A. C. Burch

A. C. Burch is the author of the award-winning debut novel, The HomePort Journals (2015) and its sequel, The Distance Between Us (2023).  His short story collection, A Book of Revelations was published in 2016.

A Provincetown resident since 1987, A. C. writes in a small shed just a stone’s throw from his house. Dori, an amazing Golden Retriever who has turned tables on the pet/master relationship, makes sure he gets out for long walks every day. He frequently post pictures from our walks, which can be seen on Instagram.“

An avid sailor, photographer, and gardener, he splits his time between Provincetown and South Beach.

Learn more at ACBurch.com and follow ACBurchAuthor on Facebook and Instagram.

Author’s Statement

“I write about people who live just beyond the neat borders of expectation—artists, outsiders, and LGBTQ individuals who assemble their own versions of family when traditional options fail them. I’m drawn to the unguarded moments: a truth spoken too quickly, or a quiet turn that alters the course of a life. Those small shifts are often where my stories find their shape.

I make my home in Provincetown, a place that respects reinvention as a kind of birthright. The beauty of the place is undeniable, but what keeps me returning to it on the page is the way past and potential are ever-present. Long-rooted locals and hopeful arrivals navigate the same narrow streets, carrying their history, longing, and the hope of something better. Their intersections, loving at times and fraught at others, offer an endless field of human complexity.

In my fiction, I honor the resilience required to create a life on one’s own terms. I’m interested in chosen family, and in the courage that hides inside the smallest decisions. If my stories speak to readers, I hope it’s because they recognize a simple truth: belonging isn’t something granted. It’s created.”

Books by A. C. Burch

The Distance Between Us

The suspicious death of an elderly widow on the grounds of the HomePort Estate sends shock waves through the seaside resort of Provincetown.

Wrongly accused of her murder, beloved female impersonator Helena Handbasket forsakes her oceanside mansion and goes undercover to track down those responsible. Aided by her chosen family, she uses her comic genius and extraordinary talent for impersonation to navigate a maze of deception and greed that includes a museum break-in, thefts of iconic artwork, and some shady liaisons. As the investigation gains momentum, the past increasingly influences the present, exposing hidden secrets and imperiling Helena’s well-heeled existence.

Set amid Cape Cod’s natural beauty and vibrant summer season, this captivating sequel to The HomePort Journals unfolds against the backdrop of a small town struggling to balance its newfound celebrity with a cherished way of life.

Available in E-book or Paperback  

“The mystery charms and surprises, but the novel’s deeper joy is its enticing depiction of a town and its people proudly out of the mainstream—the prose, plot, and dialogue gush and bubble like champagne uncorked.”

“The plot unfolds at a steady clip, the action while approaching zaniness never goes off the rails. This is a novel that will elicit many emotions with its satisfying conclusion. It is a winner from A.C. Burch — twisty, engaging, and balanced.”

“Rollicking crime thriller”

“Burch fans will revel in his extensive knowledge of Provincetown and the well-developed, rainbow cast of characters who carry the story forward with feisty humor and many unexpected plot twists. Though marketed as an LGBTQ novel, the tale’s pathos and heartfelt communal spirit will endear Helena, Butch (Helena’s spouse), and Helena’s many friends and associates to mainstream readers as well.”

“Readers will root for Helena and her crime-busting cadre of friends as they grapple with the sinister crimewave that envelops their bucolic town and deal with the influx of “washashores” whose hearts aren’t quite big enough to fully appreciate the Provincetown community. In many ways, the tale is a timely tribute to the resilient, connecting spirit of drag performance and a push against the current political storm of misunderstanding and hatred.”

“Whether she’s mired in personal, political, or social conundrums, there’s one thing Helena profiles and represents—the powerful heartbeat of a community at odds with growing fame and its impact on individual ways of life.”

Readers, book clubs, and libraries seeking LGBTQ+ examinations, Cape Cod cultural inspections, mysteries, and novels packed with social inquiry will welcome the dual threads of humor and serious inspection that capture the multifaceted world of Cape Cod, a microcosm of small-town experiences and change.”

“Helena finds herself at the center of a murder case as strange as the Cape has ever seen, one involving stolen art, secret lovers, and some grade-A impersonating. . . Burch summons Provincetown’s eclectic, art-and-barnacles ethos with an eye for detail and plenty of campy humor. . . the plot becomes secondary to the peculiar spell Burch weaves with Helena and her milieu.”

Fleeing New York City and an abusive partner, would-be writer Marc Nugent finds work at HomePort, the Provincetown mansion of Lola Staunton, a fabulously wealthy recluse. Aided by an attractive-but-unattainable artist and an all-too-available female impersonator, Marc investigates accusations of rape and murder that have estranged Lola from a childhood friend for more than sixty years. Past and present converge when a long-lost journal reveals tales of infidelity, adultery, and passion that mirror the life Marc has recently abandoned. When his ex-lover arrives in search of revenge, Marc must confront his past, his notions of family, and his capacity for love.

Available in E-book or Paperback    

“Evocative, funny, and heartfelt, The HomePort Journals
will be to Provincetown
what Tales of the City is to San Francisco.”

“Burch’s exquisite descriptions of Provincetown bring the Cape to life, and the more he reveals about the delightfully crotchety Dorrie and Lola and the effervescent, tragic Helena, the more captivating they become…. An often vivid portrait of Provincetown life and May-December friendships….” 

“There are elements of paranormality, there’s a dash of eroticism, there’s romance, there’s mystery, even a faint hint of thriller, there’s plenty of epic saga, excitement, woven together by exquisite descriptions of locations and characters that literally sprang to life before my inner eye… I want you to buy this book.”

A Book of Revelations explores the tipping point—when truth meets deception and a decision must be made. . .

Private Quarters: A coming of age story. With cocktails.

Curtain Call: A spurned “mistress” crashes a memorial for her ex-lover’s wife.

Götterdämmerung: The complex relationship between a maestro and his protégé.

Convergence: An aging artist and would-be socialite hosts a disastrous dinner party.

The Honoree: A local saint’s past unexpectedly threatens her future.

Last Chance: A gay detective investigates a murder case where nothing is at it seems.

The Midnight Suitor: A nephew unearths an old family secret–with a modern-day twist.

Even In Death: Mourners who are strangers “bond” at a charlatan’s wake.

Illustrations by Madeline Sorel

Available in E-book or Paperback    

“Drag performers, detectives, and community moguls meet in Burch’s (The Homeport Journals, 2015, etc.) collection, which features coming-out stories with a twist. All the stories in this collection have the feel of cautionary tales. . . Burch weaves a collection of crackerjack plot twists in which unlikely heroes seize the day. A colorful topography of mostly LGBT–related outings, forays, and adventures.”

“A Book of Revelations delivers on its promise. It will surprise, sadden, delight, shock, and most likely bring you to tears more than once. It is a tour de force of masterful storytelling, exquisite wordsmithing and penetrating insights into those forced to live out their lives on the periphery of acceptance, never quite measuring up. It also offers hope and those gentle lessons that remind us we are all more than we seem, to others, but mostly to ourselves.”

“For fans of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City series, this is reminiscent of these books with the intriguing characters and numerous plot lines, albeit in short story form instead of novels. “

“Each story draws readers into continuums of isolation and connection, introspection, and expression, confusion and lucidity as its characters stumble and soar toward finding and claiming their own voices.”