Devin's novels are pure entertainment, peppered with social commentary.
"I've always been inspired by authors like Terry Pratchett and Carl Hiaasen
who tell great stories that also tell important stories." -Devin O'Branagan
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Valentino DeMitri
Val, the most colorful character in The Red Hot Novels, adopts as his professional motto: The Queen of Real Estate. A dynamic gay man who loves to put on the Ritz, Val is the spirit of RED HOT PROPERTY. Val approaches real estate—like everything else in life—with creativity, passion, and love. On a spiritual journey, Val has conquered his addictions, but still struggles with profound grief over the death of his husband, and his rejection by the Catholic Church. Val is the most appealing character in RED HOT PROPERTY, and the best gay character in modern fiction. Indeed, Val is a gay epiphany! Don't pass up the opportunity to meet this extraordinary man.
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"[RED HOT PROPERTY] is sizzling with issues quite pertinent to our day and age. On the surface it's a book about real estate, but its religious and social commentary alone is compelling. You will laugh, and be brought close to tears. I read the book in just two sittings. I literally had to force myself to put it down the first time, and the second time didn't manage to put it down until I finished the last page."
-Justin R. Cannon, Author, The Bible, Christianity, & Homosexuality
Editor, Sanctified: An Anthology of Poetry by LGBT Christians
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"Years ago, one of my best friends was a Catholic Priest. When I used to attend his Masses, I would always see a beautiful young man standing at the back of the church throughout the entire service. He would often weep. Right before communion, he would quietly slip out of the church. I asked Father Bob if he knew the young man and what his story was. I was told he was gay, and not permitted to participate in Mass. I was horrified. I created Val as a testament to that young man, and to explore what it would mean to a Catholic who loved his or her faith but not be allowed to practice it."
- Devin O'Branagan
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"Dear Devin: I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed RED HOT PROPERTY and all of the fantastic characters you have in it. I loved all the characters, but my most favorite of all was Val...he really is the best gay character in fiction." -Diane Fitzgerald, Re/Max Traditions
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"Reviewers
and fans alike have christened Val the best gay character in fiction.
He is the most popular character I have ever created." - Devin
O'Branagan
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Leah Dillon
In the paranormal thriller, THRESHOLD, seventeen-year-old Leah Dillon is a vibrant, beautiful young woman living on her family cattle ranch in Montana. Her mother abandoned her when she was twelve and she was raised by an emotionally distant father who is demanding, opinionated, and who believes gays are "unnatural and disgustin'." The only sex education he gave her was, "You've seen the critters go at it. Figure it out from there." Leah has always felt different from her friends, but has never understood exactly why. Finally, a sexy cowgirl on the Dillon ranch helps her realize that she is a lesbian. Although she has never felt more alive, she has never felt so scared. What if her father finds out?
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70% of all teen suicides are gay or lesbian.~ ~ ~ "Love is love and that should matter more than the overcoat the heart wears."
-Leah's thirteen-year-old brother, Cole
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Read about THRESHOLD on GayYA.org
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Amazon Review of THRESHOLD posted December 17, 2011
"...the ideal of where literature needs to head..."
By Justin R. Cannon
"This is the second of Devin's books that I've read, and I'm quite impressed. In so many fiction books, new characters are just introduced with a name and a quick introduction and it becomes hard for me to keep track of all the names. That is not the case with Devin's works. The characters are richly developed as they are introduced, and the plot has a richness to it that makes it hard to put down. At times, I'd wait for a good place to take a break, only to find myself reading another three chapters."
"I am most pleased, in particular, with how she included a gay character without that becoming the center of the story. It was just a side plot that treated the gay character like any of the others. The story wove in and out of her life and struggle just like any of the other characters. That to me is the ideal of where literature needs to head, by including LGBT people just like other characters without the book having to be labeled "gay fiction." I commend Devin for such a graceful way of dealing with some heavy issues."
-The Rev. Justin R. Cannon
Author, "The Bible, Christianity, & Homosexuality"
Editor, "Sanctified: An Anthology of Poetry by LGBT Christians"
Cannon was recognized in 2006 as one of Out Magazine's Top 100 most influential gay people of the year and in 2011 was ordained as an Episcopalian Priest.
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Talisman DeMitri
Tali's registered name is Spiritsong's Lucky Talisman's Epiphany of DeMitri. She is Val's real estate assistant and office mascot. An exquisite Australian Shepherd, Tali vies with Val to be Queen of the DeMitri realm. Tali is famous for her Ellen crush: she has blue eyes, shaggy hair, and loves to dance. However, in her guise as Xena, Warrior Princess, she drives all the dogs wild—gay, lesbian, and straight—and generates her own special groupies. If you become acquainted with only one new celebrity canine this year, make it Talisman DeMitri.
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"Val developed his spiritual belief system by studying the great mystics of all ages and distilling their wisdom. I developed mine by smelling things. What my nose has taught me is that everything and everyone is totally unique. No two people smell the same, nor do any two animals, or plants, or even rocks. So, did all that uniqueness come from something or nothing? The answer is obvious to me."
"Then, of course, there is the philosophical debate about being different versus conforming; this is a big issue in our home where one of us is gay and the other is a bit gender-confused. Since each and every part of creation is unique, why shouldn't we respect the uniqueness of others?"
-Talisman's own words from SHOW DOG SINGS THE BLUES and her FAMOUS DOG BLOG
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"Courage is a choice." - Valentino DeMitri
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