Wake Cruise

Wake Cruise writes adventures based on his life as a Chicago street cruiser. Sometimes inspired by people he encounters, the stories' varied themes have characters who are sometimes gay, straight, bi, gay-for-straight, straight bait, gay-for-pay, gay-for-gay, curious, first-time, friends, and lovers. Some characters have addictions to drugs, sex, and crime. Cruise's most recent novel, "Humberto Goes to Jail" is a very realistic adventure about the challenges Humberto, a Cook County Jail inmate, and his new and supportive partner outside of jail, Troy, face during Humberto's lengthy incarceration. During Humberto's absence, Troy's challenges are compounded by his difficulty in fighting the urge to see other men. Cruise's second most recent novel, "Street Cruising into the New Year," details Troy's successes and challenges in picking up 12 men in the past year while planning on meeting more random pickups off the street in the New Year. Unexpectedly, he cruises into a relationship in the New Year. "Cruising Cermak Road," is an involved story of the main character needing to cruise new areas of Chicago's Little Village because a former date, who turns out to be a dangerous drifter and gangbanger, has threatened him with anonymous texts. While cruising other parts of the city, new adventures and other desirable and willing men needing cash make themselves available to the chronic street cruiser. "Getting Duke" is about a street cruiser meeting Duke and finding him irresistible. Though a strong friendship begins, Duke needs to profit off of his admirer to support his addiction. Though fiction, it is realistic in how a cruiser and hustler meet and develop a relationship on the street in Chicago. "Nacho" is an adventure and dark romance novel about Nacho, a handsome, straight, homeless man who emotionally and financially abuses Troy, a wealthy street cruiser who is obsessed with Nacho. "On 26th Street" follows two cousins, one straight and one gay, who work the streets while living in Chicago's Little Village. While both work for the money received from gay street cruisers, the gay cousin is looking for more than the financial favors he receives, which evolves the novel's many adventures into a gay romance. "Still Cruising" follows Cruise's first book, "Cruising Little Village in Chicago," though both books are standalone novels, about cruising for men in Chicago's Little Village. "Cruising Little Village in Chicago" and "Still Cruising" tell stories of the main character's street cruising trials and successes as he cruises for men and the pleasures he desires. "Seven and Seven" is an adventurous mystery of a man's dangerous compulsion with an irresistible straight married Puerto Rican who takes all he can from his gay admirer. "Men Wanted: No Experience Necessary" involves Raul hearing that Jarrett pays men for sex. The handsome, thuggish, drug-addicted Mexican introduces himself to Jarrett and the gay-for-pay encounters begin. The adventures take a turn when Jarrett has reason to believe that Raul is an undercover Chicago cop. "It Pays to Look Good" involves a helpless romantic named Jack, whose adventures begin with him picking up the wrong man and ending up in jail. After that disaster, he becomes snarled in relationships with accommodating men who are attracted to his generosity more than anything else. "Panhandler Tales: Short Stories" is a gay-content book of five stories about downtrodden panhandlers on the street and the men who are attracted to them while offering them more than pocket change. Wake Cruise's novels are gay contemporary adventures, which often include romance.