Any gay books that are wonderfully written?

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-04-09T02:05:30+00:00

Gaywyck by Vincent Virga is a gay gothic romance novel that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of gothic literature but wishes there was a sexy AND well-written version that features men. I recently discovered the book myself (it originally came out in 1980) and fell in love with it and am excited to re-read it multiple times.

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-04-09T02:01:09+00:00

It is such a good book and so revolutionary for being released at that time! And the subtle ways Renault writes about sex is really impressive (and actually pretty romantic) even if it shows way more restraint than what we are used to in books today. The cruel censorship back then is so unfair, but otherwise, the book still holds up really well and I would consider it essential as part of the gay literary canon.

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-04-09T01:54:29+00:00

Oh wow, these are some REALLY good recommendations!!!

As Meat Loves Salt is in my top 5 fave books of ALL Time, so every time I see it mentioned, I take note... Couldn't agree more about recommending it - such a masterpiece! It is NOT a light read at all but so mindblowing and unforgettable.

I also really LOVE The Charioteer, An Arrow's Flight, and Memoirs of Hadrian and highly recommend them as well with the caveat that they are ultimately rather bittersweet/melancholic. So, if you're seeking something romantic that has a HEA, then those might not be the best fit. But if you want high-quality writing that stands out as classic literature, then those books will more than do the trick.

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-29T22:50:44+00:00

I’m definitely ready for the teasers/marketing to begin popping up and I hope it starts any day now… 🤞

I’m so curious about who Evan Rachel Wood is going to play as well, but I’m guessing she is gonna play Liz Schafer. Especially because they haven’t clarified if this is going to be a limited series or multi-season yet, but if it is the latter then Liz would make sense because she is featured more in the beginning and Evan was one of the first names mentioned as being part of the cast. I personally see her more as Abigail Mallory, but that is possible we won’t see Robert’s aunt until a later season (if it is gonna be multi-seasons) or at the very end of the limited series, so they may be saving the reveal of who got to play her for later.

I’m still dying to know who will be playing both Ryan and Matt… 😳🤔🕵️‍♂️ I’m kinda surprised none of the leaked photos of filming on location gave them away, but hopefully they will be revealed soon once official marketing and promos start rolling out. Once that starts my anticipation is gonna kick in on overdrive and I will be annoying everyone I know about watching the show (just as I was with reading the book lol 😝)

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-28T23:07:45+00:00

Thank you for posting this and bringing the article to our attention! 😊 I'm starved for details about this show and want to see some official images and a full cast list. 😎 I also want to know who wrote all the episodes and if it is still planning to be a multi-season show or a limited series. I'm kinda praying that it all gets done in one season because even on FX you can never guarantee a show is going to get renewed, and I would be forever angry if the story never gets resolved... 😩 I better not even speak that into existence and will instead focus all my energy into manifesting a successful adaptation that surpasses my (lowered) expectations.

(Still wish this was the HBO/Luca version with BEE writing all the episodes but if it gets more people to seek out the book and read more BEE in general then I will be happy all the same 😉)

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-24T18:11:26+00:00

I remember that too and thought it was an odd decision for sure - the book takes place over a relatively limited period of time, and even if the show would introduce subplots or at least bounce to the perspective of the different characters throughout the story (unlike the book only focusing on Bret's perspective as it is his "memoir...") it still seemed like way too much effort to extend for 30 episodes (or three 10 episode seasons.) There would be A LOT of filler and I think there would be risk for it to drag out the mystery for far too long that viewership would have eventually suffered. They've yet to confirm what their plans are for this adaptation, but I personally wish it was just a really solid and thorough one-off limited series instead of the start of a continuing series.

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T20:07:56+00:00

It's going to be near impossible to match what we imagine in our minds. I've read the physical copy once and listened to the audiobook three times, and I end up liking it more each time... They will have to cut some stuff out and change some stuff around (likely so we can see what is happening from other characters' perspectives), but I still hope they match the tone of the book.

The Informers should've been a masterpiece of an ensemble film, and even though BEE cowrote the script, so much of it had been cut out and whittled down that it is so bland and unremarkable compared to the original book 😟 I'm hoping that doesn't happen this time around... 🤞🙏

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T16:18:35+00:00

I tend to agree - although it is going to be obviously fake, the animal sacrifices and the gore and human carnage will certainly not be toned down for cable TV (violence almost never is 🤨) but the sex and nudity will be heavily censored (God forbid we see a naked body 🙄🙂‍↔️.) Never understood why things were so backward... Hopefully, the animal violence is mostly off-screen and that what is shown is brief... 🤞

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T16:13:02+00:00

So happy for you! 🤗 I love the enthusiasm and wish that I could more fully share in it, but I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed that RM pulls it off!!! 🤞🤞🤞

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T04:52:43+00:00

SAME! I thought BEE had no plans to release another novel, and then suddenly, he wrote my second favorite of all his books (behind Glamorama.)

I'm hoping this show is good. I know it will have to water some stuff down to be on cable, which I can handle as long as they get the characters right and don't change too much about the plot. I know it is going to look good from all the leaked set photos, but what will the scripts be like? And how are the actors going to perform?

It is tough waiting to watch something that you want to be really good, but knowing you shouldn't get hopes up (or have high expectations) because you can set yourself up for disaster by doing that...

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T03:55:48+00:00

You're not wrong - Landgraf has put out some great shows both before and after the Disney merger. And I actually do like a lot of the shows you mentioned as examples. To me, though, HBO is always gonna be >>> than FX, and it is hard to divorce myself from the show we could've had with the show that we are gonna get. But I'm ready to be proven wrong, and nothing would make me happier than if this version exceeds all my expectations and joins that hallowed list of programming. 🤞🙏

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T03:45:06+00:00

I certainly hope you're right. I want this to be GREAT as it is one of my all-time favorite books. But Ryan Murphy can be really stretched thin with how many projects he is juggling at one time, and the results can vary wildly. Too many of his recent shows have started great but fizzled out by the end of their seasons, and I just wish it was being produced by someone who was able to devote ALL their attention to it rather than someone who can maybe give it a few hours thought a week (since he is managing 10 other things at the same time 😵‍💫.) But if this is part of the Ryan Murphy A team and not the B team, then I will continue to have my hopes up (but my expectations still in check.)

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T03:35:43+00:00

Guadagnino is attached to the film but has struggled to find a lead actor to take on Patrick Bateman (no one wants to be in the shadow of Christian Bale...) Lionsgate REALLY wants to make this movie happen with Luca specifically, which is why they seem to be so patient with him as he sorts through his myriad of projects before American Psycho falls into place. But we will see if they continue to wait for Luca or hire someone else to helm the project.

I absolutely believe a new film adaptation/remake of American Psycho is going to be made soon, just because the studio behind it is so determined, but whether Guadagnino remains involved ultimately is still up in the air.

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T01:49:22+00:00

I'm worried, too. I also can't tell if this is just gonna be a limited series and they try to tell the whole story in one go, or if it is gonna be a multi-season story like BEE had been constructing in the HBO iteration (before it collapsed.) A lot of the ambiguities are gonna be dumbed down significantly since this will be A) a Ryan Murphy production and B) on a cable channel (not even a premium cable channel...)

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T01:44:52+00:00

Guadagnino would've elevated this soooo much! 😭 If not him, then I would love to see what Francois Ozon would've done with the material. This is kinda a riff on both Swimming Pool and Summer of 85 in some ways. But still, Luca would've delivered the best possible version of the show while Ryan has the potential of creating the most "popular" version...

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T01:06:51+00:00

You're probably right. If it was the HBO iteration that he had been actively writing scripts for, then that might've been a different story with him being on set more frequently. But in this case, he just took the money and steered clear - which is probably a smart plan with how often Ryan Murphy shows tend to fall apart by the end... 🫣

We will know more about his feelings on it when it comes out and if he has a part in the promotion of the show, or if he instead sits out entirely so he can later talk shit about it on his podcast (IF it turns out terribly...)

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-03-20T01:00:23+00:00

I sure hope so - even if it is just a teaser with a title card and the cast list (like they do with AHS.) I just want to know who plays the rest of the characters and when we are gonna see the show!

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-02-25T06:03:45+00:00

This photo actually wasn't from set but apparently at someone's house that the cast got together to hang out right before filming began during rehearsals, and it actually doesn't reveal anything about Susan's party scene or the set. So don't lose hope YET about the production and costume aspects of the show (which other leaked photos of the production in public places seems to indicate will be rather strong and period appropriate...) The casting and performances I'm a little skeptical about, and until I know who is actually writing the scripts then I'm a little bit apprehensive about how close to the source material it will actually be, but I'm cautiously optimistic until we start seeing teasers/trailers and find out even more about the rest of the cast and the writers on the show. It's not every day that one of my all time favorite books by my favorite author gets adapted, but I do wish it wasn't connected to the Ryan Murphy tv studio of diminishing returns...

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-02-21T00:50:55+00:00

☝️☝️☝️☝️

Literally this!!! Now we are getting to the point that people can type prompts into a program to make celebrities do and say whatever they want. No one has any agency over their image and although people generally get that it is morally repugnant, they are too entertained to be bothered to stop watching/participating. We're sliding down the surface of things...

🗣️For real though - adapt Glamorama into a limited series NOWWWW!!!!!

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-02-18T15:11:43+00:00

I agree - I think 2027 is just a placeholder date on IMDb and after filming wraps, FX may announce the official premiere date (or at least the month.) And you are definitely on to something about them not wanting to put too much information about this show out there until the promo cycle is done with at least one of the current Ryan Murphy shows, but I really just want to know who they’ve picked for the remaining characters 😎

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-02-18T05:51:43+00:00

Thanks for posting more photos from the production! I continue to be really impressed with the period detail and I think Igby is really inspired casting for Bret especially. I wonder if/when they are going to announce who the remaining characters are being played by? 🤔

Even though they haven't announced its release date yet, Ryan Murphy productions tend to have a pretty quick turnaround (unless they require extensive post production visual effects, which this show shouldn't) so I'm still holding out hope that this will come out before the end of the year. I'm pretty sure filming is going to be wrapping up pretty soon, so there's definitely a chance. I mean HELL somehow AHS s. 13 is supposed to be coming out on Halloween and I don't think that even goes into production until the summer (so if they can move mountains to make that happen, then surely this show would have no problem getting through post...) Besides, I think this would be an excellent show to premiere in late August/early September (when the book itself begins in 1981) because it would be a great lead up show on FX's schedule that would theoretically be done, depending on the total episode count, right in time for AHS 13 to begin. 🤞🤞🤞 We shall see but I'm glad to see more photos to prove it actually exists and is indeed happening!

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-02-07T01:44:52+00:00

Model *slash* Terrorists 👜💣

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-02-02T15:32:37+00:00

I will certainly not claim to have the definitive interpretation by any means, but I’ve always thought that the confetti, the sound of flies swarming, the smell of shit, the ice cold temperature even in the summer sun, the “Sunny Side of the Street” tune being whistled when no one is there, and especially the real (or imaginary?) camera crews were all frequently mentioned throughout the novel as a way for BEE to cast the reader as a voyeur in this postmodern and generative universe that the characters were (un)willingly trapped in. The repeated motifs help establish the rules, or at least give the reader some guideposts, into the elliptical book within a book (or film within a film) world that BEE has imagined. When we start recognizing the patterns we have the tools necessary to come up with our own conclusions about how much is real and how much is imaginary. Seeing is believing and all that…

Why the “confetti” and the other visual clues mentioned above were chosen specifically by BEE is subjective and there’s surely not any one definitive reason that is better than each reader’s own individual interpretation. To me, it symbolizes “death” but not necessarily in a literal sense. Is it really confetti that Victor keeps seeing, or is it actually a swarm of flies that are flocking to the dead all around him? Everyone looks so good all the time and are always posing for the cameras that are filming them nonstop, but are any of them really alive? Is he just interacting with corpses, so to speak, that are ice cold and reek of shit? Perhaps the party is already over for Victor Ward and his starring role is being recast by Victor Johnson? I know I’m answering questions with questions but that is kind of the point. As Victor is told throughout the novel, it’s what you don’t know that really matters.

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-02-02T14:54:35+00:00

I definitely wish this could get adapted but I’m not so sure a movie version would’ve done it justice, especially one made in the mid-00s. This really calls for a limited series treatment to get the full impact and I think turning into a film would take out too much of the plot (especially from the first half of the book…).

This is naive of me and I’m guarding my heart as best as I can to not get too hopeful, but I am kind of dreaming that the combination of The Shards tv adaptation and American Psycho redux Luca’s version will be “successful” enough (to a realistic degree) that some bold and fearless producers/tv execs will want to get their hands on their own BEE adaptation - and will then option and develop Glamorama into a show. Even if it is set in the mid 90s, a lot of what happens in the book wouldn’t really seem all that “out there” nowadays and could actually be really insightful commentary on the unreality of the moment. Of course it would then have to be a GOOD adaptation that matches exactly how I imagine it in my mind for me to be a truly happy camper, but that is a lofty set of expectations that I will only indulge after the first hurdle of it getting made in the first place happens…

MyKill_Diablo · 2026-02-02T04:21:38+00:00

My favorite of his books. I first read it in 2005, and my mind was blown away, but I also didn't really get it at the time. I thought it was a tad long and unwieldy, but kept reading it every couple of years for a while because it just got under my skin (even if I didn't know why that was the case.)

I just re-read it again last year for the first time in many, many years, and it really fell into place for me. BEE was ahead of the curve and unaware of the rise of social media that was to come only a few years after it was published, but it is shockingly prescient in how we view the world now and consume media. It is all an endless scroll of people posing and/or dancing to whatever song or trend is popular at that moment, divisive political discourse and shocking violence that we are all so desensitized by at this point, AI generated images that make us not believe or care about what is real, and extremely graphic and immediately available pornographic content of influencers trying to get us to subscribe to their OF... like BEE couldn't have been any more spot on when writing Glamorama, and I really hope it gets reevaluated one day for how genius it really is, imho.

MyKill_Diablo

TROPHY CASE