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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2008)
APRIL 18,2008 justout GSW: Wli.it became of the hoi ¡day novel ? MA: 1 adapted it as .1 play, and it will premiere this November at Artists Repertory Theatre. It’s '¿^7 £ Marc Acito is preparing for a “book singing" at Bagdad Theater to celebrate the release of his second novel, called Holidazed. I collaborated with a screenwriter named Cynthia-Whitcomb, the head of Willamette Writers and a good friend. She had the perspective to know what it needed, because at that point I’d rewritten it so many I have a great perspective on the generation both in front of me and behind me. And a great op portunity to write at a time when we’re seeing the mainstreaming of gay culture. But I am old times I didn’t know how to fix it. enough to remember what the other thing was like. Armistead Maupin blurbed the [first] book, GSW: Is being mainstream important to you? Do you consider your books gay fiction? and that meant so much to me because obviously he’s a great influence on my work and also because he’s part of a lineage. One thing we don’t have when we’re bom MA: You mean gay fiction as opposed to mainstream fiction? To me, “gay fiction” is fic tion that is principally about being gay. My work, I think, bridges that divide. If you go to Powell’s you’ll find it in both gay fiction and regular fic tion, to which I have no objection. I’m happy to have two sections of real estate in that bookstore. I guess I’d be troubled if it was only in gay fiction exclusively, if it were ghettoized, because that’s not the intention of the books. Not that I’m not bothered by the notion, if that’s what I intended to write. Certainly there are gay characters, gay issues and some frank discussion of gay sexuality, so I would expect that only certain straight people are willing to go there. I’m not put off by someone calling me a gay writer. Calling me a gay writer queer is a sense of lineage in your own family. Be ing bom queer or disabled are the only two mi norities in which you are a minority in you own family of origin. So you have to search for your tribe. Which is a major theme in my work, to find what’s often called your logical family as opposed to your biological family. So for Maupin to give his blessing meant so much to me. He in turn was mentored by Christopher Isherwood, who in turn was mentored by E.M. Forster, so I feel I’m in a position to be included in such a distinguished family. It’s almost unspeakably humbling and very exciting to me. doesn’t necessarily pigeonhole the writing. M arc A cito presents Marco! The Musical, GSW: Do you think it’s generational, the thing about identifying minority writers? a loopy literary evening of songs and stories, 7 p.m. April 29 at Bagdad Theater, 3702 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. Tickets are $13, which includes a copy of MA: I just turned 42. It’s an interesting time Attack of the Theater People, from Ticketmaster. to be a gay middle-aged man, because I do feel very connected to our gay fairy godfathers and I feel very connected to queer youth as well. I feel G lenn S cofield W illiams writes prose, poetry plays, periodica and pom m Portland. Memorial Day Weekend WINS TASTING Friday 6 pm - qpm Sat &Sun. 11AM-9PM Monday ham -6 pm Admission is $15 and includes a tasting of up to 15 wines, live music, appetizers and a logo glass. •••♦»••• • •••»•••••••••••••• • • •••••• • • • • • • ’ HIP CHICKS DO WINE, NEWBERG TASTING ROOM »02B E. First Street • Historic Downtown Newberg Open Daily i2n-7pm • 503-554-5800 4510 SE 23RO AVE. PORTLAND • 5O3-234-379O www.hipchlcksdowine.com (see our website for directions & events) LESSON 7PM RIDGE CENTER NE MULTNOMAH 49
