Poet Jeffery Beam
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From reviews of Charmed Lives: Gay Spirit in Storytelling [Edited by Toby Johnson & Steve Berman, White Crane Institute - Lethe Press - White Crane Wisdom Series volume 1, 2006]. Includes an essay "What Queer Spirit Sees" by Jeffery Beam

http://www.tobyjohnson.com/charmedlives.html

Nominee 2008 Stonewall Book Award
Nominee 19th Annual Lambda Literary Award

This impressive, skillfully assembled collection by Lambda Literary Award-winning author Toby Johnson and short-story writer Steve Berman contains over 30 uplifting, spiritually-accessible essays, personal reflections, and fictional tales that will appeal to every sensibility within the GBLT spectrum. Derived from the White Crane Journal and published as part of their Wisdom Book Series, the book is meant to provide "insight, discernment and spiritual discovery" for gay people who are fortunate enough to have tapped into their mystical side, and also to "offer new stories, new ways of thinking about the gay experience."

Jeffrey Beam's beautiful commentary in "What Queer Spirit Sees" encourages all of us to look within our own hearts and souls for the divinity we may be seeking, as does Will Gray in his profound essay "Gay Spirituality." "I see no existence of a god, but that doesn't prevent me from sharing moments of transcendence and gratitude."

Collectively, the writers have produced a personally empowering, kaleidoscopic tapestry. This anthology can be kept on a shelf and referred to for a bit of inspiration on a particularly bad day, or as a resource that keeps the good karma flowing in balance with our everyday lives.
—Jim Piechot, from If the spirit moves you, in San Francisco Bay Times. February 16, 2007

Transcendence comes with the Queer territory," Jeffrey Beam breezily proclaims in his essay "What Queer Spirit Sees," and that spirit is joyously celebrated in the peck of short stories that comprise Charmed Lives. This collection of fiction and nonfiction would be fun to read either in the winter when hibernating away from the madding crowd, or in the summer on the beach with everybody chattering around you. Many of the stories have a spiritual objective, but that doesn't exclude gay carousing, cruising, canoodling, or, for that matter, issues of pain, suffering, or complex emotions. Gay spirit, both living and dead, tragic and comic inhabit this book. … These are intimate, exciting stories, carefully chosen by the editors - contributors Toby Johnson and Steve Berman.
—Lewis Whittington from review in EDGE Gay Boston news and entertainment. Tuesday Mar 13, 2007

The short stories and non-fiction personal essays collected in this Lambda Literary Award-nominated compilation offer encouragement and motivation for those who integrate spirituality into gay life, and insight for those who wonder about the distinction between spirituality and religion. As such, the book makes spirituality accessible to readers across the GLBT spectrum, though it most directly addresses gay men....each of the stories in this collection enlarges upon aspects of the gay experience in heartfelt ways. Johnson and Berman have gathered contributions from over 30 writers who affirm the pleasures of physical passion while suggesting there is more to gay life than sex. This should come as no surprise to readers of White Crane, a periodical devoted to exploring spiritual consciousness among gay folk.

Here is a take on spirituality accessible to those who because of their sexual orientation have received poor treatment at the hands of organized religion. Here is spirituality expressed as concern for others, capacity for awe, and courage to tell the truth about one's deepest self. Here is spirituality in story form, in essay and in thoughtful commentary-readable, approachable and enlightening. ...Let go of judgments, writers in this anthology advise. Expect no formulaic answers for finding truth. Rather, recognize that each person's journey is individual and should be honored as such.

Life offers opportunities to learn. Charmed Lives offers glimpses of spirituality in action, written in such a way as to be accessible to the average reader. Readers will not find every piece in the compilation equally compelling. Some stories tend toward the cliche; some lack the finesse of polished writing. But with over 30 selections to choose from there is more than enough to incite and inspire.

In a market where many gay-themed anthologies offer little more than sex, sweat and sperm, this collection shines nearly as brightly as the straw-into-gold being spun on its cover photograph. Life offers sensual pleasure, yes, and much more. These pages serve notice that gay life can be hot and sweaty, sweet and romantic, touched by magic, tinged with sadness, punctuated with moments of deep love and ecstatic joy.
—Jason Brooks, from "Rainbow of Thought: Accessible Spirituality", in The Letter [theletteronline.com], March 2007

The authors and publishers of "Charmed Lives: Gay Spirit in Storytelling" - a new collection of gay short stories - want readers to know that there is more to the world of gay fiction than fantasy sex romps and gay strife.
—Larry Nichols, from Authors' work promotes positive gay fiction: Interview with Steve Berman and Toby Johnson in Philadelphia Gay News, March 16, 2007

Email: jeffbeam@email.unc.edu
URL: http://www.unc.edu/~jeffbeam/reviews_charmed.html
Last updated: August 20, 2008