April 16 is the birthday of Essex Hemphill, arguably the most critically acclaimed and best-known contemporary openly Gay/SGL African American poet, author, performance artist, and activist. He helped shatter the silence surrounding Gay/SGL Black experiences and empowered other Gay/SGL Black men to find their voices. This ahead-of-his-time creative’s literary impact is still felt today; he’s opened the doors for myriad authors—including myself. Moreover, [...]
I’m soooooooo excited—and I just can’t hide it!” Those lyrics, sung by the Pointer Sisters, the celebrated and mega pop vocal group, fit me to a tee. Why? Well, because I’m one of the honorees of the 2026 PrideIndex.com Esteem Awards! The in-person ceremony will take place on Saturday, July 18, at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted Street, Chicago, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. My award [...]
“Nothing Can Tear Us Apart—SHATTERED!” is still servin’ up the Heat, the Passion, the Power, and the Hawtness! And this August, its sequel, “RUTHLESS!”, drops like an atomic bomb! Check out this FIVE-Star Amazon Review of “SHATTERED!” 5.0 out of 5 stars Relationship-focused, thrilling, provocative Where do I begin? "Nothing Can Tear Us Apart--SHATTERED!" is a spellbinding tour de force that had me completely [...]
Today is “V-Day”—Valentine’s Day! In recognition of this special day of L-U-V, I decided to answer the following question: “Is there a particular recipe for nurturing and preserving a successful, lasting LGBTQ+ relationship?” To find out, I consulted an expert: certified personal love coach Brian Rzepczynski, columnist for The Gay Love Coach. His answer? “No.” Then he explains, “One of the beauties of being gay [...]
I had the distinct pleasure of being interviewed by Eddie Pierce, Jr., an author and founder of Rainbow Room Publishing (RRP), for his podcast, “RRP Live!” Among other topics, we discussed my path as a journalist and an author, my experience as an Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse (IPV/A) survivor/subject matter expert/ advocate/speaker, and why IPV/A is a major theme in my [...]
Greetings, Y’all! I’m proud to announce that I just signed a publishing deal with Rainbow Advocacy Press to publish my upcoming novel, “RUTHLESS!”, the new installment in my “Nothing Can Tear Us Apart” (NCTUA) series (Gay/Ethnic/Psychological Thriller). The release date for “RUTHLESS!” is Tuesday, August 18, 2026. “SHATTERED!” is the current installment in the “NCTUA” series. Rainbow Advocacy Press is a global publisher of books, podcasts, and Substack content. The company “publishes and stewards works that advance human [...]
Ahh, Grindr! That "Portal to Pleasure." When Grindr debuted in March 2009, it was one of the first geosocial apps for LGBTQ+ individuals. It has become the largest and most popular mobile app for our community. So, for countless Gay/SGL men, Grindr is their go-to way of "reaching out and touching" each other. (And I ain't talkin' about anything related to [...]
Oh, my! It's a shiny New Year! And with the year ahead come all those ambitious, dramatic—and myriad — promises we make. We fervently vow, "This year's gonna be different 'cause THIS TIME, I'm gonna stick to my New Year's Resolutions!" Just like glue. So, it would be rather nifty to explore the roots of this time-honored tradition and then examine [...]
Oh, lawd. Where has the year gone? And it’s THAT time of the year again! And you’re an LGBTQ+ individual who’s dreading it. Precisely what am I talking about? The Holidays, dagnabbit! Why might you be in a major funk? Maybe you feel you can’t be your authentic self around family because you’re still closeted. Or, you might be alone, [...]
Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse (IPV/A) is a serious, growing, and potentially life-threatening public health problem that affects millions of Americans. Within the LGBTQ+ community, IPV/A describes physical, sexual, emotional, and/or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse. And due to stigma, this hellish and dysfunctional cycle of behavior is often dramatically underreported. So, what is stigma? According [...]
Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse (IPV/A) is a serious, growing, and potentially life-threatening public health problem that affects millions of Americans. Within the LGBTQ+ community, IPV/A describes physical, sexual, emotional, and/or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse. And due to stigma, this hellish and dysfunctional cycle of behavior is often dramatically underreported. So, what is stigma? According [...]
In the LGBTQ+ community, domestic violence and abuse is known as Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse (IPV/A). My last several posts focused on Separation Violence and Abuse, which can be the most dangerous point in a dysfunctional relationship. One of the most pervasive and entrenched misconceptions regarding IPV/A is that victims will be safe if they could just leave their abusers. However, leaving doesn’t necessarily stop the [...]
