Down For Whatever

by Frederick Smith

Keith, Tommie, Marco Antonio, and Rafael each ended up in L.A. for different reasons, via different paths, from Mexico to Michigan, from the Ivy League to the streets. But they have one thing in common--they're all looking for Mr. Right. Keith, a preacher's son from Detroit, is looking for love in all the wrong places. But when Cupid answers his prayers with a man who's hot and smart, he's got to wonder if it's too good to be true. Rafael's problem is that he doesn't really know what he wants--so he's willing to try just about everything. The most stable of the group. Marco Antonio is finally closing the deal on a long-distance romance with an up-and-coming actor. But when the Hollywood celebrity machine interferes, Marco years for the stability of a regular guy--and eventually finds himself torn between two lovers. Tommie, a former member of a now defunct R&B group, has fallen for a college basketball player with a dazzling future in the pros. But at thirty-something, barely out of the closet, with little left to show for his once-hot career, Tommie can't help wondering what a young rising star is doing with a fallen star like him. Navigating a fast-paced world populated by divas, drama queens, and DI.s, the guys are about to find out if real love can triumph in the City of Angels, where perfect bodies, youth, and black and brown pride come together and collide with gay pride.

Genres: LGBT, Fiction, Gay Fiction

282 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2005

About the author

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Frederick Smith is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and Loyola University Chicago. A finalist for the PEN Center Emerging Voices Fellowship, and an alum of the VONA (Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation) Writers Workshop, Fred is a social justice advocate. He lives in Los Angeles and works with college students to help them find their voices and develop pride in their cultural and gender identities. He is the author of Down for Whatever and Right Side of the Wrong Bed, a Lambda Literary Award finalist.

(Source: Amazon.com)

Reviews

[Rashid Darden · Rating 5 out of 5]

From 8-5-05

I just finished Frederick Smith's DOWN FOR WHATEVER about two hours ago....I loved it. But then again, I knew I would.

Smith introduces a wide array of characters -- some are downright lovable and others...well, not so much. But the way I became invested in the characters is a testament to the author's talents. You too will have your favorites, both the ones you love and the ones you love to hate.

This novel is entertaining, but don't be fooled, for DOWN FOR WHATEVER also brings to the forefront major issues concerning sexuality among men of color. It's a fun novel, but not a fluff novel at all.

So pick up this novel and support one of the most talented authors you'll have the pleasure of reading!

[Bruh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the 4 books I recently ordered, that
arrived the other day. Plan to start on this one
later tonight....

[Jerry Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my review posted in the Washington Blade in September 2005.

.

[Ronald Herring · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book Is Very Good I could not put this book down that how good it is. I would recommended this book to Everybody