About

Daniel grew up and attended college in New Jersey, then moved to the Boston area for law school. He worked for several years as a corporate/securities attorney before throwing caution to the winds and pursuing a career in creative writing. After his partner (and future husband), Leo Cabranes-Grant, accepted a university teaching position in California, Daniel moved with him to Santa Barbara.

Several of Daniel's books have won or been named a finalist for awards, and some of his short stories have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Dozens of his stories, essays, and articles have appeared in anthologies, literary journals and newspapers in many countries and languages. His work has been taught in college and university courses. He holds degrees from Princeton University (A.B.), Harvard Law School (J.D.), and Vermont College (M.F.A.).

Featured Work

DOMESTIC AFFAIRS: TALES OF AMERICAN MALES

2024
Domestic Affairs: Tales of American Males

In Daniel's newest collection of short stories, red-blooded American men make mischief while exploring themselves and others throughout the United States. These tales of fantasy, sci-fi, horror, romance, and good old-fashioned realism, evoke deep pride in the varied wonders of being an American male.

"Readers will be in awe of Daniel M. Jaffe's collection of boundary-breaking and strangely intriguing short stories.... brilliant ... sensual and hilarious queer stories...challenging conventional beliefs." Los Angeles Book Review

"A volume of fun, absorbing, and contemplative tales." Kirkus Reviews

"Challenging and exquisite.... tender and erotic ... With wit and warmth, Jaffe pulls off daring and playful experiments with form and genre." Foreword Clarion Reviews

Other Works

  • The Grand Sex Tour Murders

    2022

  • Foreign Affairs: Male Tales of Lust & Love

    2020

  • Yeled Tov

    2018

  • The Genealogy of Understanding

    2014

  • Jewish Gentle and Other Stories of Gay-Jewish Living

    2011

  • The Limits of Pleasure, a novel (reprint--originally published in 2001)

    2010

  • One-Foot Lover (fiction chapbook)

    2009

  • With Signs and Wonders: An International Anthology of Jewish Fabulist Fiction

    2001

  • Here Comes The Messiah! (translation)

    2000

Awards and Recognition

  • Selected as one of the Ten Favorite Books of 2022 by Out in Print: Queer Book Reviews--"The Grand Sex Tour Murders."
  • One of Kirkus Reviews' Best Indie Short Story Collections and Books of 2020--"Foreign Affairs"
  • Finalist and Honorable Mention--Rainbow Award for "Yeled Tov" (2018-19)
  • Fellowship--Norman Mailer Writers Colony Residency (2010)
  • Finalist and Honorable Mention--Rainbow Award for "The Genealogy of Understanding" (2014)
  • Finalist--American Fiction Prize, for "Mauricio Fabiano Weinstein," a short story (2009)
  • Outstanding Instructor Award in Online Writing Education, UCLA Extension Writers’ Program (2006)
  • First Place--John E. Profant Foundation for the Arts Literature Competition (2003)
  • Finalist--ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Award, for "The Limits of Pleasure," a novel (2002)
  • Finalist--Unity Fest, NY, for "Bibi and Joe," a one-act play (2001)
  • Finalist--Sierra Repertory Theatre’s competition, for "Private Matters," a two-act play (1996)

Press and Media Mentions