Listen to a 20 minute sample – Narration provided by Wondervox

I’ve just released an audiobook edition of ‘A Marriage Below Zero’ by Alan Dale. You can listen to a 20 minute sample by clicking the audio file above OR HERE. It’s just $3.99 at my Payhip storefront storefront, and provides a Zip file with all individual chapters, AND a single MP3 with the entire audiobook.

More about the book …

This month I’ve released a very hidden gem: A Marriage Below Zero, by Alan Dale. It’s one of the earliest published novels to deal with same-sex attraction, narrated by a woman who married a man with a secret life.

About ‘A Marriage Below Zero’

A Marriage Below Zero (1889), written by Alan Dale, is a pioneering work of early gay fiction and one of the first English-language novels to center a homosexual male character in a serious, tragic narrative. The story is told from the perspective of Elsie Bouverie, a young woman who enters into what appears to be a promising marriage with the charming and refined Arthur Ravener. At first, their life together seems socially enviable—secure, respectable, and filled with the expectations of Victorian domestic happiness.

But beneath the surface, something is wrong.

Arthur grows emotionally distant, evasive, and restless. Elsie senses that she is not the true object of her husband’s affection. Gradually, she discovers the devastating truth: Arthur is romantically and physically involved with another man. In an era when homosexuality was not only taboo but criminalized, this revelation shatters her understanding of marriage, loyalty, and identity.

Rather than portraying Arthur as a villain, the novel presents him as a man trapped between societal expectations and his authentic self. The “marriage below zero” becomes a metaphor for a union devoid of warmth, passion, and truth—frozen by repression and secrecy. As scandal looms and emotional tensions escalate, the story moves toward a tragic conclusion that reflects the harsh realities faced by gay men in late 19th-century society.

This is exciting. As a way to attracted subscribers to my long-running website, LGBTSr.com, I decided to offer free books of select public domain works. Fiction, nonfition, poetry, more will be revealed.

I’m also publishing them for the general public, as both ebooks and paperbacks.

This month I’ve released a very hidden gem: A Marriage Below Zero, by Alan Dale. It’s one of the earliest published novels to deal with same-sex attraction, narrated by a woman who married a man with a secret life.

About ‘A Marriage Below Zero’

A Marriage Below Zero (1889), written by Alan Dale, is a pioneering work of early gay fiction and one of the first English-language novels to center a homosexual male character in a serious, tragic narrative. The story is told from the perspective of Elsie Bouverie, a young woman who enters into what appears to be a promising marriage with the charming and refined Arthur Ravener. At first, their life together seems socially enviable—secure, respectable, and filled with the expectations of Victorian domestic happiness.

But beneath the surface, something is wrong.

Arthur grows emotionally distant, evasive, and restless. Elsie senses that she is not the true object of her husband’s affection. Gradually, she discovers the devastating truth: Arthur is romantically and physically involved with another man. In an era when homosexuality was not only taboo but criminalized, this revelation shatters her understanding of marriage, loyalty, and identity.

Rather than portraying Arthur as a villain, the novel presents him as a man trapped between societal expectations and his authentic self. The “marriage below zero” becomes a metaphor for a union devoid of warmth, passion, and truth—frozen by repression and secrecy. As scandal looms and emotional tensions escalate, the story moves toward a tragic conclusion that reflects the harsh realities faced by gay men in late 19th-century society.

Not a fan of Amazon?  You can now purchase paperback editions of select titles directly from IngramSpark. More to come!

BLANK PAGE TO BOOK SHELF

I, WARLOCK

OPEN SECRETS: A MAGGIE DAHL MYSTERY

NIGHT FLIGHT TO MURDER TOWN: A MARSHHALL JAMES THRILLER

BLACK CAT WHITE PAWS: A MAGGIE DAHL MYSTERY

HELL TO PAY: A HOUSE IN THE WOODS 1 & 2

All times are eastern (New Jersey) – 2 Hours in most cases
Register at the links below.

https://buy.stripe.com/6oUeVca2ngZT0AM5PmdEs01

Self-Publishing Basics
Saturday, March 28 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET via Zoom ($40)

Have a manuscript you’d like to publish but you’re not sure how? This 2 hour workshop covers the basics of turning your book into a product page, from cover design to formatting. It has an emphasis on KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) but covers aspect of DIY publishing for any platform. Limited to 10 participants via Zoom.

https://buy.stripe.com/9B628q6QbgZTbfq0v2dEs02

Fiction Writing Essentials
Saturday, April 4 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET via Zoom ($40)

Have you wondered where story ideas come from? Or how to take an idea and turn it into fiction? What do you do when you get stuck? How are some of the ways we can keep ourselves going from the whisper of an idea to a full-fledged short story or novel? Learn structure, outlining, narrative, point of view, and more, as you become what you want to be, or what you already are: a writer. Yes, you can!

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

“I’ve been working with Mark on my autobiography for several months. He is insightful, talented, and a wonderful asset in bringing my life’s story to the page. He made it possible and pleasant. And fun!” – K.C.

Fiction Writing Essentials: A 2-Hour Workshop

“5 Stars for an informative, and inspiring online workshop given by Mark McNease. The well organized 2 hour workshop provided just the right amount of content to help writers begin their creative path.  As an author of three books I found this course provided new insights into the craft of writing as well as reinforced others that needed a refresh.” – Robert M.

“Well done …! I’m really impressed with your knowledge and experience; you have a lot of credibility when you talk about this subject. And reminding people that you’re sharing from your experience (e.g., know your ending is “my approach”) validates folks who might have a different approach.” – Stephen D.

“Level up your writing game! I recently took this workshop and transformed my skills. McNease is a pro – always as an author I’ve long enjoyed, and now as an instructor. His knowledge and passion for writing are infectious.” – Rick R.

“I’m just beginning to dabble in fiction writing, so I was nervous about participating in Mark’s workshop, worried that I would not belong among more-experienced writers. It turns out that I had nothing to worry about! … I was warmly welcomed and encouraged by Mark and the other participants. Mark’s workshop was logically organized, well-paced, and packed with useful information.” – Amanda M.

Guided Autobiography: A 2-Hour Introductory Workshop

“I had a blast! Mr. McNease’s workshop was a revelation. His ability to quickly break through writer’s inhibition and get you to simply write is refreshing.  He quickly set my mind at ease! Highly recommend him.” – Al

“I thoroughly enjoyed your workshop for Guided Autobiography. The exercises were fun, and I enjoyed sharing with others in the group. I came away feeling less daunted about this sort of writing. It does not have to be a huge work. It can be fun and entertaining, a way to tell stories about life, that in the telling may unearth new thoughts and perspectives.” – Val

From Chuck Wendig’s blog. He’s a best selling horror author who lives somewhere near Doylestown, PA.

“It’s never precisely easy to be a writer – professional or otherwise. I mean, it’s easy in the sense of, hey, anybody can open a word processor and start (fiercely or methodically) putting a story down on the page, one mad word at a time. But it’s also quite hard: you have to reckon with a difficult industry, a lack of respect and recognition from the non-writers in your life, a schedule that surely isn’t conducive, a dearth of proper places to actually sit down and make the words happen, and so forth. Writing always, always feels like an act that vacillates wildly between the Herculean and the Sisyphean – always difficult, sometimes triumphant, sometimes you’re pancaked by the boulder you’ve been shoving up the hill for days, weeks, months, years …

I want you to tell those stories. Your stories. The ones that matter most to you — not the ones that feed machines, not the ones that feed companies, but the ones that feed you, and by proxy, the audience beyond you.”

Chuck Wendig

Two years of workshops, one solid book

This has been a goal of mine for the last six months, and it’s out for 2026. You can get the ebook on Amazon ($8.95), various other online retaliers, or directly from me for a $2 discount ($6.96 – epub and PDF).

The paperback edition is available on Amazon,  coming soon on IngramSpark, and will be available to bookstores and retailers everywhere.

About ‘Blank Page to Bookshelf’

Blank Page to Book Shelf: From First Sentence to First Sale: Fiction Writing, Character Creation, and Self-Publishing Basics brings together the core lessons from author and workshop instructor Mark McNease’s writing workshops, distilled into a single, accessible volume for aspiring and emerging writers.

Guiding readers from initial idea through character creation, plotting, revision, and self-publishing, the book emphasizes practical steps and realistic expectations. It demystifies both the creative process and the mechanics of self-publishing, helping writers move from concept to completed book.

Suitable for individual writers, writing groups, and creative workshops, this how-to guide blends craft instruction with actionable publishing guidance.

A clear, encouraging roadmap for turning a blank page into a finished book.

Start the year with new thrills in this BookFunnel giveaway featuring mystery maestros Marshall Thornton, Garrett Hutson, Victor Dain, Delilah Knight and more. This giveaway runs from January 1 – 15 only, so surf over and download these chillers packed with secrets, suspense, and bold voices you’ll want to hear again and again.

TAKE THE SURVEY HERE

Which Resolutions, If Any, Fit You for 2026? Multiple Answers Allowed

• No more news/politics than I need to stay informed
• Simplify everything: fewer commitments, less clutter, real and imagined
• Say yes to joy, fun, laughter and creativity
• Take better care of myself, mentally and physically
• Stay open to new experiences, projects, trips, habits and perspective
• I don’t make resolutions
• Name your own in the comments
• What other resolution(s) would you make for 2026?

I was so happy to help author Stacey Meadows publish Pine Melody: A Memoir, a masterfully written account of her son Jonah’s death in a car accident and her coming to terms with it that culminated in this extraordinary book.

The photos are from Stacey’s book reading, held in Lambertville, New Jersey.

Visit the website for Pine Melody

About Pine Melody

Swerving to avoid a deer on a dark Wisconsin highway in early summer, 22-year old Gabe lost control of the car. His 29 year- old brother, Jonah, singing along with him as he drove, absorbed the full force of the impact with an oncoming pick-up truck driven by the Chief of a First Nation. The crash left Jonah with severe traumatic brain injury, Gabe with a broken femur, and soil samples, meticulously gathered for Jonah’s graduate research project on agroforestry, strewn across the highway.

As general counsel for a Philadelphia medical center, I was competent enough to interact with my sons’ care teams, but lost all semblance of professionalism when neither my legal expertise, search for a medical miracle, nor tenacity of my love was able to bring benefit to Jonah, who lingered in a coma for three months, before dying in hospice. I was left to find a way to carry on for the sake of Jonah’s brothers while handling my own grief and helplessness.

Immersing myself in Jonah’s journals, and memories of his extraordinary, spirit-filled life, my pillars materialized—meditation, yoga, prayer and sailing. With Jonah as my spirit guide, in the bardo and beyond, I navigated pathways between terror and beauty that Jonah had spent his life seeking. Pine Melody is the result of my journey.

Pine Melody on IngramSpark
Pine Melody on Amazon

I started MadeMark Media over 15 years ago. It stepped into the background with my MadeMark Publishing imprint, but they’re both coming back full force in 2026. So exciting!

I love this. Fasten your headphones!