'Nathan Burgoine's Blog, page 17

Ornamental

The tree was decorated with about two-dozen white Christmas ornaments, just simple frosted balls, but hung on the tree with loops of ribbon. — Handmade Holidays

If you’ve been around this blog for a while, then you know every year, we add an ornament or two to our tree as a way to build up our story and to turn decorating the tree into a trip through the years, with laughter, smiles, and a few tears, but a growing sense of “look how far we’ve come.” If you’ve read Handmade Holidays, that might sound familiar, and the tradition Nick accidentally starts with his bare tree that first year, when Haruto gives him a handmade ornament, is one-hundred percent cribbed from my own life, where I absolutely messed up and bought a Christmas Tree, but no ornaments, and a friend quite accidentally gave me an ornament—a small cross-stitched one—that started off the tradition.

Handmade Holidays was my love-letter to queer chosen families, and how we often make our own traditions in the face of isolation, and how those logical families (rather than biological ones) can be such a treasure to us. Nick, Ru, Phoebe, Fiona, and Matt start off a little lost, feeling very alone, but fifteen years later they’re a family with friends, partners, children, and a whole community.

When I started, that single ornament looked a little sad, and like Nick, I ended up buying a bunch of plain white frosted balls to hang on the tree. They were cheap dollar-store ornaments, but alongside tinsel and lights, they looked fine enough for my tree, though like Nick, I absolutely hung candy canes to make up the difference.

This year’s ornament on our tree is our Derpy Husky, Max.

I only ended up writing Handmade Holidays because of Fiona Riley and her wife, Jenn. We were at a writing retreat for Bold Strokes Books authors, and I explained the idea of Handmade Holidays to them as it had originally formed in my mind, of fifteen chapters crossing fifteen Christmases, and they loved the idea, and gave me the confidence I needed to try to pen something positive—and queer—about the holidays, which was a major stretch for me. This is also why one of the characters is named Fiona in the book, and why she ends up with a lovely woman named Jenn. I should also note Fiona Riley has a wonderful queer holiday romance novella out herself, A Christmas Miracle, which I loved.

Releasing Felix Navidad this year felt a little bittersweet (no pun intended for those who’ve read the Village novellas) as it brought to a close those group of friends, and left me feeling more than a little bit at loose ends. I’m not done with the Village, not by a long shot, but it did feel so very much like the ending it was. And I couldn’t help tucking a couple of ornament references into this book, too.

“Hans and I got this on a trip to New Orleans,” Danya said, holding up a delicate looking ornament in the shape of a Mardi-Gras mask, done in purples and golds. — Felix Navidad

Danya speaks about his Christmas vacation holidays with Hans, his late husband, and mentions two trips in particular—New Orleans, and Hawai’i—which are represented by a Mardi Gras mask and a sea turtle ornament respectively. It will likely not surprise you by this point to know those ornaments hang on my tree every year (alongside an ornament from New York, San Francisco, Edinburgh, Newfoundland, and any other place my husband and I have visited over the years—it’s one of the things forefront in my mind when we travel: finding an ornament for the tree).

Other ornaments that exist in both the fictions and the real tree in my home include the “Smiling Marshmallow on a Stick,” the “Spun Glass Orb,” from an art gallery, the “Little Crocheted Sweater” ornament Kevin gives to Felix, the “Fuscia Fuck-me Boot” Fiona wins in one of the ornament exchange games, the “Mouse and Typewriter” ornament (though mine says ‘Dear Santa’ not ‘Once Upon a Time’), and more I’m sure I’m forgetting in the moment. I do not, alas, have any of the hunky mermen (I’ve seen them for sale online, but every time I get as far as putting them into a basket, the shipping to Canada always makes me shy away again, alas).

What about you? If you have a tree in your place, do you have a themed tree or a nostalgia tree? Or do you have two trees, like we used to do here in our house? We went back down to one tree when we got our first Husky, Coach, and he claimed the space where one tree stood for his doggy bed. There’s a husky-themed or photo ornament on the tree for every year we had Coach, and those are the usual source of the tears I mentioned earlier. Still, when it’s time to decorate the tree, it’s a little bit lovely to have a reminder of him every year. And now that we have Max, there’s so much goofball energy around any endeavour he’s involved with, it takes some of the sting out of any maudlin moments, really. Hence his derpy face in this year’s ornament.

There are nearly no filler ornaments on the tree any more, and that’s another source of joy. Every year, our tree is a reminder of just how full our life is—how full my life is—and I think that, if anything, was what I wanted to do when I wrote Handmade Holidays, Faux Ho Ho, Village Fool and now Felix Navidad: show a group of queer friends filling their lives with joy.

Speaking of low-angst holiday romances, as part of the launch of Felix Navidad, Felix is standing among twenty-four low-angst MM reads, and if you click said image above, or here, you’ll be taken right there to see what’s on offer. There’s some sizzle, some simmer, and some joy—but all come with the promise of very little angst stuffed in your stocking!

Low Angst? Check! Festive? Check! Fellas finding love? Check!

As of Tuesday, “Felix Navidad” is out there in the world on all platforms, and I couldn’t be happier to tie a ribbon around the last of the four Bittersweets Club fellas. Reviews have been really kind, and I love how many of you have dropped a note my way about a line or two that particularly tickled your fancy.

(And, on that specific note, I, too, know how to operate a thermostat.)

Now, if you’ve read “Felix Navidad,” then you know my holiday novellas have would maybe fit the same descriptor as the coffee joint in question: bittersweet. That is to say, the fellas get there, but on their way, they’ll often have to face down a few sad moments—but they’ll do it together, or with their chosen family. I don’t generally write dark, angsty romance plots—no shade thrown—instead liking to focus on queer people coming together to make things brighter for each other. If that’s your thing, too? Well, as of today, I can point you in the direction of holiday stories definitely low on the angst, high on the heart, and—in quite a few cases—also offering a dose of steam.

Low Angst Festive MM Reads is running from December 15th through to the end of the year, and I’m chuffed to have “Felix Navidad” in there among them. Check them out by clicking that link there or by clicking on the graphic of those smooching fellas (they’re totally going to drop an ornament if they’re not careful), and maybe find yourself a new favourite.

And as always, I hope this season gives you some cheer!

“Felix Navidad” is now Available Everywhere!

Okay, today’s the for-real day. If you pre-ordered “Felix Navidad” from the Bold Strokes Books webstore—thank you!—then you already had Felix in your hot little hands since the first of the month because of the Bold Strokes Books webstore early release thing, but if you pre-ordered elsewhere—thank you!—Felix should be in your in-box right this very second! This is not a drill! We have novella! (Insert Kermit-flailing.) If you haven’t pre-ordered elsewhere, you should be able to pick it up anywhere queer e-novellas are sold as of today!

Felix doesn’t do impulsive anymore. But attending a friend’s wedding reminds Felix he’s the only one of his friends attending solo, and recent losses have him thinking he’s swung too far in the not-impulsive direction. 

So, impulse decision number one? Cutting in on a dance with handsome farmer Kevin, the ex of one of the grooms, for a spin at the reception. Impulse decision number two? Planning his first holiday vacation off work. Christmas in Hawai’i will be a gift to himself.

When dancing doesn’t work out, Felix keeps high hopes for his vacation right up until the first flight cancellation. After bumping into a stranded Kevin, who lost his flight home, Felix gives impulse a third try: Why not drive to Toronto together? But after ice rain strands them halfway, it looks like Felix isn’t going to get to give himself his gift after all. Instead, this Christmas is a small cabin—and Kevin.

“Felix Navidad” by ‘Nathan Burgoine; Cover Art by Inkspiral Design

I can’t believe the year is almost over, that Felix is out in the world, and that all the fellas from the Bittersweets Club now have someone in their life. No pun intended, but it’s bittersweet to be at the end of that little group of friends, but as I hinted at the start of the month, I do have something percolating in my noggin. Next year is about my Hi/Lo YA novel, Stuck With You, and getting Triad Magic finished, but after that?

Well. Like I’ve said before, I’ve always really liked Hallowe’en…

“Felix Navidad” is now available from Bold Strokes Books!

Well, today’s the day. Or, I guess, the first day. If you pre-ordered “Felix Navidad” from the Bold Strokes Books webstore, you should find it in your in-box as of this morning! If you pre-ordered elsewhere, it will be available on the 13th of December, because Bold Strokes Books does this awesome “first of the month if you order direct” thing to give you a wee head-start.

Felix doesn’t do impulsive anymore. But attending a friend’s wedding reminds Felix he’s the only one of his friends attending solo, and recent losses have him thinking he’s swung too far in the not-impulsive direction. 

So, impulse decision number one? Cutting in on a dance with handsome farmer Kevin, the ex of one of the grooms, for a spin at the reception. Impulse decision number two? Planning his first holiday vacation off work. Christmas in Hawai’i will be a gift to himself.

When dancing doesn’t work out, Felix keeps high hopes for his vacation right up until the first flight cancellation. After bumping into a stranded Kevin, who lost his flight home, Felix gives impulse a third try: Why not drive to Toronto together? But after ice rain strands them halfway, it looks like Felix isn’t going to get to give himself his gift after all. Instead, this Christmas is a small cabin—and Kevin.

“Felix Navidad” by ‘Nathan Burgoine; Cover Art by Inkspiral Design

Four Holidays, One Village

I can’t believe I’ve written four holiday novellas. One of them was for April Fools’ Day, sure, but if you’d asked me, years ago, if I’d ever be penning a Christmas-themed romance, I’m pretty sure past ‘Nathan would have laughed in your face. Between my own situation and working Christmas retail for a couple of decades, Christmas and I were not really on speaking terms for quite a while. But I did have traditions—they just didn’t really look like the traditions often seen in Christmas holiday films and books, and eventually, a conversation with Fiona Riley and her wife at the Bold Strokes Books writing retreat nudged me into giving it a shot.

Side-note: Fiona’s amazing holiday themed novella “A Christmas Miracle” just got a solo-release this year at the BSB Webstore, and is also available now in audiobook! Check it out! I loved all three of the novellas originally packaged in All I Want for Christmas, and all three are now available as solo novellas and in audiobook.

The result of that conversation with Fiona and her wife? “Handmade Holidays” happened. “Handmade Holidays” is probably my most personal novella, in that the vast majority of the traditions included in Nick’s life throughout the fifteen years the story spans are lifted right from my own life. I bought a tree and forgot ornaments. I had a friend give me my first ornament. I started collecting ornaments on a yearly basis. Our chosen family Christmas included an ornament swap. And so on and so on… I wanted to write a story that showed a queer Christmas like the ones I celebrated. And after “Handmade Holidays,” I hadn’t really thought I’d step back into holiday romance at all, really.

“Faux Ho Ho,” on the other hand, happened partly because my husky had blown my tendons to bits (still love him, but oh that dog), which meant smaller projects were more likely to reach a conclusion, and partly because I’d never written a “fauxmance.” I love fauxmance, or the fake dating trope, and I’d thought of an idea where I wanted to explore another facet of being queer during the holidays: the partially accepting family. Silas’s sister is great. The rest of his family? Not so much. And that’s a familiar experience for a lot of queer folk. Tossing in an over-the-top fake dating trope and a family wedding made the whole thing all the more high-stakes, and I had a blast breaking as much of the “advice” I’d seen floating around about writing romance, most notably “don’t include any politics,” which is laughable when you’re writing queer romance because of the whole “queer people are political by virtue of existing” thing.

Then a throw-away line about an April Fools’ Day prank in “Faux Ho Ho” wouldn’t let go, and “Village Fool” turned out to be doable for a March release (in time to be in hand for April Fools’ Day itself) and I got to tell what I think is probably my highest-cringe, largest dose of second-hand-embarrassment story ever. And the trope of “doesn’t realize they’re writing to the person they have a crush on” is a minefield of cringe and embarrassment. Owen spending the morning accidentally texting his smooth and sexy thoughts about his crush to his crush was both a delight and excruciating to write—I couldn’t help imagining myself in his boots and oh gods no!—and that time I also got to touch some of the realities of being a queer dude who isn’t jacked, some body issue thoughts, and what it’s like to have to go to the gym in a way that was very uncomfortable, and the absolute joy—sorry, that was supposed to read torture—of physiotherapy. If I was going to have to spend months and months trying to make my arm work again, it was at least going in a story, damnit.

And there they are in a row. Didn’t Inkspiral Design do an amazing freaking job?

So. that brings us back to “Felix Navidad.” As you likely picked up from the blurb above, for Felix I got to play with a time-honoured trope of holiday romance: forced proximity. Felix ends up stuck in a cabin with Kevin instead of going on his Christmas vacation, and of course that turns out to be something wonderful. There’s also the added dash of “this guy is the ex of a friend,” and “there’s only one bed” (but there’s a couch). That latter trope I did something I ended up very nervous about, and I hope it lands well with readers. I’ll have to wait for time to tell on that front. From the queer point of view, “Felix Navidad” was in many ways my ode to those who came before, via the character of Danya, an older gay man who Felix is taking care of in his role as a nurse practitioner. When I first came out, the queer community—especially the bears and the drag queens—were the reason I made it at all, and I can’t overstate the importance of movements like The Village Legacy Project. Danya talks a lot about community, organizing, and taking care of each other in “Felix Navidad” and those words are from my heart, especially these days, where so many are so willing (and able) to erase us.

Audiobooks!

Now, if you’ve been around my blog or social media feeds for any length of time, you know I love to listen to audiobooks, and especially during the winter months, while walking the husky—yes, even though he blew my arm to pieces I still love him and walk him and feed him treats—and holiday audiobooks are a particular favourite. I have so many comfort listens (and re-listens) that I could go through all of December, four Husky walks a day, and still not run out of books to listen to, and I add to the list every year.

If you have a holiday audiobook list, I have great news. I was already incredibly freaking blessed to have Giancarlo Herrera perform the audiobook version of “Handmade Holidays”—I can no longer think of those characters without hearing his performance as “their” voices—and this year he came back and did a freaking phenomenal version of “Faux Ho Ho”! You can find “Handmade Holidays” at pretty much every option for Audiobook sales, while “Faux Ho Ho” is available at Amazon, Audible, and iTunes.

I wish I could offer every single book I have in audio format, but I am beyond chuffed these two holiday romances are both out there for your listening pleasure.

And there you have it. Three Christmases and one April Fools’ Day later, and the gang who meet up at Bittersweets to chat over coffee and also get together to play board games and D&D have all met their special someone, and this journey that started as a chat in a pool at a writing retreat turned into four novellas. If you’d like more time in the Village, my collection of spectulative short fiction Of Echoes Born is also available from Bold Strokes Books, which includes more than one short story set in the Village, and one novellette, “A Little Village Magic,” with multiple people you’ve seen in “Handmade Holidays” and elsewhere, as is A Little Village Blend, a romance novella which takes place at NiceTeas and has a dash of magic—and a husky!

But for now, it’s probably time to tell my brain “good job!” and move on from holidays, right?

Right.

Totally that.

…

You know, I’ve always really liked Hallowe’en…

Felix Navidad—Releases Tomorrow at Bold Strokes Books!

There’s a line in “Felix Navidad” where Felix grumbles about “stupid time doing its stupid job of moving forward at a fixed rate” and while there are days were I feel that down to my bones, when the clock ticks over tomorrow, I won’t be grumbling, I’ll be celebrating. “Felix Navidad” will be out there! (That is, for those of you who pre-ordered through the Bold Strokes Books webstore, it will be, as Bold Strokes releases all their titles on the first of the month through their webstore—the wide release will happen on December 13th everywhere else.)

On the off chance you don’t know “Felix Navidad” yet, this holiday queer romance novella is a forced proximity, ex-of-a-friend, queer culture, queer chosen family, Canadian winter tale of Felix—who really, really just wanted to go somewhere warm for Christmas—finding himself trapped in an ice storm in a small cabin with the ex of one of his closest friends, who he tried and failed to flirt with at said ex’s wedding the day before. Here’s the blurb:

Felix doesn’t do impulsive anymore. But attending a friend’s wedding reminds Felix he’s the only one of his friends attending solo, and recent losses have him thinking he’s swung too far in the not-impulsive direction. 

So, impulse decision number one? Cutting in on a dance with handsome farmer Kevin, the ex of one of the grooms, for a spin at the reception. Impulse decision number two? Planning his first holiday vacation off work. Christmas in Hawai’i will be a gift to himself.

When dancing doesn’t work out, Felix keeps high hopes for his vacation right up until the first flight cancellation. After bumping into a stranded Kevin, who lost his flight home, Felix gives impulse a third try: Why not drive to Toronto together? But after ice rain strands them halfway, it looks like Felix isn’t going to get to give himself his gift after all. Instead, this Christmas is a small cabin—and Kevin.

“Felix Navidad” by ‘Nathan Burgoine, Cover Art by Inkspiral Design.

If you’ve read “Village Fool,” my April Fools’ Day themed queer romance novella, then you definitely know who Felix is. He’s the guy who played the prank on Owen that went so specifically and spectacularly awry. And like the other holiday-themed Village stories “Handmade Holidays” and “Faux Ho Ho,” I’ve done my best to ensure you can read “Felix Navidad” as a stand-alone even if you haven’t read the others. There will be spoilers about who-ended-up-with-who, but in Romance, I don’t think that’s exactly a spoiler, no?

“Felix Navidad” contains a lot of my love for the Queer Community—and especially our queer elders who came before us and the difficulties we face as queer people when it comes to the continuance of queer history and heritage—and fans of Of Echoes Born are in for a few Easter Eggs. The sharp-eyed will also catch a reference to Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks, even.

Also! “Handmade Holidays” is currently available in the “Winter Wonderland Bundle!” fundraiser from HEA for Trans Kids, which you can find here or by clicking that photo there.

I’m beyond proud—and humbled at the company I’m keeping—to be able to take part in this bundle, which is filled with the magic of winter, whether it’s spending the holidays with friends or cuddling up with a lover beside a cozy fire. Fight back against the cold and darkness all around us and share the light and warmth of the season with trans kids all across this country.

The Winter Wonderland bundle includes:

Homecoming – Beverly Jenkins; Hither, Page – Cat Sebastian; Miss Claus – J. R. Hart; The Devil May Care – Meredith Spies; Handmade Holidays – ‘Nathan Burgoine; Working Title – Holley Trent; Glass Tidings – Amy Jo Cousins; Goldie & The Bears – Hannah Murray; The Mistletoe Trap – Eve Pendle; A Winter Wonderland – Rebecca Hunter; Accidentally In Love – Danica Flynn; Playing Rough – Jennifer Seasons; and Pattern for an Angel – CJane Elliott.

If you donate, your bundle download link will be emailed to you within 24 hours of donation.

Happy Ever Afters for Trans Kids Charity Bundle for Trans Lifeline

Hey all! I’m taking part in the Winter Wonderland bundle from Happy Ever Afters for Trans Kids, and the proceeds from said bundle all go to Trans Lifeline. I cannot believe the company I’m keeping in this one—seriously, check out that author list—and I’m beyond chuffed “Handmade Holidays” found a home among this bundle. I specifically picked “Handmade Holidays” since it includes Pheobe’s first appearance, and shows off just a little of how amazing she is.

This link will take you right to the bundle donation page.

Winter (Re)Reading

I never used to be the sort who waved goodbye to Hallowe’en and immediately turned to thoughts of the winter holidays. I put that down to being in Retail where I had no choice in the matter, and had already been forced to schedule, hire, plan, train and prepare for Christmas Retail (a.k.a. the most hectic time of the year) for about two months already. By the time the actual day would roll around? All I wanted was what I considered the best thing ever about Christmas Day: not having to go to the mall.

These days, more than half a dozen years later, some of the joy of the notion of Christmas (and winter itself) is starting to return to me. It still takes some effort—I start listening to holiday-themed romances as a bit of a vaccine against the darkening skies and the coming long dark that is Canadian winter—and I find I turn to comfort reads more often. I’m not a huge re-reader, but when November and December roll around, that changes.

I’ve read Becky Cochrane’s A Coventry Christmas every year since I got my copy. I’ve listened to Eli Easton’s Blame it on the Mistletoe and Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles while walking the dog every year since they were released as audiobooks. I always do a re-read or a re-listen to A Christmas Carol (preferably the Patrick Stewart version, thank-you-very-much) and this year? My husband and I are planning on listening to the new version of The Hogfather together.

It’s not just rereads, of course. Every year, I find new stories, or new-to-me holiday stories, and I dive in cheerfully. I started listening to The Geek Who Saved Christmas, from Annabeth Albert, and I picked up and enjoyed Elle Rush’s latest, Tinsel and Teacups—Rush’s holiday novellas are a yearly staple for me—and I know I have more audiobooks and ebooks and preorders just waiting to arrive, download, or jump up the queue. And new favourites always sneak onto the reread or relisten list. Two examples? I adored All I Want for Christmas, a trio of novellas by Fiona Riley, Maggie Cummings, and Georgia Beers, and this year there are audios and I know I’m going to end up nabbing them for dog-walking joy. I also freaking loved Hank Edwards’s Snowflakes and Song Lyrics, and The Christmas Accomplice, and I’m sure I’ll be re-reading both this year, too.

Do you have repeat holiday stories you go back to year after year? I’d love to hear about the books you go back to like a warm mug of holiday cheer (and if those books happen to include Handmade Holidays or Faux Ho Ho—both of which now have amazing audiobooks performed by Giancarlo Herrera—I would absolutely adore to hear about it!)

It’s also one month to the release of Felix Navidad! Felix was definitely a character people had strong feelings about—I remember doing a reading with some of the Bold Strokes Books authors and Melissa Brayden just saying “Oh my God, Felix!” after I was done with reading my piece from Village Fool—but this time he’s not making trouble for other people via poorly-thought-out April Fools’ Day pranks. Instead, Felix is trying to enjoy his holidays, and… it’s not going as planned.

Felix doesn’t do impulsive anymore. But attending a friend’s wedding reminds Felix he’s the only one of his friends attending solo, and recent losses have him thinking he’s swung too far in the not-impulsive direction. 

So, impulse decision number one? Cutting in on a dance with handsome farmer Kevin, the ex of one of the grooms, for a spin at the reception. Impulse decision number two? Planning his first holiday vacation off work. Christmas in Hawai’i will be a gift to himself.

When dancing doesn’t work out, Felix keeps high hopes for his vacation right up until the first flight cancellation. After bumping into a stranded Kevin, who lost his flight home, Felix gives impulse a third try: Why not drive to Toronto together? But after ice rain strands them halfway, it looks like Felix isn’t going to get to give himself his gift after all. Instead, this Christmas is a small cabin—and Kevin.

Felix Navidad, by ‘Nathan Burgoine; Cover art by Inkspiral Design

You can pre-order Felix Navidad at the Bold Strokes Books webstore. They have it in all the e-formats for all the e-readers, or you can wait until the first Tuesday in December for the novella to release widely, and support your e-tailer of choice.

Be Gay With Me, Felix Navidad, and more!

Hey all! I realize it’s been very quiet around here of late—most recently that’s been because of a string of migraines, worse luck—but I wanted to pop in with a few updates.

The first update would be the absolute joy it was to go chat with O’Dell Hutchison on the ‘Be Gay With Me’ Podcast (my episode is here, and you can explore the whole backlist of episodes here). We talked queerness (obviously) but also writing YA when one is onesself somewhat removed from their YA years, what it was like growing up, first kisses, coming out versus being outed, what it’s like to be a “curb queer”, books and whether or not Canada really is better for LGBTQIA+ folks than the U.S. (Spoiler: not as much as you think, if at all.) I had a blast, and I hope you’ll spend some time digging into O’Dell’s previous guests (I fell into a rabbit hole of listening to the podcasts and have really been enjoying them.)

Felix, Ben

On the writing front, I hit the indescribably enjoyable coincidence of handing in two completed drafts within the space of a couple of weeks of each other (the less enjoyable approaching double-deadline was another reason for the general silence around here). Both “Felix Navidad” (my queer holiday proximity romance novella that rounds out the last of the quartet I began with “Handmade Holidays“) and my as-yet-untitled Hi/Lo YA novel about Ben, who has just spent a week completely cut off from all his friends because a jerk smashed his phone, only to find himself forced to sit beside said jerk on the long train-ride home are now in the hands of the wonderful editors and/or publishers and happily on their way to becoming actual things.

Hands up if you’re not surprised I couldn’t come up with a title for Ben’s story yet. It’s fine to mock me. Really. Ben’s Story (which will eventually have a title) is coming from Lorimer Press’s Real Love line, and I can’t wait to have it out there in the world—most especially because it’s a queer High/Low, and I am so damn happy I get to add to the volume of specifically queer books out there for reluctant or otherwise struggling readers.

To that point, you can once again place a pre-order for “Felix Navidad” at the Bold Strokes Books webstore—it’ll drop December 1st from the BSB webstore, a little later in the month from everywhere else, and can we once again bask in the brilliance that is Inkspiral Design‘s amazing cover thereof? Bask. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Faux Ho Ho Audiobook!

The audiobook for “Faux Ho Ho” is live at Audible and feedback on the performance thereof has been amazing—check out this review from Love Bytes LGBTQ Book Reviews.

This is only the second audiobook I’ve listened to by Giancarlo Herrera and like this first one, it was brilliant.  Just the right amount of enthusiasm without being over the top.  The voices and accents were perfect.  I really felt Silas’s longing for something more in this story.  It was wonderful to see his evolution from the invisible black sheep of his family to someone who was confident in himself and his desires and his love for Dino.

Sadonna, Love Bytes

This is of zero surprise to me because the moment I heard Giancarlo Herrera do his thing with “Handmade Holidays,” I knew I’d found someone amazing, and I’m lucky enough to get to be one of the first people to release an audiobook with him. Were I selfish sort, I’d be trying to keep him to myself, but honestly, I want to see this man skyrocket to the top of audiobook performers, so if you’re one of my author friends and you’re looking for a supremely freaking talented audio performer? I gesture to Giancarlo with both hands. Doing jazz hands, even. Jazz hands!

If you have picked up and listened to any of my audiobooks of late, I would love for you to drop a review specifically praising said performer if you’ve got the spoons for it. I can sing to the heavens about how amazing he is—and I do, but my singing is not great—but the more voices in the chorus, the better chance I’ve got at helping the man become so successful I won’t be able to book him myself anymore.

So What’s Next?

Good question! The edits for Felix are done, but the edits for Ben’s story are inbound, and I’ve sent a pitch off for a novel—that’s right, you heard me, a novel—as my next possible move. My tendons are as recovered as they’re going to get, and I’ve learned how to pace myself now, so I believe I can create a novel-length piece of fiction again.

Once I hear back from the publisher about whether or not they’d like to pick that novel up, you’ll be the first to know.

Beyond the novel, I also plan to stick to my “Wednesdays are for something else!” habit of writing something different (and without a deadline) on Wednesdays, and I’m still futzing and poking and picking at my giant stack of ideas to see which one wants to pop up first. Especially when I write a novel, I need that weekly digression with something that will potentially be shorter and complete on a much quicker scale than, y’know, a whole novel. I’ve got more ideas than time, of course, but fingers crossed.

December 2022 will be “Felix Navidad,” next year will see Ben’s story (which will totally have a title by then, honest), and maybe even a novel as well. Everything else? Gravy.

I hope you’re all as well as one can be during a pandemic!

“Felix Navidad” Cover Reveal and Publisher Pre-order

One of the things about being an author that never, ever gets old for me is seeing the cover art. For my Little Village books especially, I vibrate in anticipation because Inkspiral does such a freaking amazing job on them. I love them. To the point where if I’m struggling, I’ll often ask him for a cover glimpse early so I can feed the energy I need into the final steps of the project. I sent off the draft to Bold Strokes Books yesterday, and then—ta-da!

Look at it! Just look at it! It’s so pretty!

Even better? The Pre-order link is now available up at the Bold Strokes Books webstore. If you pre-order through BSB (who provide all formats for all e-readers), it’ll drop December 1st for you, even. You can get it early!

So, what’s Felix Navidad about? Well, the short trope version is: forced proximity, there’s-only-one-bed (but it’s not what you think), and a dash of city-mouse, country-mouse, all wrapped up in an ice storm and some holiday cheer. But, I’ve also added my usual healthy dose of chosen family, queer community, and maybe another practical joke. Here’s the blurb:

Felix doesn’t do impulsive anymore. But attending a friend’s wedding reminds Felix he’s the only one of his friends attending solo, and recent losses have him thinking he’s swung too far in the not-impulsive direction.

So, impulse decision number one? Cutting in on a dance with handsome farmer Kevin, the ex of one of the grooms, for a spin at the reception. Impulse decision number two? Planning his first holiday vacation off work. Christmas in Hawai’i will be a gift to himself.

When dancing doesn’t work out, Felix keeps high hopes for his vacation right up until the first flight cancellation. After bumping into a stranded Kevin, who lost his flight home, Felix gives impulse a third try: Why not drive to Toronto together? But after ice rain strands them halfway, it looks like Felix isn’t going to get to give himself his gift after all. Instead, this Christmas is a small cabin—and Kevin.

“Felix Navidad,” by ‘Nathan Burgoine

If you’re wondering about order, this is the fourth in the Little Village novella series, set around holidays. Handmade Holidays was first, then Faux Ho Ho, then Village Fool. And while each mentions events in the others, I do my best to make them readable out of order if you want to go in at random, other than, obviously, knowing who ended up with who from previous books.

Happy Pride! (And two new title announcements!)

Happy Pride Month! It’s that time of year again, though here in Ottawa I always get the one-two punch of Pride Month in June and then Pride itself in August. Frankly, I’m extra down with that, since I figure we deserve at least two months given how the elections keep going in this damn province.

Oops. Well, I almost made it a paragraph without being angry. Almost. Which, frankly, is a total Pride Month mood, really. And, so I’d like to take this moment to say something I try to say every Pride Month:

Fellow queers, keep yourself intact, your spirits up, and your queer umbrella raised as high as you can to cover as many queerfolk as possible.

Corporations are gonna do their thing, haters are going to be loud, and it matters you’re here when the month is over.

Happy Pride!

Also, a (not-so) gentle reminder that the A in LGBTQIAP2s+ doesn’t stand for Ally. It stands for Asexual, Aromantic, and/or Agender. I am not saying allies aren’t important. I’m not. Of course they are. We’re outnumbered and we need allies to stand with us. .

But the A isn’t for Ally. An ally isn’t queer. (I mean, queer allies of other types of queerness are great, but they’re already covered under queer.)

I’ve sometimes heard the rhetoric “but including ‘A is for Ally’ is for closeted queers”—and, okay. If I squint right, I see the intent there: giving someone who can’t be out access to queer spaces and a cover for it. In spaces.

Discussions? LGBTQIAP2S+ already includes closeted queers.

Because you don’t have to be out to be queer. And that’s a huge, important thing to keep at the front of our brains.

“Say A is for Ally because some queer people can’t be out” feels more like erasure than inclusion. Yes, some closeted or semi-closeted queer people use “I’m an ally” to reach out, but they are already queer. They don’t have to “graduate” from ally to queer, even if that’s the path they take. Realizing you are queer doesn’t have to be shared before it’s real, I guess is what I’m saying.

A is for Ace/Aro/Agender.

Closeted queer people are queer.

Being more careful to say things like “this month is for and about LGBTQIAP2S+ people, out or closeted, and we welcome supportive friends an allies!” might seem like more work, but at least it reinforces something we don’t often do a great job of: telling the closeted they matter.

Felix Navidad

I’ve been a bit quiet around these parts (meaning the blog) because I’ve got two projects on the go at the same time, and now that the ink is dry (or, well, drying) on the contracts, I can talk about them a bit. The first is likely no surprise: the next Little Village novella, “Felix Navidad,” is in the pipeline! It’ll be arriving this holiday—which is amazing, and only possible because Bold Strokes Books continue to accommodate my terrible arm making my output wonky and still managing to slide me into the schedule when I get a draft finished. I’d honestly expected to be waiting until next year.

I got to see a draft of the cover already, too. I’m stoked.

Felix doesn’t do impulsive anymore. But attending a friend’s wedding reminds him he’s the only one of his friends attending solo, and recent losses have him thinking he swung too far in the not-impulsive direction.
So, impulse decision number one? Cutting in on a dance to handsome farmer Kevin, the ex of one of the grooms, for a spin at the reception. Impulse decision number two? Taking his first holiday vacation off work. Christmas in Hawai’i will be a gift to himself.
When dancing doesn’t work out, Felix keeps high hopes for his vacation right up until the first flight cancellation. After bumping into a stranded Kevin who lost his flight home, Felix gives impulse a third try: why not drive to Toronto together? But after ice rain strands them half-way, it looks like Felix isn’t going to get to give himself his gift after all. Instead, this Christmas is a small cabin—and Kevin.
Then again, sometimes unexpected gifts turn out to be the best.

“Felix Navidad,” by ‘Nathan Burgoine, coming this holiday from Bold Strokes Books

On the Rails

The next piece of news I’ve got is a YA I’m writing for Lorimer press as part of their Real Love line, which is a huge, huge deal for me because said line is a Hi/Lo line. If you don’t know what Hi/Lo is—and that’s fine, I don’t imagine a lot of you do—Hi/Lo is what you call books with a high interest level but a low vocabulary or readability level. Or, put another way, they’re books for readers who aren’t at the common reading level for their age but stuff still happens and is interesting. Writing one of these, specifically a gay rom-com, makes me so beyond happy, and I’m so pleased Lorimer was happy with my pitch. And the pitch in question?

Ben keeps his life like a train: on the rails, under control, no surprises.
After March Break with his father in Toronto, Ben usually can’t wait to get back to Ottawa and his regular life. He usually likes the train ride. It gives him four and a half hours to listen to music and stare out the window and get the last week out of his head. But this time he can’t listen to music because that jerk Caleb broke his phone over a week ago.
It’s bad enough when the last person on the train turns out to be Caleb himself. It’s worse when Caleb’s assigned seat is the one beside Ben. Ben has no earbuds, no phone, and no way to avoid spending the next four and a half hours beside the last person in the world he wants to see. The only option is clear: ignore Caleb.
But loud, joking, always arguing Caleb is impossible to ignore. Then again, in a matter of weeks, they’ll graduate high school and go their separate ways. Ben decides there’s no harm in telling Caleb exactly what he thinks of him. When Caleb pushes, Ben pushes back, and soon the last thing on Ben’s mind is Toronto, his father, or the future.
Mostly, he’s thinking about how good it feels to be a little off the rails.

“On the Rails,” by ‘Nathan Burgoine.

So that’s what’s been going on around here. I’ll obviously shout more when I’ve got covers or information to shout about, but if I go quiet, it’s because I’m trying to save my arm for typing on those two bad-boys, and everything else will be extra.

Happy Pride!