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Failure Is Not NOT an Option: How the Chubby Gay Son of a Jesus-Obsessed Lesbian Found Love, Family, and Podcast Success . . . and a Bunch of Other Stuff
by Patrick HindsWall Street Journal Bestseller Publishers Weekly Bestseller Patrick Hinds has failed. A lot. In fact, he&’s kind of an expert at it—which is why he&’s uniquely qualified to say that failure is a good thing. On paper, the chubby, poor, gay son of a lesbian who wrote pornographic letters to Jesus isn&’t the person that you think of when you hear the word &“success.&” Yet Patrick Hinds has somehow managed to bungle his way through to become the successful co-host of True Crime Obsessed—a podcast with more than 200 million downloads. Before that, though, he failed at many, many things. Patrick&’s life is a series of fiascos, missteps, and just plain bad ideas. An eternal optimist, he&’s always thrown himself into everything he&’s done, even when he probably shouldn&’t have. He devoted himself to becoming an actor even though he was terrible, started a daycare even though he hated kids, and somehow had a disastrous time with Bea Arthur . . . even though he couldn&’t be gayer. Both heartfelt and hilarious, Failure Is Not Not an Option lets Patrick&’s signature storytelling style shine—and it&’s also the only book to bravely and definitively declare: 1: Failing simply means that you tried (and if you try enough, eventually success will be an option, too). 2: Ted Bundy is. Not. Hot. By trying, and yes, failing at so many things, Patrick finally found his way—to a great career, a great husband, and a great family. Along the way, there were hurdles to jump, unexpected surprises, and no shortage of laughter. Failure is Not NOT an Option is a fun and outrageous read that will raise you up—and provide a soft landing pad for the next time you fall.
The Gender Identity Guide for Parents: Compassionate Advice to Help Your Child Be Their Most Authentic Self
by Tavi Hawn LCSWCelebrate your child's true self with this parent's guide to gender identity Talking with your child about gender identity can seem overwhelming—but with the right guidance, you can have healthy conversations and create an affirming environment for them as they grow. Whether your child is cisgender, gender expansive, transgender, or still unsure, this guide provides practical advice and strategies to help you embrace them for who they are and support them as they approach puberty.Learn the basics—Refresh your knowledge on the different facets and language around gender identity and gender expression.Discover anecdotes and advice—Feel more assured approaching conversations around gender with the expert strategies and relatable stories from other parents.Cover important topics—Learn how to unravel your personal biases and maintain open communication.Create a safe and inclusive space for your child to explore themselves with The Gender Identity Guide for Parents.
Sex Education for Boys: Practical Advice on Puberty, Sex, and Relationships
by Scott TodnemDiscover sex-positive guidance for teaching your tween or teen son what he needs to know As your son enters puberty, he's going to have a lot of questions that he'll need your help to answer. Filled with understanding and uplifting guidance, this book helps you recognize what your son is experiencing and have open conversations about everything from sexuality and gender identity to consent and safer sex.This standout among puberty books for boys features:Sex-positive talks—Tackle vital questions with direct guidance that helps you encourage your son to form a healthy attitude toward sex and sexual health.Advice for key conversations—Learn how to open lines of communication with your son on subjects like dating, social media, pornography, and toxic masculinity.Frequently asked questions—Discover answers to some of the most common questions parents have when teaching their sons about sex and sexual health.Make sure you're both ready for The Talk with Sex Education for Boys: A Parent's Guide. l
Parenting Your Transgender Teen: Positive Parenting Strategies for Raising Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming Teens
by Andrew Maxwell TriskaLove and support your transgender teen You're probably reading this because your teenager shared something important about themselves. You want to be supportive, but what does "supportive" mean to transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming teens? This parenting book provides positive parenting tools to support your teen on their journey of self-discovery plus strategies to help you build a stronger relationship with them.What sets this love-centered parenting book apart from other books on parenting teens:Learn—Read about trans identity and learn how gender has been studied throughout history to help you put your child's gender identity into context.Communicate—Show your teen you care by learning the terms used to describe gender identity and how to talk to them about their experiences in accurate and affirming ways.Support—Discover ways you can support your teens' gender expression, like helping them find clothes that fit or taking them to a gender-affirming salon.Advocate—Learn how to talk about your teen's gender to friends and family, how to support your child in school, and the laws that protect trans people from discrimination and harassment.There's a world of information and support out there for you and your teen, and by picking up this book you're taking the first step.
A Killing in Costumes (A Hollywood Treasures Mystery #1)
by Zac BissonnetteStardom fades fast when you&’re on the line for murder, in this debut cozy mystery perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Jenn McKinlay.Jay Allan and Cindy Cooper were soap opera stars in the late &’90s, a wholesome young husband-and-wife duo who combined musical talent with humor and charisma. When the truth about their sexual orientations came to light, their marriage and TV careers ended, but decades later they have remained friends. Together, they open Palm Springs&’ chicest movie memorabilia store, Hooray for Hollywood--but no customers and dwindling finances spell trouble.A Hail Mary arrives in the form of Yana Tosh, a ninety-year-old diva of the silver screen who has amassed a valuable collection of costumes and props and is looking to sell. But first, Jay and Cindy have to beat their competition, a vice president from a mega-auction house with ten times their resources. And when he winds up dead, they become prime suspects in the murder.With their freedom and livelihoods on the line, Jay and Cindy desperately need to clear their names. There are plenty of other potential suspects, but they'll have to solve it soon before they're forced to trade in their vintage costume collection for two orange jumpsuits.
The Body in the Back Garden (Crescent Cove Mystery, A)
by Mark WaddellIn this queer cozy series debut perfect for fans of Ellen Byron and Ellery Adams, Luke Tremblay is about to discover that Crescent Cove has more than its fair share of secrets…and some might be deadlier than others.Crescent Cove, a small hamlet on Vancouver Island, is the last place out-of-work investigative journalist Luke Tremblay ever wanted to see again. He used to spend summers here, until his family learned that he was gay and rejected him. Now, following his aunt&’s sudden death, he&’s inherited her entire estate, including her seaside cottage and the antiques shop she ran for forty years in Crescent Cove. Luke plans to sell everything and head back to Toronto as soon as he can…but Crescent Cove isn&’t done with him just yet. When a stranger starts making wild claims about Luke&’s aunt, Luke sends him packing. The next morning, though, Luke discovers that the stranger has returned, and now he&’s lying dead in the back garden. To make matters worse, the officer leading the investigation is a handsome Mountie with a chip on his shoulder who seems convinced that Luke is the culprit. If he wants to prove his innocence and leave this town once and for all, Luke will have to use all his skills as a journalist to investigate the colorful locals while coming to terms with his own painful past. There are secrets buried in Crescent Cove, and the more Luke digs, the more he fears they might change the town forever.
The Manor House Governess: A Novel
by C. A. CastleWith a genderfluid protagonist and 21st-century twist, this spirited debut pays homage to the British classics while joyfully centering an LGBTQ+ point of view, perfect for fans of Emily M. Danforth.This charming, immersive read &“reminds all queer people, now more than ever, we deserve to take up space and matter&” (Kosoko Jackson).Orphaned young and raised with chilly indifference at an all-boys boarding school, Brontë Ellis has grown up stifled by rigid rules and social &“norms,&” forbidden from expressing his gender identity. His beloved novels and period films lend an escape, until a position as a live-in tutor provides him with a chance to leave St. Mary&’s behind.Greenwood Manor is the kind of elegant country house Bron has only read about, and amid lavish parties and cricket matches, the Edwards family welcomes him into the household with true warmth. Mr. Edwards and the young Ada, Bron&’s pupil, accept without question that Bron&’s gender presentation is not traditionally masculine. Only Darcy, the eldest son, seems uncomfortable with Bron—the two of them couldn&’t be more opposite.When a tragic fire blazes through the estate&’s idyllic peace, Bron begins to sense dark secrets smoldering beneath Greenwood Manor&’s surface. Channeling the heroines of his cherished paperbacks, he begins to sift through the wreckage. Soon, he&’s not sure what to believe, especially with his increasing attraction to Darcy clouding his vision.Drawing energy and inspiration from Charlotte Brontë, Jane Austen, E.M. Forster, and more while bowing to popular fiction such as Plain Bad Heroines, The Manor House Governess is destined to become a modern classic.
The Christmas Swap: A Novel
by Talia SamuelsPerfect for fans of Alison Cochrun and Helena Greer, Talia Samuels&’ debut sapphic romcom is about one woman who fake dates her friend…only to fall for his sister.Margot Murray is a newly single, successful businesswoman with no interest in a cutesy seasonal romance after her breakup with her long-term girlfriend. Ben Gibson is an unlucky-in-love sweetheart in need of a woman to bring home for the holidays. Together, they make a pact: Margot gets two blissful weeks away from London in a picture-perfect manor, and Ben gets a fake girlfriend for his holiday at home with his family.Upon arriving to the manor, Margot meets Ben&’s sister, Ellie, who is suspicious of the supposed relationship right from the start. Ellie intends to get to the bottom of their relationship, not being able to see how the two of them work as a couple. As Ellie and Margot grow closer, will Ben and Margot be able to keep the charade up, or will Margot and Ellie risk the chance at something real?
It's a Fabulous Life: A Novel
by Kelly FarmerPerfect for fans of Alison Cochrun and Ashley Herring Blake, this sapphic retelling of It&’s a Wonderful Life will make the yuletide gay.After years of putting aside her dreams of travel and adventure, Bailey George is ready to leave Lanford Falls and her responsibilities behind on a long-awaited vacation to New York City. But when the volunteer who took over her leadership position for the town's Winter Wonderfest has a medical emergency, Bailey finds herself stuck in Lanford Falls. She gets roped into reassuming her old role, not wanting to let the town or her friends and family down. Staying home seems slightly less terrible when Bailey runs into her high school crush, Maria Hatcher. A kiss they shared years ago in the town's mistletoe grove was a life-defining moment for them both. Maria quickly offers to pitch in and help with Winter Wonderfest. Her sunny disposition and holiday cheer perk up Bailey's grinchy feelings about everything. However, one disaster after another snowball on the day of the festival. Bailey&’s frustration boils over, and she ends up on the town's old wooden bridge. There, she meets fabulous drag queen Clara Angel. Bailey declares that she wishes she hadn&’t been born in this Christmas-obsessed, suffocating small town. With a little of the magic Clara possesses, she shows Bailey how wrong she is about Lanford Falls and her place in it. And that with a little hope and some true holiday spirit, there is a way to attain all her dreams.
Cirque du Slay
by Rob OslerIn this rollicking mystery, perfect for fans of Steven Rowley and Elle Cosimano, the circus becomes the stage for a high-profile murder investigation. With quirky LGBTQ+ amateur sleuths, Cirque du Slay will delight readers looking for a madcap mystery with high-flying excitement!Pint-sized Seattle middle school teacher and gay dating blogger Hayden McCall and his best friend Hollister are invited to a fundraiser for Bakers Without Borders. The celebrity performer, Kennedy Osaka, is the artistic director of Mysterium, an upscale circus arts show combining magic, acrobatics, and a Michelin-star dinner. But Kennedy is a no-show—until she&’s found dead in her hotel suite.When frenemy Sarah Lee is discovered in the room with the body, Hayden and Hollister are on the case to find the real culprit before Sarah Lee is charged with the crime.The suspects for the murder are as unique as Mysterium itself: a Russian trapeze artist, a cowgirl comedian sharp-shooter, an over-cologned operations director, a feisty, green-haired costume manager, and Adrenalin!, a sexy troop of Romanian male acrobats...If Hayden and Hollister are to clear Sarah Lee of suspicion, they&’ll have to outsmart a killer for whom trickery is art.
Here for the Wrong Reasons: A Novel
by Annabel Paulsen Lydia WangIn this swoon-filled lesbian romcom, two dating show contestants vying for the affection of the leading man fall head over heels—for each other.Fans of Ashley Herring Blake and Alexandria Bellefleur, and readers who love The Bachelor, will adore this steamy, laugh-out-loud debut romance.Krystin knows exactly what she wants: a husband, a horse, and a place to hang all her competitive rodeo blue ribbons. But when none of the eligible bachelors in Montana end up being right for her, she turns to reality TV. On Hopelessly Devoted, Krystin will compete against dozens of other women for the heart of this season&’s Hopeless Romantic, Josh Rosen. She&’s determined to win the perfect life she came here for—if she can just ignore the glossy brunette whose crimson smile gives her goosebumps.Lauren has never done anything for the right reasons—and she&’s definitely not on Hopelessly Devoted to win Josh&’s heart. Lauren&’s plan is simple: stay on the show long enough to build her social media following, and then gracefully leave when it's her turn to be eliminated. With enough followers, she&’ll finally have the clout to do whatever she wants—including come out of the proverbial walk-in closet. But the longer she stays on the show, the more she finds herself tangled up in a certain blonde&’s lasso. Neither contestant expects a heteronormative dating show to challenge their own deeply-ingrained ideas of who they are—and what they want. Fans of The Charm Offensive and Love Island will swoon for this sparkling debut romcom.
Long Time Gone: A Novel
by Hannah MartianA family goes to drastic lengths to protect their version of the truth in this dual-timeline rural debut mystery, perfect for readers of Kelly J. Ford and Hayley Scrivenor.In the small town of Wonderland, Wyoming, the truth is whatever the Coldwater family says it is. When their prodigal daughter, Jessica, was murdered forty years ago, their truth was that Holly Prine killed her–regardless of Holly&’s innocence.But the Coldwaters aren&’t the only reason private investigator Quinn Cuthridge hasn&’t set foot in the town in nearly a decade. After her aunt sent her away when she was a teen, Quinn swore she&’d never return. When she gets an unexpected call from her aunt&’s ranch hand, Hunter, Quinn learns that her aunt has gone missing. Reluctantly, she returns to Wyoming to investigate and soon realizes that her aunt was getting dangerously close to long-buried Wonderland secrets, including who really murdered Jessica Coldwater.As Hunter and Quinn dig into what lies in the Wyoming backcountry, attraction flares between the two women, complicating their investigation–and Quinn&’s steadfast refusal to have any ties to Wonderland. With someone threatening Quinn and her own dark past echoing in the present, Quinn must struggle against her hometown and herself to find the truth in this rich queer mystery.
Single Player: A Novel
by Tara TaiTwo video game creators go head-to-head in this delightful, queer enemies-to-lovers workplace romance debut, perfect for fans of TJ Alexander and Helen Hoang.Cat Li cares about two things: video games and swoony romances. The former means there hasn't been much of the latter in her (real) life, but when she lands her dream job writing the love storylines for Compass Hollow—the next big thing in games—she knows it&’s all been worth it. Then she meets her boss: the infamous Andi Zhang, who&’s not only an arrogant hater of happily-ever-afters determined to keep Cat from doing her job but also impossibly, annoyingly hot.As Compass Hollow&’s narrative director, Andi couldn&’t care less about love—in-game or out. After getting doxxed by internet trolls three years ago, Andi&’s been trying to prove to the gaming world that they&’re a serious gamedev. Their plan includes writing the best game possible, with zero lovey-dovey stuff. That is, until the man funding the game&’s development insists Andi add romance in order to make the story &“more appealing to female gamers.&”Forced to give Cat a chance, Andi begrudgingly realizes there&’s more to Cat than romantic idealism and, okay, a cute smile. But admitting that would mean giving up the single-player life that has kept their heart safe for years. And when Cat uncovers a behind-the-scenes plot to destroy Andi&’s career, the two will have to put their differences aside and find a way to work together before it&’s game over.
Constance
by Franny MoyleIn the spring of 1895 the life of Constance Wilde changed irrevocably. Up until the conviction of her husband Oscar for homosexual crimes, she had held a privileged place in society. Part of a gilded couple, she was a popular children&’s author, a fashion icon and a leading campaigner for women&’s rights. Mrs. Oscar Wilde was a phenomenon in her own right. But that spring Constance&’s entire life was eclipsed by scandal. Forced to flee to the Continent with her two sons, her glittering literary and political career ended abruptly. Changing her name, she lived in exile until her death. Franny Moyle now tells Constance&’s story with a fresh eye and remarkable new material. Drawing on numerous unpublished letters, she brings to life the story at the heart of fin-de-siecle London and the Aesthetic Movement.
The Beasts of Paris: A Novel
by Stef PenneyEnter the world of Haussmann's newly built City of Light: a dazzling, panoramic novel of love and survival set during the Siege of Paris in 1870.A diverse group of memorable characters find themselves in Paris during the build up to the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Dreamer Anne is half-Haitian, possessed of incredible gifts, but with a past she tries to bury; Lawrence is desperate to spread his wings, develop his talents as a photographer, and escape the restrictions of his Canadian upbringing; Ellis, an American army surgeon, has lived through the trauma of the American Civil War and will do anything to avoid further violence. We join these characters and others as they live through, and are buffeted by, momentous historical events that will change them forever. The Franco-Prussian War ends in a devastating defeat for the French after the Siege of Paris, in which countless Parisians die of starvation and cold during a bitter winter. This terrible time is quickly followed by yet more horror: the socialist revolution of the Paris Commune that seizes the government, briefly, until it is brutally crushed by the French Army. Against this backdrop our characters meet, struggle, grow, fight their demons, lose their hearts, find love. The reader witnesses the ebb and flow of history as the characters confront a changing world around them. And although set in the nineteenth century, the novel explores questions that are uniquely contemporary: issues of gender, sexuality, inequality, and race.
Nothing Ever Just Disappears: Seven Hidden Queer Histories
by Diarmuid HesterAn exploration of artistic freedom, survival, and the hidden places of the imagination, including James Baldwin in Provence, Josephine Baker in Paris, Kevin Killian in San Francisco, and E. M. Forster in Cambridge, among other groundbreaking queer artists of the twentieth century.Nothing Ever Just Disappears is radical new history of seven queer lives and the places that shaped these groundbreaking artists. At the turn of the century, in the shade of Cambridge's cloisters, a young E. M. Forster conceals his passion for other men, even as he daydreams about the sun-warmed bodies of ancient Greece. Under the dazzling lights of interwar Paris, Josephine Baker dances her way to fame and fortune and discovers sexual freedom backstage at the Folies Bergère. And on Jersey Island, in the darkest days of Nazi occupation, the transgressive surrealist Claude Cahun mounts an extraordinary resistance to save the island she loves, scattering hundreds of dissident artworks along its streets and shorelines. Nothing Ever Just Disappears brings to life the stories of seven remarkable figures and illuminates the connections between where they lived, who they loved, and the art they created. It shows that a queer sense of place is central to the history of the twentieth century and powerfully evokes how much is lost when queer spaces are forgotten. From the suffragettes in London and James Baldwin's home in Provence, to Kevin Killian's San Francisco and Derek Jarman&’s cottage in Kent, this is both a thrilling new literary history and a celebration of freedom, survival, and the hidden places of the imagination.
Morally Straight: How the Fight for LGBTQ+ Inclusion Changed the Boy Scouts?and America
by Mike De SocioThis deeply-reported narrative illuminates the battle for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Boy Scouts of America, a decades-long struggle led by teenagers, parents, activists, and everyday Americans.Weaving in his own experience as a scout and journalist, Mike De Socio&’s Morally Straight tells a story that plays out over the course of nearly forty years, beginning in an era when gay rights were little more than a cultural sideshow; when same-sex marriage was not even on the radar; and when much of the country was recommitting to conservative social mores. It was during this treacherous time that accidental activists emerged, challenging one of America&’s most iconic institutions in a struggle that would forever change the country&’s view of gay people and the rights they held in society. In Morally Straight we meet James Dale, the poster child of Scouting who took his fight for inclusion to the Supreme Court; Steven Cozza, the 12-year-old scout in California who started a movement for inclusion called Scouting for All; Jennifer Tyrrell, the lesbian den mother whose expulsion from the Scouts reignited the gay membership controversy; Zach Wahls, the son of lesbian moms who led the final push for policy change; and an array of other previously unknown Scouters who played smaller—but no less crucial—roles in the fight for full inclusion. Richly reported and filled with unforgettable people, Morally Straight braids together these characters and brings to life their collective struggle. This is an essential narrative in the American LGBTQ+ rights movement, and a truly American story about the fight for a better future for our nation&’s bedrock youth organization.
Shoot the Moon: A Rainey Hall Mystery
by Ava BarryPrivate investigator Rainey Hall stumbles into a dark mystery from her past that embroils her with an underground society of artists, a dangerous new drug, and a string of violent deaths.While in high school, Rainey spent a summer taking advantage of the wildfires near Los Angeles to break into the empty houses of the rich and famous with her best friends, Alice and Spencer, committing small acts of larceny. These acts of rebellion culminated in a big theft from a powerful, well-connected musician with underworld ties. Days later, Alice went missing. Now—nine years later—Rainey is a private detective chasing a missing person case. Chloe, a young vulnerable artist with a history of substance abuse, disappeared from her parents' house without a trace. As she digs into the case, Rainey not only discovers a string of missing artists, but connections to Alice, a case that had gone cold years ago. Diving back into her own past and Alice&’s disappearance, the investigation quickly becomes more twisted and dangerous than Rainey'd ever anticipated. She unearths a mysterious society steeped in drugs, art, and some of the most influential people in Los Angeles. Powerful forces begin to close in on Rainey as she finds herself in a race against time to save Chloe—and finally reveal the truth of what happened to Alice all those years ago.
Ask the Brindled
by No'u RevillaAsk the Brindled, selected by Rick Barot as a winner of the 2021 National Poetry Series, bares everything that breaks between “seed” and “summit” of a life—the body, a people, their language. It is an intergenerational reclamation of the narratives foisted upon Indigenous and queer Hawaiians—and it does not let readers look away. In this debut collection, No‘u Revilla crafts a lyric landscape brimming with shed skin, water, mo‘o, ma‘i. She grips language like a fistful of wet guts and inks the page red—for desire, for love, for generations of blood spilled by colonizers. She hides knives in her hair “the way my grandmother—not god— / the way my grandmother intended,” and we heed; before her, “we stunned insects dangle.” Wedding the history of the Kingdom of Hawai?i with contemporary experiences of queer love and queer grief, Revilla writes toward sovereignty: linguistic, erotic, civic. Through the medium of formal dynamism and the material of ?Oiwi culture and mythos, this living decolonial text both condemns and creates. Ask the Brindled is a song from the shattered throat that refuses to be silenced. It is a testament to queer Indigenous women who carry baskets of names and stories, “still sacred.” It is a vow to those yet to come: “the ea of enough is our daughters / our daughters need to believe they are enough.”
Tomb of the Unknown Racist: A Novel
by Blanche McCary BoydFinalist for the 2019 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction “In this suspenseful novel . . . Boyd gives a chilling portrait of the white terrorist network in the US during the time of Timothy McVeigh, convicted of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.” —BBC Culture Blanche McCrary Boyd's first novel in twenty years continues the story of former activist Ellen Burns, whose search for her estranged brother leads her across the country and into the dark abyss of racism and white supremacy, and the confrontation that occurs when she learns the truth about her family's past.
The Gunners: A Novel
by Rebecca Kauffman"Kauffman has done something remarkable with The Gunners . . . She's made spending time with [her characters] not just tolerable but delightful. And she's achieved this not by manufacturing likability, but by so convincingly rendering the affection between them that you accept each character's foibles as readily as they do one another's . . . There's so much generosity and spirit and humor shared by whatever characters are on the page at any given time that I was always happy to accompany them." —The New York Times Book ReviewFollowing her wonderfully received first novel, Another Place You’ve Never Been, called “mesmerizing,” “powerful,” and “gorgeous,” by critics all over the country, Rebecca Kauffman returns with Mikey Callahan, a thirty–year–old who is suffering from the clouded vision of macular degeneration. He struggles to establish human connections—even his emotional life is a blur.As the novel begins, he is reconnecting with “The Gunners,” his group of childhood friends, after one of their members has committed suicide. Sally had distanced herself from all of them before ending her life, and she died harboring secrets about the group and its individuals. Mikey especially needs to confront dark secrets about his own past and his father. How much of this darkness accounts for the emotional stupor Mikey is suffering from as he reaches his maturity? And can The Gunners, prompted by Sally’s death, find their way to a new day? The core of this adventure, made by Mikey, Alice, Lynn, Jimmy, and Sam, becomes a search for the core of truth, friendship, and forgiveness. A quietly startling, beautiful book, The Gunners engages us with vividly unforgettable characters, and advances Rebecca Kauffman’s place as one of the most important young writers of her generation."A moving novel . . . Each character comes to terms with their dark past, and uncertain futures—like an intimate hangout session, dashed with suspense and few extra layers of emotional beauty. You'll find yourself thinking of Freaks and Geeks, The Big Chill, and maybe all those friends you've been meaning to text." —Entertainment Weekly, The Must List
Still in Love: A Novel
by Michael DowningThis hilarious, sometimes harrowing, and ultimately heartening novel is the companion to the critically acclaimed, national bestseller Perfect Agreement "Beautifully and economically written, and very funny." —Linda Wertheimer, NPR This is your chance to enroll in English 10 at highly rated Hellman College—if you can find a place to sit in the fantastically overcrowded classroom. Mark Sternum, whom readers first met in Downing’s beloved novel Perfect Agreement, is a veteran teacher. Twenty years older, separated for six months from his longtime lover, and desperate to duck the overtures of double–dealing deans above him and disgruntled adjunct faculty below him, Mark has one ambition every day he is on campus—to close the classroom door and leave the world behind. His escape, however, is complicated by his contentious, complicated wrestling match of a relationship with the Professor, the tenured faculty member with whom Mark has co–taught this creative–writing workshop for ten years. The spectacle of their rigorous, academic relationship is a chance for students—all of us—to learn what an amazing arena the classroom can be. Replete with engaging writing exercises, harsh criticism, and contrarian advice, Still in Love is the story of one semester in a college classroom. And it is an urgent reminder that we desperately need classrooms, that those singular, sealed–off–from–the–world sanctuaries are where we learn to love our lives.
This Town Sleeps: A Novel
by Dennis E. StaplesOn an Ojibwe reservation called Languille Lake, within the small town of Geshig at the hub of the rez, two men enter into a secret romance. Marion Lafournier, a midtwenties gay Ojibwe man, begins a relationship with his former classmate Shannon, a heavily closeted white man. While Marion is far more open about his sexuality, neither is immune to the realities of the lives of gay men in small towns and closed societies. <p><p> Then one night, while roaming the dark streets of Geshig, Marion unknowingly brings to life the spirit of a dog from beneath the elementary school playground. The mysterious revenant leads him to the grave of Kayden Kelliher, an Ojibwe basketball star who was murdered at the age of seventeen and whose presence still lingers in the memories of the townsfolk. While investigating the fallen hero’s death, Marion discovers family connections and an old Ojibwe legend that may be the secret to unraveling the mystery he has found himself in. <p><p> Set on a reservation in far northern Minnesota, This Town Sleeps explores the many ways history, culture, landscape, and lineage shape our lives, our understanding of the world we inhabit, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of it all.
Between Everything and Nothing: The Journey of Seidu Mohammed and Razak Iyal and the Quest for Asylum
by Joe MenoBestselling author Joe Meno brings his novelist's eye to the true story of two asylum seekers and their international journey through the chaos of an unjust immigration system. Long before their chance meeting at a Minneapolis bus station, Ghanaian asylum seekers Seidu Mohammed and Razak Iyal had already crossed half the world in search of a new home. Seidu, who identifies as bisexual, lived under constant threat of exposure and violence in a country where same-sex acts are illegal. Razak's life was also threatened after corrupt officials contrived to steal his rightful inheritance. Forced to flee their homeland, both men embarked on separate odysseys through the dangerous jungles and bureaucracies of South, Central, and North America. Like generations of asylum seekers before, they presented themselves legally at the U.S. border, hoping for sanctuary. Instead, they were imprisoned in private detention facilities, released only after their asylum pleas were denied. Fearful of returning to Ghana, Seidu and Razak saw no choice but to attempt one final border crossing. Their journey north to Canada in the harsh, unforgiving winter proved more tragic than anything they had experienced before. Based on extensive interviews, Joe Meno's intimate account builds upon the international media attention Seidu and Razak's story has already received, highlighting the harrowing journey Of asylum seekers everywhere while adding dimension to one of the greatest humanitarian concerns facing the world. JOE MENO is a fiction writer and journalist who lives in Chicago. He is the winner of the Nelson Algren Literary Award, a Pushcart Prize, and the Great Lakes Book Award and was a finalist for the Story Prize. The best-selling author of seven novels and two short story collections, including Marvel and a Wonder, The Boy Detective Fails, and Hairstyles of the Damned, he is a professor in the English and creative writing department at Columbia College Chicago. Find out more, at joemeno.com.
Lifting Belly: An Erotic Poem (Counterpoints #5)
by Gertrude SteinFragmentary, unabashed, erotic―“Lifting Belly” is a singular lesbian love poem from modernist Gertrude Stein (1874–1946) which lays bare desire and easy intimacy—now in a beautifully packaged edition.What is it when it’s upset. It isn’t in the room. Moonlight and darkness. Sleep and not sleep. We sleep every night.What was it.I said lifting belly.You didn’t say it.I said I mean lifting belly.Don’t misunderstand me.Do you.Do you lift everybody in that way.No.You are to say No.Lifting belly.How are you.Lifting belly how are you lifting belly.We like a fire and we don’t mind if it smokes.Do you.―From “Lifting Belly”Each palm–size book in the Counterpoints series is meant to stay with you, whether safely in your pocket or long after you turn the last page. From short stories to essays to poems, these little books celebrate our most–beloved writers, whose work encapsulates the spirit of Counterpoint Press: cutting–edge, wide–ranging, and independent.