Bryan T. Clark

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2024 and welcome in 2025, the stockings are hung, the presents are wrapped, and the fire glows warmly in our home.

The holidays and the end of the year always fill me with excitement and reflection. While 2024 didn’t go entirely as planned for me and my family, it has been a year filled with love, milestones, and gratitude for my family.

One of the highlights was my husband and I celebrated our 40th anniversary in Paris—the city of love! We stood beneath the sparkling Eiffel Tower, which bore the Olympic rings for the Paris Games, and marveled at its beauty. After seven magical days in the most romantic city in the world (especially for a romance writer!), we explored the scenic canals of Venice before returning home.

This year also marked a major personal achievement: completing the first draft of Inheriting the Oaks, the sequel to the award-winning Come to the Oaks. I crafted this novel as a standalone story that features the same rich historical detail as its predecessor.

Inheriting the Oaks is especially close to my heart. At times, I felt my ancestors were guiding me, their voices filling the pages as I transcribed their words. The characters, their lives, and their struggles feel so real to me, and I’m excited for you to experience their journeys as well.

As with everything I write, my characters reflect my life and experiences. Writing about them brings me immense joy, and sharing them with you is my greatest privilege. I’m reminded that happiness lies not just in grand moments but also in unlocking the small, daily joys that sustain us. My wish for you in the New Year is to discover your own sources of joy and to bring them into your life whenever possible.

In closing, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and Happy Holidays! May all your dreams come true this season. Thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and love. Here’s to a joyful holiday season and a bright start to 2025!

Buon Natale,
Bryan T. Clark

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Hallelujah, fall is finally here! October always brings the most significant change in the year for me. It marks the end of summer BBQs and backyard pool parties and lays the holidays at my doorstep. Cooler nights replace the scorching heat as the sun loses her intensity. Though I won’t start decorating for Thanksgiving until November, and the Christmas tree can’t go up until December, I am thinking about it!

Just like the calendar, life has different seasons. When I first decided to write this month’s blog, I was reflecting on how much my writing career has changed over the past eight years. I no longer question if I’m a writer or a real author. I am not only a real author but one I am proud to be.

I love my job—listening as characters narrate their stories to me, crafting tales of their lives, and putting into print fictional characters who will enter bookstores, libraries, and homes worldwide. Each character contains bits of me, my husband, and my life told to the world.

Writing is like keeping a diary; it contains my most precious moments, events that changed my world forever, and some of my darkest fears. I share them in a way that allows my vulnerability to come through via a safe place. I often don’t realize how much I am sharing until after I finish the novel; only then can I see my personal story shining on the pages, ready to be shared with you. This vulnerability is profound and unique for me because I became a private person after a 27-year law enforcement career. I rarely allowed someone into my personal life, thoughts, or dreams, and especially not my fears.

After a career in law enforcement, I would have never foreseen that I would be writing novels about love and trust and being so vulnerable with my words. I’ve found that by being open, I am growing as a person, connecting with readers on a deep emotional level, and hopefully giving them a moment to ponder this amazing journey we call life.

The great poet Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, will forget what you did, but people will always remember how you made them feel.”

There is much we do in our short lives that will have little meaning in our death. I don’t want my writing to be one of them. I always write from the heart, seeking growth, grace, and gratitude. My current novel, Hawthorne Manor, didn’t start off being about the three Gs. However, they became quintessential to the heart of the story.

In life, we should seek growth in everything we do and encourage and support growth in others. Through grace, our differences will be insignificant if measured in the end, so we shouldn’t waste precious time on them now. Gratitude is for everything around us. Despite what we see on the daily news, there is still much to be thankful for in this world. Life is the greatest gift we receive; we receive it every day, day after day, and we should acknowledge and appreciate it.

In Hawthorne Manor, Mr. Hawthorne teaches the three Gs to the two young main characters in the book. His wisdom enlightened me, too. I’ve found the three Gs are also crucial components in a marriage.

Last month, my husband and I celebrated our 39-year anniversary. I can’t believe we’ve been together that long! My relationship with this man is by far my greatest accomplishment in this life. I’ve learned and continue to learn more about myself than I thought was possible. There are many days when I get to experience all three Gs in a single day. On those days when I haven’t acknowledged their presence, I will tell myself I can do better, and then I do.

There is much to be thankful for in this life, but today, I am thankful for having growth, grace, and gratitude in my life.

May we all be inspired to understand ourselves and others better and bathe ourselves in the wonders around us.

Warmly,

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I can’t believe spring is here. The only thing that excites me more than spring was the release of Hawthorne Manor on May 2, 2023. This story is a humorous exploration of the foibles of aging and the beauty that exists in a found family. The book is filled with witty banter and eccentric characters and yet addresses important issues about family, life, acceptance, understanding, and unconditional love. The heart of the book is a topic that is deeply personal to me—autism.

I have a niece and nephew who are on the autism spectrum. They are incredibly beautiful people who have endured more than they should have to. I witnessed their struggles as teenagers. They are survivors, thriving in a world that doesn’t always understand them. So, when Elliot and Mikael came to me in my sleep, asking me to tell their story, I couldn’t say no.

Hawthorne Manor is a story with which everyone will resonate. We all have imprints from early childhood. As a young boy and throughout my teens, I was teased and bullied because of my skin color. In the book, Elliot is teased and bullied in school for being on the spectrum.

Mikael is an amazing person and a compassionate nurse. He acts as a caregiver and nurturer, an innate quality that comes with a price. My husband is an excellent ICU nurse, and I drew from his many years of work—from patient care to family care to his own self-care and discovery of who he is and why. When you witness a caregiver in action, it’s pretty amazing how they are wired.

Mr. Hawthorne plays an important role in this book as well. Ageism is a real discrimination in this world that no one seems to want to talk about. Society places beauty and youth on a pedestal. Ageism is extremely prevalent in the LGBTQ+ community. The older a person gets, the more invisible they become. Mr. Hawthorne is eighty-eight years old, and Elliot and Mikael are in their early twenties. When we can look past someone’s age, we will see their relevance and gift of wisdom.

One of the differences in my characters that ultimately sets them apart from characters in other books is that they are like you and me. They hurt and feel pain the same as we do. They love deeply and—most importantly—they are flawed.

The core of the plot is not just a beautiful love story but a sense of realism that allows readers to escape their lives as they are reading.

Hawthorne Manor is about finding your place in the world and connecting with people who understand the core of who you are. We don’t get to choose the family we’re born into, but we do get to choose the family we find—our “found family”. In Hawthorne Manor, a found family forms for everyone. It’s an amazing place to be.

Warmly,

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Hawthorne  Manor

Hawthorne Manor is available today! In addition to being offered in paperback, and eBook formats, for the first time ever, it will be available in hardback as well. This story is a poignant yet humorous exploration of the foibles of aging and the beauty that exists in a found family. The setting is in a magnificent San Francisco manor overlooking the bay.

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As Mikael and Elliot’s story is beginning, eighty-eight-year-old Walter Hawthorne’s is coming to an end. But while his health is failing, Walter’s mind is sharp as ever—and he has a thing or two to share about life, intimacy, and love with the two young men who seem to know nothing about any of it . . .

Hawthorne Manor, a contemporary LGBTQ+ romantic novel, is an exploration of the foibles of aging, friendship, love, and the beauty that can exist in a found family. It features a house full of eccentric characters, witty banter, and a deeply emotional M/M romance. HEA guaranteed. Download today, and enter Hawthorne Manor.

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“Master storyteller Bryan T. Clark entwines threads of wit, heart, and unconditional love into one of the most satisfying books of the year!”

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Wondering what I’m working on now?

Only what so many of you have been asking for over the past five years: a sequel to Come to the Oaks. The first book saw the characters come alive, and the sequel is just as exciting. The sequel is not simply a continuation of the first book but a new journey for Ben and Tobias, with all the sass, suspense, and satisfaction of Come to the Oaks.

Warmly,

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When I first decided to write this month’s blog, I was thinking about Valentine’s Day and what I would do this year for my spouse of thirty-eight years. Initially, my go-to was what I could buy him because that’s the love language I speak.

You may find yourself asking, as I did many years ago, what a love language is.

Your love language is what makes you feel loved by others. Do you respond to words of affirmation or quality time with your loved ones? Or do you feel loved when others do something special for you or buy you chocolates, flowers, or something else you want? Maybe your love language is a physical touch—a hug or kiss on the neck that gets your juices flowing.

If you’re unsure what your or your partner’s love language is, let’s examine each one more closely so that you can decide.

Words of Affirmation

People with words of affirmation as a love language value verbal acknowledgments as affection. They feel appreciated and understood when hearing “I love you,” “great job,” or “you’re beautiful,” and knowing the speaker is authentic.

Quality Time

If spending quality time with your partner makes you feel adored, then quality time may be your love language. You may value having your partner’s undivided attention without the TV or phone or enjoy having a meaningful conversation with just the two of you.

Acts of Services

If your love language is acts of service, you likely value even the simplest tasks done for you to make your life easier. To you, actions speak louder than words. You prefer your partner shows you rather than tells you how much you’re appreciated. Washing the dinner dishes without being asked, making you a cup of coffee, or doing the grocery shopping all earn big brownie points with you.

Gifts

Gifts are a straightforward love language. You feel loved when people gift something to you. It’s not about the monetary value but the sentiment behind the item. This is my love language. I once got all choked up when my husband unexpectedly ordered a case of protein chips from Amazon that I accidentally left in the online shopping cart. To me, there is no better way to say “I love you” than by giving an unexpected gift. So, the next time your cat brings you a mouse, understand that this is their way of showing their love for you.

Physical Touch

For people whose love language is physical touch, they value expressing and receiving love through consensual physical contact. Touch is the way they connect with others. The touch can be as simple as holding hands or a kiss on the cheek, or it can be as intimate as cuddling or sex. The warmth transmitted through a touch makes those whose love language is physical touch feel appreciated, recognized, and valued.

Ironically, my husband and I don’t speak the same love languages. His are physical touch, quality time, and words of affirmation. With no uncertainty, mine are gifts and acts of service.

The important thing to remember is that you don’t always have to share the same love language, but if you want to make your partner, child, parent, or friend feel valued and loved, try expressing your love through their love language, and make sure they understand yours as well. Understanding each other’s love language fosters a deeper relationship with the other person. It says, “I get you, I understand you, and I love you.”

So, I think I’ve solved my dilemma as to what to do for Valentine’s Day this year. Now I have to put the plan into action!

Warmly,

Warmly,

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As we begin our holiday season, I want to wish you a happy holiday and check in to let you know what I’ve been up to these last couple of months.

Writing and staying in the creative space in 2021 and 2022 has been challenging for me, to say the least. My current work, Hawthorne Manor, was supposed to be released in May of this year. However, with the world shutting down because of the pandemic, crazy politics, and just all-around dark days, I took several months off to focus on my own well-being. However, these last six months I have felt the creative spirit return within me.

I am happy to share that, with a little discipline, I’ve finished the final edits on Hawthorne Manor. The book will be going out to my beta readers the first part of the year and then back to my editor for a final proofread. I must say, you’re going to really enjoy this story, because it’s a little different than your average romance. Hawthorne Manor is more of a contemporary exploration of the foibles of aging, friendship, love, and the beauty that can exist in a “found” family. It features a house full of eccentric characters, witty banter, and a deeply emotional M/M romance. I am 100% positive that the release date will be May 4, 2023.

On a more personal note, my mother, for whom I am a full-time caregiver, was diagnosed with breast cancer in both breasts late in 2021. Her cancer is responding positively to treatment and her spirits remain good. Each week, she and I show up at the Women’s Cancer Treatment Institute, and although she is hurting, she has a smile on her face when she walks in for her injections—and every week, I am once again reminded how young most of the women suffering from this disease are.

I’ve had much time to reflect on life these past few years, and I think that most definitely came through in Hawthorne Manor. If life has taught me anything these last two years, it is that time is not on our side. Say the things you need to say to the ones you love, live out your dreams, and be as authentic as you can for your own well-being.

Happy Holidays,

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