Kergan Edwards-Stout's Blog, page 24

Author Spotlight: Ken Howard, LCSW

I've had the pleasure of knowing Ken Howard since our days together at UCLA, many moons ago.  Since then, he has gone on to become a renowned therapist in Los Angeles, and has written a book, Self-Empowerment: Have the Life You Want, which I've been hearing terrific things about. Ken was gracious enough to answer [...]

"Alfred Lives Here" Review: "Songs for the New Depression"

Eternally grateful that Songs for the New Depression is finding a place in the hearts of its readers.  Alfred Lives Here, a fun blog about pop culture and nominated for the 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards, gave it a wonderful review, and I much appreciate it! Alfred Lives Here:  A Touching Story for the New Depression... [...]

A Review by Author Carey Parrish: "Songs for the New Depression"

I'm really overjoyed that Songs for the New Depression seems to be striking such a chord in readers–particularly when they happen to be authors themselves! A Masterpiece of Modern Literature by Carey Parrish It isn't often I read a book that touches my soul, but that is exactly what happened with Songs for the New [...]

Scandalous! Revolting! My CONFESSIONS!

Last night a friend sent out an email to a group of writers called "CONFESSIONS," which listed 10 of his confessions, which were fun and random facts other might not know, and asked the rest of us to do the same. One of his confessions was that he knew who shot JR, as he watched [...]

LGBT Book Review Blog: "Songs for the New Depression"

Very appreciative of the great review for Songs for the New Depression! Shelly's LGBT Book Review Blog Today's fiction review is about a novel, yes, but it's also about the soundtrack of a life. Songs for the New Depression, the first novel for author Kergan Edwards-Stout, is set to the soundtrack of the Bette Midler [...]

Book Talk With Charla – Review: "Songs for the New Depression"

I'm extremely grateful for the terrific review given to Songs for the New Depression by Book Talk With Charla.  Doesn't get better than 5 out of 5 Stars! Book Talk With Charla: This book touched me at the core of my being!  It gives a real look at what life is like with AIDS.  It [...]

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: GREGORY G. ALLEN

One of the unexpected but utterly pleasing discoveries on  my journey as a writer has been in connecting with other authors on similar paths.  Coming from the world of entertainment, where competition -- though masked with a smile -- is vicious and shoot-to-kill, I've been surprised and heartened to see just how much some authors [...]

Hate the Gays? Imagine the World Without Us

[image error]In our current political discourse, right-wing politicians continue to demonize the LGBT community in sad and desperate attempts to rally their base. While, happily, their efforts have not been as effective as in the past, any attempt to make gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people feel anything less than equal can lead to devastating consequences, as the ongoing string of youth suicides so painfully highlights.

Any preventable loss of dignity and human life must be stopped. The question is, "How?"

While prior efforts have focused on the issue of harassment, it is time for the LGBT community to take the dialogue one step further. When you are a teen, simply waiting for your next birthday can seem like an eternity. Telling our youth that life will indeed get better, some years into the future, is not enough. We must instead create a world in which there is no longer any shame in being gay. We must show that each and every one of us has something of value to contribute to this world, period.

The first step is creating discussion with the haters around where their anti-gay beliefs come from, and challenging those beliefs with facts. But we then need to take that dialogue even further and examine more closely what they hope that such convictions will ultimately achieve.

Typically, those who hold negativity toward those who are LGBT can be placed into two main camps: those who believe that being gay is unnatural, going against nature, or those who believe it goes against religious teaching.

With either group, the case can be made to counter such beliefs with facts. For example, those who believe that being gay is unnatural may be surprised to learn that homosexual activity has been observed in close to 1,500 species, and that such scientific certitudes should be spotlighted. For those who believe that homosexuality violates religious principles, pointing to texts such as the Bible as justification, and dialogue around translation issues, intent, and historical context, might be beneficial.

However, in both situations, while factual evidence might change some minds, most will still be unwilling to let go of long-held beliefs. My question to them then becomes, "What do you hope these beliefs will achieve?"

Most have never looked holistically at their views, nor tried to fit their beliefs into a larger framework. They were simply told by others that being gay is less than ideal, for whatever reason, and have not challenged that assumption.

If they truly believe that being gay is a sin or abnormal, what then? Does that mean they support the harassment of LGBT individuals? Do they hope to "convert" LGBT folks to heterosexuality, which no reputable medical or psychological association supports or validates, even going so far as to consider such "conversion therapies" potentially harmful? Do they want us to remain celibate and single, never experiencing love and affection? Do they wish LGBT people would simply disappear? If anything, they are creating an environment where gay youth feel that suicide is preferable to life.

But imagine, for a moment, that there were no LGBT people on the planet. Just what would this world look like?

Imagine the world without the Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo, a gay man. Imagine the world without that famous Mona Lisa smile, or the iconic painting of Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper, both by Leonardo da Vinci, another man who was probably gay. Imagine the world without the music of The Nutcracker or Swan Lake, by Tchaikovsky, also gay. More recently, imagine the world without the music of Johnny Mathis, Joan Armatrading, Elton John, Melissa Etheridge, George Michael, or the Indigo Girls, among countless others.

Imagine the world without the plays of Edward Albee, Tennessee Williams, Paula Vogel, or Stephen Sondheim. Imagine how literature would look without the writings of Virginia Woolf, Truman Capote, Alice Walker, or Augusten Burroughs. Imagine sports without such legends as Martina Navratilova, Greg Louganis, Johnny Weir, or Billie Jean King. Imagine the world without the comedic brilliance of Lily Tomlin, or Andy Warhol's groundbreaking Campbell's Soup Cans painting, or Roland Emmerich's smash hit movie Independence Day. Imagine Glee without Jane Lynch and Chris Colfer. Oh, wait -- you're right! There wouldn't even be a Glee without gay creator Ryan Murphy.

These, of course, are just a few of the LGBT individuals who have created lasting impressions on our society, and, indeed, the world. (A more complete list can be found here.) I've created aTwitter campaign using the hashtags #rethinkgay and #imaginetheworldwithout, hoping to challenge stereotypes and change hearts and minds. Join me, extend this conversation, and together we can eventually reach some of the haters.

Harvey Milk had it right, all those years ago. We need to tell our stories and make our presence known. As he said, back in 1978, "I hope that every professional gay will say 'enough,' come forward and tell everybody, wear a sign, let the world know. Maybe that will help."

Tell your stories. Live authentically. Show the world what our lives are like, and how our presence on this Earth is not merely to be valued, but is, in fact, essential.

Without us, the world may still continue to turn, but it would be a far grayer and less fun place.

This article originally was posted on The Huffington Post.

Midwest Book Review: "Songs for the New Depression"

[image error]So grateful for the review of Songs for the New Depression in the Midwest Book Review!

Midwest Book Review, January 2012

Songs for the New Depression

As time winds down, it's all too tempting to feast in everything life has to offer. "Songs for the New Depression" follows Gabriel Travers who is convinced his time on this earth is limited. In search of love, he only gets dead ends, and finds he must learn to love himself before anyone else can, with the help of plenty of unusual and original characters. "Songs for the New Depression" is a thoughtful read that should speak to many readers.

 

Review by Liberty Press: "Songs for the New Depression"

I am so grateful for the wonderful reviews the book is getting, particularly in places, such as the Midwest Book Review, which I tend to think of as not exactly hip and urbane.  Liberty Press is located in Kansas, so it was especially great to see them give such a positive review.

I am sincerely appreciate of the great notes and comments from those of you who have read it.  Your support means the world to me!

-Kergan

Liberty Press, January 2012 (Reviewed by By William N. Proctor-Artz)

Songs for the New Depression (Circumspect Press, $15.99), a first novel for writer Kergan Edwards-Stout, comes from the title of Bette Midler's third album that came out in 1976, and figures prominently in the text. The main character in the story, Gabriel Travers, who in 1995 dies of complications from AIDS-related illnesses, and his steady demise is where the story actually begins. This book is so full of existential angst that when finished reading this book, the first thing I wrote: Such was the intensity of Jean-Paul Sartre's orgasm, from the great beyond, that all of the bells tolled in Paris. For whom, you ask, did those bells ring?

Edwards-Stout has a unique way of developing this character in asynchronous order. The book is divided into just three parts: Part I GABE: 1995; Part II GABE: 1986; Part III GABE: 1976. In doing this, Edwards-Stout renders the work all that much more profound, in the sense that the reader is able to ascertain why and how Gabriel arrives at the end of his life the way in which he does. To me, it made Gabe's flaws and weaknesses, plus his strengths, that much more pronounced.

This is a work that will make you both laugh and cry, and fair warning: it is difficult to get through certain portions of the text because Edwards-Stout is quite explicit in detail, which is testament to the fact that he is such a brilliant writer. This is not one to miss.