Rob Byrnes
Encyclopedia
Rob Byrnes is a 21st century American
, gay
novelist and blog
ger, whose fiction focuses primarily on gay men and other sexual minorities. Byrnes's work is often set in New York City
, where he lived until recently with his partner (since 2003), Brady Allen. The couple now lives in West New York
, New Jersey
.
His 2006 novel When the Stars Come Out won the Lambda Literary Foundation's award
for Best Gay Romance, and Straight Lies, published in 2009, was a Lambda Award finalist in the Best Gay Mystery category.
In 2011, he was elected to the Executive Council of the International Association of Crime Writers/North American Branch.
Byrnes was born on December 8, 1958, in Rochester, New York
. After graduating from Union College
(Schenectady, New York
) he worked in politics and government. While working as Chief of Staff to two Members of the New York State Assembly
, he ran as a minor-party candidate for Monroe County (NY) Legislature in 1981 and the United States Congress in 1986. In 1996, he moved to Manhattan
, and has worked as an executive in the not-for-profit business development field since then.
Beginning with his 2009 novel Straight Lies, Byrnes began a series of comic crime capers featuring a hapless gang of gay and lesbian criminals led by partners in life and crime Grant Lambert and Chase LaMarca. The second novel in the series, Holy Rollers, was released by Bold Strokes Books
in November, 2011.
Byrnes has also published short stories in Men of the Mean Streets (2011), a collection of gay noir short stories edited by Greg Herren and J. M. Redmann; Saints & Sinners 2010: New Fiction from the Festival (2010), edited by Amie M. Evans and Paul J. Willis; Fool for Love (2009), a gay romance anthology, edited by Timothy J. Lambert and R. D. Cochrane; and Strange Bedfellows (2000), a book of erotic political fiction, edited by Dominic Santi and Debra Hyde.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
novelist and blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ger, whose fiction focuses primarily on gay men and other sexual minorities. Byrnes's work is often set in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he lived until recently with his partner (since 2003), Brady Allen. The couple now lives in West New York
West New York, New Jersey
West New York is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, situated upon the New Jersey Palisades. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 49,708.-Geography:...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
His 2006 novel When the Stars Come Out won the Lambda Literary Foundation's award
Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
for Best Gay Romance, and Straight Lies, published in 2009, was a Lambda Award finalist in the Best Gay Mystery category.
In 2011, he was elected to the Executive Council of the International Association of Crime Writers/North American Branch.
Byrnes was born on December 8, 1958, in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. After graduating from Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
(Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
) he worked in politics and government. While working as Chief of Staff to two Members of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
, he ran as a minor-party candidate for Monroe County (NY) Legislature in 1981 and the United States Congress in 1986. In 1996, he moved to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, and has worked as an executive in the not-for-profit business development field since then.
Work
Byrnes's first three novels were gay comic romances. His acclaimed debut, The Night We Met, was released in 2002. His second novel, Trust Fund Boys was released in 2004 and his third, the Lambda Literary Award-winning When The Stars Come Out, in 2006.Beginning with his 2009 novel Straight Lies, Byrnes began a series of comic crime capers featuring a hapless gang of gay and lesbian criminals led by partners in life and crime Grant Lambert and Chase LaMarca. The second novel in the series, Holy Rollers, was released by Bold Strokes Books
Bold Strokes Books
Bold Strokes Books is a United States publisher headquartered in Johnsonville, New York that specializes in lesbian-themed fiction, covering a variety of genres including action/adventure, erotica, mystery, romance and science fiction/horror, as well as general fiction...
in November, 2011.
Byrnes has also published short stories in Men of the Mean Streets (2011), a collection of gay noir short stories edited by Greg Herren and J. M. Redmann; Saints & Sinners 2010: New Fiction from the Festival (2010), edited by Amie M. Evans and Paul J. Willis; Fool for Love (2009), a gay romance anthology, edited by Timothy J. Lambert and R. D. Cochrane; and Strange Bedfellows (2000), a book of erotic political fiction, edited by Dominic Santi and Debra Hyde.
External links
- Rob Byrnes.net -- Rob Byrnes's official website
- TRL: The Rob Log -- Rob Byrnes's blog