I've been reading...

Gordon Merrick

I've recently discovered M/M romance novels. I'm overwhelmed by the sheer volume of books, e books, and  websites dedicated to this awesome genre. I'm exploring new authors and marking books 'to be read' on Goodreads faster than I thought possible.

When I was a teenager in the early eighties, I haphazardly discovered Gordon Merrick's The Lord Won't Mind at a Walden's bookstore.  I'll never forget the flush that come over me when I realized this was a gay novel, albeit pulp fiction. As I approached the checkout, I silently prayed the clerk would NOT look too closely at the book I was purchasing which I'd conveniently stacked between a safe book and a magazine (a mere afterthought so as not to bring attention to my real, intended purchase.)

I rode the bus home that Saturday afternoon, sitting in the back in an attempt to avoid bringing any attention to myself. I was determined to read the book as quickly as possible. Here was my introduction to the Peter & Charlie Trilogy. Oh how I loved TLWM and the two books that followed:  One for the Gods, and Forth into Light.  Not only was there love and romance between two men, but some pretty steamy sex scenes to boot. My teenage imagination ran wild with delight hoping I might one day find my own Charlie and be nicknamed 'Slugger' just like Peter had been in the novels.

In reality, I was terrified my parents would find the books and I would be outed so I did something every book lover will hate me for:  I secretly stuffed the books in the trash on my way to school. To this day, the memory of having thrown away my first introduction to gay m/m writing breaks my heart.  How could I? Of course in recent years I've found used copies of the same editions, but in truth they're not quite the same. They're not the books I'd purchased myself...the ones I'd cried over, the ones  that made me ache with longing for my own romance...the ones I'd stayed up late into the night reading because I couldn't bring myself to put them down...sigh.

In my early twenties and thirties I discovered great gay authors that I would come to love:  David Leavitt, Armistead Maupin and Paul Monette to name a few.  While I enjoyed these authors immensely, what I still longed for was straight-ahead gay romance. Yeah, I know I'm sappy. I cry at movies, TV commercials and Hallmark cards, but I'm not a hopeless romantic, I'm a hopeful romantic.

Now I feel like a kid in a candy store trying to decide which chocolate I should try first!  I had no idea the market had exploded with so many M/M authors in recent years. So why am I wasting time writing this blog when there are books to be read? See you later guys!