“Once I accepted that all religion is metaphor, as Joseph Campbell asserted, I found that I not only wanted to go back to church, but that it was both comfortable and comforting,” said Duplechan. He later returned to Christianity, first joining the Metropolitan Community Church (a gay Christian denomination), and later the Presbyterian Church. For his 40th birthday, a friend gave Duplechan a book by Joseph Campbell, which led him to reexamine his relationship with religion, mythology, and faith. Duplechan’s writing frequently reflects the influence of his family’s annual trips to visit his grandparents in Louisiana, most evident in his short story “Zazoo,” and his novel “Captain Swing.”įinding the church of his youth incompatible with his sexual identity, Duplechan renounced Christianity in his 20s, and began studying the religions of the world. Both of his parents were of Creole heritage, natives of Mermentau, in southwestern Louisiana. He describes his parents as “left-leaning Democrats,” but notes that his family attended a strict, fundamentalist Black church. His mother was also a fine gospel singer whose musical talent Duplechan inherited.ĭuplechan is the first-born of four sons, and his family included a half-sister from his father’s first marriage. Lawrence Duplechan, Jr., was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of the late Lawrence Duplechan, Sr., an aircraft electronics engineer, and Margie Nell (Andrus) Duplechan, who worked as a postal clerk, office administrator, and homemaker. He is also a vocalist, musician, and graphic artist.

He is a popular Lambda Literary Award-winning author whose novel “Blackbird” was turned into a film directed by Patrik-Ian Polk. Contributions for the charitable purposes of The Rumpus must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.Larry Duplechan was born on December 30, 1956. The Rumpus is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. And join us by becoming a monthly or yearly Member.Įach of these subscription programs along with tax-deductible donations made to The Rumpus through our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas, helps keep u s going and brings us closer to sustainability. Subscribe to the Rumpus Book Clubs (poetry, prose, or both) and Letters in the Mail from authors. We believe that literature builds community-and if reading The Rumpus makes you feel more connected, please show your support! Get your Rumpus merch in our online store. We lift up new voices alongside those of more established writers readers already know and love. Our mostly volunteer-run magazine strives to be a platform for risk-taking voices and writing that might not find a home elsewhere. Founded in 2009, The Rumpus is one of the longest running independent online literary and culture magazines.

Blackbird by larry duplechan