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Fool For Love: New Gay Fiction
In an age of hookups and cybersex, who has time for a little romance? For all those who think love’s gone the way of the 8-track tape comes a collection of new gay fiction designed to reignite their belief in love and romance. Follow the travails of a dog walker enchanted with his new client, a restaurant owner who catches the eye of his most loyal customer, a blind date fix-up, and other seekers of the lost flame as they stumble upon romance and a possible chance at love. Showcasing new work from some of today’s best-known gay writers, including Trebor Healey, Felice Picano, Joel Derfner, Andrew Holleran, and Greg Herren, the stories in Fool for Love are a funny, sweet, and sometimes wrenching reminder of the joy romance brings to the human heart.
268 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2009
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180 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 19, 2014
I’ll be honest. This may be only the second anthology I’ve ever read cover to cover. I was never a big short story reader until I started writing more of it a few years back. I find anthologies (esp. genre anthologies, which is what I normally read) such a mixed bag. Some stories pull me in with a strong plot and fascinating character. Others just don’t catch my attention. It was illuminating for me to read an anthology not based on genre but on a theme. Fool for Love not only gave me a collection of well-written, character-driven stories, but it also challenged me to look at love and romance in a new light – several new lights in fact.
"Thai Angel" David Puterbaugh
What a great way to start an anthology! Somewhere in the first scene I realized how little description I was reading and that it was almost entirely dialogue. My background is in theater and reading this story reminded me more of a script than literature - which in no way is a criticism. Attempting to develop character and conflict almost exclusively through dialogue is not an easy task and any author who can pull it off is very gifted. David Puterbaugh is one of these guys.
His characters were a blast to read, especially Kama’s mother, with her cantankerous personality. She wasn't the only one though. Kama struggling to make a go of his family's restaurant while hiding his sexual identity from his Thai mother, his wannabe actress sister who only wants what's best for him, his potential love interest, and his eventual love interest – they were all so clearly drawn through the dialogue that extensive description wasn't necessary. I enjoyed reading about these folks so much, I only wish it could have gone on longer.
“Love Taps” Mark G. Harris
Okay, I’m embarrassed to admit that the passive aggressive nature of this couple’s relationship completely appealed to me and the evil tricks they played on one another had me laughing out loud over and over again. It’s like Edward Albee had Martha and George give birth to a pretend dog instead of a pretend son. Genius.
Although a little confused at first, I got into the groove of the narrative quickly and, as I’m writing this, I’m still laughing as I recall pizza boxes attached to walls and late-night prank calls. The mischievousness, the paranoia, the dead-on shorthand dialogue of lovers who’d been together for years, the freakin’ jealousy over a non-existent dog – all of it, I am ashamed to say, I could appreciate and relate to. I loved this thing. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I actually do have a flesh-and-blood dog at home by the name of Henry.
“Matchmaker” Shawn Anniston
The main character in the next piece doesn’t believe in romance. Burned at his high school prom by an Eddie Vedder look-alike, he’s given up on love and adopted a very cynical attitude toward romance. No one has a prayer of breaking through the walls he’s built up over the last decade…or do they?
This was a lot of fun. The characters were lively and full of love for the pessimistic narrator, which made his snarkiness easier to digest. There were times I wanted to bop him across the head for his self-centeredness, but his friends had a gentle way of nudging him back to a more reasoned mindset that made him endearing rather than annoying. I was really impressed with the fact that Anniston didn’t need to delve into paragraphs of internal monologue to spell out his character’s arc. He let his dialogue do the work for him and it paid off in a delightful way.
“A View” Brandon M. Long
My partner and I have been together for over fifteen years now, and during that time we’ve been asked more than once how we met. Our story includes a small-town grocery store, a credit card, and a bag of dinner rolls. When I tell the story, I usually make the comment that my partner was nothing I was looking for but everything that makes me happy. The two men in the next story have much the same experience.
Both Chris and Will have expectations of their ideal man. Whether those criteria actually embody what they’re looking for or are only shields they use to keep others from hurting them is the question at the heart of this tender, quiet story about ours fears and the courage it takes to overcome them. Long’s “A View” left me mindful of the one I wasn’t looking for, but who can’t help making me happy.
“Gratitude” Felice Picano
This is an interesting take on the theme of love and romance. An author, who has found public acclaim later in his career, makes a split second decision to save the life of a construction worker. The fact the construction worker is a glorious specimen of manhood doesn’t hurt. The fact the construction worker has a wife and toddler and a large extended family only sweetens the deal as the author discovers a new type of love and affection.
Picano’s beautiful prose swept across each page with confidence and verve. I was so captivated by it that it took me some time to question the deceptions the author had perpetrated in order to be embraced by this blue collar family, as well as what he was willing to settle for in lieu of a more traditional idea of love. Then I realized being a ‘fool for love’ included facets I’d not originally considered. That’s the beauty of an anthology that's this well written and varied.
“Happy Hour at Café Jones” Rob Byrnes
Brian’s a bit of a realist (read cynic) who doesn’t believe in modern romance and finding ‘the one’ online. But he gives it a go Café Jones. Will he find true love or will his suspicions about on-line dating be confirmed? I thought I saw the twist in this one coming a long way off, but to Byrnes credit he didn’t take the easy way out. Instead, he chose a different route that was much more satisfying, not only because it wasn’t expected but because it helped reveal a depth to Brian I hadn’t expected. Nicely done.
“Trunk” Trevor Healey
The next story takes place in one of my favorite cities. I’ve only been to New Orleans once but, to me, it felt like coming home, and years later I still miss its vitality and hospitality. I haven’t had the opportunity to return since Katrina devastated the area but I hope to soon.
The main character in Trunk rips into New Orleans, spreading his own personal form of devastation. A refugee from the LA scene, he comes to town for the recovery – both the city’s and his own. He makes an effort of it, but old habits die hard and soon enough he finds himself down a familiar path with drugs and sex, only this time with a southern minister who wants to save his soul and a voodoo man/fortune teller (l kept envisioning Papa Legba from American Horror Story: Coven here), who might have the key to his future. Fast paced and a bit raunchy, I wondered if Tarantino wasn’t going to shout “that’s a wrap” when I got to the end. Like one of his films it wasn’t so much about where we landed but how we got there that made this story fun to read.
“De Anima” Joel Derfner
To say that Noah was a bit disappointed by his boyfriend’s decision to attend a reparative therapy conference would be an understatement. To say his response to the decision was slightly neurotic would be an understatement of epic proportions. From the first sentence this story had me with its breezy, bitchy tone. Plus I got an anatomy lesson to boot!
While Derfner masked it as a light read, what really struck me was his deft portrayal of Noah’s boyfriend as he tried to understand how his faith and sexuality could coexist. Though it played like ambient music at a party, his struggle gave a nuanced edge to the story and ultimately more weight to Noah’s final decision. I also enjoyed the TV-watching, home-cooked meals, and (while I don’t knit) the knitting, which was more familiar to me than the clubbing and party boys so often reflected in gay fiction these days.
“Like No One’s Watching” Josh Hemlin
THERE ARE GIANTS IN THE SKY!!!! THERE ARE BIG, TALL, TERRIBLE GIANTS IN THE SKY!!!!
Okay, now that I've got that out of my system.
This was a fun one. Set among the chaos and excitement of a high school production of Sondheim's Into the Woods, it explores the insecurities so many of us felt with our first love as two teenage boys set off into a woods of their own making to discover who they truly are. Sweetly told, Hemlin gives us a memorable taste of what it was like to be young, gay, and in love.
“At the End of the Leash” Jeffrey Ricker
As the owner of two large breed dogs, how could I not love the next story about a dog walker who finds the chance for love among poop bags and dog collars? This one also spoke to the voyeur in me, who would love to go poking through someone's house when they’re not at home. Not to steal anything, just to snoop. To understand them better, to discover who they are on their most intimate levels, to snatch a glimpse at the heart inside a person. Yep, I can totally relate to the dog walker at the heart of this light-hearted romp.
I relate to his slightly quirky personality and his personal quest for vindication. I can relate to the cross he must bear in the form of his employer's little girl (who I swear is going to grow up to be a dominatrix one day). But most of all I can relate to his love for a good man who owns a good dog. They're the best, aren't they?
“Two Tales” Paul Lisicky
Lisicky gives us two short fairy tales, two splashes of poetry. Bears trolling the woods and hermits sitting on park benches. Or am I mixing up two stories here? They felt like two paintings beautifully rendered, two seemingly disparate pieces beautifully linked. Too, too good.
“Heart” ‘Nathan Burgoine
‘Nathan isn’t the only author in this anthology with whom I’ve had the incredible honor to share a table of contents, but I feel a special kinship with his stories as they more often than not cross the line into the supernatural, the area where I, as a reader, feel most at home. 'Nathan does it in such an interesting way, though. Not needing to toss a witch from a high rise window nor slam some sword into a sorcerer's chest, he finds the magic in subtle ways, in the gentle twist of reality. And he does a damn good job of it too.
This was 'Nathan's first published piece, but you wouldn't know it as he explores the lengths we'll go to in order to save the one we love. It's confident and crisp and powerfully told. I'm not going to say anything more about this other than: read it; it's worth it. But get ready: ‘Nathan’s gonna bitch slap you across the face with a box of tissue. You've been warned.
“Party Planning” Rob Williams
Williams gives us the romance most gay men can relate to. Not the one with the older boy, nor the straight one, not the first love, nor the one that broke our hearts. Nope, he gives us the love story we never quite escape - the one with our mothers.
Cleverly told from the young man's point of view, it's the mother that really shines in this tale. And while he's making that awkward first step toward his independence and budding sexuality, he's leaving his mother behind. Or is she pushing him away? Ultimately, it doesn't matter. What does is the shift in their relationship as both discover things will never be the same again.
“Two Kinds of Rapture” Andrew Holleran
It's always a thrill for me to read something set in an environment with which I'm familiar, where I can recognize the street corners and clearly see the landmarks to get my bearings. There's something reassuring about knowing I've walked the same streets the character is walking. Holleran's story had that for me.
Set between DC's more established, staid Dupont Circle and the younger, more vital Logan Circle neighborhoods, it felt as if I was walking with this group of men as they headed to the home of a young gay couple. And while I've not yet reached the age of these four gentlemen, their personal journeys seemed familiar to me somehow. Holleran provided wonderful insight into their perspectives on rapture, the moment when you realize you’re crossing that line from young and vital to established and staid, and our individual search for love. Beautifully told.
“Everyone Says I’ll Forget in Time” Greg Herren
I’m not sure where to start with this one. Within a few sentences I felt my heart constrict and my eyes begin to burn at the exquisite pain it evoked. Gorgeously human, quietly devastating, somberly hopeful, it rang true on so many levels, and again I’m amazed at how this book’s theme revealed itself to me time and again. Take my word for it, this one's worth the price of admission all on its own.
“Angels, What You Must Hear on High” John H. Roush
And lawdy, lawdy, what they must hear! All the hilarious, painful, sleazy, lovely bits; the best and the worst of the human race. Roush gives it all to us in the anthology’s final story, chronicling an entire life in just a few pages. He seems to wrap up the entire anthology and its varied perspectives in this brief yet touching piece. Like the curtain call at a musical, it gives us our favorite themes and lets us relive the memorable moments one more time before the final bow. A great ending to a great anthology.
"Thai Angel" David Puterbaugh
What a great way to start an anthology! Somewhere in the first scene I realized how little description I was reading and that it was almost entirely dialogue. My background is in theater and reading this story reminded me more of a script than literature - which in no way is a criticism. Attempting to develop character and conflict almost exclusively through dialogue is not an easy task and any author who can pull it off is very gifted. David Puterbaugh is one of these guys.
His characters were a blast to read, especially Kama’s mother, with her cantankerous personality. She wasn't the only one though. Kama struggling to make a go of his family's restaurant while hiding his sexual identity from his Thai mother, his wannabe actress sister who only wants what's best for him, his potential love interest, and his eventual love interest – they were all so clearly drawn through the dialogue that extensive description wasn't necessary. I enjoyed reading about these folks so much, I only wish it could have gone on longer.
“Love Taps” Mark G. Harris
Okay, I’m embarrassed to admit that the passive aggressive nature of this couple’s relationship completely appealed to me and the evil tricks they played on one another had me laughing out loud over and over again. It’s like Edward Albee had Martha and George give birth to a pretend dog instead of a pretend son. Genius.
Although a little confused at first, I got into the groove of the narrative quickly and, as I’m writing this, I’m still laughing as I recall pizza boxes attached to walls and late-night prank calls. The mischievousness, the paranoia, the dead-on shorthand dialogue of lovers who’d been together for years, the freakin’ jealousy over a non-existent dog – all of it, I am ashamed to say, I could appreciate and relate to. I loved this thing. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I actually do have a flesh-and-blood dog at home by the name of Henry.
“Matchmaker” Shawn Anniston
The main character in the next piece doesn’t believe in romance. Burned at his high school prom by an Eddie Vedder look-alike, he’s given up on love and adopted a very cynical attitude toward romance. No one has a prayer of breaking through the walls he’s built up over the last decade…or do they?
This was a lot of fun. The characters were lively and full of love for the pessimistic narrator, which made his snarkiness easier to digest. There were times I wanted to bop him across the head for his self-centeredness, but his friends had a gentle way of nudging him back to a more reasoned mindset that made him endearing rather than annoying. I was really impressed with the fact that Anniston didn’t need to delve into paragraphs of internal monologue to spell out his character’s arc. He let his dialogue do the work for him and it paid off in a delightful way.
“A View” Brandon M. Long
My partner and I have been together for over fifteen years now, and during that time we’ve been asked more than once how we met. Our story includes a small-town grocery store, a credit card, and a bag of dinner rolls. When I tell the story, I usually make the comment that my partner was nothing I was looking for but everything that makes me happy. The two men in the next story have much the same experience.
Both Chris and Will have expectations of their ideal man. Whether those criteria actually embody what they’re looking for or are only shields they use to keep others from hurting them is the question at the heart of this tender, quiet story about ours fears and the courage it takes to overcome them. Long’s “A View” left me mindful of the one I wasn’t looking for, but who can’t help making me happy.
“Gratitude” Felice Picano
This is an interesting take on the theme of love and romance. An author, who has found public acclaim later in his career, makes a split second decision to save the life of a construction worker. The fact the construction worker is a glorious specimen of manhood doesn’t hurt. The fact the construction worker has a wife and toddler and a large extended family only sweetens the deal as the author discovers a new type of love and affection.
Picano’s beautiful prose swept across each page with confidence and verve. I was so captivated by it that it took me some time to question the deceptions the author had perpetrated in order to be embraced by this blue collar family, as well as what he was willing to settle for in lieu of a more traditional idea of love. Then I realized being a ‘fool for love’ included facets I’d not originally considered. That’s the beauty of an anthology that's this well written and varied.
“Happy Hour at Café Jones” Rob Byrnes
Brian’s a bit of a realist (read cynic) who doesn’t believe in modern romance and finding ‘the one’ online. But he gives it a go Café Jones. Will he find true love or will his suspicions about on-line dating be confirmed? I thought I saw the twist in this one coming a long way off, but to Byrnes credit he didn’t take the easy way out. Instead, he chose a different route that was much more satisfying, not only because it wasn’t expected but because it helped reveal a depth to Brian I hadn’t expected. Nicely done.
“Trunk” Trevor Healey
The next story takes place in one of my favorite cities. I’ve only been to New Orleans once but, to me, it felt like coming home, and years later I still miss its vitality and hospitality. I haven’t had the opportunity to return since Katrina devastated the area but I hope to soon.
The main character in Trunk rips into New Orleans, spreading his own personal form of devastation. A refugee from the LA scene, he comes to town for the recovery – both the city’s and his own. He makes an effort of it, but old habits die hard and soon enough he finds himself down a familiar path with drugs and sex, only this time with a southern minister who wants to save his soul and a voodoo man/fortune teller (l kept envisioning Papa Legba from American Horror Story: Coven here), who might have the key to his future. Fast paced and a bit raunchy, I wondered if Tarantino wasn’t going to shout “that’s a wrap” when I got to the end. Like one of his films it wasn’t so much about where we landed but how we got there that made this story fun to read.
“De Anima” Joel Derfner
To say that Noah was a bit disappointed by his boyfriend’s decision to attend a reparative therapy conference would be an understatement. To say his response to the decision was slightly neurotic would be an understatement of epic proportions. From the first sentence this story had me with its breezy, bitchy tone. Plus I got an anatomy lesson to boot!
While Derfner masked it as a light read, what really struck me was his deft portrayal of Noah’s boyfriend as he tried to understand how his faith and sexuality could coexist. Though it played like ambient music at a party, his struggle gave a nuanced edge to the story and ultimately more weight to Noah’s final decision. I also enjoyed the TV-watching, home-cooked meals, and (while I don’t knit) the knitting, which was more familiar to me than the clubbing and party boys so often reflected in gay fiction these days.
“Like No One’s Watching” Josh Hemlin
THERE ARE GIANTS IN THE SKY!!!! THERE ARE BIG, TALL, TERRIBLE GIANTS IN THE SKY!!!!
Okay, now that I've got that out of my system.
This was a fun one. Set among the chaos and excitement of a high school production of Sondheim's Into the Woods, it explores the insecurities so many of us felt with our first love as two teenage boys set off into a woods of their own making to discover who they truly are. Sweetly told, Hemlin gives us a memorable taste of what it was like to be young, gay, and in love.
“At the End of the Leash” Jeffrey Ricker
As the owner of two large breed dogs, how could I not love the next story about a dog walker who finds the chance for love among poop bags and dog collars? This one also spoke to the voyeur in me, who would love to go poking through someone's house when they’re not at home. Not to steal anything, just to snoop. To understand them better, to discover who they are on their most intimate levels, to snatch a glimpse at the heart inside a person. Yep, I can totally relate to the dog walker at the heart of this light-hearted romp.
I relate to his slightly quirky personality and his personal quest for vindication. I can relate to the cross he must bear in the form of his employer's little girl (who I swear is going to grow up to be a dominatrix one day). But most of all I can relate to his love for a good man who owns a good dog. They're the best, aren't they?
“Two Tales” Paul Lisicky
Lisicky gives us two short fairy tales, two splashes of poetry. Bears trolling the woods and hermits sitting on park benches. Or am I mixing up two stories here? They felt like two paintings beautifully rendered, two seemingly disparate pieces beautifully linked. Too, too good.
“Heart” ‘Nathan Burgoine
‘Nathan isn’t the only author in this anthology with whom I’ve had the incredible honor to share a table of contents, but I feel a special kinship with his stories as they more often than not cross the line into the supernatural, the area where I, as a reader, feel most at home. 'Nathan does it in such an interesting way, though. Not needing to toss a witch from a high rise window nor slam some sword into a sorcerer's chest, he finds the magic in subtle ways, in the gentle twist of reality. And he does a damn good job of it too.
This was 'Nathan's first published piece, but you wouldn't know it as he explores the lengths we'll go to in order to save the one we love. It's confident and crisp and powerfully told. I'm not going to say anything more about this other than: read it; it's worth it. But get ready: ‘Nathan’s gonna bitch slap you across the face with a box of tissue. You've been warned.
“Party Planning” Rob Williams
Williams gives us the romance most gay men can relate to. Not the one with the older boy, nor the straight one, not the first love, nor the one that broke our hearts. Nope, he gives us the love story we never quite escape - the one with our mothers.
Cleverly told from the young man's point of view, it's the mother that really shines in this tale. And while he's making that awkward first step toward his independence and budding sexuality, he's leaving his mother behind. Or is she pushing him away? Ultimately, it doesn't matter. What does is the shift in their relationship as both discover things will never be the same again.
“Two Kinds of Rapture” Andrew Holleran
It's always a thrill for me to read something set in an environment with which I'm familiar, where I can recognize the street corners and clearly see the landmarks to get my bearings. There's something reassuring about knowing I've walked the same streets the character is walking. Holleran's story had that for me.
Set between DC's more established, staid Dupont Circle and the younger, more vital Logan Circle neighborhoods, it felt as if I was walking with this group of men as they headed to the home of a young gay couple. And while I've not yet reached the age of these four gentlemen, their personal journeys seemed familiar to me somehow. Holleran provided wonderful insight into their perspectives on rapture, the moment when you realize you’re crossing that line from young and vital to established and staid, and our individual search for love. Beautifully told.
“Everyone Says I’ll Forget in Time” Greg Herren
I’m not sure where to start with this one. Within a few sentences I felt my heart constrict and my eyes begin to burn at the exquisite pain it evoked. Gorgeously human, quietly devastating, somberly hopeful, it rang true on so many levels, and again I’m amazed at how this book’s theme revealed itself to me time and again. Take my word for it, this one's worth the price of admission all on its own.
“Angels, What You Must Hear on High” John H. Roush
And lawdy, lawdy, what they must hear! All the hilarious, painful, sleazy, lovely bits; the best and the worst of the human race. Roush gives it all to us in the anthology’s final story, chronicling an entire life in just a few pages. He seems to wrap up the entire anthology and its varied perspectives in this brief yet touching piece. Like the curtain call at a musical, it gives us our favorite themes and lets us relive the memorable moments one more time before the final bow. A great ending to a great anthology.
March 2, 2017
As someone who doesn't regularly read anthologies this was very interesting. I could see many of the stories here being turned into much longer works that would continue the narrative. Some of the stories were a little odd, but I generally enjoyed them all.
March 17, 2013
(February 4th, 2009):
Full disclosure: I'm in this book. "Heart" is the first story I ever had published, and to say that I am overwhelmed at the company I'm keeping in this anthology would be a grand understatement.
R.D. Cochrane and Timothy J. Lambert collected an amazing assortment about love - and speaking of which, read Lambert's introduction, which is in and of itself a phenomenal piece about romance - and I treasure the entire experience. You will get the quality you have come to expect from the great names of gay fiction in this volume, and - I hope - also find a few new favorites.
(January 29th, 2013):
I know I did a story-by-story wander through Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction when it first came along back in 2009 - and can we just take a moment to be stunned that that was four years ago? But if you click that link there, you'll see a publication date of this month - for the audiobook.
I had no idea!
I'm a huge lover of the audiobook. For one, reading in a moving vehicle makes me want to hurl cookies almost as much as listening to Sarah Palin, but for another, there's just something about someone reading to you. Also, I like listening to books while I do the laundry or the dishes, and I find I enjoy - and absorb - more when I listen to nonfiction books (especially biographies) rather than eye-reading them.
The reader who does this version of Fool for Love is so far charming the heck out of me. I've listened to a few of the tales, ergo today's Short Story 365 of...
"Thai Angel," by David Puterbaugh
I already knew I loved this story from the first time I got to read it back in 2009. In fact, I originally said What a start! The wit in the dialog made me laugh out loud, which has always been a test for me of how much I've been sucked into the story. The characters are colorful and charming. He especially captures the "joy" of an older sister's tendency to meddle in the love life of her younger brother vividly. All that, and there's still a warm and snug little love story tucked inside that made me smile and think just how good a ride this book was going to be. 'Thai Angel' is the perfect way to begin. Those crafty editors, they know what they do.
Added to the above, I'll say this: having this story performed by Roman M. Wagar added a whole new level. His voice-acting for Mali (the older sister) and the mother was phenomenal. I laughed out loud all over again - which, given the reality of listening to an audiobook on the bus - was likely amusing to my fellow passengers. Or annoying. One of those.
It was a joy to listen to this and to start revisiting the stories of that first anthology all over again.
"Love Taps," by Mark G. Harris
The audiobook version of Fool for Love gave me another wonderful journey through stories I already knew I loved. Originally, I had this to say:
'Love Taps,' by Mark G. Harris gives us Sullivan, a character who somehow manages to mix cute and neurotic into a whole you can't help but love, even if you might want to slap him a little. Again, there is wit - a word I'm afraid I might be using a whole lot in describing this anthology, but so many of the stories have this caliber of intelligent wordplay. And I think Mr. Harris' story has my new favorite declaration of affection. 'Love Taps' charms.
Having now also listened to this story aloud, I can say that the wit I read on the page is evoked all the more by the tone and cadence of the performance. This reader conjured a voice for Sully and his boyfriend and just nailed it. Again, I was laughing aloud in a public place with my headphones in.
And I still think 'I love you more than my snooze-button' is pure genius.
"Matchmaker," by Shawn Anniston
Originally, I had this to say about Shawn Anniston's "anti-romance" romance: In the style of the best grumpy romance, Mr. Anniston introduces us to an absolutely avowed romance-athiest. That he's living with two lesbians who are convinced they can find a Mr. Right for him only stirs the pot, and - here comes that word again - the witty dialog made me grin all the way through. Mr. Anniston has a knack for making you easily relate to his characters.
The performer for this story - Roman M. Wagar - is just freaking wonderful. The various degree of snark that he injected into the ongoing voice of "Matchmaker" was sublime. I chuckled, burst out laughing, and snickered at all the right parts, and the performance really added to the joy of the telling of the tale. The Peanuts (the lesbian couple that the fellow lives with) were lovely supporting cast the first time I read this, but aloud Wagar reminded me of just how freaking adorable they were.
Everyone should have the joy of hearing their story performed well.
"The View," by Brandon M. Long
In my re-visit through Fool for Love on audiobook, I've found a lot of those "little" things adding up to change the experience. For example, my first read through of this tale, I said this: Next up is 'A View,' by Brandon M. Long, which has this fantastic sense of collision to it; the main character has a tendency to keep a distance, and watching these defenses break down is sweet. He makes mistakes you can picture yourself making, and instead of making you flinch, you empathize. It's sweet without being saccharine, and the quirks of the main fellow made him all the more adorable.
What I hadn't recalled - and what came through so much when the reader was performing the story - was how the conclusion of the story had played out balancing on one of those seemingly "little things." I won't ruin it, but it made me smile. Again, the voice the reader chose for the character felt genuine, and the end result was a kind of "everyman" that I did get on my initial read of the story.
It's fascinating to have these two different reading experiences.
"Gratitude," by Felice Picano
Before I begin, I want to mention how this man is a complete short fiction hero of mine. I originally said, of "Gratitude," this:
"Gratitude," by Felice Picano drove home once again to me how stunned I am to be in this anthology. Felice Picano! Ahem. Anyway, "Gratitude" is a really sweet story, and deals with a different sort of romance, the love of being surrounded by friends, and friends-as-family, both of which are topics quite true to my own philosophies of what love is all about. I had a little "aw" moment at the end of this tale.
Since finding out that Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction was made into an audiobook via audible.com, I've been listening to these tales and enjoying how different the experience is when you hear the tales performed. And, I've said this before, Roman M. Wagar does an excellent job.
What hit me even harder this time around with "Gratitude" - which is a tale of a man who makes an incredibly costly gesture of selflessness in a moment of danger - was how the love in this tale isn't lesser than the love in the other tales, even though it's very different. And how wonderfully that changed the tone and flavor of the anthology as a whole. It wasn't what I was expecting the first time, but it was a delight. And that - having read and enjoyed Felice Picano before - shouldn't have been a surprise.
"Happy Hour at the Café Jones," by Rob Byrnes
When I first got to read this story, I said this: Next up is one of my writer heroes, "Happy Hour at Café Jones," by Rob Byrnes. Visiting Café Jones should be more than enough to charm you with how love likes to take you by surprise. It reminded me again why Mr. Byrnes is one of my writer heroes: he's clever. More, he's funny, romantic, and has this unbelievable readability that I envy. Just go buy everything he ever wrote, already.
I'll add to that the following, from the audio: the timing of the reader/performer was just nigh on perfect, giving the listener the perfect tempo for the wit. I'll confess that I listened to this story today because I found a second anthology in which I had a story had been released through audible, and I downloaded it, and the reader is... Well, nowhere near perfect. In fact, in my story the reader made multiple mistakes in reading before I just shut it off and decided not to listen to it again. It was bad. So I popped back to Fool for Love and fell into the story of a blind date that turns out very differently than expected. The voice is dead on, and I laughed out loud at his delivery. I want this man to do the audiobook of every story I've ever loved.
Full disclosure: I'm in this book. "Heart" is the first story I ever had published, and to say that I am overwhelmed at the company I'm keeping in this anthology would be a grand understatement.
R.D. Cochrane and Timothy J. Lambert collected an amazing assortment about love - and speaking of which, read Lambert's introduction, which is in and of itself a phenomenal piece about romance - and I treasure the entire experience. You will get the quality you have come to expect from the great names of gay fiction in this volume, and - I hope - also find a few new favorites.
(January 29th, 2013):
I know I did a story-by-story wander through Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction when it first came along back in 2009 - and can we just take a moment to be stunned that that was four years ago? But if you click that link there, you'll see a publication date of this month - for the audiobook.
I had no idea!
I'm a huge lover of the audiobook. For one, reading in a moving vehicle makes me want to hurl cookies almost as much as listening to Sarah Palin, but for another, there's just something about someone reading to you. Also, I like listening to books while I do the laundry or the dishes, and I find I enjoy - and absorb - more when I listen to nonfiction books (especially biographies) rather than eye-reading them.
The reader who does this version of Fool for Love is so far charming the heck out of me. I've listened to a few of the tales, ergo today's Short Story 365 of...
"Thai Angel," by David Puterbaugh
I already knew I loved this story from the first time I got to read it back in 2009. In fact, I originally said What a start! The wit in the dialog made me laugh out loud, which has always been a test for me of how much I've been sucked into the story. The characters are colorful and charming. He especially captures the "joy" of an older sister's tendency to meddle in the love life of her younger brother vividly. All that, and there's still a warm and snug little love story tucked inside that made me smile and think just how good a ride this book was going to be. 'Thai Angel' is the perfect way to begin. Those crafty editors, they know what they do.
Added to the above, I'll say this: having this story performed by Roman M. Wagar added a whole new level. His voice-acting for Mali (the older sister) and the mother was phenomenal. I laughed out loud all over again - which, given the reality of listening to an audiobook on the bus - was likely amusing to my fellow passengers. Or annoying. One of those.
It was a joy to listen to this and to start revisiting the stories of that first anthology all over again.
"Love Taps," by Mark G. Harris
The audiobook version of Fool for Love gave me another wonderful journey through stories I already knew I loved. Originally, I had this to say:
'Love Taps,' by Mark G. Harris gives us Sullivan, a character who somehow manages to mix cute and neurotic into a whole you can't help but love, even if you might want to slap him a little. Again, there is wit - a word I'm afraid I might be using a whole lot in describing this anthology, but so many of the stories have this caliber of intelligent wordplay. And I think Mr. Harris' story has my new favorite declaration of affection. 'Love Taps' charms.
Having now also listened to this story aloud, I can say that the wit I read on the page is evoked all the more by the tone and cadence of the performance. This reader conjured a voice for Sully and his boyfriend and just nailed it. Again, I was laughing aloud in a public place with my headphones in.
And I still think 'I love you more than my snooze-button' is pure genius.
"Matchmaker," by Shawn Anniston
Originally, I had this to say about Shawn Anniston's "anti-romance" romance: In the style of the best grumpy romance, Mr. Anniston introduces us to an absolutely avowed romance-athiest. That he's living with two lesbians who are convinced they can find a Mr. Right for him only stirs the pot, and - here comes that word again - the witty dialog made me grin all the way through. Mr. Anniston has a knack for making you easily relate to his characters.
The performer for this story - Roman M. Wagar - is just freaking wonderful. The various degree of snark that he injected into the ongoing voice of "Matchmaker" was sublime. I chuckled, burst out laughing, and snickered at all the right parts, and the performance really added to the joy of the telling of the tale. The Peanuts (the lesbian couple that the fellow lives with) were lovely supporting cast the first time I read this, but aloud Wagar reminded me of just how freaking adorable they were.
Everyone should have the joy of hearing their story performed well.
"The View," by Brandon M. Long
In my re-visit through Fool for Love on audiobook, I've found a lot of those "little" things adding up to change the experience. For example, my first read through of this tale, I said this: Next up is 'A View,' by Brandon M. Long, which has this fantastic sense of collision to it; the main character has a tendency to keep a distance, and watching these defenses break down is sweet. He makes mistakes you can picture yourself making, and instead of making you flinch, you empathize. It's sweet without being saccharine, and the quirks of the main fellow made him all the more adorable.
What I hadn't recalled - and what came through so much when the reader was performing the story - was how the conclusion of the story had played out balancing on one of those seemingly "little things." I won't ruin it, but it made me smile. Again, the voice the reader chose for the character felt genuine, and the end result was a kind of "everyman" that I did get on my initial read of the story.
It's fascinating to have these two different reading experiences.
"Gratitude," by Felice Picano
Before I begin, I want to mention how this man is a complete short fiction hero of mine. I originally said, of "Gratitude," this:
"Gratitude," by Felice Picano drove home once again to me how stunned I am to be in this anthology. Felice Picano! Ahem. Anyway, "Gratitude" is a really sweet story, and deals with a different sort of romance, the love of being surrounded by friends, and friends-as-family, both of which are topics quite true to my own philosophies of what love is all about. I had a little "aw" moment at the end of this tale.
Since finding out that Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction was made into an audiobook via audible.com, I've been listening to these tales and enjoying how different the experience is when you hear the tales performed. And, I've said this before, Roman M. Wagar does an excellent job.
What hit me even harder this time around with "Gratitude" - which is a tale of a man who makes an incredibly costly gesture of selflessness in a moment of danger - was how the love in this tale isn't lesser than the love in the other tales, even though it's very different. And how wonderfully that changed the tone and flavor of the anthology as a whole. It wasn't what I was expecting the first time, but it was a delight. And that - having read and enjoyed Felice Picano before - shouldn't have been a surprise.
"Happy Hour at the Café Jones," by Rob Byrnes
When I first got to read this story, I said this: Next up is one of my writer heroes, "Happy Hour at Café Jones," by Rob Byrnes. Visiting Café Jones should be more than enough to charm you with how love likes to take you by surprise. It reminded me again why Mr. Byrnes is one of my writer heroes: he's clever. More, he's funny, romantic, and has this unbelievable readability that I envy. Just go buy everything he ever wrote, already.
I'll add to that the following, from the audio: the timing of the reader/performer was just nigh on perfect, giving the listener the perfect tempo for the wit. I'll confess that I listened to this story today because I found a second anthology in which I had a story had been released through audible, and I downloaded it, and the reader is... Well, nowhere near perfect. In fact, in my story the reader made multiple mistakes in reading before I just shut it off and decided not to listen to it again. It was bad. So I popped back to Fool for Love and fell into the story of a blind date that turns out very differently than expected. The voice is dead on, and I laughed out loud at his delivery. I want this man to do the audiobook of every story I've ever loved.
August 7, 2010
Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction is comprised of seventeen short stories by some of today's best-known gay writers, as well as some writers whose work was published for the first time in this anthology. I was really looking forward to reading works by both the well known and the newly published writers. However, I knew this book was going to be special after reading the Prologue written by Timothy J. Lambert.
Mr. Lambert's introduction is indeed beautifully honest and thought provoking. I remember writing and telling the friend who gave me this book that the introduction should have a title: "Romance and I." After I finished reading it, I felt as if I'd just finished reading the first short story and couldn't wait to read the rest of the book.
"We've had some good times, Romance and I. We first met on a rocky beach in New England and held hands as we walked, not caring that the salty surf soaked our sneakers as the sun set on another summer. Later, we warmed our feet on a hearth made of granite and held each other close as we looked at photographs Romance had taken earlier of majestic pine trees and pairs of seagulls blithely crapping on weathered driftwood."
The introduction certainly reflected the beauty, quality and honesty and in some cases edginess I found when I read the book. Every. single. one. of the writers and the stories contributed are praise worthy and I refuse to choose a favorite among the seventeen included in this book.
Beautifully written and edited, Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction is an anthology full of stories some of which I found to be sweet, some edgy, some heart wrenching, some funny and some just downright romantic. Above all this anthology is about love. I recommend this excellent book be read slowly for greater enjoyment.
Mr. Lambert's introduction is indeed beautifully honest and thought provoking. I remember writing and telling the friend who gave me this book that the introduction should have a title: "Romance and I." After I finished reading it, I felt as if I'd just finished reading the first short story and couldn't wait to read the rest of the book.
"We've had some good times, Romance and I. We first met on a rocky beach in New England and held hands as we walked, not caring that the salty surf soaked our sneakers as the sun set on another summer. Later, we warmed our feet on a hearth made of granite and held each other close as we looked at photographs Romance had taken earlier of majestic pine trees and pairs of seagulls blithely crapping on weathered driftwood."
The introduction certainly reflected the beauty, quality and honesty and in some cases edginess I found when I read the book. Every. single. one. of the writers and the stories contributed are praise worthy and I refuse to choose a favorite among the seventeen included in this book.
Beautifully written and edited, Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction is an anthology full of stories some of which I found to be sweet, some edgy, some heart wrenching, some funny and some just downright romantic. Above all this anthology is about love. I recommend this excellent book be read slowly for greater enjoyment.
September 10, 2016
Every once in a while a book comes along that completely bowls me over. It shakes me out of any reading ennui I may be experiencing and reminds me once again of the reasons for my love of the written word. The anthology Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction falls into this category. Sit still long enough in my presence and you’ll hear about this book.
I usually have several books simultaneously on the go, but I took my time in my initial read of this anthology because I wanted to savor each and every story. Since then I’ve read it cover-to-cover several times. I’m on copy number two (copy number one fell apart from usage) and I have gifted it to dear friends who share a love of books and who I know will appreciate the quality writing and wonderful stories contained within. For many reasons, this anthology has become a very personal read.
Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction is an outstanding collection of sixteen short stories that comes together at the hands of Timothy J. Lambert and R.D. Cochrane. Both respected authors in their own right, they also collaborate in quartet with authors Jim Carter and Timothy Forry under the nom du plume Timothy James Beck. Their choices of stories for inclusion in this anthology are exquisite. And while the stories themselves offer up an eclectic mix, there is consonance in their coming together and in their sequencing.
The review of Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction was originally published at Three Dollar Bill Reviews and is available in its entirety at Indie Reviews.
February 21, 2025
I felt it necessary to offer a corrective to some of the remarks in my original review having just reread parts of this anthology, in particular the stories by Andrew Holleran, Trebor Healey and Paul Lisicky which I was very dismissive of. I have reread them and find them both charming, witty, insightful and interesting (though not all of them may deserve all these words of praise). Clearly I was not in a good mode when I wrote the review although my reservations about the anthology as a whole remain. As a consequence I have promoted it to three stars rather then two.
What I originally wrote in 2014 and the comments I posted in 2017:
I've just had another look at this collection which I originally read nearly ten years ago and, why I won't disagree with my original judgement that it was ok and fun, the passing years have not increased my opinion. If anything it has fallen - except for the Andrew Holleran story the contents are tepid to mediocre and I was especially surprised by Paul Lisicky's weak story - even Trebor Healey's was way below what I would expect and, if I did not already love him for his novels the story wouldn't have encouraged me to seek his writing out. That is the real problem, for me, with this anthology - I love anthologies but I expect to come away discovering some new writer who I want to read more of. That was not provided by this collection.
Revised again in 2017: Even my latest look has confirmed what I said before - a very disappointing anthology.
What I originally wrote in 2014 and the comments I posted in 2017:
I've just had another look at this collection which I originally read nearly ten years ago and, why I won't disagree with my original judgement that it was ok and fun, the passing years have not increased my opinion. If anything it has fallen - except for the Andrew Holleran story the contents are tepid to mediocre and I was especially surprised by Paul Lisicky's weak story - even Trebor Healey's was way below what I would expect and, if I did not already love him for his novels the story wouldn't have encouraged me to seek his writing out. That is the real problem, for me, with this anthology - I love anthologies but I expect to come away discovering some new writer who I want to read more of. That was not provided by this collection.
Revised again in 2017: Even my latest look has confirmed what I said before - a very disappointing anthology.
August 10, 2011
Starts off with a nice introduction and is packed with good stories. Funny, touching, sad, cute, romantic, and clever are adjectives that come to mind when describing this collection. My favorite story is Heart by 'Nathan Burgoine; it is one of the very few stories I've ever read that made me cry. Heart is the first published work of the authour and is beautifully written; I will never forget this masterpiece. My other favorites in this collection were Trunk by Trebor Healey followed by A View by Brandon M. Long.
January 14, 2017
Sweet, charming, lovely stories.
January 17, 2022
A lot of the stories were like fast food: kind of cute while it lasts but providing no real substance. Incidentally, the book opens with a pretty weak story taking place in a take-away joint. Some of the stories seemed to have been written by high schoolers or at least were written to appeal to that readership. I had hoped for a more mature and (somewhat) literary appraoch and stories more grounded in reality rather than fairy tale. Though some of these I would never have read otherwise because they are really not my genre (generic romance frothing with cliches), others did turn out to be quite entertaining and well written and such made the whole experience worthwhile.
My faves were:
Happy Hour at Cafe Jones by Rob Byrnes
De Anima by Joel Derfner
Matchmaker by Shawn Anniston
Everyone Says I'll forget in Time by Greg Herren
My faves were:
Happy Hour at Cafe Jones by Rob Byrnes
De Anima by Joel Derfner
Matchmaker by Shawn Anniston
Everyone Says I'll forget in Time by Greg Herren
September 10, 2025
Every year, I red 6 or 8 collections or anthologies, but I rarely review any. Most of these include selections of high quality and high interest while also containing less engaging and less literary quality.
Fool for Love does not fall into those traps. Instead, each and every story is engaging, well-written, and believable. The plots are realistic, the characters authentic, the storylines reasonable, and the overall effect impacts readers with a sense of having been told a true story by a friend.
Fool for Love does not fall into those traps. Instead, each and every story is engaging, well-written, and believable. The plots are realistic, the characters authentic, the storylines reasonable, and the overall effect impacts readers with a sense of having been told a true story by a friend.
March 16, 2017
I think of all the stories, I really only maybe liked 2. Only 2 actually stuck w/ me as the others kind of just didn't leave an impression at all.
Utterly disappointing.
It really felt like the bottom of the barrel w/ all the short stories. Le sigh.
Utterly disappointing.
It really felt like the bottom of the barrel w/ all the short stories. Le sigh.
September 29, 2010
Ok, I must say I’m not a fan of romance but I really wanted to read published work of a fellow BookCrosser which is the reason why I joined this ring. And I’m glad I did. I did like the story because of which I joined the ring. “Heart” was obviously different in so many ways but here I have to say that knowing who is the author had a consequence: I imagined bookstore as a OBCZ, imagining the protagonists as an obsessive bookcrossers, etc but linking author’s hobby with the life of his characters wasn’t distraction whatsoever.
And about the rest of the book … as I said I’m not fan of the romance genre (hetero/homo/bi) and I found many of the stories too sweet for my taste; too soap-operaish and then I noticed okyrhoe read this book before me and since we have quite often very similar impression about the book I followed her selection.
And about the rest of the book … as I said I’m not fan of the romance genre (hetero/homo/bi) and I found many of the stories too sweet for my taste; too soap-operaish and then I noticed okyrhoe read this book before me and since we have quite often very similar impression about the book I followed her selection.
Want to read
July 18, 2010I'm definitely a fool for love. One day I'll get this book and read it.
And one day I'll meet the author. I've come close a couple of times, but events conspired against me.
This is not to say that I'm a great reader of gay fiction. I'm not. But I'm a great fan of love and romance and desire, and I know that 'Nathan is a fantastic writer.
And one day I'll meet the author. I've come close a couple of times, but events conspired against me.
This is not to say that I'm a great reader of gay fiction. I'm not. But I'm a great fan of love and romance and desire, and I know that 'Nathan is a fantastic writer.
April 26, 2009
Some stories are hits, some are misses. It totally has some "awwwww" moments that just make you smile, like when you're watching a romantic comedy movie. Perfect for a light read.
July 15, 2011
As with most anthologies some stories are hits , some are misses.
Overall an enjoyable read.
Overall an enjoyable read.
April 4, 2012
I hate to say this but it's the same tired small closed group of gay writers. This book bored me. It's too cliché. I don't find it romantic in a way romanticism should be represented.
July 28, 2013
Great short wholesome gay love stories/encounters!
February 12, 2020
I liked all the stories. Some more than others. But, I didn't hate any of them.
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