By the Creek

The Most Popular Guy Trilogy: Book One

High school can be some of the best years of lifeand some of the toughest. Mark Mitchell's strategy for surviving is to emulate the mighty turtle: pull back inside his protective shell and keep a low profile to avoid trouble. And it worksnobody bothers him. Of course, nobody really knows him, either, even in a town so small it seems like everybody must know everyone else.

Mark certainly knows Bill Cromwell, whom he meets officially when his father volunteers him for manual labor at the school. Bill is his polar opposite: outgoing, gregarious, athletic. But when a massive snowstorm traps the two boys together for three days, Mark learns that being popular doesnt mean you cant be bullied or abusedor gayand that bullying doesnt stop at the school doors.

Mark isnt naïve. Hes seen the news reports of gay teen suicides, and hes determined not to become a statistic. But its not himself hes worried about.

For Sean Jackson, sixteen is off to an inauspicious start. His options: take a landscaping job in Georgia with his father, or stay in his small New Hampshire hometown, where the only place hiring is the local ice cream shop. Donning a pink t-shirt to scoop sundaes for tourists and seniors promises to be a colder, stickier version of hell. Still, he opts to stay home.

On his first day at work, Sean meets Becky, a wickedly funny New York transplant. The store manager, Jay, is eighteen, effortlessly cool, and according to Becky, "likes" Sean the way Sean's starting to like him. But before he can clear a path to the world that's waiting, Sean will have to deal with his overprotective mother, his sweet, popular girlfriend, Lisa, his absentee father, and all his own uncertainties and budding confusions.

Tender and achingly funny, this coming-of-age story will resonate with anyone who is--or has ever been--a teenager, when the only thing you can count on is how little you really know, and the next glance, or touch, or breathless night can be the one that changes everything. . .

"Woodward writes from the heart--a genuine, honest story about the joys and pains of first love, and realizing that no one is as alone as it sometimes seems." Robin Reardon

"A touching story about navigating the sometimes treacherous waters of first love."--J.H. Trumble

Teenage Olympic running hopeful Calvin Granger arrives in his new town angry about changing schoolsagainand sad about leaving his boyfriend behind. Then he meets skittish cyclist Bill Moilet, and soon strange dreams and thoughts of Bill distract Calvin from his misery… until Calvin breaks his leg and his Olympic ambitions crumble.

Cals injury does have one upside: it brings him closer to Bill, who offers to help him out while hes recovering. But whenever they start to get too close, Bill clams up or disappears. To add to Cals frustration, living with a full-leg cast proves to be a miserable experience.

When Bill finally begins to open up to Cal, the strange dreams become more vividdreams, Cal learns, that they share. Can the boys decipher what their subconscious minds are trying to tell them, or is history doomed to repeat itself?

Kyle Stilleno is the invisible student, toiling through high school in the middle of Nowhere, Texas. Brad Greymark is the baseball star of Foster High. When they bond over their mutual damage during a night of history tutoring, Kyle thinks maybe his life has changed for good. But the promise of fairy-tale love is a lie when youre gay and falling for the most popular boy in school. A coming of age story in the same vein of John Hughes, Tales from Foster High shows an unflinching vision of the ups and downs of teenage love and what it is like to grow up gay.

Sequel to Go West, Young Man

The Most Popular Guy in the School: Book Three

Having left New York and their old lives behind them, Mark Mitchell and Bill Cromwell are settling into their new home in California, their jobs, and their college courses. At least Mark is, but when Bills acting career takes off, Bill leaves collegeand Markbehind to film around the world. Learning to live together was hardbeing the boyfriend of a budding superstar is almost inconceivable. Though its a struggle to stay relevant to each other when they live in different worlds, Mark is committed to Bill and their relationship.

When Mark gets an unexpected long weekend, he decides to surprise Bill on location in Maui. After all, its Marks birthday, and he wants to spend it with his lover. But in the end, Mark is the one whos surprised when he finds Bill in bed with his costar. The combination of fame, fortune, and infidelity seems to spell the end for Bill and Markuntil a personal tragedy drags them back to New York, where it all began, and reminds them what really matters.

For years, eighteen-year-old Corey Dunham has been a die-hard fan of the reality show and nationwide talent competition Choosing Americas Next Superstar. Now he finally has his chance to show off his natural ability and perfect pitchnot to mention meet other talented young musicians like Jimmy Sawyer, a country crooner from Kentucky.

In the cutthroat audition round, Corey and Jimmy get off on the wrong foot. It doesnt help that they seem to be complete opposites, both in terms of musical taste and personality. But when both make it through to the finals and become roommates, an unlikely romance blossoms.

Reality show dating is nearly impossible. Corey worries that the competition itself could spell the end for them. At any time, voting results could send one of them home and force a separation. And one of the judges wants Corey for himself and will do anything to get Jimmy off the show. Can Corey and Jimmy win each others heart, regardless of who wins the show?

Keeping Secrets: Book One

For gay teens in the South, Erwin High School is as good as it gets. The prevailing liberalism means being gay doesnt have to be the focus of your lifewhich frees up seventeen-year-old Jason Strummer to take on the role of bully. Jason understands his beauty and power and has a reputation to match his attitude. No one but his best friend suspects the cruelty Jason hides behind is a ruse to keep his hellish private life out of the public eye.

Jason has only loved one boy in his life, and that crush on Tommy Johnson ended so badly that theyre no longer on speaking terms. When an ex-lover threatens Jason and Tommy steps in to help, the heartless playboy cant help but fall a little bit back in love with himbut Jason will have to choose between keeping Tommy or his secrets.

Daddy is not a title Rue Murray wanted, but he never thought hed have sex with a woman either. Now hes the unwitting father of a newborn named Alice. Between bartending and cosmetology school, Rue doesnt have time for babies, but he cant give her up. What Rue needs is a babysitter, and hes running out of options. Hes on the verge of quitting school to watch Alice himself when he remembers his reclusive new neighbor, Erik.

Erik Van Nuys is a sci-fi novelist with anxiety issues to spare. He doesnt like people in general, and he likes babies even less. Still, with his royalties dwindling, he could use the extra cash. Reluctantly, he takes on the role of mannyand even more reluctantly, he finds himself falling for Alice and her flamboyant father.

Rue and Erik are as different as two people can be, and Alice is the unlikeliest of babies, but Rue has never been happier than when Alice and Erik are by his side. At least, not until he receives an offer that puts all his dreams within reach and hes forced to choose: the future hes always wanted, or the family he thought he never did.