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I was a fan of the graphic novel series Fables long before it became the hit TV show Once Upon a Time, a drama set in both modern-day America and in a skewed world of fairy tales. As I looked through my old copies of Fables, it dawned on me that “skewed” fairy tales are often the most interesting. We all know what happens when the prince rides up on his white horse and rescues the princess, but what happens when another woman rescues the princess? Or when the prince braves otherworldly dangers to find his one true love – another man? Here are some of my favorite fairy tales, gay-style.

Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue

Before Emma Donoghue won awards for her 2010 thriller Room, she wrote a charming 1996 collection of short stories called Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. In Kissing, Donoghue rewrites her takes on classics – and all of the “new-skinned” tales are sharp, funny, and very queer friendly. (In her version of Beauty and the Beast, Beauty discovers that the “beast” is a woman.) The best part about her revisionist fairy tales? All are gorgeous, poetic, and original.

The Next Fairy Tale

Maybe one day they’ll be a soundtrack for Brian Pugach’s original 2011 musical The Next Fairy Tale. Prince Copernicus wants to rescue his one true love, Prince Helio, from a tower. The only problem is that the mission is facilitated by klutzy godmother-in-training Hazel, and the real trouble starts when Hazel’s homophobic boss, “godmother-queen”, Minerva steps in to create magical obstacles for Prince Copernicus.

Bending the Landscape Series, edited by Nicola Griffith and Stephen Pagel

Griffith and Pagel edited these LGBT-themed fiction collections. The Bending the Landscape Series has three award-winning anthologies – one fantasy, one science-fiction, and one horror- that explore gay and lesbian characters in fantastic settings and wildly imaginative situations. This series won several big awards, including the World Fantasy Award, the Spectrum Award, and two Lambda Literary Awards.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Jason Pier in DC

Regulars to this site know that I’m a dyed-in-the-wool bookworm. If possible, I like to purchase my books used either from sites like Better World Books or from fun, little out-of-the-way used bookstores. Buying a used book is much greener than buying a brand-new book that’s fresh from the publisher.

And while e-readers are green and perfect for travel in their own way, some of us want to go on vacation with paper books. The publishing world is moving fast – maybe we’re nostalgic, but there’s something so perfect (and green) about a previously owned paperback.

Since we’re all about green tips at the Desoto, I wanted to share one of my favorite used bookstores with you: Second Edition Book Shop located in the Lincoln Park Plaza on Stirling Road in Hollywood. Best of all, Second Edition Book Shop isn’t a chain; its independently owned and operated by Danielle Joy-Whatley.

Independent and Green

The tagline is “Recycled Books. Shared Joy.” And this little bookstore is a joy, indeed.

I’ve been in bookstores that are one big, dust-covered mess. Often that’s what’s come to mind when I think of used bookstores in Florida, but Second Edition is a book lover’s dream. It’s easy to see why Second Edition won the 2009 Broward/Palm Beach New Times for Best Used Bookstore.

For those of us who’ve longed for the type of small, cozy bookstore often found in Portland or San Francisco, check out the Second Edition Book Shop. It’s independently owned and operated, which means that patrons are supporting a small, local business. If you’re sick of the Nook or the Kindle, no worries; you won’t find any flashy signs advertising the latest development in electronics. Looking to unload your gently loved books? Second Edition has a decent trade-back program, and if you’ve got adult paperbacks collecting dust, they’ll take them for store credit.

Cozy

From its hardwood floors and comfortable armchairs to its rows upon rows of books on dark wooden shelves, Second Edition Book Shop is the place to curl up and read for a while. Owner Danielle Joy-Whatley might offer you a lollypop from the bowl on the front counter or make a reading suggestion. There’s a never-ending flow of loyal customers of all ages, from retired folks to kids looking for a good book, all eager to chat about what they last read.

Community Involvement

Second Edition Book Shop often has sidewalk fairs that promote local crafts and food. SEBS also has a thriving Facebook page.

If You Go

Pack up your books and head down to Second Edition Book Shop, located at 6812 Stirling Road in the Lincoln Park Plaza in Hollywood.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By hannaneh710

We can learn a lot about green travel and nature from these two writers. We can learn how to love life a little more and launch into adventures with a sense of humor.

Thoreau and the Pond: Deliberate Life

Some, such as Henry David Thoreau, decided to live on Walden Pond for a period of two years, and then recounted his life in the woods in 1854’s Walden. My undergraduate English professor often joked that in the area of Massachusetts near Walden, one could buy tee shirts and buttons that said Thoreau Went Home On Weekends and while it’s true that Thoreau made his two-year home on land owned by his good friend Ralph Emerson, I don’t think that undercuts the beauty of what he managed to accomplish. Thoreau did something extraordinary and took himself out of society to get away from the hustle and bustle of 19th century Concord. (This fantastic blog post focuses on Thoreau as a master of perception-based travel – what we might today refer to as a ‘staycationer.’)
Thoreau’s major work had a “sit around and wait” feeling to it, but when he really gets going, his writing hits a nerve and stays there. As an undergraduate, I remember slogging through an excruciatingly boring section about watching beans grow, and then out of nowhere, Thoreau would transform before my eyes, becoming a magician of nature: I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to dig deep and suck out all the marrow of life.
The twenty-year old that I was willingly forgave Thoreau his notes about beans and farming to get to sections like that, where his writing practically becomes a spiritual dare to dive in to nature.

Bryson and the Woods: Laugh At Yourself

Bill Bryson is another writer who made nature come alive for me in A Walk in The Woods, though I have no illusions about my own ability or desire to hike the Appalachian Trail. But Bryson’s tale of a middle-aged man who ropes his best friend into the hike of a lifetime is utterly hilarious. If Thoreau double-dog dared you to live in your own local woods and see what life really meant, Bryson’s books promise that there is some grand, hilarious adventure just up ahead.

Green Travel Matters

Green travel matters . It seems that every moment technology is growing by light-years. At some point, here’s my personal dare. Figure out what joy means for you, hit the woods, do some hiking. Building your own cabin on a friend’s land is purely optional, but I believe it matters that you try something new, be open to Bryson-style hilariousness, and like Thoreau, make your own journey into a spiritual dare; allow yourself to get lost in your own backyard and see where you end up.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Luke Wisley

These five books represent some of the best gay literature and nonfiction. From E.M. Forster’s early 20th century classic Maurice to Alex Sanchez’s modern coming-of-age trilogy, this list has something for everyone.

Maurice 

Set in England in the early 20th century, E.M. Forster’s posthumous novel about a young man coming to terms with his sexuality is groundbreaking in many ways. Homosexuality was illegal in Britain when it was first written in 1914, and Forster chose to give his autobiographical novel a happy ending. Although Forster was a major author during his life, the book was published posthumously due to early 20th century homophobia.

The God in Flight

One of my all-time favorites, Laura Argiri’s 1994 novel about a 19th century Yale scholar’s fated romantic relationship with his mysterious art professor has all the passion of a gay Wuthering Heights. Argiri spins a rich, well-plotted love story, and it’s a crying shame that she never wrote another novel.

Rainbow Boys

The first in Alex Sanchez’s trilogy (the other two are Rainbow High and Rainbow Road) about the lives of a close knit trio of bi and gay teen boys won an American Library Association award. This is the 2001 book that introduced Kyle, Jason, and Nelson, and opened the closet door for a modern generation of readers.

And the Band Played On

Randy Shilts’s 1987 nonfiction masterpiece about the AIDS epidemic is an international bestseller. And the Band Played On bravely outlines the social and political issues that dangerously surrounded the beginnings of the AIDS virus. Even after two decades, this fantastic groundbreaking work reads like a heartbreaking mystery story.

The Front Runner

This classic by Patricia Nell Warren broke new ground when it was published in 1974. Her simple story about a gay Olypmic athlete’s love affair with his ex-Marine, conservative coach was an instant and pioneering classic. To date, it’s sold over ten million copies in nine languages and is considered one of the greatest sports novels of all time. (Warren also penned two sequels: Harlan’s Race and Billy’s Boy.) When it was released, Marlene Dietrich famously hopped out of her limo to snag a copy from L.A.’s A Different Light bookstore.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By ruifernandes

If you’re a big gay bookworm, check out these novelists. From award-winning British novelist Sarah Waters to the passion and poetry of activist Audre Lorde, and the modern-day romance of Karin Kallmaker, these lesbian authors are well worth a trip to the bookstore.

Queer Authors

Nancy Garden

Best known for her groundbreaking and banned young adult novel Annie on My Mind about a high school love affair between two girls, Nancy Garden is the author of over fifty books for children and adults, including Good Moon Rising (for young adults) and the love story Nora and Liz (Bella Books). When Annie was the subject of a major censorship case in the 90s, Garden became an award-winning activist for censorship issues.

Audre Lorde

Poet and author Audre Lorde fearlessly explores issues of class, race, sexuality, and injustice in her work. Recipient of the American Book Award for A Burst of Light, her expression is revolutionary and poetic. Her book Zami: A New Spelling of My Name covers Lorde’s life growing up in the 50s as an African-American lesbian and The Cancer Journals is a spiritual and metaphorical testament to the human spirit.

Sarah Waters

If you ever wished classic British literature came with more lesbians, award-winning novelist Sarah Waters is here to save the day. Her first four novels (Tipping the Velvet; Fingersmith; Affinity; The Night Watch) put queer women and queer culture against the backdrops of 19th and early 20th century England. From music halls and the burgeoning drag culture of the 1890s to love and mystery during WWII, Waters shows us that lesbians and queer women were everywhere. Best of all? Her heart-stopping, just-one-more-page plot twists.

Karin Kallmaker (available at BellaBooks.com)

The queer answer to Danielle Steel, Karin Kallmaker is the author of over twenty novels, several of which are Lambda Literary Award winners. Her topics range from modern day lesbian romances (The Kiss That Counted; Finders Keepers) to women-centered fantasy epics (Sleight of Hand; Seeds of Fire) to the occasional literary homage (Christabel was inspired by Coleridge’s poem; Just Like That pays tribute to Jane Austen), Kallmaker’s range of work is intelligent, clever, and always imaginative.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Torsten Mangner