Cochrane, Becky

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COCHRANE, Becky

(Timothy James Beck, a joint pseudonym)

PERSONAL:

Born in AL; married; husband's name Tom. Education: University of Alabama, B.A.

ADDRESSES:

Office—P.O. Box 131845, Houston, TX 77219. Agent—Alison J. Picard Literary Agency, P.O. Box 2000, Cotuit, MA 02635. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer, 1998—. Has also worked as an editor and teacher.

WRITINGS:

(With Timothy J. Lambert) The Deal: A Gay Romantic Comedy, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 2004.

WITH JIM CARTER, TIMOTHY FORRY, AND TIMOTHY J. LAMBERT; UNDER JOINT PSEUDONYM TIMOTHY JAMES BECK

It Had to Be You, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2001.

He's the One, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2003.

I'm Your Man, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2004.

WORK IN PROGRESS:

With Timothy J. Lambert, Three Fortunes in One Cookie, for Alyson Books; as Timothy James Beck, Since You're Gone, for Kensington Books.

SIDELIGHTS:

Becky Cochrane has teamed with Jim Carter, Timothy Forry, and Timothy J. Lambert to pen several gay romance novels under the pseudonym "Timothy James Beck." These novels, strong on relationships, comedy, and the hallmarks of gay urban culture, have been welcomed by a reading and critical community in search of lightweight fare. Beck's debut novel, It Had to be You, written in a round-robin format by the team of authors, features a hero named Daniel Stephenson who decides to ditch his drag queen persona, "Princess 2Di4" and become more serious about his love life. Tending his Manhattan garden, Daniel spies Blaine, a stranger in a nearby apartment. Tearing away from his former lifestyle proves challenging for Daniel, however, and he must also deal with his friend Ken's diagnosis with AIDS. Nevertheless, a happy ending awaits. A Publishers Weekly reviewer wrote that the debut novel "delivers fluffy, uncomplicated, G-rated entertainment for those who prefer their gay fiction whipped to a frothy consistency." Ken Thistlewaite in the Lambda Book Report likewise concluded of It Had to Be You: "If you're looking for an easily accessible, feel-good read, this is a prime candidate."

In Beck's second title, He's the One, handsome Adam chooses the quiet lifestyle in his hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, but questions that decision when he falls deeply in love with Jeremy, a character from It Had to Be You, during an extended business trip to New York City. Drag queens and their favorite clubs again bring spice to the plot that a Publishers Weekly critic described as a "madcap Manhattan romance." The critic further called the book "featherweight fun." In Booklist, Whitney Scott characterized He's the One as a "romantic comedy of gay manners" and deemed it "engaging."

Cochrane has worked with Timothy J. Lambert on various projects, and together the two writers have published novels under their real names. Their debut was The Deal: A Gay Romantic Comedy, a love story that includes gay, lesbian, and straight characters. At a New Year's Eve party in the pivotal year of 1999, a group of thirty-something friends all agree to a pact: They have one year to find true love, or else they must stop complaining about their relationships. How each of the various characters deals with this deadline forms the plot of the story. "With its attractive, enjoyable characters, this Gen-X romp could easily be a big-screen romantic comedy," commented Whitney Scott in Booklist. A Publishers Weekly reviewer felt that the novel "honestly captures the way people brood over and incessantly discuss their love lives."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2003, Whitney Scott, review of He's the One, p. 843; May 1, 2004, Whitney Scott, review of The Deal: A Gay Romantic Comedy, p. 1545.

Lambda Book Report, October, 2001, Ken Thistlewaite, review of It Had to Be You, p. 17.

Publishers Weekly, October 8, 2001, review of It Had to Be You, p. 45; January 20, 2003, review of He's the One, p. 58; April 26, 2004, review of The Deal, p. 40.