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Offbeat: An LGBTQ+ Anthology
Seven authors bring you works of love, loss, and triumph in this anthology. Featuring everything from poetry to expressive prose, drama and tragedy to contemporary romances to retellings of ancient tales, Offbeat casts a light on the many experiences of the LGBTQ+ community. A portion of proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Stonewall.
200 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
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About the author
J.A. Cummings
54 books76 followersI have been writing for as long as I can remember. It started on a snowy day near Christmas when I was three or four. I don't recall the impetus, but my older sister, whom I idolized and copied as much as possible, started writing a story. Not to be outdone, I started writing a story too. I've been writing ever since.
I am proud to have written the Rune Series books ("Rune Sword", "Rune Master", "Rune Hunter", and "Rune King's Daughter"), and I intend to continue my first series, Clans, which began with the novel "Nightchild". I'm currently working on an Arthurian retelling, "Arthur Rex".
I am proud to have written the Rune Series books ("Rune Sword", "Rune Master", "Rune Hunter", and "Rune King's Daughter"), and I intend to continue my first series, Clans, which began with the novel "Nightchild". I'm currently working on an Arthurian retelling, "Arthur Rex".
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 14, 2022
LGBTQ+ POETRY AND EXPRESSIVE PROSE
I grab any anthology, or collection (publishers seem to use these two terms interchangeably), of LGBTQ writings that I can get my hands on. I like the variety of short stories, novel excerpts, essays, and poetry that may be included in a collection (my preferred term). The back cover of Offbeat: An LGBTQ+ Anthology says, “Featuring everything from poetry to expressive prose, drama and tragedy to contemporary romances and retellings of ancient tales, Offbeat casts a light on the many experiences of the LGBTQ+ community.” “Expressive prose” was a new term to me.
Offbeat includes seven authors. A page appears at the beginning of each selection that gives the title of the work, the author’s name, and a brief description of the theme of the piece. According to pronouns used in the author bios, four of the authors identify as male and three as female.
“LGBTQIA+” by Nichole Craig is the first piece in the anthology, a short poem that consists of eight, two-line stanzas ending with “Gay or Straight / Life’s too short to hate.” This brief poem hints at the themes of the other pieces in the collection. Craig’s author bio states: “[S]he has two young children, a dog, and a husband.” This poem is a fine expression of allyship: “Gay or Straight / Life’s too short to hate.”
“Like You” by Bob Byrne is a tightly written detective story. Harry Shear is a gay detective on the case of a murder of a male prostitute. Little Jim Harvey, Shear’s partner on the case, is straight and is “built like a fridge on legs.” Just enough suspense and banter between the two detectives makes for an enjoyable thirty-page heartfelt romp. I would like to read more stories by Bob Byrne.
Miah Jeffra is one of my favorite young writers. He does identity on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. His story “Saving the Bird” is a sensitively written story of the trajectory of a young gay couple’s relationship. “Saving the Bird” kept my attention with the way it goes back and forth between Colin and the injured bird in the crosswalk and Colin’s issues with his relationship with Michael. A lot is packed into this thirty -page story, but it doesn’t feel rushed or superficial.
Katie Jaarsveld’s story “Neil’s Journey Revised” is packed with surprises. Neil, who, years before, was deeply affected by the death of a school friend, goes to work for Paul and his twin sister Patrice as a landscape artist. Several identities on the LGBTQ+ spectrum come to the fore in this fifty-page story.
“The Maidservant and Her Scandalous Secret” by Shashi Kadapa is a hoot of a story with a twist of an ending that an alert reader might be able to anticipate.
“Gwydion and the Unnamed King” by J. A. Cummings, the editor of Offbeat, is based on characters from The Mabinogion. When Gwydion sees a mysterious knight sitting in the forest, he immediately finds himself staring “like a child suddenly confronted by a butterfly.” Magical happenings, challenges, all those elements a tale of knightly exploits should contain, occur before our two heroes’ lives are changed by the Cauldron of Annwn. Cummings’s entry is an exciting, romantic fantasy tale.
The last selection in Offbeat, “Echoes” by Ibtisam Ahmed, begins: “There are echoes everywhere if you care to listen.” In gorgeous prose (now I see the utility of the term “expressive prose” that appears on the back cover of the book!), and by always elaborating on the motif of the echo, Ahmed describes how far LGBTQ people have come from the oppressions of the past: “Listen to these echoes. Remember these stories. One day, someone will listen to yours and pass them on as well.” “Echoes” is a perfect choice to conclude Offbeat.
Offbeat is a wonderful potpourri of different genres of writing and approaches to the LGBTQ+ experience. I did have to come to terms with the fact that the subtitle “An LGBTQ+ Anthology” only describes the subject matter of the writings in the book and not the sexual or gender identities of the authors. A writer can write about what they want, dammit. Read Offbeat and enjoy and learn.
I grab any anthology, or collection (publishers seem to use these two terms interchangeably), of LGBTQ writings that I can get my hands on. I like the variety of short stories, novel excerpts, essays, and poetry that may be included in a collection (my preferred term). The back cover of Offbeat: An LGBTQ+ Anthology says, “Featuring everything from poetry to expressive prose, drama and tragedy to contemporary romances and retellings of ancient tales, Offbeat casts a light on the many experiences of the LGBTQ+ community.” “Expressive prose” was a new term to me.
Offbeat includes seven authors. A page appears at the beginning of each selection that gives the title of the work, the author’s name, and a brief description of the theme of the piece. According to pronouns used in the author bios, four of the authors identify as male and three as female.
“LGBTQIA+” by Nichole Craig is the first piece in the anthology, a short poem that consists of eight, two-line stanzas ending with “Gay or Straight / Life’s too short to hate.” This brief poem hints at the themes of the other pieces in the collection. Craig’s author bio states: “[S]he has two young children, a dog, and a husband.” This poem is a fine expression of allyship: “Gay or Straight / Life’s too short to hate.”
“Like You” by Bob Byrne is a tightly written detective story. Harry Shear is a gay detective on the case of a murder of a male prostitute. Little Jim Harvey, Shear’s partner on the case, is straight and is “built like a fridge on legs.” Just enough suspense and banter between the two detectives makes for an enjoyable thirty-page heartfelt romp. I would like to read more stories by Bob Byrne.
Miah Jeffra is one of my favorite young writers. He does identity on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. His story “Saving the Bird” is a sensitively written story of the trajectory of a young gay couple’s relationship. “Saving the Bird” kept my attention with the way it goes back and forth between Colin and the injured bird in the crosswalk and Colin’s issues with his relationship with Michael. A lot is packed into this thirty -page story, but it doesn’t feel rushed or superficial.
Katie Jaarsveld’s story “Neil’s Journey Revised” is packed with surprises. Neil, who, years before, was deeply affected by the death of a school friend, goes to work for Paul and his twin sister Patrice as a landscape artist. Several identities on the LGBTQ+ spectrum come to the fore in this fifty-page story.
“The Maidservant and Her Scandalous Secret” by Shashi Kadapa is a hoot of a story with a twist of an ending that an alert reader might be able to anticipate.
“Gwydion and the Unnamed King” by J. A. Cummings, the editor of Offbeat, is based on characters from The Mabinogion. When Gwydion sees a mysterious knight sitting in the forest, he immediately finds himself staring “like a child suddenly confronted by a butterfly.” Magical happenings, challenges, all those elements a tale of knightly exploits should contain, occur before our two heroes’ lives are changed by the Cauldron of Annwn. Cummings’s entry is an exciting, romantic fantasy tale.
The last selection in Offbeat, “Echoes” by Ibtisam Ahmed, begins: “There are echoes everywhere if you care to listen.” In gorgeous prose (now I see the utility of the term “expressive prose” that appears on the back cover of the book!), and by always elaborating on the motif of the echo, Ahmed describes how far LGBTQ people have come from the oppressions of the past: “Listen to these echoes. Remember these stories. One day, someone will listen to yours and pass them on as well.” “Echoes” is a perfect choice to conclude Offbeat.
Offbeat is a wonderful potpourri of different genres of writing and approaches to the LGBTQ+ experience. I did have to come to terms with the fact that the subtitle “An LGBTQ+ Anthology” only describes the subject matter of the writings in the book and not the sexual or gender identities of the authors. A writer can write about what they want, dammit. Read Offbeat and enjoy and learn.
September 26, 2020
NOT ALL BOOKS READ
J.a. Cummings
G AND THE UNNAMED KNIGHT
This story was amazing I love old legion stories and this one delivers. I absolutely feel hard for these characters and the story was so vivid I got lost in it. If you love Arthurian legends you need to read this one.
J.a. Cummings
G AND THE UNNAMED KNIGHT
This story was amazing I love old legion stories and this one delivers. I absolutely feel hard for these characters and the story was so vivid I got lost in it. If you love Arthurian legends you need to read this one.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews