Holiday themed LGBTQ+ story recommendations

[W_L]

It's that time of year again, when people are frantically trying to find gifts and dreaming of snow.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Festivus, Solstice, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, or one of the many other holidays that mark this time of year, it's part of your life.

Last year, I bought and read Leta Blake's Mr. Frosty Pants, which I've re-read again in anticipation of Christmas. It was one of my 1st purchases into the world of published gay fiction and even a year later, I still find myself enchanted by the sweet story of 2 Tennessee guys reconnecting/finding love at Christmas (sue me, I know I am hopeless romantic). Since then, I've expanded my reading across the romance, mystery, thriller, and science fiction among LGBT story spectrum during COVID-19.

This year, I can recommend another novella, actually a series from a British author, A Kiss Before Christmas by Ali Ryecart, it's a novella with no sexual content, which is a novelty in gay fiction writing that I appreciate as a change of pace This story centers on Jack de Lacy, a 26 years old London business professional recently betrayed by his long term boyfriend and Rory Kincaid, a 21 year old homeless boy, who tried to sleep outside the door of his London flat. Being Christmas, Jack offers Rory food and a place to stay for a night, which becomes a longer committment than either of them had thought. I was shocked that there was no sex in this story (Bravo for the narrative that kept me interested and invested, though to be fair, I am a fan of Dickens so I am used to poor waif boys finding hope in the hopeless streets of London).

With that said, I wonder if anyone else has recommendations for holiday themed LGBTQ stories, either on here or published. I know I organized a little story contest several years ago, but there must be more since then. This is a nice specialty genre within fiction, I can't imagine that the selections are so few.

 

[MrM]

Though not strictly 'Holiday' as a theme, it does end up where, apparently, Santa Claus actually lives in Finland.

It also touts Winter as the warmest season for reasons that far transcend a nice fire in a. big fireplace. It also has a 'Last Christmas' feel with a focus on skiing.

I give you Snowflake: A Love Story:

 

Edited November 22, 2020 by MrM