_{Acclaimed Author Reads To Kick Off Series}

By Lisa Gunther

The Castro gay men’s health center, Magnet, kicked off its 2012 monthly book club in January with a reading by Justin Torres, author of the nationally acclaimed novel, We the Animals. The series of events is scheduled to run through March and will give other local authors a unique opportunity to discuss their work with readers.

The book club was organized by local author and community organizer Oscar Raymundo, who previously facilitated events for the bookstore A Different Light and who is currently working on his first novel. The Courier caught up with Raymundo and a few of the scheduled authors to talk about the upcoming readings.

“Every person I talked to was excited to join,” Raymundo said about organizing the readings. “There was definitely a need for an event like this.”

When asked why Magnet is the right place for the book club, the charmingly snarky Raymundo replied, “Because Magnet has done a great job of making a community centered around the arts and self-improvement. If there were a similar community space [in place of] every bar in the Castro that hasn’t passed a sanitary inspection, imagine the culture we could create.”

Coming up at the end of the month, author Kemble Scott is scheduled to read from his first novel, SoMa, which was published in 2007 and takes place in San Francisco’s bustling South of Market neighborhood in the aftermath of the dotcom bust. By day Scott works as a journalist, writing weekly columns for The Bay Citizen and the New York Times.

“I’m looking forward to the book club,” Scott said. “I first met Oscar Raymundo, the moderator, when he worked at A Different Light, the Castro’s gay bookstore. In fact, I included Oscar in a column I wrote about the new face of gay in the city—I think people will find his perspective quite provocative.”

When asked about the special appeal of book clubs, Scott replied, “The great thing is that you get to see how people respond to the story as perceived through each individual’s filter. That’s really exhilarating for an author, but also a bit daunting. After all, someone might have a completely unexpected reaction—one that the author never intended. But if that’s how they feel, then it’s all good. There are no wrong answers. It isn’t a test!”

March reader K.M. Soehnlein, author of “The World of Normal Boys,” agreed with Scott, adding that there is something special about book clubs as opposed to book signings in terms of the interaction.

“What’s nice about book clubs is that everyone has read the book, so the conversation tends to be a lot more in depth, and you can really talk about the characters and the story,” Soehnlein explained. “Book clubs are always really interesting for me because I’m always curious what readers have to say.”

Amidst the smorgasbord of local bars, nightclubs and shops, Soehnlein believes that these readings will fulfill an important role in the Castro community.

“I think it’s great to have a book club in the Castro because I think a lot of people really do still turn to books to learn about their lives, and to learn about the queer experience.”

Serving as a place for gay men to connect, Magnet also provides clinical services and features an art gallery, lounge and an internet café. The website describes the organization as “a place where people can engage and participate or just hang out. A program of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, we’re unique in our approach to total health—we promote the physical, mental and social well-being of gay men.”

For more about Magnet and the upcoming book club reading series, visit www.magnetsf.org or 4122 18th St.

Copyright 2012 Castro Courier