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Very Special Guests Attend Ptown FUR reading

Very Special Guests Attend Ptown FUR reading

About 35 people came to our presentation of FUR: THE LOVE OF HAIR at the Gifford House Porch Bar on Saturday at noon, July 19th during Ptown Bear Week. The reading turned out to be a lit-bear-ary star-studded event.

Johnny, Ron, Jordan, at the FUR reading
© Photography by Angel Colon, 2012

The event had scheduled the FUR coverman Jordan, who came from Montreal with his bf Johnny, and contributing photographer Angel Colon, who came from NYC with his esteemed husbear Mike. In addition, Tj Norris model Tom Beaulieu, and a few other special guests turned up at the last minute.

Fur-bearers Kevin and Mike at the Fur Ptown reading
© Photography by Angel Colon 2102

FUR contributing photographer Chris Roma (founder of Daddyhunt, Pantheon Productions, and most recently BearCentral.com) also joined us for the festivities at the Porch Bar on Saturday afternoon.

Angel, Ron, Chris, at the FUR reading
© Photography by Angel Colon, 2012

Chris attended the reading with his husband, Armistead Maupin, the beloved author of Tales of the City. Chris and Armistead were in Ptown for a 3-week visit, and my husbear Rocco and I had the good fortune of chatting with them several times when we encountered them on the street earlier in the week. We had also attended Armistead’s sneak preview of his new novel, The Days of Anna Madrigal, as well as the book signing afterward.

Chris, Ron, Armistead, at the FUR reading
© Photography by Angel Colon, 2012

We did not expect Chris and Armistead to come to the reading, but they came and seemed to have a lovely time. Ron read several short selections from the book, then we talked with the audience about why we love to to photograph (and look at) furry guys.

This was followed by a group singalong, led by Ron, of his song parody, “Don’t Worry — Be Furry!”

Ron (in kilt) at the FUR reading
© Photography by Angel Colon, 2012

At the end of the reading, we held a drawing for a free signed copy of FUR. And the winner is  . . . Arctic Chen, from Plainfield, NJ! Congrats!

Many thanks for all who attended the reading, and to Gifford House for hosting us.

Also extra furry hugs to Angel Colon for his photography during the event.

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.