Are You Down for Whatever?

Spring has indeed sprung. Now, young men's fancies turn to the perfect warm weather weekend: That action-packed baseball college hoops game, followed by dining al fresco with the boyfriend du jour or an even better dining companion ... a handsome, thick, strong book.

One new arrival that's piqued my fancy is Down For Whatever, by first-time novelist Frederick Smith. It's published by Kensington Books, which has quick become one of the leading providers of GLBT content. The Los Angeles-based author is a former journalist and educator; he's also black, so the book is required reading.

"Some of friends have described Down For Whatever as a black and latino Queer as Folk meets Waiting to Exhale meets Sex and the City," Fred says. "Those are pretty heavy shoes to fill, but I'll let you be the judge."

The official release date is July 5, and it's already creating a buzz. Go to Fred's site to download a chapter, check his tour schedule or pre-order a copy from Amazon. Expect to hear more about him on this site, and a review.

Frederick Smith.Net