At least one bit of good news: The new Armistead Maupin book is out tomorrow!!!

So. . those of us who have been long Tales of the City fans have a chance to catch up once again with Mouse and Mary Ann and Mrs. Madrigal in "Mary Ann in Autumn."

Even though Maupin did that first person reprise of "Michael Tolliver Lives" a couple of years ago, I didn't think he'd revisit the Tales characters, especially after finding out in Tolliver that Mona had died. Maupin's works have been a major groundbreaking force both in the original newspaper serial format and in the Tales of the City movie which created such a controversy back in 1994-95!

I'm assuming most of you know about Maupin's books - for those who don't, they are a collection of fiction with major gay characters extending from the time they were in their mid-20's (mid-1970's) until now, when most are pushing 60. And yes, the characters actually age and change and evolve in those books.

For those of us who are LGBT and middle-aged, Maupins books and the subsequent movies in the 1990's defined much of our generational struggle and gave many of us in smaller towns a feeling of kinship and family with these characters. . .so it's very exciting to get a glimpse of them once again!

Anyway, much of the original mini-series is on youtube, for those who have never seen it. . .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R9CbBUoViY

And there is a little preview of Mary Ann in Autumn here! http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061470882


Well, I thought at least I'd offer something positive that is happening tomorrow. . .just make sure you all vote and keep the faith!

I didn't realize he had written another book. "Michael Toliver Lives" was good. I just ordered "Mary Ann in Autumn" on my Kindle. Read the reviews and one said this is better than "Toliver".

Thanks again. :hi:

in May. . .based on Tales of the City. I know the workshop they just completed featured Betty Buckley as Anna Madrigal. I'm rather hoping to make the trip out there to see the production.

a friend in San Francisco photocopied the tales and mailed to me/us in Oklahoma the next day. We could not wait for the envelope to arrive. Self and partner read it the evening of its arrival, signed on the back page, made copies, and sent one to Chicago, the other to Houston and gave copies to several local friends. The friend in Houston then mailed it on to his friend in London and the friend in Chicago mailed it on to Santa Fe. And so on and so on - everyone signing on the back. I always wondered how many signatures were on the back before it quit traveling.

In the summer of 1979 we were at Fire Island and met a male couple from Philadelphia. They immediately recognized our names. A few days later we met two guy from upstate NY - they also recognized our names. We introduced them to the guys from Philadelphia. The couples were not in the same chain. Apparently there were not many women in the chains so we kind of stood out. Guess it was an early version of social networking. It doesn't seem that long ago but we were starved for gay positive stories and press.

Many years later I walked with Armistead at a pride march in Raleigh. I told him about our mail chain and we discussed how wonderful his writing was for those of us trying to be brave and happy queers in the middle of the country.

It is so interesting how his series has influenced so many people. . .I've heard so many people talk about how those characters are like friends - like each story is coming home to people who are warm and familiar and, although quirky, still inviting.

What an incredible thing you and your partner did back then - sending along that story as Maupin wrote it in the Chronicle. I was in the Midwest then - I had heard a little about it, but had never seen anything until the first book came out. My then-partner and I became hooked right away, and waited each time a new one was announced - we couldn't wait to get to read the next story!

You know, Maupin is on Facebook - both under his name and with his fan club. . .if you are on that social network, you should drop him a line!

very thin, thin books...