{"product_id":"grab-bag-3-paperback-1","title":"Grab Bag 3 - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eHabu\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe third of habu's \u003ci\u003eGrab Bag\u003c\/i\u003e short story anthologies is much like the first two, a totally unthemed gay male story collection that skips over the world in location and across time in setting and offers a variety of thoughtful themes, romance, humor, hot sex, irony, twist and\/or twisted endings, and much else that has dropped out of habu's fertile mind and into his computer on almost a daily basis during the past year. Included in this fifteen-story collection are, in addition to contemporary explorations of being an \"actively gay male\" in the United States, stories reflective of habu's past in Bangkok and Hong Kong; a few inspired by a recent trip to England, Wales, and Scotland, and even a short trip to Portugal as well as several exploring favorite themes of his: first times, older and younger men, black on white, surprise and unexpected twists, and the worlds of art and spies.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe anthology fittingly starts with a \"first time\" story, \"The Awakening,\" of a young man doing just that-awakening to his sexuality and his preference as he's thrust out into the world from a protected childhood. From there, the anthology takes a wide turn to the humorous in \"Best Job in the World,\" with a skin magazine editor receiving a surprise \"thanks\" visit from one of his unlikely authors. Turning to snarky, \"Lance's Secret\" is about the plight of a college fraternity house \"reliever.\"\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Emmet\" takes us to a university community, where a very proper university don develops a fixation on a black working-class neighbor and gives up all of his academic pretensions. \"Ernestine,\" which continues the black and white element, is one of habu's rare explorations into the world of transvestites.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Loving Wife\" turns to a somber note, with a real-world look at the threat to an older-younger, same-sex marriage built on the sex drive when the older partner is dying from cancer.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe zip off next for Portugal in \"Chaz's Choice\" for a \"rubber-meets-the-road\" decision that has to be made in the nasty world of spying. \"The Negotiator,\" the first of three England-based stories in the anthology, offers a different kind of espionage, as two men work each other as they each work to come out on top in an international business transaction.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"The Clothes Horse,\" takes us to Hong Kong for the story of a deal to exchange services for sexy men's clothes. In \"The Video List,\" a young man in rural Virginia learns that it's more exciting and profitable to be in gay sex videos than to work in a video store. \"The Celtic Sonata of Life\" crosses the Atlantic to England's Cotswolds and a special service vacation cottage. \"On a String in Bangkok\" takes the reader back across the world for a habu reminiscence about gay life in Bangkok in the mid-seventies and the particular meaning of being \"on a string.\"\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn a change-of-pace and timing piece for this anthology, \"Training Asu,\" set in an ancient Middle Eastern city, covers the coming-of-age initiation of a beautiful young man. \"So You Want to Be in Movies\" is the proverbial film producer office couch audition story, but laced with a bit of mystery and menace. The anthology ends with a historical piece set in Norwich, England, covering the developing professional life of a fine young artist who was willing to do anything to receive the mentoring of an older, accomplished artist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 194\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.45 x 8.5 x 5.51 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e February 08, 2013\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47250509037817,"sku":"9781922187253","price":17.53,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0789\/2782\/3097\/files\/ZnJkVDBGOHhNclFHUUZPdHRRQWlPdz09_601347f5-3466-48b2-849d-e5660dc94d9c.webp?v=1768660601","url":"https:\/\/bookscloud.io\/products\/grab-bag-3-paperback-1","provider":"BooksCloud Book Dropshipping","version":"1.0","type":"link"}