Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Friday, April 27, 2018

Books: Raised By Unicorns: Stories from People with LGBTQ+ Parents

Perfectly timed for Father's Day, Mother's Day and nationwide PRIDE events this summer season, RAISED BY UNICORNS: STORIES FROM PEOPLE WITH LGBTQ+ PARENTS, edited by acerbic Twitter and LGBTQ+ media personality Frank Lowe, is poised to not only inform LGBTQ+ families about the challenges they may face and provide insight on how to overcome them, but to also further the definition of the American modern nuclear family. 

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to spread the love, and maybe you'll find yourself inspired along the way!

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Books: Playful Intelligence: The Power of Living Lightly in a Serious World

As adults, we have more responsibilities than we could have ever imagined growing up. Navigating the bumpy terrain of relationships. Maintaining a social life. Facing grave hardship. Finding contentment in our career.

As the years pass by, we sense how the good things in life are so often eclipsed by stress. We find ourselves doing everything we can just to endure adulthood, all the while wondering whether we are actually enjoying it. This is exactly why Dr. Anthony T. DeBenedet decided to write Playful Intelligence: The Power of Living Lightly in a Serious World (Santa Monica Press/May/Softcover), to show readers how playfulness helps us counterbalance the seriousness of adulthood. 


“Five years ago, my life was becoming more intense and stressful,” DeBenedet says. “My relationships, clinical work as a physician, and basic interactions with the world were blurring into a frazzled mosaic. Going through the motions became my norm, and every day brought busyness and exhaustion. I thought about whether I was depressed. I didn’t think I was. Anxious? Sure, but aren’t we all anxious on some level? I also thought about the lifestyle factors that could be making me feel this way. Was I getting enough sleep? Was I exercising regularly? Was I eating healthy? Was I playing and remembering to be playful?”

Today, we live in a taxing world. The endless pressure to keep up with our responsibilities and the daily headlines swarming around us can be overwhelming. DeBenedet’s work comes at a time when stress, uncertainty, and intensity levels are high. Playful Intelligence shows adults that there is a way to live lighter—and smarter—as we navigate the seriousness of adulthood. It’s not about taking life less seriously; it’s about taking ourselves less seriously.

The book’s core chapters are devoted to exploring the effects and benefits of five playful qualities: imagination, sociability, humor, spontaneity, and wonder. By examining playfulness as a sum of its parts, readers will gain a working awareness of its power and be able to apply playful principles to their own lives, bringing the magic of childhood back into their day-to-day existence. The book also offers practical suggestions on how to make life more playful in nature.

Monday, January 22, 2018

Books: Charlie

Charlie is a harrowing account of a gay man’s fight against the authorities of a government hell-bent on destroying him, his reputation, his career, his family, and utterly everything in his life. This is a true story of heinous crimes against humanity and serious breaches of civil liberties. This is a story of rape, abuse, psychological terrorism, imprisonment without trial, and the murder of innocent gay men. 

“Even to this day, I get sick to my stomach when accepting that this all began with a comment on Facebook,” explains the author. “It shows the lengths a nation will go to in order to silence its residents, protect the Government’s interests and take drastic steps to belittle and bury those who speak out. Worst of all, this most definitely isn’t fiction.”

Continuing, “However, I also use the book to show the flipside; the British Government’s bending over backwards to ensure the safety of me and my boyfriend, and the human spirit’s ability to find hope if it refuses to give up in the face of adversity. I think, ultimately, it proves that good always triumphs over evil.”

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

The Telling Image: Shapes of Changing Times

It has been said that great artists do not see ahead of their time; rather, they are the few who see their time for what it truly is.

But what if we could see the world more clearly and better anticipate what is to come in the New Year?

As award-winning documentary filmmaker Lois Farfel Stark suggests, one way to balance the rapid changes of our technological era is shape: a key that reveal patterns of the past and helps us glimpse the future.

This is the focus her new book, The Telling Image: Shapes of Changing Times.

One example is the shape of the Big Dipper. To the Greeks and Native Americans, these same stars formed a great bear. In Medieval times these dots connected to draw a wagon. To the Chinese, they made up a heavenly goddess. Each culture saw the same set of stars but connected the dots in their own way to form a familiar shape that reflected their worldview.

If we were connecting the dots of the constellation today, perhaps we would draw a laptop computer. As Stark suggests, “The stars do not move—we change our description of them. How we describe the world inscribes our thinking.”

The Telling Image: Shapes of Changing Times reveals the powerful role shapes and patterns play in forming how humans think. As the New Year approaches, perhaps the secret to seeing ahead of our time is to see our current world with new eyes.

Monday, November 27, 2017

Books: Best Gay Erotica of the Year

In the world of man-on-man erotica, the best just keeps getting better! Best Gay Erotica of the Year, Volume 3, masterfully edited by Rob Rosen, features the absolute hottest M/M stories around. 

Stories from the likes of Landon Dixon, Richard Michaels, and Dale Chase cover it all: from dominant men going after the lovers they lust for, to suave men charming their sweethearts into the bedroom, to sweat-inducing masculine quickies. 

Whether you have a penchant for vampires, co-eds, threesomes, hot and hunky bartenders, or one-night stands, get ready to get off in every way possible!

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Quentin Crisp Has The Last Word

MB Books this week announced the worldwide publication of The Last Word, the third and final installment of Quentin Crisp’s autobiography. Today is the eighteen-year anniversary of Quentin’s passing. The Last Word is available in paperback and as an e-book, exclusively on Amazon.

The Last Word was written by Crisp with the help of his best friend, Phillip Ward, who tape-recorded and later transcribed Quentin’s words between 1997-1999. Upon his death, Quentin left the rights and responsibility to publish The Last Word to Phillip, who later enlisted former Pink News features writer Laurence Watts to help edit the resulting manuscript.

Whereas The Naked Civil Servant made Crisp famous and How To Become A Virgin detailed that fame and his move to and life in New York, The Last Word was written by a man who knew the end was near. While Crisp died from a heart attack in November 1999 in Manchester, England - on the eve of a British revival of his one-man show - having been diagnosed with prostate cancer and heart problems and at the age of ninety, Crisp had begun to put his affairs in order. The Last Word then, is Crisp’s goodbye to the world. In it he recounts the story of him having once been a temporary tramp (a hobo in American-English), his recently discovered transgender identity, his struggles with ill-health and growing old, and a host of other previously untold stories.

“I am delighted to finally be able to share The Last Word with all of Quentin’s fans throughout the world.” said Phillip Ward, literary and estate executor for Quentin Crisp. “Quentin was one of a kind. He was a philosopher, an observer of life, a survivor and a beacon of hope for many. In life, his primary mission was the immediate happiness of those around him. He leaves behind a legacy of great importance to the world’s gay and straight communities of which The Last Word is his swansong.”

Friday, October 27, 2017

The People's Victory: Stories From the Front Lines in the Fight for Marriage Equality

Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) announces the release of an inspiring new book of essays showcasing the organization’s unwavering efforts to help bring marriage protections to same-sex couples throughout the United States. Told through the eyes of dozens of ordinary LGBTQ Americans who joined an extraordinary movement, “The People’s Victory: Stories From the Front Lines in the Fight for Marriage Equality” traces MEUSA’s origins in New York and California in the late 1990’s to its growth into a nationwide force of tireless activists.

Each of these activists, including the late Edie Windsor, Cathy Marino-Thomas, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis, Del Shores, and countless others, most of whom are not household names, played a key role in making it possible for loving and committed LGBTQ couples to be recognized under the law and afforded the rights and respect that come with marriage.

“We wanted to show the world the power of everyday individuals to bring about monumental change,” wrote Marriage Equality USA Executive Director Brian Silva in the book’s introduction. “As a grassroots organization, MEUSA has always believed this fight for hearts and minds was something only achievable when everyday people not only believed they had the power to make change, but acted on it.”

The book caps off the decades-long activism of MEUSA and officially marks an end to its work. It also serves as a blueprint for dedicated activists who are pursuing civil rights on a host of other issues.

“‘The People’s Victory’ is a mirror for each of us to see our own power to fight for justice and create the change we want to see in our world,” wrote California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom in the book’s Foreword. Newsom is the former San Francisco Mayor and an iconic marriage equality advocate. “Marriage equality was the vehicle for these authors – but what will yours be? I hope these stories inspire you to resist, to fight, to win, and in the end write the next stories in our continuing push for a more just and perfect union,” he said.

Kirsten Berzon, one of the book’s dozens of authors, echoed those sentiments in her essay, writing: “When I think about… my tenure as a marriage equality activist, I keep coming back to the famous quote by Margaret Mead: ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’”

In her piece, the late Edie Windsor remembers a 2007 briefing in which she was told by an LGBT movement leader that marriage equality would be addressed “a couple years down the line.” The fierce and feisty activist recalls retorting: “‘I’m 77 years old and I can’t wait!! What do we have to do?’ On that same night I signed up as a Marriage Ambassador. From then on Thea [Spyer] and I were at every MENY rally, speech and public event we could attend…”

“This book is a true labor of love and a final tribute to MEUSA,” said Brian Silva. “It’s also a call to action for all those fighting on the front lines of our most pressing social justice issues today. As I note in the book: ‘The fight to be treated equally in marriage cannot end at the altar or county clerk’s office. Those forces seeking to deny same-sex couples equal marriage rights for so long are the same people, ideologies and resources working against anyone who is pushing our country to be more fair and just. The People’s Victory elevates and honors the everyday heroes of social justice who make the brave decision to no longer sit idly on the sidelines of history. Instead, they hold a sign, attend a meeting, and share their stories. They are you.’”

The book is available for free digital download and at cost in print to ensure it distributed widely in libraries, educational facilities, and LGBTQ centers throughout the nation.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Books: The Last Word

MB Books, LLC, (MB Books) today announces that the third and final installment of Quentin Crisp’s autobiography, The Last Word, will be published worldwide on November 21, 2017. The publication date will coincide with the eighteen-year anniversary of Crisp’s passing, which occurred on November 21, 1999. The Last Word will be available in hardcopy and as an e-book, exclusively on Amazon.

The Last Word was written by Crisp with the help of his best friend, Phillip Ward, who tape-recorded and later transcribed Quentin’s words between 1997-1999. Upon his death, Quentin left the rights and responsibility to publish The Last Word to Phillip, who later enlisted former Pink News features writer Laurence Watts to help edit the resulting manuscript.

Whereas The Naked Civil Servant made Crisp famous and How To Become A Virgin detailed that fame and his move to and life in New York, The Last Word was written by a man who knew the end was near. The Last Word is Crisp’s goodbye to the world, an opportunity for him to have the last word.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

50 Shades of Andrew Grey - A Conversation with the Romance Writers of America's Only Male Centennial Award Winner

Andrew Grey
By Drew Wilson 
 
Andrew Grey is the first male author to receive the Romance Writers of America Centennial Award, an honor for publishing 100 romance novels, and the only M/M author to be so recognized.

“Andrew Grey is a unique talent in the M/M romance world and we are honored to be re-publishing this sexy novella as he receives his much-deserved Romance Writer’s of America Centennial Award,” said Riverdale Avenue Books Publisher Lori Perkins, who just published The Photographer's Assistant.

We had a chance to speak with Grey about his award, his process, and how his life is – and isn’t – like a romance novel.

Congratulations! How does it feel to be the only male m/m author to receive the Romance Writers of America Centennial Award?

It's quite an honor. This award has been given out less than 30 times and to some amazing authors. I’m so thrilled to be in their company.

What is the secret to your prolificacy and what is your writing process like?
I am very blessed with what seems like an unending well of ideas. I have a notebook full of them and some keep coming to me. As a writer, I am quite disciplined. I write nearly every day and set progress goals. It's how I am able to keep producing the stories that my characters tell.

What are some must-have elements in any m/m romance novel?
Man. [Wipes brow] You must have good interesting characters that are likable on some level. You also need a great setting that adds to the story. Also, there must be a conflict between the characters as well as some type of external conflict that they can overcome. I want to stress that a romance starts with the characters - who they are, falling in love, and how they grow and learn about themselves through the story.

And who reads m/m romance?
Romance is traditionally read primarily by women. That is true for all kinds of romance including gay romance.

Who are some of your favorite m/m romance writers.
That’s a tough one because I read a lot. But I have to say that some of my favorite authors are Mary Calmes, Ariel Tachna, Renae Kaye, and Clare London just to name a few.

For somebody not familiar with your work, which books of yours would you recommend to them?
I would suggest they start with one of the following books: Fire and Water in the Carlisle Cops series; Inside Out, the first in the Bronco’s Boys series; or Love Means... Courage, the start of The Farm series. This will give a reader a really good overview of my work and they can decide what they like from there.

As a romance expert, what do you know about real life romance that the rest of us may not?
I wish I could answer that question, but I’m no better at real life romance than anyone else. If someone came to me for advice about general romance, I would tell them that in these kinds of things to follow your heart. Jealousy and pride can stand in the way, so try to ignore them and just open yourself to the possibilities of love.

Tell me about a time in your life that was just like something out of a romance novel.
My partner and I met when some friends fixed us up. He and I had an amazing romance that’s still ongoing. Dominic inspires my life and each of my works. I put some of the love and special care that he gives me into every story. My husband and partner of over twenty years is the love of my life.

And now tell me about a time in your life that was the exact opposite of something out of a romance novel.
There have been many times when things don’t go right or have been exceedingly tough. In romance novels, things have a tendency to work out and endings are happy. In my romantic life, I have been truly blessed, but other parts of my life, things have been rather difficult over the years. It's hard to go into some of them without causing pain for the others involved. Before I met my husband, there were many years of loneliness. I worked for a national company and moved many times, including entirely across the country. Those periods of my life were very hard and while they helped make me who I am today they are not romantic in any way. 



Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Books: The Raver Stories Project

The Raver Stories Project is the book that reveals the rave scene as it really was and is, compiled and edited by one of the ultimate rave insiders—dance music photojournalist Michael Tullberg. Having worked for virtually all the major electronic music magazines of the period, such as URB, MIXER, BPM Culture and Insider, Tullberg has long been dissatisfied with the mainstream public’s negative perception of raving. In late 2016, he put out a Call for Story Submissions to the electronic music community, asking for their most memorable, exciting and even transformative experiences in the rave scene. The response he got was nothing less than phenomenal.

Tullberg received stories from around the world, ranging in time from the original UK rave explosion in the late 1980s until the present day. The scope of the stories is impressively wide, including warehouse parties, desert raves, mansion parties, underground clubs, and much more. Tales came in about the over-the-top lunacy of Electric Daisy Carnival, the elite VIP room at Ministry of Sound London, and the desert wastes of Burning Man, among many others.

“There’s never been an American book about electronic music like this one,” said Tullberg. “Never before have fans of electronic music banded together to tell their stories of what the rave scene is really like, and why it means so much to them. For the first time, their voices can now be heard as a legitimate and productive counter to the negatively-tinged narrative found in much of the mainstream media.”

Friday, August 18, 2017

Books: Three Month Fever

"First published in 1999, Gary Indiana's Three Month Fever is the second volume of his famed crime trilogy, now being republished by Semiotext(e)."

Thursday, August 3, 2017

Andrew Gray, First Male Author to Receive RWA Centennial Award for publishing 100 M/M novels

Riverdale Avenue Books just published Andrew Grey’s novella, The Photographer’s Assistant. He will be the first male author to receive the Romance Writers of America Centennial Award, an honor for publishing 100 romance novels, and the only M/M author to be recognized.

In The Photographer’s Assistant, Christian Coulliet is the premier gay erotic photographer in the country. His pictures are spectacular because he will go to whatever length is necessary to get the photographs he wants, including having sex with his models. His assistant, David Weatherby is attracted to Christian in a big way but has seen Christian brush off so many men, and he doesn’t want to be another notch on Christian’s photographic bedpost. What David doesn’t realize is that Christian has noticed and watches, but stays away because David works for him, and because he feels that David deserves someone better.

“Andrew Grey is a unique talent in the M/M romance world and we are honored to be re-publishing this sexy novella as he receives his much-deserved Romance Writers of America Centennial Award for being the only male author, and the only author of M/M romance, to publish 100 romance titles,” said Publisher Lori Perkins.

“I had a ball writing this story. It’s a secret fantasy of mine to have been able to be a model and I definitely would have taken a handsome photographer for a spin if I had gotten the chance, ” said Grey.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Books: Fair Foods - The Most Popular and Offbeat Recipes from America’s State and County Fairs

The summer season is a time for ice cream, trips to the beach, and . . . state and county fairs! The food selection at state and county fairs is now more diverse and delicious than ever before, ranging from timeless classics like apple pie and corn dogs to new inventions like spicy peanut butter and jelly cheeseburgers and fried Coca-Cola!

Award-winning chef, best-selling author, and renowned educator George Geary celebrates the weird and wonderful foods sold at state and county fairs with his new book, Fair Foods: The Most Popular and Offbeat Recipes from America’s State and County Fairs. This illustrated cookbook features 120 recipes of some of the most interesting and unusual foods served at fairs across the USA.

“For 28 seasons, I was involved in the largest county fair in the country: the Los Angeles County Fair,” says Geary. “During that time, I watched as the focus of the fair moved from blue ribbons and homemade pie bake-offs to the rows and rows of vendors that now hawk crazy food combinations. Around 1980, ‘classic’ fair food began to evolve from cotton candy and snow cones to bacon-wrapped doughnuts fried in pork belly fat. Not all the food sold at the fair is fried, but the motto of today’s county fair might as well be ‘Just Fry It!’”

Friday, June 2, 2017

A Q&A With Michael Dale Kimmel, Author of The Gay Man’s Guide to Open and Monogamous Marriage by Michael Dale Kimmel


San Diego therapist Michael Dale Kimmel is the author of The Gay Man's Guide to Open and Monogamous Marriage ...

What inspired you to write The Gay Man’s Guide to Open and Monogamous Marriage? When I was a young gay boy, I dreamed of the prince who would carry me away on his horse, make me happy and take care of me forever. Reality appeared shortly after, and I realized that I was going to have to be that prince if I ever wanted my dream to come true.

I never, as a young gay boy, imagined that I would be able to legally marry that prince someday. And here we are, now, with marriage to that prince not only possible, but very real: what do we want to do with this opportunity, now that we’ve finally got it? That’s the question that motivated this book.
 

Legal gay marriage is a relatively new phenomenon. What are some of the issues that gay men are facing now that they have the option to marry?
For centuries, heterosexual people have defined marriage. Now, as two men considering getting married, we don’t have to do it “their” way any longer. This is a cause for rejoicing! So why aren’t we more excited? Because, it’s quite daunting to re-invent a cultural institution like marriage. It’s much easier to just follow what other people have done.

This book is an invitation – a radical invitation – to not settle. Instead, the book asks readers to really examine and investigate the idea and institution of marriage and come up with their own version of what works for them and their partners.

How are gay marriages different from heterosexual marriages? In what ways are they the same?
In many important ways, marriage between two men is dramatically different from heterosexual marriage. It’s a double testosterone marriage. We will probably not handle sex the same as our heterosexual or lesbian counterparts: we are likely to desire more of it and with a wider variety of partners.

Many of our relationships start off monogamous. However, it is my experience that about half of them – over time – do not remain so. Many gay relationships – married or not – begin to “open up” after the first few years (I call it “The Three Year Itch”).

Our marriages are probably the same in that we share challenges such as: loving someone as imperfect as we are, weathering financial and emotional storms, challenges of aging, not losing our identity in our relationships and working hard to stay interested in someone that we’ve seen burp, fart, and load the dishwasher in a way that drives us crazy.

Is an open marriage often a good choice for gay married couples, or do you find that monogamy can be a better option? What should couples look for when trying to decide which option to choose?
An open marriage is a pretty high-maintenance experience. Both partners are inviting new people and personalities into their lives, and jealousy and insecurity often come along for the ride. On the other hand, many gay men in monogamous marriages find that – over time - sexual monogamy doesn’t work well for them. They want to go through life with one man they “love” but need to have other men that they have sex with. And many gay marriages go through both “closed” and “open” periods (this is much more common than many think).

In this book, we follow two married couples: Tomas and Larry, representing a harmonious open marriage, and Ethan and Jake, representing a fulfilling monogamous marriage. Each couple will experience the joys and difficulties of their double testosterone marriage, giving readers a wide range of options and possibilities for their own marriages.

Many gay couples struggle with other issues besides whether to be sexually open or monogamous in their marriage. What are some of the other common issues you see in your practice when working with gay couples?
Over the years, I have observed that relationships between two men typically have more conflict and competition, in ways that opposite sex and lesbian relationships do not. Is it biological or cultural? As men, we are trained to compete with each other; we are trained to win, to want to be the best. This is how we’ve been socialized, isn’t it?

And yet, more-and-more often, I meet young men who don’t make all those traditional assumptions about what a man “is” and who we “should” be. I wrote a chapter about redefining gender roles, because we have an amazing opportunity to determine who we are, as two men married to each other. How do we divvy up the household tasks? How do we decide who is the more nurturing one? The more aggressive one? The more career-oriented one? The more childcare-oriented one?

Moving from a partnership to being married can often be as difficult for gay men as it is for opposite-sex couples. What advice do you have for those who are finding the transition to marriage difficult?
Having common goals, good communication skills (being able to talk about almost anything) and some degree of “structure” both partners can fall back on, make the transition easier. Creating a marriage is like designing a house: wouldn’t two partners decide what are the elements/features that each want in their house? What is important to both partners? For some guys, the kitchen may be really important, for others, it may be low on the priority list.

I encourage gay couples to look at their marriages in the same way: what elements of the marriage are most important to each? In the book I call this “designing your marriage” and, ironically, very few couples – gay or straight – are ever encouraged to do this. It’s a great way for gay couples to communicate about what matters to each of person in the relationship, while the partners - mutually - create a structure/framework for a happy, fulfilling marriage.

Do you plan to write more books on gay marriage and relationships in the future and, if so, what can you tell us about them?
I get my ideas for my books and columns both from my clients and participants in the workshops I facilitate. I’ve already begun two more books: one will focus on successfully aging in the gay community (a topic that often terrifies gay men) and the other on psychology, spirituality and humor for gay men (humor and spirituality are such underutilized resources).



Monday, May 29, 2017

Books: Secrets of Skinny Cooking

Eating healthy can be hard and many think, dull. So many tasty dishes we love are usually high in calories. But, did you know that low-calorie recipes can be just as enjoyable as those with lots of calories? With their new cookbook, Secrets of Skinny Cooking, bestselling cookbook author Victoria Dwek and nutritionist Shani Taub show home cooks how to create exciting, flavorful, and filling meals... all for a fraction of the calories they'd typically be.

“There are lots of delicious foods out there. Plenty of recipes with fat and sugar that taste really, really good. I think we all know that,” Victoria explains. “But I realized that what people didn’t know…is that light food can be just as satisfying. That’s why I wrote this cookbook, so everyone can feel good about themselves and never, ever feel deprived.”

From that moist Corn Muffin for breakfast, to creamy Eggplant Parmesan for lunch, to Sesame Chicken & Lo Mein for dinner... Victoria and Shani have created flavor-filled recipes of favorite dishes all surprisingly low in calories!

Monday, May 22, 2017

Books: F'd Wide Open

From a humanistic and secular perspective, Marja West’s “F’d Wide Open” is a book that inspires people to take command of their lives, especially after experiencing trauma.

The book is a reality-based self-help resource that does not focus on religion or new age concepts. Regarding personal trauma and feelings of lacking control, readers are asked whether they will continue to be victimized or if they will present their past traumas as badges of strength.

“I encourage everyone to learn to care about how they truly feel, think critically, take personal responsibility for their lives and happiness, and to be their own gurus,” said West. “I shine light on our individual and collective darkness to spark our individual and collective creative natures so that inspired change can begin.”

Additional aspects include relationships between family, friends, and romantic partners. Whether pleasant or difficult, interaction between people is a constant factor in life and the book serves as a resource for those who wish to evaluate their various relationships and what they can learn from past traumas and difficulties.

“F’d Wide Open” takes an honest and unfiltered approach to life and relationships that are often shocking, but nevertheless crucial for individuals to be happier and more fulfilled.

Friday, April 28, 2017

Books: Live Through This

Live Through This: Surviving the Intersections of Sexuality, God, and Race by Clay Cane is book of powerful, personal essays that will intrigue readers from all backgrounds, and help them connect with the issues facing some of America's most disenfranchised communities by delivering emotional narratives that demand to be heard, respected and understood, now, more than ever.

With honesty and humor, Clay Cane reflects on his diverse racial identity, his childhood growing up in Philadelphia and Washington State during the 1980s and 1990s, and his search for his “tribe” as a black gay man. Through these stories, Cane also explores the intersections of identity in communities of undocumented workers, transgender women of color, queer people, single mothers, and poor whites, as well as, the nuances of race, sexuality, faith, and gender.

Monday, April 24, 2017

Books: Handbook of LGBT Tourism and Hospitality

Harrington Park Press released the Handbook of LGBT Tourism and Hospitality: A Guide for Business Practice on March 7, 2017. Authored by LGBT travel experts Jeff Guaracino and Ed Salvato, the book includes interviews with nearly a hundred industry experts, and analyzing multiple emerging trends among LGBT travelers. 

The Handbook of LGBT Tourism and Hospitality is an easy-to-read, practical, and relevant guidebook with a simple goal: to help marketing professionals, business owners, and allied professionals compete in the increasingly competitive global LGBT travel and hospitality industry. Dozens of contributors helped make this book the most inclusive and comprehensive guide of its kind. It is intended for industry specialists in the tourism and hospitality fields, as well as academics and students in tourism and hospitality studies.
To prepare this handbook, co-authors Guaracino and Salvato traveled to six continents and worked with hundreds of individuals and companies. Input from almost a hundred expert industry consultants and authorities helped make this book the most inclusive and comprehensive guide of its kind. 

Given the vast opportunity for diverse marketing to LGBT travelers, it is published at an opportune time as the LGBT tourism and hospitality industry expands in a challenging political climate. 

According to Thomas Roth, President of Community Marketing & Insights: “[This volume is] Educational. Balanced. Entertaining. Practical. Required! These are just a few words that come to mind when reviewing this tremendous achievement. Jeff and Ed share invaluable insights that can only come with decades of personal experience and professional success in LGBT travel. They’ve formulated all that and more into a well-organized manual for any reader, from the doe-eyed newbie to the long-time veteran, to help set and achieve realistic goals. It can be read in one sitting or referenced throughout a career. Or both.” 

According to Bob Witeck, President of Witeck Communications: “Our human impulse to travel is grounded in curiosity, adventure, and romance—whether we’re gay or straight. What often sets LGBT travel apart are our lifelong needs for community, acceptance, and safety. Few writers are better than Jeff Guaracino and Ed Salvato to distill their expert knowledge across 6 continents into the best practices found in this one essential book.”

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Books: The Broken Heart Toolkit

Written from the life, experiences and wisdom of Paul Thorn, The Broken Heart Toolkit is a holistic and life-changing guide for those who have had their heart broken. 

Thorn has been HIV-positive his entire adult life and knows first-hand what loss and heartache feels like but, having been instrumental in changing cross-border legislation for people living with the virus, he also understands what it means to transit from victim to victor. Practical, step-by-step and without any hype, Thorn’s guide will prepare anyone to discover a bold new sense of self and independence after a relationship ends.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Books: Route 66 Adventure Handbook

As the song says, get your kicks on Route 66! Dubbed “The Mother Road” by John Steinbeck, this iconic highway has inspired generations of Americans to take to the open road and go traveling.

This road trip season, Drew Knowles releases Route 66 Adventure Handbook: High-Octane 5th Edition, which contains tons of new and interesting facts as well as maps to guide readers down the multiple paths of Route 66, displaying the exact locations of points of interest.

Says Knowles, “Today, people from around the globe continue to take to the open road—the free road. This book is dedicated to all of those who, by setting out to explore even a small portion of Route 66, have kept its mystique alive. I hope that spirit of adventure never fades.”