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37 ratings | 35 reviews | avg rating:4.65

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Neil Ellis Orts

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August 2008

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Neil Ellis Orts The germ of Cary & John came to me decades ago, probably before I was even out to myself as a gay man. One of the advice letters (Ann or Abby, I don't…moreThe germ of Cary & John came to me decades ago, probably before I was even out to myself as a gay man. One of the advice letters (Ann or Abby, I don't recall which or maybe if there was even another) ran a letter from an older man who was writing just to express his secret grief. It seems many years earlier, he'd been on a business trip with a co-worker. During that trip, sharing hotel rooms and whatnot, they fell in love. I don't recall the details, exactly, but I believe they were both married and kept their love affair a secret for a long time. One of them had died and the other didn't have a way to grieve in a public way. I was probably morally appalled at the affair, but the image of this sad, lonely man, writing an advice column just to so someone knew of his grief touched me.

Then a few years ago, something or other spurred an image of a conservative woman learning of her deceased father's homosexuality. It came to me as a very strong image and I knew it was the start of a story. It took me a while to find the details (how did she find out? what would a dead man would leave behind to reveal this?), but eventually, I just started writing letters between these men.

There's always more to the start of a story than what I described above, but that's the broad strokes of its genesis. (less)

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Neil Ellis Orts Depends upon what you mean by "writer's block."

If it means sitting in front of a blank sheet of paper or computer screen without knowing what to writ…moreDepends upon what you mean by "writer's block."

If it means sitting in front of a blank sheet of paper or computer screen without knowing what to write, I can't say I have that problem.

What I experience more are periods when the writing stinks, when I can't seem to write much of anything that I would ever want to show anyone. That feels like a block to me.

And the only way to deal with it? Keep writing. (less)

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Neil Ellis Orts’s books

Average rating: 4.36 · 66 ratings · 18 reviews · 16 distinct works

	Charmed Lives: Gay Spirit in Storytelling by Andrew Ramer (Editor/Contributor), Sterling Houston, Bill Blackburn 4.14 avg rating — 29 ratings — published 2006 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sky Songs II: Spiritual SF by Steve Stanton (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Cherith Baldry (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Andrew M. Seddon (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.70 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2005	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	cary and john really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Able To... it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2006	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hidden Gifts it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2004	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Watch And Pray 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 1996	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Thirty-six Echoes 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2006	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cary and John 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cary and John 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Body of grace 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Neil Orts rated a book it was amazing The Anatomy of Art: Unlocking the Creative Process for Theater and Dance by Alexandra Beller	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
For the experienced maker, many of these pages might feel like reminders of what we already know. It felt like conversations I've had with friends where we've said things like, "I know you know this, but maybe it's time to hear it again from outside ...more
Sep 20, 2026 07:17PM · like · see review