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Christopher Rice, the novelist and son of Anne, has been running around the country promoting his newest tome The Moonlit Earth. But are fans flocking to him because he’s a great gay author? Or because he’s terrifically talented writer who happens to be gay? Are his books gay novels? Or novels that happen to deal with gay characters?
Stopping by Michelangelo Signorile’s XM Radio show yesterday, Rice gets into the thick of it — and reveals at least one anecdote that found when one bookstore classified gay books as gay, “sales for all of those titles placed in that section skyrocketed.” Well!
[photo via]
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drums
It matters more that he’s a shit writer, and we shouldn’t fawn on him just because of his sexuality. (This is purely my opinion only, of course…I’m sure his books are flying off drugstore shelves.)
OhYeah
The only reason he’s gotten where he has is because of his mother, Anne Rice. Sorry, he’s not a good writer.
fredo777
I assume that’s him in the still shot. His hair looks much better/younger like that. He should definitely not wear it the way it is in the thumbnail leading to this article.
SSCHIEFRSHA
I miss Anne Rice, the better chronicler of Vampire lives. These new pretenders to her throne are just that……pretenders.
D'oh, The Magnificent
@SSCHIEFRSHA: Well she went a little religious-nuts so you won’t be getting more homoerotica pretending to be vampire books out of her.
TonyD
@D’oh, The Magnificent: She backed off her religious-nut phase stage a little. I’m tempted to read Christopher Rice’s books, but if it’s rubbish, or a bit repetitive, like most gay theme movies, I’ll lose interest fairly fast. I’m sure people stick with the familiar, including themes, but I tend to navigate from that when looking for books and movies. Anyone read any of his books? I’ll search other sites for opinions, too.
AndrewW
I haven’t seen Chris since he was a young man in New Orleans. He is very talented and he has been very open about his sexuality and much of his life. I appreciate his success and I hope he’s happy – he deserves to be.
Aaron in Honolulu
What’s with you guys calling him a horrible writer? Those statements are dramatic. What exactly is a horrible writer to you? Books that you don’t find interesting? He is very talented and it’s obvious that you haven’t read most of his books. One of my favorites being “The Snow Garden”.
damon459
One mans trash is another mans treasure it’s the same with books not everyone likes every authors work if you don’t like it don’t read it but to bash people cause you don’t like their work is typical childish gay drama grow up.
ousslander
I like reading books with gay characters but I would not buy the book just because of that or because the autho is gay.
Tried reading The Snow Garden and was bored beyond belief. It just wasn’t my cup of tea
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
His books are a good read. Not sure he is gonna have a Pulitzer on his mantle any time soon, but decent way to kill a few hours on a plane or on the beach. And me personally I tend to spend my Gay dollars on Gay persons when possible……………
DR (the real one, not the guy who made post #12)
Interesting discussion on identity and writing/marketing. Haven’t read his stuff in a while (I read the first book he wrote, and then lost track of him). May need to hit the library and see if his work has grown up with him.
JP
I only read his first book. I absolutely loved it, possibly because as a young high schooler on the verge of coming out, the subject hit close to home. I thought the book was well written, and I think I read it about four times that summer. I never read his other books. I heard they were good, but the subject material never really appealed to me as much as the first one did. If I remember correctly, he was on Rosie once and they talked about how he used to be a screen writer. I can definitely see that in his books.
MuscleBoy
His books are crap and he’s not cute.
Franco
I read his debut novel when I was in high school, I think. It was very good and he’s adorable. He can wear his hair however he likes because I think he’s scrumptious.
D'oh, The Magnificent
@TonyD: Agree about repetitive boredom of gay “art.” I always both happy and stunned whenever I read or watch something that’s actually good rather than hyped as good. But then, this is true regardless of whether it is gay or straight. Not much good in the creative world. I was just looking at the list of upcoming shows for the fall. They are mostly retread by the same people who blazed the same boring trail before.
DM73
If you’ve ever been to one of his book appearances (he doesn’t read from his work instead he describes the general theme of the book and then has an open Q&A), you’d know he considers himself a writer foremost who also is gay and the son of famous parents. His writing is not meant to be pullitzer as much as any other thriller/mystery writer isn’t aiming for that either. He does not write on the subject matter his mother has and even jokingly has disdain on those who imitate her. He’s his own writer and a good one in my opinion. He’s not William Faulkner, but then again most writers aren’t. He also pointed out that his books or books by gay authors sold better when placed under a gay banner in a store than not, and he noted that it was something curious to him when he promoted here in NYC.I consider the Snow Garden his best and considering he was in his early twenties when he published that and only in his early thirties now leaves much time for him to mature and expand his craft as with any writer.
Sure he benefitted from being the son of Anne Rice and even perhaps being the gay son of Anne Rice, but like he says himself, no one is going to publish him forever if he produces rubbish. He’s up to his fifth book. More than Anne Rice fans or gay people are reading his materials and I find nothing wrong of him having gay characters. Gay people are after all a part of society right and what’s the oldest adage writer’s follow, write what you know about.
ossurworld
Thank heavens he has a rich and famous mother, or he’d be another hack without a publisher…
alan brickman
being gay isn’t a talent…listen up high school!!
Scot
I read his first 2 books and figured he needed time to mature, and get a better editor. His book LIGHT OF DAY opens with A 66 WORD SENTENCE! Thats ridiculous. I hope he garnered more talent. He might be a really good author, I just haven’t seen any proof yet.
I won’t buy any product just because an author, singer, or actor is gay. I work too hard for my money.
If you want to read a good book with a great gay character in it, read The Book Of Joe by(straight author)Jonathan Tropper. Thats how to write gay characters. Plus, it’l make you laugh out loud and maybe cry a little.
MuscleBoy
Those of you who voted negative on my previous comment can kiss my bubble-butt, hard-rock ass! Yeah, keep checking it negative that only make you want to read more. And I insist: this dude has no talent, and he’s fugly to boot. He’s only where he is because of his mommy.