Earlier this month (November 2), I posted about a book that means a lot to me. It’s a small one – just 44 pages in paperback, less than 6,000 words long – and I wish it were longer because it would have meant John Theriac had been able to write more.
Kinky, Queer Love collects the stories my partner John wrote during the time I knew him (not counting his science fiction and fantasy, published under another name I’m not ready to link to this one) before his death in 2020. This includes two stories released in the Erato anthology, a story that had been accepted by a different project that unfortunately was canceled, and a piece he’d finished only days before his unexpected loss.
It also features one of his and my favorite photos for cover art. I feel like it’s such a great encapsulation of things had delighted him in his gender and sexuality—the nail polish, the soft sash binding, the cozy blankets.
Kinky, Queer Love is available as a pay-what-you-want ebook from Smashwords or for 99 cents on Amazon. All royalties earned will be donated to Trans Lifeline. But please know you’re welcome to read for free – the goal of this collection is to get these stories into the world, and money shouldn’t be a barrier. The paperback version is available from Amazon for $5 to cover printing and shipping, with anything left over also becoming a donation. (In the future, I’d like to find a way to offer paperback copies more directly than through Amazon, but restrictions on “adult content” at many ecommerce sites limit the options.)
I’m happy to share this screencap receipt of the most recent donation I made to Trans Lifeline from money received for this book:
Since the book is available for free, each of those dollars donated shows someone’s generosity. I keep track of all sales of KQL and will make another donation when the accrued amount is in the $10-$15 region. If you’re one of the readers – or about to become one – thank you.
I’d also like to thank the editors of the anthologies that first accepted these stories, including Alex and Guinevere, my co-editors at the New Smut Project, who made the decision on “Gear Queer” and “Ones and Zeroes” (I held back since my knowledge of the author biased me).
And thanks to John, for the memories and the words.
