Happy Birthday Rainbow Honor Walk honoree Jose Sarria
Today on the anniversary of his birth, we celebrate the life and legacy of Rainbow Honor Walk honoree José Sarria (December 13, 1922 – August 19, 2013).
A pioneering LGBTQ+ activist, drag performer, and political trailblazer, Sarria made history in 1961 as the first openly gay person to run for public office in the United States. Through his fearless visibility, community organizing, and founding of the Imperial Court System, he helped transform San Francisco into a center of queer resistance, pride, and liberation long before Stonewall.
Read historian Bill Lipsky’s tribute from the SF Bay Times at the link below:
Ahoy! Alfredo and I are comfortably ensconced aboard the elegant “Seabourn Encore”, our at-sea home for the next 18 days in exchange for our popular LinerLore maritime history presentations. From the birth of oceanic travel to the Titanic, from the Golden Age of passenger liners to the explosion in cruising, there’s something for every salty soul to enjoy.
Plus, I’ll be working on the sequel to my bestselling award winning mystery, Upon This Rock. Now in its second printing with its screenplay being shopped around Hollywood, “Rock” takes place in the magical Italian hilltop town of Orvieto. Its sequel — Thorns of the 15 Roses — features a murder aboard a luxury cruise ship headed to Spain and the tiny Andalusian town of Grazalema.
Below, the schedule for the coming crossing from Panama City to Honolulu.
Ahoy, Aloha and Mahalo!
— David Eugene Perry
Titanic: Legend and Legacy
Without a doubt, the most famous ship – and shipwreck – in the world, RMS Titanic has lived longer in memory and ongoing fascination than her all-too-brief maiden voyage. Learn of the 1898 book that “predicted” her story (and loss), and take a tour through the dozens of movies, and hundreds of books that continue to bring this classic sea tale to new generations.
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Paddlewheels, Steam & Speed:
The Birth of Oceanic Travel. For millennia, humans have sought to bridge the “Old World” to the “New” over the “Western Ocean”. From St. Brendan to SS Great Britain from sail to steam, former ship office and award winning author David Eugene Perry chronicles the story of TransOceanic travel, Atlantic & Pacific.
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Ocean Olympians: Ships of State, Immigration & Sometimes War
From 1900 – 1914, millions of Europeans crossed the Atlantic: immigrants, business people and tourists. The competition among the ship owners of the US, Britain, France, Germany, Holland and others was intense, and changed the world leading up to World War I.
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Manuscripts, Movies & A Murder Mystery at Sea.
Best-selling author David Eugene Perry talks about his award-winning mystery thriller Upon This Rock set in the historic town of Orvieto, Italy, currently in screenplay developmentand shares a section of its sequel, including a murder on a cruise ship: Watch out!
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The Golden Age of Liners: Blue Riband Royalty.
Queens Mary and Elizabeth, Rex, Normandie, Breman & Europa and SS United States. These fastest and most glamourous of liners defined an age, and a way of life, between the Wars, and after. A crowd pleasing “must sea” talk of the Sea!
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From Crossing to Cruising: A New Golden Age at Sea.
In the late 1950s, air travel surpassed passage by sea for crossing oceans. What to do with aging, elegant ships meant for passenger comfort but not competitive with jets? The answer: “Getting there is half the fun.” Learn how “crossing” gave way to “pleasure cruising” and what’s in store for the future.
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Linerlore: Classic Tales of the Sea and Famous Ship Stories.
Nothing is more evocative than “Tales of the Sea.” Learn about the Italian beauties Michelangelo & Raffaello, FDR’s presidential yacht Potomac, historic warships of the Pacific and even a few “unsolved” maritime mysteries!
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By Wave and Wing: Pacific Passenger Travel
From the great ships of Canadian Pacific, to Japan’s glamourous NYK liners, and finally by air during the brief glory age of the Pan Am Clippers, passage on (and over) the Pacific has inspired countless writers and wanderers to exotic climes. Also, we look into one of the Pacific’s most enduring mysteries: Amelia Earhart’s last flight.
The time has come! Bidding opens tomorrow for a one-of-kind irreplaceable piece of Hollywood maritime history: the First Class Staircase “Cherub” from James Cameron’s “Titanic” where Jack kissed Rose’s hand and other key scenes! Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity from Heritage Auctions! Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity from Heritage Auctions on December 9 & 10. LOT #38496 – Download the Heritage Auctions app now — FREE — to follow the auction and/or bid.
Click now on the link below for info and to register for updates:
December 8: Today in Upon This Rock, the elderly, elfish and enigmatic priest, Don Bello, shows Adriano & Lee his pastorate: the nearly 1000 year old church of San Giovanale, oldest in Orvieto, and central to the mystery surrounding the suicide of its young deacon, Andrea.
As the mystery unfolds during Christmas Season, it’s perfect for literary gift giving. Throughout the Holidays, I’ll be posting a location from the book — all well known by Alfredo and me from Orvieto — and its literal inspiration in the book.
My best-selling double award winning mystery thriller is now in its second printing with its screenplay being shopped around Hollywood (fingers crossed).
Get your copy today at the “Upon This Rock” link below or better yet, at your favorite independent bookstore like Best Bookstore in Union Square (San Francisco), Books, Inc or Fabulosa in SF’s Castro! — David Eugene Perry
“An elegant, twisty thriller.” — Armistead Maupin, “Tales of the City” author
“A richly atmospheric, genre-blending mystery that balances historical depth with modern intrigue.” — Kirkus Reviews
“The gay ‘Da Vinci Code’ but a lot better.” — best-selling author Fenton Johnson
“Upon This Rock is for those readers who love Italy and who love crime fiction. David Perry evokes the spirit of the ancient Italian town of Orvieto, in a 21st-century thriller that takes in several centuries of history.” ― Lucinda Hawksley, author of Dickens’s Artistic Daughter, Katey
WINNER: Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) WINNER: San Francisco Book Festival
‘Tis the season for an award winning read! This Christmas give the gift of my bestselling mystery thriller with two gay sleuths, Upon This Rock, set during the Holiday Season in the magical Italian hilltop town of Orvieto. It’s now in its second printing and the screenplay is making the rounds in Hollywood!
Get your copy at your favorite independent bookstores worldwide and in San Francisco like the Best Bookstore in Union Square, Green Apple Books, Books, Inc or Fabulosa Castro!
Or but on Amazon — instant ebook for Kindle or print — at the link below: — David Eugene Perry
“Upon This Rock is the gay ‘Da Vinci Code’ but a lot better.” — Bestselling author Fenton Johnson
“David Eugene Perry has written an elegant, twisty thriller in which a gay couple investigates a mysterious suicide in a scenic Italian hill town. It’s not hard to imagine that this book could do for Orvieto what Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil did for Savannah.” – Armistead Maupin, author of the internationally acclaimed Tales of the City
“Upon This Rock is giddy with assassins, terrorists, shady priests, human trafficking, and megawatt conspiracies” (Kay Kudukis, Palm Springs Life) with “two detectives as sharp as Sam Spade and with the wit of Nick and Nora Charles” (Will Snyder, Bay Area Reporter). “Upon This Rock is fabulous. I can’t wait for the movie” (Jan Wahl, Emmy Award Winning Hollywood Reporter).
“Upon This Rock is a richly atmospheric, genre-blending mystery that balances historical depth with modern intrugue.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Upon This Rock is a satisfying, smart, and soulful read. It’s perfect for fans of Dan Brown who wish Robert Langdon had better fashion sense and a husband, or for anyone who loves Italy, history, and a dose of spiritual mystery with their aperitivo. It’s for readers who appreciate good writing, complex characters, and stories that unfold like cathedrals—beautiful, intricate, and full of hidden chambers.”
— Literary Titan
* WINNER: Silver Medal Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
