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Our 2008 Catalog
is online at this time ...
Click right here to download the PDF (download size is 1.12MB),
and take as read your permission to copy, print, forward, and generally pass it along. (If
anyone gives you grief, send them here!)
Drop us an
email to request a catalog for a friend who
doesn't have internet (or computer) access. We can
mail direct to your friend, or mail to you, and
you forward. (If you'd like a block of catalogs to
send along to multiple friends, let us know how many
to send ... and many thanks for helping us 'get the
word out' that MK is back, and better than ever!)
 See the historical fiction list
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HELP > Just discovered Mel Keegan?
Just discovered Mel Keegan?
You're on the right page!
You can always
contact DreamCraft for help, but before
you do, take a glance through our FAQ. There's a
good chance your question has been answered!
RICH FULL COLOR COVERS ON EVERY TITLE
Your experience of any book, gay novel or otherwise, starts with the cover.
All DreamCraft books have full-color covers, and our artist, Jade,
continues to produce some amazing work. With the June 2008 upload, every
cover has been redesigned for the final stage of the changeover to Lulu.com
for manufacture. See the cover galley to check
out the new jackets in a slideshow-with-commentary format.
And if digital art fascinates you, our resident artist, Jade has a page here
on-site ... and is soon to have a separate website. There's a link-list of
'cover stories' on Jade's page, where the artist will share secrets of how
the work is done. Or land here, so see a Flash presentation of the
finished product...
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DELICIOUS HEROES!
Every Mel Keegan book is strong on gay heroes (also, often, on gay villains), and
some of these heroes are the most delicious in fiction:
Jarrat and Stone from the NARC series, Bill Ryan and Jim Hale
from THE DECEIVERS, Neil Travers and Curtis Marin from Hellgate, and many more
unforgettable characters.
Because Mel's books feature the male/male gay relationship,
the partnership at the core of each book is integral: this is
the relationship driving the story, and it can be very powerful
indeed. "Unputdownable," as HIM Magazine said of
Death's Head (the first novel in the NARC series).
SO, THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY GAY BOOKS?
Yes and no! Depends what you mean by 'gay books.' To many readers, a
'specifically' gay book concerns gay characters doing gay things, speaking
gay dialog, addressing gay issues, for 300pp. Mel Keegan's novels tend to
be a little different. They concern gay characters doing extraordinary
things, which may have a gay connection or not; delivering dialog that
ranges from the poetic to the technical, and may be gay — or not,
depending on context; and while the novels certainly address gay issues
(especially the historical novels, which get
to grips with what it meant to be gay in other centuries), there is very
much more in them than 'only' gay issues. Simply stated, MK novels range
across the whole spectrum and are about everything ... including being
gay!
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NARC — Jarrat and Stone ... the cult-classic!
Some stroke of inspired genius got into Mel back around 1990,
and the NARC "universe" was the result. Two books were done in
quick succession, DEATH'S HEAD and EQUINOX, featuring
Mel's two most unforgettable heroes, in a "universe" that is
consuming, and storylines that don't let you go, not even to
sleep, till you've turned the last page. This are the ingredients
for a "cult classic," and the two NARC books would have been
eight or ten books by now, if the publisher in the UK
had not suffered terminal problems. GMP was bought out by Prowler
and later became an even smaller part of the Millivres-Prowler Group,
in a double-merger which almost erased the original GMP and its
old fiction list). You can read the full story of the real-world
publishing fracas online, in the Keegan
Speaks! section ... and you can soon catch up with the growing
cult of the NARC Universe. Now Mel Keegan
is with DreamCraft, and the long, long awaited NARC #4 is due
for end-2006! Click here to launch The NARC Page,
which links you on to all things Jarrat and Stone, or...
Browse the books title by title:
 
 
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SO WHAT HAS MEL KEEGAN WRITTEN, AND WHEN, AND FOR WHOM?
"Mel Keegan" is a pen-name which has appeared on around 30 assorted titles to date,
with four more titles due in quick succession. This writer has
also worked in genres other than gay male fiction, but on the
website here, we're focused on these novels. You can catch up with
Mel's publishing history, what's in print, and where to get them,
right here: The Books-in-print Fast-finder.
LYNX users: scroll down to the bottom of the page (ie., page down to the last
'page' rendered by your browser). Your text menu is there.
And remember, when you get Mel Keegan books directly from this website, you get
much more than just a book. On-site here, you can get inside the writer's
mind, share the thinking behind the novel, review it yourself, share
your thoughts with the publisher and writer, and other readers. Alas, we can't
offer you signed copies any longer. For the first seven years of publishing with
DreamCraft, the books were manufactured here and Mel would sign every copy. In
late 2007, we made the change to using the Lulu.com printshops (which are in
the USA/Canada, UK/Europe), and obviously MK can't be signing copies now.
From 1989 to 2001, MK was with GMP, the Gay Men's Press, in the UK. Following the
takeover of GMP by Prowler, which was subsequently absorbed into MPG (The Millivres
Publishing Group, which concentrates on magazines), the old GMP paperback list was
closed down. MK entered a partnership with DreamCraft Multimedia, in South Australia,
in 2001, and in 2008 we're expanding into offshore manufacture. Once again, the
Mel Keegan books will be manufactured in the northern hemisphere. Eight novels were
published by GMP and Millivres, and the novella, Breakheart
was published by Alyson Publications, in the SWORDS OF THE RAINBOW anthology, in 1999.
Browse through the booklist to see which titles have been published
by whom. The only titles which remain 'in limbo' are ICE, WIND AND FIRE and
AN EAST WIND BLOWING; they're scheduled for their DreamCraft reissue in 2009.
Since 2001, DreamCraft has reissued seven of the nine exiting Keegan titles, and
published more than a dozen new titles.
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THE HELLGATE BACKSTORY: A SCIENCE FICTION MASTERWORK BEGINS
Mel has been working on this SF concept for fifteen years,
but HELLGATE was always going to be vastly too long to be packed
under one cover. It was a series as soon as the concept was born,
and with GMP unable to produce a book every year, the possibility
of HELLGATE being published by them was close to nil. However,
with Mel's partnership with DreamCraft, series have become very
doable. The first four volumes are available right now; more to come.
If you have a fancy for SF epic with a delicious gay twist,
time to
catch up with the backstory, before reading
vast wedges of the first three books online! There are four books
in the series now, as well as several free eBooks ... loads to enjoy
without hitting a 'buy me' button. HELLGATE has its own page —
in fact, if you're about to click through to the backstory, this is
the page you'll be landing on.
   
Readers who
enjoy the NARC universe also love HELLGATE ... take a look right now?
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MEL KEEGAN SPEAKS!
Get inside Mel Keegan's brains, find out how the writer thinks,
where the stories come from, how the characters are developed.
Where does Mel come from? What forces combine to inspire these
novels? If you're interested in the personality behind these novels,
then you need to sign up as a member, because in the Members' Area
you have access to a whole dimension more. UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
WITH MEL KEEGAN is a much broader-spectrum 'interview,' where
Mel can talk at length about subjects as diverse as the movies
and what went on at DreamCraft last Christmas! A good time is
being had by all ... why not join?
A word about your privacy: we don't share your email info
with anyone. anywhere, for any reason. Period. You're safe
with us. We hate spam as much as you do.
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ONLINE READINGS? NATURALLY!
For every novel, ChapBook and eBook produced by DreamCraft, we've uploaded a generous
excerpt, in most cases around 40% of the whole work. With well over 20 titles
on the DreamCraft list right now, that means there's more than a quarter million words
of sample readings online ... though not all
from the same project, obviously! Understanding that the Mel Keegan
books feature the gay male relationship, would you like to read
some of Mel's work? Go to the Readings page!
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WHO'S DREAMCRAFT?
The publisher, DreamCraft, has been around since 1996. We're a
multimedia workshop, involved in stock photography, digital imaging,
website creation, publication design, and since we began our association
with MK, we're involve with editing, book layout and the whole complex
publication process. Want to know more?
Also, if you're interested, you might like to look
at the business end of this word ... POD publishing itself.
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TWO NOVEL SERIES ARE UNDERWAY IN 2008
Mel's association with DreamCraft allows the writer the luxury of
launching into series. We can do several books per year, which makes
a series feasible. Mel's previous publisher (GMP, in the UK), was
only able to do a book each two or three years, which put any
series concepts very firmly on the shelf. With the launch of the
HELLGATE series (which will run to six or seven books; the fourth
launched in 2006), and the re-launch of the NARC series,
we're delighted to say, two major SF projects are underway already.
Mel's Vampyre and THE SWORDSMAN have the potential to be
developed, but MK has said, HELLGATE will be complete before
another series will begin. Get involved in the epic projects:
HELLGATE ... and NARC.
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ORDERING BOOKS FROM DREAMCRAFT
Here, we offer 'layered information' ... a lot or a little, to suit
your needs. If you just want forthright answers to the obvious
questions, here they are; but if you want comprehensive information
regarding every facet of the process, you can click right through
from this page. First the obvious, and we'll keep it brief:
Lulu ships by FedEx-type courier, and by airmail;
ALL parcels except 'USPS media' are trackable and replaceable;
Postage is added to prices shown in the Bookstore
Lulu ships softcovers in about 5 working days, and hardcovers in about 10;
We WILL notify you if there is any problem whatever;
All parcels are well wrapped in PLAIN packaging;
Parcels of books or more are SWATHED in bubble-wrap;
ALL credit cards are welcome on our shopping page, via Lulu's secure server;
Yes, we guarantee, the server is 100% SECURE;
You can also pay Lulu via PayPal, if you prefer.
Need more info? Comprehensive ordering information is at your fingertips:
all info you could need regarding
every aspect of shipping and shopping is included on our shipping page,
and/or our special ordering information page. If the short version of
all this will suffice, plenty of general info is on our Help/FAQ page.
Already know what you're shopping for and want to 'cut to the chase?'
Launch the shopping page.
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What KIND of novels does Mel Keegan write?
Every Mel Keegan novel is an adventure or thriller, though
it might be set in the past, present or future, and they're
all between 90,000 and 210,000 words in length. Each one
has a strong romantic element: there's at least one
relationship at the core, driving the plot ... and the
"twist" or "spin" to the Keegan novels is, without exception,
it will be a gay (male) relationship.
With the exception
of Ice, Wind & Fire the books are not what the modern market
would term hot, but they can be deliciously spicy.
When violence occurs, it is also realistic.
Many of the Keegan novels concern paramilitary and military
across the centuries, from the distant past to the far future.
The books are not recommended for young readers: they were not
written for the younger reader! Due to gritty themes (the
drug war, armed conflict, realistically portrayed situations,
and romantic liaisons), we won't knowingly supply them to young
readers. Be aware when
ordering of the gritty themes and same-gender relationships at
the core of these novels.
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WHO IS MEL KEEGAN?
Mel Keegan's first novel, ICE, WIND AND FIRE, appeared with GMP in 1990. In the following
years many other novels have appeared, including the sci-fi thrillers, DEATH'S HEAD and
EQUINOX, which have become cult classics. At this time there are more than twenty Keegan titles,
and a couple more due in 2008, with DreamCraft, and Mel is working on two series (HELLGATE and NARC) in addition to
finishing a raft of stand-alone novels. The first of these, THE DECEIVERS, NOCTURNE and
THE SWORDSMAN, have already appeared on the DreamCraft label, and the next stand-alones,
are either in pre-press or close to it.
For more than a decade the Keegan novels were issued by GMP (the Gay Men's Press), but
after the merger with Prowler and Millivres, GMP became more or less 'dormant,' selling
only old titles, and apparently publishing only those novels which had been in pre-press
at the time of the merger. Mel's fifteen-year association with GMP is still in the process
of winding down: most of the early novels are still available from the old GMP website and
the new Millivres-Prowler Group website.
But Mel had no intention of retiring as a writer, and before contractual matters had finally
been settled with GMP/MPG, talks had already begun with local South Australian studio,
DreamCraft.
A self-confessed science fiction and fantasy devotee, Keegan is known for novels across
a wide range of subjects, from the historical to the future action-adventure. Mel lives
in South Australia with an eccentric family and a variety of pets.
Get inside MK's head with Keegan Speaks (which is offline for rebuilding at the time, and
will be back up in July 2008) and if you want more,
you need UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH MEL, which is in the Members' Area.
Login in, or join now? It's absolutely free, and a good
time is being had by all!
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WHY BECOME A MEMBER?
Becoming a member gives you access to the Member's Area of the site, where you'll
find goodies which are not available elsewhere. Extra wallpapers and a fresh
PC screensaver ... preview readings from books in progress ...
the results of current competitions, special feature interviews, items such as
the illustrated essay, 'Keegan Country,' and more. Additionally, members are automatically
entered in our quarterly "draw" and can win prizes, including Mel Keegan books.
It's well worth becoming a member! Join now?
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THE NARC BACKSTORY ... CATCH UP WITH THE CULT!
The backstory to the Jarrat and Stone universe, characters and situations
is quite a tale in itself. Grab a coffee while you can, and then click
through and catch up right here! You're about
to land on the NARC page, so take the time to explore ... enjoy.
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READER REVIEWS
Reviews of MK's novels have been online at Amazon.com for many years, and
since we invited readers to review them we've uploaded dozens of
readers' critiques. Don't take our word for it ... see what others are
saying ... and perhaps review a couple yourself! Click
here to go right to our Readers' Reviews page.
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LOOKING FOR SOME OF THE BEST HISTORICAL FICTION IN THE GAY GENRE?
As the saying goes, 'You've come to the right place.' MK's historicals
are loved as much as the best-selling SF titles. DreamCraft has
already reprinted FORTUNES OF WAR and WHITE ROSE OF NIGHT, and
the award-winning novel THE DECEIVERS was a DreamCraft original
title. We'll be reprinting AN EAST WIND BLOWING when the old GMP
edition falls out of print (around 2007), and in the meantime
we have DANGEROUS MOONLIGHT was released, a DreamCraft original, in 2006.
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SCIENCE FICTION ... MEL'S FAVORITE GENRE
MK is a self-confessed SF aficionado, and around half of the in-print titles
are in this field of fiction. The NARC series (currently three books, a fourth to come soon)
and the HELLGATE series (currently four books ... three more will finish out
the whole story) are among the most astonishing SF on any market, and the
fact that they've been done in the gay genre is an added bonus for those of us
who love this kind of fiction. See The NARC Page and
The HELLGATE Page ... also, take a look at
CALLISTO SWITCH and TIGER, TIGER.
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GAY FANTASY NOVELS ... WORLDS OF OPPORTUNITY OPEN UP!
Readers have been asking for years why MK hasn't done a lot of fantasy, and the reason
is that the editor at GMP with whom Mel worked for a long time had 'no affiity' for the
genre. BREAKHEART, which appeared in Alyson Publications'
SWORDS OF THE RAINBOW was MK's first fantasy work in print, but THE SWORDSMAN
was the first all-out, full-on fantasy to appear from MK; and it's a DreamCraft original. And there's
more fantasy to come. It's a genre MK enjoys a lot.
Take a look at WHITE ROSE OF NIGHT too ... it's not purely a
fantasy, but there's a strong vein of fantasy coiling through this Crusades era historical.
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STEP INTO THE GLITTERING WORLD OF THE ANCIENT, THE IMMORTAL ... THE VAMPYRE
...and prepare to be surprised, because Mel's vampyre are not what you might expect,
if you don't think 'outside the square.' The world MK has created here is something
else again, and filled with potential. See NOCTURNE
and its 2005 sequel, TWILIGHT ... and don't forget to
read the feature articles accompanying these novels, access from the
READINGS Page.
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Need to Contact DreamCraft or Mel Keegan?
All you need is right here: contact us ...
by email or snail mail.
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Looking for the NARC books, Jarrat and Stone...?
Click here!
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...send an eCard!
