I’ve seen reviews and emails to show that my stories in their small ways impacted lives - entertainment on a dreary day, lift ing someone through a rough moment, providing a mirror to help someone figure out where their own situation was going, changing a maybe or a why to a yes! on equal LGBTQ rights. ) It’s easy to get caught up in the books I haven’t written yet, the stories I still want to tell, the topics I haven’t tried my hand at.

(Yes, I really am writing Tracefinder 3 and wolves and Family, and I am determined to dig into them more diligently. What if it were me? Well, I’d have to apologize to readers for uncompleted series. He would have done much more, but his legacy is solid. Not just to hug our friends more, and appreciate those who make our lives better, but to also say “What if that were me?” To think about what we’ve accomplished, what the books we’ve released mean to us, what our lives would look like, if it were suddenly over.Įthan needed have no doubts - his writing, life, work, and friendships all reflect the man he was, and will remain as a tribute to him. Losing Ethan has made us all take stock, I think. I missed his Sunday morning goodbye hugs. And then he gave me his patented Ethan smile, encouragement and shared humor because he knew that as an introvert I was more relieved than sad that my time on stage was over. My last interaction with him was when he blew a loud horn to cut me off in mid-joke during the 10-minute Author Medley - yes, I was actually in front of people trying to be funny. His presence at GRL was a whirlwind of caring, running around focused on every detail to make the event go smoothly, while taking the time for jokes and hugs and greetings to all of us. He was an author whose works conveyed hope and joy and humor, a publisher who ran his imprint with care and integrity down to the way he closed it when it was over. We were friends in only a casual way, fellow authors and readers, with a common bond in our love of the genre and the books, and a desire for a world where gay love is just one of a myriad of equal and valued options.Įthan’s death shocked us all – he was younger than me, vibrant, energetic, funny, and kind.

I am sure that others have eulogized Ethan here, probably more eloquently than I can.

Just a few days ago, we got the word that Ethan Day, one of the organizers, had died. Three weeks ago, I was enjoying GayRomLit, the retreat for readers and authors who love gay romance.

Sno Ho by Ethan Day