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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2011)
THE Y E A R IN OREGON'S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE 4 iLJ»] DECEMBER 9. 2011 books * * * * * * * * * * * # * % % % Jt* * * ********** * * * ** release o f The Vampire Bridegroom - Poems and Tales added to Helder’s bulging body o f writ ing, which includes Pop-Up Book of Death and a co-editing credit for the queer horror anthology Unspeakable Horror: From the Shadows of the Closet. aThe Vampire Bridegroom is my ultimate response to the horror genre as a gay poet,” Helder told Ju st Out in October. “Person ally, I believe the horror genre is a healthy outlet for fears and anxieties about gay life: fear o f A ID S and its association with blood, fear o f being rejected by religious commu nities, fear o f being alienated from friends and family, fear o f hate crimes, and even fear o f being assimilated into straight cul ture— all o f these translate beautifully into horror stories.” Nationally, LGBTQ_writers were repre sented well at the 2011 National Book Awards. Poet Nikky Finney received the NBA for Poetry for the collection Head O ff & Split. Finalists for the award included Adrienne Rich for Tonight No Poetry Will Serve: Poems 2007-2010, and Carl Phillips for Double Shadow , both o f whom identify as LG BT. Artist Philip Iosca released his debut book o f poetry, Ballad o f The Sad Young Men, in February via local D IY print shop Publication Studio, and the Rev. D a vid E. Weekley, the first openly transgender pastor in the United Methodist Church, published his autobiography. Stay tuned for a slew o f admirable books slated for release in 2012, including Port lander Peter Zuckerman’s highly anticipat ed Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story o f the Sherpa Climbers on K 2 ’s Deadliest Day. Until then, read on. J G v * * * * * * * * * • '.* ;* * .* ,• * ♦ • v WINE let’s them know that everyone feels that way.” Large’s robust and sometimes sinister sense o f humor provided a palatable founda tion for the memoir— the immature timing o f which, being that she’s only 42, is not lost on her. Much o f the book is taken based on script snippets from her one-woman show o f the same name. “I can happily report that in no way was [writing the book] cathartic,” said Large. “I feel no relief or redemption. I’ve never hidden any o f my sexual or drug history, and I always speak candidly, so that part was easy.” Out o f the frying pan and into the fire we go with the most recent release by Portland’s most famous author, Chuck Palahniuk. Damned traverses the wonderfully disgust ing world o f eternal damnation via the expe riences o f a recently-deceased-by-way-of- weed-overdose teenaged girl. Sound... weird? It is. Featuring cringe-worthy descriptions of the geographical standouts o f Hell— shit waterfalls apd oceans o f hot vomit— and a crew o f Breakfast Club-'xzn cohorts, Damned is entertaining in a demented children’s book sort o f way. By no means is it one o f Palahniuk’s best— shhh, don’t tell The Cult! — but its distinctly Judy Blume-ish plod ding actually melds pretty well with Palah niuk’s honed oeuvre o f twisted realities. The underworld is a hot topic with today’s readers, and nowhere is it more lucrative than with vampire sagas. The success o f the Twi light series is evidence enough o f that. Utiliz ing a slightly different route this year was Portland “gay horror” poet and Bram Stoker Award-winning author Chad Helder. The * : * * * * * * * * * * r N eed Wine for the H olidays? Buy Local— Hip Chicks do Wine has been producing wine in SE Portland since 1999. With 18 wines in the bottle we are sure to have some you like! Open daily for wine tasting. We also have a limited amount of our limited production n Pride Wines available. Multiple bottle discounts available. Bring in this ad for a BUY ONE GET ONE FREE tasting flig h t • * Both tasting rooms open daily. Portland tasting room: 1 1 am -6 i * m ; Newberg tasting room: 12 (noon)-7i>M. LOCATED AT 4510 SE 23 rd AVE. PORTLAND, OR 97202 503-234-3790 | www.hipch1cksdowine.com Merry Christmas to all our valued customers. As a present to you, we are offering our popular 20 RENTALS FOR $20 for the month o f December. L im it one per customer. V isit our stores between Dec. 25th — Jan. 3rd for our annual clearance sale. Portland 503.227.1212 vancouver Save up to 75% off close-out and select overstock item s. V I S I T O U R N S W W S B S IT S AT WWW.TABOOV1DEO.COM VANCOUVER 82ND AVE. M IK BLVD. BROADWAY (PEARL) 4 8 11 NE 94th Ave. Vancouver WA 2330 SE 82nd Ave. Portland OR 237 SE M IK Blvd. Portland OR 311 NW Broadway, Portland 97209 (360) 254-1126 (503) 777-6033 (503) 239-1678 (503) 227-3443 HUGE SELECTION OF DVDS ’ ADULT TOYS * LINGERIE • M AG AZINES ALL STORES OPEN 74 HOURS TO SERVE YOU! PRIVATE AND INTIMATE MULTICHANNEL ARCADE