Down for Whatever

by Frederick Smith

Book Overview

Four friends--Keith, who is searching for the perfect man; Tommie, who is in love with a college basketball player; Marco Antonio, whose perfect relationship is threatened by the demands of Hollywood; and Rafael, who must always be the center of attention--search for true love in L.A. Original.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0758209797
• ISBN13: 9780758209795
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
• Length: 281 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Splendid

In the spate of gay novels being published it is rare to discover anything that is new and refreshing. Frederick Smith has delivered such a book; entertaining, thought-provoking and highly amusing, it presents a departure from the trite and formulaic books that I have recently read.

Una Novela Exitante!

DOWN FOR WHATEVER, reality in the form of fiction: The struggle of gay black and brown men who seek to piece together their shattered souls with a little help from love: The infinite search of a committed lover, support and acceptance from their family, respect from the world, and success in life. DOWN FOR WHATEVER takes place in the streets of L.A; a back and forth, alternating, and intertwining story of the lives of four gay friends, Keith, Rafael, Marco Antonio, and Tommie. A novel rich in culture, romance, and hope. Truly, Smith's gay version of THE JOY LUCK CLUB: Hard to put down, two thumbs way up! Leaves one wondering weather true gay love exists...well, it gave me hope! Take the time, read it, escape into their lives, and enjoy!

"Down For Whatever" is a must read for anyone studying black/brown/gay relationships

Frederick Smith sets his seminal work along a theme that sociologists and demographers are already pointing out to the discomfort of a majority of Americans, that is the new emerging minority/majority is brown/black. So what happens when black and brown characters begin to explore their commonalities. Just what you will find in Down For Whatever. That racial stereotypes can be vastly different from the reality that comes from association and interaction. Frederick takes two Black single gay males and two Latino sgm, mix them together along with their friends, companions, families and significant others and produces a storyline that everyone ought to read as a blueprint for the present and future of black/brown relationships. Inevitably, his characters grow into a deeper understanding of each other just as Americans of all races and ethnicities must continue to understand each other and grow into respecting culture and sexuality. Then finally, add back into the mix the ups and downs of living the gay life as a professional, as an individual who is one step away from homelessness, or as one who is on the "down low." Frederick Smith helps each of his readers to see a little of themselves in each character as they progress toward finding a more fulfilling self-identity. This book is highly recommended not only for gay audiences, but for those who would understand that emotions, relationships, love transcends race, gender and sexual preferences.

Absolutely engaging!

Entertaining from beginning to end! It is like watching an independent and very fresh movie. I have never been to L.A., in fact, I have never been to the United States(yet I managed to put my hands on this book),but now I am curious about that Tempo place here so often described, even though a friend of mine who has been there first-hand insists that I have not missed a thing at all, hinting that the place is picturesque because the guys dance Tex-mix with cowboy hats on, but that everything else is average if not below... But after reading this book it is hard to believe my friend: the gay scene here described is colorful and universal enough-Since some of its characters act and react like many people in the western gay world would;I wish I were there someday jumping to all those ¨cholo¨ dances. This book is fast-paced and it will keep you hooked all the time.Recommended? Yeah! I hope to see a movie out of this some day.

About This Book

Keith, Tommie, Marco Antonio, and Rafael each ended up in L.A. for different reasons, via different paths, from Mexico to Michigan, from the Ivy League to the streets. But they have one thing in common--they're all looking for Mr. Right. Keith, a preacher's son from Detroit, is looking for love in all the wrong places. But when Cupid answers his prayers with a man who's hot and smart, he's got to wonder if it's too good to be true. Rafael's problem is that he doesn't really know what he wants--so he's willing to try just about everything. The most stable of the group, Marco Antonio, is finally closing the deal on a long-distance romance with an up-and-coming actor. But when the Hollywood celebrity machine interferes, Marco yearns for the stability of a regular guy--and eventually finds himself torn between two lovers. Tommie, a former member of a now defunct R & B group, has fallen for a college basketball player with a dazzling future in the pros. But at thirty-something, barely out of the closet, with little left to show for his once-hot career, Tommie can't help wondering what a young rising star is doing with a fallen star like him. Navigating a fast-paced world populated by divas, drama queens, and DI.s, the guys are about to find out if real love can triumph in the City of Angels, where perfect bodies, youth, and black and brown pride come together and collide with gay pride.