Beyond Worship: Meditations on Queer Worship, Liturgy & Theology Wins Bronze IPPY Award in Religion Category

What better way to celebrate Pride than to win an Independent Publisher’s (IPPY) Award in Religion during the month that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community?

Said Riverdale Avenue Books publisher, Lori Perkins, “I am also so honored that this inclusive LGBTQ+ title received an award in the “religion” category and not just LGBTQ+. “

The book started as a digital zine published by Manhattan’s Fort Washington Collegiate Church’s website with only a few contributors. Under the direction of Minister James Admans (they/them) and funded by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, the zine Beyond Worship sought to collect any written material by LGBTQIA+ authors that could be shared in a worship space. The goal was to not only demonstrate that LGBTQIA+ members of the church are accepted, but part of the community and have something to contribute.

When Publisher Lori Perkins, a member of Fort Washington, read the zine, she was immediately inspired to expand upon the idea of belonging in a community not just to LGBTQIA+ members of Fort Washington, but any LGBTQIA+ person struggling to find a sense of belonging in a community that they can call home and wanting, but struggling, to find their relationship with a higher purpose.

Beyond Worship seeks to show LGBTQIA+ people that they are divine, here for a reason, and have so much to contribute to their communities.

Whether a poem, a short story, a psalm, a meditative guide, or an academic paper, each LGBTQIA+ author in this anthology explores what it means to find community and love in a society that tells them they are undeserving of both. From all over the world and from a variety of faith traditions, each author’s piece shows readers different ways of being in a world worth experiencing.

Rev. Admans commented on the experience of putting together this collection, “I'm thrilled to share this collection of pieces by LGBTQIA+ religious and spiritual authors. We live in a time where queer and transgender people are taught that our faith journeys are invalid. Beyond Worship shows otherwise. Not only can LGBTQIA+ people flourish in our faith, but we can be theologians with profound teaching and insight.”

A virtual IPPY Awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, June 20th at 3:30.

 

Classic M/M RomCom When Harry Met Sal By 

LAMBDA-Award Winning Ryan Field Republished

New York, NY – February 2023 – Lambda-award winning author Ryan Field wrote this gay romance as part of his series of novels retelling beloved romcoms with gay characters. Inspired by the romcom classic Nora Ephron movie, When Harry Met Sally, about two friends who finally realize how much they love each other after many years, this novel is an homage to the power of romantic story telling and true love.

 

When Harry Beckham's best friend asks him to drive her new, casual boyfriend, Sal Sorentino, from California to New York, Harry never expected they'd wind up as lovers their first night on the road. Harry just assumes that Sal is straight, and Harry already has a boyfriend of his own back in San Francisco.

But when Sal explains that he's bisexual and that he's extremely attracted to Harry, everything changes. Harry tries to resist the mutual attraction, but all it takes is one simple kiss and they both wind up having the best sex of their lives on a cross-country road trip.

When they reach New York, they agree to go their separate ways and forget about each other. Harry becomes a well-known designer who does national talk shows, and Sal becomes a professional poker player who lives in a mansion and owns a pet pig named Dolly. And by the time they meet up again seven years later, their lives have changed completely.

But that doesn't stop the passionate physical connection between them from surfacing again. Though all the odds seem to be against them, their physical relationship evolves into mutual love and respect. And this unyielding love they feel for each other turns out to be stronger than anything they could have imagined.

 

Explained author Ryan Field, “when I write books based on mainstream movie titles like When Harry Met Sally what I'm really doing is making a statement that says I'd like to see a movie like WHEN HARRY MET SAL for a change instead of what I've been seeing for most of my life. This isn't fan-fic. This is more like "what-if-fic."

 

RAB Announces NaNoWriMo Contest for Publication

As you all know, National Novel Writing Month 2022 has just ended (if you’re a writer then you likely lovingly know this time of the year as NaNoWriMo). For many, once they’ve completed their 50,000 word novel in 30 days, they have no idea what to do with it or how to get published.

As many of you also know, I firmly believe in NaNoWriMo, so this year, I have rounded up a team of dedicated interns and editors and we have committed to a NaNoWriMo contest for publication at Riverdale Avenue Books.

I think it is amazing that we have a national month devoted to encouraging writing. I see the people who participate in NaNoWriMo as artists and athletes, and I know that the work that is produced becomes some of our cultures' best and brightest. One of my favorite books I’ve published, Untrustworthy by JR Gersen-Siegel, an LGBTQ Handmaid’s Tale, was a NaNoWriMo novel (and winner of our first NaNoWriMo contest).

Submit your 50,000-80,000 word novel in the genres of erotica, erotic romance, horror, science fiction, fantasy, and LGBTQ fiction to Riverdale Avenue Books by midnight of February 1, 2023 for consideration. Riverdale Avenue Books’ team of editors will evaluate the submissions and choose first place winners, as well as honorable mentions, from each genre for publication by Riverdale Avenue Books.

Winners will be notified by email by March 15, 2023. Each book chosen will be eligible for standard contract terms, including publication as both print and ebook. The winning books will be published in 2023.

Please enclose a brief bio, as well as your email address, with each submission. Submit completed novels in a word document format with a brief author bio and book synopsis to submissions@riverdaleavebooks.com.

See this article for more information on successful NaNoWriMo projects, https://www.denofgeek.com/us/books/268698/7-books-that-started-as-nanowrimo-novels

VEGAS Book Launch and Dance Party for Pamela Des Barres' Latest Book

 Copper Cat Books is hosting a rock’n’roll book launch party and signing on Friday, October 14^th for the publication of Pamela Des Barres new book of essays, Miss Pamela’s Writing School for Electric Ladies.

 

The book, published by award-winning boutique New York publisher Riverdale Avenue Books, features the work of Pamela Des Barres’ writing students, whom she has taught over the past two decades in 25 cities throughout the world. Twenty-five of her students will be attending the book launch, where they will read their work and sign books.

 

A classic rock band, 66 Sunset Strip, will be preforming at the bookstore that evening, and light refreshments will be served.

 

Wendy Marcisofsky, proprietress of Copper Cat Books, shared her excitement about hosting the book launch at her store: “As a child ‘born of the 50's’ growing up in the 60's; I watched it all; from the Beatles on Ed Sullivan to all the ‘bad boys’ who also made the cut on Ed's show.  When I learned about the opportunity to host this author; I thought ‘what fun!’ and now, here we are!!”

The event is open to the pubic, and will be held on Friday night, October 14^th, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Copper Cat Books, 1570 West Horizon Ridge Pkwy, Suite 170, Henderson, NV (suburban Las Vegas).

 

About the Author

Pamela Des Barres is a bestselling author, journalist, media personality and writing teacher to hundreds of women across the country and around the world. She is most famous for being a rock’n’roll “groupie” before the word even existed. She started the first-ever girl rock’n’roll band, the GTOs, with the encouragement of Frank Zappa, and dated Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, Jim Morrison of the Doors, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Keith Moon of the Who, Chris Hillman of the Byrds, and Noel Redding of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, to name a few. Miss Pamela is the author of five books. Her book, I’m With The Band, was a New York Times bestseller. She considers her women’s memoir workshops her raison d'être.

RAB Publishes 10th Anniversary Edition of Award-Winning Princes of Air with New Novella “Ice Raven”

 "Schechter's Princes of Air is filled with hauntingly beautiful prose that shapes a vivid and fantastical world for a set of compelling demi-god brothers. This story contains so much longing, love, and fiery passion, it'll leave you with the sweetest ache."

LaQuette, author of the Queens of Kings Series

Riverdale Avenue Books published a 10th anniversary edition of Elizabeth Schechter’s Princes of Air, a Celtic fantasy series featuring a family of raven shape shifters fighting against those who want to control their power. The novel won the Passionate Plume Award for Erotic Romance in 2012.

The Raven-Goddess Morrigan has nine sons ravens each granted two gifts: the ability to shift to human form, and the recognition of their soulmates. But, even for demi-gods, the path to true love is far from smooth.

The brothers have drawn the attention of a family of powerful mages who will stop at nothing to gain power. Each brother will be forced to make sacrifices to keep their mates alive and protect their land from harm.

The author wanted to share the novella, The Ice Raven, which details the betrothal of a second raven son, with her fans in preparation for the release of her second novel in the series, which Riverdale Books will publish in 2023. An excerpt from The White Raven: Morrigan’s Heir is included in this edition.

“I am overjoyed to be able to return to Princes of Air, and visit some old friends for this novel’s 10th anniversary,” Schechter explained. With this special edition comes two extras that I’m pleased to share with you–a closer look at Oscar, the second-oldest of the Morrigan’s sons, and a peek at the long-awaited sequel to Princes of Air. The White Raven: Morrigan’s Heir introduces us to the next generation of the Morrigan’s blood, and will be coming soon from Riverdale Avenue Books.”


About the Author

Elizabeth Schechter has been called one of the top erotica and alternative sexuality writers in the world. Her writing credits include the award-winning steampunk erotic romance House of Sable Locks, the Celtic fantasy Princes of Air, and 2021 VIVIAN finalist Written in Water, the first book of the Heir to the Firstborn serial She was born in New York at some point in the past. She is officially old enough to know better, but refuses to grow up. She lives in Central Florida with her husband and son.

VINTAGE GAY BOOKS NEWSLETTER

 

RECLAIMING FORGOTTEN 1960s to '70s NOVELS featuring confident, unapologetic gay heroes then-unseen in mainstream media

For most of the 20th century, gay men saw little of themselves in American fiction other than in "problem novels" that positioned gayness as inherently isolating and tragic. The exception was the twilight world of adult fiction, through which LGBTQIA+ readers who enjoyed thrillers, detective novels, horror and science-fiction stories could finally see people like themselves as the heroes. Launched in March, Maitland's Vintage Gay Books Newsletter, along with Riverdale Avenue Books’ associated imprint 120 Days Books, have helped to reclaim these novels' deserved place. With an informative and entertaining essay every other Thursday, Maitland's Vintage Gay Books Newsletter now goes to a $5/month subscription model, with a selection of free essays remaining available to anyone. "Her prose outshines that of the gay pulp novels she reviews. But with style, a touch of cynicism, and a sly sense of humor, Maitland McDonagh reveals a surprising amount of depth in books generally prized only for their covers. ... Her reviews are not to be missed." — Barry Harrison, Homobilia "I've come to look upon Maitland McDonagh as one of the few authorities on this period of time that, without people like her, would have faded into oblivion. As both a writer about and republisher of books of the Golden Age of Gay Pulp Fiction — wherein gay literary protagonists were allowed to live normal lives and not end up as clinically depressed victims or suicides — McDonagh is the recognized go-to person for anyone with even a modicum of interest in this field." — Author William Maltese, dean of gay-pulp novelists This hidden gay fiction deserves to be rediscovered and appreciated. Readers can sign up for $5/month subscription, or sample a selection of free essays at VintageGayBooks.substack.com — an introduction, an overview and two columns focusing on a pair of the best and most representative titles.

Memoir of Dominatrix Who Changed Canadian Sex Worker Laws Just Pubbed

 Americans are not aware of Terri Jean Bedford, but in Canada she is one of their most notorious citizens--but under the name Madame deSade. Terri-Jean Bedford was Canada's most famous leather-clad dominatrix, a well-known public figure appearing on the evening news as she took on the Canadian legal establishment to ultimately change sex worker law throughout the country. Canada's prostitution laws were struck down in 2010.

 

Terri-Jean Bedford’s autobiography, Dominatrix on Trial, published by Riverdale Avenue Books, chronicles her life born into poverty to her rise as Canada’s most famous dominatrix. As a poor bi-racial girl, she was placed into a foster home at six, where she was abused. She was later moved into various children’s homes and lived there until she was 16, when she left to make it on her own. Terri survived by working numerous unskilled jobs. Her talents and interests helped her move into the elite world of the professional dominatrix, after which life was never the same. Located just outside of Toronto, her elaborate Bondage Bungalow became the target of a spectacular raid. Six highly publicized years of trials and appeals later, she was convicted under bawdy-house laws and paid a small fine. In 1999, she opened a similar facility in downtown Toronto, one that closed without police interference in 2002.

 

“Terri-Jean Bedford is a feminist icon, a revolutionary who not only fought for what she believed, but for freedom for both women and men.” said Publisher Lori Perkins. “She is a courageous and strong woman who continues to have a lasting impact on Canada and sex work.”

 

A few years later she was at the center of Bedford vs. Canada, a five-year constitutional challenge to Canada’s sex trade laws. The Supreme Court vindicated her struggles. She remains a vocal advocate for civil rights and the disenfranchised.