Book Spotlight: Finding Pluck by Peter DiFatta

Finding Pluck
by Peter DiFatta
Gay Fiction/Historical
Buy Links: Amazon US 
Amazon UK 
Amazon AU 
Amazon DE 
BN 

Blurb

It is 1995 in North Carolina and Taylor Hanes is struggling to escape his small-minded dying textile town. He finds his ticket out by being awarded a full-ride Pluck Gay and Lesbian Equality Scholarship to a state university. Problem is, he isn’t gay. He lied on the application. Suddenly, he is shocked with hometown discrimination, but worse yet, he awakens the wrath of the long dead scholarship’s benefactor.

The hauntings continue into college and Taylor along with a group of friends investigate why the benefactor, Bernard Pembroke, is an unsettled spirit. The narrative takes the reader back to 1927, the pinnacle of the Jazz age, when Pembroke was in college. He is a stammering socially inept sophomore who develops a symbiotic relationship with a freshman named Damien.

Damien is a highly optimistic, musically talented, energetic fellow who opens up the world to Pembroke and leads him to embrace his own homosexuality. But suddenly, Damien goes missing. What happened and is this why Pembroke’s spirit is still unsettled? Taylor and his friends resolve to find out.

***

Excerpt:

"Just think, guys, in four or five years," Trad said while gesturing to Ben and Gordon, "you guys will be graduating from college, and me and . . ." He paused a moment, looking for a reaction from Taylor, who seemed to have a buzzed-out smile, and then continued, "and Taylor will still be here, holding this godforsaken town together."

Taylor smiled, the alcohol having totally relaxed him. He decided this moment was too good to pass up and he would tell all of them about his scholarship. He quickly glanced around the crowded, noisy bar and said, "Not so fast. I've . . . I've got an announcement to make. You all need to raise your bottle for a toast to me."

"Why, what's happened?" Gordon asked.

"Well, today, . . ." Taylor felt himself trembling, his mind spinning. I shouldn't tell them . . . It's too late . . . I can't not tell them now. So he continued, "this very day, I signed papers that gave me a . . ." He paused momentarily for dramatic effect. "Da, da, da, da . . . a full scholarship to Carolina!"

The table was quiet for a few seconds. Then Gordon said, "Yeah, right."

"No, it's true," Taylor shot back.

"Really?" Ben asked.

"Yep!" Taylor replied, nodding his head.

Suddenly, after a slight pause, there was a round of high-fives and whoops as they all congratulated him. Trad appeared happy too and participated in the jubilation, but Taylor noticed a little concern in Trad's face and tried to downplay any more excitement.

"Look, it's no big deal. It will make things so much easier for my mom and dad."

"Was this a need-based scholarship?" Gordon asked.

"No, it wasn't need-based . . . although I really needed it."

Gordon continued, "Well, I know it wasn't an athletic scholarship or based on academics."

"No, it's what they call an endowed scholarship."

"Hey, I know they don't give it for that," Ben quipped. They all laughed. "Besides, you wouldn't qualify." They laughed some more.

As the laughter died, Trad and Ben looked at him with dazed interest while Gordon stared intently, all expecting an explanation to follow.

Taylor spoke. "Apparently, this rich dude set up this trust for this full scholarship that they give every year. The money just sits there accumulating interest for these scholarships."

"Wow!" Ben and Trad exclaimed.

"Yeah! It even pays for books and housing, and I have a monthly spending allowance."

"No way," Ben replied.

"How do I apply?" Gordon asked.

"You have to be a minority," Taylor snapped.

Everyone froze.

"A minority?" Gordon questioned.

There was a small pause while Taylor gathered his thoughts. Lowering his voice, he spoke. "Look, guys. I . . . I, uh, pulled a fast one."

"What? You told them you were black and they believed you?" Ben quipped.

"No, no," Taylor replied while laughing. "I . . . I got this scholarship where I have to work toward . . . for further acceptance and rights for gays and lesbians."

"You got a gay scholarship?" Trad asked.

"Did you have to blow someone?" Ben asked.

"I didn't know you were gay," Gordon commented. "Are you?"

"Look, no, no. You got to promise to keep this quiet."

"I do remember," Gordon continued while chuckling, "that camping trip when we were in the Scouts."

Just as Ben said, "Will you be my date tonight?" a girl delivering the pizza arrived at the table. The conversation quickly turned toward splitting up the bill and tip. As soon as she left, it started back.

"Are you going to have to display a rainbow flag in your dorm room?" Gordon asked.

"Does Christine know about this?" Trad asked.

"Hold on. Hold on," Taylor responded, slightly annoyed at the jokes. "Let me out; I gotta take a leak. Then I'll answer all your questions."

As he was moving away, Ben shouted, "If you take too long and your knees are wet when you come back, we'll know what's been happening." They all howled.

Taylor rushed back to the table and leaned into them with a pointed finger. "Look, guys. I hate fags as much as the rest of you!"

They continued laughing as Taylor swung around and headed for the restroom. He turned a corner and proceeded down a long, poorly lit hallway. Just before he reached the restroom door, a man dressed in a leather coat and flat-brimmed leather hat materialized before him. The man grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him against the wall, raising him several inches off the floor with his clenched fist under Taylor's chin.

"So, you hate fags, and just t-today, you signed a d-document that you would support the furtherance of g-gay equality." There was a pause as the man stared menacingly into Taylor's face. His eyes were dark and moist with anger. Taylor stared back in shock. The man's ice-cold fist was cutting into his throat, and Taylor feared for his life. Then the man added, "You're pathetic!" He let Taylor slide down, released him, turned, and disappeared into vapor.

***

Book Spotlight: Square Affair by Tomothy J. Holt

Square Affair
by Timothy J. Holt
Gay Fiction/Historical

In the small Midwestern town of Dewers, among the turmoil of the 1960s, the conversations of five men lead to sexual exploration, which takes them and the town on a journey through good and evil that will change the entire community and confirm the town¹s resolve to survive.          

Arrested on charges of public indecency for anonymous sex in the courthouse restroom, five men reveal complex, unknown, and differing motivations for their actions. As they face not only criminal prosecution, but also the tribunal of Dewers, two questions are on their minds: Who am I, and is anyone out there like me?          

Clara May and Frieda, guardians of Dewers gossip, narrate Square Affair, where the reader becomes a citizen of Dewers: walking through the square, drinking in a bar, trick-or-treating, buying a hat in the local store and gossiping in a car. This candid narrative will draw you in from the start as you step into the shoes of the Dewers townsfolk.

***

Excerpt:

Gary is the only one in the group of 5 men to admit that he is gay. He is from Chicago but now lives in Dewers where he owns an insurance agency. Gary and Bob were roommates in college. Gary and the other men, Bob, James, Thomas, and Danny are life long citizens of Dewers. The 5 men meet at Squeaky’s Bar on The Square every Wednesday night for drinks while their wives go to church meetings.

Gary narrates the piece

I barely had sex in Dewers until I observed unusual activity in the courthouse restrooms. I discovered anonymous sex there. Problem is, it’s become an addiction. It bothers me, the restroom sex, but I can’t stop. Even when I’m in Chicago, I seek out the restrooms when there’s no need. For Christ’s sake, I can take men home to my apartment.

****

When I moved to Dewers, Bob and I had a routine. We’d meet every Wednesday evening at Squeaky’s for drinks. Drinks led to weekends of fishing and sex at Lake Warren and eventually to the courthouse bathrooms for sex. He discovered them on his own and often went without me. The danger of being discovered aroused us, pulled us into its web, and onto the cold concrete floor. The longer you go without being caught, the more you want to go. This must be like cocaine or heroin. We had an occasional romp in my apartment, but we preferred the sleaziness of the restrooms.

*****
Weekend at Lake Warren

Morning brought a chill in the air and a change in us. Danny was the first to wake up, “God, it’s cold in here. Who let the fire go out? Move over guys. I’m coming in bed for some warmth.” Danny climbed into bed on my side and snuggled. His back was to my front. We were spooning each other. Bob woke up shivering and cuddled up to me on the other side. Suddenly I got an erection. Next Danny got an erection, and then Bob got an erection. Bob spoke first, “You know you’ve got your dick between my legs.”

Danny commented, “And you’ve got your dick between my legs.”

We lay still for a few minutes with no one’s erections showing any signs of going away. I was the first to stroke Danny. There was no mistaking the sound of Danny’s moaning so Bob reached and stroked my erection. We became entwined and then the inevitable ejaculations. It was Bob who first leaned over to kiss me. Then the three of us were hugging and kissing. We fell asleep again cuddling.

I woke first and ran into Thomas and James kissing in the kitchen. “Excuse me. Did you two have a good night?” As they turned around, I could see that if they didn’t have a good night, they were going to have a good morning. Both were erect and red faced.

Thomas spoke first. “We were just …”

Finishing the sentence, I said, “Just kissing, I think.”

Thomas tried to change the subject, “But we’re not …we didn’t.  And how did you sleep last night? We heard a lot of commotion in your room.”

There was no need to lie. “After we had sex this morning, we all slept very well.”

It was James’ turn to look surprised. “You, all three, sex?”

I responded, “Yes, James, don’t get bug eyed. Stop drooling. You knew it was going to happen, and you’ve done it before, both of you.”

I turned around and noticed that Danny and Bob had walked in. Danny spoke. “Well, well what have we here, a little hanky panky?”

I was in a mood to be smug and responded for them.

“There’s no need to deny it. I’ve seen both of you many times going into the courthouse restrooms, far too many times for just a pee. I see the coffee is done. Let’s all put on some pants and go on the porch for a cup. I still need my morning pick me up.”

It was so quiet on the porch. I think you could hear fish swimming. Everyone was staring into their coffee cups and no one was drinking, except me. “I don’t know about you guys, but I like my coffee hot. If you don’t want it cold, you better start drinking.”

Almost in unison they all raised cups to lips and drank. Danny put his cup on the porch floor then spoke. “Gary and I are single, and the rest of you are married. I had some idea

from the bar discussions that something might be going on. But you guys are married. Have we all been in the courthouse bathrooms?”

I said, “Yes, they have. I’ve seen you all coming and going and I’m no stranger to those concrete floors. Once I knew it was good for anonymous sex, I kept watch on it from my office and apartment. You were all good about your timing. Nobody went on Saturday when The Square was full, but all of you must have known Sunday late morning and afternoon was a good time because everyone’s in church or having Sunday dinner with family. Late morning, early afternoon is also a good time. Kids are still in school and there aren’t many people shopping. You’d park on the outside of The Square and pretend you were using the courthouse grounds as a shortcut to the other side.”

Bob was watching with an open mouth. “Why didn’t you tell me you knew all of this? You knew I was having sex there and I knew you were, and occasionally we did together, but the others?”

I said, “I didn’t want to ruin a good thing. Obviously you all are into anonymous sex. I understand. We’re in a small town: small town attitude, small town gossip, small town life. You’ve urges you don’t understand, and one day, when you innocently go for a pee you find the source of those urges. I’ve known I liked men since high school, but no one told me either. Bob discovered he liked men while in college with me but fought it and got married anyway.”

The married men still weren’t willing to talk. I wondered if they just needed to have some time to come to grips with the fact that their secret life was not so secret anymore, at least among us.

***

Author Website:  http://www.timmholt.com

Amazon Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Square-Affair-Timmothy-J-Holt/dp/0692350640/