A gay whirlwind – that sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it? I’ve suddenly got visions of a psychedelic rainbow cyclone sweeping me off the ground a la Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. Imagine the technicolour paradise you’d land in after dropping out of a rainbow cyclone . . . Anyway, I digress.
Last week turned into a mini gay tour. I had to go to Brighton for 24 hours (yes, from Yorkshire – cue trains and exhaustion), known as one of the gay capitals of the country. I wasn’t there long enough to soak up much culture or visit any bars, but I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. We’re very lucky in the UK to be able to walk around hand in hand with our partners and generally be free from trouble. I don’t take that for granted. I’m looking forward to going back to Brighton for more than a whistle-stop tour at some point in the future. I’d also like it if I didn’t land in the middle of what was essentially monsoon day on the South coast! Any recommendations for places to visit next time I’m down there?
We had some time to kill in London between trains on the way back and so we headed into Bloomsbury. It’s long been my favourite area of London, mainly because of the number of students and the relaxed atmosphere. The historical literary connections also help. I was there last month too as I took my best friend to see the sights and relax in the middle of what turned out to be a heatwave. The weather during the four hours my partner spent there on Wednesday was also pretty good. And, of course, I had to pop into Gay’s the Word.
If you’re unfamiliar with Gay’s the Word, you’re missing out. It’s London’s pioneering LGBT bookshop – small yet packed full of literary goodies that you won’t find in that concentration anywhere else offline. One of the best bits is the used section where you can find books that have been out of print for so long that, even if you remember the title, you’ve probably forgotten the plot. Everything about the shop is paradise for LGBT readers.
I remember the first time I went to London alone for a conference five or six years ago. I was anxious about being in the capital on my own, but it was my mission to find Gay’s the Word and find some hidden gems. I wasn’t disappointed. There’s something unique about browsing in person. Don’t get me wrong, I love the variety offered by Amazon and other online booksellers. They bring opportunities to authors like myself who would struggle to get their novels out there otherwise. However, to be in a room full of LGBT books that first time – and every time after that – was a reminder that there are actual people out there eager to read the kind of things I read and, more pertinently now, the kind of things I write.
So, yes, I adore that bookshop, and I’d heartily recommend a visit the next time you’re in London. My favourite book bought from there in the past is probably Jill by Amy Dilwyn. It’s a bit of a romp and certainly has no explicit love (it was published in 1884), but it’s one of those books I never would have found if it wasn’t for Gay’s the Word. One of my greatest aims in my literary life is to give a reading there. One day!
