Call and Response: The Black GLBT Literary Community Adds to the Dialogue on Bishop Eddie Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church

Hyattsville, MD (September 28, 2010)—The fallout about recent allegations regarding Bishop Eddie Long, leader of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, and sexual coercion of teenaged males has created an opportunity for dialogue across communities about gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (GLBTQ) people and homophobia in the black church; sexual abuse; and power.

To further inform the discussion, Fire & Ink board members Lisa C. Moore and Steven G. Fullwood and MC Books publisher Michael Christopher have compiled a list of literature by GLBTQ people of African descent that explores the complex issues being talked about in recent days.

This list is not all-inclusive, but represents significant contributions of GLBTQ people of African descent in the 20^th and 21^st Centuries to the present conversation about Bishop Eddie Long and the climate of the black church. We encourage you to become informed readers.

Selected reader list

In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology, ed. by Joseph Beam (RedBone Press)

I Was Born This Way: A Gay Preacher’s Journey Through Gospel Music, Disco Stardom and a Ministry in Christ, by Archbishop Carl Bean with David Ritz (Simon & Schuster)

Beyond the Down Low: Sex, Lies and Denial in Black America, by Keith Boykin (Da Capo Press)

Unspeakable, by Michael Christopher (MC Books)

The Days of Good Looks: The Prose and Poetry of Cheryl Clarke, 1980 to 2005, by Cheryl Clarke – includes the essay, “The Failure to Transform: Homophobia in the Black Community” (Da Capo Press)

A Whosoever Church: Welcoming Lesbians and Gay Men into African American Congregations, by Gary David Comstock (Westminster John Knox Press)

Where the Edge Gathers: Building a Community of Radical Inclusion, by Rev. Yvette Flunder (Pilgrim Press)

Their Own Receive Them Not: African American Lesbians & Gays in Black Churches, by Horace L. Griffin (Pilgrim Press)

Brother to Brother: New Writings by Black Gay Men, ed. by Essex Hemphill (RedBone Press)

Ceremonies: Prose and Poetry, by Essex Hemphill (Cleis Press)

Conjuring Black Funk, by Herukhuti (Vintage Entity Press)

Shaming the Devil, by G. Winston James — includes the story, “Church” (Top Pen Press)

Spirited: Affirming the Soul and Black Gay/Lesbian Identity, ed. by G. Winston James and Lisa C. Moore (RedBone Press)

Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South, by E. Patrick Johnson (University of North Carolina Press)

The Cross of Redemption: Uncollected Writings by James Baldwin, ed. by Randall Kenan (Pantheon)

does your mama know? An Anthology of Black Lesbian Coming Out Stories, ed. by Lisa C. Moore (RedBone Press)

Say Jesus and Come to Me, by Ann Allen Shockley (Naiad Press)

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Fire & Ink is a nonprofit organization devoted to increasing the understanding, visibility and awareness of the works of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender writers of African descent and heritage. http://fireandink.org

MC Books is owned by author, illustrator and photographer Michael-Christopher. http://www.michael-christopher.com

CallandResponse_130pm

Fire & Ink Presents!

7-9:30 p.m. Friday, July 24, 2009

Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center (Host Hotel)

Renaissance Center

330 E. Jefferson Ave.

Detroit, MI 48207

Pride season 2009 continues with Hotter Than July’s Authors’ Café this Friday evening, July 24, 2009 in Detroit. Come experience some hot words from some hot writers! Reading from their latest works are:

Raynell Hicks (Closed Wounds)

G. Winston James (Shaming the Devil)

Clarence Nero (Too Much of a Good Thing Ain’t Bad)

Kimberly “Q” (Orchids III: Lesbian Funk)

Skyy (Consequences)

with Detroit’s own Kalimah Johnson hosting!

Raynell Hicks

Raynell Hicks is a Detroit native. Hicks survived an abusive childhood to become a high school dropout, thief, drug dealer and single parent of three at the age of 21. Time in jail and away from her children forced her to reconsider her past and future; after her release, Hicks later obtained her high school diploma, regained her children, enrolled in college and began writing her memories. Hicks is a certified nursing assistant, college student and proud parent. Closed Wounds is her first novel.

Closed Wounds is a semi-autobiographical tale of of Punkin’, a young girl who grows up fast in the ghetto streets of Detroit. The generational drug family she comes from keeps Punkin’ looking for love in all the wrong places; she tries to escape mental and physical abuse at home by hanging in the ’hood. Travel with Punkin’ as she goes from abused and abandoned to strong and secure in Closed Wounds.

G. Winston James

G. Winston James is a Jamaican-born poet, author, essayist and editor. He holds an MFA in fiction from Brooklyn College and is the author of the collections Shaming the Devil: Collected Short Stories, The Damaged Good: Poems Around Love and the Lambda Literary Award finalist collection Lyric: Poems Along a Broken Road. James is also co-editor of the historic anthologies, Voices Rising: Celebrating 20 Years of Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Writing and the Lambda Literary Award finalist Spirited: Affirming the Soul and Black Gay/Lesbian Identity.

G. Winston James’ stories examine the individual, familial, and societal complexities of desire. Candidly rendered, they unabashedly consider the formation of personal and sexual identity in a world in which the carnal is highly policed, variously dangerous and all too often denied. Says reviewer Stanley Bennett Clay, “Shaming the Devil [is] a collection of short stories that examine black, predominantly homoerotic experiences with beauty, passion and a boldness that renders it both transcendental and deeply personal.” Shaming the Devil is an erotic, brutal, emotional and thoroughly thought-provoking debut collection that is likely to arouse, inspire and disturb readers, even as they continue to turn its astonishing pages.

Clarence Nero

Clarence Nero, author, screenwriter and educator, grew up in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward and earned a B.S. degree at Howard University. His first novel, Cheekie: A Child Out of the Desire, was critically acclaimed and praised by Dr. Maya Angelou. His screenplay of the same name was recently endorsed by Jonathan Demme, Academy Award-winning director of Silence of the Lambs, and was a finalist at the Sundance Lab. Nero has an MFA in creative writing from Louisiana State University. He teaches at Baton Rouge Community College.

How far will you go for love? In this daring sequel to Three Sides to Every Story, acclaimed writer Clarence Nero takes us back into the lives of main characters Johnny and James, who once again must battle their demons and the drama they can’t seem to escape. Post-Katrina, Johnny and his family are relocated to Washington, D.C., and move in with Johnny’s older brother Calvin. Johnny’s lover, James, soon follows. But Calvin and his wife conspire to break Johnny and James apart, and James’ new boss wants him fired for being gay. When James gets wind of Johnny’s family’s intentions to tear them apart, he vows to stop at nothing to save his relationship. Told in three narrative voices and the virtuosic style that readers have come to expect and love, Too Much of a Good Thing Ain’t Bad is an original tale of love, heartache and drama that won’t disappoint.

Kimberly “Q” aka the Lesbian Goddess is a self-published author, actress, singer and 3-time AUDELCO award winner. She has had two of her plays produced by various production companies in various cities; J’ai Deux Amours…A Journey with Josephine Baker, (winner of The Best Lead Actress award from AUDELCO) and The “Q” Stands for Queer. Her final installment of the Orchids erotic series, Lesbian Funk: A Journey into the Oblivion, is enticing, disturbing and explosive. The previous Orchids, Orchids I: African American Lesbian Erotica One Night Stands and Orchids II: Reality or Fantasy, broadened the thoughts, actions and creativity of the lesbian sexual experience. Her motto: Luxuriate in the positive stimulus of your sensuousness! It will enhance your ultimate fantasies!

Orchids III: Lesbian Funk, the final episode of the Orchids collection, is one woman’s search for the ultimate euphoric bliss. Her quest takes her on seven uniquely random journeys culminating in sexual oblivion. Lesbian Funk is enticing, disturbing, explosive and unexplainable; be warned that it may produce head shaking, stomach fluttering, dewy droplets of endless obscurity—not to mention a blown mind, a numb body, loss of memory, convulsions and a blackout!

Skyy

Skyy is a 26-year-old writer from Memphis, Tenn. Her first novel, Choices, was released in 2007 and quickly gained popularity both within the gay and lesbian community and with lovers of urban fiction. Her highly anticipated 2009 sequel, Consequences, was released to high praise and rocketed to the top 10 in bestseller lists on Amazon.com and at independent bookstores across the United States. Skyy’s books resonate with truisms among African-American women of all ages and gender identities.

School’s back in session at the fictional HBCU Freedom University, and there’s a lot of unfinished business for Lena, Denise, Cooley and Carmen to handle. As Lena prepares for her wedding day, she can’t help but think about Denise, her sexy b-ball roommate who almost stole her away. And Denise just can’t shake the feelings she’s developed for soon-to-be-married Lena. Should she go for what she wants or leave well enough alone? Meanwhile Cooley let Misha walk away, but she can’t take no for an answer. Will her determination to win back her first love bring Misha back or push her further away? Carmen worked hard to get her life back on track… but will fears of the past wreck her future with new love Nic? Consequences will leave you on an emotional rollercoaster you won’t want to get off.

Meet us in Detroit on Friday night!

(And afterward, check out EchoVerse Poetry’s Hotter Than July poetry slam starting at 10 p.m. at 1515 Broadway in Detroit!)

Fire & Ink Presents!

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 25, 2009

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Ballroom A

4100 Presidential Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19131

Welcome to Pride season 2009! To ring in this year’s Pride calendar, Philly Black Gay Pride hosts Fire & Ink Presents! this coming Saturday, April 25, 2009. Come on out and get a taste of the latest writing from black gay and lesbian authors. Reading from their works are:

• Lamar Ariel (Ready to Male)
  
• Marcel Emerson (My Eyes Are Green)
  
• Kimberly Q (Orchids III: Lesbian Funk)
  
• H.L. Sudler (Patriarch)

With a reading/tribute to Philadelphia writers Joseph Beam and Becky Birtha by host Lisa C. Moore!

Lamar Ariel

Lamar Ariel describes himself as a not-to-typical mid-Western boy who was easily seduced by the energy of New York City. Originally from Chicago, Ariel received a BS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s of arts management from Carnegie Mellon University. He lives in Manhattan. Ready to Male is his first published book.

            Ready to Male provides fictional elaborations of memories, experiences and thoughts with a primary focus on Ariel’s journey through the “complicated realm” of his twenties. “I like to think of Ready to Male as a memoir in as well as a memoir of progress. When I go back and read what I felt, believed or wanted and then compare those moments to what my life is writing now, it’s a wonderful tool to document personal growth. I can read a letter like “Dear Funny Valentine” or a chapter of the book like “Is It Me or Is It New?” and always find a striking difference between the mental space that was ‘home’ at that particular space and time, versus the mental space which exists as my ‘home’ now,” says Ariel.

Marcel Emerson

 

Marcel Emerson has a degree in biology from the University of Washington, and an MBA from Trinity University. Emerson lives in Washington, D.C., where is works as a property manager for commercial real estate. My Eyes Are Green is his first novel. 

            In My Eyes Are Green, Jennifer Peele and Dontae Erickson have just entered the prestigious world of Georgetown University’s elite law school. A chance meeting brings them together and they realize they have a lot more in common than their green eyes. Personal tragedies have made them kindred spirits, both seeking to fill the empty space left by the deaths of their mothers. Dontae falls under the spell of a charming law student, Darrel, only to have Darrel quickly leave after the death of his father. When Darrel resurfaces later with a pregnant wife in tow, will Dontae accept Darrel’s offer of continuing their relationship? With My Eyes Are Green, Marcel Emerson makes a stunning literary debut with a gripping tale of passion, pain and the promise of love.

Kimberly “Q” aka the Lesbian Goddess is a self-published author, actress, singer and 3-time AUDELCO award winner. She has had two of her plays produced by various production companies in various cities; J’ai Deux Amours…A Journey with Josephine Baker, (winner of The Best Lead Actress award from AUDELCO) and The “Q” Stands for Queer. Her final installment of the Orchids erotic series, Lesbian Funk: A Journey into the Oblivion, is enticing, disturbing and explosive. The previous Orchids, Orchids I: African American Lesbian Erotica One Night Stands and Orchids II: Reality or Fantasy, broadened the thoughts, actions and creativity of the lesbian sexual experience. Her motto: Luxuriate in the positive stimulus of your sensuousness! It will enhance your ultimate fantasies!

            Orchids III: Lesbian Funk, the final episode of the Orchids collection, is one woman’s search for the ultimate euphoric bliss. Her quest takes her on seven uniquely random journeys culminating in sexual oblivion. Lesbian Funk is enticing, disturbing, explosive and unexplainable; be warned that it may produce head shaking, stomach fluttering, dewy droplets of endless obscurity—not to mention a blown mind, a numb body, loss of memory, convulsions and a blackout!

H.L. Sudler

H.L. Sudler has been an editor, columnist, essayist and publisher. He is the president of Archer Media Networks, and has won the PATHS Humanitarian Writing Award for his short story on depression titled “The Way of All Flesh.” Sudler has completed work on his new books Man to Gentleman and Man to Gentleman’s Inspirational Diary, and is currently at work on two new books, Man to Gentleman’s Novice Chef and Patriarch, a memoir through essays. “Yesterdays and Tomorrows,” a quiet meditation on friends lost to AIDS, is a work from that collection. Sudler is a native of Philadelphia now residing in Washington, D.C.

            Patriarch is a memoir in progress. “Yesterdays and Tomorrows,” an essay from Patriarch, is a quiet meditation on friends lost to AIDS.

We’ll see you in Philly!

More info is coming in the next couple of weeks about the schedule. We’re bringing you some of the best workshops, panels, roundtables, readings and performances a writer/reader/teacher/student/librarian/thinker/performer/culture lover could stand. Stay tuned!

* Special note: Those in red were in attendance at Fire & Ink I or have participated in subsequent Fire & Ink events! Make sure you don’t miss them next time by signing up for our e-update list in the top corner of our web site above!

LGBT ANTHOLOGIES

• Our Caribbean, edited by Thomas Glave, Duke University Press

LGBT NONFICTION

• If I Could Write This in Fire, Michelle Cliff, Univ of Minnesota Press
• Heterosexual Africa? The History of an Idea from the Age of Exploration to the Age of AIDS, Marc Epprecht, Ohio University Press
• Blood Beats: Vol. 2 / the bootleg joints, Ernest Hardy, RedBone Press
• Drifting Toward Love, Kai Wright, Beacon Press

LESBIAN DEBUT FICTION

• Passing for Black, Linda Villarosa, Kensington

LESBIAN EROTICA

• Hungry for It, Fiona Zedde, Kensington
• Purple Panties: An Eroticonair.com Anthology, Zane, Simon and Schuster

LESBIAN POETRY

• Matching Skin, Shirlette Ammons, Carolina Wren Press

LESBIAN ROMANCE

• Building Sasha, Renee Bess, Regal Crest Enterprises

GAY DEBUT FICTION

• Finlater, Shawn Stewart Ruff, Quote Editions
• Ready to Male, Lamar Ariel, Author House
  

GAY EROTICA

• Flesh to Flesh, edited by Lee Hayes, Simon and Schuster

GAY FICTION

• The Highest Price for Passion, Laurinda D. Brown, Atria/Simon & Schuster
• Unspeakable, Michael Christopher, MC Books
• People Like Us, Doug Cooper-Spencer, Lulu Enterprises
• The Torturer’s Wife, Thomas Glave, City Light Publishers

GAY MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

• Hiding in Hip Hop, Terrance Dean, Simon and Schuster

GAY POETRY

• Please, Jericho Brown, New Issues
• Sticks and Stones, Reginald T. Jackson, Xlibris
• Narrative of the Life of the Brown Boy and the White Man, Ronaldo Wilson, University of Pittsburgh Press

GAY ROMANCE

• Got ’til it’s Gone, Larry Duplechan, Arsenal Pulp Press

Check out this slick new ad for the upcoming Fire & Ink III: Cotillion! Want to share it? Well thank ye very much!

Grab the code here!

And check out your community lgbt-black-writer-supporting media outlets — we just might show up there! How about yours?

The full proposal deadline is March 30, 2009, but already the exciting ideas are pouring forth, including the engagement of visual artists and literary artists dialoguing about how we support each other in the work.

Stay tuned for more information, coming in March, about registration, our host hotel, and the beautiful conference site. Many thanks to everyone in the Austin community who came together to support our efforts, especially to Stephanie Lang and Johnathan Fleming at the University of Texas’ John L. Warfield Center for African & African American Studies.

While together, we handled a lot of business but we also got to party a little bit after taking a break to check out delta dandi, former Fire & Ink board member Sharon Bridgforth’s newest groundbreaking play.

Sign up on our e-mail list, subscribe to our YouTube Channel, join our Facebook Group and stay informed, share the word, and get involved with Fire & Ink. If you’ve missed it before, now is your chance to join us in making history happen — one letter at a time!

The first day of Kwanzaa, December 26th, celebrates Umoja, or Unity. Fire & Ink is recognized as the most influential supporter and advocate for GLBT writers of African descent.

Fire & Ink III: Cotillion is on the way! Hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer writers of African descent will be descending to Austin, Texas, from October 8 to October 11, 2009, for the greatest gathering of literary fierceness on earth.

Steven, Robert & Anthony are going to expand their minds & “get their lives”.

How about you? Why will you be there? (Because you know you will.)
Send us your videos at fireandink2009-at-gmail.com and tell us why you’re coming!

Fire & Ink: Cotillion will bring together hundreds of LGBT writers of African descent whose work spans the genres, including: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, multi-media arts and performance arts. Attendees include writers and scholars, as well as editors, publishers, curators, audio and visual artists, students, teachers, thinkers, media professionals, readers and art lovers.

Download our Request for Proposals and get in on it!

Fire & Ink has already had a great deal of interest.

You can help by submitting a <1,000 word abstract by January 6, 2009, to let us know what you’re thinking and ensure priority consideration. Abstracts should be submitted by email to fireandink2009@yahoo.com.

For more information about Fire & Ink, Inc. visit www.fireandink.org.

For more information, download the full RFP here.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

Fire & Ink III: Cotillion will begin on Thursday, October 8th and conclude on National Coming Out Day, October 11, 2009.

Fire & Ink: Cotillion will bring together hundreds of LGBT writers of African descent whose work spans the genres, including: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, multi-media arts and performance arts. Attendees include writers and scholars, as well as editors, publishers, curators, audio and visual artists, students, teachers, thinkers, media professionals, readers and art lovers.

Cotillion aims to:

• Create a body of writers dedicated to reversing negative trends in cultural, literary and artistic marketplaces, while creating more positive, powerful arenas for those expressions.
• Teach, inspire and encourage each other while creating lasting alliances.
• Discuss the position and importance of black LGBT literature, culture and artistic expression in the context of national and world literature and artwork.
• Develop and implement strategies to encourage universities, libraries, mainstream and independent bookstores, and other venues to integrate more LGBT literature and artwork created by writers of African descent within and outside of traditional curricula and offerings.
• Plan, share and implement professional and artistic opportunities.

Fire & Ink has already had a great deal of interest.

You can help by submitting a <1,000 word abstract by January 6, 2009, to let us know what you’re thinking and ensure priority consideration. Abstracts should be submitted by email to fireandink2009@yahoo.com.

Please include the following in your Abstract Proposal:

• Title of the Paper
• Organizer
  o (including Proposed Participants)
• Abstract (500-1000 words)
• Abstracts Deadline: January 6, 2009.
• Full Proposal Deadline: March 30, 2009.

Possible subjects for workshops, panels and plenary fall in three categories:

1. How-to workshops

Examples: memoir writing, poetry writing, screenwriting, song writing, short fiction writing, YA fiction writing, chapbook production, starting a book club, finding voice, organizing readings. “Beginning” through “Advanced” workshops sought.

2. Publishing, publicity and marketing

Examples: manuscript review, submissions process, electronic/online blogging and publishing, print-on-demand, writers web sites, book marketing, finding an agent, finding a publisher.

3. This historical moment—looking back, now and forward

Examples: AIDS writing, YA fiction, literacy and activism, new writers/new voices, from stage to page and back, teaching black LGBT poetics and literature, the role of the black LGBT writer in this historic moment, cancer writing, taboo writing.

For Full Proposals:

Please title your workshop or panel and include a brief bio for each facilitator, along with a one-paragraph description of your workshop or panel that includes the following information: what questions are you exploring, why is this conversation timely and necessary, how will the workshop or panel further the goals of Fire & Ink: Cotillion; how are you uniquely qualified to lead your proposed workshop or panel, and any special audiovisual or technical requests (NOTE: Presenters should bring their own laptop computers.) you need for presentation. If proposing a workshop, specify workshop duration; panel session length is 1.5 to 2 hours.

• Include full contact information for applicant.

• Abstracts Deadline: January 6, 2009.

• Full Proposal Deadline: March 30, 2009.

• E-mail proposals to fireandink2009@yahoo.com, with subject heading “RFP: Cotillion.”

• We will acknowledge receipt of your proposal within 48 hours.

• Each applicant is limited to three proposals.

We will notify applicants about proposal acceptance by April 30, 2009.

A modest honorarium may be available.

For more information about Fire & Ink, Inc. visit www.fireandink.org.

Download the RFP here.