I’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
The 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… 
When we started this writing crusade some 18+ months ago one of my first questions was how I could make a difference concerning those issues that are important to me. Making a difference doesn’t always mean a monetary donation as some believe. A difference can be made by the offer of a kind voice, and unbiased ear, a warm heart, or a gentle embrace when it is needed most. I believe too many people shy away from what matters most to them because they fear that what they can offer is inadequate.
