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The Proof
by César AiraMarcia is sixteen, overweight and unhappy. One day, as she’s walking down a Buenos Aires street, she hears a shout: ‘Wannafuck?’ Startled, she turns round and is confronted by two punk girls Lenin and Mao. Soon, she’s beguiled by them and the possibilities they open up. But the two have little time for a philosophical discussion of love: they need proof, and with their own savage logic the duo, calling themselves the Commando of Love, hold up a supermarket as the novel climaxes in an unforgettable splatter-fest finale.
We Go Around In The Night And Are Consumed By Fire
by Jules GrantVoiced by Donna and her streetwise god-daughter Aurora, this thrillingly original crime novel unfolds at breakneck speed - at once furious, tender and heartbreaking. Lesbian gangster and street poet Donna runs the all-female Bronte Close Gang. Carla, single parent and part-time MC, is her closest friend and trusted second-in-command. Together they carve out an empire in the toughest streets of Manchester. Unlike the city’s other gangs, run by men caught up in violent turf warfare, the women keep their heads down, doing business their way: partying on Canal Street, selling drugs in perfume atomisers in club toilets, and working as cleaners to account for their illegal income. But when Carla is gunned down everything changes.
Letters from Tove
by Tove JanssonOut of the thousands of letters Tove Jansson wrote, a cache remains that she addressed to her family, her closest confidantes and her lovers – both male and female. Into these letters she spilled her innermost thoughts, defended her ideals and revealed her heart. To read them is an act of startling intimacy and a rare privilege. Offering a personal narrative that is far more revealing than any autobiography, this is Tove Jansson writing in her own words and in her own time about her life as it unfolded in Helsinki’s bohemian circles and the island refuge she shared with her partner, Tuulikki Pietilä.
C+nto: & Othered Poems
by Joelle Taylor‘Visionary and powerful. I loved it.’ Hollie McNish The female body is a political space.C+nto enters the private lives of women from the butch counterculture, telling the inside story of the protests they led in the ‘90s to reclaim their bodies as their own – their difficult balance between survival and self-expression. History, magic, rebellion, party and sermon vibrate through Joelle Taylor’s cantos to uncover these underground communities forged by women.Part-memoir and part-conjecture, Taylor explores sexuality and gender in poetry that is lyrical, expansive, imagistic, epic and intimate. C+nto is a love poem, a riot, a late night, and an honouring.
Hot Tales of Gay Lust Three: A Collection Of Gay Erotic Stories (Hot Tales Of Gay Lust Ser. #3)
by Landon DixonAn Xcite Books collection of twenty gay erotic stories with mixed and varied m/m themes. Butt In: He was an assman from way back, always gravitating to men's moons - following them with his eyes in pants and shorts and swimsuits, fondling them with his hands, clothed and bare, fucking them with his cock. And so, when he saw the man laid out on the beach like a Nubian offering to the glute gods, he went weak in the knees and hard in the cock. And he just had to butt in. Engines of the Night: They were after Mariano. Far off, the high-pitched whine of an engine throttling to top speed, then the shotgun-like blasts of a bigger engine, exploding from cruising to racing speed, echoing through the dark, empty, concrete streets. Revving closer, burning nearer, seeking, doing battle over hot, young men like Mariano who dared go out at night. Massaging the Truth: It was a sleazy, back alley Washington massage parlour with a reputation for "full-service" rubdowns. You had to know the password just to get in. Thompson knew it, wanted the works. And then he knew he wanted so much more. Agony Uncle: A lot of young men had gone through it - being "interviewed" by "Uncle Simon", the man who ran the main industry in town, virtually controlled the entire county. It was a rough, rigorous process that resulted in only the right men for the job. The reward? Employment at Uncle Simon's business, servitude at Uncle Simon's home. Men of the Open Road: The road he walked, he didn't walk alone. With his thumb out, dressed in a tight white T-shirt and pair of blue jeans that showed off his smooth, young, sun-bronzed body, he kept getting picked up by older men. And taken for rides. It was the most satisfying form of travel he knew. Slave-master: He kept three slaves, treating them like the dogs they were, using collars and chains and commands, and his cock, for obedience. He made them perform for him - on each other - before unleashing his own lust on all three. Slaves never had it so good. Gym Dandy: The new guy, Dexter, strode into the gym like he owned the place, taking narcissism to a whole new level. He was tanned and ripped, had a torso bulging with chest plates, huge, vein-striated arms that peaked up into the clouds, cleft chin and square jaw and bright blue eyes. In other words, I liked everything about the dude, except his 'tude; that did need a whole hell of a lot more work. And I was just the horny man to do some honing, for the good of gym harmony. Saunsational: Cody was sitting all by himself in the sauna. The heat was turned up high, the steam thick and wet. He was wearing just a white towel, his hand burrowed down in the towel, softly, languidly stroking his hard, pulsating cock. Until another man entered the cedar-panelled room. And the temperature soared, the sauna gone sexual cauldron. Rough Play: Braden was on the college football team. As a result, the big lug was kind of shy about his gayness. So, he used horseplay as foreplay - his way of getting a certain sexy little nerd to do exactly as he wanted. He performed best under pressure, after all. Who says all jocks are dumb, let alone straight? Black Marketeer: Ben Jardin was the biggest black marketeer in southern Arizona. With a warehouse full of illicit goods to back him up, he could help people out - for the right price. It was usually a good deal for all the men he serviced. Until a couple of real racketeers tried to muscle him out of some of his merchandise. That's when Ben Jardin had to work it really dirty.
Butt In (Hot Tales of Gay Lust #11)
by Landon DixonAn Xcite Books collection of five erotic gay stories with mixed and varied m/m themes including menage, BDSM, sci-fi, voyeurism, sex in public and interracial.Butt InHe was an assman from way back, always gravitating to men's moons - following them with his eyes in pants and shorts and swimsuits, fondling them with his hands, clothed and bare, fucking them with his cock. And so, when he saw the man laid out on the beach like a Nubian offering to the glute gods, he went weak in the knees and hard in the cock. And he just had to butt in.Engines of the NightThey were after Mariano. Far off, the high-pitched whine of an engine throttling to top speed, then the shotgun-like blasts of a bigger engine, exploding from cruising to racing speed, echoing through the dark, empty, concrete streets. Revving closer, burning nearer, seeking, doing battle over hot, young men like Mariano who dared go out at night.Hunk-hunk!He works for Hunk magazine, a glossy monthly publication that profiles handsome male athletes, runs features on various sporting, health, and lifestyle issues. The job doesn't pay well, but there's one excellent fringe benefit: the opportunity to ogle hunky men in their deliberately-made-skimpy uniforms and other athletic gear. And when two studly footballers show up for a photo shoot, the pictorial action turns wildly perverted, in living colour.Massaging the TruthIt was a sleazy, back alley Washington massage parlour with a reputation for "full-service" rubdowns. You had to know the password just to get in. Thompson knew it, wanted the works. And then he knew he wanted so much more.Agony UncleA lot of young men had gone through it - being "interviewed" by "Uncle Simon", the man who ran the main industry in town, virtually controlled the entire county. It was a rough, rigorous process that resulted in only the right men for the job. The reward? Employment at Uncle Simon's business, servitude at Uncle Simon's home.
Game Ball (Hot Tales of Gay Lust #10)
by Landon DixonA collection of five erotic gay stories with mixed themes from one of erotica's best known writers Landon Dixon. Stories include menage, BDSM, voyeurism, sex in public and interracial themes.Game BallHe was still upset with himself half an hour after the game. He'd missed the tying goal with three seconds left. But his team-mate, Octavio, knew the score, the big, rugged, raven-haired, copper-skinned guy offering up a post-match pep session that turned losing into winning, gloomy into gaiety. Game on!PulpedBryan Frinkle loves comic books, graphic novels, and all things Yaoi. But most and best of all, he loves pulps, the rough paper fiction magazines that dominated newsstands in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. His favourites are the hero pulps, whose rugged, wily, earth-shaking, heartbreaking leading men often find their way straight into young Bryan's very active fantasies. And when he ventures forth to the pulp magazine and paperback book convention, he meets a couple of young men who share his passion - and passions. Even the garish pulps never dished out thrills so lurid!Men of the Open RoadThe road he walked, he didn't walk alone. With his thumb out, dressed in a tight white T-shirt and pair of blue jeans that showed off his smooth, young, sun-bronzed body, he kept getting picked up by older men. And taken for rides. It was the most satisfying form of travel he knew.Sunnyside UpMark wasn't exactly overjoyed when his parents suggested he spend the summer on his uncle's farm. The only consolation was that his cousin two times removed, Jake, was going to be there, and they were both around the same age. Maybe they'd have some good times. And maybe, just maybe, Mark would experience the longest, hottest summer on record.Blue vs BrownThe streets were where their war was waged, individual battles won and lost on their routes. The FedEx guy in his blue uniform, Ron. The UPS guy in his brown uniform, Don. Every now and then, though, their fire would turn downright friendly, the two hardened road warriors abandoning the uniforms that made them mortal business enemies to engage in a sizzling private truce.
Rough Play (Hot Tales of Gay Lust #12)
by Landon DixonAn Xcite Books collection of five erotic gay stories with mixed themes including m/m, contemporary, historical, menage, BDSM, voyeurism, sex in public, interracial, and seasonal.Rough PlayBraden was on the college football team. As a result, the big lug was kind of shy about his gayness. So, he used horseplay as foreplay - his way of getting a certain sexy little nerd to do exactly as he wished, and wanted. He performed best under pressure, after all. Who says all jocks are dumb, let alone straight?Stacked in BackLibraries aren't just for checking out books. They're for checking out men too. The counter personnel can be homely as a Louisa May Alcott novel, and the security guards chunky as the latest Stephen King bestseller. But a lot of the customers are nice to look at, and some of the young men restacking the shelves make pleasant browsing for horny patrons. As they say in the book-lending business: when these stacks are rockin', don't come a stockin'.Secret Santa's WorkshopTed wanted to be an elf, work for Santa. Only problem was, at 6' 2" tall and 220 pounds, he was way too big for the regular toyshop. Fortunately, Santa had another workshop, perfect for a man of Ted's proportions; a place where they assembled "adult" toys. Ted took to the job like a horny reindeer to sleigh traces.Black MarketeerBen Jardin was the biggest black marketeer in southern Arizona. With the war on, rationing a reality, and with a warehouse full of illicit goods to back him up, he could help people out - for the right price. It was usually a good deal for all the men he serviced. Until a couple of real racketeers tried to muscle him out of some of his merchandise. That's when Ben Jardin had to work it really dirty.Gitcha!Theirs was a liberal fraternity, open to anyone regardless of orientation. So, when one brother-lover suggested a "gitch raid" to his other loving brother, stealing and soiling the underwear from a fellow fraternity on campus, they were both in. Deep and depraved. Come and gitch it!
Delicious Divas: Five erotic lesbian stories
by Evan RossBells and Lemon Drops by Evan RossTanya is holidaying in San Juan with three friends from work. Sing and Marly are straight and Advit thinks she might be bisexual - which is great, because Tanya secretly hopes to make Advit her love connection. At the hotel, things go unexpectedly wrong when Sing insists on sleeping in the bed with Advit, forcing Tanya to sleep with Marly. She thinks the situation can't get any worse, until it does. Advit will have to get a clue and Tanya must take a risk - before they can stoke their passion and leap into the fires of love.Burnt Sugar by Anna SansomSwapping my usual Saturday night out in a dyke bar with a bottle of beer for a world of feather boas and cocktails was really stepping outside of my comfort zone. Along with the rest of the audience, I hoped to find the burlesque show entertaining and, with any luck, maybe even slightly titillating. But what happened on the stage paled in comparison to meeting my own, private dancer...Wedding by Jess MurrayAttending her ex-boyfriend's wedding becomes much more exciting for blonde Jess when she catches sight of a gorgeous, toned, shorthaired woman. Is she even gay? Jess is determined to find out, and parades her considerable assets to try and turn the mystery woman's head. Once the two of them strike up a conversation it's clear that Jess has more than met her match, and the heat builds as they drink, dance, and banter their way towards a sizzling midnight date in the wedding chapel...Dreams Come True by Encarnita RoundThere is only one woman in the world Ali wants to be with, and that's Sam, her lifelong best friend. Just one party ruins everything and their relationship is broken beyond repair. Rejected and broken hearted, Ali finally decides to pick up the pieces and move on. She seeks a night of distractions, hot and steamy distractions, when she finds that a spilt drink can lead to more than just her trousers getting wet. For Ali, things will never be the same again.Inside Out by Persha BellAt the Flor de Canela Villas complex, everyone's a wannabe, waiting for that big Hollywood break and trading on a vague resemblance to someone more famous. And for D, the dream is turning very sour very quickly. But when D's neighbour breaks up with his celebrity girlfriend, D gets the chance to offer consolation and maybe even find out what it's like to be somebody...A collection of the winning entries from the Xcite/Diva magazine short story competition.
Devotion: The Perfect Slave Trilogy - Book One
by Alcamia PayneDevotion - Book one in The Perfect Slave trilogy. A powerful contemporary gay erotic love story, with BDSM, historical and paranormal sub-themes When Tristan meets grand BDSM master Astor, he’s catapulted into an elite, clandestine world of seductive desire and power - an ancient system of servitude whose goal is sexual Nirvana. As Astor struggles to resurrect a crumbling network of corrupt masters, he attempts to groom Tristan as the perfect slave. However Tristan’s fallen in love with him and Astor once stung by love will never love again. Willingly trapped in a world of rapturous intrigue, adventure and sexual experimentation Tristan fights to dispel his master’s inner demons and prove that love can conquer all, whilst becoming entangled in Astor’s obsession to trace his shady heritage back to The Crusades and its mysterious birth. About the Author.#1 bestseller of romantic, paranormal and historical erotica, Alcamia is acclaimed for her spirited and imaginative writing voice. Devotion is the much awaited first novel in ‘The Perfect Slave,’ trilogy.
Lion Hearted: Book One in The Divination Falls Trilogy
by Sommer MarsdenTryg Avondale is the muscle for his pride, and when he’s called upon to hunt down two missing teens, he sees the job for what it is – a chance to give his pride a break from him and his “nature”. Tryg is a gay lion and it’s not something his “family” seems to embrace.He takes with him Luke Dorchester – an empath and the perfect travel companion. Luke can feel and soothe every emotion that coils deep inside Tryg, and the sex between them is the hottest Tryg has ever known. Tryg has no intention of letting his emotions go any further when it comes to this brand new man. But he also has zero intention of letting him go. What follows is a road trip from campground to campground, hot nights in hotel rooms and close encounters spent together as they follow the scent of the two abducted shifters. A scent that takes them to Divination Falls, a haven for shifters and associated magical folk; a place where an old evil will surface and Tryg will learn just how far his love for lion-hearted Luke must take him.
Resort to Naughtiness
by Elise HepnerAn erotic novella with f/f, BDSM and destination erotica themes.Willa pinched pennies for two years to afford a resort vacation that's way out of her fire technician's salary. So she enlists the help of a vacation roommate to cut her costs in half. Enter Shelby, the little waif who, on her way down to their cabin, befalls trouble, making Willa play reluctant nursemaid. Shelby is very persuasive. She'll erase Willa's half of the bill - if Willa lays her complete submission on the line. A quiet ski resort vacation may turn into the mother of all sleepovers - and all Willa can think about is Shelby beneath her scorching sheets.
Overdue
by Elise HepnerAn erotic novella with lesbian and BDSM themes.Working at a rundown library in her small hometown, Molly Fable becomes entrenched in a game of sexual cat and mouse. One of the patrons, Holly Ryder, has been purposefully ignoring her slew of overdue erotic books - and she's less than subtle about her lack of payment - or remorse. Unwilling to lose her job, and unable to cope with the weekly flirtatious visits, Molly silently seethes, while plotting to give Holly the punishment of her life. Beneath their veiled anger and erotic games comes a sexual fetishist understanding neither expected while getting it on in the archiving room. But emotions won't stop Molly from taking out every missing cent from Holly's flesh.
Abigail's Abandon
by Leigh TurnerDo women have time for a mid-life crisis? The recent actions of Abbie's husband in that vein seemed to have propelled her into one of her own, however much she wished that her world hadn't been turned upside down. The sojourn in the south of France was just what she needed. Time to think, time to indulge in the type of pleasures she had never even contemplated before. When Keith took her to meet Catherine and her associates, they were to stay only a week or so. But the perverse dramas enacted during that short stay at the beautiful former model's villa would ensure that Abbie's future would be re-mapped irrevocably ...
Beast in Me: Book Two in The Divination Falls Trilogy
by Sommer MarsdenBeast in Me by Sommer Marsden - Book Two in the Divination Falls trilogyWeather worker Cameron Bale rolls into Divination Falls after being prompted by Spirit and Brother Lighting. He discovers that the small, hidden town full of shifters and magical types is suffering a series of unsettling events. There’s speculation from the town seers that he could be the answer they’ve been looking for. Cameron’s willing to try and help: he’s got nowhere to go and nothing to lose. His life is simply about loneliness and it turns out that Trace, a grumpy wolf with stunning eyes, knows just what that feels like. Cam finds himself wishing maybe they could be alone … together. Oh yeah, and battle whatever evil it is that still lurks in Divination Falls.
Must Love Wolves
by Elizabeth ColdwellNeil Affleck is working in the Highlands of Scotland, researching his doctorate on wolves in myth and folklore. The solitude gives him time and space to get over the shock of having been duped by fraudster Phillip, who he met on an Internet dating site. His peace is disturbed when he finds a young, half-naked man in the grounds of his cottage, unconscious and covered in cuts and bruises.Logan Grayling is an outcast from his pack, defeated in a fight for dominance by his brother Lennox, the new alpha wolf. Driven by the impulses of a strange new male he scents on the wind, he makes his way to Neil.Their attraction is strong, the sex wild, but werewolves mate for life. Can broken-hearted Neil learn to trust this feral stranger, and what will happen when he learns that another wolf lives in this environment - a wolf who has a plan to make Neil his?
Possession: The Perfect Slave Trilogy - Book Two (The\daughters Of Hastings Ser. #1)
by Alcamia PayneTristan is the modern day slave of Astor, master of the clandestine slave circle called the jeu. Astor is intent on cleansing the jeu of its corrupt masters while fighting the demons of his past. Konstantine is the ancient slave of Abarak. Taken captive during the Crusades, his mind is opened to a panorama of bondage and sexual delight in pursuit of a dream of ancient spiritual bliss. Tristan is gradually succeeding in thawing ice-cold Astor, who he loves devotedly. Master and slave embark on a journey to the birthplace of the jeu where they reconnect to its mysterious roots. However, Tristan is coveted by twisted rival master Jummal, who will stop at nothing to procure him. Tortuous days lie ahead for master and slave as Astor fights to retain his hold on the jeu and Tristan is taken hostage by a man sexually darker than he could ever imagine.
Columbia Road: Of Blood and Belonging
by Linda WilkinsonA compelling memoir of family secrets and personal discovery - as characterful, rich and visceral as the East End itself.'Where I am going has little beauty. No landscape to take the breath away, no cultural highlights of note, just a street of Victorian shops and houses to which I now know I undoubtedly belong.' Linda Wilkinson's childhood was spent on the dusty, pungent workaday streets of Columbia Road. Sundays brought the flower market and visits to the pub with her flamboyant, ancient grandmother, who would seat Linda on the bar while she sang. Surrounded by poverty and love, eccentricity and endurance - in a borough of refugees, craftsmen, working men and the odd crook - Linda watched carefully and absorbed the secrets and frailties of the adults around her. A career spent in haematology, specialising in the diagnosis of blood disorders, brought Linda hard against the limits of both science and her watchful self. She would have to come back home before she could begin again. An extraordinary tale of belonging and awakening.'An astonishingly accomplished memoir, vividly written and evoking both a time that has changed for ever and a place that is transforming in front of our eyes. Written with a complete lack of self-regard and great originality. I'm a fan.' Julie Christie
Exquisite
by Sarah StovellShe loves me. She loves me not.Bo Luxton has it all – a loving family, a beautiful home in the Lake District, and a clutch of bestselling books to her name.Enter Alice Dark, an aspiring writer who is drifting through life, with a series of dead-end jobs and a freeloading boyfriend.When they meet at a writers’ retreat, the chemistry is instant, and a sinister relationship develops…Or does it?Breathlessly pacey, taut and terrifying, Exquisite is a startlingly original and unbalancing psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last page.‘The characters are so untrustworthy you wont know what to believe, but you won’t put it down till you’ve found out. A superb debut’ Sunday Mirror'Cunningly constructed and gorgeously written, this is outstanding’ Express'It’s a remarkable debut in the crowded psychological thriller field, written with great sureness of touch and tone' Times Crime Club‘Slickly claustrophobic, this arch story of obsessive, forbidden love taken to the extreme will have you squirming in your seat’ Sarah Pinsborough‘Whip-smart, lushly written and truly page-turning … Sarah Stovell is a thrilling talent’ Holly Seddon‘A moving, gripping story … twists keep coming till the very last page. I loved it’ Erin Kelly‘Addictive, terrifying and beautifully written, Exquisite is up there with the best psychological thrillers I’ve ever read. Fucking awesome’ Chris Whittaker
The Other Twin
by L. V. HayWhen India falls to her death from a bridge over a railway, her sister Poppy returns home to Brighton for the first time in years. Unconvinced by official explanations, Poppy begins her own investigation into India’s death. But the deeper she digs, the closer she comes to uncovering deeply buried secrets.Could Matthew Temple, the boyfriend she abandoned, be involved? And what of his powerful and wealthy parents, and his twin sister, Ana? Enter the mysterious and ethereal Jenny: the girl Poppy discovers after hacking into India’s laptop. What is exactly is she hiding, and what did India discover…?A twisty, dark and sexy debut thriller set in the winding lanes and underbelly of Brighton, centring around the social media world, where resentments and accusations are played out, identities made and remade, and there is no such thing as the truth.‘Sharp, confident writing, as dark and twisty as the Brighton Lanes’ Peter James‘Superb up-to-the-minute thriller. Prepare to be seriously disturbed’ Paul Finch‘Crackles with tension’ Karen Dionne‘This chilling, claustrophobic tale set in Brighton introduces an original, fresh new voice in crime fiction’ Cal Moriarty‘The writing shines from every page of this twisted tale … debuts don’t come sharper than this’ Ruth Dugdall‘A cracker of a debut! I couldn’t put it down’ Paula Daly
Snare (Reykjavik Noir #1)
by Lilja SigurdardóttirFirst in the Reykjavik Noir TrilogyAfter a messy divorce, attractive young mother Sonia is struggling to provide for herself and keep custody of her son. With her back to the wall, she resorts to smuggling cocaine into Iceland, and finds herself caught up in a ruthless criminal world. As she desperately looks for a way out of trouble, she must pit her wits against her nemesis, Bragi, a customs officer, whose years of experience frustrate her new and evermore daring strategies. Things become even more complicated when Sonia embarks on a relationship with a woman, Agla. Once a high-level bank executive, Agla is currently being prosecuted in the aftermath of the Icelandic financial crash.Set in a Reykjavík still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption, and with a dark, fast-paced and chilling plot and intriguing characters, Snare is an outstandingly original and sexy Nordic crime thriller, from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction.'A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters' Times'This first novel of a planned trilogy is stylish, taut and compelling and a film adaptation is in the pipeline. With characters you can’t help sympathising with against your better judgement, Sigurdardottir takes the reader on a breathtaking ride’ Daily Express‘Snare will ensnare you’ Marie ClaireA taut, gritty, thoroughly absorbing journey into Reykjavik’s underworld’ Christine Tran, Booklist‘Lilja Sigurdardottir delivers a diabolically efficient thriller with an ultrarealistic plot … We cannot wait for Sonja’s next adventure’ L’Express‘A smart, ambitious, and hugely satisfying thriller. Striking in its originality and written with all the style and poise of an old hand. Lilja is destined for Scandi super stardom’ Eva Dolan‘For a small island, Iceland produces some extraordinary writers, and Lilja is one of the best. Snare is an enthralling tale of love and crime that stays with you long after you have turned the last page’ Michael Ridpath‘Zips along, with tension building and building … thoroughly recommended’ James Oswald‘Crisp, assured and nail-bitingly tense, Snare is an exceptional read, cementing Lilja’s place as one of Iceland’s most outstanding crime writers’ Yrsa Sigurdardottir‘Clear your diary. As soon as you begin reading Snare, you won’t be able to stop until the final page’ Michael Wood‘Snare is a great read and the finale is both shocking and unexpected … a Wizard-of-Oz ending, without the laughs. Terrific and original stuff' Max Easterman, European Literature Network
Sorry to Disrupt the Peace: A Novel
by Patty Yumi CottrellHelen’s adoptive brother has killed himself. Helen’s adoptive family is estranged. Helen has decided that she alone is qualified to launch a serious investigation into her brother’s suicide and to ‘be a supportive beam of light' for her adoptive parents. Compulsive, unstable, likeable, and high energy, Helen is hard work for the people in her life, and she may not be as useful at home as she expects. Sorry to Disrupt the Peace is a dark comedy about loss, grief, solitude, and ghosts.
Against Memoir: Complaints, Confessions, And Criticisms
by Michelle Tea‘I must find my own complicated junkie to have violent sex with. In 1994, nothing seemed like a better idea, save being able to write about it later.’ Michelle Tea is our exuberant, witty guide to the hard times and wild creativity of queer life in America. Along the way she reclaims SCUM Manifesto author Valerie Solanas as an absurdist, remembers the lives and deaths of the lesbian motorbike gang HAGS and listens to activists at a trans protest camp. This kaleidoscope of love and adventure also makes room for a defence of pigeons and a tale of teenage goths hustling for tips at an ice creamery in a ‘grimy, busted city called Chelsea’. Unsparing but unwaveringly kind, Michelle Tea reveals herself and others in unexpected and heartbreaking ways.Against Memoir is the winner of the 2019 PEN Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. Best known as writer of fiction and memoir, this is the first time Tea’s journalism has been collected. Delivered with her signature candour and dark humour, Against Memoir solidifies her place as one of the leading queer writers of our time.
Permafrost
by Eva BaltasarPermafrost’s no-bullshit lesbian narrator is an uninhibited lover, a no-hope employee, and a some-time suicidal student of her own dislocated self. As she tries to break out of the roles set for her by a controlling, overprotective mother, a relentlessly positive sister, and a society which imposes a gut-wrenching pressure to conform, she contemplates the so-called will to live when that life is given, rather than chosen. Attempting to bridge the gap between the perennially frozen reaches of her outer shell and the tender core of her being, watching her relationships with family fracture and her many lovers come and go, the protagonist’s reservations about staying alive become ever more pressing.Passionate, urgent and breathtakingly forthright, this fiction debut from Catalan poet Eva Baltasar was a word-of-mouth hit in its own language and is a gift for readers in English.
Defense Of An Other
by Grace MeadDefense of an Other begins in the French Quarter with a day in the life of a young lawyer named Matt Durant gone horribly awry. After a few beers, Matt works up the courage to visit a gay bar, where he meets a stranger named Joey Buckner. When Matt and Joey duck into an alley behind the bar to take a leak, three drunks target them for a hate crime and beat up Joey, which forces Matt to attack and kill one of the men. Matt is then arrested for murder, thrown in Orleans Parish Prison and calls his boss for help, forcing him out of the closet. The novel then follows the course of his trial and explores its consequences. Defense of an Other is the debut novel from a trans, practicing lawyer born and raised in Louisiana, who graduated from Dartmouth College and then became the Editor-in-Chief of the University of Chicago Law Review. Her seventeen year career has included a one-year clerkship for the appellate court with jurisdiction over Louisiana federal trial courts and 16 years of civil litigation. Heavily influenced by political fiction like Bryce Courtenay’s The Power of One, in Defense of an Other southern storytelling meets the gritty legal realism of Law & Order.