"This is the first time anyone has ever done anything like this" says Michael Nava, author and winner of five Lambda Literary Awards. "It's a powerhouse lineup, bringing together some astonishing talent and people who I have read and respected for many years as well as some wonderful new writers."  

Ann Bannon, often called "The Queen of Lesbian Pulp Fiction" for her landmark Beebo Brinker Chronicles, and Victor J. Banis, the critically acclaimed author of more than 150 published books, will kick off the Passing On The Pen literary series on March 25th.  

From March through December, the two organizations will present monthly events pairing authors from the early days of the GLBT movement with current day storytellers. Each event will be held in the gallery of the GLBT Historical society from 6:30 to 8:30, and will be free of charge and open to the public.  

"In the early days of the GLBT community, our literature helped our community find its voice," says Paul Boneberg, the Executive Director of the GLBTHS. "Now it's helping us chart our future."  

For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.glbthistory.org/news/POTP_Release_022108.html. 

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Transgender Historical Society (GLBTHS) collects, preserves, and interprets the history of GLBT people and the communities that support them. For more information, visit www.glbthistory.org.  

The Lambda Literary Foundation is the country's leading organization for LGBT literature. Its mission is to celebrate LGBT literature and provide resources for writers, readers, booksellers, publishers, and librarians. For more information, visit www.lambdaliterary.org.