Wrestling Reality: The Life and Mind of Chris Kanyon, Wrestling's Gay Superstar


Chris Kanyon - 2008
    One of the most popular wrestlers of the late 1990s, Kanyon kept his personal life private from his fans until finally revealing his biggest secret in 2004: he was gay. Going through the various roles that Kanyon played, both in the ring and out of it, as well as his battle with manic depression, this book explores the factors that led to his suicide in 2010. In his voice and the way he wanted it told, these are Kanyon’s last words about his experience rising through the ranks to the top of the professional wrestling world while keeping his sexuality hidden.

Mensch: Beyond the Cones


Jonathan Harding - 2019
     From the practical aspects on the training ground to the collective strength of the coaching community, some of the smartest minds in the game take you closer to understanding the human aspects required to nurture young professionals. Germany’s model is not perfect and constantly evolving so there’s also a look at what should be the next step for Germany’s coaching after a disastrous 2018 World Cup. As English players look to Germany to further their own careers, Mensch looks at what the wider football world can learn from a country and a coaching culture so clearly in love with the beautiful game.

Stroke Rate


L.M. Somerton - 2013
    However, unbeknown to Benedict, he has attracted the attention of Lucien Thorne, rowing aristocracy, an Olympic medallist and a Lord.Whilst looking for a new rowing partner, Lucien believes he has found what he needs in Ben. He pushes him to his limits on the water and it becomes clear that rowing with the pretty young man is not his only interest. Ben is attracted to Lucien but confused about his feelings. Lucien is demanding, arrogant and dominant—which Benedict responds to even though he feels he should resist.Fighting emotions he doesn’t understand, Ben has to contend with the bullying rowing club president and a humiliating auction of promises.Lucien recognises Ben’s hidden submissive streak and makes his own need for control very clear. He bids for Ben’s time and then forces Ben to admit to his own desire to test the ground between them.When the deeds to the boat club are gambled away, Lucien and Ben must work together to save it. Will their growing love survive the pressure, Ben’s uncertainty and Lucien’s desire to own him completely?

The Didi Man


Dietmar Hamann - 2012
    The foreigner with a Scouse accent. The German who now plays cricket for his local village team. The overseas footballer turned anglophile who fell deeply in love with the city of Liverpool, its people and its eponymous football club.The classy midfielder had a long and distinguished playing career, but it was his seven seasons at Anfield that marked him out forever as a true Liverpool legend. His cult status was secured when he came off the bench at half-time during the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul to inspire his team to a dramatic come-back and spectacular European glory.The Didi Man is Hamann's warm, personal and highly entertaining story of his time on Merseyside at a football club which will always have a very special place in his heart.

Building Heat


K. Sterling - 2015
     12C- Avery McKannery is one of New York City’s most powerful and ruthless lawyers. Professionally, he’s unstoppable and intimidating, destroying everyone in his path. Privately, Avery has issues. Serious issues. And absolutely no personal life beyond silently lusting after the guy next door. 12B- Mason Whitfield has an impressive career in publishing, wrote an incredible book that no one’s read and lives for music. After a humiliating and devastating breakup, he’s avoided dating. Secretly, he’s been casually stalking the ridiculously hot lawyer in 12C. Mason whistled as he skipped up the steps and nodded to the doorman as he entered the lobby. He saw the elevator doors closing and for some reason, he ran for them instead of waiting two minutes for the elevator to return. He grabbed one of the doors and pushed just before they closed and they slid open. Mason smiled as he stepped forward and froze when his eyes met 12C’s. Mason stepped forward and 12C remained still as the doors closed behind Mason, instead of stepping back and giving him room. Once again, they were chest to chest, Mason’s t-shirt brushed against the buttons of 12C’s shirt as he inhaled and Mason let his head fall to the side as he searched 12C’s eyes. Mason saw 12C’s eyes flick to his lips and they were plunged into heat as the elevator went up. There was a groan, Mason wasn't sure who started it but it passed through both of them as his hands closed around 12C’s face and their lips collided. Mason felt his body moving forward, backing 12C against the wall as his tongue traced 12C’s lower lip. 12C gasped and his hands clutched at Mason’s shirt, pulling him closer. Mason’s tongue surged into 12C’s mouth and twirled around his tongue. Mason moaned as he tasted cherries and beer, his tongue swept deep and greedy into 12C’s mouth, searching for more. 12C’s hand burned through Mason’s clothes as it slid down his back. Mason’s eyes flared as he felt 12C’s hand close around his ass and pull him hard against his very large erection. Mason growled in approval as he rocked his hips against 12C. He felt 12C’s other hand slide into his hair as their hearts pounded savagely against each other’s chests. Mason let his fingertips glide down 12C’s neck and chest before he fisted his hands in 12C’s shirt as he angled his head and sucked on 12C’s tongue. The bing of the elevator had their heads snapping up as the doors slid open. Stunned and breathless, Mason stepped back and looked around. What just happened? Mason blinked as he looked back at 12C. There was no help there as Mason met 12C’s glazed expression. They both moved silently into the hall and turned toward their doors. Autopilot kicked in and they walked side by side until Mason reached his door and pulled his keys from his pocket. He fumbled at the lock as 12C continued on to his door. Once he was in his apartment, Mason looked around, disoriented and painfully aroused. “What the hell was that?” Mason whispered as he pressed his hand to his chest, trying to get his breathing to settle. His brows pulled together as he looked in the direction of 12C. “Why am I here and not over there?” He asked as he tried to string his thoughts together and make something coherent happen. There was no doubting 12C’s interest after that. "Go over there!" Mason’s brain and throbbing cock urged. He nodded as he looked down at his clothes. Zeppelin t-shirt, jeans and leather flip flops. He wasn’t sure if he should change before he went over.

The Quarterback


Mackenzie Blair - 2017
    Matt is also very much in the closet, and he thinks he’s kept his secret well hidden. Until his best friends take him to a happy endings massage parlor and request a male masseuse for him. In walks Trevor Kim, a gorgeous, pierced, tattooed fellow Bodine student who does massages—without happy endings—to pay for school after his family kicked him out for being gay. Trevor takes one look at Matt and breaks all his own rules about mixing business with pleasure.Matt needs to keep his scholarship, win the National Championship, and survive his asshole father. Instead, he falls in love. Trevor needs to accept that the football god is meant to end up with him rather than a perky cheerleader. It’s time for a happy ever after for both of them.

Bounce Down: 1st Quarter: Start of Play


Lorraine Loveit - 2014
     Brendon is an AFL footballer who advertises on the internet for a submissive. Suzie, a secretary at Homicide Squad, is curious and answers his ad. Theirs is a story plagued with anguish and subjugation, as they each struggle to find themselves; from the thrills of power play to the depths of self-degradation. They are both inexperienced in the roles they play and as this tragic relationship develops, Brendon and Suzie each realise they want more. Will Suzie get the respect she deserves and will Brendon finally admit how important she has become? This standalone 60,000 word relationship romance is part of the Playing the Game: 4 Quarters of Submission series. Part II Getting Tackled release date 1st June 2014. Excerpt from Bounce Down: "He forced my lips apart and as he thrust his tongue deep, I vaguely wondered how it would feel between my legs. The power of his savage assault momentarily stunned me, before I was caught up in the passionate embrace and returned his deep, mind-blowing kiss. I had never experienced a kiss like that before. In fact, kiss was too mild a word for what we were doing. I felt light headed and questioned how long I could go without breathing. Brendon must have also reached his limit, as he soon broke contact and hauled in a ragged breath. I stared into his eyes and noticed their colour had changed to a darker blue, almost like the ocean. I had enough time to take another breath before he claimed my mouth once more. I knew my lips would be bruised and swollen but I didn’t care. I wanted to savour whatever attention he chose to give me. Eventually he relented and resting his forehead against mine, closed his eyes as he took another breath. My own breathing was shallow and rapid, like I had been running. On opening his eyes he held my gaze for a long moment, as though he was contemplating his next move."

Plan B


S.J.D. Peterson - 2013
    One night at a frat party, Danny meets Lance Lenard, football jock and apparent straight guy. Lance is shocked when he's immediately attracted to Danny's feminine side. Danny is happy to be the subject of Lance's first man-on-man experiment—until Lance begins to struggle with the fact that despite his appearance, Danny is indeed a man.Lance's whole life has been focused on his goal of playing in the NFL, and he knows those dreams will be smashed if anyone finds out about his little secret. Although Lance has come to hunger for Danny's touch, he's not willing to give Danny what he's grown to crave: a boyfriend who's proud to love him for every flamboyant and snarky cell in his body.Life sends Danny and Lance in different directions, each of them focused on his respective Plan A. But the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

How NOT to be a Football Millionaire - Keith Gillespie My Autobiography


Keith Gillespie - 2013
    And lost a lot.One afternoon he added up how much he had squandered during the course of his professional career. It made for uncomfortable reading...Manchester United £60,000Newcastle United £1,102,000Blackburn Rovers £3,510,000Leicester City £1,050,000Sheffield United £670,000Bradford City £15,000 Glentoran £43,875Total (plus extras) £7,215,875That day seemed a world away from 1993 when he burst on to the scene as a fresh-faced young star with Manchester United. A dark-haired lad from the streets of Northern Ireland with a God-given talent, he was dubbed the new George Best.One of the famous Fergie fledglings, he made his debut aged just 17 before moving on to Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle where he came so close to landing a Premiership title winner’s medal. International caps piled up too. It was a thrilling adventure. Flying down the wing and sharing pitches and dressing rooms with legends, but behind the success and glamour, it was a different story.Like Best, Gillespie had a talent for self-destruction. He liked a drink and there were women but they weren’t causing a big problem – it was keeping hold of the millions he had earned from the game that ultimately proved his downfall.It wasn’t just about gambling. A nightmare ordeal during a training break in La Manga landed him in jail for a crime he did not commit. Then, in 2010, Gillespie became headline news again when a series of flawed business deals saw him declared bankrupt.How Not To Be A Football Millionaire is one of the most honest autobiographies you will read, about a player who lived the football life to the full.It tells a fascinating and moving human story of the darker side of the glory game. About winning and losing, fortune and fate, hope and heartache... About having the world at your feet and being left to ask yourself: ‘Where did it all go wrong?

Against the Current


Elaine Ashford - 2016
    He works hard, and plays harder. He's got no complaints...except for his new teammate.Jake gets on his last nerve. First he criticizes Miles' form, then beats his time during practice. It wouldn't be so bad if he weren't so unnervingly sexy--Miles doesn't know whether to punch him or kiss him.Too bad Jake is straight. A quiet, determined Adonis... Jake Anderson won't compromise his swimming for anyone, even hotshot Miles. But he doesn't mean to get under the other man's skin...he'd rather be right up against it. His steely self-control seems to melt when Miles is around.Too bad Miles is straight and can't stand him. Jake can't stop imagining what it would be like if they both lost control--together. Turbulent waters... No one's more surprised than Miles and Jake when their rivalry becomes something much more intimate. But keeping what they've found is like swimming upstream. Can they prevail against the forces pushing them apart, or is a real relationship forever out of their reach?Against the Current is a standalone 22000 word new adult MM romance novella with no cheating and a happy ending.

Mourinho: Further Anatomy of a Winner


Patrick Barclay - 2011
    From translator and assistant to Sir Bobby Robson at Barcelona, to Champions League-winning manager at Porto and on to turning Chelsea into one of Europe`s most successful clubs, followed by Champions League victory at Inter-Milan, and now manager of Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho`s ascent has been rapid. Backed by Abramovich`s billions, Mourinho weeded out those not fully committed to his methods, made several astute signings and improved the performances of many Chelsea stars. The result: in his first season in 2005, Chelsea won both the Premier League title and the Carling Cup, followed by another title the following season. Mourinho then left for Inter-Milan where he delivered a treble in his second season in charge, and is now tasked with bringing Real Madrid`s `Galacticos` the silverware they crave. Further Anatomy of a Winner is an intelligent, analytical and now fully updated account of the life and psychology of one of the greatest football managers.

Da Bears!: How the 1985 Monsters of the Midway Became the Greatest Team in NFL History


Steve Delsohn - 2010
    Da Bears! tells the full story of the ’85 legends—with all the contro­versy and excitement—on the field and off. It’s been 25 years since the Chicago Bears won Super Bowl XX with what Bill Parcells called “the best de­fensive team I’ve ever seen” and an offense surprisingly good for a franchise where offense was often a dirty word. Now, for the first time, an incredibly candid book takes you through all the games and behind the scenes—into the huddles, the locker rooms, the team meetings, and of course the bars—for an intimate ac­count of that unforgettable season. Here’s how a team that got booed in its regular-season opener ended up winning its first world cham­pionship in 22 years, led by the most capable, colorful, and un-PC characters ever to strap on helmets—including Jim McMahon, the hard partyer and so-called punk rocker who became a star quarterback and an antihero; William “Refrigerator” Perry, the rookie giant who turned into a full-blown national sensation; Mike Ditka, the legendarily combative head coach called “Sybil” for his mercurial moods; his nemesis, defensive coordinator, Buddy Ryan, who insulted and broke down his players, then built them back up again, military-style; Walter Payton, the hard-nosed running back and mischievous prankster; and middle linebacker Mike Singletary, known for his leadership and his jarring hits.  From the inner workings of their innovative and attacking 46 defense to the inside story of their cocky “Super Bowl Shuffle” music video (shot, amazingly, right after their one loss of the season, to Miami), all the setbacks and triumphs, ferocious hits and foibles, of this once-in-a-lifetime team are recaptured brashly and boldly—the Chicago way.

You'll Win Nothing With Kids


Jim White - 2007
    You'll find Jim in the same place every week, failing to organise a bunch of lads into something resembling a team while on the far side of the park his opposite number, a wannabe Mourinho in brashly monogrammed tracksuit, struts the sidelines, shouting - always shouting. This is the hilarious story of Jim White's time as manager of his son's football team: the highs, the lows, and the dog turd in the centre circle. At this level, winning spirit is not so much about passion, pride and belief as praying that your star centre forward has remembered his boots. Most importantly, it's about the enduring relationship between fathers, sons and football. This is the story no one who has ever watched his or her child play sport will want to miss.

Reboot : My Life, My Time


Michael Owen - 2019
    But this is the story I’ve been waiting to tell. It’s my time to set the record straight.’ One of the most naturally talented footballers of the modern era, Michael Owen’s career has always divided opinion among fans. From the age of only seven, his life was mapped out as a professional footballer. At 17, he made his Premier League debut. At 18, he was a Golden Boot winner and England’s youngest goalscorer at a World Cup. As he turned 22, he became the second youngest player to lift the Ballon d’Or. Owen would go on to lift every domestic trophy and play in three World Cups. But his career path took him in directions he could never have foreseen. Lines were crossed. Headlines were written. Injuries took their toll. Fans made up their minds… Owen penned a previous autobiography in 2004 but feels that only now, six years on from hanging up his boots, can he really open up on what really happened behind the scenes. It makes for a revealing, explosive read.

Lucky


Garrett Leigh - 2018
    There are no trophies for being gay in his game. Locked into his rep as the meanest defender on the pitch, keeping his secret is soul-crushing, but love has no place in his sport, even if his soft heart craves it. Lucky Coleman is on his knees when he meets a man with more money than sense. It’s a Grindr hook-up for cash, not a love match, but dreaming of his desperate, kind eyes earns a place amongst his numerous bad habits. Meeting once was risky, twice pushes Dom’s courage to the limit. Losing Lucky seems inevitable, but his tight grip on his image counts for nothing when Lucky starts to fall. Catching him could cost Dom everything, but if he can set his heart free, getting Lucky long term might be a risk worth taking.