Media matters

Persistence Pays Off

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My memoir, shown by the camera shot above, has been reborn. Amazon has approved publication!

I first published its book-length version with the title How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories) 15 months ago under the aegis of Amazon Publications. Its hands-on coordinator, James Dean, told me his company was unaffiliated with Amazon Corporation, but I didn’t worry, appreciative of his honesty. After all, how could such a corporate name exist without Amazon Corp.’s tacit approval?

Unfortunately, I was looking through rose-tinted glasses. After being published in May 2024, two supporters alerted me that the entire softcover book was unreadable, due to a faulty print replica process. I immediately pulled the plug on marketing before an unreadable book was foisted on an unsuspecting public. Simultaneously, the Amazon namesake changed its name to E-Book Publications, which causes me to wonder, “How many other misleading company names are being touted these days?”

I did not seek legal redress, realizing it could tie up my manuscript in litigation. Instead, I recorded and published its Audible in Grand Junction, Colorado. I gained a couple spectacular reviews, including one from highly regarded blues performer Bev Conklin from the Lehigh Valley. But Iris, my fictitiously named ex-wife from Miami, questioned the validity of the book’s title as did other readers offering similar perspectives.

Sales of the Audible were miniscule, so I engaged in considerable soul-searching. One afternoon, I found myself repeating under my breath the beginning phrase of the first poem I ever wrote, once performed as Banjoloika: If I Said That I Would Love You. Therefore, I added the explanation A Performance Poet’s Journey and, because of a company I discovered called reedsy.com, hired a professional graphic designer (in Slovenia) to cause my collection of stories to ascend from the dustheap.

Make no mistake, the “Lesbian” title is appropriate for the book’s Epilogue, but its new title allows prospective readers to quickly determine what the book’s contents offer. And after carefully going through a proof of the book earlier today, I approved its publication. Earlier this July 30th morning, Amazon approved the revised tome’s release!

Here’s a preview of what you will discover inside the 332 pages:

Chapter 1 contains my successful audition for the Columbus Boychoir School in Princeton, New Jersey, where I became ensconced in its remarkable university ambience. A successful 1956 performance in Carnegie Hall’s Annex is contrasted with an unwanted encounter with a Boychoir guidance-counselor pedophile. I describe the sordid encounter vividly.

Chapter 2 gives a thumbnail background of my father’s emigration from Hungary until a command performance before an audience of one: Louis Armstrong.

Chapters 3 through 7 take place in Miami, and in North Carolina I seriously discover the life-threatening peril of having a well-tanned skin color.

Chapters 8 and 9 include highlights of my wild life in Southern California, with a provocative firsthand account of what led to Janis Joplin’s murder.

Chapters 10 through 13 contain personal adventures and beginnings as a lifestyle journalist at both of Miami’s premier daily newspapers until the politics in Knight-Ridder’s corporate manipulations drove me away.

Chapters 14 through 17 take place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and contain several yet-untold stories that Bucks County Herald Editor Bridget Wingert asked me to write about back in the day.

Chapter 18 chronicles my new start in life with Alice McCormick as we journey from Doylestown, Pennsylvania to a perilous life in Portland, Oregon, and later Longview, Washington.

The Epilogue ends with a humorous take on the original book’s title: How I Became a Lesbian.

Alice passed away in 2020, and I created the earlier version in her memory. Officially, I ended my grief on March 27, 2025, and began revising If I Said That I Would Love You: A Performance Poet’s Journey, the book she made me promise to create before her Star Journey began. In fulfilling that solemn pledge, I also follow my literary journey.

Please don’t worry; I’m on the verge of realizing the rewards of persistence. That’s why I offer, “Order your copy from Amazon today. If you enjoyed the way I wrote for the Herald, your patience will be rewarded. This version of the book is finally legible, and there are some great photographs and clippings.“

At a price cheaper than the original one that’s shamelessly illegible, it’s a bargain, baby. Hip-hip-hurray!

Audible review

The Embrace of a Blues Star

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After I wrote about noteworthy musical performances at Bethlehem’s MusicFest over 10 years ago, I explored the Lehigh Valley enough to attend a dynamite performance headlined by top-notch blues star Bev Conklin and her BC Blues Crew. The musicianship I witnessed there set my feet on fire, and I fell into a fitful groove.

On Jan. 20th of this year, the groove I experienced sprouted spectacular dividends.

Ms. Conklin heard about my book, How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories), remembered seeing me at her concert back then and sent me a text message. At the time, I was making final corrections on the Audible here in Grand Junction, Colorado, and she recalled similar relentless butterflies when releasing her first CD recording.

What was my motivation about writing such a memoir/love story? It’s simple. When I wrote for the Bucks County Herald, editor Bridget Wingert forbade me to write about my own boyhood sexual abuse at the American Boychoir School in Princeton, NJ. Bridget claimed that the school was notorious for suing publications revealing its sordid history. However, in 1956 I was the first boy to come forward, afterward taking part in its Alumni Choir where I witnessed its eventual demise 60 years later. Therefore, I felt entitled to reveal what I witnessed. After all, I am a journalist, obligated to reveal the truth.

Bev Conklin and I hit it off spectacularly, and once Amazon released my Audible, she purchased the very first copy. I confess that my extensive recording session with a relentless talented audio engineer allowed me to browbeat her into listening to all 9 hours and 20 minutes within a week, whereupon she rewarded me with Audible’s mandatorily limited 15-word review. The full unabridged review appears below:

“Best to use Audible. Amazon’s printout has technical issues, however, I purchased it for my own library and to go back to re-review. It takes extreme openness and honesty to absorb Mason’s journey, starting with his childhood.

“Damn society and entitlement for many of its dysfunctions that lured many of us into not trusting our instincts during our youth and early to mid-adulthood. That’s what intrigues me about your book… with the many traps you freely walked right into. As a senior reader, we see it coming.

“The cliche of if we knew then what we know now, it’s the journey that reveals who we truly are at the core. Well done and thank you for sharing.”

What more could I ask for, besides being extremely grateful? Until the blurry-printed book is republished, I offer the opportunity to HEAR the unexpurgated Audible of How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories). And guess what? I am its narrator.

How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories), a memoir for the ages

Here’s a few hints to help you through the technical aspects of ordering an Audible. First of all, do you need to subscribe to Audible to purchase a copy? Nope.

What equipment is necessary to download an Audible? Any cellphone, desktop or notebook device.

Once downloaded, how do you listen to it? On a cellphone, Audible appears as a separate application with all sorts of different controls. And if that’s still over your head, call Audible at 888-283-5051, and they will walk you through the process.

Bev Conklin is a Creole artist with a master’s degree from Penn State University, and if you are the slightest bit curious how talented she is, take a listen to her rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools” on YouTube, and you will hear why my groove won’t go away. Her voice and band are sensational!

Ms. Conklin has discovered that I chose not to be silenced, and I promise there’s plenty of goodies within my memoir/love story to keep listeners (and readers) well entertained. There had to be something to fill 432 pages. And if you are similarly enthralled, leave another review on Audible and tell a friend!

How I Became a Lesbian

My Audible Is Available

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A promise made to Alice the evening before she passed over has now been kept. And I was able to keep this baby – How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories) – from being stillborn.

“I want you to write,” Alice said on March 26, 2020. “Do you promise?”

“Oh sure,” I brightly answered, unaware this would be our very last serious conversation.

“C’mon, be serious,” she responded, waiting to see my countenance wane.

That’s when Alice made me repeat the same promise in a phone call to my first cousin, Margaret Johnston. The journey has been long and arduous. But Alice gave me marching orders, with little time to grieve. She was considerate that way.

Alice’s still waters ran deep, and I looked brilliant by keeping my mouth shut and letting her rule. With release of this Audible into the universe, Alice finally can concentrate on her spirit journey, with her karma continuing to smile down on me.

This plan of action was inspired by a knowledgeable musician’s musician: Don Slepian whose East Stroudsburg, NJ home is an audiophile delight. One other individual’s professional expertise made the Grand Junction part of this journey possible. His name is Taylor Riley of Fusion Audio, pictured below.

To order an Audible, just go to Amazon’s search bar, enter How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories) and choose AUDIBLE.

Audio engineer Taylor Riley
How I Became a Lesbian

My Audible Is on the Way

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In a land where mesas loom above numerous traffic circles testing drivers’ sobriety, I continue to persevere. The result after five weeks of a demanding recording regimen? Eleven (of 18) chapters have been meticulously recorded by a superb audio engineer here.

This means the Audible for How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories) is more than 50 percent complete.

I am the sole narrator of this collection of absurd happenings encountered over seven decades. They need to be told, at least that’s what Alice keeps telling me.

Consequently, I keep this website going, even while on the western slope of the Rockies. And if you want to wish me a joyous holiday season in return for heartfelt wishes for you, leave a comment. My late mother would add, “The more the merrier!”

Merry Christmas!

How I Became a Lesbian

A Disaster Averted

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Since arriving in late July to Grand Junction, Colorado, I endured an affront to my senses. A filthy toilet and an infestation of gnats were only some of the many hazards discovered in Mary Schenk’s condo next to a busy, extremely noisy intersection. Then there was her “welcoming dinner” that featured ground beef she never drained but instead incorporated into the meal. And she was unable to cook more than one dish for any meal.

Therefore, my gall bladder started acting up. So yes, I had to take over the cooking duties. That’s part of why last week the woman who promised so much, demanded that I take my possessions and move out. To where? She could care less, even though I knew nothing about Grand Junction.

When did she issue her impatient demand? On the very morning I was scheduled to begin recording an Audible of How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories).

Schenk’s attempt at sabotage failed miserably. After a week-long stay at a spotless, quiet hotel next to Grand Junction’s airport, three days ago I found an extended-stay facility with kitchenette at a reasonable, yet professional, rate. Best of all, I managed to keep two productive appointments with a studio engineer whose soundproof home and sense of excellence reveal his musical sensibilities.

Happy hour at the Grand Vista Hotel has a great benefit: A complete meatloaf dinner for 10 bucks!

My book’s introduction, preface and three chapters have been recorded already, so I’m on a roll. Nevertheless, I can’t help but feel alone. Thanksgiving is upcoming. Yet look at what this 81-year-old author has accomplished under the harshest of circumstances.

My days with Buckingham’s Quakers and as meditation facilitator at Pebble Hill tell me to express gratitude. Just look at the remarkable view from my new place, and I feel better about this sudden twist of face. No wonder traveling musicians find inspiration within the facility’s secure structure.

I complimented Travis on his weather-beaten hat. Little did I know he is a rancher with his own homestead above 8,000 feet. He is authentic, and his wife, Stephanie, agrees.

But before I can take a deep exhale, I need to update my address to several medical insurance contacts, my bank and credit cards. And I must stay positive; otherwise, it will show up while recording the Audible.

Keep the faith, baby. Keep the faith.

Moon over a multicolored dush adorning one of many mesas surrounding Grand Junction.
How I Became a Lesbian

The Washington Townhome Is Sold

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Take a good look at the woman above. It’s not the professional image she normally touts; instead, it’s the perfect representation of an experienced Realtor, whose 30 years of legwork make deals happen.

Tami Cheatley’s ability to examine construction and its flaws allows her to be candid with would-be sellers and buyers alike. I realized that right off the bat, because when I became a Realtor in Miami for three months, one truth sank in: Sellers have an inflated view of what their property is worth. So when Cheatley suggested a listing price, I didn’t argue. She priced it to sell.

This turned out to be a wise decision, because Realtors are besieged today with federal, state and local regulations spiraling out of control.

Once the wheels of selling my condo set in, I had no idea how the disposal of its furnishings would cost me emotionally. Alice McCormick’s vision was everywhere, and to pull it apart felt sacrilegious. Sparing me any further grief, Cheatley located a reputable estate liquidator named Stan, who managed a series of garage sales through local advertising and secure Facebook ads. In addition, he oversaw the cleaning of windows, rugs, bathrooms and kitchen, removing all worthless junk, and finally documented a fair profit from myriad sales of Alice and my lesbian life together.

The photo above shows what Cheatley had to do to deal responsibly with an unnecessarily finicky condo association and a newly elected president eager to create pitfalls as soon as he could think of them.

All this razzmatazz allows the proceeds that was won in the condo sale to be used to record an Audible right here in Grand Junction. We begin recording in earnest next month.

We do not plan to create a turkey! How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories) with fuzzy typeface and all, and its Kindle companion will remain available on amazon.com. But soon it will be available on Audible. And if sales are good, can a republished book be far behind?

Let the good times roll!

Grand Junction

Hello from Grand Junction

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On July 23, I drove 625 miles from Longview, Washington to Twin Falls, Idaho, exactly a thousand kilometers for those who prefer the metric scale.

Why such an exhausting day of travel? An out-of-control wildfire known as the Durkee Fire closed Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge interstate-highway from Pendleton to Baker City, forcing us to cross over the Cascades to US Highway 20 where we motored through the mind-bending scenic Malheur Canyon. a seldom touted area of East Oregon west of the town of Burns.

The remaining 500 miles on July 25 transversing mostly interstate highways through Salt Lake City to Grand Junction, Colorado, was a relative piece of Angel’s Food Cake. Arriving shortly after 5 pm, I chose to celebrate the safe end of our sojourn at the Grand Valley Grill’s happy hour, sipping on godmothers (Amaretto and vodka) while feasting on a savory large slice of meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans. The complete dinner was only 10 bucks.

Whoopee! Accompanying me on such a treacherous sojourn was Mary Schenk (shown above), who volunteered to host my hasty retreat from the Washington townhouse that was sublimely decorated by my late love in life, Alice McCormick. I could not have pulled off such an audacious relocation without generous assistance from Mary, a former neighbor who grew up several houses away from my childhood home in Hialeah, Florida.

two spirits
My tenancy required approval from two spirits shown above.

In case you don’t know, during the 1950s Hialeah contained America’s premier thoroughbred horse racing track. I was too young to enter the grounds then, except for Sundays. Since no racing was allowed on “the Lord’s Day,” the general public was admitted free to gawk at the hordes of white and pink flamingos taking up South Florida residence around the racetrack’s encircled manmade lake. Needless to say, I was enthralled.

Now that I have my computer finally set up, I am prepared to deal with the aftermath from Amazon’s unreadable publication of my memoir/love story, “How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories)”. And I think there is a solution. A professional musician in the foothills of the Poconos suggested I create an Audible version of the book before attempting its reissue. “More people are listening to Audible than are buying books,” he said. Considering my regard for his musicianship and history of providing assistance to fellow musicians, I have decided to follow up on this plan of action.

What do you think? Would you be interested in acquiring an Audible copy of the book? Does this idea sound good to you?

Feel free to give some feedback, because I don’t need a different kind of feedback while narrating my story in a recording studio. And if you don’t understand my play on words here, wait until you hear all of it!

How I Became a Lesbian

My Book Is In Limbo

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Unless some unforeseen miracle occurs, I must put How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories) on hold.

The only way to get hold of a poorly printed copy is to order one from Amazon. Until I finish unpacking in Grand Junction (Colorado), my mind is focused on immediate priorities.

I must decide whatever memories from my 81 years of life, clothes and personal necessities can fit in the 2010 Ford Escape that sits in my garage. Alice bought it for us in Doylestown.

This is serious downsizing, because I am moving in with a woman from Hialeah, Florida, my boyhood hometown. There’s more to the story, but so far it’s incomplete. Let it be said that she is saving space in her ground-floor condo for a wayfaring writer.

Visitors to my website have been here for over 10 years. You deserve to know what’s going on. Wish me well.

How I Became a Lesbian

The Way Ahead

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Two days ago, all monies paid Amazon Publications by me were returned, marking its admission the printing quality of How I Became a Lesbian (and other stories) cannot be upgraded. I promptly phoned James Dean at the newly renamed E-book Publications for his explanation.

Dean tersely explained, “Because you filed a dispute for marketing.”

Indeed, I did exactly that.

Once Cousin Margaret Johnston warned me about flaws in the book’s printing, I put a stop to Amazon Publications’ $2,000 charge for marketing, disputing it with my credit card company. As of Monday, June 3, 2024, Amazon consents to my outrage, and, in addition to its three-month marketing charge, has returned ALL payments I gave in anticipation of publishing the story of my life.

Why did I stand up for quality? I grew up in Hialeah and Miami, Fla., surrounded by literary ghosts. My mother was an esteemed English teacher whose library was filled with classics. I never would hawk a flawed book, not even mine.

Therefore, I advise you to look on the bright side: The book has been published, with a fuzzy typeface that makes it a challenging read, though another avenue doesn’t share such a handicap: Kindle. That is the only way left to comfortably consume my work of a lifetime.

I have become skeptical that we will see improvements to the book’s flaws anytime soon. But, to continue making lemonades out of lemons, rejoice in knowing I escaped a pool of carnivorous sharks who feed upon their prey in the deep seas of Marketing.

The book, with fuzzy typeface and all, and its Kindle companion remain available on amazon.com.

a personal view