(fart?-9'uh rr 14- OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS — JANUARY 1998 I reviews By Mariana Romo-Carmona REVIEWED BY KIMBERLY A. WARD ”I didn't always un- derstand the logic of fields and migrating birds, but I wanted to belong to all of it, even if it wasn't my birthplace. I wanted to belong.” In this eloquent moment of conte » Mariana Romo-Carmona’s new novel, we f nel of the story; belonging. The character of ‘ works in a ward for the mentally retarded. It she sees the way they are ostracized from th treated with little dignity. When decides t world better, somehow, she feels her own w ing. But, this book is about more than mis: loneliness. It is about romance, and the life Rican lesbian trying to find her way in the eryone else. In the midst of the poignant struggle i ter. In the opening of the book, we see that E told her birthday party will coincide with party for the local gang. Frustrated over th birthday is just before Halloween) she tel what she thinks : A ”For me, there was no direct relations Halloween and being gay, but to Millie an friends we could claim... we were practicall Few writers can capture the fun, tende mantic feel of a moment in bed with a love such eloquence of language on the page. Bu a poet as well as a novelist and the wonderf poetic skill comes through in this novel. weaves the hurt and happiness together s makes this b ' ing charact ead. (Spinster’ such Goddard's MFA in Writing Program Showcases Queer Talent BY KIMBERLY A. WARD As a writing major in col- lege, I often found myself breaking out in a cold sweat at the thought of my class assign- ments: ”Write about your life.’’ and ”Write what you know” seemed like deadly threats‘to me. After all, I was not an out bisexual. And Iwas so ”in” that I was sure every lesbian on campus would hate me when they found out. So what could I possibly write about when the teacher asked us to ”take something from your past” and everyone started talking about their first kiss or the ex- change student from Germany they dated in their senior year at school? Well, after rubbing sweaty palms on my jeans I would decide to tell about my cat that got hit when I was eight, or my favorite food. There was rarely a chance to be honest about what I really found important, like the really cute girl in the library who I was SURE was a lesbian, but too frightened to approach, or the first time I had come out to a boyfriend about the fact that I found the same girls attrac- tive that he did (and how sup- portive he was) and how that unnerved me a little. As I read that essay on ”why I like French toast” to the class, I was really longing to read was the stuff I was se- cretly writing in my diary and locking away in my dorm room. Many writers reading this right now might recall that. Many students from Composition 101 alsg n re- graduate College, I knew I could put those days of worry behind me. The center of my concern was the craft of writing. Not with whom I was or wasn't sleeping. right from the begin- ning of the application process, I saw that this program was set up for acceptance of people.‘ My dorm application even had a spot for requesting ”lesbian only” housing ! That was great. To top it off, most of the fac- ulty, it turned out were gay or lesbian. Many had been hon- ored for their work by the com- munity. The weight that I had been carrying lifted as I at- tended my first residency. The people were friendly, the sub- jects of peoples’ works in progress consisted of every- thing from a memoir on living in the art community in NY‘ and rubbing elbows with such legends as Mapplethorpe to fiction about, wonder of won- ders, falling in love with the girl next to you in highschool! Beyond the ”gay friend- liness” of the faculty, etc., I found that the goal of the pro- gram was to let you as a stu- dent choose the path along which you would grow. You as a student are empowered with the support of your teachers to make your own decisions, something that rarely hap- pened to me in undergraduate school. i The list of important, published authors included people like Sarah Schulman, reputation for being a 'ned and hard writer/ er had many students running in fear, (along with her hearty list of published fiction and awards such as the Ameri- can Library Association Gay / Lesbian Book Award [1994] ) but, who's heart and convic- tion to good literature wins everyone over in time; Paul Selig, who is a performer I be- lieve everyone must see in ac- tion to fully enjoy, is co—lead of the program and works fastidi- ously with his students and has had his plays published in anthologies such as ”The Best American Short Plays of 1995- 96”; and Chase Twichell ( a newcomer to the program last QUEER, p16 OITM o OITM o OITM - OITM - OlTM - OITM o OITM - OITM o OITM o OIT M -OITM o OITM - OITM - OlTM o OITM - OITM o OITM - OITM - OITM o OITM - OITM - OITM o OITM - OITM - OITM o OITM o OITM o OITM - OI TM- OITM - OITM - OlTM o OITM o ADVERTISE o OITM o OITM o OITM o MoO «OI L lTM- TM- TM-O oO|T - OITM - OITM - OITM V january aFRlDAY IN THE LIFE on Vermont ETV at 11 :30 p.m. “1997 Year-in-Fieview” Looks back at “the year that was" for gay men and lesbians. Bepeat broadcast? Saturday, Jan. 3, 3:30 am, ,latenight. Last day to register for _:l-lepatitis B vaccine with MHR Call 863 2437 é SATU RDAY I Cross-country skiing with Chiltern Mountain Club in Warren, 10:30 a.m. FMI call Lew at (802) 253-8969. Depending on snow conditions, trip may be moved further north. Beginner and intermediate skiers welcome. .»I-s-;-».-e-«x‘a.y».r.- v. A>!1'1«' . ~ ill .v- ._.- .._ ,..I..___. 5.: MONDAY Gay And Lesbian Interest Film — Beautiful Thing is a 1996 film about two enormously likable high school chaps (played by Glenn Berry and Scott Neal) from diverfsely dysfunctional families in an English Midlands housing project who come of age and fall in love in spite of some major obstacles — highlighted by the relationship of one of the boys with . his very earthy mother, ‘played by Linda Henry, whose big heart ultimately winds up in the right place. Features a dynamite soundtrack by Mama Cass alone and the Mamas and the Pappas together. “You’ve Got To Make Your Own Kind of Music!”The Rhombus Gallery is located at the iniersection of College & Church Sts. in Burlington. 652-1103. Enter on College St. Gallery is on the second floor. For more information,~802.-434- 5653 or email:GLlTTEFlvt@aol.com St. Johnsbury ACAP mtg. 7 p.m. Call 748 1149 for info andlocation. ‘ TUESDAY Auditions for the Theater Factory’s production of “Little Women.” 7 p.m., Mann Hall auditorium at Trinity College. FMI 872 2738. Youth Aware planning meeting, at the llsley Library, Middlebury. WEDNESDAY The Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force will be meeting in Southern Vermont at 7 pm. 18 Grove St. Brattleboro. FMI Bari Shamas 387- 5788. Men of Montpelier meet at Kellogg- Hubba-rd Library, Smile'yr'oomL ‘ QFRIDAY A benefit for Out In T he Mountains, at Club Toast at 165 Church St. in Burlington, $ 6.00, starts at 8:30. Featuring four bands, Be That Way, The Steph Pappas Experience, Mary McGinnis and the Green Mountain Girls, and Yolanda and The Plastic Family. x . the sisters lam I @ WEDNESDAY Opening reception for Fine Art Photo exhibit “scenes of Sensuousness” featuring the work of internationally known fine art, fashion and beauty photographer Andres Aquino. 6 p.m., MoonBrook Cooperative Art Gallery, 24 Wales St. Fiutland. FMI 775 9548. Hepatitis B vaccinations at Vermont CARES Office, 12 pm. ' “THURSDAY ' Eatingwith grace, holiday workshops for women. 1-5 p.m., Burlington. $45. FMI call Theresa Bacon, 985-4045. The Gay & Bisexual Men’s Program Advisory Board & the Brattleboro Area AIDS Project will host an evening with Steve Howard, openly-gay Chair of Vermont’s Democratic Committee '(6f=30 "P-"fill, & the .3l-?'lf3'$' tans