And why is it the best looking ones are always straight?

Drink your coffee -- people in Africa are sleeping.

The phone rang, picked up, and the same male voice announced, “Chris Powers." "Hey there, Chris. Are you aware it's a felony to make threats over the phone?" To give Powers his fair due, he got over his shock within a split second. “Try it, asshole. I dare you. My lawyers will have you for lunch.” He clicked off again. I did what any red-blooded American male would do. I called my big, ex-cop ex-boyfriend.

I'm a thirty-something gay man with a dodgy heart. I sell books for a living. Who wants to read about that?

The problem with a life spent reading is you know too much.

Not as intolerable as being dead, in my opinion, but I'm very fond of me. I would miss me a lot.

I dug out the powder blue cashmere cardigan my mother Lisa gave me the Christmas before last, pulled on my oldest, softest Levi’s. Comfort clothes; the next best thing to a hug from a warm, living body. Lately there had been a shortage of hugs in my life. Lately there had been a shortage of warm, living bodies.