; 67,000 words and a happy ending. REVISED EDITION. Content alerts: alcoholism, anorexia. After all that, maybe they'd be ready to take each other on forever.
Word Count: 29900
Character Identities: Bisexual
Summary: Max Davies had come to Los Angeles from Christchurch for reasons, not by choice. She was making the best of it: working part-time in a tux shop for a bit of air, narrating audiobooks on occasion to keep her sense of herself as an actor alive, and doing her best for her mother. An outing to Cicada with her boss, his husband, and their friend seemed a well-deserved break in her routine. Then, “Max Dartmoor. It’s you, isn’t it?” The person asking knew her alter ego, from the audiobooks, from her voice. The person asking was Anton Tsvirko, a project manager. The person asking was irresistible. One transgressive encounter and several soul-baring emails later, Anton and Max met again. They agreed that this was significant. They agreed that it was unique. They agreed that a failure to pursue this connection would be an insult to whatever forces led them both to the upstairs bar on that night. Words brought them together. Whether there was anything more to be said remained to be discovered.
Word Count: 90500
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: From supporting role in a TV cop show to above-the-title co-star in a blockbuster movie franchise was crazy. Actually being married to the love of his life: Victor Garcia didn’t have words for that. He hadn’t found words for the other thing, either. Four months after being shot, he still wasn’t talking about it. The trauma counselor tried, their friends tried, and his husband Andy Martin certainly tried. But they had so much going on. For Victor, it was easier to celebrate life than to look back at almost losing it. Andy wasn’t the man who would say ‘no, we need to talk’ when the love of his life wanted something else. The tango tour was scandalously fun. Then they got home, and he went to visit his parents, and the bottom dropped out of his world. He and Victor had already been through a lot together. They both thought, if we could take that, we can take anything. But when he needed Victor most, things went sideways. What if this was simply too much? What if suddenly, at the worst possible time, they’d gone from ‘can’t get enough’ to ‘had enough?’ Neither of them could accept that. So they dug down, and opened up. Because on the other side of this was the rest of their love affair.
Word Count: 25200
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Sergei Kotov had lived in Las Vegas for ten years. He had a great job as a trainer for one of the massively-popular showgirl extravaganzas on the Strip. He had a house with a pool, a paid-off car, several good friends, a cat named Gypsy, and many friendly acquaintances. At fifty-three, he was content. His life was full, he had more than most people, and if it wasn’t everything he wanted, it was enough. Then a friend from his past sent a text saying ‘go see Gino Corsetti,’ and because Andy Martin had never wasted Sergei’s time, he did. And suddenly he was no longer content. Gino Corsetti had nothing to complain of. At forty-seven, he had the sort of long-term performance contract that most singers could only dream of. After a quarter of a century on the road, he was finally ready to call someplace ‘home.’ If only he knew what that meant. Then a guy who’d been a ‘maybe’ called him to say someone was coming to see his show on the Strip. Gave Gino a little history, enough to think he should take a real look at the man. A man who was an appropriate age, who understood the performance life, and who was settled. A man who’d made a home for himself, here in Vegas. There’d been a lot of ‘maybe’ and ‘not quite’ in Gino’s life. A lot of ‘almost’ and ‘not now’ in Sergei’s. The idea that they might be right for each other seemed like more than a gamble: it seemed like an impossible dream. But what if it were true?
Word Count: 92200
Character Identities: Bisexual, Gay, Polyamorous, Straight
Summary: Janis and Niall were best friends almost from their first day working together on tour. Over the years, that friendship grew stronger. Her troubled long-distance relationship and his slow recovery from losing the love of his life gave them more points of connection, not fewer. And almost three years in, they had to face it: they were in love. There was only one problem. Janis was straight, and Niall wasn’t. They didn’t know what to do. As a woman and a man, certain combinations were, technically, possible. But there are some things you don’t ask even your best friend to do. If a day arrived when one of them found a person to meet that unmet need, what would happen to them? And then they met Geoffrey. A man who enjoyed women and men. A man they both found attractive and charming; a man attracted in turn to each of them; a man whose particular circumstances made the experiment possible. Now the question was, would their unique combination be the catalyst for a new, indissoluble element … or would it blow up in all their faces?
Word Count: 29200
Character Identities: Bisexual, Gay, Polyamorous, Straight
Summary: A romance novella about what happens when meeting everyone's needs requires unconventional thinking. Janis Vaughn was doing all right with her music career. She was still young enough that spending most of her time teaching, and playing on other people’s records, didn’t look like ‘gave up’ or ‘couldn’t make it.’ What she really couldn’t make was ‘up her mind.’ Then her friend Victor asked a favor. It was something easy to do, that she was happy to do. But the reason he needed it made her take another hard look at her life. It was one thing to hold back when reaching out could literally cost you your career. It was quite another thing to hold back when the worst that could happen was ‘well, I tried.’ So she tried. The first album was a modest success, leading to a local tour. Janis was loving every minute of it. And when she met Stefan – another musician, another teacher, a guy the right age who was smart and sexy and understood what she needed (at least at the piano) – she thought she had it made. But it wasn't all good, and it got less so over time. When they were together, things were fine. There simply wasn't enough 'together.' If it hadn’t been for her tour manager (and instant BFF) Niall, Janis would have been all alone for most of the year. Fortunately, they liked everything about each other. He was the man of her dreams, except for one thing: she was straight, and he wasn't. They each needed something the other couldn't provide, because there are some things you don't ask even your best friend to do. And then they met Geoffrey, a man who might be their missing link. Janis and Niall had to decide: what if the worst that could happen was ‘well, we tried?’
Word Count: 92600
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: It takes a village to make a movie. Andy Martin started the ball rolling with a photo shoot starring a long-lost Argentinean friend-of-a-friend and a few other tangueros. Writer/director Tanith Salazar, invited to sit in, was still scribbling notes after everyone else had left. Before too long she was writing a treatment, which eventually became a screenplay about the great tango composer and singer Carlos Gardel. A vehicle for Andy’s husband Victor Garcia, with a lot of music, a lot of dancing, and generally a lot of potential to be a total flop. They did it anyway: made the movie they wanted to make, with a cast of old and new friends. Andy and Victor were as much in love as ever, but their work on a TV cop show (and the never-ending controversy about their characters) was getting to them. Along the way to premiere night, their community – and their relationship - went through some changes. It would take every one of their friends to pull them through.
Word Count: 22,600
Character Identities: Genderfluid, Lesbian, Non Binary
Summary: An F/F-with-a-twist romance novella about seeing past the surface. Yoshi Ito was an expert at making people see what he wanted them to see. What most people never realized was that his private life was as much of a special effect as the lighting and projections he designed for the theatre. Lesley Hayes had her own skills at creating imagery; a successful freelance costume designer, she could turn a sweet-natured guy into a villain or a beautiful dancer into a bog monster. She was trying not to look too hard at Yoshi, because she didn't date men. But Yoshi had a secret: he was not what he seemed. When Lesley discovered the truth, would she be glad? Or would Yoshi have to say goodbye to the woman he'd come to love?
Word Count: 29000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A M/M romance novella about trust. Ricky Castillo was building a new life since getting out of a long-term abusive relationship. After a year of healing, he couldn't help noticing that the cruise ship's good-looking sommelier had noticed him too. Luis Ramirez was in the middle of a long-term career plan, one that didn't make any kind of relationship easy. But he'd had an eye on Ricky ever since he'd seen those performance videos. He couldn't believe his luck when it turned out Ricky and his partner Anya would be the dance team for the Valentines singles cruise. Ricky's history had left him with a lot of baggage; it was a struggle for him to adapt to some of Luis' own coping mechanisms. Forty years of conditional love - or no love at all - hadn't prepared Ricky for the complete acceptance he found with Luis. Bit by bit they worked through their issues. Little by little Ricky was able to come to grips, and come to peace, with his past. Then the only question was: who would be brave enough to dive in first? Adult situations, themes, and language; 29000 words and a happy ending
Word Count: 29000
Character Identities: Lesbian
Summary: A F/F romance novella about reinvention. Dana was new to West Hollywood and a little shy of going out much. Turned out she didn't need to worry: her sitcom had ended a year before, and now she was yesterday's news. That is, until she met the cute barista named Rory. Dana had been in the closet her whole life: stepping out of it was scary. Her friend Andy was there to help her navigate the new landscape ... and nothing much scared Rory. Would it be a summer fling, or a real romance? It didn't take long for Dana to know this was the connection she'd always dreamed of making. And once Rory discovered what true love felt like, they were both ready to show it all.
Word Count: 83400
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: It was a risk for Victor to come out. A risk for Andy to take the plunge with a younger, better-known performer. And a big risk when Victor's show decided to break boundaries. But when the time and the love is right ... sometimes you have to let the whole world see it. Andy's second act was as a commercial photographer, and he was doing all right. He kept getting new and interesting jobs, and meeting new and interesting people. The L.A. arts scene being what it was, those people kept turning up in interesting places ... like at the Brewery complex where he lived. Victor was there to get a new tattoo. It was a carpe diem kind of night, and he'd liked Andy back when the older man did photography for Victor's stage project. So he went with the impulse. But in the morning light, all the potential complications knocked him sideways. It was going to take some time for them to find a path together. And with everyone watching, it was going to take some nerve.
Word Count: 73200
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A second-chance M/M romance novel about finding your groove. Mateo de la Cruz expected to dance, drink, and maybe get picked up when he hit West Hollywood on his birthday. He didn’t expect to wake up with an epic hangover, fully clothed, in the bed of the guy who gave him the best dance of the night. Sam Lee didn’t expect the birthday boy to be such good company, especially not with a hangover. A day off together led to dinner, which led to going back to bed. It was perfect, which was scary. When Mateo left, Sam panicked. They didn’t see each other again for a year. Then Mateo tracked Sam down again, to see if they could figure out why neither of them had been able to move on. And once they'd figured that out, it was time to figure out their next moves. REVISED EDITION.
