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Individual, Group, Family & Couple Counseling Management Consulting & Staff Training Programs An Ongoing Commitment to Serving the Gay Community Dr. Fred's New Book - From A Land In Between Review - From A Land In Between
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Book
Review: From A Land in Between By David Williams You’ve known him for years as a popular columnist for The Letter. But surprise! After this, you may also know him as a talented storyteller. Fred Schloemer’s first collection of poems and short stories, From A Land In Between, proves to be a remarkable debut work that will stick with you long after you’ve put it down. Gay and lesbian readers will recognize many of Schloemer’s stories. That’s because, by and large, they’re their own. Here, there are stories about divorced gay men having to deal with the pressures of a family that’s disowned them; married men experiencing sex with another man for the first time; sometimes rocky same-sex arrangements; and gay married men whose same-sex attractions sometimes arise at the most unexpected times. One of the more fun stories is the first. It’s every older man’s fantasy: an accidental encounter between an older man, Ray, and Seth, a young, shirtless stranger with a past. “Picnic With a Stranger” begins slowly as the two men circle each other casually, wistfully, cautiously. Things soon get serious as Seth teases Ray and Ray teases back. While the conclusion may seem too good to be true, it all makes sense under Schloemer’s careful direction. One of the more intriguing stories is “Christy’s Awakening,” about a boy abducted by an older man and forced to live as a girl until the police and social workers find him. “Christy” movingly jumps between confusion, calm, and terror as s/he goes from a grim life in a filthy house back to the home of his origin. Taking a cue from the symbolism of transgenderism—thing’s aren’t always as they seem—Schloemer seems to be telling us that sometimes the best we can hope for is safe plateaus. The hardest part is getting there. Schloemer’s years as a psychotherapist have served him well in this new career. He’s developed keen insights into the human psyche. His characters are well-rounded, multi-dimensional people whose fears, problems, and triumphs we instantly recognize as our own. The stories themselves are quick slices of life that could just as easily have been taken from the pages of a newspaper or diary. Schloemer’s collection is not simply a gathering of stories. As might be expected, they’re psychological studies of everyday people caught up sometimes in ordinary, sometimes extraordinary circumstances. No matter what happens, though, most manage to find their own personal peace: the stream that connects all these amazing, recognizable stories. From A Land In Between is a beautiful start to a possible new career. We look forward to seeing more stories in the future. Order for $19.95 at most major book stores, or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, PublishAmerica, and Waldenbooks.
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