Exploring the lives of two gay men in the 1920s, Jeff Stookey had to learn to see through eyes that were not familiar with a post-Stonewall world. These characters were figuring out homosexuality, just as he had, growing up in a small town in rural Washington State. He studied literature, history, and cinema at Occidental College, and then got a BFA in Theater from Fort Wright College. In 1992 he retrained in the medical field and worked for many years with pathologists, trauma surgeons, and emergency room reports. This background led to the creation of the character Carl Holman MD, while a deep dive into gay history and Oregon’s past shaped much of the rest of the trilogy. A novel writing class at The Attic Institute and more than a year with two different creative writing groups helped him bring this story out of the closet. Stookey has lived in Portland, Oregon, for many years with his longtime partner and their unruly garden.
