AUTHOR
My mission as a writer is to create the books I wish had existed when I was a gay, quirky kid, teen, and young adult—books that might have changed my life for the better.
My Books (so far!):
NEW BOOK!
Thank You For My Life:The Life of Harry Hay, Pioneering Gay Activist
Please note that there are price differences depending on who you buy the book from. If you choose to use Bookshop.org, they will donate part of the money to local independent bookstores.
Thank You for My Life: The Life of Harry Hay, Pioneering Gay Activist tells the story of one of the most influential figures in LGBTQ+ history. Harry Hay's greatest contribution was being the first person to define LGBTQ+ people not as isolated individuals, but as a cultural minority with a shared history and identity. In 1950, he founded the Mattachine Foundation, the first enduring gay rights organization in the United States.
Written in narrative verse, the book follows Harry from childhood through his death at age ninety, tracing both his personal journey and the emergence of the modern gay rights movement. Along the way, it explores his involvement with the Communist Party, his appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), his role in founding the Radical Faeries, and the complex legacy of a visionary whose ideas continue to influence queer life today.
Below I share with you the opening pages of my YA/adult biography in verse entitled Thank You for My Life: The Life of Harry Hay: Pioneering Gay Activist. Harry’s greatest contribution to the LGBTQIA2S+ community was being the first person to define LGBT as a cultural identity. He founded the Mattachine Society in 1950, which was the first enduring gay rights organization in the United States.
The biography portrays Harry’s life from early childhood up until his death when he was in his 90s. His story is told within the context of the times he lived in and helped shape. My book covers the different stages of Harry’s life, including his involvement with the Communist Party and appearing before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). It also covers his founding of and involvement with the Mattachine Society, his quest to pinpoint gay identity by studying the two-spirit traditions within Native American cultures, and his role in creating the Radical Faeries.
In the music strand of this website, please find the Harry Hay playlist, which contains music that is mentioned in or inspired by the book. Note: The playlist contains many songs that were originally quoted in the text but had to be omitted due to copyright issues.
Big Trouble
“You’re wrong,”
Says Harry
All the forks at the dinner table
Freeze in midair
“Harry, we are waiting for you
To apologize to your father,”
Says his mother
His father, Harry Sr., said something about Egypt
That contradicts what Harry had learned in school
And he refuses to say his father is right
So Harry Sr.
Grabs him from the table
Boxes his ears
Drags him out to the garage
And whips him with a leather strop
Ear boxing is a painful, dangerous form of punishment
Done by cupping a person’s hands over another person’s ears
And clapping them with their head in the middle
So that air is forced into the ear
Harry Sr. ear boxes his son so often
That Harry has permanent hearing damage in one ear
Harry Sr. also often whips Harry
Including when he catches him writing with his left hand
As he believes he should be right-handed
This night he beats him until he realizes
That no matter what
Harry won’t apologize
Harry won’t back down
He sends him off to bed without supper
.........
To Thine Own Self Be True
Harry creeps up to his room
And finds his school book
To confirm that his father is wrong
When his mother Margaret
Brings his supper up to his room
She finds him poring over a phrase from Shakespeare's Hamlet
In a book that his Aunt Kate had given him
“To Thine Own Self Be True”
He realizes
If his father can be wrong
Then maybe the teacher can be wrong
Maybe the priest can be wrong
Maybe anyone can be wrong
This is the beginning
Of trusting the voice inside his own mind
Of trusting what he came to consider to be
The voice of his soul
It was a voice
He was going to need to listen to
Throughout his life
A life with many struggles ahead
...............
Sissy
At school
Harry dislikes all competitive sports
The bullies order him
To kneel in front of a mud puddle
And admit that he is a sissy
When he refuses
They push his face into the mud
And tear his clothes
After he comes home bruised
His father buys him boxing gloves
And insists that Harry
Punch him in the face
Harry freezes
Not wanting to hit his father
Exasperated, his father takes off Harry’s gloves
And throws them on the floor
Hear this original song inspired by Thank You for My Life
Selected Advanced Praise for Thank You for My Life
"Because Hay's life was much like a long, beautiful, and meaningful poem, Jim Cartwright has chosen the perfect medium in which to share it. It is poetry, it is a short story, it is a song, and it is a biography—Cartwright has created a book as visionary as its subject. It's a celebration of difference, a song of oneself about a man who lived his truth in all its glory."
—Trebor Healey, author of Sweet Son of Pan
In Thank You for My Life, Jim Cartwright has woven a delightful garland of Harry Hay's stories. I can hear his voice on every page. For young and old, gay and questioning, you will be inspired by the lessons of Harry's life, his journey to self-acceptance, and the beginning of gay liberation. Thank You for Jim Cartwright!"
—Will Roscoe, author of The Zuni-Man Woman
"I can see Harry sitting in a rocking chair, reading this amazing book. I can hear him say, 'Wow. The story of my life, told in verse and not in prose.' I can see him looking out the window across from him, out to a world in need of his wisdom, knowing that in this very challenging time Jim's book will make a world of difference, help to make a better different world."
—Eli Andrew Ramer, author of Tales of an Urban Mystic: A Spiraling Memoir
"Jim Cartwright's simple, straightforward retelling of Harry Hay's amazing life and influential legacy will engage a new generation of readers. This is an imaginative contribution to queer history; one whose appealing format reveals where queer folks have come from as it illuminates our path forward."
—Jim Van Buskirk, Founding Program Manager, San Francisco Public Library's James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center
"A propulsive, sparkling, and full of heart journey through the life of Harry Hay, Thank You for My Life is a kaleidoscope, illuminating the history of one man and the rainbow origins of queer consciousness today. I couldn't put it down."
—Lee Wind, author of No Way, They Were Gay?
"In a unique, concise, and engaging way Jim Cartwright reveals the story of Harry Hay—a man of adventure, achievement, and flaws. Like many gay men of my generation, I only learned bits and pieces of the myth/reality of Harry Hay. At last, I feel like I have a grasp of his true-life story. I see the impact he had on the world. I experience the many freedoms I enjoy today due to his work."
—Allen Silver, Sacred Intimate
My children's book is now out!
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as they donate to local independent bookstores.
Thanks for your support!
Note about Kindle: The Kindle formatting works fine on the Kindle Classic App. If you use the Kindle for Mac app, the book is still readable, but the formatting is flawed.
In "A Heart-Shaped Room," readers are introduced to Ricky, a boy with a deep love for his family and an immense talent for drawing. The narrative unfolds as Ricky's family faces a bitter dispute-- his grandparents refuse to accept their son's marriage to another man and don't want his husband Pedro to attend Aunt Laura's wedding.
Frustrated and deeply saddened by the divisive homophobia within his family, Ricky channels his feelings into his art. His creations reflect the hurt, the injustice, and the yearning for acceptance and love that echoes in his heart. But can Ricky's art bring about the change he hopes for? Can his family come together, overcoming their prejudices, for the love they have for each other?
"A Heart-Shaped Room" is a heartwarming exploration of familial love, acceptance, and the transformative power of art. It's an uplifting testament to the bravery of youth and the hope that love will eventually conquer hate.
Reviews of A Heart Shaped Room:
"While the representation in this book is meaningful, the core message invests in the power of change. Within a world that is quick to judge and shame, ‘A Heart Shaped Room’ reminds us of Hope—hope in our compassion and understanding, hope in sharing our stories, and, ultimately, hope in our mutual love for one another. As a parent, educator, and human, I’m grateful for this book."
- Phuong Lien Palafox
"Really cute book with a great message about how children can teach us to love and accept diversity."
- Audrey L.
"This book honors the eyes of children who have a lesson for us in making our world whole by making our families inclusive."
- Madronna H.
"The heart of this story is the enthusiasm the main child character (nephew to the gay uncle) has for doing something to help his grandparents understand that love is love - Ricky's drawing of the heart-shaped room is beautiful, as is the outcome... Lovely, and something you might share with older folks who don't yet 'get' it!"
- Lee Wind
What's Next?
Jim is currently writing a work of queer autofiction, while continuing to compose songs, coach, and speak about LGBTQ+ history. Stay tuned!