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Bear Bones Books noted in LLF interview

Bear Bones Books noted in Lambda Lit salon interview

John Morgan Wilson’s new Lambda Literary Foundation column, Book Buzz, features an interview with Lethe Press publisher Steve Berman, and they chatted about, among other things, the new Bear Bones Books imprint.

JMW: In the past year you’ve added two new imprints, White Crane Books and Bear Bones Books.  Tell us about White Crane Books first.

SB: White Crane Books is actually a partnership rather than a true imprint. A number of years ago, Toby Johnson introduced me to Bo Young and Dan Vera, the editors of the journal of gay culture, White Crane. It became quickly apparent that we shared a desire to ensure that wonderful books on gay wisdom stay in-print. Our goal with the line of books is to both reprint classic works such as Two Flutes Playing by Andrew Ramer as well as release new material, such as the James White Review. Bo is the lead in all acquisitions for the line.

JMW: And what about Bear Bones Books?

SB: When I volunteered at Giovanni’s Room bookstore in Philadelphia, I noticed how many customers might identify with Bear culture. Yet, very few Bear-oriented books ever released. When Ron Suresha, who has long been one of the lead authors and editors in the movement, called me to discuss an imprint of Lethe devoted to releasing titles aimed at Bears and their admirers, I was immediately eager to begin. And one of my favorite authors, Jeff Mann, and I had been in talks to reprint his essay collection, Edge. So that became the first in Bear Bones Books. We have plans for reprinting the other classics in the field as well as new anthologies. Ron serves as acquisitions editor for these books.

Check out the entire interview with Steve at http://www.lambdaliterary.org/resources/book_buzz.html

Published by Ron Suresha

Ron Jackson Suresha is an editor, anthologist, and writer. He is considered an authority on emergent queer masculinities, in particular the subcultures of gay and bi male Bears and of male bisexuality. For Ron's service to the bear community, he was named "Bear of the Year" 2008. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Suresha attended the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, 1976-8), where he studied creative writing, and Vista College (Berkeley, Cal., 1989-92), where he studied American Sign Language. For more than two decades, he has worked as a freelance proofreader for trade book publishers such as Shambhala Publications. He was married in October 2004 to Rocco Russo. He is also a licensed Justice of the Peace in Connecticut, an ordained minister, ULC, and a member of the New London Green Party. Nonfiction works include Bears on Bears: Interviews & Discussions; Bi Men: Coming Out (coeditor, with Pete Chvany); Bisexual Perspectives on the Life and Work of Alfred C. Kinsey (editor). His latest book is The Uncommon Sense of the Immortal Mullah Nasruddin: Stories, jests, and donkey tales of the beloved Persian folk hero, published by Lethe Press.