Return of the Sun by Connie Bailey

Here again another historical gay romance that proves that it's possible to write a very nice and interesting historical romance in only 37 pages.

First of all the author chose to set the story in a very unusual period, England when it was not yet England, after the Romans left and before the Normans arrives. Norsemen are raiding the villages, and sometime they succeed and sometime they not. Sweyn is one of those Norsemen, even if he joined his uncle's crew not willing; oh, it's not that Sweyn doesn't like the raid, or doesn't approve them, it's only that he doesn't like his uncle's reason, he suspects that his uncle wanted to use him as a pawn, to convince his father, a prince among the Norsemen, to send supplies and men in this far land. And instead now Sweyn is the only survivor and it's alone in the wood without shelter, and he is hungry. When he sees a young man picking up mistletoe, it's clear that the man is a priest, but Sweyn sees also the chance to have food. He is surprise when the young priest reacts and after disarming him, he offers shelter to Sweyn in his isolated cave.

Cathbad is an half Pict half Roman of high born origins. Like Sweyn, he has his reason to have left his father wealthy home and living poor in the forest. But this is the longest night of the year, and having companionship seems a good thing. And then in the shelter of his cave, around the fire, it's easier to talk and compare, and to discover that Sweyn and Cathbad have a lot of things in common.

Despite the story being short, both Sweyn and Cathbad have their background stories, and the setting is enough detailed to prove that the author made her research work before writing down an historical story. Sometime is enough some right words here and there, some right reference on places and people, to help the reader to give up in the story.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/advent.htm

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Return of the Sun by Connie Bailey

Here again another historical gay romance that proves that it's possible to write a very nice and interesting historical romance in only 37 pages.

First of all the author chose to set the story in a very unusual period, England when it was not yet England, after the Romans left and before the Normans arrives. Norsemen are raiding the villages, and sometime they succeed and sometime they not. Sweyn is one of those Norsemen, even if he joined his uncle's crew not willing; oh, it's not that Sweyn doesn't like the raid, or doesn't approve them, it's only that he doesn't like his uncle's reason, he suspects that his uncle wanted to use him as a pawn, to convince his father, a prince among the Norsemen, to send supplies and men in this far land. And instead now Sweyn is the only survivor and it's alone in the wood without shelter, and he is hungry. When he sees a young man picking up mistletoe, it's clear that the man is a priest, but Sweyn sees also the chance to have food. He is surprise when the young priest reacts and after disarming him, he offers shelter to Sweyn in his isolated cave.

Cathbad is an half Pict half Roman of high born origins. Like Sweyn, he has his reason to have left his father wealthy home and living poor in the forest. But this is the longest night of the year, and having companionship seems a good thing. And then in the shelter of his cave, around the fire, it's easier to talk and compare, and to discover that Sweyn and Cathbad have a lot of things in common.

Despite the story being short, both Sweyn and Cathbad have their background stories, and the setting is enough detailed to prove that the author made her research work before writing down an historical story. Sometime is enough some right words here and there, some right reference on places and people, to help the reader to give up in the story.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/advent.htm

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Christmas Toy by Stone Richards

Mitch is a 30 years old successful realtor. He has his own firm and apparently a good life. But he is alone: his parents died in an accident three years before and since Mitch spent all his life denying to be gay, he has no one near him as a partner. And he is not doing anything to change the thing. Instead he accepts to do the esteem of a mountain cabin in Colorado during the Christmas time to allow all his employees to be at home with their families. But the day before his leaving, Mark, one of his employee, asks him if he can tag along; when Mitch asks why he has no other plan for Christmas, Mark candidly admits that he was disowned by his family for being gay... like that, plain and simple, without fear, Mark is claiming what Mitch has no courage to do.

It's also clear that Mark has plans for Mitch, very personal plan, and when they arrive to the cabin, Mark declares that he is Mitch's Christmas Toy and that the man can do everything he wants with him. At first Mitch is reticent, but then, faced with the possibility to explore all his hidden desires, he surrenders.

I have to say that all in all I like the story, even if I don't like so much the almost analytical way in which sex is described. True, Mitch is new to all the matter, but sometime I almost had the feeling to read an "how to do" manual; and then, when both Mark and Mitch punctuate all the salient moments... well sometime, I prefer the sex to be silent. Anyway, as I said, the story is good, and the sex, even if loud, is sometime also original: the first time of Mitch in the snow, well you can say that it will remain an unforgettable moment for him. I like that Mitch didn't fall for Mark at the first occasion, but makes the man works for what he wants; Mitch is in denial, but he knows that, and he first needs to accept himself and then he can accept Mark. And I like also Mark's attitude, as he step by step coaxes Mitch into surrender. Probably if the author pushed a bit more on romance, and a bit less on sex, this would be a really good first taste of a new author (new for me).

By the way, very nice cover.

http://www.extasybooks.net/ebjmsite/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=8&flypage=ebook_flypage&product_id=4246&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=44&vmcchk=1&Itemid=44

Amazon Kindle: Christmas Toy

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Christmas Toy by Stone Richards

Mitch is a 30 years old successful realtor. He has his own firm and apparently a good life. But he is alone: his parents died in an accident three years before and since Mitch spent all his life denying to be gay, he has no one near him as a partner. And he is not doing anything to change the thing. Instead he accepts to do the esteem of a mountain cabin in Colorado during the Christmas time to allow all his employees to be at home with their families. But the day before his leaving, Mark, one of his employee, asks him if he can tag along; when Mitch asks why he has no other plan for Christmas, Mark candidly admits that he was disowned by his family for being gay... like that, plain and simple, without fear, Mark is claiming what Mitch has no courage to do.

It's also clear that Mark has plans for Mitch, very personal plan, and when they arrive to the cabin, Mark declares that he is Mitch's Christmas Toy and that the man can do everything he wants with him. At first Mitch is reticent, but then, faced with the possibility to explore all his hidden desires, he surrenders.

I have to say that all in all I like the story, even if I don't like so much the almost analytical way in which sex is described. True, Mitch is new to all the matter, but sometime I almost had the feeling to read an "how to do" manual; and then, when both Mark and Mitch punctuate all the salient moments... well sometime, I prefer the sex to be silent. Anyway, as I said, the story is good, and the sex, even if loud, is sometime also original: the first time of Mitch in the snow, well you can say that it will remain an unforgettable moment for him. I like that Mitch didn't fall for Mark at the first occasion, but makes the man works for what he wants; Mitch is in denial, but he knows that, and he first needs to accept himself and then he can accept Mark. And I like also Mark's attitude, as he step by step coaxes Mitch into surrender. Probably if the author pushed a bit more on romance, and a bit less on sex, this would be a really good first taste of a new author (new for me).

By the way, very nice cover.

http://www.extasybooks.net/ebjmsite/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=8&flypage=ebook_flypage&product_id=4246&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=44&vmcchk=1&Itemid=44

Amazon Kindle: Christmas Toy

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

In the Spotlight: Michael Schiefelbein

The Book: A savage and sensuous chronicle of a contemporary vampire seeking vengeance against God.

An interview with Michael Schiefelbein author of Vampire Vow

"I wanted Jesus. That's how it started. Yes, the Jesus they built a religion on, the one they say rose from the dead."

With this opening sentence, it becomes immediately clear that this is not a typical novel, and by the time you have raced through the remaining 213 blood-soaked, terrifying pages, it is clear that Vampire Vow is not a typical vampire novel either.

Victor Decimus is perhaps the most horrifyingly amoral creature of the night ever created, and yet in Michael Schiefelbein's skilled hands he is almost as attractive as he is repellent. Combining sex, religion, and blood lust is a tricky business and not for the faint of heart, but as we discovered from our conversation with Vampire Vow author Michael Schiefelbein, he knows whereof he speaks:

Alyson: Your novel violates quite a few taboos-the sex-religion combination, the subject of Jesus' sexuality, vampires and Jesus-I mean, you have a man falling in love with Jesus and becoming a vampire to spite him. Are you nervous about reactions?

Michael Schiefelbein: Like crosses burning on my lawn? The thought has crossed my mind, especially here in the Bible Belt. But I strongly believe in a real, human Jesus who might have been gay. Who knows? And to me, the ultimate tribute you can pay someone is to desire him, body and soul. In terms of sex in the novel, it's appropriate. Victor, the protagonist, is a ruthless, passionate Roman guard who uses sex to assert his power. He's not admirable for that, but his fury with depictions of Jesus as otherworldly and asexual is justified. Victor certainly exploits the Church by posing as a monk and pretending to play according to the monastery's rules. But he also brings some flesh and blood-no pun intended-into spirituality.

Alyson: So the idea of Jesus as a lover isn't blasphemous to you?

Michael Schiefelbein: Some of the great Christian mystics saw him that way. 

Amazon: Vampire Vow

( Other Books in the List )

The Author: Michael Schiefelbein is the author of six books, including the Lamda Literary Award-nominated novels Vampire Vow and Vampire Thrall.

After spending ten years studying for the priesthood, he graduated from the University of Maryland with a doctorate in English. He has lived in Italy and Washington, D.C., and he was a professor of writing and literature in Memphis, TN. He now lives in Modesto, California where he practices his calling full-time as a minister of the United Church of Christ. He is the pastor of College Avenue Congregational Church in Modesto, CA, 85 miles east of San Francisco. Schiefelbein was ordained in 2005 after graduation from Memphis Theological Seminary. At Memphis’ First Congregational Church, he was chaplain of Pilgrim House, a hospitality center for homeless families, people in difficult circumstances, and college interns doing community service. In the Literature and Languages Department of Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Schiefelbein taught many courses beyond freshman composition and sophomore literature, including Honors World Lit I and II, the 19th-Century British Novel, the 19th-Century American Novel, Creative Writing, Victorian Prose and Poetry, Junior and Senior Seminar, and Special Topics courses in Dickens and in the Bible as Literature.

Rev. Michael Schiefelbein and his partner, Steve Klinkerman, were married in Canada in 2005 on their 10th anniversary. In the June 2008 newsletter from College Avenue Congregational Church, the Rev. Michael Schiefelbein says, "This is the most traditional thing I'll ever say as a pastor: I urge all of you couples living together and calling yourselves partners to make honest people of yourselves and get married."

"For us, it's a cause of celebration," said Schiefelbein. "It's a matter of recognizing relationships that exist and have existed for a long, long time, some for 30 years, some with children or property. It gives dignity to their relationship and helps them to have that standing in the community."

It also, he added, is a matter of faith for many."It's a faith issue because people are all created in the image of God," he said. "This is recognizing the worth of every person to enter into a covenant with another person and be held accountable within our community of faith."

He rejects the views of Christians who say that homosexuality is a sin or a perversion."In Galatians, it says: 'No Jew or Greek, no slave or free, no male or female.' The distinction (against homosexuality) that Christians make shouldn't happen. We recognize we're all one in Christ." (From The Modesto Bee)

http://awfulagent.com/clients/schiefelbein.html

Top 100 Gay Novels List (*)

External Link to the Top 100 Gay Novels List (simple - without photos)

External Link to the Top 100 Gay Novels List (wanted - with photos)

*only one title per author, only print books released after January 1, 2000.

Other titles not in the top 100 list:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/top50MM

In the Spotlight: Michael Schiefelbein

The Book: A savage and sensuous chronicle of a contemporary vampire seeking vengeance against God.

An interview with Michael Schiefelbein author of Vampire Vow

"I wanted Jesus. That's how it started. Yes, the Jesus they built a religion on, the one they say rose from the dead."

With this opening sentence, it becomes immediately clear that this is not a typical novel, and by the time you have raced through the remaining 213 blood-soaked, terrifying pages, it is clear that Vampire Vow is not a typical vampire novel either.

Victor Decimus is perhaps the most horrifyingly amoral creature of the night ever created, and yet in Michael Schiefelbein's skilled hands he is almost as attractive as he is repellent. Combining sex, religion, and blood lust is a tricky business and not for the faint of heart, but as we discovered from our conversation with Vampire Vow author Michael Schiefelbein, he knows whereof he speaks:

Alyson: Your novel violates quite a few taboos-the sex-religion combination, the subject of Jesus' sexuality, vampires and Jesus-I mean, you have a man falling in love with Jesus and becoming a vampire to spite him. Are you nervous about reactions?

Michael Schiefelbein: Like crosses burning on my lawn? The thought has crossed my mind, especially here in the Bible Belt. But I strongly believe in a real, human Jesus who might have been gay. Who knows? And to me, the ultimate tribute you can pay someone is to desire him, body and soul. In terms of sex in the novel, it's appropriate. Victor, the protagonist, is a ruthless, passionate Roman guard who uses sex to assert his power. He's not admirable for that, but his fury with depictions of Jesus as otherworldly and asexual is justified. Victor certainly exploits the Church by posing as a monk and pretending to play according to the monastery's rules. But he also brings some flesh and blood-no pun intended-into spirituality.

Alyson: So the idea of Jesus as a lover isn't blasphemous to you?

Michael Schiefelbein: Some of the great Christian mystics saw him that way. 

Amazon: Vampire Vow

( Other Books in the List )

The Author: Michael Schiefelbein is the author of six books, including the Lamda Literary Award-nominated novels Vampire Vow and Vampire Thrall.

After spending ten years studying for the priesthood, he graduated from the University of Maryland with a doctorate in English. He has lived in Italy and Washington, D.C., and he was a professor of writing and literature in Memphis, TN. He now lives in Modesto, California where he practices his calling full-time as a minister of the United Church of Christ. He is the pastor of College Avenue Congregational Church in Modesto, CA, 85 miles east of San Francisco. Schiefelbein was ordained in 2005 after graduation from Memphis Theological Seminary. At Memphis’ First Congregational Church, he was chaplain of Pilgrim House, a hospitality center for homeless families, people in difficult circumstances, and college interns doing community service. In the Literature and Languages Department of Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Schiefelbein taught many courses beyond freshman composition and sophomore literature, including Honors World Lit I and II, the 19th-Century British Novel, the 19th-Century American Novel, Creative Writing, Victorian Prose and Poetry, Junior and Senior Seminar, and Special Topics courses in Dickens and in the Bible as Literature.

Rev. Michael Schiefelbein and his partner, Steve Klinkerman, were married in Canada in 2005 on their 10th anniversary. In the June 2008 newsletter from College Avenue Congregational Church, the Rev. Michael Schiefelbein says, "This is the most traditional thing I'll ever say as a pastor: I urge all of you couples living together and calling yourselves partners to make honest people of yourselves and get married."

"For us, it's a cause of celebration," said Schiefelbein. "It's a matter of recognizing relationships that exist and have existed for a long, long time, some for 30 years, some with children or property. It gives dignity to their relationship and helps them to have that standing in the community."

It also, he added, is a matter of faith for many."It's a faith issue because people are all created in the image of God," he said. "This is recognizing the worth of every person to enter into a covenant with another person and be held accountable within our community of faith."

He rejects the views of Christians who say that homosexuality is a sin or a perversion."In Galatians, it says: 'No Jew or Greek, no slave or free, no male or female.' The distinction (against homosexuality) that Christians make shouldn't happen. We recognize we're all one in Christ." (From The Modesto Bee)

http://awfulagent.com/clients/schiefelbein.html

Top 100 Gay Novels List (*)

External Link to the Top 100 Gay Novels List (simple - without photos)

External Link to the Top 100 Gay Novels List (wanted - with photos)

*only one title per author, only print books released after January 1, 2000.

Other titles not in the top 100 list:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/top50MM

Awakening by Terry O'Reilly

When you are writing a gay historical romance, you can face the matter in two ways: as a romantic, and build an happily ever after for your heroes, and as a prosaic, and be true to the history that not let your heroes to be together.

If you don't like to have major spoiler in the story, stop here and don't read on, since I really thought on what to write on this story, but if I don't say some salient point, you will end not liking the story, and instead I think that this book is worth your time.

In the previous book I read by this author, Mr O'Reilly (I didn't know he was a male, not that matter, but maybe this could explain this last book) was a romantic: his nineteen century white man manages to be happy ever after with his Native American lover. True they are both wandering men without a family or a society to call their own, and so maybe they have less binding with the world.

In this book instead Jonathan is a school teacher and Nathaniel a master cooper, and they both live in the puritan society of Newburyport; how can these two men be together? As the same author said in the afterword "Homosexuals back in the Puritan era couldn’t live like we can now", and with "we" he means himself and his husband Drew. Drew is the romantic in the couple and he is not happy of Terry's decision to be "honest and true-to-life", he thinks that "the gay men and straight women who buy your books will like you ending it like that"... I'm called in? yes I think so. Yes, you are right Drew, I didn't like the end, but I see also Terry's point... how could he write something different? true, he could be romantic also this time, Jonathan could leave all he knew, his family, his work, and live as beau savage in the wilderness... how many men probably did the same? But how many instead give up to what society asked them? Probably more.

Jonathan and Nathaniel are in love, but they are not long time lover; the book starts with Nathaniel that is deflowering Jonathan... and the "ing" verbal form is actually right, since we are plunged in the middle of the action, when there is no return way... Nathaniel and Jonathan meet a day, like a lightning in a clear day they find themself soulmates and the same night Nathaniel (who is a bit more experience than Jonathan, but not so much) shows to Jonathan what he is searching all his life, but his puritan upbringing didn't allow him to find. And the day after Jonathan's father announces to his son that he is betrothed and soon-to-be married to the daughter of a business partner. I was just dreading a seventeenth century menages, when the author decided to be "honest and true-to-life", and truth be told, better not having my happily ever after than having a half-way convenient ending.

And now remember what I said at the beginning, the book is worth your time, Jonathan and Nathaniel's love story is sweet and tender, Nathaniel is really a gentle character, so open and sincere. Jonathan maybe is only naivee, young and with a lot of road under his shoes still to take; yes, I believe that he is in love with Nathaniel, but maybe not so much and deeply as Nathaniel himself.

In the end two pleas to the author: even if I heart for Nathaniel, don't write a sequel only to please "the gay men and straight women who buy your books" :-) and instead, consider to write your own story, Terry and Drew's love story; if it's a real story, it's really good, and instead if it's fiction, it's really good as well!

http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/more-hot-reads/awakening/prod_164.html

Buy Here

Amazon Kindle: Awakening

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by Amanda Kelsey

Awakening by Terry O'Reilly

When you are writing a gay historical romance, you can face the matter in two ways: as a romantic, and build an happily ever after for your heroes, and as a prosaic, and be true to the history that not let your heroes to be together.

If you don't like to have major spoiler in the story, stop here and don't read on, since I really thought on what to write on this story, but if I don't say some salient point, you will end not liking the story, and instead I think that this book is worth your time.

In the previous book I read by this author, Mr O'Reilly (I didn't know he was a male, not that matter, but maybe this could explain this last book) was a romantic: his nineteen century white man manages to be happy ever after with his Native American lover. True they are both wandering men without a family or a society to call their own, and so maybe they have less binding with the world.

In this book instead Jonathan is a school teacher and Nathaniel a master cooper, and they both live in the puritan society of Newburyport; how can these two men be together? As the same author said in the afterword "Homosexuals back in the Puritan era couldn’t live like we can now", and with "we" he means himself and his husband Drew. Drew is the romantic in the couple and he is not happy of Terry's decision to be "honest and true-to-life", he thinks that "the gay men and straight women who buy your books will like you ending it like that"... I'm called in? yes I think so. Yes, you are right Drew, I didn't like the end, but I see also Terry's point... how could he write something different? true, he could be romantic also this time, Jonathan could leave all he knew, his family, his work, and live as beau savage in the wilderness... how many men probably did the same? But how many instead give up to what society asked them? Probably more.

Jonathan and Nathaniel are in love, but they are not long time lover; the book starts with Nathaniel that is deflowering Jonathan... and the "ing" verbal form is actually right, since we are plunged in the middle of the action, when there is no return way... Nathaniel and Jonathan meet a day, like a lightning in a clear day they find themself soulmates and the same night Nathaniel (who is a bit more experience than Jonathan, but not so much) shows to Jonathan what he is searching all his life, but his puritan upbringing didn't allow him to find. And the day after Jonathan's father announces to his son that he is betrothed and soon-to-be married to the daughter of a business partner. I was just dreading a seventeenth century menages, when the author decided to be "honest and true-to-life", and truth be told, better not having my happily ever after than having a half-way convenient ending.

And now remember what I said at the beginning, the book is worth your time, Jonathan and Nathaniel's love story is sweet and tender, Nathaniel is really a gentle character, so open and sincere. Jonathan maybe is only naivee, young and with a lot of road under his shoes still to take; yes, I believe that he is in love with Nathaniel, but maybe not so much and deeply as Nathaniel himself.

In the end two pleas to the author: even if I heart for Nathaniel, don't write a sequel only to please "the gay men and straight women who buy your books" :-) and instead, consider to write your own story, Terry and Drew's love story; if it's a real story, it's really good, and instead if it's fiction, it's really good as well!

http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/more-hot-reads/awakening/prod_164.html

Buy Here

Amazon Kindle: Awakening

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by Amanda Kelsey