Threatened by the draft in the late sixties, he enlisted in the Army to avoid becoming a grunt, yet ended up one anyway. He endured a grueling war in Vietnam and then returned to a country too angry to care. While his journey took unexpected turns, his choices got him there, so he did his best to react positively and keep moving forward.Udden delivers his story in a comfortable, friendly style. He conveys the experiences of basic training, advanced infantry training, and what it was like to live, work, guard, patrol, and fight in the jungle. The reader will feel the adrenalin rush of a firefight, the thrill of a wild ride dangling below a helicopter, and the humor in celebrating his 21st birthday on a firebase.Through his words and personal photographs, you will live through his journey exactly as he experienced it.

    Now, after breaking up with his longtime boyfriend, Smith looks back to his painfully normal childhood to see where all the trouble really began. Like every other American kid, Bob's adolescence was marked by alternating moments of blissful ignorance, hazy confusion, and humiliating self-consciousness. And in these pages, Bob evokes his youth with a vividness that will make you shudder and howl with recognition.In these hysterically humorous pages, Bob Smith introduces readers to his comically unsympathetic grandmother, who makes light of his carsickness: "Bob only throws up because he's near the window and he can"; to his first teacher crush, whose "five-o'clock shadow could plunge a room into darkness"; and to his first brush with fame, when he fainted from his chair during a biology filmstrip ("Way to go, Smith!"). Sharp, observant, ingeniously ironic and wholly satisfying, this new Lambda Award-nominated collection is at once bittersweet nostalgic fun and a testament to the unquestionable gifts of a highly original comic writer.

    For three students in particular, it will be a year unlike any other, one that will alter the courses of their lives forever. There is Ian, the film buff trying to figure out his life—and how to catch the eye of the football player he can’t stop fantasizing about; Casey, the local football star whose future off the field is frustratingly uncertain; and Haile, the classical-music prodigy seeking refuge from a past life so that she may start anew as a singer-songwriter. Together the trio will form a fateful friendship, recounted through alternating first-person narratives. Sexy, fast-paced, and layered with intimate insight about life’s most formative years, The Fall is a compelling and contemporary coming-of-age story about what happens when we are forced for the first time to really confront who we are and who we want to become.

    Are you gutsy enough to try it? Rouse your inner gypsy/rebel with this intimate introduction to van dwelling. It’s stocked with DIY tips and tricks for turning a vehicle into a home (on any budget) and emotional resources to gracefully sidestep the psychological pitfalls of such an unconventional lifestyle. With concrete advice and personal reflection from an experienced solo van dweller, this guide thoroughly covers the basics of everyday life in a van with a refreshing twist of self-empowerment and a whole lotta sass.Topics covered inside: -- vehicle selection-- DIY ideas for customizing your mobile abode-- ventilation-- parking tips-- showering and toilet needs-- safety for solos-- earning an income-- mental health as a van dweller...and much more!

    One day… I wanted to explore the US in an RV. One day… I wanted to backpack in a foreign country. None of these things were happening because it seemed impossible to fit big adventures into a nine-to-five life. Until one day it hit me. One day was not just going to happen. I had to start taking the steps to make it happen and figure out how to fit it in. I got on the internet and searched for something to inspire me. I found the Becoming Ultra project. And thus began my journey to running a 50 mile race.

    But what happens one sunny Tuesday morning in October might be more than even the most loving couple can survive.When the bell rings that morning in chemistry teacher Sean Farnham's first-period class, a terrifying sound fills the halls - gunshots. Without considering the consequences, Sean runs to tackle the shooter, sustaining a bullet wound to his leg. Despite his actions, he is unable to save the lives of the principal and two students.Architect Kyle DeRusso hears about the shooting on the radio, and in the flash of an instant finds his life irrevocably altered. Everything - especially his heart - hangs suspended in a nightmare until he finds out Sean is alive. It doesn't matter that Sean will be left with a permanent limp. Kyle's just relieved the worst is over.Or is it? Putting that day behind them isn't as simple as it sounds. As Sean struggles to make something positive out of the tragedy, Kyle fights to save their relationship from the dangers of publicity - and Sean's unwillingness to face how the crisis has changed him.Warning: This book contains adults doing adult things, like using adult language and having hot m/m sex in various positions and on various furnishings. It might also cause the more tender-hearted adult to reach for a tissue or two.

    Living in the awesome gay candy store called South Beach, Brian Cohen laments his inability to score a great job or a sexy boyfriend--until he lands at the website GayLife.com, where his hunky boss may want more from him than just his management skills.

    and slowly falls in love. Mark, the model, has not been challenged in his life and is emotionally withdrawn. He returns to Chicago in the hopes of reconnecting with his college friends, but everyone has moved on without him, starting families and growing up. Chris, the writer, is socially awkward and introverted. He actively tries to be as invisible as possible. The two men meet one day in Chris' favorite park and strike up a friendship. Since this is written as a romance, you probably have a pretty good idea where the story goes from there. You'd be wrong. (Well... and kinda right.) I'm Chris and this is my story. It's not a traditional romance. This is my version of a Happily Ever After, which means Mark and I became great friends... and that's it. Mark and I end this first installment of my self-portrait in a Queer Platonic Relationship. There was cuddling and emotional closeness, but nothing remotely sexual... at least not to my mind. Mark obviously wanted more and he would eventually get it, but this book, Book One of It's Just Us Here, would have been my perfect, ideal romance. If you need banging and crazy monkey sex to keep your interest in a story, then jump in at Book Four of this self-portrait (The Lover). Otherwise, come along for the ride and meet the man who would sweep me off my feet, Mark Wolff, one of the top ten most self-absorbed men in the whole world. [NOTE: This book is a 95,000 word romantic self-portrait featuring the beginnings of a queer relationship. It is the first book of a trilogy, which is itself part of a larger trilogy. Low heat... for now. I don't think we need trigger warnings for this book, but future installments might warrant them. Maybe that can serve as enough of a warning? Warning: this book if full of life.]

    Geneticists rule, instituting a DNA-based caste system in their effort to restore the human genome.As a Zed, Will's a virtual slave who isn't allowed medical care. A tragic accident has left him crippled, awaiting death. Just before his time is up, Malcolm, an enigmatic Alpha with two differently colored eyes, sweeps in and buys him. Will becomes part of a family of freaks--other damaged Zeds who should be dead. Life seems ideal until Malcolm makes a request that could change Will's life.Malcolm harbors more secrets than his Zeds could imagine. His attraction to Will unravels his carefully cultivated control, and one secret escapes: he craves pain, not just as a sexual release, but as a way to atone for his past. Will may be the one person who can give him what he needs if Malcolm can only allow him into his heart.As they struggle to build trust, each secret Malcolm reveals threatens their relationship. In the end, their desire for each other may heal both men if they can unlearn the lessons of the past.In Distress is a dystopian, science-fiction love story and contains adult language and situations.

    By turns touching and comic, Reiser shares the intimate details of inspiring backstage moments with comedy greats such as Bill Cosby, Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, Carol Burnett, and Peter Falk, and what they taught him about life, work, and creativity. Finding himself at a loss for advice as his own children come of age, Reiser invokes an age-old joke — “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” — to remind us that some things never change, especially the eternal value of hard work and practice. It’s a lesson consigned with wisdom, humor and an unabashed love of life, by one of America’s most beloved comedians. As a seasoned actor, writer, and stand-up comedian, Paul Reiser has appeared in many films and television shows, including co-creating and starring in the critically acclaimed NBC series, Mad About You, which garnered him multiple Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild nominations. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Couplehood and Babyhood, and most recently, Familyhood. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two kids.

    And even more than that, it's the awe-inspiring life story of Kailen Combs Taylor. Kailen lived with a perpetual sense of wonder, maintaining immutable joy and resilient hope in the midst of some of life's most barbaric trials. Narrated with heartrending candor, this harrowing love story will make you laugh, cry, and frantically turn the page, often all at once. And long after you finish the book and fall back into the hectic fray of life, you may find Kailen's message still resonates in your heart: that life can be a fairytale, even when it's a tragedy. "Bryan has written a book which proves that even in the face of impossible odds, love never fails." -Christina Rasmussen, Author of Second Firsts: Live, Laugh, and Love Again

    Doms are Doms and subs are for spanking, flogging, and bossing around. Until he meets Tom, that is. Tom is deeply offended when the stranger in the bar takes him for some kind of slave boy. Well, offended and more than a little excited by the thought of surrendering to Mischa. Mischa being Mischa, their meeting results in Tom losing his virginity in a way that's hotter than even his wildest fantasies. Mischa is drawn to Tom and makes another appointment. And then another, initiating Tom to every kink Mischa knows. They aren't scenes, of course, because Mischa has a "one boy, one scene" rule. But then again, Tom isn't exactly like his usual boys, and Mischa finds himself falling in love, though nowhere near ready to admit it. Luckily, Tom isn't exactly your stereotypical slave. Life is good -- until Tom gets attacked, and Mischa has to fight harder than ever to make Tom realize that he isn't going anywhere. This is a second (lightly edited) edition of a book previously published by Torquere Publishing.

    I attend the best high-school, in Paris no less, I’ve got the coolest best friend, the fiercest girlfriend, and more importantly, I’m absolutely, a hundred per cent straight.So no, Michael, the new British student, with his dark curls and sweet smiles, doesn’t interest me whatsoever. I’m too busy anyway. I don’t have the time, or the need, to think about him at all. Not his hair, his British accent, or the way he makes me feel at times, when I’m alone and everything morphs into his handsome face…Did I mention everything’s perfectly fine?This is not the year I’m going to lose control, and possibly everything that matters to me, just because of one disorienting, unnerving, life-shattering English guy.In this coming of age love story, Louis, a snarky student at an International High-School in Paris will struggle to admit the truth to himself and his loved ones as he wrestles with his sexuality.Will he find the courage to accept who is he before it's too late?I Want To Kiss You In Public is a story about love, friendship, truth and heartbreak, packed with funny dialogue, and comes with its own Spotify Rock Playlist. It contains soft drugs and alcohol consumption as well as cursing.This book was previously published with a different cover.

    At least that's how it is in my wolf pack, has been since high school. There's only two problems with that: one, I'm a man, and two, I'm human. Back from college and armed with my teaching certificate all I want is to quietly teach chemistry to the kids of my hometown, wolf and human alike, but its never that easy in Silver Branch. Weird things start to happen, a hot guy shows up, and suddenly I'm mixed into affairs probably better left to wizards and shifters. Nick Duval My family sucks, my pack sucks and all I've ever wanted was to get break free and leave to live life on my own terms. But I can't risk the danger that would put my Mom and little brothers in so I'm trapped pretending to be the perfect son and Alpha heir. My overbearing father has finally set his ultimatum, marry the adopted human son of his dead best friend or the woman of his choosing. I'm gay, so neither option is particularly appealing to me. However, when I meet this human I know he's the one for me, all I have to do is convince him. All hell breaks loose and I start to find that the biggest challenge might not be convincing my Mate, but rather keeping him. Can Nick, Billy, and the other residents of Silver Branch band together to stop the monster someone is trying to summon in their midst? Can they keep their hands off each other long enough to save the world? Beginnings is an M/M non-mpreg shifter romance intended for adults only. It contains swear words, some violence, and sexy times.

    Lucas, a Dom without a sub. Two police officers with traumatic pasts. Alexi is hurting since his break up with Chase, but he has to put that aside when Chase brings a case from Club Darkfall to his precinct. The Chief is aware of his lifestyle so Alexi is automatically assigned the case. Of course he will need a partner to play his Dom, and Lucas is the only one who can pull it off. Lucas has been watching, he has seen Alexi’s pain and the way he and Chase have been hurting each other. He wants it to stop. This is his chance to make Alexi his Boy and he's going to take it. Alexi will be his. Now they must work together, go undercover, to take down a group that is hiding a murderer. The risk is high, it’s dangerous, but Lucas and Alexi can't fail the victims. Can they find love, in the midst, or will the fear and pain stop them from completely trusting each other?