KYLE’S B&B: Latest News & Random Thoughts

One of the cool things about living on Long Island is that my friend John runs a gay sci-fi group, that meets bi-weekly to watch & discuss all sorts of sci-fi and/or comic book oriented stuff, as well as going on outings to movie openings & such. I haven’t been to the group in a while, but I made it down there this past Friday, and it was a fun night of Trek, including the infamous “Outcast” episode of Next Generation. The discussion that followed was thought-provoking; none of this is news, as Star Trek’s mishandling, (or non-handling), of gay characters has been well-documented. But what strikes me most deeply is how many of us still love this franchise, despite the apparent refusal to ever introduce a gay character into the mix. For a show that takes pride in its boundary-breaking in regards to race, and “going where no man has gone before”… it is mystifying and annoying that they’ve never had a gay character in any of the casts. (Throughout all of this, one gets the feeling that the cast of Next Generation and the other Trek series are open-minded and gay-friendly…for a variety of reasons). Well….it’s not too late. If they do ever get a new Star Trek series on the air…let’s hope they have the good sense this time to include one of our “Family”. It’s way past due, isn’t it?
(To see the Long Island Gay Sce-Fi group’s website, just click here)

…to the folks who came to my booksigning in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. We had a small group, but y’all were very friendly and asked some great questions! (And special thanks to Chris for the rides to & from the train station!). That whole area along the north & central Jersey coast seems quite pretty. Though I only got to see most of it through the train window, I can understand why it is such a popular vacation area. (And speaking of New Jersey, how about them “Jersey Boys”?!? That is one Broadway show I really want to see!).

Just when you thought I was done doing book-signings for the Kyle’s B&B book, I got asked to do another one, in New Jersey! I’ll be at the Point Pleasant Borough Branch Library this coming Monday, June 19th, at 7:00 pm, discussing & signing my book. So, please, if you happen to be anywhere in the tri-state area, come & meet me in person and get your book signed! UPDATE: I now have the address of the library. Please note, this is the Point Pleasant Borough Branch Library, not the Point Pleasant Beach Branch. (Apparently, there are 2 libraries in this town, and the one I’ll be at is the Borough Branch. Here is the address:
834 Beaver Dam Rd., Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
Telephone # : (732) 295-1555, (732)349-6200 ext.2601, (609)971-0514 ext.2601
To get directions, you can visit their website by clicking here.
Please come down, (or up, or over!), if you can! I’d love to meet you in person and answer your questions about the comic strip. There will be copies of the book to purchase there, or, if you already have a copy, you can bring your own and have it signed. I hope to see you!

Wow, I have received some incredible e-mails from readers, in regards to the latest episode, (#180), of Kyle’s B&B. I think everyone is thrilled to see Richard back to his feisty, unbridled, “fabulous” self! (I know that I am!). It’s nice to see, also, that he may have learned something through this whole ordeal with Sgt. Trask. Namely, to not be ashamed of who he is, no matter where he happens to fall on the “straight-acting scale”. A good lesson for Gay Pride Month, no? (And I didn’t even plan it that way!). Well, in any case, thank you to everyone who wrote to express your opinion on Richard’s odyssey, and by all means, keep those e-mails & comments comin’!