The book is a collection of fiction, science fiction, lesbian fiction, lesbian science fiction, transgender fiction and transgender science fiction short stories. They will make you laugh, cry, and become shocked with horror. Some may make you think, while others may make you angry. Who knows what twisted tales will ooze from a Two-Gendered Mind? You only have to read these stories to find out.
Excerpt
Small Town Blues
Winter had once again bullied itself onto the tiny ranching town of Wefix Flats, Wyoming. The town got its name when the local gas station’s tire-busting machine broke and the owner decided to close the business. He donated the station’s possessions to the town and the people took one of his signs and used it for the town’s name. The sign said, “We fix flats.” The name stuck.
Frigid winds howled along the nearly-deserted Main Street, making little swirls in the freshly fallen snow. Fred, the fire station dog, left yellow icicles by the driver’s side of each pickup in a poor attempt to mark his territory. Occasionally, he would let out a yelp when one of the icicles failed to break off. The arctic cold kept all but the incredibly brave from venturing out.
In the middle of the town sat the Last Watering Hole, a small combination bar and grill that catered to the non-dancing residents of the community. With only a half-dozen tables and an equal number of booths, the small bar looked crowded with only thirty customers. On this particular night in early January, two close buddies shared a round – or six – with each other. Larry James sat at the furthest booth with his good friend, Danny Ray Holstein, sucking down beers like a pair of wet/dry vacs. Frequently, they would attempt to belch the alphabet, but could not say “W” because of its three syllables. Their rowdy behavior, normal for the LWH, served only to amuse the other patrons.
On his way back from the bar, Danny Ray tried to negotiate the narrow gap between the tables, not unlike a rafter traversing white water rapids. Unfortunately, just as he walked between two tables, the huge Bertha Kowalski stood up.
From the booth, Larry watched as two large mugs of beer flew straight into the air with their thirst-quenching contents intact. However, they did not stay that way for long. When the mugs reached their zenith, they collided, spilling the precious liquid all over Danny Ray’s head. One glass splashed down harmlessly into a large bowl of popcorn, while the other happened to target the crotch of Tommy Kowalski, Bertha’s very tall and very-muscular husband. Luckily, the mug incapacitated Tommy long enough for Danny Ray to slip into the darkness of the back booth, where he found Larry doubled-over with laughter.
“Hey! Pipe down. Tommy might hear ya.” Danny Ray pulled a handful of napkins out of the dispenser and began wiping his face.
“What’re ya worrin’ about? He ain’t in no condition to be thinkin’ on where you went to. You just mashed his damn nuts!” Larry laughed again.
As the threat of being pummeled by Tommy diminished, Danny Ray began to see the humor in what had just happened. “Yeah! Yer right! He’ll be singin’ soprano for the next week!” He laughed.
In the middle of a laugh, Larry stopped. “What the hell we laughin’ fer? You spilled our fuckin’ beer!”
Danny Ray looked at his friend with a blank stare. “Oh. What’ll we do?”
“Go get us some more beer, you idiot!” Larry punched Danny Ray in the arm.
“I’m not goin’ by Tommy without backup.”
“Okay. Okay. Let’s go.”
The two inebriated men struggled to their feet and began their “long” trek to the bar, choosing a route that bypassed any close contact with Tommy Kowalski. They had nothing to worry about from Tommy. He still nursed his wounded pride.
Upon reaching the bar, Larry slapped down a pair of singles. “Two more drafts, Chet. We’re mighty thirsty!”
In anticipation of their arrival, Chet had two frosty mugs already waiting for them. “This time, hold onto to them with the handles. That’s why they’re there.”
The two men brought the glasses to their lips and let the cooling liquid flow down their throats. When Larry and Danny Ray drained the mugs, they slammed them onto the bar, then let out belches so loud that the windows shook . . . or so it seemed.
As Larry and Danny Ray savored their next drink, Mayor Ralston walked in with two visitors from the planet Ogaria and sat at a far table.
“What er they doin’ back here?” asked Larry in disgust. “I thought they went home to Mars a couple of years ago.”
“No, they didn’t . . . and they don’t come from Mars,” Chet informed. “Haven’t you been watching the news lately?”
“What the hell fer? It’s just filled with killings in New York, I-rack and Af-gannie-stand. Who cares ‘bout that stuff?”
“The news also has other things.” Chet paused. “The Ogarians are all over the place, making deals and trading knowledge. Them coming here was the best thing to happen to the world.”
“They ain’t makin’ the price of gas come down,” remarked Danny Ray.
Larry grumbled. “They maybe helpin’ the rest of the world, but they sure fucked up my life.”
“What do you mean?”
“When them Ogarians landed five years ago, they touched down in the middle of my prime grazin’ range. Not only did their ship kill all the grass for a mile in ever’ direction, but the mess of people that came to see them aliens killed the rest.” Larry took another sip of his beer without taking his eyes off the Ogarians. “I had to sell my stock and take a job as a sheep dipper for another ranch. Meanwhile, I’m stuck with two thousand acres of useless land I can’t sell, but still have to pay taxes on. I hates them Ogarians!”
A young technician mourns his lover until he meets another man - a man with a secret. But there are other secrets as a jealous ghost returns to protect his turf.
‘I have to go back soon,’ says Adam one afternoon. Yes, I know he has to go back soon. He has to go back to London and to his job and his apprenticeship. He has taken the maximum number of days leave – he has taken his entire Summer holiday in the Sp
