It’s amazing the changes the gay community have gone through over the last few years. Regardless of your views on gay marriage, and the like, the general opinion in the United States is in support of lesbians and gays. As a result being gay, is much more accepting. You’ll find gay characters common in television shows, movies and books; more so than they were just a decade ago. And it’s not just the LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender) who are enjoying this entertainment.
As someone who knew he was gay when he was five years old, I was fortunate enough to have lived in Massachusetts when gay marriage was invoked. To me it was like a blessing from God. I remember saying to my partner, at the time, (we’ve since divorced, but we’ll save that for another post), I said, “Oh my God! We can now marry. I can get on your health insurance!” I know. Probably not the most-romantic thing to say. (Now you are probably thinking you know why I got divorced—again, topic for another day.)
I bring this personal issue up because sharing benefits—such as health insurance, tax discounts, being able to see each other in the hospital in the event of an emergency—can provide security and allows people to take risks. Today I write fiction. I probably wouldn’t have gotten here had it not been for me venturing into entrepreneurial endeavors way back when.
While most of my writing involves gay characters, I’m astonished that over fifty percent of my fans are straight women. I think this is a testimony to the general acceptance of homosexuality over the last few years. Tim on Broadway, my latest book, is a case in point. Tim is an overweight twenty-something virgin. He’s infatuated with theater, divas, music and the bag boy at the grocery store from which he got fired. As one of my readers wrote, “It’s less a romance than a romantic tale of someone's self-discovery.” They went on to say, “You don't have to be a Broadway fan (or gay) to appreciate this work.”
Tim on Broadway deals with the complexities we all face: personal growth, career choices, religion and finding your purpose in life. Tim, the protagonist in the story, not only struggles with his weight but also battles anxiety. As the story unfolds, we learn the true nature of his psychological scars, and he turns to God for answers. It’s a story about finding oneself, experiencing love and discovering joy.
Here’s a short excerpt when Tim finally meets his favorite singer. I hope you like it.
“We all have our faults, Tim,” she said. She was still holding me. “You may think I’m some big star, some big celebrity without any problems but I’m not. I’m no better than you. I’m not an idol to worship.”
I hugged her a little tighter. The sequins on her shoulder strap pressed into my chin.
She let go and held me out by my shoulders. “You ready?”
“I am.”
“Good.” She gave me one more hug. She then went over to her make-up table to grab another tissue and fix her eyes.
And as she was cleaning the smear of make-up on her cheek, I noticed a note taped to her mirror:
I am God.
“Uh, that’s good enough,” she said to her reflection in the mirror. She looked down at the note at which I had been staring. “Oh, that,” she said, “it’s not what you think. I don’t think that highly of myself. Well, then again, in a sense I have to. We all have to.” She turned around. “We are all God, Tim.”
I took it in, thinking about those Judy Blume books I read as a kid. Are you there, God? It’s me, Timothy.
“As I was saying earlier, there’s a spark of God in us all,” she said.
I nodded.
She started toward the door, stopped and put her hands on her hips. “Tim, God’s not external from us. He, or she, is a spark in us all, and it’s our job to stoke the fire from it.” She held a fist out in front and put her arm out for me to escort her. “Sir?”
I moved over to her, and she put her arm in mine. “My lady,” I said and led her to the stage.
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Rick Bettencourt lives with his husband and their little dog, Bandit, in the Sarasota area of Florida. Rick originally hails from Boston’s North Shore where he learned to speak without pronouncing the letter “r”—and say things like “tonic” when he wanted a Coke, or “bubbler” when getting a drink from the park’s water fountain. You can follow Rick on Twitter @rbettenc or subscribe to his mailing list at rickbettencourt.com.
Rick Bettencourt Talks About Writing and His... by talkstorytv
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