www.barrybrennessel.com

Finalist, 25th Annual Lambda Literary Awards

Finalist, Regional Fiction Category, 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards

Finalist, 2012 ForeWord Book of the Year Awards

Finalist, 2012 Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest

Now available!

Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble, OmniLit,
Powell’s Books, Giovanni’s Room, MLR Press

Hardened beyond his nineteen years, Todd Webster Morgan is determined to find gold high in the Sierra Nevadas. But his dream is violently upended. Complicating matters even more, he meets a young Chinese immigrant named Lâo Jian, whose own dreams of finding gold have been quashed by violence.

But life back in Sacramento isn’t any easier. Todd’s mother struggles to make ends meet. His invalid uncle becomes increasingly angry. Todd seeks employment with little success. Meanwhile his friendship with Lâo Jian turns to love. But their relationship is strained as anti-Chinese sentiment grows.

Todd vows not to lose Lâo Jian. The couple must risk everything to make a life for themselves. A life that requires facing fear and prejudice head on. 

*****************************

“Brennessel not only gives us a love story but also a look at this country during a trying period and the emergence of California. We also get a look at racism in the way the Chinese in this country are regarded. 

Brennessel has done his homework and research well. Without giving away any of the details of the plot, the ending of the story left me wiped out. The writer is not only a wonderful story teller but he has also provided us with two wonderfully drawn characters thus giving us a read that will not be soon forgotten.”

 –Reviews by Amos Lassen

“’The Celestial’” is a rather sweet story, with a very emphatically happily-ever-after ending. I’m giving it four stars.”

–Review by Michael Joseph for Speak Its Name

I loved reading this novel. It has a compelling story, believable characters, and artful writing. Todd, the narrator, says this about a young man he meets in the mountains (before he runs into Lao Jian): “It was like staring into a meadow in springtime, and your eyes just don’t want to work themselves free of the colors when the wildflowers dance in the breeze.”

Regarding both Chinese and Irish immigrants, Todd says, “The law sure took umbrage when the criminal was a foreigner, but looked the other way when the foreigner was a victim.”

The short last chapter is one of the finest epilogues I’ve read. The first line alone, a date, found me wiping my eyes so that I could read on.

– Review by Ron Fritsch for Rainbow Book Reviews

“The Celestial is an impressive and remarkable story of a young man finding his way during life in California in the 1870s. Barry Brennessel skillfully brings to life an explosive period of time in American history through the characters of Todd Webster Morgan, his family, and his lover, Lao Jian. 

 Barry Brennessel packs a lot of life as well as history into this superlative story. Do not pass this book by. If you are not a fan of historical writing, this might make you one. If you are one already, this book will climb to the top of the pile. This book was a Finalist, 2012 Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association Literary Contest. It deserves that recognition and so much more.”

–Melanie for Joyfully Jay Reviews

“This book is a serious, thought provoking historical romance which showcases the diversity of this author’s talents.

If you like historicals, especially those in an unusual setting such as this one, then I highly recommend The Celestial to you as a wonderful read. Grade: Excellent.”

–Jenre, Well Read Reviews

“A heart-warming story about love conquering prejudice, supported by a truly Dickensian cast.

The Celestial is a wonderful, heart-warming book told with considerable flair. There’s just enough historical detail to ground the reader in a time and place, and those details are woven through the story in a sparse yet evocative way, bringing the places to life yet never overshadowing the characters and the story.

…a very fine story with a lot of colour and interest, a strong and likeable voice and a host of memorable characters. Warmly recommended.“

–Reviews by Jessewave

“Beautifully written with characters that live and breathe off of the written page, The Celestial is an epic adventure filled with romance, heartbreak, joy and of course hope. I loved every minute of this book and it’s earned a top spot on my keeper shelf where I know I’ll re-read it many times in the future. Highly Recommended!”

–Top 2 Bottom Reviews

“It’s unanimous: Barry Brennessel’s novel The Celestial is a great story! Todd and Lâo Jian persevere primarily because of the strength and love they derive from one another, and this is the inspirational theme that underlies the whole story. Highly recommended.”

– Gerry Burnie, Gerry B.’s Book Reviews

“Barry Brennessel’s The Celestial isn’t just a good read, it’s a wonderful experience. I felt as though I had traveled in time to the period of the gold rush and the westward movement across the North American continent.

This book is gently told and made me feel good just from reading it. This was my first book by Barry Brennessel but he immediately became a must read for me.”

–Mrs. Condit & Friends Read Books

A Best of 2012 Pick in the Historical Category at Joyfully Jay

A Best of Month Pick at Joyfully Jay (October 2012)

A Top Pick for 2012, Guest Reviewers’ List at Jessewave

Favorite M/M Historical of 2012 at Well Read

Finalist, Historical Fiction Category, 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards

Finalist 2006, 2008, and 2009 Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest

Honorable Mention, WriteSafe Art & Writing Competition

Now available!

Amazon (Kindle and Paperback)

Barnes and Noble (Nook and Paperback)

OmniLit

L&L Dreamspell

Vincent Rhodes, an artist whose family fortune has been lost in the Great Depression, receives four rambling letters from his brother, Theo, who went missing during the Great War in Europe.

Though postmarked April 1933, from Claremont, New Hampshire, the letters are dated 1918, the year Theo disappeared. Vincent leaves his Brooklyn flat to find him. Based on clues from the letters, Vincent tracks Theo to his last-known location: a decaying New England health resort known to locals as the Sulphur Cure.

There he meets Helen Sage-Brown, the last descendant of the original owners. Though Vincent is convinced his brother was at this strange complex, Miss Sage-Brown insists that she has never seen him.

As Vincent digs deeper into the lives of the eccentric residents in search of answers, he finds there is more to this place than sagging floors and broken windows. He discovers that the people inhabiting the old grounds have as many secrets as he does, and that his life will change forever once those secrets come to light.

L&L Dreamspell

The Sulphur Cure

Finalist, 24th Annual Lambda Literary Awards

Honorable Mention, 2011 Rainbow Awards 

3rd Place, 2010 PNWA Literary Contest

Micah Malone is just an average college student with an ordinary life and big dreams. And an intense passion for film and TV.  And a Greek Chorus in his head.

His friends create more drama than a soap opera.  His love life needs a laughtrack.

Can Micah ultimately find the direction he needs?

Let the cameras roll. Micah’s quirky story has begun filming.

Now available from:

MLR Press, Amazon, Amazon Kindle, All Romance/OmniLit,
Barnes and Noble, Powell’s Books, and Giovanni’s Room

“Barry Brennessel has written a wonderful novel. He creates a wonderful circle of friends that are imperfect but balance the group. I cried and laughed while reading this book and I look forward to many more novels from Barry.”

–Vonda for Top 2 Bottom Reviews

“Micah is actually rather a charming narrator who suffers a little from low self confidence when it comes to looks, and a general apathy about his studies and his life. In other words he’s a bit of a typical college student: rather self-absorbed, easily distracted and fond of socialising. That the author also manages to make him sympathetic and generally likeable is proof of the quality of the characterisation.  I thoroughly enjoyed being taken on the journey of Micah’s road to love. If you want to read something light-hearted and witty with a very likeable hero, then I’d recommend Tinseltown.”

–Jenre, Well Read Reviews 

Barry Brennssel’s debut novel, TINSELTOWN, has to be the most quirky, charming romance this reader has read in a long time. Never has a character felt more like a Woody Allen character in print in Mr Brennessel’s laugh out loud, sexy modern romance. The ever-adorable Micah Malone, complete with internal Greek Chorus, struggles to make his way in life and love.   It is well worth the read as the story and characters are just too loveable to not give a chance. Kick back, relax and enjoy the show, TINSELTOWN style!

–Jenn for The Romance Reviews

“This novel was a delightful experience, like a cup of chocolate with whipped cream above in a winter afternoon, and I will add also, in front of a fireplace.  The novel reads a lot like one of my every time favourite, Almost like Being in Love by Steve Kluger; the narrative voice breaks the plot in “scenes” and he introduces the characters as “roles”; sometime the same characters directly speak to the reader, giving their own account of the same scene. There is even a Greek Chorus, advising Micah for the best, and 2 different therapists who will sometime bring back Micah on track when he needs to tell the reader is own story; the state of art account of a 21 years old gay boy whose life has not yet routed on the right track. Micah had a more than advantage starting point, a supporting family, a circle of friends who are always there, ready to help and advice, and a set of assets (good looks, creativeness and positive attitude) that will give him the chance to a more than positive future… if he is able to understand what is really important in life and who is the right man for him.”

–Elisa Rolle

“The characters are real and very unique, their sense of humor bursting from each page, but even with all the teasing it was clear that they care. The sad parts of this book made me cry which is not an easy thing to do and I have to say it was done beautifully. This book is very special and I am certain it will find many fans among the readers.”

–Hearts on Fire Reviews

“I was pulled into the book from the very first page because of the character of Micah and also because the book is so well written. This is a bit different from other gay novels as it basically deals with a guy and his friends as they try to maneuver their way through life. The author has drawn some wonderful characters and when he puts dialogue into their mouths, the whole book comes alive.”

–Reviews by Amos Lassen

“In Tinseltown, you are taken on a wild ride through the life and mind of film student Micah. As crazy as each piece of the puzzle is, you find yourself caught up in having to know what happens next.  Tinseltown by Barry Brennessel was humorous and sad. But mostly, it was Micah’s story, and told from a unique perspective that makes me want to read more by Mr. Brennessel.”

–Jaymes in The Reader’s Roundtable

Micah, the narrator, most enjoyably sprinkles witty references at appropriate points throughout his story. In Tinseltown, they add to the story and advance the plot. And they often made me laugh out loud—literally.

So this amusing story goes in its first half. In the second, though, Brennessel suddenly drops a bomb. I never saw it coming, and I doubt any other reader will. And yet it’s appropriate and meaningful—and through an ‘amazing,’ as they say, number of subsequent pages on my Kindle left me in tears.

And it brings front and center two additional heavy loads (pun not intended, honestly) for Micah to bear. What was a highly entertaining novel becomes profound. Can Micah learn that searching for perfection in a partner, himself, or the world he lives in isn’t the way to go?

I highly recommend Tinseltown to any reader who wishes to savor entertainment and thought in the same delectable dish.

–Ron Fritsch for Rainbow Book Reviews

“At its heart, it is the story of Micah Malone — in many ways typical gay young man, but also with a (somewhat/at times) atypical storyline. Micah tends to be quite melodramatic and campy, but that’s what you gotta love about him. He has a very original voice and his film and TV obsession is shown through obscure references throughout the story.

This book had me doubled over laughing.”

–Cole, The Armchair Reader

Finalist, 2012 ForeWord Book of the Year Awards

Now available!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Books-a-Million

Powell’s Books

OmniLit

MLR Press

A small French city. A park near Tokyo. The Czech countryside. London at night. Lost loves and found loves. Fear and courage. Reflections. Rejections. Reconciliations. Romance.

These interconnected stories follow the adventures of Brian, Ondrej, Yuji, Jason, and others as they navigate the tumultuous path of life and love.

Featuring:

Shin-Kiba Park (Pushcart Prize nominee; from Gival Press’s ArLiJo)

Nagasaki (Dana Award finalist; from Polari Journal)

Unfinished (from SNReview)

Ficelle (from SNReview)

“Reunion is set in Tokyo and this is important in that we do not get many gay stories set in Asia and with Asian characters. But even more than that, the novel changes locales and we go to France, to London and to the Czech Republic and we get a series of interconnected stories that all follow the themes of life and love. Something else that is special here is that no one or two stories stand out. Each and every story is a wonderful read and not just the plots make them so good but the gorgeous prose and the way the writer uses emotions to draw us in.”

–Reviews by Amos Lassen

“Brennessel shows his mastery in crafting a surface story that is delightful on its own, yet also resonates with each of the other stories in the collection.

Each story is so intricately entwined with the others that it is difficult to point to any one as being a favorite, although the third story, ‘Nagasaki,’ came closest to earning that superlative[…]

This complex story within a story within a story is a beautiful experiment that succeeds on every level.  ’Shin-Kiba Park’ in this collection was nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize in 2008, and this completed collection deserves many more critical accolades.”

—Lambda Literary, Book Lovers

    Sete     Firenze

Sete: Now available from MLR Press, Amazon, and OmniLit

Firenze: Now available from MLR Press, Amazon, and OmniLit

Brandon Meier’s academic year in Europe takes him far beyond
museums, castles, and classrooms. When he embarks on a month-long rail journey,
his sightseeing includes an edgy French boy, a Carravagio-esque Italian, a rich
Swiss lad, a Croatian heartbreaker, and an Indonesian beauty in Amsterdam, to
name but a few. These are lessons no textbook can ever teach.

It’s not long before Brandon realizes that the best
sightseeing is almost always off the beaten path. From sultry nights in saunas,
to midnight strolls in seemingly endless parks, chance encounters in sleepy
seaside towns and nights of wining, dining, BMW convertibles and penthouse
apartments, Brian’s year in Europe is anything but “by the textbook.”

“It’s a petit-four of a story: tasty, with layers, and a mere mouthful. And sometimes a mouthful is all you want.”

–Cryselle’s review of Firenze for Reviews by Jessewave

Available from MLR Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and OmniLit

Brian Caleb made a lot of mistakes chasing his first love. A fleeting, confusing love that disappeared forever. He wishes it were a lifetime ago, but the pain is fresh and raw. Now he’s running away from love. And everything else in his life.

Then a chance encounter takes an unexpected turn: Brian finds himself falling for someone after something falls on someone!

They say true love comes when you’re not looking for it. That’s precisely what scares Brian. Can he find the courage to follow his heart again?

“The character of Brian, despite his many problems, stayed with me long after I finished the story which doesn’t happen all that often. This means that I’d happily recommend this story for those who are not necessarily looking for an easy read but would like something a little different with an anti-hero character.”

–Jenre for Brief Encounters Reviews