• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Brandon Shire

Author of Contemporary Gay Romance

  • Author Bio
  • Books
    • The Love of Wicked Men
    • Afflicted – Gay Romance Series
    • Cold – Gay Romance Series
    • Erotic Short Stories
    • Summer Symphony
    • Listening To Dust
    • The Value Of Rain
    • Afflicted – Book 1
    • Afflicted – Book 2
    • Cold – MM Romance
    • Heart of Timber – Gay Romance
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • LGBT Youth Organizations
  • LGBT Authors Giving Back
  • Fundraising for Homeless LGBT
You are here: Home / Blog

Blog

Special Guest Post from Author Charlie Cochran

February 5, 2013 By Brandon 9 Comments

canal_street_gothicI’ve always had a soft spot for the Albert Kennedy Trust, although my association with them started off for the daftest of reasons. I mean, as a huge fan of Archie Kennedy (from the Hornblower TV series) that name was always going to catch my eye. When I read about Albert, a runaway from a children’s home who fell to his death from the top of a car park in Manchester, having suffered rejection and abuse from society, I decided I had to support the cause of getting GLBT youngsters off the streets and into supportive families.

You can imagine my delight when I was putting together my Christmas present wish list (which is always book heavy) and found Canal Street Gothic, by David Thame, in support of AKT. It was described as a collection of ten stories set in and around Manchester’s gay village revealing the gothic truths beneath the shiny surfaces of the twenty-first century city. I had high hopes, but I’ve had them dashed before, on the harsh reality of blurbs overselling their books. So I was delighted to find this book lived up to expectations. [Read more…] about Special Guest Post from Author Charlie Cochran

Filed Under: Gay Fiction, LGBT Youth Organizations Tagged With: charity, gay authors, gay literature, gay youth, LGBT, lgbt fundraising, lgbt homeless

LGBT Music Monday – Matty Barbato

February 4, 2013 By Brandon Leave a Comment

Matty BarbatosHe’s baaaack!

You might remember Matty Barbato from his days on stage when he did an eight month national tour of the gay musical BATHHOUSE. Originally from Rochester, NY, Matt moved to Atlanta when he was a child, and with a few brief stints in some other metropolitan areas, he has now settled in midtown.

He has just come back to the stage and is now performing at the Sing for Your Life competition in Atlanta and is in the top eight as of this writing. He says in his future, no matter the outcome of SFYL, we can expect to see him again and again. Music has become a renewed passion and we should expect to see some original narrative songs from him soon. [Read more…] about LGBT Music Monday – Matty Barbato

Filed Under: LGBT Musicians Tagged With: lgbt music, music monday

My Favorite Book – LGBT Author Anne Barwell

February 1, 2013 By Brandon 2 Comments

Shadowboxing - Anne Barwell

Every author has one book of their own work which is their favorite. This week I’ve offered the blog to Anne Barwell to talk a little about her favorite book. ~B

Berlin, 1943. An encounter with an old friend leaves German physicist Dr. Kristopher Lehrer with doubts about his work. But when he confronts his superior, everything goes horribly wrong. Suddenly Kristopher and Michel, a member of the Resistance, are on the run, hunted for treason and a murder they did not commit. If they’re caught, Kristopher’s knowledge could be used to build a terrible weapon that could win the war. [Read more…] about My Favorite Book – LGBT Author Anne Barwell

Filed Under: Author Interviews, Gay Romance Novels Tagged With: author interview, gay authors, gay literature, interviews, LGBT

LGBT Music Monday – Barry Brandon

January 28, 2013 By Brandon Leave a Comment

barry brandonIf you haven’t heard of Barry Brandon yet, don’t worry, you will.  Not only did he just release his new CD, Etcetera, on iTunes, but he is also one of the Sing for Your Life mentors & creators. And if you haven’t heard of that yet… Well, from my perspective, I think this is going to easily become one of the regional attractions for the huge music scene in Atlanta, with (hopefully) a particular emphasis on upcoming LGBT musicians.

Etc - Barry BrandonJust as Raven’s Music blog stated, Etcetera definitely has an alternative electro-pop feel to it.  As most of you know, I love all kinds of music, so if it can invigorate me, then so much the better.  Etcetera is already in my Listen To While Writing playlist. [Read more…] about LGBT Music Monday – Barry Brandon

Filed Under: LGBT Musicians Tagged With: lgbt music, video

Dare Not – Special Guest Post by Author Joseph Dispenza

January 25, 2013 By Brandon Leave a Comment

Joseph Dispenza and Mike Herbert - sepia by Barry ShapiroWhen I read recently about Jamie Kuntz, the 18-year old who was kicked off his football team for being in relationship with a 65-year old man,  I thought of a phrase that was first used more than a hundred years ago: “The love that dare not speak its name.”

What is the love that dare not speak its name? Most of us, on hearing the phrase, would reply quickly, “Homosexuality, of course…gay love.”

That would be right—up to a point. The “love” in question actually has a specific meaning, born of an interesting historical event: one of the four trials of poet, playwright, and wit Oscar Wilde in the spring of 1895 in London.

Four years earlier, in 1891, Wilde had fallen in love and begun a relationship with the 22-year-old Lord Alfred Douglas, nicknamed “Bosie”. Wilde was 38. The two of them were discrete, mostly—remember that in England at the time homosexuality was a criminal offense—but Wilde was a flamboyant celebrity whose private life was under constant scrutiny. [Read more…] about Dare Not – Special Guest Post by Author Joseph Dispenza

Filed Under: Author Interviews Tagged With: author interview, gay authors, gay love story, interviews, LGBT

LGBT Music Monday – Dylan Michael

January 21, 2013 By Brandon Leave a Comment

Dylan MichaelToday I’m talking with  24 year-old, openly gay, pop singer/songwriter Dylan Michael who currently lives in Atlanta, GA. He’s originally from Manchester, GA. which I’ve actually passed through a few times.

B: Tell me your musical past.

Dylan: I’ve always been drawn to music and performing, even as a child. A few years ago, I remember putting on all black clothing, pinning a tail to my ass, drawing whiskers on my face and making my entire family watch me as I performed a number from the musical Cats. I did marching band for 6 years and theater [Read more…] about LGBT Music Monday – Dylan Michael

Filed Under: LGBT Musicians Tagged With: interviews, LGBT, lgbt music

My Favorite Book – LGBT Author Kaje Harper

January 18, 2013 By Brandon 1 Comment

Every author has one book of their own work which is their favorite. This week I’m talking with Kaje Harper about her favorite books and her fundraising efforts for LGBT youth.

B: First, tell me about your books. What’s your favorite and why?

K: My two favorites are my freebies for the Goodreads M/M Romance group – Like the Taste of Summer and Into Deep Waters.  Of those two, IDW is really my baby.

Into Deep WatersThe story was inspired by a black-and-white photo of two young WWII sailors against the steel-riveted doorway of a ship. The story request prompt that said they were still together sixty years later.  I jumped on that prompt and claimed it the second it became available.  There was something about the way they stood, the way the handsome man behind let his hair fall in his eyes, the way the plainer young man in front fisted a hand in his lover’s shirtfront, that told me who they were.  And then there was the challenge of all those years… [Read more…] about My Favorite Book – LGBT Author Kaje Harper

Filed Under: Author Interviews, Gay Fiction, Gay Romance Novels Tagged With: free book, gay teens, gay youth, lgbt fundraising, lgbt organizations, mm romance

LGBT Music Monday – Adam Horne

January 14, 2013 By Brandon Leave a Comment

Adam HorneToday I have the pleasure to introduce you to Adam Horne, a twenty-three-year-old singer/songwriter from Atlanta, GA by way of South Carolina. He has a deeply impassioned sound and a sophistication to his voice which you don’t find too often in someone so young to the music biz.

 

B: Adam, welcome to the blog. Love your voice. Tell me a little about how music influences you. [Read more…] about LGBT Music Monday – Adam Horne

Filed Under: LGBT Musicians Tagged With: interviews, LGBT, lgbt music, video

This LGBT novel could be free for future generations with your help

January 13, 2013 By Brandon Leave a Comment

Young lesbian coming-out novel will come out as a free e-book 

 (if the crowd-funding campaign succeeds by January 30, 2013)

Nancy Rawles explains why she wants to make her novel free forever:

 Love Like GumboEbooks ought to be like cell phones – giving people access who would otherwise have no service. If a young lesbian of color struggling to come out to her family wants to read a book about a young lesbian of color struggling to come out to her family, she should have it available free as an ebook rather than having to hide a hard copy between the covers. Unglue.it is the PBS of publishing, premiums and all. I miss a lot of great shows because I don’t have HBO, but I’ve seen every Downton Abbey a few times over. I’m eager for Love Like Gumbo to be unglued.”

About the book: [Read more…] about This LGBT novel could be free for future generations with your help

Filed Under: Lesbian Fiction Tagged With: free book, gay authors, gay youth, Homophobia, lgbt fundraising

An Author’s Favorite Book

January 8, 2013 By Brandon Leave a Comment

my favorite bookEvery author has written a favorite book. It’s their baby, no matter how flawed, criticized, or demeaned, that particular book will always stand out for them.  It’s kind of like having a favorite child, you really don’t want to say it in public and hurt anyone’s feelings, but the truth is still there.  You simply can’t help it.

This year I’ll be talking with LGBT authors about their own favorite books (among other things).  We’ll discuss what those books mean to them, how they developed the manuscript, and why the book is so precious. Sometimes the story is coincidental to an event in their life; sometimes it is simply the love for the characters that they developed, and other times it simply is the book for no other reason than that. [Read more…] about An Author’s Favorite Book

Filed Under: Gay Fiction, Gay Romance Novels Tagged With: award winning gay fiction, gay authors, Homophobia, listening to dust

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 27
  • Page 28
  • Page 29
  • Page 30
  • Page 31
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 39
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Book Reviews

Wicked Men; Summer Symphony; The Value of Rain; Listening To Dust; Afflicted; Afflicted II; Cold; Heart of Timber

Steamy Gay Romance!

The Love of Wicked Men
AmazonNookKoboiBooks

LGBT Award Winner

Listening to Dust
AmazoniBooksNookKoboSmashwords

Erotic Shorts

Gay for Pay: Football Jock
AmazonNookKoboiBooksSmashwords

Subscribe

Connect with Brandon!

Connect with me on Google+Connect with me on TwitterConnect with me on PinterestConnect with me on YouTubeConnect with me on RedditConnect with me on TumblrConnect with me on RSSConnect with me on GoodreadsConnect with me on StumbleUpon

Get your e-book Signed by Brandon

Get a free Authorgraph from Brandon Shire

Previous Blog Posts

  • Author Interviews (75)
  • Bisexual Fiction (13)
  • Book Excerpts (15)
  • Brandon's Musings (103)
  • From the LGBT Youth Hotline (6)
  • Gay Fiction (137)
  • Gay Nonfiction (6)
  • Gay Romance Novels (140)
  • Horror (3)
  • Lesbian Fiction (11)
  • LGBT Book Gems (22)
  • LGBT Equality (11)
  • LGBT Musicians (28)
  • LGBT Nonfiction (4)
  • LGBT Nonprofit News (29)
  • LGBT Parent (6)
  • LGBT Youth Organizations (33)
  • Literary Fiction (10)
  • Queer Film (25)
  • Science Fiction and Fantasy (17)
  • Short Stories (9)

FTC Disclosure

Assume all links within this website are affiliate links. Part or all of the proceeds from such links are donated to organizations combating LGBT youth homelessness.

We believe in a HEA for all


Blogroll

  • Attention is Arbitrary
  • Band of Thebes
  • Elisa Rolle
  • GLBT Fiction Reviews
  • Joyfully Jay
  • Lambda Literary
  • Love Bytes Reviews
  • Prism Book Alliance
  • Smoocher's Voice
  • The Blogger Girls
  • The Novel Approach
  • The Reading Life
  • TotallyBookedBlog

LGBT Youth Charities

  • GLBT Advocacy & Youth Services
  • Lost and Found Youth

GLBT Bookstore

Recent Posts

  • Where are you, Brandon?
  • Happy Holidays
  • Rainbow Award Winner
  • He tastes like Sin
  • Gay Film – #Credence – A Must See

Purchase Brandon’s Books from

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | iBooks

Copyright © 2025 Brandon Shire / All Rights Reserved Powered by StudioPress Themes for WordPress