Donald Weise - Editor

I oversaw publication of 20 new titles a year, including memoir, sexuality, mystery, popular culture, history, and fiction. I was responsible for all manuscript evaluation, acquisition, and line editing, as well as writing all cover copy and sales, marketing, and publicity materials. I was honored by Publishers Weekly for work performed.

Chulito

Charles Rice-Gonzalez

"A tremendous debut...full of heart and courage and a ferocious honesty."-Junot Diaz, author of The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Set against a vibrant South Bronx neighborhood and the queer youth culture of Manhattan's piers, Chulito is a coming-of-age, coming out love story of a sexy, tough, hip hop-loving, young Latino man and the colorful characters who populate his block. Chulito, whi... read more

"A tremendous debut...full of heart and courage and a ferocious honesty."-Junot Diaz, author of The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Set against a vibrant South Bronx neighborhood and the queer youth culture of Manhattan's piers, Chulito is a coming-of-age, coming out love story of a sexy, tough, hip hop-loving, young Latino man and the colorful characters who populate his block. Chulito, whi... read more

Basketball Jones

E. Lynn Harris

AJ Richardson is living the good life. Thanks to his longtime lover, NBA star Dray Jones, he has a gorgeous townhouse in New Orleans, plenty of frequent-flier miles, and an MBA he’s never had to use. Built on a deep and abiding love, their hidden relationship sustains them both. But when Dray’s teammates begin to ask insinuating questions, Dray puts their doubts to rest by marrying Judi, a bea... read more

AJ Richardson is living the good life. Thanks to his longtime lover, NBA star Dray Jones, he has a gorgeous townhouse in New Orleans, plenty of frequent-flier miles, and an MBA he’s never had to use. Built on a deep and abiding love, their hidden relationship sustains them both. But when Dray’s teammates begin to ask insinuating questions, Dray puts their doubts to rest by marrying Judi, a bea... read more

Mama Dearest

E. Lynn Harris

One of E. Lynn Harris's incomparable heroines, Yancey Harrington Braxton, is working her way back to Broadway and beyond. And this diva supreme always stirs up drama in and out of the spotlight.... New York City, you've been warned: Yancey Harrington Braxton is back. The ambitious singer and actress is fired up to move past her recent professional and personal setbacks -- including an explosiv... read more

One of E. Lynn Harris's incomparable heroines, Yancey Harrington Braxton, is working her way back to Broadway and beyond. And this diva supreme always stirs up drama in and out of the spotlight.... New York City, you've been warned: Yancey Harrington Braxton is back. The ambitious singer and actress is fired up to move past her recent professional and personal setbacks -- including an explosiv... read more

The History of Swimming: A Memoir

Kim Powers

They entered the world just five minutes apart, twins swimming out of the womb together, already arguing about who got to lead the way. They grew up together, best friends with rhyming names. They even went to the same college — where one of them had a nervous breakdown, and the other didn’t. Grown-up, one of them became a suicidal drunk, the other a success. Now, one is missing, and the other... read more

They entered the world just five minutes apart, twins swimming out of the womb together, already arguing about who got to lead the way. They grew up together, best friends with rhyming names. They even went to the same college — where one of them had a nervous breakdown, and the other didn’t. Grown-up, one of them became a suicidal drunk, the other a success. Now, one is missing, and the other... read more

The Sea Is Quiet Tonight

Michael H. Ward

In this insightful and inspirational memoir, Michael Ward returns to the early years of the AIDS epidemic, when so little was known and so few who were diagnosed survived. He chronicles in candid detail his partner Mark's decline and eventual death. By looking back on these devastating events, the author not only honors a generation lost to the illness but also opens a vital window onto the pa... read more

In this insightful and inspirational memoir, Michael Ward returns to the early years of the AIDS epidemic, when so little was known and so few who were diagnosed survived. He chronicles in candid detail his partner Mark's decline and eventual death. By looking back on these devastating events, the author not only honors a generation lost to the illness but also opens a vital window onto the pa... read more

When We Were Outlaws

Jeanne Cordova

Lambda Literary Award Winner - Lesbian Memoir 2011A sweeping memoir, a raw and intimate chronicle of a young activist torn between conflicting personal longings and political goals. When We Were Outlaws offers a rare view of the life of a radical lesbian during the early cultural struggle for gay rights, Women’s Liberation, and the New Left of the 1970s. Brash and ambitious, activist Jeanne Có... read more

Lambda Literary Award Winner - Lesbian Memoir 2011A sweeping memoir, a raw and intimate chronicle of a young activist torn between conflicting personal longings and political goals. When We Were Outlaws offers a rare view of the life of a radical lesbian during the early cultural struggle for gay rights, Women’s Liberation, and the New Left of the 1970s. Brash and ambitious, activist Jeanne Có... read more

Selfish and Perverse

Bob Smith

When a burned-out Hollywood sketch show writer named Nelson Kunker meets and falls for Roy Briggs, a part-time salmon fisherman/full-time archaeology student who's visiting from Alaska, hilarity, love, and debauchery ensue.Bob Smith has the distinction of being the first openly gay comedian to appear on The Tonight Show and also have his own episode of HBO Comedy Half-Hour. He lives in New York.

When a burned-out Hollywood sketch show writer named Nelson Kunker meets and falls for Roy Briggs, a part-time salmon fisherman/full-time archaeology student who's visiting from Alaska, hilarity, love, and debauchery ensue.Bob Smith has the distinction of being the first openly gay comedian to appear on The Tonight Show and also have his own episode of HBO Comedy Half-Hour. He lives in New York.

Through the Valley of the Nest of Spiders

Samuel R. Delany

Like his legendary Hogg, The Mad Man, and the million-seller Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany’s major new novel Through the Valley of the Nest of Spiders—explicit, poetic, philosophical, and, yes, shocking—propels readers into a gay sexual culture unknown to most urban gay men and women, a network of rural gay relations—with the twist that this one is supported by the homophile Kyle Foundation, star... read more

Like his legendary Hogg, The Mad Man, and the million-seller Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany’s major new novel Through the Valley of the Nest of Spiders—explicit, poetic, philosophical, and, yes, shocking—propels readers into a gay sexual culture unknown to most urban gay men and women, a network of rural gay relations—with the twist that this one is supported by the homophile Kyle Foundation, star... read more

The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens: A Memoir of the Beales, the Maysles Brothers, and Jacqueline Kennedy

Jerry Torre, Tony Maietta

The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens is Jerry Torre’s touching and at times haunting memoir about his teenage days as caretaker of Grey Gardens, the now-celebrated mansion chronicled in the iconic documentary Grey Gardens and two feature-length films. The book is a behind-the-scenes look at “Big Edie” and “Little Edie” and their bizarre and reclusive life of squalor amidst the tremendous wealth of ... read more

The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens is Jerry Torre’s touching and at times haunting memoir about his teenage days as caretaker of Grey Gardens, the now-celebrated mansion chronicled in the iconic documentary Grey Gardens and two feature-length films. The book is a behind-the-scenes look at “Big Edie” and “Little Edie” and their bizarre and reclusive life of squalor amidst the tremendous wealth of ... read more

On the Road and Off the Record with Leonard Bernstein: My Years with the Exasperating Genius

Charlie Harmon

Celebrating Leonard Bernstein's centenary with an intimate and detailed look at the public and private life of the Maestro written by his former assistant. Foreword by Broadway legend Harold Prince."An affectionate portrait of an eminent musician who was driven by demons." —Kirkus Reviews "Harmon’s personable and warm account of what it was like to work for one of the twentieth century’s music... read more

Celebrating Leonard Bernstein's centenary with an intimate and detailed look at the public and private life of the Maestro written by his former assistant. Foreword by Broadway legend Harold Prince."An affectionate portrait of an eminent musician who was driven by demons." —Kirkus Reviews "Harmon’s personable and warm account of what it was like to work for one of the twentieth century’s music... read more

The Assistance of Vice

Roberta Degnore

The Assistance of Vice tells the story of a New York City woman living on the edge. It's 1983 and she's faced with a dilemma. Choosing from too many women should be easy, and so should making it in the downtown art scene as a talented photographer. But nothing's easy when you don't trust your talents. Degnore propels the reader from shock to reflection in this work of erotic philosophy. It is ... read more

The Assistance of Vice tells the story of a New York City woman living on the edge. It's 1983 and she's faced with a dilemma. Choosing from too many women should be easy, and so should making it in the downtown art scene as a talented photographer. But nothing's easy when you don't trust your talents. Degnore propels the reader from shock to reflection in this work of erotic philosophy. It is ... read more

Beyond the Down Low: Sex, Lies, and Denial in Black America

Keith Boykin, E. Lynn Harris

Keith Boykin, a former Clinton White House aide, syndicated columnist, and AIDS activist, breaks new ground by going beyond the hype with the first responsible, eye-opening look at the down low sensation. Unlike all previous accounts on the topic, Beyond the Down Low refreshingly presents the DL not merely as a problem of gay and bisexual men living in the shadows and endangering women, but mo... read more

Keith Boykin, a former Clinton White House aide, syndicated columnist, and AIDS activist, breaks new ground by going beyond the hype with the first responsible, eye-opening look at the down low sensation. Unlike all previous accounts on the topic, Beyond the Down Low refreshingly presents the DL not merely as a problem of gay and bisexual men living in the shadows and endangering women, but mo... read more

Aid from Above: Inside My Veiled World as a Flight Nurse

Kurtis A Bell

The book is about what it is really like to be a flight nurse. Kurtis Bell brings over twenty years of flight nursing to bare in this no holes barred account of life working on a medical helicopter. With the most common question asked of him, "What's the worst thing you've ever seen?" He answers that from his experience and perspective. He is brutally honest and direct. He tells of the early d... read more

The book is about what it is really like to be a flight nurse. Kurtis Bell brings over twenty years of flight nursing to bare in this no holes barred account of life working on a medical helicopter. With the most common question asked of him, "What's the worst thing you've ever seen?" He answers that from his experience and perspective. He is brutally honest and direct. He tells of the early d... read more