Book Title: Headbangers’ Ball
Author: Josh Fippen
Publisher: The Original Press
Cover Artist: Dann Hazel & Josh Fippen
Release Date: February 14, 2026
Tense/POV: third person, past tense, single POV.
Genres: Dark Contemporary MM Romance, BDSM
Tropes: Enemies to friends, misunderstanding to clarity
Themes: Coming out, forgiveness
Heat Rating: 5 flames
Length: 63 000 words
It is Book 1 of the Tansy Hollow Gay Romance Series,
but does not end on a cliffhanger. It is a happily-ever-after story.
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Passion. Impulse. One reckless night that changes everything.
Blurb
Seth has never been known for playing it safe. Restless, thrill-seeking, and a little too comfortable making bad decisions, he dives headfirst into the wilder edges of nightlife—no strings, no feelings, no regrets.
Then he gets an invitation to the infamous Headbangers’ Ball.
Hidden away at a remote farmhouse and hosted by a mysterious local eccentric, the party is the stuff of whispered rumors and dangerous curiosity. Seth goes looking for excitement.
He doesn’t expect to find Caleb.
Caleb is intense, unpredictable, and completely different from the fleeting men Seth usually lets into his bed—and out of his life by morning. Their connection is instant, explosive, and far more real than Seth is ready for.
For the first time, this isn’t just about heat.
It’s about vulnerability.
It’s about risk.
It’s about love.
And Seth has a talent for ruining good things before they have the chance to grow.
When fear, pride, and impulsive choices threaten to destroy what they’re building, Seth must decide: keep running like he always has… or fight for the one man who could actually be forever.
Headbangers’ Ball is Book One in the Tansy Hollow Gay Romance Series — a steamy, emotional MM romance featuring a rebellious hero, an intense first meeting, small-town secrets, and a hard-won happily ever after.
Meet level-headed Caleb and impulsive Seth by getting your copy of Headbangers’ Ball today!
LATER, AFTER PIZZA, SCOTT AND Wayne took their leave. Something about having to get up early the next morning. It seemed they enjoyed being regaled with tales of some of the guys Bigfoot encountered, judging from the catty remarks. But then, they always jumped at the chance to hear Bigfoot’s “conquest” stories.
“That was fun, Seth.” Brice threw his napkin onto his empty plate. “Guess I’m gonna head out, too.”
“Wait. There’s something I left out.” Bigfoot couldn’t hide the eagerness in his tone.
“Really. I wonder what that could be.”
“I met someone.”
“From what you told us, sounds like you met a bunch of people.”
“No. I mean, I met someone. At the party. I met a guy.”
“Okay.” Brice grew serious. “You met someone there?”
“Yes. I didn’t see it coming, but it happened,” Bigfoot said. “I think I want to get to know him. See where it goes.”
“Hold on a minute.” Brice cut him off. “Am I talking to Seth, our confirmed queen of the hook-up? The one who always says he’s not interested in finding a boyfriend?”
“I think I might have been wrong on that one.”
“Tell me all about him! Was it love at first sight?” Jokingly, Brice mocked a googly-eyed swoon.
“No way. It was nothing like that at all. When I first saw him, he was—” Bigfoot’s voice trailed off. Melancholy swept over him.
“What?” Brice prodded. Like Scott and Wayne, Brice enjoyed good drama in Bigfoot’s escapade stories. The sudden change of course in this story intrigued him.
“When I first saw him, he really pissed me off. I would’ve killed the motherfucker if I’d been able.”
“What do you mean, Seth?”
“When I got to the party, I left my bike at the house. Then, later in the night, some joker comes riding out in the back field where I was and—and—” Bigfoot’s bottom lip began to quiver. He took a sip of his tea.
Brice gave him a moment to compose himself. Bigfoot’s buildup to his story implied a happy ending. But whatever happened sure looked like it had a negative impact on Bigfoot.
“So he fell off the bike—busted his ass. When he got up, he was pissed, grabbed my bike and threw it into the bonfire.” A tear trickled down his cheek. “It burned up right there while I watched.”
“Oh fuck, Seth.” Brice took his hand. “Your bike—your uncle’s bike is gone?”
“Yeah.” Bigfoot tried to hold back his emotions, but his hands trembled.
“Okay. But this guy is someone you want to get to know? Tell me more.”
Bigfoot sat straight in his chair. “The guy came over to me a few minutes later.” Bigfoot’s voice strengthened as he spoke. “We fucked.”
“I’m confused,” Brice said. “He burned your bike, then came to you for sex? That’s fucked up. Why would he do that?”
“He didn’t know whose bike it was. And I didn’t realize that the guy who destroyed my bike was the one who came over to fuck, either.”
“I see.”
“He was really nice to me when we fucked. He even asked permission. He made sure I got off, too.” Bigfoot’s voice, his demeanor, shifted toward the positive. “I mean, he turned out to be a good guy.”
“I don’t understand. You didn’t care that he ruined your bike?” Brice knew the story about Bigfoot’s bike. How special it was to him. That a stranger could destroy it, only to become of “interest” to Bigfoot, seemed incongruous.
“Fuck yeah I cared! And I still do! When I realized he was the guy I watched trash it, I was pissed as fuck. I wanted to kill the motherfucker!”
“Then why the change of heart?”
“Well, he’s a sweet guy, and a really cute one, too.” Bigfoot quickly realized how shallow and shortsighted his explanation must sound. “And anyway, he took me home with him. I didn’t have a ride otherwise.”
“He took you home,” Brice repeated. “To his place?”
“Yeah. We went to his place.”
“To fuck.”
“Yeah. But he also bought us pizza, he gave me some clothes to wear—”
“What?” Brice said. “What clothes? What are you even talking about?”
Josh Fippen has dreamed of writing gay romance for years. This novel is his first effort, but definitely not his last. He joins his spouse Dann Hazel, a veteran writer, in creating sexy, steamy gay romance tales. Together Dann and Josh have developed the Tansy Hollow Gay Romance Series of Books. Both authors will create stories for the series.
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