Arts & Entertainment
Books: Hot gay page turners
Spring book release schedule chock full of LGBT content
‘Decadence’ by Eric Jerome Dickey, ‘Gypsy Boy on the Run’ by Mikey Walsh and ‘Prairie Silence’ by Melanie Hoffert, just three of many gay-themed books slated for release in the coming months. (Photos courtesy the publishers)
The spring publishing season is full of gay reads, especially if you like memoirs.
Mikey Walsh gifts us with a sequel to last year’s “Gypsy Boy” (one of my favorite books of 2012) with his new book “Gypsy Boy on the Run.” This book picks up where the first book left off — Walsh has just escaped his father’s abuse and the Romany culture in which he grew up — and off we go. Which is great, since the first book practically begged for an update. His being gay is a major reason he was shunned by his culture of origin.
What would you do if you hailed from a place where you being gay was the farthest thing from your neighbors’ minds? In “Prairie Silence,” author Melanie Hoffert tackles that, coming from her home state of North Dakota. This is a beautiful book, almost bucolic, and filled with a quiet sense of calm and crops.
“Letters from the Closet: Ten Years of Correspondence That Changed My Life” by Amy Hollingsworth is a bit of a unusual memoir: it’s about a teacher who was not “out,” his favorite student and letters that he wrote to her that she kept until his death, years later. It’s a powerful story of secrets that aren’t so secret, from a Christian writer.
Speaking of church, “Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church” by Lauren Drain is the true story of the organization and a little girl whose father got so caught up in his examination of the church that he moved his family to Kansas and into the fold. It’s also the story of a girl who examines her conscience and realizes that her former beliefs were wrong. Controversial? You betcha, but oh-so-interesting, too.
“Plane Queer” by Phil Tiemeyer is a book about male flight attendants from the 1920s to about a decade ago, their work in a female-dominated career, the discrimination they faced and how AIDS has tied into their area of the industry. There’s a lot to learn here (because — did you know this? — they were in the forefront of an important civil rights law), so this book isn’t just a scandal-filled, juicy read.
Local gay author Garrett Peck continues his historical explorations with “The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry.” This is somewhat of a sequel to Peck’s last book and explains how some of D.C.’s best-loved sites are tied together in an unlikely way.
California-based gay author and pop culture historian Mike Pingel is out with another tidbit-crammed page turner. “Betty White Rules the World” traces the legend’s career from “Life With Elizabeth,” “Mary Tyler Moore,” “The Golden Girls,” “Hot in Cleveland” and more. As with previous books on everything from “Wonder Woman” to “Charlie’s Angels,” Pingel keeps the pace moving — pullout boxes and mini-chapters are well-chocked with interesting factoids that keep the pace moving.
So you’re clamoring for a novel. Just a good story, that’s all you want.
And then you want “The Beauty of Men Never Dies” by David Leddick.
Blending fiction with memoir, this book is about aging and falling in love later in life. It’s a whirlwind trip from America to Europe, from one fabulous job to another, and from love lost to love gained. How much is true and how much is not? I’m not saying. Read the book.
Gay author Brent Hartinger will release “The Elephant of Surprise” from Buddha Kitty Books on March 31. It’s the fourth book in the “Geography Club” series, the first entry of which has been adapted into a film starring Scott Bakula and Nikki Blonsky. In “Elephant,” Russel and his friends Min and Gunnar laugh about a phenomenon referenced in the title — the tendency of life to never turn out as expected. Russel becomes involved with Wade, a hot-but-homeless activist, just as his old flame Kevin returns to his front burner. And Min is learning surprising things about her girlfriend Leah. Hartinger, a former Blade contributor, has earned kudos for his well-crafted depictions of gay teen life.
Finally, if you just want something fun, hedonistic and so hot you’ll need oven mitts, then look for “Decadence” by Eric Jerome Dickey this spring. Nia Simone Bijou (she of 2008’s “Pleasure”) is back and looking to hone her “gifts” of love by stepping into a pleasure palace for awhile.
Cupid’s Undie Run, an annual fundraiser for neurofibromatosis (NF) research, was held at Union Stage and at The Wharf DC on Saturday, Feb. 21.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Sweat DC is officially expanding to Shaw, opening a new location at 1818 7th St., N.W., on Saturday, March 28 — and they’re kicking things off with a high-energy, community-first launch event.
To celebrate, Sweat DC is hosting Sweat Fest, a free community workout and social on Saturday, March 14, at 10 a.m. at the historic Howard Theatre. The event features a group fitness class, live DJ, local food and wellness partners, and a mission-driven partnership with the Open Goal Project, which works to expand access to youth soccer for players from marginalized communities.
For more details, visit Sweat DC’s website and reserve a spot on Eventbrite.
Friday, Feb. 20
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon with Yoga will be at noon at the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7 p.m. at the D.C. Center. This will be a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome! We’ll have card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Go Gay DC will host “First Friday LGBTQ+ Community Social” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, Feb. 21
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
LGBTQ People of Color will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgement free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
Sunday, Feb. 22
Queer Talk DC will host “The Black Gay Flea Market” at 1 p.m. at Doubles in Petworth. There will be more than 15 Black queer vendors from all over the DMV in one spot. The event’s organizers have reserved the large back patio for all vendors, and the speak easy for bar service, which will be serving curated cocktails made just for the event (cash bar.) DJ Fay and DJ Jam 2x will be spinning the entire event. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Monday, Feb. 23
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam at [email protected].
Tuesday, Feb. 24
Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so — by sharing struggles and victories the group allows those newly coming out and who have been out for a while to learn from others. For more details, visit the group’s Facebook.
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100 percent cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Wednesday, Feb. 25
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Asexual and Aromantic Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, Feb. 26
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center. To be more fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
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