Happy Pride Month everyone! Twinsie Tenise here. I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who took the time to answer the questions for our pride month celebration. I had fun coming up with this years set of questions. We will be celebrating all month with author spotlights as well as my reviews for some of the LGBTQIA books I’ve read this year. Check back daily to see what’s going on and add to your TBR piles. I hope you enjoy getting to know a little about all of these wonderful authors and their work.
🏳🌈 Tell us your name and a little bit about yourself?
My name is Eric, and I’m the photographer behind the lens of 6:12 Photography. I’m based out of East Tennessee, and I spend a lot of time traveling around the country on road trips to do photo shoots.
🏳🌈 What is the title of your most recent release?
I have a new photo book that I’ll have available at Writers on the River, featuring some of my favorite travel portraits that I’ve taken all over New England. From lighthouses to fall leaf peeping to cover bridges, there’s a little bit of everything New England in this new photo book.
🏳🌈 Is there a book or a movie that has helped you have a better understanding of a current or past event in LGBTQ history?
There was a television mini-series that aired in 2017 called “When We Rise,” and it told the story of the LGBTQ movement from 1969 to the 2010s. It was split up over multiple episodes that aired for a week or so, and I just remember how moving the show was, presenting not just highs but also the lows of the movement, the setbacks, etc. There are other movies that have been impactful in a different way, highlighting the ugliness and evil of homophobia and hate crimes. In particular, movies like “The Matthew Shepard Story” and “The Laramie Project” that speak truth to and draw attention to the darker topics that the LGBTQ community has faced and still faces. Lastly, I feel like I have to mention “Love, Simon.” While it doesn’t particularly focus on LGBTQ history, it does contain a message that I think many kids, teens, and young adults had been waiting to hear. The scenes of young Simon coming out to his friends and parents, and navigating that experience, it’s a movie that I’ve seen many times now, but my eyes are always full of tears while I’m watching.
🏳🌈 If you could have dinner with a famous person from the LGBTQ community, past or present, who would that be and why?
While I’m tempted to choose someone like Harvey Milk or someone who was present at the Stonewall Riot, I think my choice would be Rock Hudson. I’ve always been fascinated and intrigued by the stories and documentaries of his life and his acting career, and I think it would be an impactful conversation to know what his life was like from his own words, to understand how difficult it must have been to hide his “true colors” for so long and possibly to give him some hope by telling him how things have changed for the better since those days.
I can hear the complaints now. If you think 1 person is unfair please use this space for additional dinner guests and why you chose them.
🏳🌈 Do you have a favorite review(s) of one of your books left by a reader? Care to share the title of the book, the review, and why this one stood out to you?
I don’t think I have one particular review or compliment in particular, but I do know that some of the kindest, most encouraging words that I’ve received about my photography have come from readers and fans who come up and chat with me at the different author book signing events that I attend, especially Writers on the River. I’ve always been an encourager, and on the flip side, it has taken me a long time to become comfortable with accepting compliments. Sometimes the simplest words of kindness about my photography can absolutely mean the world.
🏳🌈 What are your social links?
If you’re an author on the hunt for exclusive book cover images, I invite you to join this Facebook group and take a look at my image galleries: https://www.facebook.com/groups/coverdby612/
If you’re a fan of my travel photography and interested in purchasing prints or photo books, these links are where you can find what I have available: https://www.612photog.com/roadtrip https://www.612photog.com/photobooks