June 29, 2009

It's been a busy time. Following last week's very successful launch of Death In Key West, book two of the Bradford Fairfax mystery series, I was invited to read at the Proud Voices stage as part of Toronto's Pride Week Celebrations. It's something I've been hoping would happen for years.

I had perfect weather for my reading on Saturday, but the following day threatened annihilation by thunderstorms that miraculously passed by until the parade and most of the celebrations were over.

And as if that weren't enough excitement, today I finished my rough draft for book four of the series, Bon Ton Roulez, Cajun for Let the Good Times Roll. (I'll let you guess what southern city it's set in.)

June 26, 2009

Dear Friends,

It was an amazing evening on Tuesday, June 23, at the Moose Factory. Thanks for all your support and well wishes.

Glad Day Books did some booming business to get the book launched in style and with impressive numbers.

As well, the Writers' Trust raised a small fortune for the Dayne Ogilvie Memorial Award.

Thanks to everyone for your generosity!

Jeff

June 11, 2009

So far, the month has held a cornucopia of riches, including a very successful fourth evening in the Proust & Company series, which featured authors Storm Grant, John Miller and me. This was followed a few days ago with a private meeting with one of Canada's great mystery writers, Gail Bowen, Writer In Residence at the Toronto Reference Library. Gail had seen a preview selection from Lake On The Mountain, my "serious" mystery about a gay missing persons investigator and father. Not ony did she give me some terrific insights into parenting, she was also downright fun to sit and yack with and share writing trade gossip--a constructive and memorable morning.

This morning, I was thrilled to be in the studio with my friend, the dynamite soprano Lilac Cana, for a recording session of three songs of mine. Two of the songs were new works from a song cycle I'm writing for Lilac, with lyrics by other writers, including Robert Frost, Allen Ginsberg and Shakespeare.

June 7, 2009

Another fun evening for Proust and Company last night. Josh Bentley-Swan hosted the event, taking over for me. Fave jazz duo Omel Masalunga and Jeri Aniceto put on another great set with an expanded repertoire, including classics like "Big Spender" and "More (Theme from Mondo Cane)". Newbie author Storm Grant gave a compelling first reading from "Gym Dandy", her "frothy gay romance" set in Toronto's gaybourhood, while Toronto favourite John Miller read from his expert, award-winning "A Sharp Intake of Breath", and I followed with the opening chapter of "Death In Key West."

Thanks to all who attended. Your support makes it all worthwhile. Please join us Sept 12, 8-10 p.m., for the launch of the Caro Soles-edited, "Don Juan and Men", a scintillating collection of fiction reworking the Don Juan legend, featuring Paul Bellini, Michael Rowe, and others.

June 2, 2009

Having a new anthology show up in my mailbox is a reminder I have one less publication ahead of me that my work will appear in. Sad, but it's how I think. On the bright side, I'm always thrilled when the anthologies are smart looking, like the two volumes I was accepted in recently. Boy Crazy, edited by prolific Canadian Richard Labonté, is the first. And it's undoubtedly smart looking. I'm happy to be included with established masters like Michael Rowe and James Magruder, as well as talented newcomers like Rob Wolfsham and Natty Soltesz. The book's subtitle, "Coming Out Erotica," might seem a bit misleading. For the most part, these stories aren't about sex, but about self-discovery that comes through sexual awakening. Most are just downright good writing, first and last. All are filled with the unabashed ardour and joy of first time sexual intimacy. Dale Chase's Army Brat has a charming insouciance, while FA Pollard's Game Boyz wins big for hottest and most natural sex scene, and Wolfsham's nerd-boy voice in The Viking is irresistible. Others, like Rowe's August, Magruder's Treasure Map, Soltesz's Paperboys and Thomas Fuch's Larry and His Father, will take you places you won't expect to go and won't forget either—the trick of accomplished writing.