In this post, I wanted to give you a preview of my novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders. Three sections have been presented at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration (in Philadelphia). The YouTube videos are below. Short fiction excerpts of the novel have been published in several journals. And one journal nominated a section for the Pushcart Prize. The links to the journals are below the YouTube videos.
THEY is a novel based on the Bible (with some creative interpretations) and has gender fluid, intersex characters. It also includes some strong female and gentle men characters who act on their passions and, in some instances, live as LGBT people. But the novel (which also includes some carry overs from goddess culture) begins somewhere in the time period of 800 to 600 bce (before the common era) and that was definitely before labels!
The three YouTube videos below are excerpts from THEY are in consecutive order from past to present.
You can also read an excerpt, written as standalone short fiction, in the online literary journal BlazeVOX15
Another excerpt is in the recent issue of Sinister Wisdom — the fortieth anniversary issue
A different excerpt is also in the aaduna literary magazine (this excerpt was nominated for a Pushcart Prize)
Text excerpts from THEY and my introductions presented at UUCR (Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration) can be clicked on below.
To read the text to the “Descent of Ishtar” and the introduction (where I talk about ancient Babylon), click here.
To read the text to “Forty Days And Forty Nights” as well as my introduction, click here.
Janet Mason, author 