Lawrence Schimel

A collection of observations, anecdotes, and essays about romance, dating, and sex for the gay man.

The latest in the Stonewall Inn series of gift books is a glance at gay romance through the eyes and pens of couples. From current lovers, past lovers, and surviving lovers to long-term lovers, those in new relationships, and nontraditional pairings, Lassell and Schimel take a fresh look at the many varieties and flavors of gay male love.

First Person Queer, an anthology of nonfiction essays written in the first person by a variety of gay and lesbian authors, was a snapshot of GLBT life and experience in the modern age. Published in 2007, it received wide acclaim and won the Lambda Literary Award for Anthologies and the Independent Publisher Award (Gold) for gay/lesbian books. Second Person Queer is an unusual companion book: it is an anthology of essays on GLBT life written in the second person. The essays take the form of letters to family and friends, missives to homophobes, confessions to lovers, and words of advice for the next generation; they deal with subjects as large and looming as violence, coming out, gay marriage, and raising children. They are as intimate and engaging as How to Become a Visible Femme, How Not to Be Offended by Everything, and How to Become a Country Leather Bear. Powerful, funny, poignant: these are the stories of who you are as a GLBT person, or the person you would most like to be. Contributors include S. Bear Bergman, Sky Gilbert, Matt Bernstein Sycamore (a.k.a. Mattilda), Achy Obejas, Andy Quan, Michael Rowe, Stacey May Fowles, and Amber Dawn.

In this amazing, wide-ranging anthology of nonfiction essays, contributors write intimate and honest first-person accounts of queer experience, from coming out to “passing” as straight to growing old to living proud. These are the stories of contemporary gay and lesbian life—and by definition, are funny, sad, hopeful, and truthful. Representing a diversity of genders, ages, races, and orientations, and edited by two acclaimed writers and anthologists (who between them have written or edited almost one hundred books), First Person Queer puts the “personal” back into “queer.”