Pride

Jun 2021 26

The Always Anonymous Beast By Lauren Wright Douglas: Review/Giveaway/Interview

2021 Articles, Lorie Lewis Ham, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Lorie Lewis Ham

The Always Anonymous Beast was originally released in 1987 and has recently been re-released by ReQueered Tales. It is the first book in the Caitlin Reece Mystery series written by Lauren Wright Douglas.
Caitlin is a private detective, but it’s not completely clear in this book if she is officially one or someone who simply is paid to help right wrongs. While Caitlin is definitely tough and capable she isn’t a stereotypical hard-boiled kind of detective—she is an ex-lawyer who once worked for the Crown Prosecutor’s office (think the D.A.’s office in this country), a Shakespeare scholar, and a classical music aficionado.

Jun 2021 26

Q & A With Local Actor/Singer Lilly Dale Reed

2021 Articles, Lorie Lewis Ham, Music, Theatre

by Lorie Lewis Ham

In honor of Pride this month, we wanted to again interview a local LGBTQ+ performer like we did last year, so we reached out to local actor, singer, and so much more, Lilly Dale Read.

Jun 2021 19

Neon Yang’s The Black Tides of Heaven: Slackcraft and Gender Choice

2021 Articles, Fantasy & Fangs, Sharon Tucker

by Sharon Tucker

I’m not quite sure what I expected when reading Neon Yang’s The Black Tides of Heaven (2017). Terms like silkpunk and Asian fantasy/mythology were running through my head, but other than a passing acquaintance with Zen koans, the Tao te Ching, and the Mahabarata, I was in unfamiliar waters. I soon learned that “Silkpunk” is the term writer Ken Liu has coined for the genre of a “very specific technology and literary aesthetic” blending magic and technology in an Asian setting.

Jun 2021 19

Queer Goggles: A Local LGBTQ+ Podcast

2021 Articles, Lorie Lewis Ham, Podcasts

by Lorie Lewis Ham

This month we are highlighting LGBTQ+ authors, activists, artists, and more in honor of Pride. Recently we chatted with Brian Poth, who is the co-founder and Executive Director of The Source LGBT+ Center, about his podcast Queer Goggles. He hosts the podcast with Nick Vargas, who is co-founder of The Source LGBT+ Center and is their Director of Development and Strategy. The Source is based in Visalia, California.

Jun 2021 12

The Player’s Encore By Joe Cosentino: Review/Giveaway

2021 Articles, Lorie Lewis Ham, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Lorie Lewis Ham

The Player’s Encore is the second book in Joe Cosentino’s Player Piano Mystery series. In the first book, The Player, grade school music teacher Andre Beaufort discovers an old player piano in the basement of his building and has it brought up to his apartment. Much to his surprise, the piano is haunted by Roaring Twenties playboy Freddy Birstwistle, who was the original owner of the house that has been converted into apartments.

Jun 2021 5

Recognizing Pride Month in Selma

2021 Articles, Community, Lorie Lewis Ham, Tales of Diversity

by Lorie Lewis Ham

June is Pride month, but sadly, there are many places that still don’t acknowledge and recognize that fact. Former Selma, CA resident Lance Nelson decided that he wanted to make an effort to change that, starting with the area where he grew up. Lance was born and raised in Selma and attended Wilson Elementary School, Lincoln Middle School, and Selma High School. He graduated from Selma High School in 2006. Lance is currently attending Columbia University, majoring in human rights with an interest in equal access to education. His future goal is to work for a nonprofit, and perhaps one day, even the United Nations.

May 2021 22

Queer Mystery Coming Attractions: June is LGBTQ Pride Month!

2021 Articles, Coming Attractions!, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Matt Lubbers-Moore

I live in Michigan which just announced that along with the CDC’s mask recommendation that fully vaccinated people no longer have to wear masks indoors. However, the state is less than 50% fully vaccinated, and I worry about a new spike due to non-vaccinated people parading around as if they are vaccinated. This gets me back to pride. In 2020 Pride events were cancelled or moved to virtual spaces.

Jun 2020 27

Gay Mystery Podcast

2020 Articles, Lorie Lewis Ham, Podcasts, Tales of Diversity

by Lorie Lewis Ham

As we continue to feature other mystery podcasts, Pride month seemed like the perfect time to chat with Brad Shreve about his podcast, Gay Mystery Podcast. Earlier this month we reviewed Brad's first mystery novel, A Body in a Bath House..

Jun 2020 20

LGBTQ+ Mystery Authors Recommend Their Favorite LGBTQ+ Mysteries

2020 Articles, Lorie Lewis Ham, Mysteryrat's Maze, Tales of Diversity

by Lorie Lewis Ham

In honor of Pride this year we thought we would do something a little different—we reached out to several of the LGBTQ+ mystery authors that we have covered in the past and asked them to share their favorite LGBTQ+ mysteries.

Jun 2020 20

Q & A With Local Actor/Director/Choreographer Michael C. Flores

2020 Articles, Lorie Lewis Ham, Tales of Diversity, Theatre

by Lorie Lewis Ham

In honor of Pride this month we wanted to interview a local LGBTQ+ performer, so we chatted with one who does a little bit of everything in the theatre community, Michael C. Flores. Michael was born and raised in Madera, CA and has been very involved with Selma Arts Center since 2015.