He, is author Michael Chavez who bestowed his first published book, Creed upon us in April of 2012. For a look at my actual review of Creed, just click here… Anyway, he’s had some success with that one but, as with so many authors, his writing is getting better over time. This time, he’s tantalizing us with his latest gay themed work of fiction, Haze which came out in March of this year.

Chavez isn’t writing in series format at all. This book stands completely on it’s own and, dare I say – apart from – Creed. Though I truly enjoyed Michael’s first book, it was still a first book and, as most brand new authors do, Chavez was really trying very hard to weave his tale. Too hard, in my sometimes “not so humble” opinion. Haze is different. This time, he gets it exactly right.

Now, if you’ve followed along with me for any length of time, you know that I love mysteries and also legal thrillers. Last time around, with Creed, we got a bit of mystery and intrigue and some great courtroom action. This time, with Haze, there’s less mystery but there’s even more courtroom drama. Chavez doesn’t have a legal background a la authors John Grisham or Scott Turow but he sure likes to write the same sort of stuff!

Haze is the story of Andrew; a man who has struggled through life to find love and acceptance from within himself and from others. He was fat and taunted as a teen, all while also struggling with his sexuality. He begins to pull it together as an adult when he comes out as a gay man and he finds love and acceptance, finally, in Nat, a man who sees the person behind the body fat. Of course, we wouldn’t have much of a story if good things lasted forever and, so, tragedy strikes not once, but twice, and Andrew’s world tilts on its axis once again.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say that there’s a lot more to this book than the gay “hook”. It’s a well told story of lies and deceit and the aforementioned legal “stuff” with some well developed characters that are much like those right out of modern day news stories. It’s almost chilling in how realistic it actually is!

I enjoyed Haze and I think, if you like books about more than just gay sex (though there is a tiny bit of that here), you’ll enjoy this one too. It’s currently only available in paperback but a Kindle version should follow soon.

Still, I can’t remember the last time I was off on a Saturday night that my wife had to work… It’s been a while! I spent the morning running errands and doing laundry while she slept after her Friday night shift and I made her dinner and then, as she walked out the door, I pondered what to do with myself for the next 6 hours or so. Being married and always having something to do together on Saturday night is awesome! I’ll never take it for granted again, pinkie swear!

Since I had to work the next six days, I decided I had better take it easy. I had stuff to do for my son anyway (graduation announcements), so I thought; let me watch one of those “drama” movies I love that would just totally lull her to sleep while I get some things done. I chose a movie I heard about more than a year ago but that I just never got around to watching, Pariah. I’m really glad I took the time to check it out.

Pariah is the story of black teenager, Alike (played by Adepero Oduye), the daughter of Aurthur and Audrey (Charles Parnell and the multi-talented Kim Wayans). It’s been billed as a “coming of age tale” but, despite other reviews you may read to the contrary, it’s not a “typical” one. This time we have, as I said, a black female lead. There are precious few coming of age movies that center around young black women. Rarer still are those that center around a young black women that is coming out to herself, her friends and her family as a lesbian and all that, that entails. That’s the crux of this movie.

To say anymore would give key plot points away here. Honestly, I knew too much myself going in because I probably read more of the Amazon reviews about the film than I should have. I do that though just because I like to read the take of people who really liked it and people who really hated it. You know what? There were many more likes than hates and, frankly, the haters did not seem to realize what the main “theme” of Pariah was. Most seemed shocked that it was about lesbian teenagers or had LGBT themes. A couple even mentioned that they were upset about sexual content (Um, hello, it’s rated “R”). Most of the detractors had little or nothing to say about the quality of the movie, itself.

Check this one out and judge it for yourself. It’s available on DVD, Blu-Ray and Instant Video.

So, to take your mind off what’s really an otherwise crappy day for all of us in the LGBT community who are in committed relationships that don’t count causing us to pay even more  than  our fair share of taxes, I present all new gay and lesbian Kindle fiction top 1o lists. It’s been a month since I’ve done a hot Kindle fiction update and I have to tell you, it’s been worth the wait. We have 20 smoking hot new titles! It’s been a long wait but I promise you, it’s been worth it.

Let’s dive in! Here’s the link to the lists for those of you that just can’t wait:

Gay and Lesbian Kindle Fiction Top 10 Lists

For those of you that want a bit more information; here you go:

On the lesbian Kindle fiction list we have 10 brand new titles including the newest releases from best selling lesbian fiction writers Gerri Hill with her latest book,  Love Waits and Trin Denise with her latest,  Red Hot Stone Cold. Hill especially is on fire lately with her second publication this year. Both of you, keep ‘em coming!

There are two “apparently” new lesbian fiction authors appearing on the top 10 too that I want to acknowledge. They don’t have Amazon profiles or other books listed in their names so I have to assume they’re first time authors… until they pop up here and tell me otherwise! Kudos to to Jennifer Lyndon for making the top ten – AT NUMBER 1 – as a new author with An Infatuation and to L. L. Raand for hitting the list at number 5 with The Lone Hunt (Midnight Hunters).

On the gay Kindle fiction side of the equation, we also have 10 smoking new titles including the latest by the always popular T. J. Klune, Into This River I Drown and not one, but two books (at #8 and #9) by the writing team of G. A. Hauser, Stacey Rhodes, Arlen Schumer and Dennis Dean. Those two books are The Farmer’s Son and Marry Me.

Enough commentary from me. On to the books!

Gay and Lesbian Kindle Fiction Top 10 Lists

Roger calls himself a ‘tribal elder’ he’s a gay man/queer man or, as he puts it, “Queerman” that’s been through it all when it comes to the travails of being a part of the gay community and being ill, being addicted and so much more. He documents his life’s journey in a series of essays in this book. It’s not a book that starts with his birth and rolls through the present or even his early coming out years as so many queer memoirs do. Rather, it’s a book that looks at specific experiences and periods in his life and analyzes them through the wider lens of his current perspective.

Goodman chronicles a lot of stuff here. We get everything from what he thinks it means to be gay, through his music, his divinity studies (and the refusal of the powers that be to ordain him), through the AIDS epidemic, living with HIV, drug addiction and so much more. It’s an intense read. At the same time, I have admit; I really struggled with parts of this book.

I’m not a gay man. My life experience in the LGBT community will never even approach mirroring what it means to be a gay man so maybe I’m not the best judge. Still, I can’t help but feel that Roger Goodman paints all the men in the gay community with the same brush. I do realize there was/is a real, very palpable issue with AIDS. I realize too that AIDS and HIV are still heavy duty realities for many of our gay brothers. I know too that metropolitan based gay culture often revolves around sex and drugs. Those last two specifically though don’t encompass all gay men or even most of them.  Goodman’s portrait would have you believe that this is the “only” way that it is if I’m interpreting it correctly. In his time and in his experience, yes it probably was, but here he’s writing with a modern view and continuing the same conversation.

I disagree with Goodman on a couple of points, have true heartburn with at least one train of thought (the concept of sex between HIV positive men as a Eucharistic experience… but I’m not an HIV positive man so, what do I know?) and I’m skeptical of a few others. That’s the point though of reading things from someone else’s perspective, isn’t it? We learn from that and, perhaps, expand our viewpoint. He’s entitled to his opinions and his world view. I support his right to express them and I support him as a member of the Queer community. Though I don’t walk away from this book a true believer in all the majick he expoused, I certainly have new perspective and a broader understanding of some of the issues our elders faced.

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Two big days are in front of us with the United States Supreme Court. Today the justices hear arguments concerning Proposition 8 in California, the state Constitutional Amendment that overturned the right to same-sex marriage in the state and made marriage strictly between one man and one woman. Two lower courts have overturned Prop 8 and so, it’s proponents have carried their arguments to the Supreme Court.

Tomorrow, the justices will hear arguments concerning the Defense of Marriage Act, specifically whether it unfairly denies federal benefits to same sex couples legally married under state law.

I’ll be back this week with actual book reviews but, for now, potential history is in the making on the civil rights issue of our times! Turn your profile red and show your support.

I was recently involved in a discussion about her work on another forum and it brought her back to mind. I hadn’t picked up any of her work in a while. And then, I’m perusing the books available in the thrift store where my son works part time and I came across her 2nd book, Body of Evidence which was published in 1991 and which I read way back then. Since the details of the story were not stored in my memory banks, I bought the book and read it again like it was the first time.

Included prominently in many of Cornwell’s books in the Scarpetta series was the character “Lucy”, Kay’s niece. Her lesbian niece. Now, frankly, Cornwell’s work has always been targeted at a mainstream audience. Body of Evidence was published in 1991… way back in 1991. Back before same sex couples were looked  upon favorably by even 40% of the U.S. population and yet, a prominent story line in this best selling book is the work that Lucy – an FBI agent – and her female partner Janet (also an agent) do. How incredible is that?

Cornwell lost some of her audience back in 2003 with the publication of her12th Scarpetta based book, Blow Fly but she gained some new fans too. Blow Fly is not written in the first person with Kay doing the storytelling. It’s written from the point of view of the criminals and it has a much darker feel. I didn’t personally care for it as much (especially since I’d been following the series since the beginning) but others loved it. Her most recent book, the 2012 publication, The Bone Bed returns to her original roots with Scarpetta as a 1st person story teller. Another book is due out later this year.

Patricia Cornwell was married to a man for more than 10 years. They divorced in 1989. In 2005 Cornwell married her female partner Staci Gruber. She’s a private person who has never had much to say about her sexuality. Is she bi? Is she gay? No one but Cornwell really knows for sure. It’s true that she has not been a vocal advocate for the LGBT community. It’s also true that she has been an avid supporter of Republican candidates for office in the past (but not recently) going against the grain of much of the gay and lesbian community. Make of her personal history what you want. The lady can still write.

In closing, I’d like to say that Patricia has a couple of other smaller fiction series that are worth checking out but she’s also authored some very interesting non-fiction and, in the case of her true crime book, Portrait Of A Killer: Jack The Ripper — Case Closed, some that is highly controversial as well. Several of those non-fiction books are certainly worth a read. If you read or have read “Case Closed” and you’ve read some of the arguments against her theory, I’d love to hear your take on it. Feel free to comment on this post.

Anyway, you don’t care about all of that. You just want to know about the latest and greatest in gay and lesbian fiction for the Kindle. I know. It’s been two weeks and you’ve been waiting patiently. So, for those of you who just can’t wait to jump to it, here’s the link to both top ten lists:

Gay and Lesbian Kindle Fiction Top 10 Lists

Meanwhile, for those of you who like to know what’s changed, I offer just a bit of commentary. Read on!

One of the things I typically do when I’m compiling these top ten lists of popular and highly reader rated ebooks is that I look at how many ratings a book has from readers before I include it. I try not to include a book on the list that doesn’t have at least 4 ratings and, really, I try to go for more. The reason is because the more readers that review and rate a book, the better the feel we get for it’s true merit. Now, I’m not saying this happens all the time, but we all know the first review or two of a book is often cajoled out of a family member or friend of the author and, sometimes, the reviewer is actually paid to write it. No, to answer the obvious question that comes up here, I am not paid to review any of the books I talk about here. I do however, if they are available on Amazon, get a very small commission on any books that are sold there by readers clicking on my sales links to the books. That does not and will not ever stop me from A) giving an honest review and B) from reviewing books not available on Amazon. Anyway, I rarely make an exception for a book with only a few reviews. I am this week.

On the lesbian fiction top 10 list, we have a new number 1 by author Robin Alexander, The Lure of White Oak Lake. Her book bumps the latest by Gerri Hill, Snow Falls, down to number 2. As of this writing, Robin’s book only had a few reviews. Her work though is well known to lesbian themed fiction readers and I have no doubt it will be hanging around on the list for a little while. We also have some brand new books at numbers 5, 6 and 10 on the list. They are, respectively; Step Into the Wind by Bev Prescott, In Name Only by JM Dragon,  and the latest by Julia P. Lynde, Bidding War. So, there’s a few new things to look at out there… now to find the time…

On the gay fiction list, as always with the guys, there’s a lot of change. It’s the only constant on their list. Author Sandrine Gasq-Dion continues to be hot, hot, hot with his latest work to make the list (and at number 1 to boot), Into the Lyons Den (Assassin/Shifter). In fact, it’s number 1 in 3 gay and lesbian categories on Amazon and number 375 OVERALL for the Kindle. That’s a hot book!

We also have a new number 2 in gay fiction, Something in the Way He Needs (Family Series) by Cardeno C. Books 3 and 4 have been on the list for a few weeks but, after them, we have wholesale changes with all new books from #5 through #10! Amazing! As usual, we have a lot of female writers in the mix of all the new books. Gay fiction is not only popular with gay male readers but also with straight women. Maybe straight men should do a little reading in the gay fiction area? Couldn’t hurt, might help… you never know!

Now, for those of you that hung around, here’s that link to the list again:

Gay and Lesbian Kindle Fiction Top 10 Lists

Enjoy!

“Rainbow”, as I’ll call it, was – as I said in that review - was a roller coaster ride of emotions. The book ended on a note that left the door wide open for a sequel. Well, it’s here! In early February, Donta self published, through CreateSpace, Yesterday Clarified which picks up the story of Tyrin, Khalil, Khalil’s family and friends Kerrion and Spencer about two years or so later. This book too is a wild ride of emotional highs and lows with a whole lot of anger and resentment stirring the pot.

Yesterday Clarified is about family, friends and relationships or the lack of them. It’s about coming to terms with the mistakes of the past and becoming self aware. It’s about religion and prejudice and preconceived ideas and much more.

“Rainbow” left a lot of unanswered questions. Yesterday Clarified, jumps right in and takes off running. While the book could stand alone, you’d probably be much better off reading “Rainbow” first before cracking “Yesterday” open. There are a lot of references to events that happened in the first book but there’s no summary of them to give you more than a very basic background understanding so you would have to assume  a lot of things.

Self publishing a book is expensive and time consuming. Sometimes things get lost in the shuffle. This story is great and it feels authentic but, honestly, I’d have to give it 4 out of 5 stars, simply for lack of a good editor. There are typos throughout that include the occasional misspelling, extra word or missing word and also issues because Morrison often switches between 1st and 3rd person and present and past tense in the same paragraph or in the same stream of dialog. Speaking of dialog, the interaction between characters is so authentic – right down to slang and idioms, that it makes it all feel very real. Just a bit of  better editing and a focus on keeping everything in the first person would have really made this story suck a reader in and immerse him or her.

First up, a look at lesbian fiction for the Amazon Kindle:

Though it’s been more than 2 weeks since the last update, Gerri Hill continues to hold the top spot on the lesbian fiction list with her latest book, Snow Falls. The book doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Let’s just hope that the real life snowy weather much of the country is experiencing does! Meanwhile, Melissa Brayden’s book, Heart Block is threatening for the top spot as it stays strong and works up from number five on the list to number 2.

New to the list, and taking the number three spot, is the fifth fiction work for author D. Jackson Leigh, Every Second Counts. True to the western romance nature of her previous books, this time we get a female bull rider (if you’re not familiar with the sport, you have no idea how rare that is) and the woman who hopes to pry her away from the arena and all of the associated dangers. I have a nephew who thinks riding bulls is fun. I’m thinking I’m going to have to check this one out.

Rounding out the lesbian list (I like the sound of that in a good sort of way…) we also have new ebook entrants at numbers 5 and 9. They are, in order: Broken Star by Joann Lee, Sea Glass Inn by Karis Walsh. And, finally, an old favorite at number 10, to go along with our number 7 entrant, When Women Were Warriors Book II: A Journey of the Heart by Catherine M. Wilson.

On to the guys side of thing! As usual, we have nearly wholesale changes on the gay Kindle fiction list. Books move through the gay fiction universe at the speed of light, it seems…

We have brand new books at number 1 and number 2. They are: Plan B by SJD Peterson and Tell Me It’s Real by – hang on to your hats – TJ Klune respectively. Nice to see TJ back with some new stuff!

The books at numbers 3 and 8 were on the last list popular gay fiction list. All of the other books are new to this list. Like I said, we have wholesale changes! With books, change is a good thing! Since there are so many, how about you just jump right to the list and check them out? Here’s the link:

Gay and Lesbian Kindle Fiction Top 10 Lists

Please stay warm and enjoy the books!

Those of you that have stopped by here before know full well that sci-fi isn’t my first choice for fiction and, I have to admit, the first couple of pages of this threw me, as I began to read. I stopped reading and went back and read a note I got from the author about it telling me that it’s written in the format of a scientific research paper. After I locked that little fact into my brain, everything clicked and the story made perfect sense. Sheldon Cooper fans rejoice; you’re going to love this one!

Briefly, we have the story of Node AR1x40 or, as he is known in his earthly form, Javier Flores and his case study / love interest Theo Zedek (who has no idea his beloved Javier is an alien life form sent to earth to study human interactions). This is a unique format to use to tell a short story and again, as before, Cox tells it well.

This is available on the Kindle for a very reasonable $1.99. It’s more than worth it!