If you want to go on a gay cruise but just haven’t been able to, here’s your chance to do so vicariously. Order a copy of Jason A. Michael’s new novel, “Fairies At Sea” and
join a gaggle of interesting characters sailing from San Diego to the Mexican
Rivera aboard the ship Phantasia.
Michael introduces us to the gay cruise experience with a day-by-day account of
the seven-day adventure of several men representing what the author describes as
populating three basic categories.
There is a large contingent of circuit party boys, of course, all in ridiculously good shape.
Then there is the over-50 crowd, aging gay men seeking some semblance of
excitement in their not-in-as-good-shape days. And then there’s the third group
simply labeled as whores. These are average-looking, relatively nondescript men
just looking for as much sex as they can find.
We first make the acquaintance of Channing, who will be celebrating his 40th
birthday on the cruise. This is his first cruise of any kind. A writer, he hails from Minneapolis and is well aware of his aging. He’s carrying around a few extra pounds, making him, in the words of Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al,” ask, “why am I soft in the middle now?”
He’s also on antidepressants and, as a result of that and aging, his sex drive has significantly diminished. Fact is, he hasn’t had sex in more than a year.
Sailing with Channing is his best friend, Dennis, who is married to Henry, whom
we are told, is dealing with cancer at their home in Tampa.
We soon meet a married couple who likes to play, but always together — Andrew
and Antonio. The couple is well acquainted with cruise culture and how to
“market” themselves to interested cruisers. They immediately decorate their cabin
door with pictures of themselves, scantily clad, of course. We’re told both only top,
are on PreP, and always bareback.
Then there’s Sir Richard – an elderly wealthy man. Married at one time, he has two children he has a strained relationship with. The 75-year-old was in a 20-year
relationship with Benjamin, who died 10 years ago. Currently, he lives and travels
with Robert, his mid-30 something “associate,” bringing up images of Leslie Jordan’s
character on “Will and Grace,” and his “business associate Benji.” Sir Richard, we
are told, is too old to have sex but loves to watch — and sometimes will pay for the
show.
And there is 25-year-old Foster, a popular rent boy from Philadelphia who started
turning tricks at 16 and worked as a full-fledged escort at 18.
Michael also places a Catholic seminary student on board, Judah, a 29-year-old
Latino who is about to finish his education and be sent to a Springfield, Ohio parish
as an associate priest.
Judah knows he’s gay, has known for a long time, and is struggling. He knows
what he is supposed to not do as a good Catholic seminarian, but he also knows
what his body and heart are telling him to do. He’s come on the cruise to get all of
his “gayness” out; he wants to know what gay sex really feels like. He rationalizes
it by telling himself the experience will help him counsel gay parishioners.
We continue to jump in and out of the cruise adventures of our characters throughout
the book. Without giving too much away, we do find reasonably happy endings (no
pun intended) for them.
Sex is abundant on the cruise.
Sometimes toeing the line between writing porn and erotica is difficult to do. There
are times in “Fairies At Sea” when that line is blurred. You think you are reading gay
porn, but then you realize that the book is a recounting of relationships. And the
descriptions of sexual encounters read as very familiar. After all, there are only so
many ways to insert tab A into slot B.
We’ll leave it to the reader to decide if and when the line is crossed.
If that is your cup of tea, then “Fairies at Sea” provides some fun reading for a
vacation or perhaps, your own adventure aboard ship.
“Fairies at Sea” is available at booksellers online beginning October 13. It’s available for $16.95 in paperback and e-book from JAM Books. 264 pages.
This story is brought to you by Rosedale Health and Wellness and Dudley’s Place.
