Acquired Tastes LXIII: Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 11 - Sundown Reader

Acquired Tastes LXIII: Gay Pulp Fiction

Part 11 - Sundown Reader

Today, we'll continue our journey through the world of gay pulp fiction by examining the gay-oriented titles published by Greenleaf Classic's Sundown Reader imprint.

Sundown Reader predates the previous imprints we've been looking at by three years. Starting in June of 1964, this imprint began pushing out titillating tales of hetero lust. It wasn't until June of 1966 that they would test the waters with J.X. Williams' Born to be Gay. And while eight more such novels would follow, Sundown Reader's interest in gay-oriented material quickly waned. They would close up shop completely in December of that same year, after having released 125 titles.

Another thing we'll be looking at in today's post is the use of pseudonyms in the genre while learning a bit more about the authors and the motivation behind their involvement.

Now, let's take a look at these nine novels and have a little fun at their expense.

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We've come across works by J.X. Williams (Victor J. Banis) before: here, here, here, and here. More about him to be found later in this post.

Born To Be Gay

Author: J.X. Williams

Cover Art: Darrell Millsap

"Fear drove him into the third-sex shadow world!"

Born to be gay? Born to be alive! Are you telling me they knew way back then that it was NOT a choice? Isn't that what WE'VE been telling the world all along? Be that as it may, we still need to address those old tropes about gay folks coming in 'third' place while existing in a 'shadow world'? Or do we? To be honest, it was true back then (keep in mind this was 1966). We were considered very 'other' and that shadow world? That was to protect US from THEM. I mean look at this poor fellow, being chased by the Kasey Kasem triplets. With a nail file, no less! 

 

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And now let us dive into the somewhat confusing legacy of Dean Hudson - otherwise known as Evan Hunter, otherwise known as Ed McBain. Evan Hunter is best known for having written Blackboard Jungle, while Ed McBain is noted for crime fiction, chiefly the 87th Precinct series.

From Wikipedia (edit)

"Evan Hunter has long been rumored to have written an unknown number of pornographic novels, as Dean Hudson, for William Hamling's publishing houses (Greenleaf Classics). Hunter himself adamantly and consistently denied writing any books as Hudson right up to his death. However, apparently his agent Scott Meredith sold books to Hamling's company as Hunter's work, and received payments for these books in cash. While notable, this in and of itself is not definitive proof: Meredith almost certainly forwarded novels to Hamling by any number of authors, claiming these novels were by Hunter simply to make a sale. Ninety-three novels were published under the Hudson name between 1961 and 1969, and even the most avid proponents of the Hunter-as-Hudson theory do not believe Hunter is responsible for all 93."

Evan Hunter/Ed McBain/Dean Hudson

Yet, despite Evans' many denials, according to Lynn Munroe, a pulp fiction aficionado, Greenleaf Classic's main editor Earl Kemp and science fiction writer Robert Silverberg both confirmed that Evans did write pornographic novels under the name Dean Hudson. However, it has also been noted that there was a noticeable decline in the quality of these novels and that has been attributed to the probability of some of the later submissions having been written by young writers Evans was mentoring at the time. 

So, as this story illustrates, tracing the lineage of a given gay pulp fiction pseudonym can be a somewhat tricky, contentious affair. Oh, wait... you'll see what I mean.

The Lavender Elves

Author: Dean Hudson

Cover Art: Darrell Millsap

"He loved in the never-never world of..." 

Ahh, those gays and their art! Is this the story of Thomas Kinkade and his evil sweat shops, pumping out bland, uninspired landscapes to fill the homes of the over-privileged? No? Oh, my bad. But, here again, allusion to that 'never-never' world inhabited by gays. Yes, do you see how far we have come? And the world of art? By 1966, Andy Warhol had changed the game forever. The Erupting/Exploding Plastic Inevitable had done it's thing, his Superstars were the darlings of 'the scene' and Edie Sedgwick? Exited with Dylan in a limousine. Still, the art world tried to cling to old practices, just as our empathy-eyed, turtle-necked patron (is that Mr. Howell from Gilligan's Island?) is trying to cling to the shoulder of his young protege. Will our young hero give his 'all' for art's sake? Turn to the last page to find out.  

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William Jeffries only has one credit to his name and is a pseudonym belonging to Arthur (Art) Plotnik, who wrote 22 titles for the Scott-Meredith Literary Agency. Art would go on to become the editor of American Libraries magazine for the American Library Association for 22 years. 

Mr. Queen

Author: William Jeffries 

Cover Art: Darrell Millsap

"In their gay world he was looked up to as..."

Shades of Diana... That's Mr. Queen to you, honey! Now, you tell me... do those two look unhappy to you? Of course, neither is being chased with a knife or being hit on by a closeted art lover... so, perhaps things are looking up in our little gay world. I wonder where this is all headed... love on the rocks, perhaps? A little reenactment of the famous beach scene in From Here to Eternity? Meh. Most likely they go home, shower and primp before hitting the clubs and then, maybe at three in the morning one of them will booty call the other. Ah, yes, gay culture. So... very... happy!

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So, I just learned that there is more than one Don Holliday! According to Lynn Munroe, the first Don was writer Hal Dresner. However, one can safely assume that this Sundown imprint offering is the work of none other than the godfather of modern gay pulp fiction, Victor J. Banis. Learn more about Don Holliday (Victor J. Banis) here, here, here, and here.

The Gay Trip

Author: Don Holliday

Cover Art: Darrell Millsap

"Hollywood was a one-way ride into..."  

Hollywood! Dirty, dirty tinsel town. Tsk, tsk. What is the attraction? Money? Fame? The power to get the idiotic pet project of your dreams greenlighted? Something tells me our pretty hitchhiker is about to have all his dreams drenched in a body fluid that matches the color of his jacket. Just take a look at the smirk on the mug of the dude behind the wheel of that fab car. I don't know about you, but no way would I be getting into that car. It looks like a one-way trip to that dude's cellar, where he'll end up hanging in a gimp suit until the maid comes down to dust the sling. Oh, wait, what am I thinking? That's not Hollywood. That's a typical Monday morning at the Casa du Borghese!

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John Dexter is credited for 31 titles in the genre, two of which are gay-oriented and shown here. Writers who used the pseudonym include: Lawrence Block, Marion Zimmer Bradley, John Coleman, Arthur Jean Cox, Richard Curtis, Harvey Hornwood, Al James, William Knoles, Jack Moskovitz, Milo Perichitch, Arthur Plotnik, Robert Silverberg, George Henry Smith, Donald Westlake, and Hugh Zachary.

The Self Lover

Author: John Dexter

Cover Art: Darrell Millsap

"He was tormented by his own emotions!"

Like I always say, when stuck alone, suck your own! But our protagonist does not appear to be by himself. Do you think that's his therapist? Or the nasty photographer? I take it he's looking at pics of himself. Well, whatever gets you through the night, am I right? Personally? I take a look at pics of my naked self and am amazed the camera lens didn't crack. But then one man's aversion therapy tool is another man's spank bank material, am I right? I thank the stars for those with low standards!

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J.X. Williams is none other than Victor J. Banis. Or... is it? Authors who are believed to have written under the name: John Jakes, Jordan James, William Knoles, Miles Eric Ludwig, Jack Moskovitz, Andrew J. Offutt, Milo Perichitch, George Henry Smith, and Edward Wood, Jr. (yes, THAT Edward Wood, Jr.). Sigh. Yes, the deeper I get into this the more I keep learning.

So, why do these authors write under these pseudonyms? Obvious answer: the shame associated with pornographic material and the potential harm it could do to their careers as a 'legitimate' (mainstream) writer. So why take the risk? Because each novel accepted meant $1,000 in their pockets. Back then? That was major bank! Especially for a struggling writer.

Which is why, if one was truly serious about tracing who wrote a given book? The answers are to be found in Greenleaf Classic's check ledger. Unless, of course, they were paid in cash, which, given that it's the world of porn? A real probability.

See other books credited to J.X. Williams here, here, here, and here. 

Pretty Man

Author: J.X. Williams

Cover Art: Darrell Millsap

"No one could admire him more than himself!"

Darrell Millsap sure... umm, phoned it in on this one. Really, Darrell? That's your idea of 'pretty'? Times change, I guess. This little cookie? This sweetie left the bleach on a little too long, if you know what I mean. And that haircut makes him look like he fell off the bus when a touring production of Grease was passing through town. Well, no wonder Mother tells him he's the pretty one... he lives in the middle of fucking nowhere. It's easy to be the prettiest gay when you're the only one in town! 

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Another from John Dexter...

The Gay Ones

Author: John Dexter

Cover Art: Darrell Millsap

"Smiling outside, crying inside, they were..."

Again, with the tired gay trope... if we are such a bunch of sad-sacks, please explain how we, as a culture, managed to save dance music from a trip to the graveyard back in 1979? If we so sad, why we so fab? Just saying. Oh, oh... is that a paparazzi? Is this the story of a pair of closet cases terrified of how being outed is going to affect their careers, so they end up paying blackmail? Oh, geeze. No wonder this imprint stopped issuing gay titles. Their idea of gay was less a celebration and more a cautionary tale of doom and gloom. 

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Curt Colman is mystery writer Harry Whittington, one of the pioneers of the paperback novel, who published a total of 200 books in his lifetime. Mr. Whittington would use a total of seventeen pseudonyms during his career including: J.X Williams and John Dexter. Seven of his works made it to the screen, included: Television's The Lawman.

The Latent Lovers

Author: Curt Colman

Cover Art: Darrell Millsap

"Society had no acceptable place for..."

Is this gay fight club? Because, you know... rule number one. How else do you explain that flank of Wallstreet types backing our bad boy up? I bet they all have money down on the outcome. My money? Hmm. Not on the brunette with the killer eyebrows. No... if I was to place a bet on anything? It's that after the fight, blondie there is slipping his mickey to the brunette in the locker room. Over and over and over again. Mmm-hmm.

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And the final gay-oriented offering from J.X. William under the Sundown Reader is by Victor J. Banis, his third for the imprint.More here, here, here, and here.

 

Good-bye My Lover

Author: J.X. Williams

Cover Art: Darrell Millsap

"Their life was a sad song called..."

Whaa-whaa. I can't get over what a downer all these books have been. Blackmail, mob violence, kidnapping, predatory advances and now, murder! Where's my happy ending? By 1968, things must have been much different, because I don't remember the other books that we've looked at so far in this series as being such Debbie Downers. The editors and writers all need to make like Judy Garland and 'Get Happy'. Perhaps this is why disco was born. To make us all glad to be gay... and Born To Be Alive!

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That's all for this week. Did you like what you see? Did I get something wrong? Leave your thoughts in the comment section. 

Born To Be Alive - Patrick Hernandez

Born This Way - Lady Gaga