Early life and education
Byrnes was born on December 8, 1958 in Rochester, New York. After graduating from Union College ( Schenectady, New York) he worked in politics and government. While working as Chief of Staff to two Members of theWork
Byrnes's first three novels were gay comic romances. His acclaimed debut, ''The Night We Met'', was released in 2002. His second novel, ''Trust Fund Boys'' was released in 2004 and his third, the Lambda Literary Award-winning ''When The Stars Come Out'', in 2006. Beginning with his 2009 novel ''Straight Lies,'' Byrnes began a series of comic crime capers featuring a hapless gang of gay and lesbian criminals led by partners in life and crime Grant Lambert and Chase LaMarca. The second novel in the series, ''Holy Rollers'', was released byAwards and honors
His 2006 novel ''When the Stars Come Out'' won the Lambda Literary Foundation's award for Best Gay Romance, and ''Straight Lies,'' published in 2009, was a Lambda Award finalist in the Best Gay Mystery category.Personal
Byrnes's writing is often set in New York City. He lives in West New York, New Jersey, with his partner Brady Allen.Bibliography
* ''Strange Bedfellows'' (2000), ( / 978-0738838908) -- Political erotica. Byrnes's "Media Relations" is a humorous short story about an encounter between a gay '' Washington Post'' reporter and a conservative presidential candidate. * ''The Night We Met'' (2002), () -- Gay comic romance. Andrew Westlake, a struggling writer, falls in love with the closeted son of a Mafia boss, Frank DiBenedetto. As their lives spin out of control, Andrew and Frank try to dodge cops, hit men, Andrew's writing arch-rival, Frank's vindictive fiancée, and an attractive FBI agent, as they struggle to save their relationship and their lives. * ''Trust Fund Boys'' (2004), () -- Gay comic romance. Failed actor Brett Revere tries to take a short-cut up the ladder to success by pretending to be wealthy and fitting in with a gay moneyed crowd, but falls in love with Jamie Brock, a charming conman who is playing the same game. As his adventure unfolds, Brett discovers a lot about himself and the price he is paying for hiding his identity. * ''When The Stars Come Out'' (2006), () -- Gay comic romance. When Hollywood heartthrob Quinn Scott realized he was gay in the late 1960s, his wife—the girl-next-door actress Kitty Randolph—exiled him and wrote him out of her life. Almost forty years later, Quinn's about to write his autobiography (with the assistance of the cute yet arrogant Noah Abraham), and Kitty is now a major entertainment mogul. This novel examines the effects of the "closet" on numerous levels, from the biggest celebrities to the person-next-door. * ''Fool for Love'' (2009), () -- Gay romance anthology. In Byrnes's story, "Happy Hour at Cafe Jones," a man awaiting his blind date encounters his ex-lover. This anthology also features contributions from Andrew Holleran, Felice Picano, Greg Herren, Joel Derfner, and other major gay writers, as well as a number of new voices. * ''Straight Lies'' (2009), () -- Gay comic crime caper. The story of a pair of small-time gay criminals who learn about a sex tape proving that the world's hottest openly gay celebrity is actually heterosexual. What should be a simple plan—retrieve the tape, blackmail the celebrity, and live happily ever after—gets complicated when the tape is left in the back of a cab, setting in motion a madcap crime caper involving a misfit group of gay and lesbian thieves. * ''Saints & Sinners 2010: New Fiction from the Festival'' (2010), () -- Gay and lesbian anthology. In "Saint Daniel and His Demons," Byrnes tells the story of a man eager to lose his too-good reputation. Contributors include Greg Herren, Jeff Mann, and Jewelle Gomez. * ''Men of the Mean Streets'' (2011), () -- Gay noir anthology. Byrnes's dark short story "Patience, Colorado" was his first non-humorous work. Other writers in the anthology include Michael Thomas Ford, Jeffrey Ricker, and 'References
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