Serpents and Doves by G. Lloyd Helm - Guest Post and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. G. Lloyd Helm will be awarding 10 paperback copies of the book to 10 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. (international giveaway)

Five Things You Might Not Know About G. Lloyd Helm

First off let me state that I am a monogamous heterosexual homo sapien married to the same woman for 45 years. I am shamelessly in love with her, and deeply dependant on her. I have been a kept man for a large part of those 45 years. She is my patron, my muse, and occasionally my scourge. We have two children who are not children any more. During our time in the Air Force I was in loco parentis while she was out doing AF stuff. Now let me explain the irony of this. When I was a kid I used to pretend that I was a career soldier with a family. I was a Marine off to fight in various battles but often home to the wife and kids. If I had known how twistedly prophetic that was I might have found a different pretend, but I didn't and then I found myself trekking all over the world with two sons and a military wife.

Another thing about me that most people don't know, unless they are very intimate with me. I have been a performer since I was a child. I have done plays and sketches, but more especially I have been a singer. I have sung tenor in dozens of choirs, including a Methodist Chancel Choir that was asked to perform at Lincoln Center in New York. I have also done solo work in various clubs, especially when I was in Germany. The Germans have a thing for small clubs and they set them up everywhere. Gas Station goes out of business today, by tonight it is a coffee house. I did dozens of those with my friend Mark.

But one time I did an unexpected solo out of a choir. It was my college choir and we were touring/ performing in some of the local high schools, but with typical teenage disdain the audiences weren't particularly enthusiastic so, though I was in the back row (I'm a tall tenor) I was tired of seeing these brats yawn. They were not much younger than me but still--as the choir began to sing "Let the Sun Shine in" from the musical "Hair" I stepped out from the back row down to the front middle and started shouting, "Come on Sing. You know the words. Sing" and waved my arms. It startled the audience so much that they actually began to sing. It was a great concert from then on with the kids afraid to sit there like lumps. Later the choir director told me "You scared hell out of me," but in later concerts he began warning the audience that things were not going to be as quiet as they thought, and he assigned some others to jump out with me and get the audience singing.

Another thing about me that is kinda odd, my usual work uniform is my night shirt. Nobody can see me dressed like that mostly, but if someone rings the door bell --they better not as I have a no solicitors sign-- I come to the door in my night shirt to chase them off my porch. And I'm really nasty about it. I ask them if they can read and point at the sign, then close the door on them. I'm sure I have a reputation--that crazy old man at the end of the block.

Stephen Mitchell did not know what he was getting into at a small church college in Tennessee. Sex, protest, friendship, and Civil rights. The title “Serpents and Doves” comes from the warning Jesus gave to his disciples as he sent them out to preach the gospel, knowing the dangers they were going into. He said “I send you out as sheep among wolves, therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Stephen Mitchell learns first-hand what that warning means when he goes to a Tennessee church college in the midst of the turbulent 60’s. He learns about friendship, war, protest, the sexual revolution, and civil rights.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Ethan’s suicide rocked the school, but not nearly as much as Stephen expected. The New Jersey and New York folks mostly didn’t know anything about Ethan or the BSU so they noted the suicide as a bit of news, but it didn’t effect them much. There was some anti-homosexual noise and the inevitable nasty jokes, but Ethan Patrick’s passing caused no more than a ripple for the most part.

There was some noise and protest from the Mason First Baptist Church when Billie Jo asked them to hold the funeral service, but finally they said they would bury him, but not in the church cemetery. They ignored the fact of his suicide and the reasons for it and held a small service. Stephen debated with himself whether he should go. He had about decided not to when Cathy Powell cornered him and asked if he would go with her. “I really don’t have the strength Steve,” she said. “I’m just a wreck. Can’t you please come with me?”

Stephen seriously thought about saying, Why don’t you go ask David Hall? But didn’t say it. “All right. I’ll meet you at the church.”

She smiled sadly, but Stephen thought he saw just the smallest glimmer of triumph in it.

The coffin was set across the aisle in front of the altar. Closed. It was silvery gray and looked more like a large tin can than a coffin. The congregation was small, mostly people from the BSU but a few from Beacon’s faculty including Dr. Conners and Dr. Marchant. Having the Pope there was no surprise. Probably here to make sure the sumbitch is really dead, Stephen thought, and then felt bad about thinking it.

About the Author:

G. Lloyd Helm has been writing for 40 years, having published poetry in a wide variety of magazines and newspapers including “The New York Poetry Anthology,” “Stars and Stripes News,” “The Los Angeles Times,” “The Antelope Valley Press,” and “The Antelope Valley Anthologies,” among others.

… Has published short stories and memoirs both in the US and in England in such journals as “Pligrimage” which published the memoir “Football” in spring 2005, and a second memoir “4 April, 1968” in the winter of 2008. He has published short stories in “Citadel” the literary magazine of Los Angeles City College,” “Delivered Magazine,” which is based in London, “Short Story Library,” The University of S. Illinois’ “Eureka Literary Magazine,” “Tales as like as not,” and London’s “Black Gate Magazine.” Recently published “Even Up” a Civil War Ghost story at www.ruthlesspeoples.com, an English on line magazine, and the short story “A Lovely Elephant” in “Delivered Magazine” an English fiction journal. “The Other Fellows Shoes,” Pulp Empire III, Metahuman Press, Cedar Rapids, IA Nov. 2010. Is being published in an on line experiment from Alfie Dog Publishing in England. May 2012.

…Has published three novels in the F&SF field, 1) OTHER DOORS, From MousePrints Publishing, and 2) DESIGN from American Star. 3) WORLD WITHOUT END from Rogue Phoenix Press, www.roguephoenixpress.com OTHER DOORS, originally published in 1997, was published electronically by Rogue Phoenix Press in July 2010. Also Published a literary Romance novel called SOMETIMES IN DREAMS, from Siren’s call. Most recently a volume of short stories called TRAIN WHEELS, FLYING SAUCERS, AND THE GHOST OF TIBURCIO VASQUEZ. Many of these stories appear on the Alfie Dog site.

…Is in process of publishing an adult literary novel called SERPENTS AND DOVES with Rogue Phoenix Press, which will be out in May 2016.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2809594.G_Lloyd_Helm
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/G.-Lloyd-Helm/e/B007QEJNDI

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