Celebrating the 114th anniversary of the Model T where it all began!
Official site of poet James Schwartz, author of The Literary Party: Growing Up Gay and Amish in America
SUNSET IN ROME Book launch!
"I have written a wicked book, and feel spotless as the lamb. Ineffable socialities are in me. I would sit down and dine with you and all the gods in old Rome's Pantheon."
- Herman Melville
Unlike most Old Order Amish children I attended a public school with teachers who nurtured my love for writing and books. I also was allowed to have a library card.
The official launch for SUNSET IN ROME is October 9th! If any of my readers will be in Detroit on that date please join me at the book signing / reading / orgy... just kidding about that last bit! Really! Do expect an intimate evening with yours truly in the D! Book will drop on Amazon 10.9 as well!
Event link: https://fb.me/e/
Of course an ex-Amish man's book will be banned. This is a story about defying the church so sermons may even be preached condemning it! Exciting times!
I even drew the wrath of several ex-Amish YouTube preachers (basically my queer existence, also Plain Rainbows podcast) but let's not forget that these men are selling fundamentalism now.
Conservative Anabaptists Reject Fundamentalism
I fail to see the difference between a sex worker and hoeing your Amish heritage for click bait and monetization or book sales.
SUNSET IN ROME will be suppressed by all Amish publications and those that are controlled by the Holy Hetero Amish Church but it may be found by the gay Amish person who needs to read this story.
See you at the party!
Coffee with James / Preview "Sunset in Rome"
SUNSET IN ROME Book preview via FEVERS OF THE MIND!
"Wow! I just got done reading this novel of a queer Amish experience.
It's wildly fascinating to finally have a novel about a queer Amish experience. I was particularly engrossed in the part about the ministers and deacons engaging in homosexual acts. Is it possible this is happening even when they are simultaneously requiring confessions from other people engaging in homosexual acts?
This is a must read for queer anabaptists, seeking to find themselves. It's a coming of age story, with many twists and turns". - MARY BYLER, THEMISFITAMISH.COM
SUNSET MIX
A playlist inspired by SUNSET IN ROME (ALIEN BUDDHA PRESS) 9.22!
What All Sex Workers Want You to Know
Male Escort EXPOSES Vatican Secrets
10 Famous
Gay of the Day
Total Eclipse
Devil's Playground
I have taken meetings with producers over the years but most Amish themed reality TV shows don't pay much. There is also the matter of artistic integrity. In my opinion the best Amish film is Devil's Playground, filmed near where I grew up.
Coffee with James 9.22
Join me 9.22 for a live Coffee with Mary Byler to discuss my novella SUNSET IN ROME and to answer your questions!
Sunset in Rome 9.22
... or How I Spent Summer 2022!
Thrilled to share my first fiction micro-novella SUNSET IN ROME is dropping September 22 from Alien Buddha Press!
This story is a homage to literary muse Denham Fouts and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and a satirical queer coming of age novella following Jakob, a young male hustler returning home to the Midwest and his Amish family.
"This is a story about beautiful anomalies in the Matrix."
Including a bonus selection of recently published poems.
Plain Rainbows / PCADV Caucus
Your Plain Rainbows co-hosts are happy to have recently presented an overview on LGBTQ Amish to the PCADV Gender and Sexual Justice Caucus!
We are grateful for the opportunity to help and provide the Caucus with a presentation highlighting LGBTQ Amish issues.
A special thank you to Jenn for the opportunity to present and for their thoughtful questions! We feel seen!
In gratitude,
Mary Byler and James Schwartz
Plain Rainbows: LGBTQ Amish & Anabaptist Stories Replay
PLAIN RAINBOWS: LGBTQ AMISH AND ANABAPTIST STORIES
CO-HOSTS: Mary Byler & James Schwartz
SEASON 1:
Introduction to Transgender People and Being An Ally
with Seraphina 🏳️⚧️
Conversations Official podcast 🗣
Season Premiere with Rev. Dr. Raymont Anderson 🙏
Growing Up Gay and Mennonite (trailer) with Fred 🏳️🌈
Growing Up Gay and Mennonite with Fred 🏳️🌈
The Ruth Ellis Center 🏠
Learning not to Hate Yourself with Lititz Chooses Love' Kris ❤
Spiritual Health with Joey 🙏
Live Q & A with The Leon Block Independent Media founder Jontel 🎧
SEASON 2
Kyiv Pride 🇺🇦
Authenticity in Amish Country with Chris Branch Pride 🏳️⚧️
Meet Lars (PART 1) 📚
Meet Lars (PART 2) 📚
Growing Up Gay and Mennonite with Marlin 🏳️🌈
Education with Jacqui 🎶
Meet Randall 🏳️🌈
5 Very Queer Books for Your Summer Reading List
Pride Month is wrapping up so I wanted to highlight 5 very queer anthologies that I am honored to have been a part of. Happy Pride and happy reading!
1 AMONG THE LEAVES: QUEER MALE POETS ON THE MIDWESTERN EXPERIENCE (SQUARES & REBELS PRESS, 2012)
2 JONATHAN: A JOURNAL OF QUEER MALE FICTION (SIBLING RIVALRY PRESS, 2014)
3 SWEETER VOICES STILL: AN LGBTQ ANTHOLOGY FROM MIDDLE AMERICA (BELT PUBLISHING, 2021)
4 OUR HAPPY HOURS: LGBT VOICES FROM THE GAY BARS (FLASHPOINT, 2017)
5 LOVEJETS: QUEER MALE POETS ON 200 YEARS OF WALT WHITMAN (SQUARES & REBELS PRESS, 2019)
'Plain Rainbows: LGBTQ Amish & Anabaptist Stories' Season 2 Episode Guide
PLAIN RAINBOWS 2 PODCAST EPISODE GUIDE
(YOUTUBE)
Edward joins us to discuss LGBTQ Ukraine for a live episode.
Chris on living with authenticity in Amish country.
Dr. Lars, PhD on a "Plain / Southern" identity etc.
Lars on Amish in academia etc.
Growing up gay and Beachy Mennonite
A discussion on (Mennonite) education
Gay and Horning Mennonite
Special episode co-hosted by Kris
ALSO AVAILABLE ON:
FACEBOOK/ PLAINRAINBOWS
Consider a donation via PATREON!
Hard Rain Poetry: Forever Dylan Anthology
Happy Summer Solstice & publication day to HARD RAIN POETRY: FOREVER DYLAN anthology, now available!
It is rare when a poet will emerge that becomes a wonderful musician, artist, activist
and celebrated with a Nobel Prize in the end for writing.
He is a natural with words, freestyle to deeply thoughtful. Within metaphors that’ll
make you think inevitably if you study each line it’ll make sense in the end.
Bob Dylan came around when folk was almost bubblegum. It took him, Joan Baez,
Odetta, Dave Van Ronk, Phil Ochs to continue the folk that endured the same feeling
of hardships of a Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Leadbelly, the many blues and jazz musicians before. It was less about what Elvis, Buddy Holly, and what Chuck Berry was putting out (which definitely is a great style on itself) Dylan was about shifting, changing with the times, understanding what was to come and being 1 step ahead. He sung and wrote like an artist painting a picture. He is a storyteller. He wasn’t afraid to bring sarcasm, his truth to a story and laying it out for everyone the bones, the bruises, and the sweat . He had many muses to help him write to his perfections in writing. Whether it be personal relationships with Suze Rotolo, Joan Baez, his wife Sara, Carolyn Dennis, Edie Sedgwick, Nico, but also with musical counterparts such as Woody Guthrie, once again Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young. Influences in writing of Arthur Rimbaud, Dylan Thomas, and just exploring cities from Minneapolis to New York to London and exploring this world like Kerouac and Ginsberg & other beats. He had a natural flow of thought, passion & yes, bitterness but he wanted to protect the dignity of true art, and not lead it to what most people hear today on the radio, youtube, and more. He was always exploring his faith (another muse)? He made friendships and enemies and friendships with enemies. Everyone in music from the 60’s til now knew Dylan. Whether they liked his personality or not, they definitely had to have some form of admiration of his art. Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Mark Knopfler, Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash, The Byrds, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell (a frenemy at times), The Band, even Judas Priest.
* * *
Kindle & Paperback Links:
U.S. : https://tinyurl.com/2p938cy8
Canada: https://tinyurl.com/2p9cnc2c
India: https://tinyurl.com/5ebda55a
U.K. : https://tinyurl.com/yc7sk3n8
France: https://tinyurl.com/2kahcd9v
Germany (Deutschland): https://tinyurl.com/fj24ed4s
Japan: https://tinyurl.com/33unzy8y
Australia: https://tinyurl.com/3c6kdhxe
Brazil: https://tinyurl.com/2p98w62w
Italy: https://tinyurl.com/mryn59us
Netherlands: https://tinyurl.com/yrvzekh8
Mexico: https://tinyurl.com/6pf5jnc6
Poland: https://tinyurl.com/2p8h5b5p
Sweden: https://tinyurl.com/yckjd7jn
Spain: https://tinyurl.com/4pe777f2
United Arab Emirates: https://tinyurl.com/ne6m3j73
Featuring the following:
Art/photos by Tony Aiken, Geoffrey Wren, David L O’Nan
Featured Poetry from
Elizabeth Cusack
David L O'Nan (including debut poetry)
Ron Whitehead (U.S. Beat Poet Laureate)
John Guzlowski
Ivor Daniel
Lynn White
James Schwartz
Robert Frede Kenter
Thasia Anne Lunger
Christian Garduno
R.M. Engelhardt
Peter Hague
Spriha Kant
Beth Mulcahy
Matthew Freeman
Kushal Poddar
Carrie Anne Golden
Joe Kidd
Troy Jackson
Mark Andrew Heathcote
w v sutra
Owen Bullock
F.E. Clark
Ethan McGuire
Ian Richardson
Doreen Stock
Peter Lilly
Dan Carpenter
Jude Neale
Clive Gresswell
Derek Smith
Tim Troglen
Billy Watson
Maid Corbic
Brenda E. Nwafor
Kathryn Sadakierski
Sadie Maskery
Jeremy Limn Book Pics!
Crime writer Robert Ragan & my Plain Rainbows podcast co-host Mary Byler dropped book pics recently!
ICEFLOE: THE WOODWARD BUS POEM
ICEFLOE PRESS has published an alternate extended mix of my WOODWARD BUS POEM! The original version of the poem is available in MOTOR CITY MIX!
Twitter Spaces: #MotorCityMix Reading!
It's officially Pride day in Detroit! To celebrate I joined various Alien Buddha Press authors at TWITTER SPACES for an open mic reading from #MotorCityMix!
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"The Literary Party: Growing Up Gay and Amish in America" Book Reviews + Media Highlights
THE LITERARY PARTY: GROWING UP GAY AND AMISH IN AMERICA (EBOOK) BOOK REVIEWS: As a country boy in Kentucky, I’m acquainted with the Ami...
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A playlist inspired by SUNSET IN ROME (ALIEN BUDDHA PRESS) 9.22! What All Sex Workers Want You to Know https://youtu.be/oHypTun-Izw Ma... -
"I have written a wicked book, and feel spotless as the lamb. Ineffable socialities are in me. I would sit down and dine with you and... -
Celebrating the 114th anniversary of the Model T where it all began ! View this post on Instagram A post shared by J... -
SUNSET IN ROME Book preview via FEVERS OF THE MIND ! "Wow! I just got done reading this novel of a queer Amish experience. It&#...
-
Your Plain Rainbows co-hosts are happy to have recently presented an overview on LGBTQ Amish to the PCADV Gender and Sexual Justice Caucus...
