At the Lammys – Forever Unbroken

The 26th Annual Lambda Literary awards were held Monday, June 2 at Cooper Union in NYC. Because my third novel, Unbroken, was a finalist, we hopped the Acela and went. My brother was waiting at Penn Station by the flower stand at the 8th Ave exit when we arrived. We hugged and began our wait.

SusieQ, his fiancée, if not early, or on time, but at last not as late as usual, stormed the station, a warrior princess in red, a blast of windblown hair and towering heels. Together we took the subway downtown. We arrived early and, led by my brother, Michael, tall, unshakeable as a redwood, surged through the doors at Cooper Union, boisterous, bulletproof, Stanley, my partner, trailing us looking bewildered but proud. We signed in at the reception desk and were directed downstairs.

Downstairs: a crush of bodies and rising heat. An army of waiters, ramrod straight and beautiful, jet hair, silver white skin, red-red lips parted in welcome, seemed to beckon, come closer. Closer. Okay, not that close. They coolly offered platters of hors d’ouevres, and poured oceans of Ketel 1 Vodka.

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