Franny, the Queen of Provincetown

“Tough yet sensitive, Franny is a tribute to those who have helped so many in the current generation of gay men and women escape the prison of individual isolation.”—Library Journal

In Franny, the Queen of Provincetown, John Preston created one of his most memorable characters from among the more than 30 books he authored or edited over his storied career. Franny is a proud, protective friend to the gay men of Provincetown, Massachusetts, as they fight their battles against self-hatred and ostracism. Haunted by the loss of his first love, Franny vows never to let fear and anger consume those who are treated differently for who they are. It’s Franny’s goal to ensure that there is a place in the world for everyone who feels they do not belong.

First published to wide acclaim in 1983, Franny was a book of gay heroism and camaraderie in the shadow of the burgeoning AIDS crisis. Today, one can read Franny with a sense of nostalgia and with the knowledge that Franny’s dreams of a society that accepts gays and lesbians without question is closer to fruition, but far from complete.

This edition features an appendix of supplementary materials about Franny and the author, as well as an introduction by Michael Lowenthal, the novelist and anthologist and author of two books, including the Lambda Award-nominated Avoidance.

Little Sister’s Classics is an Arsenal Pulp Press imprint dedicated to reviving lost and out-of-print gay and lesbian classic books, both fiction and nonfiction. The series is produced in conjunction with Little Sister’s Books, the heroic gay Vancouver bookstore well-known for its anti-censorship efforts.

John Preston was the author or editor of more than 30 books during his 20-year writing career. His books include Mr. Benson, The Big Gay Book, Hometown, and Flesh and the Word volumes 1, 2, and 3 (as editor). He died of AIDS-related complications in 1994.