Books: Denver's Mate (A Gay Werewolf Romance)

In Denver's Mate (A Gay Werewolf Romance), there's more going on than they first realized when two of the pack's children go missing. And desperate times can lead to strange bedfellows...

When two of the pack's children go missing, Denver takes point in the investigation. Unfortunately, the trail leads him to the tigers. Historically, not a group they've gotten along with.

But in the interest of the children, he's willing to team up with Elliot to get to the bottom of the case.

Sure, he's a tiger. But a cute one...

Books: The Gay Revolution

The sweeping story of the modern struggle for gay, lesbian, and trans rights—from the 1950s to the present—based on amazing interviews with politicians, military figures, legal activists, and members of the entire LGBT community who face these challenges every day.

The fight for gay, lesbian, and trans civil rights—the years of outrageous injustice, the early battles, the heart-breaking defeats, and the victories beyond the dreams of the gay rights pioneers—is the most important civil rights issue of the present day. Based on rigorous research and more than 150 interviews, The Gay Revolution tells this unfinished story not through dry facts but through dramatic accounts of passionate struggles, with all the sweep, depth, and intricacies only an award-winning activist, scholar, and novelist like Lillian Faderman can evoke.

The Gay Revolution begins in the 1950s, when law classified gays and lesbians as criminals, the psychiatric profession saw them as mentally ill, the churches saw them as sinners, and society victimized them with irrational hatred. Against this dark backdrop, a few brave people began to fight back, paving the way for the revolutionary changes of the 1960s and beyond. Faderman discusses the protests in the 1960s; the counter reaction of the 1970s and early eighties; the decimated but united community during the AIDS epidemic; and the current hurdles for the right to marriage equality.

In the words of the eyewitnesses who were there through the most critical events, The Gay Revolution paints a nuanced portrait of the LGBT civil rights movement. A defining account, this is the most complete and authoritative book of its kind.

Lonely Planet Releases Free ‘Guide to Pride’ Digital Book

Just in time for Pride Month, Lonely Planet has released their Lonely Planet's Guide to Pride: 20 Cities & Their Celebrations, a free digital book now available worldwide, exclusively on iBooks: http://itunes.com/prideguide

Since the first Gay Pride marches took to the streets 45 years ago, Pride has blossomed into a worldwide celebration of community, diversity, inclusiveness and individuality. Inspired by festivities hosted by cities large and small throughout the year, Lonely Planet's Guide to Pride covers 20 of the biggest, most-welcoming and jump-on-a-plane-worthy Pride events around the world, from Taipei to Toronto, San Francisco to São Paulo.

Books: More Happy Than Not

Adam Silvera has a lot in common with Aaron Soto, his protagonist in More Happy Than Not. Both grew up in a one-bedroom apartment in the Bronx, with a distant brother and an overworked, single mom. And both have to navigate the dangerous business of coming out as gay in a culture of machismo and violence. Aaron undergoes a memory erasure procedure at the Leteo Institute in response to the prejudices in his community, to try to be "normal." Not surprisingly, trying to bend himself to those expectations doesn’t solve anything. 

Books: Take This Man: Gay Romance Stories

When the Supreme Court decided on June 26th, 2013 that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional, gay rights activists and proponents of love everywhere celebrated. Now, just two years later, 37 states have followed the Supreme Court’s lead, making it legal for gay couples to marry. Though the battle for the right to gay marriage isn’t over yet. This past week the Supreme Court sat down once again to discuss the legality of gay marriage in the United States, and, as before, we will have to wait until June to find out just how the issue will be settled nationally.

Set to be released on the 2nd anniversary of the repeal of DOMA—and just in time for wedding season—veteran Cleis Press author and editor Neil Plakcy brings us Take This Man: Gay Romance Stories. Plakcy, who has previously edited eight other anthologies of LGBT romance, offers up sixteen new stories of commited love, where the passion is proven with a ring. Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?

Jamie Brickhouse's 'Dangerous When Wet' Now Available on Audiobook

Macmillan Audio has just released Jamie Brickhouse’s Dangerous When Wet, the astonishing new memoir about alcoholism, sex, and family that Mary Karr calls “blisteringly funny” and Wally Lamb raves is “poignant, hilarious, and sharply observed… move over, Augusten Burroughs. You’ve got company.” 

Read by the author, this story of growing up gay in Texas and losing oneself in New York is the perfect audiobook for fans of Mississippi Sissy, The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy, and yes, Augusten Burroughs. 

Check out the prologue here to see if it's up your alley. 

Books: The Transgender Child

Available to readers now as a print book, ebook and audiobook, The Transgender Child by Stephanie A. Brill and Rachel Pepper covers gender variance from birth through college, offering advice on handling family conversations, advocacy in school, drug and medical options and, most importantly, how parents can raise a transgender child with love and compassion as gender issues are hotly debated in schools and in national media.

Books: The Sell by 'Million Dollar Listing New York's' Fredrik Eklund

You may be familiar with Fredrik Eklund from Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York. Now, he’s adding “published author” to his already impressive resume with his upcoming book, 'The Sell'. 

In 'The Sell', Fredrik discusses how the choice to be our most authentic selves is critical to success and how intangible factors like charm and even being “weird” can get you noticed and make you shine. At the age of 23, after a failure in his early career, Fredrik decided to leave his native Sweden and pursue his dream in the city that never sleeps, New York City. He came out to his family and friends before launching his new life in a new country; he knew he needed to be his true self “both personally and professionally.”

According to Fredrik, even if you don’t consider yourself a salesperson, you’ve been in sales your whole life because every day you are selling your most important asset: yourself. Whenever you influence, persuade or convince someone to give you something in exchange for what you’ve got—whether it’s a luxury home or your profile on Match.com—you are selling. Fredrik shares his tips and tricks for negotiating so that in any of life’s dealings, you’ll come out a winner.

Books: JD

In Mark Merlis' new novel "JD" Jonathan Ascher, an acclaimed 1960s radical writer and cultural hero, has been dead for thirty years. 

When a would-be biographer approaches Ascher’s widow Martha, she delves for the first time into her husband’s papers and all the secrets that come tumbling out of them. 

She finds journals that begin as a wisecracking chronicle of life at the fringes of the New York literary scene, then recount Ascher’s sexual adventures in the pre-Stonewall gay underground and the social upheavals that led to his famous book “JD.”

A Q&A With Marc Freden, Author of 'Not Too Cocksure'

Producer, entertainment journalist and on-camera personality Marc Freden has promised to reveal the ‘dark side of the bright lights’ with a explosive series of sexually charged scandalous novels revealing Hollywood’s unspoken truths. The first, Not Too Cocksure, introduces the recurring character of Mica Daly—an ambitious entertainment journalist who becomes the topic of his own story when his involvement with the meteoric rising star, Chad Martin, goes from the murmurs of gossip to the stuff of Hollywood lore.

Who is Mica Daly?
Mica Daly is an aggressive, ambitious entertainment reporter and a keen observer of the world around him. But unlike many reporters in today’s media world, he is not fishing for the lowest common denominator, trying to ruin lives or find the scandal. He still believes there can be entertainment in entertainment reportage. As you see in Not Too Cocksure his moral high ground gets him in trouble as he becomes a fall guy. But as you see as the books evolve, you can only push him so far and soon his experience become his education. 


How much of the book is based in fact? It is all based in fact. The truth is far more entertaining than the fiction. The fiction stems from placing these amalgam characters in certain circumstances which link the fact based plot line together. That is certainly the case in Not Too Cocksure.
 
Are you concerned that you will be biting the hand that feeds you? No! I am more concerned that the reader is sated. I have no problem pulling back the curtain on Hollywood and the world of celebrity and entertainment and telling what I know. My anecdotes have been the subjects of years of cocktail chatter, I am excited about sharing them with a broader audience.
 
More and more actors are coming out of the closet. Is the threat of outing still relevant? Coming out in Hollywood is still a ‘dollars and sense’ situation for many actors. Will the studios back you in the same way? Will there be roles available for you? Are you relegated to character roles versus leading roles? But, moreover, coming out is a personal decision and should not be thrust upon you. What Mica faces is a moral dilemma as much as a career crossroads. This is also a story about how low the media will sink to get the story and at what cost. As such this story is relevant on many levels. 

What can we expect from Mica as the books progress? I think Mica can’t help but become a product of his environment. The entertainment industry doesn’t change because you have a moralistic ideology. In order to succeed, he is going to have to find a way to exist in a system that is unfair, favors cronyism, rewards mediocrity and protects the scandalous. And he will. The question is: will his success reveal a darker, more ambitious, Mica? Let’s face it, in order to be a player, you have to play the game.

Books: Broken Child, Mended Man

Broken Child Mended Man, by Dr. Adam Starks, tells the harrowing tale of a neglected upbringing and transition into foster care; a microcosm of the 500,000 children currently locked in the same system. However, and against all odds, Dr. Starks triumphed through his pain to achieve trend-bucking success. In this raw and frank memoir, Dr. Starks lays his life story bare, and through a display of what can only be described as resilience in its most primitive form, offers hope to others who feel their past has to define their future.

Books: From Stressed to Centered - A Practical Guide to a Healthier and Happier You

It's not too late for that New Year's restart; a chance to re-launch your life, liberated from overwhelming stress.  Dana Gionta, Ph.D. and Dan Guerra, Psy.D. who are experts in clinical psychology and behavioral change, have written the definitive book on stress relief and self-care - From Stressed to Centered - A Practical Guide to a Healthier and Happier You.

From Stressed to Centered offers a comprehensive approach, thoughtfully crafted structure, and practical methods that yield long-term results. From Stressed to Centered is a top to bottom offering that includes innovative Stress Management and Self-Care assessments which are powerful evaluative tools culled from Drs. Gionta and Guerra's years as behavior change experts within both clinical and organizational environments. From there, the book offers easy-to-integrate life-changing strategies to release yourself from stress and find a centered core from where you can be your most present and do your best work. From Stressed to Centered teaches you how to manage your stress through simple, actionable, portable techniques in only a few moments - anywhere, any time. The book also provides you with proven strategies to help you create your own powerful self-care toolkit to recognize and avoid burnout and stay on a low-stress path.

Books: Gaybash

Set in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, Gaybash explores the boundaries of love and friendship and the unintended consequences of wanting to be somebody else. 

 Matt Tompkins, a reserved gay man, has always played by the rules and has created a comfortable but unfulfilling life for himself. When his bold best friend Greg reaps unexpected rewards for standing up for himself in a very public display, Matt's jealousy leads him to risk everything when he's confronted by two attackers. Determined to be more like Greg, a split-second reaction brings astonishing changes to Matt's life--for better and for worse.

"This Day in June" wins 2015 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award

“This Day in June” written by Gayle E. Pitman, Ph.D., illustrated by Kristyna Litten and published by Magination Press, an imprint of the American Psychological Association, is the 2015 recipient of the Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award presented by the Stonewall Book Awards. The award was announced today by the American Library Association’s (ALA) Stonewall Book Awards Committee of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table, during the ALA Midwinter Meeting, held Jan. 30 – Feb. 3 in Chicago.

The Stonewall Book Awards are given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience. The award will be presented to the winning authors or editors at the American Library Association Annual Conference in San Francisco in June.

“‘This Day in June’ celebrates the pride and diversity of the LGBTQ community from a child’s point of view. This is the first picture book to win the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award. In fact, this is the first time in the 44-year history of the awards a picture book was selected. It reflects the ever-growing quality and quantity of LGBTQ picture books being published,” said Stonewall Book Awards Committee Chair Dr. Rebecca D. Hunt.

“This Day in June” depicts a child’s eye view of a Pride Parade, and conveys the excitement, energy and diversity of the many varieties of queer life.

Books: Not Too Cocksure by Mark Freden

Mica Daly is an aggressive, ambitious on-camera entertainment reporter. Chad Martin is a strikingly handsome cater-waiter and ambitious, driven aspiring actor. When their two worlds collide at a dinner party in the Hollywood Hills, Mica and Chad’s lives -- and bodies -- become inextricably intertwined in the first book in author Marc Freden’s new book Not Too Cocksure. 

“It has been said that my novels have all the steaminess of a 50 Shades of Gay and the Hollywood-insider deliciousness of Jackie Collins, which I consider a compliment,” says Freden. “All my characters are drawn from, or are a pastiche of, real Hollywood personalities. People have asked me if certain incidents in the book have really happened. And the answer is yes!”

How to Put Your Inner Child in Time Out - 3 Ways to Retrain Your Brain & Put the Adult in Charge

The human brain is a wonder of the universe, but our understanding of it can seem contradictory, says Steven Jay Fogel, author of the new book Your Mind Is What Your Brain Does for a Living.

“On the one hand, we’re often told of those crucial years that our brain develops in childhood, when we’re rapidly progressing in development of our language and other skills, and our preadolescent and teenage years, when our brains undergo a sort of second Big Bang of learning,” says Fogel.

“But although it may seem that the brain is pretty much set by adulthood, it remains malleable throughout adulthood; it continues to change as we learn and adapt.”

Most of us are unaware that elements of our inner child’s development are constantly tugging atus, and we don’t have a clue that it’s happening, he says. In Jungian therapy there’s a concept called the dark side, or shadow side, the place in our unconscious to which certain feelings and thoughts are banished because they don’t support our image of ourselves, he says.

Books: Teeny Weenies and Other Short Subjects

Teeny Weenies and Other Short Subjects takes a long, hard look at getting the short end of the stick, both before and after transition from female to male. This collection of humorous essays explores identity, sexuality, and growing up female in a world with two sexes, two genders – and no exceptions. Teeny Weenies and Other Short Subjects is available in paperback, on Kindle, and as an eBook download.

Books: The Gay Gospel, A Survival Guide for Gay 20Somethings

In his new book The Gay Gospel, A Survival Guide for Gay 20Somethings in America Today Justin Luke Zirelli says, "So many twenty-somethings I know view themselves as broken or busted beyond repair. The truth is we all have something, or things, that are not quite right inside of us." 

In a new interview with Michael Graves for Lambda Literary, he explains more.

Books: A Well-Seasoned Kitchen

A Well-Seasoned Kitchen is a recipe treasury for cooks who cherish creating delicious meals to nourish relationships with family and friends. Developed by mother and daughter, Sally Clayton and Lee Clayton Roper, the book is ideally suited for today's modern cook who juggles a busy life but finds joy in preparing meals for others. The hardcover cookbook includes 186 tested recipes, planning menus, helpful tips and four-color photos by renowned food photographer Laurie Smith.

Lee conceived the idea for this cookbook as her aging mother (who was a fabulous cook and hostess) was showing signs of memory loss. Gathering recipes, remembering their shared cooking experiences and relieving family memories provided an opportunity to both keep her mother mentally active and also engage with her. The result of their effort is a wonderful collection of recipes that are uncomplicated, delicious and beautiful-- and work equally well for entertaining and everyday use. Sadly, just as they were finishing the book, Lee’s mom, Sally Clayton, passed away. As the book was originally conceived as a project to mentally engage her mother, a portion of proceeds benefit the Colorado Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

Marc Solomon's “Winning Marriage” Book Launch Tonight

Marc Solomon, the national campaign director for Freedom to Marry and veteran marriage strategist, continues his national tour in Denver this evening at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art to promote Winning Marriage: The Inside Story of How Same-Sex Couples Took on the Politicians and Pundits – and Won. 

The book, with a foreword by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, has received critical acclaim from Bob Woodward, Dee Dee Myers, and Sen. Tammy Baldwin. 

As a senior political strategist for the marriage movement for more than a decade, Solomon takes readers inside the White House, the Supreme Court, governors' offices and state capitols, as well as into the war rooms of marriage campaigns throughout the country, showing how the campaign for marriage equality has been waged and how it has prevailed.  Solomon chronicles the indispensable role of Tim Gill, as well as the Denver-based Gill Foundation and the Gill Action Fund, in bringing about the victories secured over the last decade.