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"Foreword by Felice Picano I was on book tour in Los Angeles and had just given a reading at the old Unicorn Bookstore in West Hollywood, when I noticed a handsome young man wearing white pants and a colorful Hawaiian shirt completely unbuttoned. Several people had grabbed my attention but I turned to him and said, ""We'll talk in a minute. And by the way, don't button that shirt for the next ten years."" Later we did talk and he told me he had a sheaf of poetry titled Notes From a Marriage he wanted to send me, and for my SeaHorse Press to publish. By then SeaHorse had put out two successful books of poetry, my own The Deformity Lover in 1977, and Dennis Cooper's Idols in 1979. A few months later, he sent me the poetry. I read it through and enjoyed it. But I don't think he was expecting my reply. I wrote, ""I like this poetry very much. But I think you should wait a few months, add to it, and send it back to me."" My reasoning was that he had written of an affair that - in the words of the old song - was ""too hot / not to cool down."" I was right. I received a full manuscript of the earlier poems, and the ones after the breakup. Then it was a perfect book. Gavin sent me a great photo of himself, and I found a beautiful black and white photo by the author John Preston to use on the cover, and I set it in a pastel green surround. There were several but not enough good reviews. But Notes From a Marriage sold and sold, year after year. I found it on the checkout shelves of many gay bookstores, near the cash register - especially around Christmas and Valentines Day. I think it totaled 7500 copies (!) before SeaHorse Press ended and I moved west."

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9780998288710

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"Gavin Geoffrey Dillard bound his first collection of wisdom poems, couplets, and koans in 2nd grade. In 11th grade, at the North Carolina School of the Arts, his English professor, a regional poet, pulled him from class and spent the next two years tutoring him in poetry poetry poetry. By his senior year Gavin was flown to New York for the publishing of his first book, and spent time under the auspices of Allan Ginsberg, Harold Norse, Ian Young, and other icons of the day. Dillard has published nine additional collections, two anthologies, and his infamous memoir, In The Flesh (undressing for success). Branded by the Los Angeles Times ""The Naked Poet"" for his in-the-buff poetry readings, his poems have been recorded by James Earl Jones and published in anthologies and periodicals worldwide.Gavin studied playwriting with Tom Eyen, Jerome Lawrence, and Robert Patrick. He has written comedy patter with and for Joan Rivers, Peggy Lee, Vincent Price, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton. With Peter Allen he wrote a theme song for the LA Olympics. He wrote book and lyrics for BARK! (the musical), which has played all over the Americas, and OMFG!!! (an iLove story), which premiered in San Francisco in 2014; Gavin has written themes and jingles for Disney, Ralph Edwards Studios, and Chanticleer.Two of Dillard's poems, set by Jake Heggie and recorded endlessly, were performed at Lincoln Center by Jennifer Larmore. Many classical art songs have ensued, and recently John de los Santos fashioned an opera entirely from Dillard's verse, composed by Clint Borzoni. Winning the prestigious Frontiers Award, When Adonis Calls premiered in 2015 at the Fort Worth Opera, followed by OPERA America's ""best new work"" award in 2017, followed by a full production with the Asheville Lyric Opera in 2018. The poet lives with six cats and two bunnies on his small tea plantation in Black Mountain, NC."

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