Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Please sign and return

I realized one of my childhood dreams today. I have just signed a contract with a major publisher to publish my first book.

I'm still sort of in shock.

It's so damn cool.

My book, Bulletproof Faith: A Spiritual Survival Guide for Gay and Lesbian Christians will be published by Jossey-Bass in the Fall of 2008.

It's so damn cool.

I did what a bunch of writer and wannabe writer friends of mine said couldn't be done.

"First time writers don't get agents," they sagely intoned.

Oh, yeah?

I found one after six query letters to potential agents.

"Just a fluke," they shook their heads. "Beginner's luck. Now settle in for the long wait to find a publisher."

Six weeks later - a publisher.

It's so damn cool.

Now, they're all asking me how I did it.

My answer: Write a damn good book. Write a damn good proposal to sell it.

That's what I did.

It's so damn cool.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

New Godcast from Whosoever

Check out our sixteenth podcast, or "Godcast" from Whosoever: An Online Magazine for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Christians, features an interview with Eric Elnes about his new book Asphalt Jesus which chronicles the 2500 mile trek he and several others took across the country in an effort to put action to progressive Christian principles. God had some surprises for them along the way - Eric will tell us more. We'll also take a meditation moment. And, we'll wrap it up with some holy humor.

Whosoever Godcast #16

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Send in the Clowns

I've read a ton of literature on the effectiveness of nonviolent direct social action, but I have never seen it quite put into action like this before.

A Ku Klux Klan rally in Knoxville didn't get so much punked as they did "clowned." Back in May the local Kluxers held a rally and got a big surprise.

Unfortunately for them the 100th ARA (Anti Racist Action) clown block came and handed them their asses by making them appear like the asses they were.

Alex Linder the founder of VNN and the lead organizer of the rally kicked off events by rushing the clowns in a fit of rage, and was promptly arrested by 4 Knoxville police officers who dropped him to the ground when he resisted and dragged him off past the red shiny shoes of the clowns.

“White Power!” the Nazi’s shouted, “White Flour?” the clowns yelled back running in circles throwing flour in the air and raising separate letters which spelt “White Flour”.

“White Power!” the Nazi’s angrily shouted once more, “White flowers?” the clowns cheers and threw white flowers in the air and danced about merrily.

“White Power!” the Nazi’s tried once again in a doomed and somewhat funny attempt to clarify their message, “ohhhhhh!” the clowns yelled “Tight Shower!” and held a solar shower in the air and all tried to crowd under to get clean as per the Klan’s directions.

At this point several of the Nazi’s and Klan members began clutching their hearts as if they were about to have a heart attack. Their beady eyes bulged, and the veins in their tiny narrow foreheads beat in rage. One last time they screamed “White Power!”

The clown women thought they finally understood what the Klan was trying to say. “Ohhhhh…” the women clowns said. “Now we understand…”, “WIFE POWER!” they lifted the letters up in the air, grabbed the nearest male clowns and lifted them in their arms and ran about merrily chanting “WIFE POWER! WIFE POWER! WIFE POWER!”


LOL! What a brilliant idea. Send in the clowns indeed. This is what nonviolent advocates mean when they talk about "Jesus' Third Way." I can just see Jesus painting his face and donning some big red shoes to lampoon the ridiculous Pharisees of his day.

This is how we fight hatred, folks. Satire is powerful.