ST. LOUIS – Curtis Comer is one of our own, and he’s getting national recognition for the incredible work that he has done with (Not Quite) Out to Pasture.
His poignant, touching, and wonderfully real short stories about being gay and middle-aged – many published right here in Vital VOICE – have been enjoyed by so many. It is no surprise that (Not Quite) Out to Pasture has been presented for consideration for the Lambda Literary ® and the Stonewall Israel Fishman Non-fiction ® Awards.
The Lambda Literary Foundation “nurtures, celebrates, and preserves LGBT literature through programs that honor excellence, promote visibility and encourage development of emerging writers.” Last year’s winners of the prestigious “Lammy” awards include— Leche, by R. Zamora Linmark, The Stranger’s Child, by Alan Hollinghurst, Alfred A.Knopf, and The Unreal Life of Sergey Nabokov, by Paul Russell.
The Stonewall Israel Fishman Non-fiction award is presented to English language books that have exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered experience. It is the “first and most enduring award for GLBT books.” Recent non-fiction winners have included Mark Doty’s Dog Years: A Memoir and Michael Bronski’s A Queer History of the United States (Revisioning American History).
Curtis’ fans would certainly agree that his work deserves recognition. As one admirer shared—”I finished Curtis's book. Totally enjoyed it, refreshing; it inspired me…”
Comer, a regular columnist for Vital VOICE since 2009, has been busy promoting the book through local readings and books signings throughout St. Louis. Comer and Miller are also trying to arrange for out-of-town readings in Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago and San Francisco.
(Not Quite) Out to Pasture is available at most St. Louis independent booksellers and online at www.walruspublishing.com.
