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Straight Acting: The Many Queer Lives of William Shakespeare
by Will Tosh'Engrossing, enlightening and hugely entertaining'SARAH WATERS, author of Fingersmith'Brilliant - so vivid and so sharp, fantastically clever and consistently fascinating'KATHERINE RUNDELL, author of Super-InfiniteWas Shakespeare gay? The answer is both simpler and more complex than you might think . . .Shakespeare's work was profoundly influenced by the queer culture of his time - much of it totally integrated into mainstream society. From a relentless schooling in Latin and Greek homoeroticism, to a less formal education on the streets and in smoky taverns, from the gender-bending of the early comedies to the astonishingly queer literary scene that nurtured Shakespeare's sonnets, this is a story of artistic development and of personal crisis.Straight Acting is a surprising portrait of Shakespeare's queer lives - his own and those in his plays and poems. It is a journey back in time and through Shakespeare's England, revealing a culture that both endorsed and supressed same-sex desire. It is a call to stop making Shakespeare act straight and to recognise how queerness powerfully shaped the life and career of the world's most famous playwright.'Magisterial and saucy . . . This fresh account kickstarts the queer canon of English literature: Shakespeare won't go back in the closet again'EMMA SMITH, author of This Is Shakespeare
Autowar
by Assiyah Jamilla TouréA visceral, vital, unblinking debut collection of poems exploring kinesthetic memory and longing, inherited violence, and the body as a geographical site. We're often told that we are given only what we can bear. For some of us our first lessons are in how much pain we're made to think we deserve—and the resulting scars are always meant to be kept secret. Assiyah Jamilla Touré's debut collection is a record of those scars—not those inflicted on us by the thousands of little wars we live in everyday, but those that come afterwards, those we inflict upon ourselves to mark the path. Each and every poem in Autowar was written on a cell phone, transcribing an urgent revisiting of old sites of pain, and also a revisiting of one young person’s power and ability—to hurt themself, or others. These poems are powerful evocations of how even our scars have worlds and lives. here in the dark, me-spacei am insatiable for my fleshi just can't get enoughof tiny after-woundsthat's me giving, still too softfor my own teeth
Gay and Lesbian Weddings: Planning the Perfect Same-Sex Ceremony
by David ToussaintComprehensive, fresh, and funny, Gay and Lesbian Weddings covers everything you need to know to plan the wedding of your dreams. Unlike other wedding planners, this one tackles the issues your heterosexual friends never had to consider. For instance, do you come out to Aunt Gloria before she receives the invitation and the shock of her life? Which father of the bride pays for a lesbian wedding? Who walks down the aisle first? Is it possible for members of the wedding party to be happy with what you force them to wear? (Okay, this is a universal problem.) Step-by-step and down-to-earth, Gay and Lesbian Weddings includes invaluable advice on* the changing laws regarding gay marriage in the United States and abroad; the differences among domestic partnerships, civil unions, and marriage* budget concerns: choosing your ideal wedding size and style* finding gay-friendly printers, photographers, gift registries, caterers, florists (actually, if you find a gay-hostile florist, we'd love to hear about it)* ethnic, theme, and destination weddings* keeping the honey in the honeymoon* sex--including how to keep the heat after the wedding night, as well as the facts on fidelity (can the two be linked?)Plus: a handy Wedding Countdown Calendar, website resources, and true stories from same-sex couples who've gotten hitched without a hitchGay and Lesbian Weddings gives you straight talk (so to speak) with equal parts information, flair, and fabulousness!From the Trade Paperback edition.
Midnight Cowboy (Queer Film Classics)
by Jon TowlsonMidnight Cowboy – the story of a small-town stud’s attempt to make it big as a hustler on the streets of 1960s New York – is an indisputably iconic film. Though recognized in terms of its early adoption of Nouvelle Vague cinematography and editing techniques, and renowned for an Oscar win in spite of controversy over its X-rating, Midnight Cowboy has yet to be understood as a classic of queer cinema.Jon Towlson reclaims Midnight Cowboy as a queer text by addressing John Schlesinger as a gay author and filmmaker and providing a fresh perspective on the film’s relationship to the 1965 James Leo Herlihy novel from which it was adapted. Offering a nuanced and personal view of the film’s relevance to queer experience and queer friendship, Towlson also considers Midnight Cowboy’s production and reception and its place in Schlesinger’s filmography. Depictions of sixties New York counterculture and 42nd Street hustlers offer an opportunity for reassessment, particularly in the film's relationship to male prostitution, male relationships, and sexual identity.By shifting the perspective away from previous interpretations of Midnight Cowboy as homophobic and problematic, Towlson argues for a new interpretation of the film as a proto-queer buddy movie and a critical forerunner to films such as My Own Private Idaho and Brokeback Mountain.
Let the Faggots Burn: The Upstairs Lounge Fire
by Johnny TownsendOn Gay Pride Day in 1973, someone set the entrance to a French Quarter gay bar on fire. In the terrible inferno that followed, thirty-two people lost their lives, including a third of the local congregation of the Metropolitan Community Church, their pastor burning to death halfway out a second-story window as he tried to claw his way to freedom. A mother who'd gone to the bar with her two gay sons died alongside them. A man who'd helped his friend escape first was found dead near the fire escape. Two children waited outside of a movie theater across town for a father and step-father who would never pick them up. During this era of rampant homophobia, several families refused to claim the bodies, and many churches refused to bury the dead. Author Johnny Townsend pored through old records and tracked down survivors of the fire and relatives and friends of those killed to compile this fascinating account of a forgotten moment in gay history.
All That Jazz
by Lynn TownsendFinn Riordan's life is upended when he discovers his boyfriend having sex with Hector Lange, the legendary local playboy. Five years later, Hector appears in Finn's life once again, this time to cheat Finn out of the painting he’s bidding on at an art auction.Hector Lange has no complaints about his life. He has a good career, plenty of friends, and while he doesn't believe in true love, he never lacks for companionship. Everyone loves the easygoing and gregarious Hector. Which is why it’s so startling when he finds himself assaulted by a furious and beautiful man.When Hector realizes he inadvertently outbid Finn for a painting intended for Finn's brother, a recovering veteran, he wants to make amends. Hector's latest ex had backed out of a vacation they planned to take together, so Hector invites Finn instead as something of an apology. A win for all involved, right?The trip will do more than merely reconcile the two, opening both Finn's and Hector's eyes in unexpected ways. But will those newfound discoveries and feelings follow them home?
Chasing Bigfoot
by Lynn TownsendScott Seay and Brandon Russo are chasing down legendary creatures, one monster at a time! Scott, a cryptozoologist photographer, is on the trail again, this time following the legends of Sasquatch into the mountains of West Virginia. Brandon, still an unbeliever, has some vacation time coming up and enjoys hiking, so he accompanies his lover, along with a small group of Sasquatchers, in search of the elusive Bigfoot.On their trek through the mountains, Scott and Brandon hear tales of other close encounters, deal with a pair of snobby lumbersexuals, and find mysterious hairs tangled in the underbrush. When the weather turns foul, and the group has to make it down the mountainside in front of a dangerous storm, will legends come to life? All they know is something is following them down the trail ... something with very bad intentions ...
A Classic Blunder
by Lynn TownsendSequel to Got the BluesBeau Watkins and Vin Reyes have mended their differences, but that doesn't mean everything is back the way it was. When Beau's teenage niece shows up with her son in tow, Beau is thrown unexpectedly into a world of adult responsibilities and adult decisions, all of which could have disastrous consequences. Reconciliation with his family is complicated by an overseas internship with a predatory business woman.Vin still struggles with his alcoholism, with finding his place in a world after college, and with establishing relationships with his newfound father and sister. The last puzzle piece of Vin's mysterious past clicks into place when he comes face-to-face with his mother's ex-fiancé. His relationship with Beau has never been stronger ... until an unexpected email threatens to topple everything they've build together.
Glory, Glory Hallelujah
by Lynn TownsendBe creative with sexual positions and physical barriers, like walls, that allow sexual contact while preventing close face to face contact. Masturbate together. Use physical distance and face coverings to reduce the risk.So said the NYC Safer Sex Guide to COVID-19. When Hunter Moretti, son of a high profile senator, decides he really, really needs to get laid, working a shift at a friend's glory hole seems to fit all the requirements. No contact, clean environment, completely anonymous. Perfect.Cameron Price knows he should be grateful that his job lets him work from home and he doesn't have to constantly be exposed to the virus. But he really, really needs to get laid. His hand just isn't doing it for him. This is safe, right? With no strings or emotions attached. Turns out, Cam's incapable of not trying to find love in the age of corona.
Go Down with the Ship
by Lynn TownsendAfter chasing the same bounty for three years, Captain Galton discovers he cannot let this prize go ... the pirate, Dain, has become more than just a payday for him. She has become his obsession. Laying a trap for her, Galton lures her onto his ship. Thinking she's won at last, Dain and Galton are both in for a surprise when the tables are turned.Contains scenes of MFF erotica.Note: This story is included in the author’s anthology, Whetting the Appetite.
Got the Blues (Rainbow Connection #2)
by Lynn TownsendSequel to On a RollRising sophomore Beau Watkins gave up everything to be with his boyfriend Vin. Beau is disowned by his father and tormented by his brother, is rapidly running out of money, and suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. On top of that, his boyfriend seems to see Beau as little more than a live-in maid.Troubled by word of his own missing father and fighting nightmares of his own, Vin Reyes turns to alcohol to drown his pain. What's worse, a handsome transfer student is a little too interested in Beau. Vin throws away everything that's made him happy with both hands, terrified of his own feelings of inadequacy.When Vin and Beau's happily-ever-after turns into a train wreck of drinking problems, resentment, insecurity, jealousy, and violence, will they be able to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives? Can they win through doubt and guilt, jealousy and recklessness, to find their place together in the world?
Heat Wave: Burlington
by Lynn TownsendBrandon Russo can't stand the sight of blood and the current heat wave makes doing almost anything outdoors unpleasant. So when an SUV sideswipes a bicycle right at the gate of the storage facility in Burlington, Vermont, where Brandon works for his aunt, he considers just locking himself in the office and calling 911. But he's rewarded for letting his good nature overcome his squeamishness when the man he rescues from the ditch turns out to be absolutely gorgeous.Scott Seay is a photographer on the trail of a legend. A strong lead has brought him to Vermont for the auction of a storage unit whose owner had been obsessed with Champy, the creature rumored to live in the depths of Lake Champlain. When Scott winds up in a ditch outside that very same storage facility, being rescued by a hot, chivalrous man who literally sweeps Scott into his arms ... well, Scott's always believed in fate.
London Steam
by Lynn TownsendIn a reimagined 1890's London, where steam-driven airships rule the skies and monsters roam the streets, the Galileo Observatory's Club for Gentlemen welcomes all -- gwr, shape-changers, vampires, and lords. A high-stakes game leads more than a few men astray.Poindexter Fitzhughes, renowned hero and scientist, learns just how much trouble a full-blooded gwr can be when he attempts to cure his lover, Lord Seth Maitland, of the disease. But when their backs are against the wall, the two must learn to trust in each other, and more importantly, in their true natures, to prevail.Meanwhile, Duncan Farnsworth discovers being a vampire has not improved his social life, his chances of finding love, continuing the family line, or getting a bite to eat. Maneuvering his way around a sarcastic butler, his spinster sister, a run-in with an amorous werewolf, and a confrontation with a dead soldier and a French airship captain, Duncan finally finds exactly what he is thirsting for.
On a Roll
by Lynn TownsendFrom the farms of Tennessee, Beau Watkins had it all in high school: the cute girl, the popular jock lifestyle, a loving family. As a rising freshman at an out-of-state college, he's determined to find out who he really is behind the fake it 'til you make it attitude. He joins Rainbow Connection, the gay student alliance, hoping to find himself.Instead, he meets Vin Reyes. Raised by his grandparents and the heir to a prosperous company, Vin has been out of the closet since he figured out what that meant. He has it all: fashionable clothing, fancy cars, huge houses, and a real party lifestyle, even a bodyguard. Most of all, he has a secret.Uncomfortable with Vin's generosity, Beau fights his growing attraction for the president of Rainbow Connection, instead chasing a series of shallow affairs. Vin's never been denied anything he wants, though, and now he wants Beau.But it isn’t until an old rival puts Beau in the hospital that Vin realizes Beau means more to him than a simple affair. Can the two of them bridge the gap between their worlds and roll with the all the punches life throws at them?
Rainbow Connection Box Set
by Lynn TownsendAs a rising freshman at an out-of-state college, Beau Watkins is determined to find out who he really is behind the fake it 'til you make it attitude. He joins Rainbow Connection, the gay student alliance, hoping to find himself. Instead, he meets Vin Reyes.All three books in Lynn Townsend's best-selling Rainbow Connection series are collected together into a box set for the first time! Contains the stories:On a Roll: College is all about finding yourself, but nobody told Beau it was also about losing your heart. Can a farm kid from Tennessee make it work with a flamboyant rich man with a hidden past?Got the Blues: Beau gave up everything to be with his boyfriend Vin. But Vin turns to alcohol to drown his pain, and worse, a handsome transfer student is a little too interested in Beau. Vin throws away everything that's made him happy with both hands, terrified of his own feelings of inadequacy. Will they be able to find their place together in the world?A Classic Blunder: Beau and Vin have mended their differences, but that doesn't mean everything is back the way it was. Vin’s relationship with Beau has never been stronger ... until an unexpected email threatens to topple everything they've build together.
Room for Dessert
by Lynn TownsendSharon Gedes hasn't been the person she wanted to be for most of her life. She gave up the life of a writer, actress, and chose to settle in a small, southern town where she pretends to be someone she's not. Married, with four sons, she lives a life of quiet desperation, pretending to be straight, upright, and above all, normal.When she spends a weekend in New York with her old girlfriend, Pilar, to ostensibly pitch her television script to an executive producer, Sharon discovers everything she's been missing, a sense of purpose, love, adventure ... and the woman she used to be.Note: This story is included in the author’s anthology, Whetting the Appetite.
High Noon in Sandbridge
by Lynn Townsend Elizabeth L. BrooksSequel to Daybreak in SandbridgeLife is pretty good for Scooter and Andy Stahl-Howard these days. The restaurant is doing well and they’re happy with their little family.Then Scooter’s sister meets an untimely end, and Scooter and Andy are suddenly guardians to a niece they’ve only met a handful of times. Their attempts to make a home for the bereaved child are complicated by Andy's mother, Scooter’s ex-lover, and the man who claims to be Billie’s father.But whatever her parentage, Billie is a Stahl through and through -- stubborn and hot-tempered and not remotely interested in making a life in the one place her mother had sworn never to return. Will she ever learn to call Dockside and Sandbridge home?
Just Say the Word
by Lynn Townsend Elizabeth L. BrooksGabe Ellis knew some people were “like that,” but it never occurred to him those people might include his boyfriend, Tom Hampton. Now Gabe has to deal with the idea his gorgeous, successful lover enjoys hurting people -- and being hurt -- for fun. Worse, Gabe has to come to terms with the fact that so does he.Tom was once known in the local BDSM scene as a ruthless Dom, but he left the scene when he realized he’d rather have a vanilla partner than one who can’t deal with the fact that he’s a switch. Those old feelings come crashing back in, however, when Gabe confesses to darker desires.Gabe seems made for Tom, a switch who flips between stern Dom and sweetheart sub. But not everything goes smoothly as they explore their new dynamic. Will Gabe embrace the lifestyle, or ask for it all to stop?
Nights in Sandbridge (Sandbridge Ser.)
by Lynn Townsend Elizabeth L. BrooksAndy Howard dropped out of college to get away from his abusive father. When his longtime boyfriend reveals similar tendencies, Andy refuses to endure another moment of it, running away with nothing more than the cash in his pockets. He makes it to Virginia, where he's taken in by Scooter Stahl, a restaurant owner looking for an extra hand who's willing to be paid cash under the table.Scooter's been struggling for years: to keep the beachside restaurant he inherited from his parents above water (both financially and literally); to live down the fact that he's gay in a small southern town; to get over the man who's owned his heart since he was fourteen. But he's never had to struggle as hard as he is now, to keep his hands off Andy.
Whetting the Appetite
by Lynn Townsend Elizabeth L. BrooksRomance and erotica authors Lynn Townsend and Elizabeth L. Brooks have joined forces to assemble this collection of "flash-fiction" ultra-short stories generated in response to prompts offered by fans and friends and touching on dozens of aspects of lust, love, and desire.The stories in this collection span contemporary, historical, steampunk, fantasy, sci-fi, and horror, taking you from a modern living room to the high seas to Victorian London to planets and times at the edge of imagination. Explore relationships all along the romantic and erotic spectrums, including the thrill of a one-night stand, the fierce burn of rivalry, the heady flush of new romance, the intense trust of BDSM, and all the pros and cons of long-term partnerships. Meet characters who defy conventional gender boundaries, including a preoperative transmale, several aliens, and a few characters whose genders are left open to reader interpretation. Sexual orientations on display vary nearly as widely, with groupings that include M/F, M/M, F/F, and F/F/M -- not to mention those aliens!With 46 stories to choose from, there's something here for every moment and mood, something to whet any appetite.
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! 01 (Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! #1)
by Yuu ToyotaIt's complicated: A thirty-year-old virgin gets more than he bargained for when his newfound magical power reveals he's the object of his male coworker's affections!Adachi, a thirty-year-old virgin, discovers he has the magical power to read the minds of people he touches. Unfortunately, the ability just makes him miserable since he doesn't know how to use it well! And to make matters worse, when he accidentally reads the mind of his very competent, handsome colleague, Adachi discovers the guy has a raging crush on none other than Adachi himself! Things are about to get VERY awkward!
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! 02 (Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! #2)
by Yuu ToyotaIt's complicated: A thirty-year-old virgin gets more than he bargained for when his newfound magical power reveals he's the object of his male coworker's affections!Businessman Adachi turned thirty a virgin, and now he's a wizard who can read the mind of anyone he touches...which is how he learned that his handsome coworker Kurosawa was in love with him! Inexperienced Adachi was initially bewildered by Kurosawa's intense feelings, but after being exposed to Kurosawa's genuine affection, Adachi finds Kurosawa on his mind a lot more often than he'd care to admit these days! Will the upcoming staff business trip turn into a trip for two for Kurosawa and Adachi?!
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! 03 (Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! #3)
by Yuu ToyotaIt's complicated: A thirty-year-old virgin gets more than he bargained for when his newfound magical power reveals he's the object of his male coworker's affections!Ever since he was blessed (cursed?) on his thirtieth birthday with the magical ability to read the minds of those he touches, virginal office drone Adachi has been put through the ringer, especially after discovering his colleague Kurosawa's feelings for him! And just when it seems like Adachi might be able to take his friendship with Kurosawa to the next level, Adachi's complex about not having any romantic experience gets in the way. Unfortunately for Adachi, taking things nice and slow is out the window when it turns out the two of them are going to be sharing an apartment!!
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! 04 (Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! #4)
by Yuu ToyotaIt's complicated: A thirty-year-old virgin gets more than he bargained for when his newfound magical power reveals he's the object of his male coworker's affections!Gifted (cursed?) at the age of 30 with the ability to read the mind of whomever he touches (even the coworker with the hots for him!), virginal businessman-turned-wizard Adachi is taking his first tentative steps into love! After being wooed within an inch of his life by the tenacious Kurosawa, Adachi is at last on board with his feelings for his handsome, kind colleague and has come around to the idea of Kurosawa as his very first significant other. But now that the pair are officially an item, Kurosawa is chomping at the bit to do all the couple stuff he's been dreaming about, including dating! There's just one little problem: Adachi, the 30-year-old virgin, has never even been on a date!
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! 05 (Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! #5)
by Yuu ToyotaIt's complicated: A thirty-year-old virgin gets more than he bargained for when his newfound magical power reveals he's the object of his male coworker's affections!Ever since Adachi and Kurosawa officially became an item, they&’ve been exploring their couplehood with both trepidation and excitement. But Adachi is stressed, and for once, it&’s not just romance that has him angsting! Conflicted about keeping his wizard self a secret from Kurosawa, Adachi waffles and frets, looking for the right moment to let the cat out of the bag. Before he can make a decision one way or another, however, Kurosawa&’s birthday arrives! And when a misunderstanding forces Adachi&’s hand, will the big reveal be a make (love)–or–break (up) moment for the pair?!