It gives us great pleasure to present Season 11, Episode 01: Neil Laird!
Neil Laird helps us kick off the new year by sharing his series Prime Time Travelers. We discuss how his career as an Emmy-nominated director of historic series for television shaped writing his series. We also discuss uncovering examples of gay life in ancient times while balancing satire, romance, and historical drama in his series
Bio:
Neil Laird is a multiple Emmy-nominated director of historical films for Discovery, BBC, PBS, History Channel, National Geographic, and many other networks. He has produced over 100 programs around the globe that feature crumbling Egyptian tombs, lost Mayan cities, and mysterious shipwrecks at the bottom of the sea.
But to his continued disappointment, he has yet to stumble upon a time machine to see these things when they were shiny and new. His book, the first in a series, aims to remedy that grave injustice.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to present Season 10, Episode 50: Madeleine Nakamura!
Madeleine Nakamura shares her novels Cursebreakers and Angel Eye. We discuss the impact of queer speculative fiction, as well as authentic ways to introduce mental illness in main characters.
Bio:
Madeleine Nakamura is an author and editor based in Los Angeles. Her debut adult queer fantasy novel Cursebreakers, published by Red Hen Press, received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Independent Book Review and won bronze in the Foreword INDIES. In her spare time, Madeleine enjoys tabletop RPGs, video games, cooking, and embroidery.
The sequel to Cursebreakers, Angel Eye, is available now and has also received a Kirkus Star.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to present Season 10, Episode 598: Timothy Jay Smith!
Timothy Jay Smith shares his next novel Fire On The Island. We discuss arson as a political weapon and the refugee situation, as well as a look into why the USA’s aid and assistance abroad matter.
Bio:
From a young age, Timothy Jay Smith developed a ceaseless wanderlust that has taken him around the world many times. En route, he’s found the characters that people his work. Polish cops and Greek fishermen, refugees and arms dealers, child prostitutes and wannabe terrorists, Indian Chiefs and Indian tailors: he hung with them all in an unparalleled international career that saw him smuggle banned plays from behind the Iron Curtain, maneuver through Occupied Territories, and stowaway aboard a ‘devil’s barge’ for a three-day crossing from Cabo Verde that landed him in an African jail.
Tim has won top honors for his novels, screenplays and stage plays in numerous prominent competitions. Istanbul Crossing, his fifth novel, won the 2025 Next Generation Indie Book Award (LGBTQ category), Leapfrog Press’s 2023 Global Fiction Prize (which led to its publication), the Eyelands Book Award, and the Page Turner Award for Writing. Fire on the Island (also published by Leapfrog Press) won the Gold Medal in the Faulkner-Wisdom Competition, and his screenplay adaptation of it was named Best Indie Script by WriteMovies. Another novel, The Fourth Courier, was a finalist for Best Gay Mystery in the 2020 Lambda Literary Awards. Previously, he won the Paris Prize for Fiction (now the de Groot Prize) for his novel, A Vision of Angels. Kirkus Reviews called Cooper’s Promise “literary dynamite” and selected it as one of the Best Books of 2012.
Tim was nominated for the 2018 Pushcart Prize. His stage play tribute to Matthew Shepard, How High the Moon, won the prestigious Stanley Drama Award. His screenplays have won or placed in dozens of screenwriting competitions including those sponsored by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Capital Fund Screenplay Competition, WriteMovies, Houston WorldFest, Fresh Voices, and StoryPros. He founded the Smith Prize for Political Theater, which identified emerging playwrights for 17 years until terminated due to covid-related causes.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Or Listen/Watch Right Here:
September 20, 2024
It gives us great pleasure to present a Season 9, Episode 37 Interview: Timothy Jay Smith
Timothy Jay Smith joins us to share his upcoming gay-coming-of-age contemporary thriller: Istanbul Crossing. It leads to discussion of homosexuality in Muslim states and a young man trying to help others get to safety and freedom, a story that grew from Timothy’s own experiences helping refugees.
From a young age, Timothy Jay Smith developed a ceaseless wanderlust that has taken him around the world many times. En route, he’s found the characters that people his work. Polish cops and Greek fishermen, mercenaries and arms dealers, child prostitutes and wannabe terrorists, Indian Chiefs and Indian tailors: he hung with them all in an unparalleled international career that had him smuggle banned plays from behind the Iron Curtain, maneuver through Occupied Territories, represent the U.S. at the highest levels of foreign governments, and stowaway aboard a ‘devil’s barge’ for a three-day crossing from Cape Verde that landed him in an African jail.
Tim brings the same energy to his writing that he brought to a distinguished career, and as a result, he has won top honors for his novels, screenplays and stage plays in numerous prestigious competitions. Fire on the Island won the Gold Medal in the Faulkner-Wisdom Competition for the Novel, and his screenplay adaptation of it was named Best Indie Script by WriteMovies. Another novel, The Fourth Courier, was a finalist for Best Gay Mystery in the 2020 Lambda Literary Awards. Previously, he won the Paris Prize for Fiction (now the de Groot Prize) for his novel, Checkpoint (later published as A Vision of Angels). Kirkus Reviews called Cooper’s Promise “literary dynamite” and selected it as one of the Best Books of 2012.
Tim was nominated for the 2018 Pushcart Prize. His stage play tribute to Matthew Shepard, How High the Moon, won the prestigious Stanley Drama Award. His screenplays have won or placed in dozens of screenwriting competitions including those sponsored by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Capital Fund Screenplay Competition, WriteMovies, Houston WorldFest, Fresh Voices, and StoryPros.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to present Season 10, Episode 42: Vinny Cusenza!
Vinny Cusenza shares his novel Blood and Soil. We discuss setting a romance and thriller against the American Nazi movement in the 1950s, and how that shaped the gay closet. We then correlate that history to the echoes of it we’re feeling today.
Bio:
Vinny Cusenza writes across genres, but always from the heart. Whether in his literary debut Blood and Soil or his personal essays and travel meditations, Vinny explores the nuances of identity, place, and the quiet power of human connection.
A native New Yorker with a photographer’s eye and a wanderer’s soul, he has won awards for his photography, founded a boutique New England inn, and once sang with Liza Minnelli in Central Park. His work blends emotional honesty with lyrical precision—and just a touch of mischief.
Vinny lives in Brooklyn with husband Steve and the spirit of Neko, their dearly departed, transsexual cat. When he’s not writing or editing, he’s likely photographing the boroughs or planning his next travel dispatch.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to present Season 10, Episode 34: ‘Nathan Burgoine!
‘Nathan Burgoine returns to share his latest Hi-Lo novel, Dogs Don’t Break Hearts. We discuss the importance of High-Interest-Low-Complexity novels, and why stories for reluctant readers are the “if you know, you know” genre. We then touch on the awful notion of the neutrality movements and the damage they’re doing.
Bio:
‘Nathan Burgoine is a tall queer writer of (mostly) shorter queer fictions. His stories live somewhere in the Venn of Romance, YA, and Spec-Fic—but always queer. He grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. His debut novel, Light, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award and his debut YA Novel Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks was a Prix Aurora Award finalist.
A cat lover, ‘Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing “cat or dog?” détente ended with the rescue of a huskie. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Or Listen/Watch Right Here:
April 5, 2024
It gives us great pleasure to present a Season 9, Episode 16 Interview – ‘Nathan Burgoine
‘Nathan Burgoine returns to share the long-awaited third book in his trilogy, Triad Magic! We discuss character growth and relations in queer literature, as well as a recent limited-time anthology and where to watch for news of his contribution being available in the future.
‘Nathan Burgoine grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. His works can be found in genres ranging from comedy, romance, and erotica, through to serious and sci-fantastic. He seems equally comfortable writing short- as well as long-form.
A cat lover, ‘Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing “cat or dog?” détente ended with the rescue of a six year old husky named Coach, who gave them four wonderful years before crossing the rainbow bridge. Since then, they’ve rescued Max, another husky, who is much younger and very determined to be a bed dog. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to present a Season 8, Episode 50 Interview – ‘Nathan Burgoine
‘Nathan Burgoine returns to introduce us to the Hi-Lo style of writing with his latest young adult novel Stuck with You. We discuss the benefits of this high-interest, low readability approach to literature and why it’s important.
‘Nathan Burgoine grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. His works can be found in genres ranging from comedy, romance, and erotica, through to serious and sci-fantastic. He seems equally comfortable writing short- as well as long-form.
A cat lover, ‘Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing “cat or dog?” détente ended with the rescue of a six year old husky named Coach, who gave them four wonderful years before crossing the rainbow bridge. Since then, they’ve rescued Max, another husky, who is much younger and very determined to be a bed dog. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to welcome Jeffrey Ricker, J. Marshall Freeman, and ‘Nathan Burgoine as the guests on Season 7, Episode 16 – Oooh, Nerd Hot!
Jeffrey Ricker, J. Marshall Freeman, ‘Nathan Burgoine tag-team the show to introduce their latest work, Three Left Turns to Nowhere. Each has written a novella about a young man on his way to a sci-fi convention when Fate intervenes and strands them in Hopewell where they find that thing they didn’t know they needed. These three authors are so much fun, and it’s easy to see how well they worked together!
Jeffrey Ricker is the author of Detours (2011) and the YA fantasy The Unwanted (2014). His stories and essays have appeared in Foglifter, Phoebe, Little Fiction, The Citron Review, The Saturday Evening Post, and others. A 2014 Lambda Literary Fellow and recipient of a 2015 Vermont Studio Center residency, he has an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia and teaches creative writing at Webster University.
J. Marshall Freeman is a writer of novels, short stories, and poetry. He is the author of the young adult fantasy novel The Dubious Gift of Dragon Blood (2020) and the upcoming YA adventure Barnabas Bopwright Saves the City (May 2022). He is a two-time winner of the Saints+Sinners Fiction Contest (2017 and 2019), and lives in Toronto, Canada, with his husband and dog.
’Nathan Burgoine grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. His first novel, Light, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award. Triad Blood and Triad Soul are also available from Bold Strokes Books, as is his YA novel Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks and his first collection, Of Echoes Born. For novella lovers, In Memoriam, Handmade Holidays, Faux Ho Ho, Village Fool, and A Little Village Blend are shorter queer romances (often with a dash of speculative fiction). A cat lover, ’Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. They live in Ottawa, Canada—with their rescued husky, in case you were wondering how the cat-dog thing turned out.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to welcome ‘Nathan Burgoine back as the guest on Season 6, Episode 19 – The Most Annoying Trait in the World!
‘Nathan Burgoine returns with laughter and joy as he shares his new novella Village Fool. He also shares how he wrote while injured, and we dig into the merits of writing novellas as a series.
‘Nathan Burgoine grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. A cat lover, ‘Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing “cat or dog?” détente ended with the rescue of a six year old husky named Coach, who gave them four wonderful years before crossing the rainbow bridge. Since then, they’ve rescued Max, another husky, who is much younger and very determined to be a bed dog. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Or Listen Right Here:
OR Watch on YouTube:
November 30, 2018
It gives us great pleasure to announce ‘Nathan Burgoine as the guest on Episode 192: The Queerlings!
‘Nathan Burgoine returns to discuss his latest, and first Young Adult, release: Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks. He then shares what it was like for him talking with today’s youth about the stories they want and his beautifully interwoven short story collection.
‘Nathan Burgoine grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. His first published short story was “Heart” in the collection Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction. Since then, he has had dozens of short stories published, including Bold Strokes titles Men of the Mean Streets, Boys of Summer, and Night Shadows as well as This is How You Die (the second Machine of Death anthology). ‘Nathan also has a series of paranormal erotic short stories that begins in the Bold Strokes anthology Blood Sacraments, and continues with further installments in Wings, Erotica Exotica, and Raising Hell. His standalone short erotic fiction pieces can be found in the Lambda Literary Award finalist Tented, Tales from the Den, and Afternoon Pleasures. ‘Nathan’s nonfiction pieces have appeared in I Like it Like That and 5×5 Literary Magazine.
‘Nathan’s first novel, Light, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award. His second and third novels, Triad Blood and Triad Soul, are available now from Bold Strokes Books. Both are available wherever quality LGBT fiction is found—always check Indiebound for your local brick and mortar, if you can. For novella lovers, ‘Nathan’s wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey gay romance In Memoriam is available on Kindle and Audible, and his gay holiday chosen family romance Handmade Holidays is available from NineStar Press.
A cat lover, ‘Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing “cat or dog?” détente ended with the rescue of a six year old husky named Coach. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Or right here:
June 2, 2017
It gives us great pleasure to announce ‘Nathan Burgoine as the guest on Episode 114: The Three Second Review!
This week ‘Nathan Burgoine joins us to discuss his series, to drop announcements of his upcoming projects, share the importance of chosen families, unveil Canada as a setting, and share the magic of the three sentence review.
‘Nathan Burgoine grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. His first published short story was “Heart” in the collection Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction. Since then, he has had dozens of short fiction pieces published. His first novel LIGHT was a Lambda Literary Finalist. Both Light and his second novel, Triad Blood, are available from Bold Strokes Books.
A cat lover, ‘Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing “cat or dog?” détente ended with the adoption of Coach, a six year-old husky. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to present Season 10, Episode 22: Patricia Grayhall!
Patricia Grayhall returns to share her new romance: A Place for Us. We dive into connecting with lost loves, building a life together in the face of obstacles, and endings that bring happiness and hope!
Bio:
Patricia Grayhall is a medical doctor and author of the award-winning memoir, Making the Rounds; Defying Norms in Love and Medicine and a romance novel, Golden Years and Silver Linings, with wife and author Linda M. Ford. She has authored articles in Queer Forty, The Gay and Lesbian Review, The Millions, Lesbian Game Changers, The Seattle Lesbian, and Seattle Magazine, and has been interviewed on NPR.
Currently, Patricia is working on her third novel, an environmental crime novel. All of her novels are inspired by real-life experiences, one of the advantages of being an older author. Patricia lives with the love of her life on an island in the Pacific Northwest where she enjoys other people’s dogs and occasional sightings of orca, eagles, otters, and black bears.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Or Listen/Watch Right Here:
January 20, 2023
It gives us great pleasure to present Season 8, Episode 3: Patricia Grayhall + Sense8 review part 3!
Patricia Grayhall, author of the memoir Making the Rounds: Defying Norms in Love and Medicine, joins us to discuss her training to become a doctor before Roe v Wade, and her lifelong lessons about sustaining relationships. Then Albert Nothlit returns for part 3 of our review of Sense8’s first season!
Patricia Grayhall is a retired medical doctor and author of Making the Rounds; Defying Norms in Love and Medicine that garnered a starred review in Kirkus Reviews, as well as positive reviews from Katherine Forrest and Radclyffe. She’s published articles in Queer Forty, The Gay and Lesbian Review, The Millions, Lesbian Game Changers, The Seattle Lesbian, and Seattle Magazine. In addition to a recent NPR interview, her book is among Kirkus Reviews’ Best Indie Books of 2022.
Patricia lives with the love of her life on an island in the Pacific Northwest where she enjoys other people’s dogs, big nature, and her second career as an author.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to present Season 10, Episode 21: Mo Fanning!
Mo Fanning returns to share his new novel: Rainbows and Lollipops. We discuss setting a story close to home – Birmingham in this case, healing from loss, and friends growing into found family!
Bio:
Mo Fanning is a Birmingham-based novelist whose character-driven fiction explores the complexities of love, identity, and human connection through the lens of LGBTQ+ experiences. With his signature blend of humour, heartbreak, and hope, Fanning creates deeply relatable characters whose journeys reflect the universal search for belonging in an often-challenging world. Drawing inspiration from his Midlands roots, Fanning infuses his writing with authentic voices and settings that resonate with readers seeking stories that celebrate the beauty of imperfection and the transformative power of resilience. His innovative narrative approaches and genuine emotional depth have earned him a dedicated following among readers who appreciate contemporary fiction that balances entertainment with meaningful exploration of human relationships.
When not writing, Mo lives with his husband Mark and their beloved Labrador Ernie, continuing to find inspiration in the streets, stories, and people of his beloved Birmingham.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Or Listen/Watch Right Here:
August 30, 2024
It gives us great pleasure to present a Season 9, Episode 34 Interview – Mo Fanning!
Mo Fanning joins us to share his latest novel Husbands! We discuss the dark side of Hollywood, telling stories while protecting identities, and finding happiness in the end.
Mo Fanning is a part-time novelist, part-time stand-up comic and full-time ageing homosexual. He currently lives in the Black Country backwater town of Stourbridge but aspires to something more rural without neighbours.
With a unique talent for blending romance and comedy in intriguing settings, Mo is an emerging voice in the contemporary fiction scene and aims to be the best-known writer of LGBTQ romance.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to present Season 10, Episode 20: Robert Raasch!
Robert Raasch shares his novel: The Summer Between. We discuss coming out in earlier decades, the importance of location shaping story, and why we have to learn who’s harmful to us and who’s loving and supportive!
Bio:
Robert Raasch was raised in Northern New Jersey. He is a writer, architect/designer, and visual artist who is an active participant in 24PearlStreet and the Fine Arts Work Center (FAWC) in Provincetown, Massachusetts. He divides his time between Chicago, New York, and Copenhagen, where he is working on his second novel.
Robert is spearheading a grassroots campaign this summer to promote his critically acclaimed novel The Summer Between. Recent appearances, interviews and reviews have included The Bay Area Reporter; The Harvard Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide; Andrew Rimby’s The Ivory Tower Boiler Room; Matt Baum’s Sewers of Paris; and in New York, at The Bureau of General Services Queer Division: Robert was in conversation with acclaimed Author, Christoper Bram.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to present Season 10, Episode 17: John R. Gordon!
John R. Gordon shares his novel: Mother of Serpents. We discuss evil spirits & madness, blending history & myth, and why it’s important to write queer, interracial families!
Bio:
John R. Gordon lives in Shepherds Bush, London, England. He is a screenwriter, playwright and the author of nine novels, Black Butterflies and Warriors & Outlaws, both of which have been taught in the USA; Faggamuffin, Colour Scheme, Souljah, Drapetomania and the interracial YA romance Hark. He writes for the world’s first Black gay television show, Patrik-Ian Polk’s Noah’s Arc, for which he received an NAACP Image Award nomination. He is the creator of the Yemi & Femi comic, for adult readers.
This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
It gives us great pleasure to present Season 11, Episode 01: Neil Laird!
