Desert Sons Series by Mark Kendrick

A coming-of-age novel for gay males ages 15-30. Scott Faraday is 16, gregarious, talented, never been in a relationship, and is out to only a select few. Ryan St. Charles is 17, hot-tempered, has already has been in a long relationship, yet is barely out to himself. Behind Ryan's carefully fashioned façade is emotional scarring from a past he's never been able to reconcile. When he comes to live with his uncle in Yucca Valley, CA, he meets Scott... moreA coming-of-age novel for gay males ages 15-30. Scott Faraday is 16, gregarious, talented, never been in a relationship, and is out to only a select few. Ryan St. Charles is 17, hot-tempered, has already has been in a long relationship, yet is barely out to himself. Behind Ryan's carefully fashioned façade is emotional scarring from a past he's never been able to reconcile. When he comes to live with his uncle in Yucca Valley, CA, he meets Scott. An unlikely pair, the boys form a tentative friendship. When Scott starts to suspect that Ryan might be gay, he plans his coming out to him. The result is that he transforms their friendship into his first real relationship. Then, Ryan's hidden past comes into view. Scott is not at all prepared for what he discovers: suicide attempts, past abuse, and loads of denial. Tightly focused on their new relationship, Desert Sons follows these two teenagers as they plunge headlong through a summer that will forever change them both. less

“While Desert Sons deftly handles the difficult and sometimes dangerous coming out process of young lovers Ryan and Scott, the sequel finds that lingering tensions remain, while new challenges continue to surface. Infidelity, jealousy, town gossip, and buried feelings threaten to destroy their relationship. Worse yet, the threat of violence looms constantly in their lives. Fans of Desert Sons will surely cherish this conclusion to its story lines... more“While Desert Sons deftly handles the difficult and sometimes dangerous coming out process of young lovers Ryan and Scott, the sequel finds that lingering tensions remain, while new challenges continue to surface. Infidelity, jealousy, town gossip, and buried feelings threaten to destroy their relationship. Worse yet, the threat of violence looms constantly in their lives. Fans of Desert Sons will surely cherish this conclusion to its story lines.”—Duane Simolke, author of The Acorn Stories New challenges face the boys when they come out to family and friends in Into This World We’re Thrown. As their relationship becomes public, Scott and Ryan deal with heartache and jealousy. Scott and Ryan’s relationship is challenged further when Ryan’s grandmother dies. This sends Ryan into a downward spiral, causing him to re-evaluate his decisions, including his life with Scott. While Scott is dealing with the possible destruction of his first relationship, he learns about a secret admirer at school who will stop at nothing to make Scott his. Will this secret admirer ruin Scott and Ryan’s relationship? Will Ryan pull himself from the depths of his emotional turmoil? Can the boys uncover and express their love for one another before it’s too late? All of this is revealed, explored and concluded in Into This World We’re Thrown. less