Glen is coerced into helping his senile mother by his gay nephew Tristan. On probation, Mom burns things on the stove and steals cars for fun. Together they get her into an adult home, where her old lover lives. The old man reveals he fathered a child with Glen's mother who was given up for adoption, but he no longer remembers the baby's name. All he knows is it starts with the letter D. Of course, everyone a little older than Glen with a D in his name now looks like a possible stepbrother, even Mom's probation officer, Damon. Glen and Damon take a shine to each other. Is there any way for the two to win with such a dysfunctional family?

It begins with a fading odor and darkness. Lights out, dark as night. Outside the college building, there are flames, lumps of metal and flesh, and no one moving. When Asher finds his car, he's surprised it works and he drives aimlessly, trying in vain for a radio station, any sign of life. Recovering his wits, he parks at a truck stop and loads up with things that might be useful. In the dark, someone runs into him and urges him to flee. The thought of maybe having to repopulate the world doesn't appeal to either of them -- Asher is gay, and Sandy isn't sure what she/he/they are. Sandy knows a place they might hole up while the world dies around them. It's a cabin that belongs to a friend who might be there. Sandy's friend Wade turns up the next day when there's light, again. Are Wade and Sandy an item or just friends? Asher feels like odd man out, but survival is their first priority. Can relationships be sorted out, later?

"There is more to this dysfunctional family than meets the eye. Boy meets boy; girl meets girl in transition, and Dad has been up to no good. Why did Mom abandon them all those years ago? Where did the cat go, and why does Dad have handcuffs hidden in his room? Fear is a constant companion in the lives of these youngsters, and it’s bound to reach a breaking point. Maybe a party would help. Sure -- it’s Father’s Day. Let’s invite another dysfunctional family of big egos to celebrate with Dad and plan a family cleansing accident. Can love and happiness grow out of such a scenario, even when the kids are the object of intended murder? Sit around a table groaning with the weight of good food and watch this mystery play out."

Adam’s both excited and appalled. His big moment is fast approaching -- his chance, finally, to lose the virginity that’s plagued him for years. He wants this, but unfortunately, he has a bad cold. How can Adam breathe and be sexy as Seth approaches with lust in his eyes and hands?<br><br>It seems Seth, a nurse, doesn’t find it to be a problem, and passion ensues, hot, heavy, and continuous. Adam is definitely ready for more. Then Seth discovers Adam’s other concerning health problem. Will this turn a budding romance into a one night stand?

"Evan has family problems. He has a special-needs brother whom he adores and clueless parents. His senior class writing assignment is overdue because he ended up in the hospital. The reason why involves his new classmate, Jamison, and the realisation that he is almost certainly gay. Jamison has his own issues. His mom died of cancer and he misses her, but at least his dad is supportive. Things are looking up now that Evan is in the picture. Christmas is a bust for Evan. Jamison and his dad fly off to see relatives, leaving Evan alone with his dysfunctional parents and ill brother, but at least an intriguing new girl has moved in next door. New Year's Eve looks promising until Evan's parents tag him to babysit his brother while they party. When tragedy strikes that night, who will be there for Evan? With family problems keeping him and Jamison apart, can a death bring them back together?"

If body and gender identity don’t match, life is hard on people of any age. Hunter hasn’t felt whole since realizing in his teens that he isn’t Holly. As a teen with no hope, Hunter lived male in his head, but turned his female body over to sex, pregnancy, miscarriage.<br><br>By the age of thirty-nine, Hunter has saved enough to have Gender Confirmation Surgery, leading to legal identity as a gay man. His voiced deepens, and male pattern baldness sets in. He’s finally seen as a man. But without the final genital surgery, he still feels incomplete and lonely.<br><br>He’s in a bar nursing a martini as a tragedy unfold on the TV when a chance encounter from his long-ago past frightens him. Will Chris be another disappointment or a chance for happiness?

Pandemic. Plague. Call it what you will, but it spelled stay-at-home isolation for Leo and his neighbors. Except the new neighbor. Interesting looking but probably not gay and already hauled off to the hospital. That’s how Leo ended up with his cat, and mail, and food packages. A caretaker now, and he doesn’t even know the guy.<br><br>A major storm blows up, and people start piling in: the sick neighbor’s grandson and some other kid. The old lady neighbor with a tree through her roof and her long-lost flame. So much for social distancing, particularly when sex gets into the act.<br><br>Except for poor Leo. Odd man out. Until they decide to spring the sick guy from the hospital. What could possibly go wrong?

This is the story of how Emery Walters became whom he was supposed to be.<br><br>I knew I was male at an early age, something that was a societal no-no in the 1950s and still is in parts of the country today. Burying my male identity, I strove to be the best woman possible. But after raising my four wonderful children from two debilitating marriages, I found myself alone and nearly penniless. That was when Emery asserted his identity.<br><br>Life became better with the shift from female to male, a third marriage, and a wife who, herself, transitioned from male to female.

Logan wonders why his relationships with women are so short and unsatisfying. Sex with women? He finds it unsettling, to say the least. More than once? No, thank you. So he decides to try The Grotto, a local gay bar. He hopes exposure to a gay crowd will lead him to a better understanding of himself.<br><br>The evening lengthens and the drinks multiply until the bar’s singer, a drag queen, realizes the cute young newbie she’s been eying isn’t going to be able to drive himself home. She knows she shouldn’t get involved with a younger man, but maybe something will work out between them?

Nineteen-year-old Tay is gay, barely out of high school, and was recently kicked out of his home by his Bible-toting stepfather. The highlight of his day is the midnight trip to a laundromat to wash his meager stash of clothing. A handsome stranger is amused and sympathetic over issues Tay is having. His name is Luke, and he offers assistance to the young lad who’s obviously in over his head.<br><br>The next morning Tay wakes in a comfortable, unfamiliar bed, alone. He smells bacon. Are things beginning to look up?

Two brothers, one popular with the girls and one not. One gay, and one straight. Of course, it was Wade, the older gay brother, who was chased by girls and poor straight Shane who was unlucky and alone. Forced by their father to be dude ranch tour guides, Wade and Shane endure an unending stream of male and female tourists with no action. That is, until the latest group arrives and the barn promptly burns down, creating a mixed bag of instant heroes -- straight, gay, lesbian, transgender. After the horses are saved and the fire burns itself out, everyone -- gay and straight -- pair off for the night, leaving a very frustrated and drunk Shane alone in his car. A drunken night ride may change his life forever. Love or death? What lies along those old dirt roads? Love or death?

Cruises are often taken for special occasions, and in this case, Lane and Roger are celebrating their divorce. Actually, they just didn't want to lose the deposit made in happier times. They agree not to get in each other's way if presented with any romantic or sexual opportunity. Roger goes right out looking for sex, but Lane isn't in a rush. With the unasked for help of a loose cat and an overly-precocious young lad, Lane bumps into Steve. After a few shared meals, shore tours, and a life-threatening storm that leaves the ship stranded in darkness, bumping turns to humping, and their relationship grows. Shipboard romances are iffy, though. Can theirs survive a pirate invasion, a disabled ship, and a slam-the-door argument?

Just finished with college, Jack Alder is on his way to beautiful Maui on a working vacation. Silently breathing a sigh of relief after his relationship with Salvador Moretti was revealed to his parents and Flossie, the girl next door who thought she was going to marry him, Jack has no idea that an adventure he could never have imagined awaits. Flirtatious steward Randy saves Jack’s life when their planes crashes. When Randy’s boyfriend dumps him, he convinces Jack to join him on a wild ride in an old car he buys. Along the way they meet Danny, who was rejected by his family for his sexuality, and Missy, who’s halfway toward becoming Mister. Will the four find romance with a little help from the spiritual realm?

With the name of Jesse Thomas Cromwell, he definitely belongs in the world of Renaissance Faires. Playing old instruments of yore and singing ballads and bawdy tunes puts him on stage. This is Jesse’s favorite pastime, and things are going well until bagpiper James opens up a competition on a neighboring stage. Jesse becomes louder and bawdier until security comes and kicks him out. Later James finds Jesse and apologizes for the ruckus. Together with a young lad whose faire gear was stolen and James’s niece, or maybe now nephew, they hatch a plan to get back into the Ren Faire. There are signs James isn’t altogether straight, but can Jesse answer that question in a satisfying way? Especially when they just might get thrown out of the faire again?

"From hopeful bar talk to a screaming sister, Ken’s evening turns to chaos with just one inopportune phone call. Labor. Well, he promised to get his sister to the hospital when her time came. But why tonight, when things at the bar look so promising? The ride goes fairly smoothly despite a police chase, but things turn rough when a male ER nurse accuses him of being a straight pervert. Things go downhill from there, and Ken figures he’ll never get to know this sexy-looking nurse, Monty, any better. But days later, while back at the same bar, the door opens and, to Ken’s surprise, an apology walks in. Will it be enough?"

"Born into a completely dysfunctional family with a mentally challenged younger sister, Gale found life particularly hard. The Navy a good place to hide and to grow despite his guilt over leaving his sister unsupported by other family members. Nine years later, he returns to civilian life to find the old home abandoned, his family gone, and his sister missing from the group home her special education teacher Dave had arranged for her. Dave was Abigail’s only constant during the time Gale was away. Worse, a major storm is on the way, promising flash flooding and damaging winds. Gale reaches out to Dave only to discover he doesn’t know where Abigail is, either. The two team up to find her, and in weathering the storm, they find solace in one another. But what will happen when the storm is over?"

"Aiden is sent to Hawaii to stay with his father, whom he has never met. But when he arrives there he discovers there is no one to meet him. He has no money, and his mother and stepfather do not want him back. Devastated at their betrayal, hungry and heartsore, he walks away from the airport in a random direction, only to be beaten up and have his belongings stolen by vagrants. But Aiden is a fighter. The next morning he determines to find help, and on his way he sees three children being attacked by dogs. He jumps in to save them, and the consequences of this act of bravery leads him down a brand new path. Aiden soon learns that he can choose his own family, and that his past need not always define his future."

"James Rockton is ready to die. In fact, he plans on it. Having lost his life partner to AIDS, he books the South Pacific cruise Richard didn't live to share. James will spread Richard's ashes at sea, and then slip overboard to join him forever. He’s too old and too heartbroken to continue on alone. But James doesn’t count on meeting a young man whose parents constantly put him down. Then there’s the obviously gay young art dealer who ogles a crazy young photographer traveling with an older gay man about James’s own age. James and Herb begin spending time together, trying not to laugh too hard or get too involved with these young men, who circle each other in rapidly shrinking orbits. After all, James and Herb are old, with gray hair and less stamina. With time, talk, and martinis, will love manage to find them, too?"

"Gay teen Jack is hiding out in a bully’s car in the hopes of retrieving his backpack when he’s joined by another stowaway. Brittany, who wants to be called Brandon, is a transgendered classmate also on the run. When the bully crashes his car, it’s the start of a journey that will bring Jack and Brandon together in the hopes of finding a new future. Along the way, they meet Buster, a dog that saves their lives; Alvin, who is heading to Denver to sell his car and offers them a ride; and Ducky, a loud-mouthed but loveable woman who is apparently more than just Alvin’s friend. When a tornado hits, Jack and Brandon have a chance to prove their mettle and show what they are made of. But is there happiness at the end of their journey?"

"Who said you can't go home? When Peter promises his folks he’ll come back to Grosse Ile for his tenth high school reunion, he has second thoughts. Can he face his old bullies? He’s bigger and stronger now, true, but is his newfound confidence strong enough to overcome his old resentments? Then Peter’s sister's boyfriend Ned turns out to be not as straight as he first seemed to be. Now Peter has a better reason to go back home -- to show off the new man in his life. During a boat trip to Canadian waters, Peter rescues the pregnant wife of his high school nemesis at the same time his new love collapses with appendicitis. Can Peter surmount these crises and still make it to the reunion on time?"

"When bookish photographer Andrew Evans gets separated from his hiking companion sin a Garnet Mountain Range blizzard, the lone cabin he finds in the woods is a lifesaver. There's only one problem -- someone else is already using it. Art Evans -- no relation -- seems like a threatening jerk when he and Andrew first meet. But Art hunts and cooks for them both, making the small cabin homey in the midst of the winter storm. But there's more to the cabin than either man knows, something that drives Andrew into Art's bed and eventually scares them outside to seek rescue despite the blizzard. Can their unexpected romance survive the storm? Can they?"

"It's Sky Morgan's 22nd birthday. He's unemployed and just had an awkward dinner with his dad. There wasn't even any cake, and Sky loves cake. Angry and morose, he decides to go out for a drink and randomly chooses the Grotto, a nearby gay bar. The Grotto's clientele is different from the rest of society in more ways than one. However, they are very kind to Sky. He has a most comforting chat with Everest, an old drag queen, who is the first person ever to understand how awkward family can be. And then she introduces Sky to Slade, a mysterious and attractive young man. The chemistry between them is instant. But is Slade a young man? He's more different than just being gay. Just how different, Sky finds out during daylight hours far below ground. As Sky's feelings towards his new friend mount, he learns they have more in common than he could possibly imagine."

"What does a gay son do when his parents tell him a fundamentalist Christian college bent on developing ministers is his only choice? Marty feels conflicted, scared, and miserable, but once on campus, he finds himself infatuated with someone he has to room with when he stays on campus over Thanksgiving break. At first glance, Marty thinks Troy is straight. But incidents and innuendoes develop between them, touchings and brushings, double entendres, and off-campus escapades in the snow. Is Troy gay, too, or hopelessly heterosexual? To find out, Marty hatches a plan to uncover the truth. Will the perfect Christmas gift determine their future together?"

"Divorce can be nasty. Clement discovers how nasty gay divorce can be as he surveys the damage wreaked by his ex-partner in their soon-to-be-sold home. After cleaning the mess, he goes for a late coffee and dinner snack. The lone barista, Troy, recounts his traumatic car accident drama as they close the shop and share coffee and leftovers. Troy also reveals the pain of rejection he's felt for being gay. The two men share another connection: the next day, Troy starts a new position as a social worker, and Clement is a counselor, as well. So the next morning when Clement drives Troy to his new job, he knows they may cross paths again. It comes sooner than expected, though, when Clement returns to Troy’s office with an abused gay teenager who has nowhere to go. Try as they might, Troy and his new coworkers can find no available foster family. Suddenly Clement finds himself with a potential new family. Can things work out for the three of them?"

"Miranda isn’t sure if she is transgendered or a lesbian. When Cal, a gay boy her age comes to stay next door for the summer, they become close. Even though they are opposites, they are both outsiders, and their friendship blossoms over the summer. Could there be romance despite their differences? Then twins Ada and Van move into the neighborhood, and Miranda finds herself torn between them. She can’t decide who she’s more attracted to -- Ada, who may be lesbian, or Van, who is transgendered. Will she find love with one of them instead?"

"At seventeen, Cal and his mother move from the city to a remote island. His mother becomes withdrawn and Cal worries that she has found out that he is gay. His father, who is stationed overseas, has warned him that if she finds out about his sexuality, it will kill her. With no one to talk to and nowhere to go, Cal starts collecting driftwood to build himself a safe place, and while doing so, makes an unlikely friend. But when something terrible happens, will this friendship give him the strength he needs?"

"Funerals are no fun, except, maybe, if cell phones get mixed up. Russell hasn’t seen his now deceased, non-supportive father in years, but his older brother calls him in Hawaii, demanding his appearance at the funeral. But brother Mike warns against displaying any ‘gay stuff’ to his perfect wife and innocent children. Recently dumped, Russell isn’t quite with it as he rushes to get ready with help from a new neighbor. So it turns out that the Mike he calls from the airport isn’t his brother but the neighbor’s bisexual ex. Countless hi-jinks follow, with family and without. Through it all, sexy ex Mike is right there with Russell. When all is said and done, can Russell make a go with a newly developed family with Mike? What might life be like on the mainland?"

"When the island volcano erupts and buries neighborhoods, life gets very exciting for helicopter tour pilot, Keoni. His home is threatened by rapidly spreading lava, so he’s staying with his lifelong friend Steve. Keoni has never felt any chemistry between them before, but his feelings for Steve change as things turn deadly even in supposedly safe areas. Keoni carries newsmen, cameramen, officials, politicians, and performs rescues on flight after flight. As his home is destroyed and more neighborhoods crumble, his emotions run high, and his feelings for Steve grow. But he screws things up between them as he leaves for his last flight of the day, maybe of his life. Could things get any worse?"

"It was just going to be a simple Spanish fabada bean and chorizo soup from his grandmother’s favorite recipe. Jake hoped for a nice meal and a better time with his widower father. His dad didn’t seem homophobic, but he just didn’t get that Jake was gay. A quiet dinner might clear the air. But the trip to the supermarket was a disaster involving a bear and some sausage. Then his dad showed up accompanied by a health aide who isn’t quite what she seems. And the bear shows up, too. Stress and rum piles up. Will Jake’s father get a new grandson? Does Jake have a bear in the kitchen and in the bedroom, too? Is this meal one big happy family gathering, or an even bigger disaster?"

"Ted returns home after the death of his father to find his only inheritance is the contents of the garage. Dealing with family can sometimes be hard and unusually cruel, as his sister proves. But Ted soldiers on and runs into an old friend from his past. A sexy friend, too! Enter Duncan. Ted and Duncan were on the swim team together in their youth, and now, years later, they hit it off again. Duncan has his own business and offers to help Ted with the car. But will long hours spent together in the garage lead to more than either man bargains for?"

"All Trey’s father wants him to do is be nice to the homophobic class bully, his business partner's son. But that’s like trying to mix oil and gasoline: explosive. So Trey decides to run away, which is hard to do on a rainy, muddy, haunted night on the small island of Maui. Another kid in school, Chris, stood up for Trey against the bully and was badly beaten for his efforts. Which makes Trey wonder if Chris is gay, too, or just a brave ally. Trey doesn’t know, but there’s clearly something brewing between them. When Trey’s dad expects him to go to the bully’s birthday party, Trey sneaks off to go surfing instead. Hitchhiking to the beach, he meets up with an interesting old geezer, who just might be able to help him figure out what he’s going through. Will the forces on this fiery island break apart Trey and Chris? Or is there hope for something more than friendship between them buried under the Maui ash?"

"Is a school fight ever a good thing? Can detention be a lot of fun? Is cleaning the cafeteria punishment or an adventure? When the new student Sid defended took his breath away, made him feel brave, and changed his life, he knew he was going to pay for fighting at school when he got home, and he does. He remembers telling his little sister to dial 911, and now Daddy is hauled off to jail, and he wonders if his world is falling apart. But Royal has walked into Sid’s life and his heart, so maybe the end is really just a new beginning."

"Whit is different. Not only is she an outcast at school, but she has an alter ego, Dusty, who embodies the transgender side of who Whit really is inside. She finds an unlikely companion in Danny, also an outcast, who comes out to Whit as gay. However, there seems to be something more than friendship brewing between the two. Their art teacher Mr. Jay tries to help them come to terms with who they both are, but will their relationship be able to overcome the hurdles created by being themselves while at school? Everyone is looking for a place under the sun, but can Whit and Danny find their own sunshine amidst the coming storms?"

"Seventeen year old Blaine is the odd one out at school, the loser, different. He finds solace in music and befriends the musical director of his church, Frederick. Their friendship blooms and feelings start to develop between them. He remains cautious about sharing his sexuality with his parents, though. One night after a fight at home, Blaine storms away only to run into bullies who beat him up so badly, he lands in hospital. In his semi-conscious state, Blaine remembers being a pilot in WWII. He also remembers being a pirate in the 17th Century. Frederick features in these past life memories, too! When Blaine's father confirms some of these incidents really occurred, Blaine realizes that maybe the bond between his soul and Frederick's is older than he thought. Can these insights give the couple the strength they need to face coming out to their families?"

"When he turned sixteen, Nick inherited his grandfather’s unidentified junk car left behind the family garage. It could end his unhappy gay life if he learns how to fix it, so over the years, self-pity and enough of his father’s gin lead Nick to a plan. With the help of a gorgeous instructor named Harry, Nick becomes an apprentice automobile mechanic. When the car finally starts, a very drunk Nick puts his plan to work. But the car has other ideas, and Nick has to call for a tow. His plan quickly changes the moment Harry steps out of the tow truck. Will the unidentified classic car lead Nick to love?"

"On a first-class flight, Bruce encounters a service dog that’s only slightly less annoying than the woman who owns it. What no one realizes is that, thanks to a monkey bite, the dog is now a vector for a plague that will soon sweep the planet. A sexy, young flight attendant named Burk offers to help Bruce home and to stay with him while on break. Burk organizes Bruce’s home for survival as they watch civilization begin to fall apart. Slowly, they collect others in need, including a young transman. When they hear cathedral bells calling the survivors to come together, they all pitch in to help. Can love bloom amidst the apocalyptic death and destruction?"

"Wren is a hardworking archaeologist on his first vacation in years. While he’s tempted to look for ancient artifacts, this is Maui and he needs to focus on taking it easy. So it’s off to the beach to relax. There Wren dives into trouble, literally. Luckily, the backward roll and breathing techniques he learned studying Ninjutsu saves his life, because the shore break called Satan’s Washing Machine grinds him up and spits him out, temporarily blinded and badly battered. A karate dojo owner named Steven takes him to a doctor, a pharmacy, and then back to the beach, only to find Wren’s car and all his belongings have been stolen. So Steven invites him home instead. Will their mutual love of martial arts lead to other a deeper relationship? Or will their shared desire for humbleness and respect for others keep them from falling in love?"

"Shane’s parents drop him off at the train station with money and instructions to take the train to his Aunt Sophie’s place for the holidays. The minute they drive off, he walks out again, leans against a pole, and throws out his thumb. Having just turned eighteen, he is, as he regularly reminds himself, now a fully legal adult and quite capable of having his own adventure. In the few days and nights it takes him to hitchhike all the way, he gets to know some very interesting people. Hippies, conmen, an ex-teacher ... and also the dog Jimmy. He learns there are more to people than meets the eye, and the world is rather bigger than his cosseted upbringing led him to believe. By the time he arrives at Aunt Sophie’s place, he has lost his virginity, acquired a dog and a cousin, and has the pleasing probability of a sweet summer romance to look forward to."

"Funerals are hard, particularly if all you remember about the deceased is the abuse, the hate-filled words. Max isn’t happy to have to come home when his abusive father dies. But he’s surprised when Alastair, the night nurse who cared for his father, looked deep into his eyes and handed him a note. Could Alastair change Max’s despair to love, old and new? Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud."