About Michael Curless

Explore Michael’s journey: from advertising to running a B&B and now crafting gay romance novels, like the Double Dare Trilogy. A unique path of a gay romance novelist.

Michael Curless, Gay Romance Novelist

Michael Curless lives, hikes, dines, and writes in San Francisco, the crazy, wonderful, diverse city he loves. Although he prefers Cabernet, Mourvèdre and buttery Chardonnays, like Raphael and Alex, when a special occasion arises, his favorite bubbly is Schramsberg. He prefers dining in to take-out, except, perhaps, when all of the 'family' is present.

He spent many years, maybe too many years, in the advertising game, sometimes writing copy for print, radio and television, which was preceded by a period of feature writing for a periodical during his undergrad years. The author then took a break from all that to take over a bed and breakfast, as one does. Where he collected enough anecdotes and personal stories to fill a six-story bookstore.

That was interesting.

Now, he’s back to writing. And reading. Full time, as it were. And incorporating a few of the lessons he’s learned on the path to the life he dreamed about living all those years when he was doing something else. He doesn’t teach writing, like many writers. He just writes. Although he was privileged to sample the offerings at the esteemed University of Iowa Writers Workshop. Maybe it helped. You be the judge.

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About Michael Curless

About the Double Dare Trilogy

I wrote the Double Dare trilogy on a dare. Well, to be honest, Double Dare II, A Shaman Appears, was something of a dare. Upon the completion of Double Dare, which I intended to be a one-off, readers revolted and begged me to continue the story. It wasn’t Raphael asking, but how could I say no? I already had an idea of what might follow, so I put fingers to keyboard and followed the exploits of my beloved characters. (They do a lot of the writing for me.)

Drilling down deeper, I wanted to write something I hadn’t (and still haven’t) encountered in gay fiction/gay romance: a representation of the many chosen families out there that portrays not only the emotional components of love and friendship, but the honest, bare-naked aspects of sexual love as well. (Right or wrong, if I had to choose one label, I consider the trilogy to be gay romance.) There are terms in romance writing to classify sex scenes: closed door or open door.

Most romance limits the reader to closed doors. If the door is open, many consider the work to be gay erotica. In the Double Dare trilogy, the door isn’t open, the reader is in the room. Some readers may want to close their eyes during those scenes, but I felt they help bring a fuller understanding and appreciation of the dynamics between the characters. If doing so limits readership, I understand. As Alex says in Double Dare III, Hiroshi’s Gift, “they were warned.”

About Michael Curless

What Are Readers Saying?

What are readers saying about the books from the Double Dare Trilogy? Don't take my word for it, read their reviews. Read more reviews »

Wow! Chapter 24 … blew me away and left me in tears.
@username1
This is so good. You've captured me, hook line and sinker!
@username2
So beautiful. I'm almost beyond words.
@username3
I'm so excited for where this is going next!!
@username4
Double Dare by Michael Curless

Double Dare

It started with a dare. Then a double dare. Follow along in this unabashedly erotic romance as Luke and Raphael test each other's devotion.

Double Dare II, A Shaman Appears by Michael Curless

Double Dare II, A Shaman Appears

Raphael and Luke's love for one another grows deeper. Bonds with their diverse chosen family strengthen. And the sexy dares keep coming.
Double Dare III, Hiroshi's Gift by Michael Curless

Double Dare III, Hiroshi's Gift

In Double Dare III, even more challenges and even heartbreak come their way. But also comes the joy of another wedding within the family. And a whole lot more.

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Double Dare by Michael Curless

Double Dare

It started with a dare. Then a double dare. Follow along in this unabashedly erotic romance as Luke and Raphael test each other's devotion.

Double Dare II, A Shaman Appears by Michael Curless

Double Dare II, A Shaman Appears

Raphael and Luke's love for one another grows deeper. Bonds with their diverse chosen family strengthen. And the sexy dares keep coming.
Double Dare III, Hiroshi's Gift by Michael Curless

Double Dare III, Hiroshi's Gift

In Double Dare III, even more challenges and even heartbreak come their way. But also comes the joy of another wedding within the family. And a whole lot more.