It can be quite discouraging, reading and recommending GLBT fiction. The gay audience for fiction seems to be aging, and the younger generation seems not to find short stories and novels as vital to their understanding of themselves and our common gay culture as we did and do. Perhaps as a symptom of the wider culture's abandonment of print in favor of electronic media, or perhaps as the direct result of publishing's growing reluctance to support gay literary fiction as the primary focus of gay writing as an art form, but for whatever reason, gay fiction seems to have devolved largely into an increasingly genre-driven ghetto of YA, fantasy and porn stories.A very interesting discussion on the subject has started online at Afterelton.com., featuring two of the more successful gay authors of today, Michael Jensen and Brent Hartinger. The interviewer and the writers all seem to assume that the great days of gay literary fiction are past. They may be right. (I'd prefer to think that they're wrong, and I suspect they would too.)
Meanwhile though, our own Nick DiMartino continues his effort to preserve and promote the best of GLBT fiction in the ongoing Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club -- meeting weekly at Dunshee House, every Wednesday at 6PM.
Our first book, Breakfast With Scot, is proving to be the subject for a fairly wide ranging discussion of issues of gender, class and gay humor, as well as a grand excuse for homemade eatables, chat and good, multi generational gay company. Author Michael Downing has agreed to answer our questions and has already provided us with a good deal to think about from our very first exchange with him. (Keep an eye on this blog for more from the author soon.)
Please come by and check it out.
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