As a fan of Octavia Butler, Mary Shelly, H. G. Wells, Bram Stoker and Ray Bradbury, I sought shelter in science-fiction and gothic novels that made it easier to fantasize outside the hetero world. These authors made it possible for me to write stories that challenged science and society with gay characters. Most of my writings as a teenager were a bit Frankenstein-ish – the story I remembered most is about a guy named R.I.P., made out of the DNA from the three hottest guys at my high school; each letter taken from their first name to make up the gay zombie’s name. Like most of the stories I wrote in adolescence, R.I.P. never made it outside my head.

One of the fun aspects of being a writer is meeting other writers. This past August while at Lambda, I met Allison Moon whose novel Lunatic Fringe about lesbian werewolves is being released today, September 29th 2011. She read excerpts while at Lambda and I have been eager to read the book ever since. Growing up in San Jose, I never imagined I would be attending a release party for a book that combined two of my favorite topics – queer life and werewolves. It is so cool to know the writers behind all the new kinds of literature that is surfacing today.

***Belo Cipriani is a freelance writer, speaker, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. Learn more at belocipriani.com.
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