

Gays Reading
Jason Blitman
Best authors. Best banter. Host — and gay reader — Jason Blitman is joined each week by bestselling authors, VIP gay readers, cultural icons, and other special guests for lively, spoiler-free conversations. Gays Reading celebrates LGBTQIA+ and ally authors and storytellers through fun, thoughtful, and insightful discussions. Whether you're gay, straight, or somewhere in between, if you love great books or great conversation, Gays Reading is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 24, 2023 • 32min
Rasheed Newson (My Government Means to Kill Me) on Queer History and the WGA Strike
Rasheed Newson, writer and producer of Bel-Air, The Chi, and Narcos, discusses his experience on the WGA picket line and the writers' fight. He also talks about gay history and his exciting current project. The podcast covers topics such as the AIDS crisis, importance of historical fiction perspectives, AI's impact on content creation, and challenges faced by writers in Hollywood.

Aug 22, 2023 • 44min
Alice Winn (In Memoriam) on Finding Queer Joy in War
Jason and Brett talk to Alice Winn (In Memoriam) about the lack of iced coffee in Europe, the books that inspired her WWI journey, and how she created intimate sex scenes for her gay characters. In Memoriam is shortlisted for the 2023 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize.Alice Winn grew up in Paris and was educated in the UK. She has a degree in English literature from Oxford University. She lives in Brooklyn.Support the showBOOK CLUB!Sign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERE December Book: Like Family by Erin O. White SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ MERCH!http://gaysreading.printful.me WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.comSign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERESUBSTACK! MERCH! WATCH! CONTACT! hello@gaysreading.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 15, 2023 • 48min
R. Eric Thomas (Congratulations, the Best is Over!) on Ann Patchett and The Best Pickleball Movie
Jason and Brett interview R. Eric Thomas, author of 'Congratulations, the Best is Over!', discussing Ann Patchett, Parnassus Books, and the sequel to the best pickleball movie. They also explore the choice of essays, memories and perspectives, and the impact of accents in theater.

Aug 8, 2023 • 47min
Kyle Dillon Hertz (The Lookback Window) on Overcoming Trauma and Reclaiming Joy
Kyle Dillon Hertz, author of The Lookback Window, discusses seeking justice, the nuance of fact vs. fiction in writing, the queerness of the video game Fortnite, trauma treatment, and the power of anger in overcoming trauma.

Aug 1, 2023 • 47min
Tim Murphy (Speech Team) on Revisiting Youth
Jason and Brett chat with author Tim Murphy (Speech Team) and they recount shared teenage experiences, what it means to be a bully, the search for like-minded peers, and kvell over the brilliance of one 80s soap opera. Tim Murphy is the author of Correspondents and Christodora, which was long-listed for the 2017 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and named a Best Book of the Year by The Guardian. He has also been a journalist for the past twenty-five years.Queer-Owned Bookstore Shout Out: BETTIE'S PAGES!Bettie’s Pages is a queer-owned independent bookstore in Lowell, MI. Their mission is to cultivate community, empower readers, and maintain a welcoming space that is diverse, inclusive, and affirming. You can learn more about them HERE. Support the showBOOK CLUB!Sign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERE December Book: Like Family by Erin O. White SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ MERCH!http://gaysreading.printful.me WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.comSign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERESUBSTACK! MERCH! WATCH! CONTACT! hello@gaysreading.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 24, 2023 • 36min
End-of-Summer Poolside Book Recs feat. Elissa Sussman
Brett and Jason share their recommendations for the perfect books to enjoy poolside, or wherever you may find yourself as summer ends. They’re joined by bestselling author Elissa Sussman (Funny You Should Ask), who not only shares her end-of-summer book picks but also talks about why romance novels make great vacation reads and the importance of the depiction of great sex. Elissa Sussman is the bestselling author of Once More with Feeling, Funny You Should Ask, and three young adult novels. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their many pets. @elissa_sussmanSupport the showBOOK CLUB!Sign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERE December Book: Like Family by Erin O. White SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ MERCH!http://gaysreading.printful.me WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.comSign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERESUBSTACK! MERCH! WATCH! CONTACT! hello@gaysreading.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 17, 2023 • 35min
Javier Fuentes (Countries of Origin) on Immigration and Young Love
Jason and Brett talk to author Javier Fuentes (Countries of Origin) about the fears surrounding immigration, mysteries of young love, joy in a perfect dessert, and the places we find home. Gays Reading is excited to shout out queer-owned independent bookstore Libélula Books & Co in the Barrio Logan neighborhood in San Diego, CA. “Libélula is a home for love of language and radical sh*t!” You can learn more about them HERE and purchase your copy of Countries of Origin from them HERE. Javier Fuentes is a Spanish American writer, a 2018 Lambda Literary Fellow, who earned an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University where he was a teaching fellow. Born in Barcelona, he lives in New York.Support the showBOOK CLUB!Sign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERE December Book: Like Family by Erin O. White SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ MERCH!http://gaysreading.printful.me WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.comSign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERESUBSTACK! MERCH! WATCH! CONTACT! hello@gaysreading.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 10, 2023 • 55min
Caroline O'Donoghue (The Rachel Incident) and Justice for Shelley Duvall
Jason and Brett talk to New York Times bestselling author Caroline O'Donoghue about her new book, The Rachel Incident. They talk about the unique relationship between straight women and gay men, scabies and one-night stands, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and address big questions like: What does Sally Field do in her downtime?Gays Reading is excited to partner with The King's English Bookshop in Salt Lake City, UT, a queer-owned independent bookstore matching books to readers since 1977. You can use the code GAYSREADING to get a discount on your entire order when you purchase HERE.Caroline O’Donoghue is the New York Times bestselling author of All Our Hidden Gifts, her YA debut fantasy, which has been published in more than twenty territories around the world. She has written for The Times and The Guardian, and is the host of an award-winning podcast, Sentimental Garbage. She was born in Ireland and lives in London. The Rachel Incident is her first adult novel to be published in the U.S.Support the showBOOK CLUB!Sign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERE December Book: Like Family by Erin O. White SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ MERCH!http://gaysreading.printful.me WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.comSign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERESUBSTACK! MERCH! WATCH! CONTACT! hello@gaysreading.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 3, 2023 • 37min
Fave 2023 Reads ...So Far
Jason & Brett discuss their top five best books so far in 2023. Between them, they only share one common title so there are nine other books to add to your TBR or brag to all your friends about because you're amazingly well-read! Support the showBOOK CLUB!Sign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERE December Book: Like Family by Erin O. White SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ MERCH!http://gaysreading.printful.me WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.comSign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERESUBSTACK! MERCH! WATCH! CONTACT! hello@gaysreading.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 26, 2023 • 38min
On Gay Books
In celebration of Pride and the inaugural episode of Gays Reading, hosts Brett Benner and Jason Blitman talk about how this podcast came to be and highlight some LGBTQIA+ books that had an impact on them. If you like what you're hearing so far, be sure to like, follow, subscribe, review, etc. wherever you get your podcasts! Support the showBOOK CLUB!Sign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERE December Book: Like Family by Erin O. White SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ MERCH!http://gaysreading.printful.me WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.comSign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERESUBSTACK! MERCH! WATCH! CONTACT! hello@gaysreading.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


