Some months ago I discovered that tedlouis.com, which featured gay literature, was about to close down after years of service.
It had been a few years since I was last there, and it was only a stroke of good fortune that I went there when I did, because by doing so I learned that it would be shutting down. Realizing this prompted me to try to do something. I felt it would be a tragedy if some of the stories on the site disappeared forever and so decided to try to get what I could of Gordon’s writing to appear on the AwesomeDude website.
I was very fond of Gordon’s work. He had several full-length novels and some poetry on Ted’s site. Some of Gordon’s novels appealed greatly to me; they seemed almost transcendent. I’ve read all of them several times.
I asked John (Alien Son) if there was any way we might bring some of those stories to AwesomeDude to preserve them. John spoke to Mike, who agreed to post Gordon’s works here; he then contacted Ted Louis, who gave his permission for us to post the stories and poems.
I’m delighted to announce that all of Gordon’s novels and poems will soon appear on the AD site, beginning with Dodd Forrest, one of the three novels that I fell in love with. They will get the full AD presentation treatment and be available and a joy not only for those who aren’t acquainted with Gordon’s work, but also for those of us who have loved it since his stories first appeared.
On a personal level, I got to know Gordon a little over the years. He was a wonderful man. He trained for the ministry and worked as a substitute minister, but his main employment was in elementary education, much of it as a school principal. He was witty with a great sense of humor and cared as deeply about children as anyone I’ve ever known. I had the honor of editing some of his stories. Believe me, before you suggest changes in a master’s work, you have to be very sure of what you’re doing! But Gordon accepted almost every change I suggested.
Gordon himself said:
These are stories of children whose lives began in misery but because of concern and love came to know happiness and success. The characters and situations in these stories are fictitious but the misery is drawn from the experiences of children I have known—children you might know—children who still live in misery and need the love and concern of our society.
Some of the language is crude and the analogy blunt. The language is that which children in such situations would use, and the vernacular is vulgar but unfortunately too real. Please take the lesson of these children's lives along with any enjoyment the stories might give you.
Gordon lived in Indiana, had a family, and his children prospered. His first wife died, and the second was with him to the end. He had a mostly happy life, for which I’m very thankful. I feel it was an honor to know him as well as I did.
In the end tedlouis.com was archived at The Fort Family and remains online, so without our stepping in, this work would not have been lost. But Ted has graciously allowed us to go ahead and post Gordon’s work at AwesomeDude.
~ Cole
December 2023