Talking about a revolution

"Do have a story you'd like to share?"

I'm usually the one conducting the interview, but it's not far into my conversation with publishers Amanda and Joyce Cascio before they're trying to turn the tables on me. It figures; the partners, in business and in life, didn't get their new book Dragonfly Stories from concept to launch in four months by beating around the bush. The first in what they hope will be a long series, Dragonfly is a collection of stories that celebrate the LGBTQ community in its - our - own words.

"This is really activism," explains Joyce. "It's just done differently. It's a way to give voice to stories that have been silenced. I just want our whole community to know what incredible people we are. It's kind of a Chicken Soup for the Gay Soul."

Dragonfly Stories introduces the reader to 25 people - including the Cascios - from across the country, who tell their life stories with impressive frankness and a positive attitude. The book is both a testament to the lives of individuals, and an impressionistic portrait of the queer community. Sharing our community's stories is the main, but not the only goal. Sales of the book will benefit gay organizations like Human Rights Campaign or Parents and Friends of Gays and Lesbians.

"We're selling it online because bookstores take 40 percent right off the top," says Amanda. "We're giving that 40 percent back to the community. That was very important to us, to give back not only the stories, but to also do a great work with the money earned."

"We're looking at getting into some gay bookstores as well," adds Joyce, "but if you order on our website, you can even choose what organization your donation goes to."

Donors can select from over 80 groups, and can choose from national organizations or put their money back into their own communities through state groups like Equality Alabama, The Kansas City Anti-Violence Project, and local AIDS services organizations or PFLAG chapters. Since the book just a few weeks ago, more than $4400 dollars has been raised. It's fitting that a project that came together so quickly and smoothly is already racking up impressive sales, and has even already been nominated for a Stonewall Book Award.

Surprisingly, the fleet little-book-that-could has its roots in leisure: The Cascios got the idea while vacationing on a lesbian cruise.

This project is much bigger than one story. It's everyone's story."Amanda and I are big storytellers," says Joyce, "And we love to share our stories. Surrounded by all these incredible women and hearing what they had to say, we came to really understand the power of storytelling. Originally, I had the idea to share our love story. Then we realized this project is much bigger than one story. It's everyone's story."

After the cruise, the couple got right to work. They put out a call for submissions, but didn't wait for the stories to come in. Instead they hit the Pride festival circuit, at first just to promote the project. They found that when they talked to people face to face, the stories just started pouring out. So they added a video camera to their booth and started recording people's histories on the spot.

The decision to use video instead of just audio was a fortunate one, as the pair began to realize the full possibilities of their history project. "We're thinking about a documentary," notes Amanda, and adds with a laugh, "So now we pay a little more attention to how we tape people." In the meantime, four of the original videos are available as podcasts, with more to come.

When I venture that this has been a lot of work, both women demur. "It's a lot of work but a lot of fun," says Joyce. "And I learned so much about love, and the ability to love so deeply that gender doesn't matter any more. The story in the book of Eveline and Doug really sticks out for me. They were together for 11 years when Deb came out as transgender. They struggled, but they stayed together. Eveline realized she loved the person, whether the person was Deb or Doug."

"I was very affected by Lee and Merlin," adds Amanda. "A gay couple we met in Tucson, who have been together for 38 years. They're still in love with each other. That really gives you hope."

The Cascios plan to keep spreading the hope. The next volume of Dragonfly Stories is slated for June, and the couple anticipates publishing two volumes every year, and expanding into children's books.

"I love this," says Amanda. "I could do this for the next 20 years. We collect stories all the time now. We're bringing the video camera with us on the book tour."

Do you have a story to share?

To tell your story, watch others' stories, or to purchase the book, visit www.rainbowlegends.com.