Mark R. Probst
Author of The Filly
About the Author
Image credit: Courtesy of the author.
Works by Mark R. Probst
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Probst, Mark R.
- Gender
- male
- Short biography
- Mark R. Probst lives in Washington State, works in the computer industry, and writes in his spare time. He is an avid movie buff, and has a special admiration for the western films of the classic era. He’s had a life-long interest in writing but didn’t become published until 2007.
His favorite novels are The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Maurice, and Gone with the Wind.
He started up Cheyenne Publishing with the dream of bringing gay-themed historical fiction into the limelight. He has several writing projects in development.
Members
Reviews
"The Filly" is a tender, sweet-hearted cowboy romance. The author's love of the Old West is readily apparent throughout the story. I could practically taste the dust on the air, and hear the saloon doors squeaking. It's filled with small, well-researched details that place a reader firmly in the time period. Though westerns are not my cup of tea, the author's enthusiasm is contagious and I found a new appreciation for the subject. Ethan is an appealing character. Though I think his overall show more naïveté was a bit too much for the time he was living in (I think he would've been aware of the extreme prejudice, not to mention laws against, homosexuality), his youth and shyness endear him to the reader. Travis has more experience, but he is not so jaded that he doesn't enjoy life. Together, they are a great, likeable couple.
The romance is very slowly built, which I appreciated. Too often, characters fall in love in a couple paragraphs with no support for it. Not so here. Part one of the book is mostly about Ethan's life living with his mother and brother, and working in the general store. After meeting Travis, they decide to go on a cattle drive together. This is where the romance develops, though the pacing of the story remains constant. Travis helps Ethan learn the ways of being a cowboy and about hiding his nature for his own protection. Yet, despite the very real danger of being outed as a homosexual, Travis has a very optimistic nature. This drive is over three months long, and it is easy to believe the two would become close. So, when Travis and Ethan decide to go into business together and raise horses it fits the story just right. The cattle drive was my favorite, and I think the best written, part of the novel. The two men get to know each other, have conversation, swim together, etc. There is no explicit sex in "The Filly," but the men obviously have a physical relationship. The implied sex works much better for the nature of this romance than something more graphic. The reader gets glimpses into what it must have been like to travel 20 miles a day by horse, herding cows, crossing a desert without much water and sleeping for months in a tent. It was an intense experience, for them and for the reader. However, part three left me with mixed emotions.
The next paragraph (only) contains a slight SPOILER:
I try to avoid even small spoilers in my reviews but couldn't articulate my problem without revealing a bit of the story. Ethan goes to visit Travis' family before starting their new life. Rumors of their relationship surface, and Ethan ends up being brought to trial for a crime he didn't commit. Now, I was expecting something to happen to upset the romance and provide angst. However, what happened left me feeling unsettled. Despite the OBVIOUS lack of evidence, Ethan is convicted. Though this result is perfectly realistic, it didn't work for a romantic story - which this was up until these events. And, why would Ethan's lawyer choose a jury trial in such an obviously biased town? I knew right then he would be convicted (though I was truly hoping not!) Second, I felt like Travis put Ethan at risk all along. Not by starting the relationship, but by insisting they stay in a hotel instead of with his family and by not realizing that Ethan is young and vulnerable. He's supposed to be older and more experienced, but he left Ethan alone when he knew they were in danger. I won't go into more detail because I don't want to ruin it, but Travis' actions in the last third of the book made the character almost selfish. "The Filly" does have the prerequisite happy ending of a romance. However, having Ethan go to prison soured it somewhat - it was too much of a stretch for Ethan to literally walk out of prison into a happily ever after with Travis. I think the ending would've worked better (for me) if Ethan and Travis had had to spend months rebuilding their relationship, and Ethan healing from what must have been a horrifying experience in prison.
When I finished this novel right before I went to bed, I lay awake thinking about it for a very long time. The characters stayed with me. That is one of the best things I can say about any novel. Though the ending didn't sit quite right with me, the overall story was excellent, the romance well developed, and the writing top notch. So, I have no hesitation in recommending this to others. This was much more than a cookie-cutter romance. show less
The romance is very slowly built, which I appreciated. Too often, characters fall in love in a couple paragraphs with no support for it. Not so here. Part one of the book is mostly about Ethan's life living with his mother and brother, and working in the general store. After meeting Travis, they decide to go on a cattle drive together. This is where the romance develops, though the pacing of the story remains constant. Travis helps Ethan learn the ways of being a cowboy and about hiding his nature for his own protection. Yet, despite the very real danger of being outed as a homosexual, Travis has a very optimistic nature. This drive is over three months long, and it is easy to believe the two would become close. So, when Travis and Ethan decide to go into business together and raise horses it fits the story just right. The cattle drive was my favorite, and I think the best written, part of the novel. The two men get to know each other, have conversation, swim together, etc. There is no explicit sex in "The Filly," but the men obviously have a physical relationship. The implied sex works much better for the nature of this romance than something more graphic. The reader gets glimpses into what it must have been like to travel 20 miles a day by horse, herding cows, crossing a desert without much water and sleeping for months in a tent. It was an intense experience, for them and for the reader. However, part three left me with mixed emotions.
The next paragraph (only) contains a slight SPOILER:
I try to avoid even small spoilers in my reviews but couldn't articulate my problem without revealing a bit of the story. Ethan goes to visit Travis' family before starting their new life. Rumors of their relationship surface, and Ethan ends up being brought to trial for a crime he didn't commit. Now, I was expecting something to happen to upset the romance and provide angst. However, what happened left me feeling unsettled. Despite the OBVIOUS lack of evidence, Ethan is convicted. Though this result is perfectly realistic, it didn't work for a romantic story - which this was up until these events. And, why would Ethan's lawyer choose a jury trial in such an obviously biased town? I knew right then he would be convicted (though I was truly hoping not!) Second, I felt like Travis put Ethan at risk all along. Not by starting the relationship, but by insisting they stay in a hotel instead of with his family and by not realizing that Ethan is young and vulnerable. He's supposed to be older and more experienced, but he left Ethan alone when he knew they were in danger. I won't go into more detail because I don't want to ruin it, but Travis' actions in the last third of the book made the character almost selfish. "The Filly" does have the prerequisite happy ending of a romance. However, having Ethan go to prison soured it somewhat - it was too much of a stretch for Ethan to literally walk out of prison into a happily ever after with Travis. I think the ending would've worked better (for me) if Ethan and Travis had had to spend months rebuilding their relationship, and Ethan healing from what must have been a horrifying experience in prison.
When I finished this novel right before I went to bed, I lay awake thinking about it for a very long time. The characters stayed with me. That is one of the best things I can say about any novel. Though the ending didn't sit quite right with me, the overall story was excellent, the romance well developed, and the writing top notch. So, I have no hesitation in recommending this to others. This was much more than a cookie-cutter romance. show less
Hidden Conflict is a collection of four historical novellas chronicling the lives of closeted gay military men. Timewise, they run from the late 18th Century to WWII, but in tone and mood they seem to cover even more ground. Approach this one with an open mind because while the first and last stories are traditional romances, the middle two (literally and figuratively the "meat" of the book) are fairly unsentimental and downright gritty.
Mainstream gay romance writer Alex Beecroft has a show more lovely way with words and her research here is evident. Her 18th Century seafaring epic, "The Blessed Isle" is overflowing with lush imagery and historical detail. But occasionally both went into overkill, distracting from the action, rather than enhancing it. Sometimes less is more. But overall a fun piece. A love story told in successive diary entries by two British sailors, it’s peppered with the tropes of the m/m romance genre - the jocular teasing/flirting, the compulsory injured pride and the petulant lovers’ quarrels. This one is more of a guilty pleasure than any reflection of real-life. If you’re looking to read about what things may have been like for homosexual sailors in Jane Austen’s England, you aren’t going to find it here. This is a sensual and deeply romantic love story. Escapist? No doubt. Enjoyable? Sure. Historical? Not so much.
The last novella, "Our One and Only" is the story of Philip Cormier who is left a "war widow" after his lover, Eddie Fiske, is killed in WWII. Author E.N. Holland re-visits him every decade, showing us a stifled, lonely man unable to move on with his life. An endearing character, Cormier ages into the stereotypical bachelor uncle to Eddie’s nieces and nephews, but Holland spoils any potential pathos by amping up his bitterness over not being allowed to grieve publicly. While I agree with the politics, from a literary standpoint the story would have been much more powerful if her protagonist was merely sorrowful, rather than angry. Better to leave the outrage to her readers. But putting the overly obvious politicking aside, it makes for an engaging character study.
Mark Probst’s "Not to Reason Why" offers an harrowing account of Custer’s last stand. An obvious fan of tales of the old West, this is a meticulously researched version of the famous battle that one is not likely to find in your standard high school history text. I think romance readers might have a hard time here. This story is bloody and unsettling, with a youthful narrator who [inwardly] questions the morality of the unwinnable battle he’s being forced to fight as well as the motives of the vainglorious leader who is marching them to their deaths. Oh yeah, did I mention? In case you don’t know your history - there isn’t any happy ending here. It should also be noted that the gay aspect of the story is almost completely incidental to the plot and, personally, I found the ending to be a bit of a head scratcher. But nonetheless, a truly suspenseful and chilling read.
My favorite piece is "No Darkness" by Jordan Taylor. It takes place during the First World War, an era for which I have a particular fondness. After an explosion, two men - an officer and an enlisted man - get trapped alone together under the rubble of a house. Taylor does a wonderful job capturing those Chariots of Fire/Brideshead Revisited types - all crisp English reserve masking emotions and desires seething just below the surface. This is an intimate story, in its setting and tone, and it’s romantic without being obvious. And all the more poignant because it doesn’t deliver the expected ending all neatly tied up with a bow.
I recommend this collection to any gay fiction lover. It offers a romantic escape for readers who tend to gravitate toward more realistic, contemporary themes and a dose of reality for those who choose romance novels to the exclusion of all else. Check your preconceptions at the door and give it a shot. show less
Mainstream gay romance writer Alex Beecroft has a show more lovely way with words and her research here is evident. Her 18th Century seafaring epic, "The Blessed Isle" is overflowing with lush imagery and historical detail. But occasionally both went into overkill, distracting from the action, rather than enhancing it. Sometimes less is more. But overall a fun piece. A love story told in successive diary entries by two British sailors, it’s peppered with the tropes of the m/m romance genre - the jocular teasing/flirting, the compulsory injured pride and the petulant lovers’ quarrels. This one is more of a guilty pleasure than any reflection of real-life. If you’re looking to read about what things may have been like for homosexual sailors in Jane Austen’s England, you aren’t going to find it here. This is a sensual and deeply romantic love story. Escapist? No doubt. Enjoyable? Sure. Historical? Not so much.
The last novella, "Our One and Only" is the story of Philip Cormier who is left a "war widow" after his lover, Eddie Fiske, is killed in WWII. Author E.N. Holland re-visits him every decade, showing us a stifled, lonely man unable to move on with his life. An endearing character, Cormier ages into the stereotypical bachelor uncle to Eddie’s nieces and nephews, but Holland spoils any potential pathos by amping up his bitterness over not being allowed to grieve publicly. While I agree with the politics, from a literary standpoint the story would have been much more powerful if her protagonist was merely sorrowful, rather than angry. Better to leave the outrage to her readers. But putting the overly obvious politicking aside, it makes for an engaging character study.
Mark Probst’s "Not to Reason Why" offers an harrowing account of Custer’s last stand. An obvious fan of tales of the old West, this is a meticulously researched version of the famous battle that one is not likely to find in your standard high school history text. I think romance readers might have a hard time here. This story is bloody and unsettling, with a youthful narrator who [inwardly] questions the morality of the unwinnable battle he’s being forced to fight as well as the motives of the vainglorious leader who is marching them to their deaths. Oh yeah, did I mention? In case you don’t know your history - there isn’t any happy ending here. It should also be noted that the gay aspect of the story is almost completely incidental to the plot and, personally, I found the ending to be a bit of a head scratcher. But nonetheless, a truly suspenseful and chilling read.
My favorite piece is "No Darkness" by Jordan Taylor. It takes place during the First World War, an era for which I have a particular fondness. After an explosion, two men - an officer and an enlisted man - get trapped alone together under the rubble of a house. Taylor does a wonderful job capturing those Chariots of Fire/Brideshead Revisited types - all crisp English reserve masking emotions and desires seething just below the surface. This is an intimate story, in its setting and tone, and it’s romantic without being obvious. And all the more poignant because it doesn’t deliver the expected ending all neatly tied up with a bow.
I recommend this collection to any gay fiction lover. It offers a romantic escape for readers who tend to gravitate toward more realistic, contemporary themes and a dose of reality for those who choose romance novels to the exclusion of all else. Check your preconceptions at the door and give it a shot. show less
I have never read a western novel. I have nothing against them. I just never had the urge. I am not a huge fan of American-style movie westerns either. Give me the dark, stylized Italian ones any day of the week. I also hated "Brokeback Mountain", which was the only thing I had ever encountered involving gay cowboys. That being the case, I started Mark R Probst's, debut novel, "The Filly", with minimal expectations. To my surprise, I found the book to be a charming, engrossing and thoroughly show more entertaining read.
The story in a nutshell: Handsome cowboy Travis, new in town, breezes into the general store where he encounters teenaged bookworm Ethan. Sparks fly. Travis finds work at the local ranch. Travis and Ethan become friends and Travis talks Ethan into signing onto a 900-mile cattle drive. En route, Ethan spies Travis bathing in the river and the sight of the water glistening off his lean, well-muscled frame makes the young man go all light-headed (as all the blood rushes from his head down into his quivering young loins). There's much more to the story of course, but it isn't very long so I don't want to give anything else away.
There are a few stock characters in the book (some of the other cowboys are fairly interchangeable, for example), but they all add to the rustic, "Zane Grey" feel of the book, so it's okay. As to the main characters, Travis and Ethan, they are both well-developed and highly likeable, and the evolution of their relationship is both touching and believable. Now, for those of you looking for a one-handed read, you won't find it here. What sex there is in the book is mostly implied, which makes it an ideal read for teens as well as adults.
Being an author myself, I quibble a bit with a few of the author's word choices, but none of those really interfered with my overall enjoyment of the book enough so that I feel they need to be mentioned here. All in all, "The Filly" is a great first novel. It grabbed me early and kept me wanting to turn the pages right up through to the end. I look forward to reading Mark Probst's future works.
- Pat Nelson Childs, author of Orphan's Quest show less
The story in a nutshell: Handsome cowboy Travis, new in town, breezes into the general store where he encounters teenaged bookworm Ethan. Sparks fly. Travis finds work at the local ranch. Travis and Ethan become friends and Travis talks Ethan into signing onto a 900-mile cattle drive. En route, Ethan spies Travis bathing in the river and the sight of the water glistening off his lean, well-muscled frame makes the young man go all light-headed (as all the blood rushes from his head down into his quivering young loins). There's much more to the story of course, but it isn't very long so I don't want to give anything else away.
There are a few stock characters in the book (some of the other cowboys are fairly interchangeable, for example), but they all add to the rustic, "Zane Grey" feel of the book, so it's okay. As to the main characters, Travis and Ethan, they are both well-developed and highly likeable, and the evolution of their relationship is both touching and believable. Now, for those of you looking for a one-handed read, you won't find it here. What sex there is in the book is mostly implied, which makes it an ideal read for teens as well as adults.
Being an author myself, I quibble a bit with a few of the author's word choices, but none of those really interfered with my overall enjoyment of the book enough so that I feel they need to be mentioned here. All in all, "The Filly" is a great first novel. It grabbed me early and kept me wanting to turn the pages right up through to the end. I look forward to reading Mark Probst's future works.
- Pat Nelson Childs, author of Orphan's Quest show less
Believe it or not, Mark Probst's charming debut novel about a couple of gay cowboys who fall in love on a cross country cattle drive has a lot more in common with your dad's favorite Western novel than Brokeback Mountain.
And that's a good thing.
The world of the young shop clerk Ethan Keller and ranch hand Travis Cain is a vivid Technicolor creation that harkens back to the Western films of Hollywood's Golden Age. I've never been a fan of Westerns - in literature or films - but was show more pleasantly surprised at how quickly Probst's breezy style and likeable characters drew me in. The writing itself is sturdy, masculine and free of flourishes, making it perfectly suited to the genre. And while he tends to paint in broad strokes, the settings he describes - the general store, the boisterous saloon, a spinster schoolmarm's genteel parlor, the Rocky Mountain vistas - are all so iconic, it's impossible not to picture them perfectly in your mind.
The downright wholesome love story between the two main characters develops slowly with just enough tension to keep the reader turning pages in sweet anticipation of the inevitable. A refreshing change in this day and age when it seems most modern romances involve the couple falling into bed first, and love later. Both protagonists are well developed and complicated, particularly the adorable Ethan, an upright, bookish young man who struggles to understand his desire for Travis at a time when homosexuality was never spoken of. But it's with some of the secondary characters that Probst really shines. Miss Peet, the lonely school teacher who shares her love of books with Ethan and hopes to share her life with Travis, and Willie, Ethan's ne'er-do-well older brother, both take surprising, uncharacteristic, turns late in the story that prove them to be multi-dimensional real-to-life human beings.
The book is broken into three major sections - the first dealing with Ethan's life at home and the second chronicling the treacherous 900 mile cattle drive. I must admit I got the most pleasure from these. In part three, the story takes on a darker tone and the author injects a bit of Twenty First Century proselytizing that the book might've been better served without. Nonetheless let me just say, without giving away the ending, overall the story left me pleased and satisfied. And definitely eager for more from this budding talent. show less
And that's a good thing.
The world of the young shop clerk Ethan Keller and ranch hand Travis Cain is a vivid Technicolor creation that harkens back to the Western films of Hollywood's Golden Age. I've never been a fan of Westerns - in literature or films - but was show more pleasantly surprised at how quickly Probst's breezy style and likeable characters drew me in. The writing itself is sturdy, masculine and free of flourishes, making it perfectly suited to the genre. And while he tends to paint in broad strokes, the settings he describes - the general store, the boisterous saloon, a spinster schoolmarm's genteel parlor, the Rocky Mountain vistas - are all so iconic, it's impossible not to picture them perfectly in your mind.
The downright wholesome love story between the two main characters develops slowly with just enough tension to keep the reader turning pages in sweet anticipation of the inevitable. A refreshing change in this day and age when it seems most modern romances involve the couple falling into bed first, and love later. Both protagonists are well developed and complicated, particularly the adorable Ethan, an upright, bookish young man who struggles to understand his desire for Travis at a time when homosexuality was never spoken of. But it's with some of the secondary characters that Probst really shines. Miss Peet, the lonely school teacher who shares her love of books with Ethan and hopes to share her life with Travis, and Willie, Ethan's ne'er-do-well older brother, both take surprising, uncharacteristic, turns late in the story that prove them to be multi-dimensional real-to-life human beings.
The book is broken into three major sections - the first dealing with Ethan's life at home and the second chronicling the treacherous 900 mile cattle drive. I must admit I got the most pleasure from these. In part three, the story takes on a darker tone and the author injects a bit of Twenty First Century proselytizing that the book might've been better served without. Nonetheless let me just say, without giving away the ending, overall the story left me pleased and satisfied. And definitely eager for more from this budding talent. show less
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- Members
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- #330,642
- Rating
- 3.8
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