Visible Lives: Three Stories in Tribute to E. Lynn Harris
By Terrance Dean, James Earl Hardy, Stanley Bennett Clay
(Kensington Books, June 2010, $15 paperback)

To commemorate the one-year anniversary of the untimely death of E. Lynn Harris, one of gay fiction’s best-loved authors, three other well-known authors from the same genre put together three novellas. Each includes a heartfelt introduction explaining how their paths crossed with Harris.

Terrance Dean’s “The Intern” tells about the romance of a workaholic television executive with a young intern about half his age, with a twist ending that would have made Harris proud.

I had trouble getting into James Earl Hardy’s “Is It Still Jood to Ya?,” not because of the ethnic dialogue, but because the action seemed to drag on illogically and go off on tangents. But it’s possible it’s just me, as I had similar problems with a couple of Hardy’s novels. Others seem to love his style.

My favorite was “House of John” by Stanley Bennett Clay. It’s about a gay man closing in on 40, still devastated from the unexpected end of a long-term relationship, who takes a vacation in the Dominican Republic that promises lots of uncomplicated sexual opportunities with the locals. Fate had other plans, however, as he instantly falls for one of the locals, and they start dating like a couple of love struck teenagers. It’s realistic and very sweet.

All three stories are rather heavy on erotic content, though not to the point of detracting from the stories. And all three manage to work Harris’ name into the story somehow, which was a touch I thought even Harris would find a bit cheesy. While not really up to Harris’ quality or style of writing, the novellas are interesting distractions and worth a look. I give the collection four stars out of five.

Hard at Work
By Brad Saunders
(Kensington Books, July 2010, $15 softcover)

As I watch the hunky UPS deliveryman walk back to his truck, and I wonder how long it will take the cute guy from the pizzaria to deliver my order, I realize I can relate to an anthology of erotic short stories focusing on men on the job.

Brad Saunders, also author of Men I Might Have Known, spins an imaginative collection of sexy encounters with fantasy-worthy men ... who may be on the job, but are not too busy to take some time for pleasure.

• The identical (and insatiable) British twins at the gym.
• The curious and shy 18 year old working for his dad’s moving company.
• The swarthy Turkish deckhand on the sailboat charter for an Aegean cruise.
• The model-like 20-something writer next door (whose neighbors can see him working at home in his underwear).
• The infamous well-hung porn star.

The 15 isolated encounters, loosely connected through comments about how the author connects with them, represent a good sample of gay male fantasies, ranging from the loving and passionate to the somewhat kinky and provocative.

The stories are well written for the purpose. Let’s call it four stars out of five.

Set Sail for Murder: A Polly Pepper Mystery
By R. T. Jordan
(Kensington Books, June 2010, $22 hardcover)

When Polly Pepper needs money to maintain her “star” lifestyle, she taps the well of devoted fans who remember her iconic musical comedy TV show, “The Polly Pepper Playhouse.” So Polly, her 20-something gay son Tim, and her loyal maid/best friend Placenta, go on a “Kool Kruze” at sea, where C-list actors are a draw for passengers looking to get “up close and personal” with a Hollywood legend.

Laura Crawford, Polly’s former series castmate and perpetual thorn-in-the side, is found murdered and Polly finds there are many onboard who had motive to kill the diva. Her investigation is met with defiance by the ship’s captain, but after getting a series of anonymous threats to her own life, Polly recruits Tim and Placenta (as well as their shipboard lovers) in trying to find out who the murderer might be.

This is the fourth in a series by Jordan, and while not really a “gay book” per se, it’s noteworthy as a “camptastic” satire on show business and its players. It’s wrapped around a light, breezy mystery that is well-written and perfect as an escape from your daily drudgery. It gets a pop of cork on the champagne and five bubbly stars out of five.