Lee Hayes: A Passion For Words
Lee Hayes: A Passion For Words
By Nathan James
Gay-literature author Lee Hayes has been pretty busy these past few years. With three well-received books under his belt (Passion Marks, Passion Marks II [A Deeper Blue], and The Messiah) Mr. Hayes has explored the lives and trials of SGL men of color to great critical acclaim. With a brand-new erotic anthology (Flesh To Flesh) available in the stores now, Kuttin Edge sat down to interview Mr. Hayes. Lee’s award-winning style comes through in his words, and we thank him for this candid interview.
Nathan James: Tell us about your books.
Lee Hayes: Passion Marks came out in October, 2003, my first novel, and it’s about an African-American gay couple. I wanted to tell a story never told before, about things that go on (in gay relationships), but which are not talked about openly. Domestic abuse is perceived as happening to a certain kind of person. However, domestic violence transcends all groups of people. I was really amazed at the feedback I got (from Passion Marks). First, people were unaware that domestic violence occurred even in gay relationships, and second, many people wrote me saying they were relieved to see they weren’t alone in their experience of domestic violence.
NJ: Then there was Passion Marks II: A Deeper Blue…
LH: Passion Marks II was a sequel, but it can be read as a stand-alone novel. It was about the things that happen to make relationships fail. The things going on in this book were evocative, too. People said “Wow, I’m glad I read this!”
In July of last year, The Messiah came out, and it was completely different from anything I’d done before. It’s like a ‘gay erotic horror novel’, showing the internalized homophobia of one of its characters. It’s about the monster we can become if we allow ourselves to be influenced by others. At some point, everyone in the LGBT community has to take a stand and decide who they are.
NJ: Now you have a brand-new anthology just out, called Flesh To Flesh…
LH: With Flesh To Flesh, I wanted to segue seasoned writers with beginning writers, to give readers the opportunity to see this really diverse collection. Each story was chosen and stands on its own. It’s a great showcase of black gay erotica.
NJ: How did your literary career begin?
LH: I didn’t start out to be a writer. I wanted to go to law school. I was a Sociology major, and in my junior year I was studying domestic violence. I couldn’t understand it, so I started to write a story (about domestic violence). I kept adding to it, between classes, and I said, “Let me see if I can finish this story”. I let people read it, and they suggested I try to get it published. I discovered I had a talent for writing, and it took off!
I get e-mails all the time from people, saying, “I read the book and it saved me, got me motivated to get out of my domestic violence situation”. It’s all about real people in real situations, like abuse or cheating.
NJ: Has “gay lit” always been your focus?
LH: ‘You write what you know’…I write about people like me. There aren’t a lot of good-quality gay novels out there. I think the genre will improve in the future, though.
NJ: Who are your literary influences?
LH: My favorite living author is L.M. Ross, (who has a story in Flesh To Flesh) this man writes like nobody’s business. He definitely influences me. I have my own style, he has his, but I would pick up his book, and it would motivate me! I’m also influenced by James Baldwin, the iconic Black gay novelist. Writing Goivanni’s Room in the 1950s was an act of courage.
Lee Hayes invites you to visit his website at http://leehayes.info, where you’ll find more on him and his books.
