Authors Featured on this Page
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Alex Beecroft (2)
Erastes (2)
Ronald L. Donaghe (2)
Andrew Grey
Johnathan Katz
Norman Lee
Chris Packard
Mark Probst
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Over the while I have had the pleasure of reading
the works of some of my fellow writers, and of sharing views back and
forth as well. It is a labour of love on my part. and to acknowledge the
pleasure I usually put my views down in writing for others to share. Here
are a few of them, and I will be adding others regularly as time goes by.
♠♠♠
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Early Journals of Will Barnett
Author: Ronald L. Donaghe
Publisher: Two Brothers Press
www.rldbooks.com
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Story Outline
From the
time Will Barnett was fourteen until he entered college, the one
constant in his life was writing in a journal, first about his
Uncle Sean and the feelings he had for him, then his love affair
with Lance, a violet-eyed boy he met on a windswept ledge in the
desert of southwestern New Mexico. The Early Journals of Will
Barnett, consisting of Uncle Sean, Lance, and All Over Him is now
collected into one volume.
About the Author
Ronald L. Donaghe is a native of the desert
Southwest, and he uses this mystical, wide-open place where the
sky meets the universe, for the setting of many of his novels. He
has published almost a dozen books in three fiction series,
including the first book in a fantasy series known as "The
Twilight of the Gods." He is the editor of the online book review
magazine, The Independent Gay Writer.
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A touching coming out story
"The Early
Journals of Will Barnett" by the prolific pen of Ronald L. Donaghe
(Two Brothers Press, 2004) is a series of three stories under one
cover; therefore, I will review each one in the order that they
are presented. However, over all, it is a compelling story about a
naïve teenager growing up in a remote part of New Mexico, and the
sometimes painful evolution he undergoes from the time he first
discovers his burgeoning physical attraction to his "pretty" Uncle
Sean, until his eventual maturity--both sexually and as a man.
Therefore, the reader is drawn into the story at a very early
stage--appropriately told in Will's `transcribed' words, and is
then swept along as Will moves from one stage of his development
to another.
These developments the author unfolds with insight and
understanding, as well as some unexpected twists along the way.
"Uncle Sean"
This is the first of Will Barnett's journals, and the author has
cleverly opened it with a credible (...or perhaps true) account of
how he found these `scribblings' in a derelict barn. Donaghe then
takes on the voice of a unsophisticated, fourteen-year-old farm
boy, to relate his awe and wonderment regarding his somewhat older
uncle, Sean--recently returned from active duty in Vietnam.
Thereafter, Will's fascination deepens as he tries to fathom this
exceptionally handsome, but otherwise complex and troubled man,
and his confused feelings toward him. In this regard, the author
has awakened within all of us that wonderment over an older boy
next door, or down the street, or perhaps a relative when we were
Will's age--I know it resonated with me.
"Lance" (The second in the series)
At the opening of this particular novel, the author conjures up a
meeting with the real(?) Will Barnett--now in his early forties.
This meeting auspiciously provides the material for this and the
concluding novel as well.
Now, somewhat aware of his sexuality, Will encounters a boy his
own age with a deeply troubled background. Lance is an abused
youth with an abusive stepfather and condescending mother.
Therefore, Will and Lance form a bond against the abuses of the
world, and this bond gradually deepens into an abiding love
This is a recurring theme in the four Ronald L. Donaghe novels I
have read to date, and I commend him for that. An author's job is
not just to tell a story. It sometimes involves holding up a
mirror to society with a carefully crafted message attached. In
this regard Ronald L. Donaghe has done both. He has not only
vividly described the shortcomings readily apparent in our
society, i.e., bigotry, intolerance, religious fundamentalism,
bullying, child abuse, etc., but he has also dramatized the harm
these intolerances cause to innocent youths already struggling to
understand their own complex sexuality.
"All over him"
At the opening of this novel, Will and Lance have temporarily
separated in order to attend different universities--Lance in San
Francisco, and Will in Austin, Texas, to live with his Uncle Sean
as well. It is a poignant separation, but they both vow to remain
faithful for the two years that it will take Lance to graduate. Of
course, the question is: Will they be able to honour their vows in
spite of overwhelming temptation?
For obvious reasons I'm not going to answer that question, except
to say that this is the final stage in Will's evolution from boy
to man.
Once again the author has captured the experience of every farm
boy who migrates from farm to city, and the cultural shock that
sometimes accompanies such a move. He certainly captured it for
me.
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Gay American History: Lesbian and gay men
in the U.S.A.
Author: Johnathan Katz
Plublisher: Plume
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Description
This unique and pioneering work
is a comprehensive collection of documents on American gay life from
the early days of European settlement to the emergence of modern
American gay culture. Hailed by reviewers, it offers a new
historical perspective on this once invisible minority and its
400-year battle. Photographs and illustrations.
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I have just
completed “Gay American History: Lesbian and gay men in the U.S.A.”
by Jonathan Katz, and I highly recommend it for every GBLT person in
the world! For centuries GBLT individuals were denied an existence
as literally “unmentionable,” and such history as was recorded said
more about the biases of the writers than the lifestyle recorded.
Jonathan Katz, a respected academic and activist, has therefore
performed a great service by compiling a definitive, readable
anthology dating from the 16th-century onward.
It is by nature a
dark period of history, and a serious indictment against virtually
all holier-than-thou religious dogmatists, their bible-quoting
political counterparts, and a host of so-called “professionals” in
the persons of psychiatrists, psychologists and doctors. It is also
a celebration of those resilient individuals, both male and female,
who endured five centuries of unspeakable abuse—physical and
mental—to emerge into enlightenment. However, the past should not be
forgotten so that it will never repeat itself happen again.
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Queer Cowboys
Author: Chris Packard
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan,
2005
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| Outline
“Brokeback Mountain”
exploded the myth of the American cowboy as a tough, gruff, and
grizzled loner. “Queer Cowboys” exposes, through books by
legendary Western writers such as Mark Twain, James Fenimore Cooper,
and Owen Wister, how same-sex intimacy and homoerotic admiration
were key aspects of Westerns well before “Brokeback's” 1960's
West, and well before the word "homosexual" was even invented. Chris
Packard introduces readers to the males-only clubs of journalists,
cowboys, miners, Indians, and vaqueros who defined themselves by
excluding women and the cloying ills of domesticity and recovers a
forgotten culture of exclusively masculine, sometimes erotic, and
often intimate camaraderie in the fiction, photographs, and
theatrical performances of the 1800's Wild West.
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A very
interesting and informative perspective on nineteenth-century
thought.
While my usual
genre is historical fiction, I am always on the lookout for research
of a historical variety. Therefore, although it has been around for
a while, “Queer Cowboys: And other erotic male friendships in
nineteenth-century American literature” by Chris Packard (Palgrave
Macmillan, 2005) is one such work.
The stated
objective of this thesis is to explore the “bonds that hold …
[same-sex partners, i.e. ‘sidekicks’] together, particularly the
erotic affection that undergirds their friendship.” To do this it
painstakingly explores the “originary” texts of seminal,
nineteenth-century writers who, individually and collectively,
created the prevailing stereotype of the devoted same-sex partners.
Moreover, the author undertakes to “teach readers how to recognize
homoerotic affection in a historical discourse that was free from
the derogatory meanings associated with post-1900 evaluations of
male-male erotic friendships”—a not overly presumptuous ambition,
given that Packard teaches literature and writing at New York
University and New School University.
Okay, I am one
such hypothetical reader, so let’s see how well Professor Packard
achieves his objectives.
At the risk of
oversimplifying Packard’s thesis, it starts with an underlying
premise that before 1900—i.e. before “the modern invention of the
‘homosexual’ as a social pariah”—cowboy relationships were freely
represented as quite a bit more affectionate than they are after
that date. Moreover, although the stereotypes generally depicted
ethnic warfare; citing the threat of “savagery” as justification for
ethnic slaughter, and the freeing-up of territory to make way for
European homesteaders, writers like James Fennimore Cooper wrote
about friendships, “even marriage rituals,” between members of
warring groups based on shared values. In addition friendships
between young whites and natives were quite common. These mixed
friendships usually had the natives tutoring the boys in the
primitive ways of the wilderness, and included rituals of
brotherhood, i.e. exchanging blood, and other physical, nuptial-like
rites.
Notably absent
from this literary same-sex scenario is any role for femininity,
which is described by one quoted authority, Walter Benn Michaels, as
“…the problem of heterosexuality.” The ‘problem’ being the threat
of reproduction in a period when fear of mixed-ethnicity through sex
or marriage was keen in American culture. Moreover, femininity and
reproduction ran contrary to the strong, independent, and
particularly ‘free’ nature of the cowboy characters.
“Within canonical as well as ignored
literature, high culture as well as low, homoerotic intimacy is not
only present, but it is thematic in works produced before the modern
want him to be queer. America’s official emblem of masculinity is
not one who settles down after he conquests … rather, he moves on,
perpetually conquering, and repeatedly affirming his ties to the
wilderness and his male partner.”
Having thus stated
his hypotheses, Packard then goes on to support these with an
anthology of mostly “canonical” writings—i.e. Cooper’s “The
Leatherstocking Tales,” Owen Wister’s “The Virginian,”
and Walt Whitman’s poetry. He also introduces some lesser known
examples, such as Claude Hartland’s “The Story of a Life,”
Frank Harris’s “My Reminiscences as a Cowboy,” and Frederick
Loring’s “Two College Friends.”
While
circumstantial, when read from a homoerotic perspective Packard
makes a very compelling case, over all. There are no ‘smoking-gun’
examples, of course, because such blatancies would have been
considered excessive by Eastern readers—meaning east of the
Mississippi, but it is evident that the implication was there just
below the surface. Consequently, he has also taught us how to
recognize homoerotic affection in “historic discourse.”
To get to that
level of edification, however, the reader has had to wade through an
Introduction that I found to be a jumble of complex ideas,
confusingly presented and fraught with academic jargon—i.e. “nexus,”
“praxis,” “lingua franca,” and so forth. A case on point:
“Given the instant and undying
popularity of cowboys in U.S. popular culture during a period of
rapid national expansion, to identify a homoerotic core in its myth
about the supremacy of white American masculinity is to imply that
American audiences want their frontiersmen to practice nonnormative
desires as part of their roles in nation building. In other words,
if there is something national about the cowboy (and other frontier
heroes of his ilk), and if there is something homoerotic about
American national identity as it is conceived in the American West.”
Perhaps I'm a bit
slow on the uptake, but I didn't find the "In other words" any more
elucidating than the original statement.
Happily, once he
launches into the body of the argument his tone becomes somewhat
less esoteric, and apart from belabouring some points—giving a new
dimension to the term ‘moot point’—he presents a very interesting
and informative perspective on nineteenth-century thought.
Those looking for
titillating erotica, however, are bound to be disappointed albeit
well-informed after reading this work.
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Len Parker is laid off during the recession in the early eighties
and decides to go back to college at home in rural Michigan, where
he reconnects with his best friend from high school, Ruby. He's
overjoyed when she marries Cliff Laughton and overcome with sorrow
when she dies an untimely death, leaving behind her husband and
two-year-old son. Out of work again, Len finds a job at Cliff
Laughton's sorely neglected farm. Cliff is still mourning his wife,
struggling to raise his son, and has little enthusiasm or energy
left for work. Len immediately begins to whip the farm-including the
two Laughtons-into shape. Working side by side, Len and Cliff grow
ever closer, but loving another man takes a lot of courage. They'll
have to stand together as they face faltering business, threatening
drought, misguided family, and Midwestern prejudices to protect what
might be a lifelong love. Prequel to Love Means... No Shame
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A good, solid read, masterfully written, and
an invitation to more works by
Andrew Grey.
“Love Means Courage,” Andrew Grey (Dreamspinner
Press, 2009) is the first Andrew Grey novel I have read, but it
definitely won’t be my last. Grey writes in a very straight forward
narrative with just enough poetic description to make it colourful.
I like that. I also like the way his characters are developed;
strong, distinct and consistent throughout. Even two-year-old Geoff
Laughton is a strong personality in his own way; although the
phonetic baby-talk is a bit disconcerting at times.
I also like the way the story
develops—especially the relationship between Len and Cliff. Everyone
who has ever written a ‘coming out’ story will readily admit that it
is a tricky business to get the mix of credibility and pace just
right; too fast and it seems contrived; too slow and it appears
coquettish. Happily, Grey strikes an agreeable balance.
Similarly, the events of the story unfold in a
logical sequence, and with a fair amount of credibility going for
them. This is particularly true of the faming scenes, which leads me
to believe that Mr. Grey has spent some time on a farm in his
background.
“Love Means Courage” is a good, solid
read, masterfully written, and an invitation to more works by
Andrew Grey.
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Description
1642, England: David Caverly’s strict father has brought home the
quiet, puritanical Jonathan Graie to help his dreamer of a son
work the family forge. With war brewing in Parliament, the demand
for metal work increases as armies are raised.
The fair David is drawn to his father’s new apprentice. And
though his father treats them both as if they were brothers,
David’s feelings toward the shy Jonathan develop as they hide
their growing physical relationship. Until the fateful moment when
local gossips force David’s father to banish him, to protect the
family name.
Freed, directionless, and whimsical, David is eager to
experience the drama and excitement of war, and follows two
soldiers headed for battle, but the reality is a harsh awakening
for his free-spirited nature. Seizing the opportunity to desert,
David heads to London to lead a secret life, unaware that Jonathan
too has left the forge in search of him. Lost and lonely, the
vulnerable Jonathan quickly falls in with the Witchfinders, a
group of extremists who travel the country conducting public
trials of women suspected of witchcraft. Jonathan is drawn to the
charismatic Michael, finally embracing a cause for truth so
wholeheartedly, he doesn’t recognize the danger—physical and
emotional—that Michael represents. For the fanatic puritan is
desperate to purge Jonathan of his memories of David in any manner
possible....
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written as usual, and a very inspirational topic
The storyline of
Eraste’s recent work, “Transgressions: A M/M romance,”
(Running Press Book Publishers, 2009), has been well served by the
product description, so I will cut directly to the elements of the
story.
To begin, all the
protagonists—David Caverly, Johnathan Graie, and Tobias—are good,
strong characters; well-defined and distinct. Likewise their
personalities are distinct, and except where circumstances require
it they remain consistent throughout. David, the indolent and
‘typical-teenager-type’ who matures under fire (literally), and who
comes to seek and honour love over hedonism; Johnathan, the
serious-minded-Puritan and wide-eyed innocent of sorts, who is
mesmerized first by the more head-strong and charismatic David, and
later by the possessive and sinister Michael; and the worldly Tobias
who is content to screw his way through partners until he meets his
“virgin farm boy.” All are quite believable, as well; although I did
find Johnathan a bit hard to fathom at times.
As usual Erastes
has chosen a powerful atmosphere and setting in the English Civil
War(s) (1641-1651), between the forces of Parliament and the
Royalists; more specifically, between Oliver Cromwell and Charles I.
It was a truly brutal conflict on both sides, with an estimated
death toll—from all causes including war-related disease—of 190,000
individuals; or nearly 4% of the population.
Socially, it was a
brutal time as well, that divided families against one another, and
afterward the so-called “Loyalists” were hunted down as outlaws.
Erastes has also
included the equally powerful and brutal practice of hunting
witches. This was an ongoing religiously-sponsored atrocity that
lasted until it was finally outlawed (in England) in 1735.
Nevertheless, in spite of the dark era that all this represented,
love prevailed. A celebration of the indomitable human will to find
beauty in the midst of darkness.
Masterfully
written as usual, and a very inspirational topic.an absolute-must
addition to your bookshelf. It would make a great gift for the kids
as well!
December 5, 2009
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Klondike Cattle Drive
Author: Norman Lee (1862-1939)
www.yukonbooks.com
Publisher: Touch Wood Editions
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| Description The latest addition to TouchWood Editions' "Classics West
Collection", this is the colourful tale of a formidable trek
undertaken by legendary Cariboo rancher Norman Lee. In 1898, Lee set
out to drive 200 head of cattle from his home in the Chilcotin area
of BC to the Klondike goldfields - a distance of 1,500 miles. He was
gambling both his cattle and his life. This is his story, derived
from the journal he kept, his letters and the loyal men who
accompanied him. Throughout the daunting weeks of coping with mud,
cold and sheer bad luck, Lee kept his sense of humour. When he
returned from his Yukon trek, he rewrote the notes from his journal,
illustrating his story with his own cartoons and sketches. He
completed his manuscript around the turn of the century, but it sat
untouched until 1960, when it was published by Howard Mitchell of
Mitchell Press, Vancouver.
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An absolute-must addition to your
bookshelf. It would make a great gift for the kids as well!
In terms of “Canadiana,”
it just doesn’t get any more so than “Klondike Cattle Drive,”
Norman
Lee (Touchwood Editions. 2005). In fact, this sixty-four- page,
absolute nugget of a story virtually epitomizes the Canadian
pioneering spirit as it once was. That is why it should be made
required reading for every history course taught in this country.
In 1898 Norman
Lee, a dapper five-foot-eight rancher from the Cariboo District,
British Columbia, undertook a 1500-mile cattle drive ‘north’ to
Dawson City, Yukon Territory. This in itself was unusual, for most
cattle drives at the time were headed south. Moreover, the route
north passed through some of the most formidable wilderness
imaginable; from pastureless forests to muskeg and belly-scraping
swamps.
Just about every
type of weather condition was encountered, as well; riding night
watches in discomforting drizzle, getting lost in disorienting fog,
and braving minus-forty-degree (Fahrenheit) temperatures on the way
home.
Remembering that
there was no how-to book on how this should be done, and that Norman
Lee’s background was as an architect in England, he had to
constantly improvise as the trail presented challenge after
challenge. Mud, charlatans, lack of supplies, spent animals, all had
to be overcome to achieve his goal. Nevertheless, he took it all in
stride with humour and stoicism. That is another quintessential
characteristic of the pioneer spirit that built this country and
nation, and is now in real danger of being forgotten.
As a writer of
Canadian, historical fiction I can say with authority that there are
precious few published journals to be found. Therefore, it was with
considerable rejoicing that I came across Norman Lee’s journal in
connection with a Canadian western I was considering. I can also add
that when I did find it, it became the inspiration for my
forthcoming novel, “Coming of Age on the Trail,” scheduled for
release in March 2010. A M/M romance built around a closely similar
cattle drive.
In closing I will
add that “Klondike Cattle Drive” is an intrinsically enjoyable read
for any reason. However, for those who appreciate the rarity of a
find like this, and the unquestionable authenticity it adds to the
19th-century pioneer experience, it is an absolute-must
addition to your bookshelf. It would make a great gift for the kids
as well! |
Description
For his first command, John Cavendish is given the
elderly bomb vessel HMS Meteor, and a crew as ugly as the ship. He’s
determined to make a success of their first mission, and hopes the
well-liked lieutenant Alfie Donwell can pull the crew together before he
has to lead them into battle: stopping the slave trade off the coast of
Algiers.
Alfie knows that with a single ship, however well
manned, their mission is futile, and their superiors back in England
are hoping to use their demise as an excuse for war with the Ottoman
Empire. But the darker secret he keeps is his growing attraction for his
commanding officer-a secret punishable by death.
With the arrival of his former captain-and
lover-on the scene, Alfie is torn between the security of his past and
the uncertain promise of a future with the straight-laced John.
Against a backdrop of war, intrigue, piracy and
personal betrayal, the high seas will carry these men through dangerous
waters from England to Africa, from the Arctic to the West Indies, in
search of a safe harbor.
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It is a superb piece of writing, a credible and exciting story,
uncompromisingly authentic in time
False Colors: An M/M Romance is yet another
swashbuckler from the remarkable imagination of Alex Beecroft (Running
Press Book Publishers, 2009). This is the latest in her
high-seas-adventure series, and is, in my opinion, the best example yet.
Set during the Seven Years’ War between Great
Britain and France, c. 1754 to 1763, it is the tale of a young naval
officer, Lieutenant John Cavendish, a Quaker by up-bringing, who is not
only deeply religious but also fervently committed to duty, honour and
country. As the story opens Cavendish has just received his first
temporary command of a modest merchant ship, the “Météore,” by a
politically motivated admiral, Admiral Lord Saunders. His Lordship’s
orders, conveyed in private, are that Cavendish should attack a colony
of Barbary Coast pirates that have been raiding the English coast. In
truth it is a suicide mission, given the size of the renamed “Meteor”,
and Cavendish is readily aware of this. Nevertheless, his commitment to
duty dictates that he accept the assignment without question.
The ragtag crew that has been assigned to him also
reflects this pessimistic prospect; all except for another young
lieutenant, “Alfie” Donwell. He is an infectiously sunny personality who
radiates a generosity-of-spirit like morning sunshine. Nevertheless,
Cavendish confides in him that they are probably both sailing toward
their dooms with their first adventure together. Thus, the stage is set
for some male bonding in the shadow of an emerging threat.
They are further drawn together when Donwell is
captured and cruelly tortured by the Barbary pirates, who regard the
English as infidels, and Cavendish responds by first rescuing Alfie;
then by ransacking the harbour of its prime ships before escaping into
the open water of the Mediterranean. However, just before he reaches the
sanctuary of Gibraltar he encounters an enemy corsair that easily
outclasses the relatively modest “Meteor.” A bloody battle ensues—i.e.
“Even Alfie … felt a little squeamish as he watched the bodies burst
apart, the blood fountain out to stain the white sails red.” –and
although he is victorious, John is severely wounded in the melee.
By now Alfie Donwell has set his course on seducing
the handsome but straight-laced commanding officer, and his lengthy
convalescence that followed gives Alfie an opportunity to gradually work
on his defences. However, he miscalculates by telling Cavendish about an
adolescent crush he once had on a notoriously foppish captain—Captain
Lord Lisburn—and John’s puritanical up-bringing rebels at this
knowledge; so much so that he nearly names Donwell to the
admiralty—meaning a veritable death sentence for Alfie.
A reversal of roles then takes place as Alfie turns
his attention away from Cavendish, returning instead to Lisburn, just as
John becomes enamoured by Alfie’s honesty and erstwhile devotion. It is
a juxtaposition that will repeat itself several times throughout the
novel to considerable dramatic effect. Moreover, two predominant
triangles are thus formed; one involving John, Alfie and Lisburn, and
another to include duty and emerging—albeit forbidden—love.
That said, there is no disputing the fact that
this is one of the best novels I have read in a very long time. In his
Cambridge lecture on the “Aspect of the Novel ,” (1928), E.M. Forster
maintained that a good novel is fundamentally comprised of two elements:
life in time; and life by values, i.e. “I only saw her for five minutes,
but it was worth it.” In this regard Alex Beecroft has fulfilled both,
admirably.
Life in
time
One of the
definite strong points of this story is the seemingly accurate depiction
of the eighteenth century. Hollywood’s romanticized portrayals
notwithstanding, the 19th-century was a rugged, grotty period of time.
On the one hand it was almost idyllic and somewhat puritanical in its
thinking, and on the other life was ‘nasty, brutish and short.’ In my
opinion Beecroft has captured this dichotomy remarkably well, and has
admirably withstood the temptation to ‘rose-hue’ it.
Life by
values
Fundamental
to this category is a cast of strong, well-defined characters, and once
again the author has delivered the goods. The two main characters, John
Cavendish and Alfie Donwell, are distinct in their makeup and believably
human in their thinking. Moreover, their developing relationship is well
paced and credible throughout, and they are very much a part of their
chosen professions and time.
It is a superb piece of writing, a credible and
exciting story, uncompromisingly authentic in time, and highly
recommended.
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Description
Ambitious
and handsome, Joshua Andrews had always valued his life too much to take
unnecessary risks. Then he laid eyes on the elegant picture of
perfection that is Peter Kenyon. Soon to be promoted to captain, Peter
Kenyon is the darling of the Bermuda garrison. With a string of
successes behind him and a suitable bride lined up to share his future,
Peter seems completely out of reach to Joshua. But when the two men are
thrown together to serve during a long voyage under a sadistic commander
with a mutinous crew, they discover unexpected friendship. As the
tension on board their vessel heats up, the closeness they feel for one
another intensifies and both officers find themselves unable to rein in
their passion. Let yourself be transported back to a time when love
between two men in the British Navy was punishable by death, and to a
story about love, about honor, but most of all, about a Captain-s
Surrender.
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A superb read, authentic to history, and touching romance
“Captain’s
Surrender” by Alex Beecroft (Linden Bay Romance, 2008) is a
swashbuckling tale with real meat on its bones. Set in the late
eighteenth century, mostly aboard British Royal Navy vessels, this tale
bounds over the imaginary mane like an elegant clipper ship in full
sail. On the one hand there is the powdered wigs and spit-and-polish of
the officers, and on the other the lowly ‘tars’ who carry out their
imperious commands; never the twain to meet … except. It is also
set at a time when sodomy was considered the vilest crime on the books,
and subject to an ignominious death if convicted of it.
The action
is equally fast-paced, including a near mutiny; bloody engagements with
privateers; and a skirmish with an imperial, French invasion force on
the icy waters of Hudson Bay. There is also a duel to the death for good
measure.
At the same
time a touching m/m love story unfolds that is as tender as the non-stop
action is rollicking. Joshua Andrews is a young midshipman (apprentice
officer) with a dark secret that has indirectly caused the death of a
friend and sometimes lover—hanged from the yardarm; therefore, he has
developed a complex loathing for what resides within him. Sensing
something like this, the Draconian captain has singled him out to be the
next “catamite” to swing from the topsail in his crazed, sadistic
campaign to restore ‘God’s order to things’—according to the said
captain, of course.
Enter
First-Lieutenant (later Captain) Peter Kenyon, a highly principled
Adonis whose own order of things begins to falter when he confronts
Andrews’ boyish, Irish charms. Still, Kenyon finds an acceptable
compromise in lust with Joshua while keeping a weather-eye on Miss Emily
Jones, the ward of Mr. Summersgill, comptroller of the Island of
Bermuda, and a much safer harbour.
Albeit,
compromises often catch the practitioner uncomfortably in the middle,
and Miss Jones turns out to be very much her own gal, not to be taken
for granted, while Josh becomes more desirable but elusive. Still, the
final resolution is not revealed until the last page of the last
chapter. Brava!
Interestingly, in resolving all this, the biblical assurance that
mankind is created in God’s image, and is therefore fundamentally good,
is argued. In support of this philosophy the idea of two-spirit culture
is introduced; whereby it is believed that mixed-gender individuals
(i.e., male-female, female-male) were endowed with special powers, and
were considered a blessing from the Great Spirit.
Two spirits
is a theme that is entering into the mainstream of GLBT literature, i.e.
“Two Spirits: A life among the Navajo,” (Walter L. Williams), and “The
Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon” (Tom Spanbauer), but it is also one
that is fraught with the complexities of various Native cultures,
languages, and geographic territories.
For
example: Andrews is supposedly rescued by “red Indians” somewhere in the
vicinity of Hudson Bay, and these Indians undertake to teach him the
ways of “agokwa” (meaning “genitaled-women,” or mixed-gender). It is an
ingenious way of weaving this message into the fabric of the story, but
… the Indians in the Hudson Bay region would have almost certainly been
either Inuit, or Cree—not “Anishinabe,” which is not a specific tribe,
per se. Moreover, linguistically speaking “agokwa” is an Ojibwa term,
not Cree or Inuit. The equivalent Cree term is, “ayekkwe,” “a’yahkwew.”
It is a truly brave soul, therefore, who navigates these waters without
a reliable map.
I hasten to
add, however, that this purist perspective in no way detracts from a
superb read, or the meticulous research that has gone into making this a
most convincing look at 18th-century naval practices, and
sailing ships in general; thus fulfilling the best in historical
fiction—to educate while entertaining.
_____________________________________
Description
Gideon Frost is willing to do whatever it takes to
earn enough money to save the printing shop that was left to him by his
father. But when faced with the prospect of having to engage in acts
society deems unnatural and the law declares punishable by death, he
realized there are limits as to how far he’ll go. Then he meets the
privileged and handsome Joshua Redfern, the one man who tempts Gideon to
break his own rules. Joshua Redfern has no title or important relations,
but his independent fortune allows him a life that is more than
comfortable. And more importantly, it enables him to offer assistance to
the unfortunate but beautiful Gideon just when the man needs it most.
Joshua realizes his interest in Gideon is far more than charitable, but
is the man similarly attracted or merely indebted? When the Thames
freezes over and London hosts the great Frost Fair of 1814, trouble and
necessity bring Gideon and Joshua together. But just as ice is destined
to eventually crack, will the circumstances break these two men as they
learn that life isn’t always fair?
__________________________
“Frost Fair” is a definite read for those who enjoy well researched,
and well-written historical fiction
“Frost
Fair” by noted author ‘Erastes’ (Cheyenne Press, 2009) is a love story
set against the backdrop of Dickensian London and the frozen Thames
River, in 1814. This intriguing setting includes a carnival on ice,
described by diarist John Evelyn as a “bacchanalian triumph,” thus
completing the atmosphere for a superb, period romance. Moreover,
Erastes populates this ‘unique happening’ with a fascinating array of
characters: a handsome, honest tradesman; a kindly and loving patron;
and a glib, wealthy cad.
Fiercely
Independent tradesman, Gideon Frost, is a talented lithographer and
printer struggling to make ends meet (no pun intended), even if this
means occasionally selling his body in the courtyard of the venerable
old St. Paul’s Cathedral—an interesting and historically accurate
juxtaposition—and the equally intriguing street called “Lad Lane.” Beset
by bill collectors, Gideon receives a lucrative commission from a
wealthy gentleman-of-leisure, Joshua Redfern, who is secretly enamoured
by this beautiful, young artisan. Unknown to Redfern, Gideon is equally
smitten by him as well. Meanwhile, as a result of a “Little Ice Age” (c.
1770-1800), the Thames River froze solid to the delight of tradesmen
eager to make a pound-or-two—Gideon included. It also attracted the
curious of all classes, including one, Finbarr Thouless.
Now, one of
the solid pluses of this novela is the well-developed cast of
characters, and Finbarr Thouless is no exception. Delightfully
‘slithery,’ he is portrayed as a two-faced, self-centred, foppish cad
with a vitriolic vengeful streak. Moreover, given the fact that he
exercises considerable sway over Redfern, it does not bode well for him
and Gideon. I hasten to add that there is nothing formulaic about this
story, for it offers several twists right up to the ending; which is
both surprising and gratifying at the same time. That, however, is for
the reader to discover for him or herself.
Of
particular interest to me, as a writer of historical fiction, is the
authentic depiction of the ‘frost fair.’ This rare occurrence first
came to my knowledge through Helen Humphries (“Frozen Thames”), who
dramatized this phenomenon with colourful vignettes—including accounts
of birds falling from the air cocooned in a coating of ice. Therefore,
from my point of view a bit more descriptive elaboration would not have
gone amiss. However, the story does move along delightfully with no
unnecessary dawdling, whatsoever.
Not to be
overlooked, either, is the stunning front cover art by Alex Beecroft—herself
‘no slouch’ as a writer. Coincidentally, my next scheduled review will
focus on her novel “Captain’s Surrender.”
“Frost
Fair” is a definite read for those who enjoy well researched, and
well-written historical fiction, romance and a gay perspective.
______________________________
Common Sons
by Ronald L. Donaghe
Set in a small town in the middle of nowhere in the mid-1960s,
Common Sons not only anticipates the coming gay revolution, but
delineates its fields of battle in churches, schools and society,
pitting fathers against sons, straight teens against gay teens, and
self-hatred against self-respect.
From
the opening scene (where a reckless bout of drinking at a dance ends in
a very public kiss between two teenage boys), the citizens of the small
town of Common, New Mexico, become aware of the homosexuality in their
midst.
The
two boys are unable to deal with their struggle in private as the story
of their public kiss spreads through the small town. Some seek to
destroy the relationship between the two boys, while others seek to
destroy the two boys themselves. Common Sons is a moving
tale of self-discovery, love and finding the courage to come out and
come to grips with truth in the face of hatred and adversity.
An absolute must read for anyone coming
out--young or old
 I
must say with regret that I have only read one of author Ronald L.
Donaghe’s nine novels—thus far. Having said that, Common Sons
is a marvellous place to start.
It is a tale of two
teenage boys, Joel and Tom, growing up in the small, dusty town of
Common, New Mexico. They do the usual things like cruising the main
street in Joel’s pickup, and eating hamburgers at the A & W, but there
is a fundamental difference between them. Joel is a farmer’s son with a
pragmatic way of looking at things, and Tom is a Baptist minister’s son
with only a biblical view of reality. They are
also in love with one another, although neither of them realizes this at
first.
Ron Donaghe has also
done a remarkable, and equally superb job of emphasizing the oppressive
atmosphere in which their love is destined to bloom, i.e., the
oppressive heat, the howling sand storms, and the relentless boredom of
Common itself. Add to this a cast of narrow-minded bigots, sneering
bimbos, and Tom’s fire-and-brimstone breathing father, and the stage is
set for an adventure in human endurance.
The catalyst is an
ill-advised, but quite innocent kiss between the two boys at a 1960s,
country dance—read a “pre-coital warm up with beers and brawls” before
the ‘main event.’ Joel and Tom also get around to the main event in the
pick-up truck, the first such event for both of them, and in the cold
light of dawn they each reflect on it from their different perspectives.
That is as far as I
will go with the plot—for fear of ruining it for others. Instead, I will
deal with some of the many admirable points that the author has
incorporated into this novel.
Point one:
The author has approached the topic of ‘coming out’ with sensitivity,
insight, and a remarkable degree of realism. Those of us who came out in
the 1960s, especially in an insular community like Common—or Pefferlaw,
Ontario, Canada, for that matter, can attest to how well he has captured
the alienation that Joel and Tom experience when they realize that they
are ‘different.’ We can also attest to the
delight that others took in pointing this out to us. However, Joel and
Tom are further subjected to threats of physical abuse, and an attempt
on their lives by a particularly nasty and brutish, redneck villain. In
this regard the author has pointed out with stark reality the extent to
which some individuals are prepared to go to
emphasize their homophobic hatred and beliefs.
Point two:
Ron Donaghe has also given us an insight into the dark ages of
psychology, when homosexuality was considered a mental illness, or a
'deviation' at best. The greater part of society would now regard this
as “quackery,” but it did exist along side religious dogma.
Point three:
Referring to the last point, Donaghe has approached the topic of
religious dogma—especially “literalist” religious dogma, with remarkable
objectivity. Donaghe’s is an intellectual approach—as is the Reverend
Suskine’s Unitarian view of it in the novel, so this is not the
indictment it might have been. Nevertheless, he has quite effectively
made reference to the hypocrisy practiced by some so called "Christians"
in the name of religion.
[As a historian, I
can also add that this homophobic view of sexuality has only existed for
about six centuries. The Catholic Church was the first to declare it a
sin, and the then King of England adopted it into law to strengthen his
political ties with the Holy Roman Empire. Ergo, it has as much to do
with the politics of the day as it does with morality].
Having
said all that, Common Sons is an inspirational read, and
an absolute must read for anyone coming out—young or old.
--Review by Gerry Burnie.
______________________
The
Filly
by Mark R. Probst
Escaping
into the fantasy of his books when he’s not working in the general
store, Ethan Keller has lived a sheltered life in his mother’s boarding
house. One day, an enigmatic cowboy passing through the small Texas town
takes an immediate liking to the shy seventeen-year-old. Ethan is
intrigued by the attention, and the cowboy eventually charms him into
signing on to a 900-mile cattle drive. Ethan soon finds that his
feelings for this cowboy run deeper than just friendship. He never knew
that this kind of love even existed; and now for the two of them to make
a life together in the untamed west, they must face nearly
insurmountable odds if they are to survive.
An imaginative view of cowboy life from a gay
perspective
Mark R. Probst
is an author with a marvellously rich imagination, and his first novel,
The Filly, is proof positive of this statement.
It is set in a small town in
Texas in the 1870s, where we find seventeen-year-old Ethan Keller at work
in Mr. Simpson’s general store. It is one of those quaint emporiums that
sells almost everything imaginable, from biscuits to jigsaw puzzles, and
in his spare time Ethan reads his beloved novels.
Ethan is a nice, intelligent
kid, somewhat shy and naïve due to his sheltered life with his devoted,
and widowed mother, so he finds adventure in reading such exotic tales as
the Tale of Two Cities. It is not surprising therefore that he is
immediately intrigued by a handsome, worldly cowboy named Travis Cain, who
comes riding through town looking for work.
Travis is equally attracted
to Ethan, and a friendship forms between them. The catalyst is “Cleo,”
Cain’s beautiful and spirited mare, and from this we learn that in spite
of his bookish nature, Ethan is an experienced and talented rider.
Moreover, his ambition is to one day own a horse of his own—particularly a
filly. These points come into play later on in the novel, which makes them
both a logical progression in the story.
The two other central
characters are Miss Peet, Ethan’s former schoolmistress, and his older
brother William. Miss Peet is a somewhat man hungry spinster, and William
is a hard drinking, whore visiting rebel, but intensely loyal to his
“little brother.”
Having thus created a cast
of interesting and colourful characters, the author then sets them to work
interacting with one another in an almost comedic fashion. First, he
establishes a bond between Ethan and Travis, and then casts Miss Peet into
the arena with her rather rapacious eyes on Travis Cain as well.
I hasten to add that
The Filly is far from a comedy, but I found this particular
melange quite charming—as is the novel, overall.
The real turning point in
the story is when Travis convinces Ethan to join him on a 900-hundred mile
cattle drive. This is where Mark Probst’s vivid imagination really
begins to come to the fore. I have read firsthand accounts of similar
drives, and his account parallels these in both accuracy and character.
Major drives like these were no cakewalks, and it was the making—or
breaking of a man to undertake one of these dangerous and gruelling treks.
Every kind of condition
could be expected, from fording rivers to crossing parching deserts, and
sometimes sickness and death resulted. Nevertheless, it bound men together
as only these extreme conditions could, and Ethan and Travis were no
exception. However, their bond was far deeper than most, and even more
challenging as they prepared to make a future together as lovers.
Strong points:
Mark Probst’s imagination shines throughout, as does his obvious
knowledge and dedication to western lore. His characterization is also a
very strong point, for all his characters are vividly portrayed and
completely believable. Moreover, his writing style is lean and clean, with
just enough description to keep the reader informed while moving forward
at a fairly brisk pace. I like that.
Not so strong points:
Well … Travis does come across as a bit too articulate for his station. I
was hoping that his mother might be a cultured lady who had schooled him,
but that wasn’t the case when I met her in the novel. Nevertheless, this
is only a minor quibble, and it does not detract from the overall
enjoyment of the story.
Definitely recommended:
The Filly by author Mark R. Probst. It is a
charming story of coming out and gay romance set against the rugged
background of the ‘old’ west. It is also a refreshingly unique perspective
of cowboy life from a
gay perspective. –Review
by Gerry Burnie.
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