True to Life: Memoir Readings

Join us for memoir readings from Rashod Ollison, Craig Stewart, and Joe Thomas. Introductions from W Taylor Monson of GayDistrict. Meet our authors! Rashod Ollison is an award-winning music and culture critic and native of Little Rock, Arkansas. He is a 2000 graduate of The University of Arkansas, where he earned a B.A. in creative writing and journalism with a minor in African-American studies. Ollison’s literary debut, Soul Serenade: Rhythm, Blues & Coming of Age Through Vinyl, is a memoir set to publish in Jan. 2016 by Beacon Press. Craig Stewart, an artistic virtuoso with a passion for literature, music and theatre, is bringing his love for storytelling to the arts scene. He showcased his skills and ambition, with his debut stage production—A Day in the Life. It finished a successful run in Atlanta and established Stewart as one of the nation’s up and coming artists. Born out of Stewart’s own personal struggles to find love and a sense of self- understanding as a gay man, A Day in the Life touched the hearts and minds of audience members and rapidly won Stewart praise from critics and publications like Southern Voice and DAVID magazine. Joe Thomas is a flight attendant blogger who is thrilled to be reading in public for the first time at the OutWrite Book Festival. It's actually not his first time reading in public. There was that time in the 3rd grade when he wet himself and ran offstage in tears, but his therapist advises we not bring that up ever again. Joe has spent much of his adult life living in Central Florida and kindly asks that you not hold it against him. After a well needed career change, Joe took his brilliant smile and oversized belly to the first airline that would hire him as a flight attendant. When he's not flying the turbulent skies, he runs his barely successful blog Flight Attendant Joe - www.flightattendantjoe.com - just in case you are bored while sitting on the toilet and need something to look at. He is beyond excited to debut his first comedy book Fasten Your Seat Belts and Eat Your Fucking Nuts. Joe currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his husband, Matt, and his amazing cats, Tucker and Harvey. Please note that author Elliott DeLine is unfortunately no longer able to attend.