Betty Conley, one of the editors for The Independent Gay
Writer, reviewsI'm Your Man by Timothy James Beck
Betty has been a part of the IGW effort
from the beginning. She was one
of the first contributors to the newsletter when it first hit the
virtual newsstands and in these two intevening years has worked in the
background, editing and otherwise contributing her time. In addition,
she has been helpful to several new writers. I don't know how she does
it, being cognizant of deadlines, and yet managing to balance family
time and her own interesting pursuits. Contact.
I’M
YOUR MAN, by Timothy James Beck
Kensington Books, 2004,
ISBN: 0-7582-0787-5
Paperback, 370 pages, $14.00
I’m Your Man, the third book in Timothy James Beck’s New York trilogy, is the story of Blaine Dunhill, a Manhattan advertising executive, and Daniel Stevenson, an up and coming TV actor. After a series of unfortunate misunderstandings, and regrettably nasty fights, they broke off their three year relationship. Blaine, still deeply in love with Daniel, is heartbroken.
Beck revisits many friends from the two previous novels, It Had It Be You, and He’s the One. Gretchen, their lesbian financial planner friend, had decided she wanted to become a mother before her biological clock ran out. She knew that Blaine and Daniel had discussed the possibility of having children, and that Daniel had put the baby idea out of his mind because of his busy TV taping schedule. Gretchen knew that Blaine still wanted children, so she asked him to be her sperm donor. Blaine wasn’t sure he was prepared for such a big step, but he and Gretchen both wanted the same thing—a father willing to be active in the child’s life.
During a visit to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, his home town, Blaine sought the advice of friends, Adam and Jeremy. They reminded him that Gretchen was Daniel’s friend first. How would Daniel feel about a child if there was the possibility of reconciliation? But, since he believed Daniel was no longer a part of his life, Blaine agreed. He and Gretchen decided not to tell their close knit group of friends about the baby until after the planned wedding extravaganza of their friends, supermodel Sheila, and photographer Josh.
Timothy James Beck’s plot is full of twists and turns, starts and stops. The author is so adept at character development that we not only knew each character well, we even felt like we knew what they preferred to wear and eat. We knew where they lived and what their apartments looked like, though the author never wasted extra words on tedious descriptions. We readers experienced corporate board meetings, location photo shoots, and we walked the streets of Manhattan, absorbing its atmosphere.
I’m Your Man, far more than a simple reading experience, is a visit with old friends Daniel, Blaine, Gretchen, Jeremy and Adam, and others. We experience their camaraderie as we root for Blaine and Daniel to reconcile, but will they?
Each of Timothy James Beck’s novels is a complete and an enjoyable read in itself, but reading the novels in order of publication gives the reader insight into all the characters’ backgrounds, and enhances the enjoyment of reading the three books. I’m Your Man, is another grand slam of a novel—a highly recommended five star read.”
For a fun experience, visit http://www.timothyjamesbeck.com and meet all the characters.