Due out hopefully in the next few weeks is the third book of writings by Liverpool author Ian Bradley Marshall .Over the last 8 years Ian Bradley Marshall has written a two volume anthology, Part I being published in 2009 and Part II in 2011.
Now Ian has taken all of the pieces that relate to the subject matter of being gay, or bisexual or as the title suggest…whatever.
The book is an anthology of prose and poetry on gay issues, with particular emphasis on young people who are still discovering their sexuality, along with all the difficulties that come with that.
For the older generation the book may just reaffirm that sense of self that sometimes is lost when we question who we are and lose confidence in ourselves.
I was honoured when Ian asked me to write a Foreword for the book. Then after checking what I was actually supposed to write I went off on one about my schoolboy crushes and being the gayest thing in my high school. (c.1977-82).
I remember going to my careers officer and telling her I wanted to be a journalist, not really knowing why or what the job entailed .Not that my spelling or grammar would have helped me in this direction but I was always a pretty creative writer and I always wanted to communicate with people in some way but without sensationalising any body or anything - clearly a career in journalism was not for me!
The truth is there’s no point writing about anything that you don’t know about so for a long time I didn’t bother as I knew ‘nowt!
However given the opportunity to write on subjects close to home it is a lot easier and it’s funny really that it has taken many years for me to be actually published in book form,thanks to Ian. I’ve written lots of magazine articles, web stories and contributed to other people’s works over the years but 2013 will see the first time I have ever had my name on the jacket of an actual book. Get me!
I have friends that write marvellous bloggy type things and help craft pieces for gay publications,websites,research journals and the like. They really do inspire me so when asked to write a foreword for Ian’s book on the subject of sexual orientation it wasn’t that difficult to take a trip down memory lane and come up with something that shared my growing up story and lent itself to a book of writings on accepting personal sexuality.
Being Gay, Being Bi,Whatever is expected to be published in February, available in Waterstones and downloadable via Amazon Kindle ahead of worldwide release.
The book is dedicated to the memory of Michael Causer from Whiston, Merseyside, who died on 2nd August 2008 aged just 18 after being brutally assaulted and left for dead. The parents of the murdered gay teenager set up The Michael Causer Foundation to provide safe accommodation and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people who are homeless or at risk in the north-west of England. The book is also supported by The Lesbian & Gay Foundation.
I hope you will get a chance to check it out.
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