Bob Smith makes me laugh. I have known Bob for years and throughout the struggle for civil rights for the LGBT community. He is one of the most decent human beings anyone could want to meet. But most importantly, he has always made me laugh through good times and bad. He has made many of us laugh at ourselves and at all the quirks and twists in the LGBT civil rights movement. He has brought humor and humanity to the gay experience. 

In two weeks, Bob will release his remarkable first novel Selfish & Perverse, in which he reveals himself as a wonderful storyteller. In some ways, I guess Bob was always a storyteller about our journey, though from the stage. He continued illustrating his first rate talent with two books of comedic essays called Openly Bob and Way to Go, Smith!

After all, Bob has long been an openly gay pioneer in the entertainment business. He was the first openly gay comedian to appear on The Tonight Show and to achieve a groundbreaking HBO Comedy Half Hour. He has appeared on many televised comedy shows and been on the tour circuit for years. Bob has distinguished himself at every turn in his career.

In this new book, his writing is a joy to read. With great courage, he pushed himself to write through a new medium, emerging as a powerful writer with a fine sense of story. He has combined Hollywood, Alaska, salmon fishing, archaeology, finding a boyfriend, love and betrayal into one excellent novel. Now that is not an easy accomplishment! Then, he takes the entire mix and makes you smile and laugh out loud while reading the book. Talk about talent!

Smith's bravery in writing his first novel has been rewarded with high praise, great initial reviews and the admiration of his peers. I am proud to know such a man who took risks in giving us his best. I loved this book and loved the characters. I cared for them and wanted to know them. Through Smith's prose, I wanted to escape to Alaska to seek a new adventure in my own life.

Nelson Kunker is the main character in Selfish & Perverse and he travels from Los Angeles to Alaska to seek a new world. While he held on to images of rugged outdoor life, Nelson ends up initially working in a bakery:

"My first job in Alaska wasn't exactly what I had envisioned when I left Los Angeles. I never saw myself as a logger or fisherman, but it was impossible to come that far without entertaining the possibility that I might find a job that was intrinsically Alaskan. I consoled myself with the observation that lattes were as emblematic of the Pacific Northwest as eagles and orcas are. I tried to imagine myself as a legendary figure in a tall tale - a diminished Paul Bunyan whose prodigious strength resided in his ability to brew a mighty powerful espresso - his coffee was so strong that one sip kept the man on the moon awake at night."

Armistead Maupin says of Selfish and Perverse, "A thoroughly seductive and satisfying read. It makes me laugh, it makes you horny, it makes you want to fish for salmon."

I couldn't agree more.