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PARADISE PRESS
fine writing by lesbians and gay men |
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NEW in 2012 Gay Life, Straight Work Donald West Prisoner 537 Elizabeth Lister 2011 Titles Behind the Mask Winston Green Cocksuckery e-book Ian Stewart Gazebo Short story journal The Monkey Mirror Elsa Wallace People Your Mother Warned You About Edited by G. Abel-Watters The Queer Businessman Paul Mann Seeking, Finding, Losing John Dixon IN PRINT First and Fiftieth and other stories Martin Foreman Homo Jihad Timothy Graves The Last Cargo Ship Paul Mann A Little Chat and other stories Michael Harth Merle Elsa Wallace Nailing Frank Paul Mann A New Man in Old Steine Graham Robertson Oysters and Pearls poetry anthology The Physent and other stories Michael Harth The Picnic and other stories Michael Harth The Queer Commando Paul Mann Queer Haunts an anthology of ghost stories Rid England of This Plague Rex Batten The Seaman's Mission Paul Mann A Sense of Loss and other stories Martin Foreman A Short History of Lord Hyaena Elsa Wallace Slivers of Silver poems by gay men and women Stowaway Paul Mann Weekend Martin Foreman FORTHCOMING Bokassa's Last Apostle Rod Shelton Guru on Hire Michael Harth 
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‘Congratulations to Paradise Press for surviving so long in a hostile climate (or worse, an indifferent one). Small-press years are like dog years, and it's great that you're still wagging your tail.’ Adam Mars-Jones "like" our website on facebook or "follow" us on twitter for the chance to win two tickets to the Polari First Book Awards and join us for Timothy Graves' big night! (closes Monday 14th) 
TIMOTHY GRAVES’ Homo Jihad SHORTLISTED for the 2011 Polari First Book Prize Homo Jihad has been shortlisted for the inaugural Polari First Book Prize 2011, it was announced on 19 September 2011 at the Southbank Centre. Named after ‘London’s peerless gay literary salon’ Polari (set up by Time Out’s Gay & Lesbian Section editor, Paul Burston) this is the 1st year of the Polari First Book Prize, which celebrates poetry, prose, fiction or non-fiction exploring the queer experience. The judging panel includes Paul Burston, Suzi Feay (associate editor at The Financial Times), Rachel Holmes (Southbank Centre’s Head of Literature and Spoken Word), Fiona McMorrough (Founder and CEO of FMcM Associates) and Joe Storey-Scott (books buyer at Prowler). Rachel Holmes said: ‘This is a very strong list of robustly diverse voices and genres’. The winner will be announced at the Polari 4th Birthday on 21 November at the Southbank Centre. Homo Jihad is the debut novel by first-time author Timothy Graves. Set in 2005 against the backdrop of suicide bombings both in London and Jerusalem, Homo Jihad centres on David Underwood, a hopeless romantic and regular on the gay scene in London, who meets Yossi, an Israeli Jew, at a nightclub. A long distance relationship develops and David gradually uncovers the truth behind Yossi’s past. Things become complicated when Ahmed, his ex and a Muslim from the UAE, suddenly reappears. The novel takes in religious intolerance and homophobia, GHB abuse, a mysterious veiled woman and a flatmate who discovers enlightenment through Buddhism. The book’s title comes from the alternative interpretation of ‘jihad’ as being an inner, personal struggle to overcome difficulties – the jihad of the heart and soul, as opposed to the jihad of holy war. In one sense, each of the main characters faces their own inner jihad or struggle. David faces the inner demons of drug addiction, Yossi begins to grieve for his murdered ex-partner and part of Ahmed’s struggle is to begin the journey of becoming an openly gay Muslim. ‘Homo Jihad is frank, fierce, and could not be more topical.’ —Suzi Feay, literary critic and associate editor of the Financial Times ‘Comparisons are drawn between the violence perpetrated in the name of religion and the self harm associated with the excesses of the gay scene. There is much to admire. Homo Jihad is an impressive debut from an exciting new voice in gay fiction.’ —Time Out ‘Graves has created a truly extraordinary first novel… a writer to watch.’ —Attitude ‘Homo Jihad is a high-octane account of a gay love affair set in a world of chemical highs and religious fervour.’ —Paul Burston. ‘For all the jet setting and cross-cultural fraternising (Jews, Arabs, Vauxhall club kids) the heart of this novel is quintessentially British. In the end, everything turns out as sweet as an EM Forster novel.’ —Gay Times ‘An inspiring culture clash.’ —QX magazine ‘Its a beautiful book. It’s fun. It’s funny. It’s great to read a book where you recognise yourself in the pages and the city you live in. Graves writes about the male body and the intimacy between men very beautifully.’ —Gaydar Radio Homo Jihad is published by Paradise Press and was launched at Gay’s The Word bookshop on 20 May 2010. FIVE NEW TITLES FROM PARADISE PRESS TO LAUNCH AS PART OF GFEST IN NOVEMBER download the full press release here Join us at Gay’s the Word bookshop in Marchmont Street at 7pm on 14 November as we celebrate the launch of our latest titles. Wine is available and there's no need to book, just turn up. Nearest tube: Russell Square. Elsa Wallace’s third title from Paradise Press is The Monkey Mirror, a collection of fourteen unsettling short stories depicting situations where human and animal lives meet. Set in Britain and Africa, some outcomes are good and some less so. Behind the Mask by Winston Green. A semi-fictional no-holds-barred account of an affair between a British-Caribbean and an African man charting the gradual decline in the relationship as differences in outlook and sexual mores come to the fore. John Dixon’s sequence of short poems, Seeking, Finding, Losing chart a brief affair - outside - casual to a comeback-overnight, a return visit to live-in, more detailed exploration, uncertainty, rejection of proffered verse, uncertainly confirmed and back to casual. Fifteen other poems on a wide range of topics complete the collection. People Your Mother Warned You About, edited by G Abel-Watters, is an anthology of writing by lesbians and gay men. Who did your mother warn you about? Friends who are not all they seem? Suspicious neighbours or that black-sheep relative? Dirty Old Men, or young ones on the scrounge? Falling in with drunkards and criminals, or coming to the same bad end as your sister? Foreign tourists or the clan in the next valley? Or just people Like That? Paul Mann’s The Queer Businessman published by Paradise North, is also launching at the Paradise Press event. Oysters and Pearls, a collection of poetry by lesbians and gay men, re-launches alongside our other titles And, if that weren’t enough, as part of a programme to roll-out our titles as e-books as well as in print, we are delighted to announce the return of Ian Stewart’s Cocksuckery in e-book form, alongside e-book versions of The Monkey Mirror, and Behind the Mask. It is anticipated that the other Paradise Press titles launching this November will be ready in time as e-books. The short story journal from Gay Authors Workshop is now available from Paradise Press. Check out the latest number here The latest publication from Paradise Press is Homo Jihad, a powerful first novel from Timothy Graves - one of the rare titles to depict the contemporary gay scene in London. Londoner David Underwood must choose between his new lover, an Israeli Jew, and his ex, Ahmed, who suddenly comes back into his life. It's a "compelling gay love story capturing the zeitgeist" (Amjeed Kabil, author of Straightening Ali), that is bound to grip readers from every social and religious background. Click for more details and to order your copy (p&p free). Gay's The Word bookshop in London was full to overflowing at the launch of Homo Jihad in May as these pictures show. Extracts from the novel were warmly received, particularly because it is one of the rare books to depict the contemporary gay scene in London.
Prisoner 537, Elizabeth Lister's debut novel. Dee Livesay, unhappily married mother with two young daughters, is suspected of having pushed her mother-in-law to her death. She's remanded in custody. Her unexpected adventures start when she meets her fellow prisoners. Women who are not heterosexual |
 
Paradise Press authors: anthologies 
Rex BATTEN 
John DIXON 
Martin FOREMAN 
Timothy GRAVES 
Winston GREEN 
Michael HARTH 
Elizabeth LISTER 
Paul MANN 
Graham ROBERTSON 
Ian STEWART 
Elsa WALLACE 
Donald WEST 
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