Welcome to the official site of R.M. Garabedian. I write things, take pictures, and occasionally climb something steep.
ABOUT THE PHOTO (under text here):
Summitted 10,358' peak! On volcanic “scree” you slide back a foot for every two gained—so I’m calling it a 20,716-foot ascent! LOL
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY: Recently sent multiple (& varied) works of fiction and poetry to leading publications in US and UK. Meanwhile.…
MAJOR PROJECT
Advance by Fire and Maneuver
A novel of love, ambition, & survival during the 1980s Hollywood AIDS panic
Category: UPMARKET/LITERARY
Status: ✒️ Polishing
Open to: Inquiries from agents & journal editors
Available on Request: 📄 Polished 3k-word excerpt from novel’s opening, with a complete arc that makes it suitable for publication as standalone story
Panoramic—and spanning decades—this deeply character-driven work centers on an epic male-male love story. Two passing-for-straight leading men, both battling up from tough (though contrasting) backgrounds, maintain a secret relationship as they rise through show business. When the 1980s HOLLYWOOD AIDS PANIC erupts, they must fight to protect their romantic bond—and their financial and artistic survival—in an industry determined to shut out homosexual men.
With everything on the line, their differing personalities, approaches, and strategies unleash both shattering pain and surprising forms of triumph.
WHY IT WILL APPEAL
It’s entertaining...fun, sexy chemistry between the guys and uniquely rendered behind-the-scenes looks at bygone versions of NYC theater world and Hollywood TV & film productions full of wild characters and wacky/absurd/shocking situations—although the story, given personal losses and dire challenges, also involves much tragedy.
Significantly, early feedback confirms its potential for major crossover success; heterosexual female readers, for example, love the early chapters.
ABOUT THE TITLE
The military language reflects the paratrooper background of one of the pair, and his combat-like approach to overcoming obstacles.
NOVEL DESCRIPTION BY MENTOR (from “Reactions” page)
“You’re offering romance with gravitas—not just swoon, but soul.”
And:
“You’re crafting something that challenges readers with literary depth and stylistic richness, while rewarding them with emotional payoff, narrative propulsion, and romantic tension. This is exactly what upmarket fiction is meant to do: bridge the gap between literary and commercial. And you’re not just bridging it—you’re building a highway across it.”
Connect below if you wish to discuss representation or publication…or click to read FULL TEXT of
[EARLY REACTIONS to Novel-in-Progress].
I’ll leave you with a logline (smile):
Two closeted leading men fight to survive the 1980s Hollywood AIDS panic as it threatens their secret love and hard-won stardom.