Neil S. Plakcy (born August 25)
Neil S. Plakcy is a U.S. writer whose works range from mystery to romance to anthologies and collections of gay erotica. He has twice been a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Men's Mystery Novel.
Plakcy studied creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania with Philip Roth and Carlos Fuentes. He went on to graduate from Columbia University's graduate school of business with an MBA in real estate and operations management.
While working as a producer for a computer game company in South Florida, Plakcy studied for his MFA degree in creative writing at Florida International University. He graduated in 1992, as a member of the university's first class to receive that degree. His instructors were Lynne Barrett, James W. Hall and Les Standiford, and his classmates included Vicki Hendricks, Christine Kling, Dennis Lehane and Barbara Parker. His thesis was a comic novel about Jewish family relationships and shopping mall construction, Invasion of the Blatnicks.
Plakcy began his professional publishing career with the first of his Hawaiian mysteries, Mahu, acquired and edited for Haworth Press by mystery author Greg Herren. With the second book in the series, Mahu Surfer, Plakcy moved to Alyson Books, which continued the series with Mahu Fire and Mahu Vice, and published their own edition of Mahu in 2009.
Plakcy and long-time friend Sharon Sakson co-edited a collection of stories by gay men about their experiences with their dogs, entitled Paws and Reflect: A Special Bond Between Man and Dog. A frequent contributor to gay anthologies, Plakcy also edited three collections of gay erotica for Cleis Press, Hard Hats, Surfer Boys and Skater Boys.
With the publication of GayLife.com in 2009, Plakcy entered the M/M romance genre, basing the book on his own experiences in software and web development and his familiarity with Miami Beach. His other romance novels are the bodyguard adventure series Three Wrong Turns in the Desert and Dancing with the Tide.
Mahu Investigations
- Mahu (2005 Haworth Press) (2009 Alyson Books) (2011 MLR Press)
- Mahu Surfer (2007 Alyson Books) (2011 MLR Press)
- Mahu Fire (2008 Alyson Books) (2011 MLR Press)
- Mahu Vice (2009 Alyson Books) (2011 MLR Press)
- Mahu Men (2010 MLR Press) - collection of mystery & erotic stories
- Mahu Blood (2011 MLR Press)
- Zero Break: A Mahu Investigation (2012 MLR Press)
- Natural Predators: A Mahu Investigation (2013 MLR Press)
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_S._PlakcyThe thing I liked best about Plakcy’s detective Kimo, was also one of the things that subsequently pissed me off at the same time: his self-loathing and antiquated idea’s of what it means to be a gay man. Granted, he’s just coming out of the closet, and not exactly willingly either, but I found myself wanting to help him one minute, tease and taunt him for being so socially inept the next, before finally wishing I could smack him upside the head already! He was a totally frustrating character who I totally wanted to sleep with throughout the entire book. : ) I have a major weak spot for flawed men who have a heart of gold, and Plakcy nearly did me in with Kimo. There’s something about him that made me want to jump into the pages of the book and help him. Not with investigation, mind you - I’m fine leaving that to the professionals. I just knew that if I could only get my hands on him I’d be able to make it all better - or least have a lot fun trying. -- Ethan Day
Hard Hats, edited by Neil Plakcy, is a sexually charged package of terrific fun short stories. It’s raw and open like a gay porn movie, but yet some tales are moving. It’s a big change from the AIDS inspired anthologies of the eighties and nineties, and brings new life to a growing field of erotic writing. The evolution of the gay novel has inspired me yet again, but with the new authors and brilliant romance stories should come an awakening from society. They say art imitates life. How I wish that were true. I can only hope that the more gay romance writers that flood the market, the more awareness of the fact that love is a good thing and not something to be hidden. -- G.A. Hauser
Further Readings:
Mahu by Neil Plakcy
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: MLR Press (November 2, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781608202614
ISBN-13: 978-1608202614
Amazon: Mahu
Amazon Kindle: Mahu
Mahu---a generally negative Hawaiian term for homosexuals---introduces a unique character to detective fiction. Kimo Kanapa'aka is a handsome, mixed-race surfer living in Honolulu, a police detective confronting his homosexuality in an atmosphere of macho bravado within the police force. A man of intelligence, strength, honesty, resourcefulness, and intense dedication to the people of Hawaii, Kimo is a hard-boiled hero you will never forget. Fast-paced, intricately plotted, thoroughly enjoyable, this is a sexy, surprisingly moving mystery about discovering oneself as much as catching a killer.
More Spotlights at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Lists/Gay Novels
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