Patricia Nell
Warren finishes Outgames race honoring her
fictional Billy Sive from The Front Runner,
August 2006.
(Photo by
Cyd Zeigler jr.) |
Patricia
Nell Warren, author of The Front Runner series and many
other novels, has been writing
stories for Outsports since
2002. The stories have been as rich and vivid as Warren's
novels; She has a knack for taking readers to another place
and soaking them in a world and characters they may or may
not be familiar with. Unlike her novels, the stories she has
told for Outsports have focused on real people, all of whom
have left a mark on the history of gay athletes.
Now, the
award-winning author is compiling the stories into a single
tome, The Lavender Locker Room: 3000 Years of Great Athletes Whose Sexual Orientation Was Different , which she is publishing
through her own
Wildcat Press. The book dives into the stories of some
of the most well-known gay athletes (Martina Navratilova,
Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Bill Tilden), some that you might
not have before considered an athlete or even gay (Amelia
Earhart, Achilles, Joan of Arc), as well as some whom the
history books have long passed by, including:
-
Transgender skier Erik Schinegger;
-
Horse
breeder George Villiers; and
-
Javelin
thrower Ana María Sagi
The book
has gotten very positive reviews so far (a sampling of which
is in our sidebar).
Conversation with Patricia Nell Warren, Nov. 8, in NYC
In New York City, on Nov. 8, Out
Professionals and the Center will present
bestselling author Warren, in conversation with
Cyd Zeigler Jr., co-founder of OutSports.com.
Warren 's novel The Front Runner has sold an
estimated 10 million copies in 10 languages.
The event
is
co-hosted by Outsports, Front
Runners, Lambda Literary Foundation, Publishing Triangle,
Team New York
Sports mixer, 6 p.m.; Program, 7 p.m
Nonmembers $10. Host Members, just $6 |
What some people are
saying about The Lavender Locker
Room:Publishers Weekly: “Holds
some surprises … informed, iconoclast, witty, well-written.”
David Kopay, former NFL
running back and author of The David Kopay Story (who is
discussed in the book): "Everyone, yes everyone,
straight, gay, bisexual, transgender, should read this book.
... What a great gift
from Patricia.”
Mark Tewksbury, Olympic
gold medallist, co-founder of Montreal OutGames, author of
Inside Out: "Who more perfect to record the history of
LGBT sport pioneers than a legendary storyteller in her own
right? Writing with sumptuous detail, poetic turn of phrase
and important historical context, Patricia Nell Warren's
investigation into LGBT sport past reveals that none of us
lives in isolation -- our struggles and challenges in
shaping sport have often played a role in shaping history
itself."
Helen Carroll, Sports
Project Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights:
“The gripping individual stories provide a “recovered’
history of courageous sports figures to claim as our own and
share with the world. Patricia’s eclectic choices of true
accounts make this a fascinating read.”
Ingi Thor Jonsson, Olympic
swimmer, Icelandic team:
“What a read….My dream would be that every school should
read it. I had to read some of the chapters twice, I loved
it so much.”
Dan Woog, author of Jocks
and Jocks 2: Coming Out to Play, openly gay high school
soccer coach: "Undoubtedly the most comprehensive survey
of the history of gay men and lesbians in sports, The
Lavender Locker Room fills a much-needed niche.
Patricia Nell Warren nails it. Her stories of big guys,
unknown girls, and everyone in between is guaranteed to
enthrall jocks and non-jocks, gays and straight allies --
anyone who likes tales of triumphs over adversity."
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