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Out of Uniform Collection Volume 1: Off Base\At Attention\On Point (Out of Uniform #1)
by Annabeth AlbertRead the first three books in Annabeth Albert’s critically-acclaimed Out of Uniform series! Male/Male military romance at its very best.OFF BASEAfter trading the barracks for a fixer-upper rental, navy SEAL Zack Nelson wants peace, not a roommate—especially not Pike, who sees things about Zack he most wants to hide. Pike’s flirting puts virgin Zack on edge. And the questions Pike’s arrival would spark from Zack’s teammates about his own sexuality? Nope. Not going there. But Zack can’t refuse. Pike Reynolds knows there won’t be a warm welcome in his new home. What can he say? He’s an acquired taste. But he needs this chance to get his life together. Also, teasing the uptight SEAL will be hella fun. Still, Pike has to tread carefully; he’s had his fill of tourists in the past, and he can’t risk his heart on another, not even one as hot, as built—and, okay, yeah, as adorable—as Zack. AT ATTENTIONLieutenant Apollo Floros can ace tactical training missions, but being a single dad to his twin daughters is more than he can handle. He needs live-in help, and he’s lucky a friend’s younger brother needs a place to stay. He’s surprised to see Dylan all grown up with a college degree…and a college athlete’s body. Apollo’s widowed heart may still be broken, but Dylan has his blood heating up. It’s been eight years since the teenage Dylan followed Apollo around like a lovesick puppy, and it’s time he showed Lieutenant Hard-to-Please that he’s all man now—an adult who’s fully capable of choosing responsibility over lust. He can handle Apollo’s muscular sex appeal, but Apollo the caring father? Dylan can’t afford to fall for that guy. He’s determined to hold out for someone who’s able to love him back, not someone who only sees him as a kid brother. ON POINTPushing thirty, with his reenlistment looming, decorated navy sniper Maddox Horvat is taking a long look at what he really wants in life. And what he wants is Ben Tovey. It isn’t smart, falling for his best friend and fellow SEAL, but ten years with Ben has forged a bond so intimate Maddox can’t ignore it. He needs Ben by his side forever—heart and soul. Ben admits he likes what he’s seen—his friend’s full lower lip and the perfect muscles of his ass have proved distracting more than once. But Ben’s still reeling from a relationship gone to hell, and he’s not about to screw up his friendship with Maddox, too.
Out of Uniform Collection Volume 2: An Anthology (Out of Uniform #4)
by Annabeth AlbertThree more sexy military romances in the Out of Uniform series from Annabeth Albert!Wheels UpTheir love is forbidden, but their hearts aren’t listening to rules and regulations…Lieutenant Dustin Strauss has kept his bisexual identity under wraps for years, along with his kinky side and a fondness for the military-themed semi-anonymous hookup website Joe4Joe. His latest chat buddy is more than a sexy online distraction—they’re taking their very not-safe-for-work relationship into real time.Petty Officer Wes Lowe has a smart mouth, a take-charge attitude and an uncanny ability for making things go boom. The life of an enlisted man isn’t always enough to satisfy him, but one wild, no-questions-asked weekend with his online love comes close. But as they log more time online and some very real emotions surface, Dustin and Wes struggle to pretend they’re just a harmless fling. Squared AwayIn the wake of tragedy, SEAL Mark Whitley rushed stateside to act as guardian to his sister’s three young children. But a conflicting will could give custody to someone else—someone Mark remembers as a too young, too hot, wild party boy. Even after six years, Mark can’t shake the memory of his close encounter with Isaiah James, or face up to what it says about his own sexuality.Isaiah’s totally over the crush that made him proposition Mark all those years ago. In fact, he’s done with crushing on the wrong men altogether. For now, he’s throwing himself into proving he’s the best person to care for his cousin’s kids. But there’s no denying there’s something sexy about a big, tough military man with a baby in his arms.Tight QuartersPetty Officer Bacon, a navy SEAL and ace sharpshooter, has been on the front lines of more than his fair share of dangerous ops. Yet when a minor injury relegates him to the beta team, he’s tasked with what may be his riskiest assignment yet: the silver fox journalist he’s babysitting is the hottest, most charismatic man he’s ever encountered.Award-winning journalist Spencer Bryant may have been named one of Pride magazine’s most eligible bachelors of the year, but he’s not looking to change his relationship status. He’s a won’t risk his ethics or impeccable reputation by getting involved with a source. Even a sexy-as-hell military man. But while Spencer can resist his physical attraction to Bacon, he has less control over his emotions—especially when the mission goes sideways and the two men are trapped alone.
Rough Terrain: A Fake Boyfriend Gay Romance (Out of Uniform #7)
by Annabeth Albert“Whether making my heart melt, or my head burst into flames — Annabeth Albert draws the reader in and keeps them captivated.” —Gay Book ReviewsThe camping trip from hell may be the first stop on the road to happily-ever-after. Navy SEAL Renzo Bianchi has a soft spot for Canaan Finley, and not only because the man makes a mean smoothie. He’s the first guy to get Renzo’s motor revving in a long time. But when he agrees to Canaan’s insane charade—one all-access fake boyfriend, coming right up—he never expects more than a fling.Creating a hot Italian SEAL boyfriend to save face seemed like a good idea…until his friends called Canaan’s bluff. Now he’s setting off into the woods with the very man who inspired his deception, and Canaan is not the outdoorsy type. The sparks are already flying when a flash flood separates them from their group, leaving Renzo and Canaan very much trapped…very much alone in the wilderness.Working together to come up with a plan for survival is sexier than either of them expects. But back in the real world, being a couple is bringing its own set of hazards…Don’t miss the Out of Uniform series by Annabeth Albert! Order your copy of Off Base, At Attention, On Point, Wheels Up, Squared Away and Tight Quarters today! One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
Sailor Proof: An LGBTQ Romance (Shore Leave #1)
by Annabeth Albert&“Whether making my heart melt or my head burst into flames, Annabeth Albert draws the reader in and keeps them captivated.&” —Gay Book ReviewsThe sexy Navy chief and his best friend&’s adorkable little brother…It&’s petty, but Naval Chief Derrick Fox wishes he could exact a little revenge on his ex by showing off a rebound fling. His submarine is due to return to its Bremerton, Washington, home base soon and Derrick knows all too well there won't be anyone waiting with a big, showy welcome.Enter one ill-advised plan…Arthur Euler is the guy you go to in a pinch—he's excellent at out-of-the-box solutions. It's what the genius music-slash-computer nerd is known for. So when he finds out Derrick needs a favor, he&’s happy to help. He can muster the sort of welcome a Naval Chief deserves, no problem at all.Except it is a problem. A very big problem.When Arthur&’s homecoming welcome is a little too convincing, when a video of their gangplank smooch goes enormously viral, they're caught between a dock and a hard place. Neither of them ever expected a temporary fake relationship to look—or feel—so real. And Arthur certainly never considered he'd be fighting for a very much not-fake forever with a military man.Also from Annabeth Albert:Out of UniformBook 1: Off BaseBook 2: At AttentionBook 3: On PointBook 4: Wheels UpBook 5: Squared AwayBook 6: Tight QuartersBook 7: Rough TerrainHotshotsBook 1: Burn ZoneBook 2: High HeatBook 3: Feel the FireBook 4: Up in SmokeCarina Adores is home to highly romantic contemporary love stories where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters. Discover a new Carina Adores book every month!
Served Hot (Portland Heat #1)
by Annabeth AlbertIn Portland, Oregon, the only thing hotter than the coffee shops, restaurants, and bakeries are the hard-working men who serve it up--hot, fresh, and ready to go--with no reservations...Robby is a self-employed barista with a busy coffee cart, a warm smile, and a major crush on one of his customers. David is a handsome finance director who works nearby, eats lunch by himself, and expects nothing but "the usual"--small vanilla latte--from the cute guy in the cart. But when David shows up for his first Portland Pride festival, Robby works up the nerve to take their slow-brewing relationship to the next level. David, however, is newly out and single, still grieving the loss of his longtime lover, and unsure if he's ready to date again. Yet with every fresh latte, sweet exchange--and near hook-up--David and Robby go from simmering to steaming to piping hot. The question is: Will someone get burned?First in the new Portland Heat series!
Sink or Swim (Shore Leave #2)
by Annabeth Albert"Albert makes a deeper and more sensitive investigation into what love is than most romances." —New York Times Book Review on Conventionally YoursWinning and losing are subject to sexy interpretation…Navy chief Calder Euler loves to win big. His latest score? A remote mountain cabin. Checking it out is supposed to be a quick trip, but Calder&’s luck abruptly turns when a freak injury and a freakier snowstorm leave him stranded.Oh, and the cabin isn&’t empty. A silver fox caring for two young girls claims that the property is his, but Calder&’s paperwork says otherwise.Felix Sigurd is on a losing streak, and his ex-husband risking the cabin in a reckless bet is only the latest in a series of misfortunes. He&’ll tolerate the handsome stranger for a couple nights--even care for his injuries—but that&’s it.Calder doesn&’t know a damn thing about kids, but making pancakes for Felix&’s girls is a surprising delight. Trapped in the cabin, the four of them slip easily into the rhythms of a family. But when the ice melts, they&’ll have to decide if a future together is in the cards. Carina Adores is home to romantic love stories where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters.Shore LeaveBook 1: Sailor ProofBook 2: Sink or SwimAlso by Annabeth Albert:Out of UniformBook 1: Off BaseBook 2: At AttentionBook 3: On PointBook 4: Wheels UpBook 5: Squared AwayBook 6: Tight QuartersBook 7: Rough Terrain
Squared Away (Out of Uniform #5)
by Annabeth AlbertIn the wake of tragedy, SEAL Mark Whitley rushed stateside to act as guardian to his sister’s three young children. But a conflicting will could give custody to someone else—someone Mark remembers as a too young, too hot, wild party boy. Even after six years, Mark can’t shake the memory of his close encounter with Isaiah James, or face up to what it says about his own sexuality.Isaiah’s totally over the crush that made him proposition Mark all those years ago. In fact, he’s done with crushing on the wrong men altogether. For now, he’s throwing himself into proving he’s the best person to care for his cousin’s kids. But there’s no denying there’s something sexy about a big, tough military man with a baby in his arms.As the legal details get sorted out, their long-buried attraction resurfaces, leading to intimate evenings after the kids are tucked in. A forever future is within reach for all of them, if only Mark can find the courage he needs to trust Isaiah with his secrets—and his heart.This book is approximately 80,000 wordsOne-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!Carina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Deborah Nemeth
Status Update
by Annabeth AlbertAdrian Gottlieb is winning at life. He's a successful video game designer with everything a man could ask for, including a warm comfy ride to Denver and a date for his sister's wedding. But he finds himself in need of a total reboot when he's left stranded at a snowy campground in Utah. Holiday plans? Epic fail.That is until Noah Walters offers him shelter for the night and a reluctant cross-country ride. Nothing about the ultraconservative geoarchaeologist should attract Adrian, but once he discovers Noah's hidden love for video games, the two connect on a new level. Soon, a quiet but undeniable chemistry sparks.Something doesn't add up, though. As the miles accumulate and time runs out, Noah must face the most difficult choice of his life. Meanwhile, Adrian must decide whether he's ready to level up. Is their relationship status worth fighting for, or has this game ended before it's even begun?Book 1 of the #gaymers series64,000 words
Tight Quarters (Out of Uniform #6)
by Annabeth AlbertPetty Officer Bacon, a navy SEAL and ace sharpshooter, has been on the front lines of more than his fair share of dangerous ops. Yet when a minor injury relegates him to the beta team, he’s tasked with what may be his riskiest assignment yet: the silver fox journalist he’s babysitting is the hottest, most charismatic man he’s ever encountered.Award-winning journalist Spencer Bryant may have been named one of Pride magazine’s most eligible bachelors of the year, but he’s not looking to change his relationship status. He’s a consummate professional who won’t risk his ethics or impeccable reputation by getting involved with a source. Even a sexy-as-hell military man. But while Spencer can resist his physical attraction to Bacon, he has less control over his emotions—especially when the mission goes sideways and the two men are trapped alone.Getting out of the jungle alive turns out to be easy compared to facing the truth about their feelings for one another back in the real world. And whether or not they can build a future is a different story altogether.This book is approximately 82,000 wordsOne-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
Treble Maker
by Annabeth AlbertOn Perfect Harmony, the ambitious competitors heat things up on stage and off... Cody Rivers is determined to be a rock star, but couch-surfing between bar shows gets old fast. Joining an a cappella group for a new singing competition show could be his last chance at real fame--unless the college boy from the heart of the country messes it up for him. Lucas Norwood is everything gothy, glittery Cody is not--conservative, clean-cut, and virginal. But when a twist in the show forces them together, even the sweetest songs get steamy as the attraction between them lights up the stage. Lucas wants to take it slow, but Cody's singing a different tune--and this time it may be a love song...
Up in Smoke: A Gay Firefighter Romance (Hotshots #4)
by Annabeth Albert&“A poignant, sexy and satisfying romance featuring likeable, complex characters whose intense emotional connection leaps off the page." —All About Romance on Feel the FireThree Men and a Baby meets Backdraft with explosive chemistry and heartfelt feels.Freewheeling smoke jumper Brandt Wilder thrives on adrenaline. He&’s never met a parachute he can&’t repair or a dangerous situation he couldn&’t wrangle his way out of. He&’s popular and fun-loving and not at all looking to settle down or form lasting relationships. It&’s a lifestyle that&’s served him well…right up until the day he finds a baby on his doorstep.Shane Travis is used to putting his country music career—and his own happiness—on hold after his sister rolls through his life. Like last spring when she convinced him to try skydiving for his birthday—and she walked away with the hot parachute instructor.Now he gets to deliver the piece of news that will upend Brandt&’s carefree life: he very well might be a dad.Shane&’s niece is safe in Brandt&’s strong, capable hands, but too many questions remain unanswered. Co-parenting while they sort it out leads to late-night talks, and soul-bearing confessions lead to a most inconvenient attraction. Still, Shane can&’t leave this makeshift family behind—even if it means playing house with the one man he can&’t resist.HotshotsBook 1: Burn ZoneBook 2: High HeatBook 3: Feel the FireBook 4: Up in SmokeAlso by Annabeth Albert:Out of UniformBook 1: Off BaseBook 2: At AttentionBook 3: On PointBook 4: Wheels UpBook 5: Squared AwayBook 6: Tight QuartersBook 7: Rough Terrain
Wheels Up: Wheels Up Tight Quarters Squared Away (Out Of Uniform Ser. #4)
by Annabeth AlbertTheir love is forbidden, but their hearts aren’t listening to rules and regulations…Lieutenant Dustin Strauss is a reformed man. No longer a twentysomething hell-raiser, he’s his SEAL team’s new XO—and a man with a secret. Or seven. He’s kept his bisexual identity under wraps for years, along with his kinky side and a fondness for the military-themed semianonymous hookup website Joe4Joe. His latest chat buddy is more than a sexy online distraction—they’re taking their very not-safe-for-work relationship into real time.Petty Officer Wes Lowe has a smart mouth, a take-charge attitude and an uncanny ability for making things go boom. The life of an enlisted man isn’t always enough to satisfy him, but one wild, no-questions-asked weekend with his online love comes close. When a transfer order comes in, Wes feels ready and centered. He’ll make a good impression on his new SEAL team and keep his growing feelings for Dustin on the down low.But as they log more time online and some very real emotions surface, Dustin and Wes struggle to pretend they’re just a harmless fling. And when his commander introduces Dustin to his team’s newest member, they’re in for the shock of a lifetime…and a crushing disappointment: their difference in ranks means even a friendship without sexual contact could end their navy careers for good. With their hearts on the line, Dustin and Wes may not survive their next mission, let alone find a way toward a future together.This book is approximately 77,000 wordsOne-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
Wrapped Together (Portland Heat #5)
by Annabeth AlbertIn the bustling restaurants, shops, and cafés of Portland, Oregon, things really heat up for the hard-working men behind the scenes when the holidays come into town . . . For a stationery store owner, the holidays are great for business. But for Hollis Alcott, Christmas reminds him of the tragic events of three years past, and the last thing he wants to do is take part in Portland's over-abundance of festive cheer. But Sawyer Murphy, a hunky gift shop owner whose brother is married to Hollis's sister, has made it his mission to pluck Hollis out of his holiday blues. And his plan is beginning to work. Wrapped in the warm glow of newfound passion, the former business rivals hit up Portland's finest holiday traditions--and Hollis's icy attitude begins to melt like snowflakes on his tongue. But he isn't sure he can trust anyone with the only gift he has--his heart--without breaking it like an antique ornament. Unless he can find the courage to take a leap with the one lover he never expected . . .
El bar nudista
by Álber_4«Cuando alcanzas los treinta y te das cuenta de que existe un poso de mierda insatisfactoria flotando en el agua del váter de tus deseos, hay que tirar de la cadena.» Marta acaba de cumplir treinta años y siente que para ella la vida solo es un conjunto de normas, estereotipos y rutinas asfixiantes, especialmente con su pareja. Sintiéndose atrapada, la misma madrugada de su cumpleaños decide dar un paseo por la ciudad, donde descubre un local donde solo se puede entrar sin ropajes, ni físicos ni mentales. Allí conoce un universo muy distinto al suyo. Un universo donde puede desinhibirse. Donde explorar su sexualidad. Donde liberarse. Su obsesión por el Bar Nudista y todo lo que le ofrece irá creciendo con el paso de los días, hasta el punto de ir arrinconando su trabajo, pareja y relaciones sociales. Las brechas se abren entre su vida de siempre y la nueva. Nada es lo que parece: nuevas decisiones, nuevas realidades, nuevas expectativas... Marta tendrá que enfrentarse a lo que verdaderamente desea... Sin perderse a ella misma por el camino.
Riley Reynolds Glitterfies the Gala (Riley Reynolds)
by Jay AlbeeMama is throwing a fundraiser gala at the library branch where she works. Nonbinary fourth grader Riley is there, with streamers to hang from every bookshelf, bannister, and door. Riley glitterfies the entire library! But will anyone come? And if they do, will they raise enough money to repair the library’s broken elevator? In a neighborhood like Riley’s, you know this will be a night to remember.
Don't Want You Like a Best Friend: A Novel (The Mischief & Matchmaking Series #1)
by Emma R. AlbanA swoon-worthy debut queer Victorian romance in which two debutantes distract themselves from having to seek husbands by setting up their widowed parents, and instead find their perfect match in each other—the lesbian Bridgerton/Parent Trap you never knew you needed!Gwen has a brilliant beyond brilliant idea.It’s 1857, and anxious debutante Beth has just one season to snag a wealthy husband, or she and her mother will be out on the street. But playing the blushing ingenue makes Beth’s skin crawl and she’d rather be anywhere but here. Gwen, on the other hand, is on her fourth season and counting, with absolutely no intention of finding a husband, possibly ever. She figures she has plenty of security as the only daughter of a rakish earl, from whom she’s gotten all her flair, fun, and less-than-proper party games.“Let’s get them together,” she says.It doesn’t take long for Gwen to hatch her latest scheme: rather than surrender Beth to courtship, they should set up Gwen’s father and Beth’s newly widowed mother. Let them get married instead.“It’ll be easy” she says.There’s just…one, teeny, tiny problem. Their parents kind of seem to hate each other.But no worries. Beth and Gwen are more than up to the challenge of a little twenty-year-old heartbreak. How hard can parent-trapping widowed ex-lovers be?Of course, just as their plan begins to unfold, a handsome, wealthy viscount starts calling on Beth, offering up the perfect, secure marriage. Beth’s not mature enough for this…Now Gwen must face the prospect of sharing Beth with someone else, forever. And Beth must reckon with the fact that she’s caught feelings, hard, and they’re definitely not for her potential fiancé. That’s the trouble with matchmaking: sometimes you accidentally fall in love with your best friend in the process.
Hear's the Thing: Lessons on Listening, Life, and Love
by Cody AlanIn our noise-filled world, where everyone is so quick to speak, the fine art of listening is often lost. When we slow down and give someone our full attention, we offer them a safe place to be fully heard and accepted. Hear&’s the Thing is a story about what is possible when someone is brave enough to listen to others… and, ultimately, themselves without judgement.For Cody Alan, one of country music&’s most famous on-air radio and TV personalities, listening to other people has always been a crucial part of his role. It was by fostering his ability to hear others that he discovered the person he most needed to listen to was himself. Listening ultimately led him on a journey of self-discovery where he found the courage to come out as gay, the openness to question spiritually, and the strength to explore a new definition of parenting and family. In his debut memoir, Hear&’s the Thing, Cody shares some of the many lessons he&’s learned along the way, including:How to actively listen with empathy and without judgmentWhy a willingness to &“let people in&” better equips you to receive from othersHow genuine attentiveness can help you build healthier and deeper relationshipsCody&’s story will inspire you to hear that inner voice that is leading you to a deeper connection with yourself and the people around you.
Just Another Epic Love Poem
by Parisa AkhbariBest friendship blossoms into something more in this gorgeously written queer literary romance."The heartache and longing of witnessing a beloved character pine hopelessly over her best friend has never brought me this much unadulterated joy." –National Book Award Finalist Sonora Reyes, author of The Lesbiana&’s Guide to Catholic SchoolOver the past five years, Mitra Esfahani has known two constants: her best friend Bea Ortega and The Book—a dogeared moleskin she and Bea have been filling with the stanzas of an epic, never-ending poem since they were 13.For introverted Mitra, The Book is one of the few places she can open herself completely and where she gets to see all sides of brilliant and ebullient Bea. There, they can share everything—Mitra&’s complicated feelings about her absent mother, Bea&’s heartache over her most recent breakup—nothing too messy or complicated for The Book.Nothing except the one thing with the power to change their entire friendship: the fact that Mitra is helplessly in love with Bea.Told in lyrical, confessional prose and snippets of poetry Just Another Epic Love Poem takes readers on a journey that is equal parts joyful, heartbreaking, and funny as Mitra and Bea navigate the changing nature of I love you.
The Sea Elephants: A Novel
by Shastri AkellaFor fans of Shuggie Bain and A Burning, a queer coming-of-age novel set in 1990s India, about a young man who joins a traveling street theater troupe, seeking to outrun the dark secrets of his past "An exquisite novel destined to be a classic.” ―Eric Nguyen, author of Things We Lost to the Water Shagun knows he will never be the kind of son his father demands. After the sudden deaths of his beloved twin sisters, Shagun flees his own guilt, his mother’s grief, and his father’s violent disapproval by enrolling at an all-boys boarding school. But he doesn’t find true belonging until he encounters a traveling theater troupe performing the Hindu myths of his childhood. Welcomed by the other storytellers, Shagun thrives, easily embodying mortals and gods, men and women, and living on the road, where his father can’t catch him. When Shagun meets Marc, a charming photographer, he seems to have found the love he always longed for, too. But not even Marc can save him from his lingering shame, nor his father’s ever-present threat to send him to a conversion center. As Shagun’s past begins to engulf him once again, he must decide if he is strong enough to face what he fears most, and to boldly claim his own happiness.Utterly immersive and spellbinding, The Sea Elephants is both dark and beautiful, harrowing and triumphant. An ode to the redemptive joys of art, Shastri Akella’s debut novel is a celebration of hard-won love—of others and for ourselves.
Martyr!: A novel
by Kaveh AkbarNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK • A newly sober, orphaned son of Iranian immigrants, guided by the voices of artists, poets, and kings, embarks on a remarkable search for a family secret that leads him to a terminally ill painter living out her final days in the Brooklyn Museum. Electrifying, funny, and wholly original, Martyr! heralds the arrival of an essential new voice in contemporary fiction.&“Kaveh Akbar is one of my favorite writers. Ever.&” —Tommy Orange, Pulitzer Prize–nominated author of There There&“The best novel you'll ever read about the joy of language, addiction, displacement, martyrdom, belonging, homesickness.&” —Lauren Groff, best-selling author of Matrix and Fates and FuriesCyrus Shams is a young man grappling with an inheritance of violence and loss: his mother&’s plane was shot down over the skies of the Persian Gulf in a senseless accident; and his father&’s life in America was circumscribed by his work killing chickens at a factory farm in the Midwest. Cyrus is a drunk, an addict, and a poet, whose obsession with martyrs leads him to examine the mysteries of his past—toward an uncle who rode through Iranian battlefields dressed as the angel of death to inspire and comfort the dying, and toward his mother, through a painting discovered in a Brooklyn art gallery that suggests she may not have been who or what she seemed.Kaveh Akbar&’s Martyr! is a paean to how we spend our lives seeking meaning—in faith, art, ourselves, others.
Confessions of the Other Mother: Nonbiological Lesbian Moms Tell All!
by Harlyn AizleyAfter author Harlyn Aizley gave birth to her daughter, she watched in unanticipated horror as her partner scooped up the baby and said, "I'm your new mommy!" While they both had worked to find the perfect sperm donor, Aizley had spent nine months carrying the baby and hours in labor, so how could her partner claim to be their child's mommy? Many diapers later, Aizley began to appreciate the complexity of her partner's new role as the other mother. Together, they searched for stories about families like their own, in which a woman has chosen to forgo her own birth experience so that she might support her partner in hers. They found very few. Now, in Confessions of the Other Mother, Aizley has put together an exciting collection of personal stories by women like her partner who are creating new parenting roles, redefining motherhood, and reshaping our view of two-parent families. Contributors include Hillary Goodridge, who was one of the lead plaintiffs in the case for same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, stand-up comedian Judy Gold, and psychologist and author Suzanne M. Johnson. This candid peek into a previously unexamined side of lesbian parenting is full of stories that are sometimes humorous, sometimes moving, but at all times celebratory. Each parenting tale sheds light on the many facets of motherhood, offering gay and straight readers alike a deeper understanding of what it means to love and parent in the twenty-first century.
Eustace & Clyde
by Marina AizenEustace and Clyde couldn’t be more different. Eustace likes to laze around. Clyde likes adventure. But they care about each other deeply. So when their home in the tree becomes too loud and crowded, the koalas take off to find a place of their own. None of the new homes Eustace and Clyde find are quite right. They’re too far away, or too cold (though the koalas have great hats!), or too . . . quiet. Maybe what Eustace and Clyde thought they wanted was what they actually had: peace and acceptance.
Being Roy
by Julie AitchesonIf you ask Roy Watkins who she is, she’ll look you in the eye and say “an artist.” If you asked her whether she identifies as straight or gay, male or female, proud-of-it trailer trash or hick town refugee, she’ll tell you to mind your own damn business. As this unique coming of age story unfolds, Roy finds her greatest challenge in defining herself before the world does it for her—and she’s in no hurry to force herself into a slot. Growing up Roy in a West Virginia trailer park in the early nineties is one thing, but when she gives up her childhood love for a scholarship to snooty Winchester Academy in the hunt country of Virginia, the state line isn’t the only boundary she’ll have to cross to find out what she’s really made of. In the company of Reenie (Roy’s New Age trucker mom), her immigrant sweetheart Oscar, and the privileged Winchester girls determined to befriend her whether she likes it or not, Roy encounters one intersection after another where she must face the complex nature of her identity, and how it will shape her future.
First Girl
by Julie AitchesonSome things are worth fighting for: a sense of identity, personal freedom, truth, and new love—even in a society that forbids them. In the aftershocks of catastrophic climate change, the fundamentalist Christian group Unitas seized the opportunity to grab power in the United States. Gabi’s father, Sam Lowell, is one of the most powerful men on the Unitas council… and his sickly daughter’s hero, until Gabi discovers the horrors being carried out in the name of religion. Gabi’s mission to expose Unitas will take her into the company of misfits and dissidents and beyond the borders of everything she knows as her life is threatened at every turn. Along the way, she uncovers her true origins and astonishing power, along with a ruthless dictatorship masquerading as a benevolent democracy that will stop at nothing—including playing God—to win the game of survival.
Gender: A Gender-Friendly Primer on What to Know, What to Say, and What to Do in the New Gender Culture
by Lee AirtonAn authentic and accessible guide to understanding—and engaging in—today’s gender conversation.The days of two genders—male, female; boy, girl; blue, pink—are over, if they ever existed at all. Gender is now a global conversation, and one that is constantly evolving. More people than ever before are openly living their lives as transgender men or women, and many transgender people are coming out as neither men or women, instead living outside of the binary. Gender is changing, and this change is gaining momentum. We all want to do and say the right things in relation to gender diversity—whether at a job interview, at parent/teacher night, and around the table at family dinners. But where do we begin? From the differences among gender identity, gender expression, and sex, to the use of gender-neutral pronouns like singular they/them, to thinking about your own participation in gender, Gender: Your Guide serves as a complete primer to all things gender. Guided by professor and gender diversity advocate Lee Airton, PhD, you will learn how gender works in everyday life, how to use accurate terminology to refer to transgender, non-binary, and/or gender non-conforming individuals, and how to ask when you aren’t sure what to do or say. It provides you with the information you need to talk confidently and compassionately about gender diversity, whether simply having a conversation or going to bat as an advocate. Just like gender itself, being gender-friendly is a process for all of us. As revolutionary a resource as Our Bodies, Ourselves, Gender: Your Guide invites everyone on board to make gender more flexible and less constricting: a source of more joy, and less harm, for everyone. Let’s get started.