• The Case of the Missing Drag Queen

    Broke, saddled with a mountain of debt, and dependent on his Aunt Callie’s support, aspiring writer Luke Tanner has returned to Kentucky to put his life back together after a failed five-year relationship. On his twenty-fifth birthday, Luke meets diminutive Pixie Wilder, a long-time performer at the Gilded Lily. After headliner Ruby Dubonnet doesn’t show up, Pixie takes her place as the star of the show—a motive that makes her a suspect in Ruby’s disappearance. Luke reluctantly agrees to help his new-found friend clear her name. He and Pixie set out to find the missing drag queen, and in the process, put themselves in danger.

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  • Aucune Bonne Action

    La veille de Noël, en 1966, Philip Potter, un conservateur du Smithsonian au grand cœur, termine ses achats de dernière minute. Au même instant, James, son compagnon depuis plusieurs années, s’ôte la vie chez eux. Inconscient de ce qui l’attend, Philip dépose des cadeaux à un refuge pour sans-abris, un acte généreux qui fera plus tard de lui un suspect dans le meurtre d’un prostitué. Après la mort choquante de James, deux hommes entrent dans la vie de Philip… et tous deux conduisent une Continental jaune. L’un d’eux, toutefois, est un tueur avec le sang de six prostitués sur les mains. Et tous deux cachent quelque chose. Comme Philip est sur le point de le découvrir, aucune bonne action ne …

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  • Equality: What Do You Think about When You Think of Equality?

    In the tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Stride Toward Freedom and Malala Yousafzai’s, I Am Malala, Equality: What Do You Think About When You Think of Equality? presents thought-provoking and compelling personal essays that probe a concept professed to be the very foundation of our democracy—a concept that may even be more vital today than in the past. From international bestselling author, Anne Perry who asserts we must look within ourselves to our emotions, experiences, and beliefs before we attempt an honest and truthful answer, to Dennis Palumbo, psychotherapist and author, who claims diagnostic labels used in treating mental illness often stigmatize and dehumanize the patient causing clinicians to view their patients in terms of their diagnosis rather than …

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  • No Good Deed

    On Christmas Eve in 1966, Philip Potter, a kind-hearted Smithsonian curator,  wraps up his last-minute shopping. Meanwhile, his lover of several years takes his own life back in their home. Unaware of what awaits him, Philip drops off gifts at a homeless shelter, an act of generosity that will later make him a suspect in the murder of a male prostitute. Following James’s shocking death, two men enter Philip’s life—and both drive yellow Continentals. One of them, though, is a killer, with the blood of at least six hustlers on his hands. And both are hiding something. As Philip is about to discover, no good deed goes unpunished. (Originally released by MLR Press in 2013 as After Christmas Eve)

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  • Whippersnapper

    Tellumo Magnamater is a fresh-out-of-college, first-year English teacher at Salt Lick County High School in Kentucky. He rides the bus to and from work, and every day he walks to the gym behind his small efficiency apartment to exercise. Perhaps because of being raised by two lesbians, Tellumo is attracted to older men. He sets his sights on fifty-something available bachelor Oliver Crumbly. But Tellumo isn’t the only resident interested in Oliver. Peggy Tucker, a widow approaching her sixtieth birthday, is determined to marry again, and she thinks Oliver is her perfect match. Despite Tellumo and Peggy striking up a friendship at the gym, neither realizes they are interested in the same man. But the joke might be on both of …

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  • Happy Independence Day

    Terrence Bottom wants to change the world. Little does he know the world is already changing, and his part in it won’t be what he expects. A prelaw student at Columbia University, Terrence’s interests range from opposing the draft and the war in Vietnam, to civil rights for gays, to anything to do with Cameron McKenzie, the rugged blond hanging around the Stonewall Inn. Too bad Cameron bolts whenever Terrence looks his way. College dropout Cameron McKenzie left tiny Paris, Kentucky with dreams of a career on Broadway. Although he claims to be straight, he prostitutes himself to survive. Now the Mafia is using him to entrap men for extortion schemes. He’s in over his head with no way out—at …

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  • The Bear King of Snowbird Mountain

    Recently single Jeremy Jenkins is an average guy working hard as a landscape designer in the mountains of Tennessee. At a conference in DC, he meets gorgeous Donald Matthews, who says the strangest things—like how he thinks Jeremy is hot and wants them to spend the rest of their lives together. This story is part of A Taste of Honey, a Dreamspinner Press Anthology. Other stories in the collection: The Bear Fetish, by John Amory The Bear Next Door, by Jack Byrne The Bear at the Bar, by J. Scott Coatsworth Barefoot, by Lillian Francis Just Breath, by John Genest Bear Chasing, by Renae Kaye Golden Bear, by G. P. Keith Hunting Bear: A Fairy Tale with a Very Hairy …

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  • Until Thanksgiving

    Josh Freeman knows his best days are behind him. After his partner of seventeen years has an affair with a younger man, Josh buries himself in takeout boxes, half-smoked joints, and self-pity until his best friend gently kicks him in the ass and encourages him to try out a new job in Washington DC—at least until Thanksgiving. Though DC has its share of troubles, specifically in the form of a murderer targeting gay men, Josh soon discovers its charms as well. Unlike his old home, DC is crawling with men who want to date him—apparently he’s not as overweight, out of shape, or over the hill as the man he once loved made him believe. In particular, Josh would love …

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The Crotchety Old Man

Sep 02, 2013
By Michael Rupured
In My Rules, Writing
Comments Off on And the Winners Are…

And the Winners Are…

Thanks to everyone who participated in the month-long giveaway to celebrate my one year anniversary as a published author. I’m tickled pink so many people participated. In fact, my first giveaway was so successful, I’ve decided to mail an autographed copy of Until Thanksgiving to five lucky winners. I’m especially grateful to Lane Hayes, Z. Allora, Tempe O’Riley, Andrew Grey, and Shira Anthony for guest posts during the giveaway. Even though they all write male-male romances, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more diverse group of authors. I hope one of the new releases they talked about piqued your interest and that you’ve found another “must read” writer. The winners are: Pam Blevins, who I also proclaim my biggest fan. …
Aug 29, 2013
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Shira Anthony: Stealing the Wind

Are Mermen the Next Vampires? Stealing the Wind (Mermen of Ea Book 1), by Shira Anthony Thanks so much, Michael, for hosting me on your blog and letting me ramble a bit about my mermen.  For those of you who haven’t heard, Stealing the Wind was just released from Dreamspinner Press and is the first book in a series featuring shape-shifting mermen. High adventure, high romance, set on the high seas. When I first imagined Stealing the Wind and the creatures who inhabit the book, there were very few books about mermen (gay mermen in particular) on the market.  Now, I’m hearing about lots of books soon to be released, and I have to wonder if mermen aren’t the new …
Aug 26, 2013
By Michael Rupured
In Habits, Modern Gay Dating, Writing Woes
10 Comments

Back in the Groove

Events in the last half of 2012 changed my life forever. Losing my father, splitting up with my partner of twelve years, becoming a published author, picking up two new titles at the day job, moving to a smaller house and other changes disrupted my comfortable patterns and routines. I focused on the positive and, though I wasn’t always sure where the road would take me, kept moving forward. As a creature of habit, the collective changes to my daily rhythms stressed me out at least as much as any single event. With my system for keeping up with stuff in shambles, things fell through the canyon-sized cracks in my routines. So I’d make an adjustment, vow to do better …
Aug 22, 2013
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Andrew Grey: A Heart Without Borders

Inspiration can be a fickle bitch.  Many writers say that’s the hardest part for them, being inspired or finding that great story idea.  For me, inspiration is all around me, from the art in my home to the newspaper I read each Sunday.  Six months ago I was blessed with an interesting and out of the ordinary inspiration.  I was on my way to work, half-awake on the freeway, listening to NPR.  A story came on about Haiti and how tens of thousands of people are still living in tent camps almost three years after the earthquake.  I have no idea how it happened, but suddenly I was transported there.  Dominic and I were on a cruise a year earlier …
Aug 19, 2013
By Michael Rupured
In Becoming a Writer, Writing Woes
10 Comments

What’s In A Name?

One of the first critiques of an early draft of my debut novel was that the names of the characters seemed random, like they’d been pulled from a hat. The comment surprised me. You mean there’s another way? The right name is a beautiful thing. That’s why parents spend so much time thinking about what to call their little bundle of joy. As a writer, I have a huge advantage over parents. I know how my children turn out in the end. My only rule had been to avoid picking names starting with the same letter. Telling James’s story in After Christmas Eve did lead me to add another rule. No more names ending with the letter S. The possessive is just too …
Aug 15, 2013
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Tempe O’Riley: Designs of Desire

Romance and the MC with a Disability Hello and thank you Michael for hosting Designs of Desire, and me, the author, lol. Today I’m going to tackle an oft ignored topic… the disabled MC. It’s a topic that many don’t think about or concern themselves with—almost like if someone has a disability they aren’t a whole sexual being… Seriously_ Everyone can have a fully enriching life despite physical or mental limitations. That said though, when I sat down to wrote DoD I didn’t say “Oh, I want to write a story where a disabled guy finds love.” No, what I thought about was how frustrated I get about how others perceive me and often treat me because I use forearm crutches …
Aug 12, 2013
By Michael Rupured
In Changing Times
3 Comments

Privacy and the Rapid Pace of Change

I often wonder what a visitor from the past would think about modern life. Perhaps because of shared ties to Kentucky, Daniel Boone and Abraham Lincoln are almost always my imaginary time travelers. What would they think about supermarkets, central air conditioning, automobiles, televisions, and airplanes? What would impress them most? In the century between 1765 when Daniel Boone would have been 31, and 1865 when 56 year-old Lincoln was assassinated, the pace of change quickened as America entered the Industrial Age. People might have thought him a bit backward, but Daniel could still have lived in Lincoln’s time more or less the way he had in his own time. Going back a hundred years, except for maybe learning the native tongue, …
Aug 08, 2013
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Made in China: The Great Wall, by Z. Allora

Well, thanks Michael for having me on your fancy blog. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a writer and I lived in China for six years. There are many things I found out while living there I really wished I didn’t know. 10 Things You May Not Want to Know About China 10) In the West of the country… diapers aren’t necessarily used. Children have pants with like chaps…their butts and genitals are out. The people holding them learn when the babies will be going to the bathroom and quickly find a place for the child to relieve themselves… when lucky its over a potted plant but more than once I’ve seen the places are in the …
Aug 05, 2013
By Michael Rupured
In Changing Times, Gay Lifestyles, Gay Rights
8 Comments

My Holiday Series

I had no idea when I wrote Until Thanksgiving that a prequel would follow. The idea of writing a novel was intimidating enough — never mind a series. But something about Philip Potter, a supporting character, grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. I wanted to know more about him. Readers loved him too, and shared my interest in his past. After Christmas Eve, scheduled for release this fall by MLR Press, is Philip Potter’s story. Fans of Thad Parker’s uncle will find out what sparked his interest in helping gay teens who’d been abandoned by intolerant parents. They’ll also learn Philip’s deepest, most well-kept secret — unknown even to his precious nephew. Discovering Philip required a trip to the sixties — widely …
Aug 01, 2013
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7 Comments

Lane Hayes: Better Than Good

My new book (and yes… first ever) Better Than Good was released July 8th.  It is a story of self-discovery and ultimately acceptance.   Of course, it’s also a love story because truthfully, that’s my favorite kind of story.  I will read almost any type of genre, but the ones I end up enjoying the most have at the very least a side note love story.  I gave up feeling guilty that I wasn’t reading War and Peace equivalents long ago.  Been there, done that.  Now I happily read my M/M romance novels when I’m not busy trying to pen them myself. Matt and Aaron, the main characters from Better Than Good have been in my head for some time.  I …
Jul 31, 2013
By Michael Rupured
In My Rules
8 Comments

Anniversary Give Away Contest

A year ago in August, Dreamspinner Press offered me a contract for my first novel. To celebrate, I’m giving away autographed copies of Until Thanksgiving. How many? I have no idea. Maybe I’ll send a copy to everyone who enters. That’s what I’d like to do, anyway. But with my luck, the offer would go viral and I’d be on the hook for millions of copies. To cover my ass, I’ve made up a point system, based on comments on my blog during the month of August. Earn one point for each comment on posts written by me. Really want an autographed copy? Comments on a guest post will earn you three points. You can comment as many times as …
Jul 29, 2013
By Michael Rupured
In My Life
2 Comments

Gone, But Not Forgotten

I lost my father a year ago today. This picture was taken a few weeks before he died, during my last visit with him. In memory of a man I never really understood, here’s my post from that fateful day: My father passed away this morning. My sister called me to tell me the news. I knew when I saw her number on the callerID that he was gone. Now I know what the expression “overwhelmed with grief” means. His death wasn’t a surprise. In fact, I welcomed the end to his suffering. There was nothing left unsaid between us. I’d told him goodbye and that I loved him two weeks ago. I thought I was prepared. I’m in a daze. …
Jul 25, 2013
By Michael Rupured
In Changing Times
Comments Off on My Magazines

My Magazines

In college, I majored in consumer studies and family resource management. Rather than a textbook, many of my professors compiled packets of articles from academic journals and weekly news magazines that we had to purchase from Kinko’s. Nowadays they make this kind of information available to students online. All the weekly news magazines were represented in these packets. But for some reason, the articles in U.S. News & World Report appealed to me more than articles from Time or Newsweek. Within a semester or two, I paid for a subscription to U.S. News & World Report which I continued until last year when they stopped printing magazines and switched to an online format. Staying up on current event is important to me. In addition to my weekly …
Jul 22, 2013
By Michael Rupured
In Becoming a Writer
Comments Off on Keep Getting Better

Keep Getting Better

I hear from a lot of people, gay guys mostly, who write and hope to be published one day. When they ask for my advice, I always reply with the same question: What are you doing to improve your writing? No matter how good you are, you can always get better. A wealth of excellent resources with practical advice for aspiring writers is available online and in print. But having your work critiqued by somebody who knows more than you do about writing is the best way to improve. You’ve already had some experience with this. Remember your high school English teacher? An excellent example is the term paper you copied from the encyclopedia slaved over, returned by her with “Rewrite!” …
Jul 18, 2013
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Tali Spencer: A Visual Writer

Thanks for letting me stop by, Michael! Though I use words as my medium, much of the time I’m attempting to create images. As a species, humans are incredibly visual. We gather more information about the world through our eyes—up to 80%—than through any other sense. So when it comes to portraying a world, or a person in that world, description is an important component. Like it or not, the reader is probably going to build a picture in their head. The better cues I give as a writer, the better vision they will have of the world. Inexperienced writers often focus a little too much on describing their characters. It doesn’t really require many words to effectively describe a …