Beach Reading

By Mark Abramson

The first title in Mark Abramson’s exciting new series of romantic novels, set in romantic San Francisco, all with a taste of adventure, a touch of magic and lots of San Francisciana. Gay tourists are arriving en masse for the “party of the decade” at the Moscone Center, a tribute to the late disco star Sylvester. On the same night as the dance party, some of Tim’s activist friends are planning to protest Arlo Montgomery's crusade against gay rights. Tim is so upset about his recent break-up with Jason that he hasn’t paid attention to either of the events and signs up to work at ARTS instead. On the previous Sunday afternoon Tim heads to the South of Market bars on the F-Market streetcar and meets a retired dancer named Vanessa, who tries to involve him in an assassination plot along with her ailing brother Harley and his abundant supply of “medicinal” marijuana. Tim sees a picture in the newspaper of his high school track coach David Anderson, the man who brought him out, with the homophobic preacher. By mid-week Dave tracks down Tim at the Midnight Sun and tells him he has a secret weapon to bring down Arlo Montgomery in San Francisco.

"The first volume in Mark Abramson's Beach Reading series pits a brokenhearted, barhopping Castro hero against a seething homophobe, set against the backdrop of a colossal dance party honoring 80s music legend Sylvester. Call it literary levity on overdrive, but it's also a sunny, campy, quick-witted gem, and a sheer delight. Abramson, a Castro-area resident for 30-plus years, is among the newest local writers to emerge with books set in and about San Francisco. The storyline is a simple one. Tim Snow, a waiter and a regular fixture in Castro and South of Market bars, lives a semi-normal life in his beloved Upper Market abode, with the exception of getting stoned too often and attempting to circumnavigate his ex-boyfriend, who keeps popping up. The gay community is abuzz with anticipation for the star-studded Sylvester tribute party, but a nasty anti-gay organizer is planning a protest nearby that same night. Counterintelligence is carefully planned with Tim and Company, with a few subplot surprises thrown in.
Abramson knows well of what he writes. He migrated to San Francisco from Minnesota back in 1975, and enjoyed the friendship of John Preston, a former Advocate editor, as well as a livelihood comprised of bartending and dance-event producing. It was a completely different Castro back then, he says. Forthcoming books in the series will focus on contemporary subjects such as gay marriage, the side effects of HIV anti-retroviral drugs, identity theft, and open relationships. But Abramson intends on keeping everything on the lighter side." - Bay Area Reporter

"Abramson's first in a series of books to come, this charming tale takes place in that shining homo beacon in the bay--San Francisco. Whether it's celebrating disco queernery, battling homophobia or getting over that pesky ex, this book's got you covered. And who ever said that protests were unflattering?" - HX Magazine

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lethe Press
• Release date: Jun 24, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452467474

Mark Abramson

Mark Abramson is the author of the best-selling Beach Reading mystery series published by Lethe Press. He has also written the non-fiction books "For My Brothers," an AIDS Memoir, and "Sex, Drugs & Disco - San Francisco Diaries from the pre-AIDS Era" and its sequel, "MORE Sex, Drugs & Disco." His next book "Minnesota Boy" is a memoir about his coming out years while in college in Minneapolis.

Reviews for Beach Reading

[jules0623 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

It just didn't seem to go anywhere. Dull characters, rambling paragraphs that lead nowhere. I gave up at 40%.