Author Conversation: Felice Picano with John Whittier Treat

Folio is delighted to invite you to an evening of conversation and wine reception with renowned novelist and memoirist author Felice Picano, one of the founder’s of New York’s legendary Violet Quill, and Seattle author and Folio member John Whittier Treat. 

The Great Depression, the rise of Hitler and Fascism in Germany, and the Hay’s Code of behavior in film -- led to a surprising efflorescence of gay, lesbian and bisexual ideas, talent, and artists among those we now consider to be the cream of Hollywood’s Golden Age-- Katherine Hepburn, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Cary Grant, Claudette Colbert, Barbara Stanwyck, Spencer Tracy, Randolph Scott, Robert Taylor, Tyrone Power, Cesar Romero, Gilbert Roland, Burt Lancaster, George Cukor and Howard Hughes. While they were an obviously elite set, their words and images have, via movies, TV and advertising, influenced several generations worldwide of all classes, and increased the openness that led to Stonewall and today’s acceptance of LGBTQ people.

Best known as a novelist (The Lure, Like People in History), playwright and memoirist (Nights at Rizzoli, True Stories), Felice Picano was called to Hollywood in 1977 to work for Cary Grant’s Brut Productions. He returned in the mid-80’s and worked with director Frank Perry (David and Lisa, Mommy Dearest). When he later moved to L.A., he was befriended by Christopher Isherwood, Tab Hunter, Gloria Stuart, and “The Brassy Old Dames” of Hollywood. Even before his book tour for his 1979 best seller, The Lure, Picano was openly gay. This talk with vintage photos is based on what actors and writers told him first or second hand. Picano also wrote about Hollywood in 20th Century Unlimited and Justify My Sins: a Hollywood Novel in three Acts.

Felice Picano is the author of over thirty books of poetry, fiction, memoirs, nonfiction, and plays. His work has been translated into many languages and several of his titles have been national and international bestsellers. He is considered a founder of modern gay literature along with the other members of the Violet Quill. Picano also began and operated the SeaHorse Press and Gay Presses of New York for fifteen years. His first novel was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award. Since then he’s been nominated for and/or won dozens of literary awards. Picano teaches at Antioch College, Los Angeles. 

Seattle author and long time Folio member John Whittier Treat is professor emeritus in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale University. He is the author of Writing Ground Zero: Japanese Literature and the Atomic Bomb and the novel The Rise and Fall of the Yellow House.  His latest novel, First Consonants (Jaded Ibis Press), is now available to preorder.