Brandon Shire

Author of Contemporary Gay Romance

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Where are you, Brandon?

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wanderingLet’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

He tastes like Sin

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rogueThe 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.

Get Rogue from Amazon

Author Bio

Allen Renfro, AuthorAllen 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.

Gay Film – #Credence – A Must See

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gay filmThere 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

2015 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mentions

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rainbow awards lgbt booksI’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

 

gay romanceBlurb:

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.

 

bisexual fictionBlurb:

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.

 

MM Romance vs Gay Contemporary Romance

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gay romance

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.

MM Romance:

a + b = HEA

Gay Contemporary Romance:

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.