Author of Contemporary Gay Romance
I’m pleased to announce that Summer Symphony has won the Rainbow Award for Best Bisexual Fiction. And, The Love of Wicked Men has placed as a runner-up in the Gay Erotic Romance category.
Thanks to all my readers, the judges, and to all the other Rainbow Award winners.
Let’s just say that I’ve received more than a few emails asking me this question. Thanks for caring. I’m here. Stupid busy, but here.
I’m still working on Season Two of Wicked Men, but to be honest, not much has been accomplished in the last year or five. Life and work have been dragging me away from home and writing.
I expected this to happen, and for it to continue. A work/home balance will come soon (I hope) and I’ll be able to get back to my regular schedule. But for now, I’m letting the muse’s ideas percolate a bit longer. She’s not happy about it, but she’ll survive.
In the meantime, be safe and well…
Brandon (updated 8/31/24)
*photo by Zachary Staines
I just wanted to say thanks to all my readers and wish you the happiest of holidays and a very successful and fulfilling new year.
For myself, 2015 has been a year of creative fun and literary exploration. It has also been a time of tumultuous change in my personal life, which has pulled me away from my normal level of online activity.
Despite that, the rewards have been great (even with the heinous day job taking up so much of my time). You, my readers, have made my efforts worthwhile and given me the vigor to keep going.
For that, I thank you.
Blessings for 2016,
Brandon
The tone of Rogue, by Allen Renfro, is set from the very first line. This isn’t some slap-happy romance full of feels and nauseating good guys the hardline romance readers swoon over. In fact, it’s not a romance novel at all.
This book is about men who act like…wait for it… Men. They are horny and hot and arrogant. They fuck, they suck, and they don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves.
Rogue resonated with me because Renfro’s portrayal of gay men below the Mason-Dixon line is spot on. I know these characters in real life. I’ve met them on the streets and in the clubs of Atlanta, Memphis, Tupelo, Houston and a dozen other southern cities. The upbringing of these corn-fed beauties shows even in their arrogance. And so does the baggage they carry.
But what struck me here was everything Renfro didn’t say. The flip side of arrogance is insecurity, and Renfro could have made this into a weeping, sob story of self-reflection and redemption, but that would have ruined everything.
Who wants to change when you’re on top of the world? Short answer: No one does.
Even the bad boys win one once in a while. And these boys are so sinfully bad. Sometimes, evil just tastes better.
Allen Renfro makes his home in Knoxville, Tennessee and is a native Tennessean. A graduate of Tennessee’s oldest college, Tusculum, he frequently appeared in the small press and underground zines of the early to mid-1990s. A published poet and artist, he has tackled controversial subjects and is making a name for himself in dark fiction. He is the author of the supernatural thriller The Raised and the psychological thriller Snap. The Falling, the sequel to The Raised, was released in January 2013.
There are some movies whose mere conception capture an audience and hold them until the film is brought to fruition. From the onset of the Indiegogo campaign that brought Credence to life, this film has done that.
The men and women involved had high hopes. The wanted to redefine the portrayal of LGBT people in film. In that, this piece of cinematic art is a smashing success.
I sat down last night with some popcorn and a great amount of anticipation. By the teary end of this movie all I could utter was More, please more. Don’t let the sci-fi tag turn you off, this is drama at its finest with science fiction elements as a backdrop.
It is going to leave you wanting more.
Credence, is available at Vimeo On Demand
I’m pleased to announce that two of my books, Summer Symphony and The Love of Wicked Men, have received Honorable Mentions in the 2015 Rainbow Awards. Winners will be announced in December.
Summer Symphony Honorable Mention – Bisexual Contemporary General Fiction
Wicked Men Honorable Mention – Gay Erotic Romance
Blurb:Sid Rivers and Jack Brown are two sides of the same coin. One is a lawyer with his own firm and dreams of money and power; the other is a criminal with a lengthy record and a quest for vengeance. When they meet, sparks fly. But was their meeting an accident? Or was it planned by the billionaires who want to control their destiny?
The Love of Wicked Men is an erotic journey into the underbelly of the legal profession, the corporate culture of profit-at-any-cost, and the secret world of industrial espionage.
Blurb:Martin Zoric, a maestro and composer in Croatia, had vivid dreams of fatherhood, of a small hand pressed to his, of pink dresses and girlish laughter. Then his wife had a stillbirth, and his world fell apart. He listened to the unwanted apologies, stood by his wife as was expected, and kept his façade strong and firm for the entire world to see.
But, he has never found the strength let go and grieve over the loss of his stillborn daughter. Now, he can’t feel his music and is obviously falling apart.
When renowned pianist Ren Wakahisa landed in Croatia for a summer concert series, he was hoping to escape the cultural pressures put upon him by his Japanese family. They wanted him to conform – to forsake love for familial duties. But Ren has other ideas about love and family obligation.
Over the course of the summer, Ren must decide whether he will yield to his family’s wishes or has the courage to be the man he wants to be.
It being Queer Romance Month, I decided to answer a question a reader posed to me some time back.
What is the difference between MM Romance and Gay Contemporary Romance?
Here are a couple of formulas to answer the question.
a + b = HEA
eix = cos x + i sin x = HEA (maybe, but not always – particularly if the variables are off or your imaginary numbers aren’t squared).
*Bonus points if you recognize the GCR formula.
*Major points deducted from your final score if you came to the erroneous conclusion that writing MM Romance is ‘easier’.
I hope that clarified things for you.
I wanted to let readers know that I will be away for the foreseeable future. There are many reasons behind this, but it is my hope that you will continue to enjoy my books and recommend them to others.
I will continue writing, but my online presence and interaction will be severely diminished. As will my publishing schedule.
The enthusiasm within the my Goodreads fan group has helped me pump out 10 releases in 2015, but I cannot keep that pace going with the reality bombs life has decided to drop on me as of late. Business, family and health issues have had a huge impact in the last year and I must bend to necessities of the real world as much as anyone else.
In the last four years, we have raised nearly $10,000 for LGBT youth. That, in itself, is something I am proud to have been a part of. Again, it was the people in the GR group who helped make that happen. They deserve all the credit.
I’ve met many wonderful people while writing, even those still under the illusion that I’m a woman. I hate to break it to you, but yeah, I’m a guy. Have been for 50 years now, so we’re moving into the bitter old queen stage. (Use caution.)
Going forward, I plan to use my (increasingly limited) time to focus on writing well and less on trying to attract the readers who need to be constantly ‘entertained’ via social media. As an indie writer, I don’t have the time, the resources, or frankly, the inclination. Most people who know me in real life (and not the online persona), understand that I’m a cranky old sod who is extremely protective, opinionated and private.
I hope you’ll stick around, but I’ll understand if you drift away. Life is just life. The best way to stay informed about new releases and upcoming book sales is by signing up for my email list. (Subscribe on the right. >>>)
I wish the very best for all of you.
Love ’em hard,
Brandon Shire
Welcome S.R. Carrillo to the blog with her LGBTQ dark fantasy, the Soul series.
Evil has flourished since the beginning of time, but at long last it has come to pass—that the world should end at the hands of the divine. A Lesser Earth thrives in the ashes of the old world.
As does an unnamed lost boy, the abandoned effigy of evil, who wanders the globe without a clue and without a purpose.
The Last Angel Ero’s only task is to find this boy and raise him into the arms of Grace. He doesn’t expect to question that purpose—and he certainly doesn’t expect to find an affinity with the evil inside the boy he names Sol. [Read more…] about Of Angels and Demons…
Just thought I’d offer a peek at my rough draft to give you an idea about what Jack and Sid are up to in Season Two of Wicked Men. Feel free to leave your comments below. ~ B.
SEASON TWO – THE LOVE OF WICKED MEN (DRAFT)
Jack was in Philadelphia when he first caught sight of the tail. He noticed the same man three months later when he was in the Keys, and then a third time in LA. At first, he thought the guy might have been working for Wessman or the Feds, but they would’ve moved in on him long before now.
This tail was too casual. He didn’t seem to mind showing himself now and again, but he never got close enough for Jack to clock his ass and demand information. His presence was meant to be an irritating reminder that someone was keeping tabs. [Read more…] about Wicked Men – Season 2 #teaser #excerpt