The Abominable Gayman

There are moments that are painful to read, steeped as we become in Elder Anderson's self-hatred and the constant onslaught of homophobia from his fellow missionaries. In the second half of the book, though, Anderson slowly emerges from the muck of self-pity. He has a companion who genuinely loves him, and before long he begins to love himself. The final story, 'Transfer Cookies,' ends...on a sweet note. The sense of relief as Anderson comes to terms with himself and with God makes the tension of the earlier stories worth it. And if that isn't the pinnacle of Mormon literature, I don't know what is.

- Ben Christensen, A Motley Vision

Told from a believably conversational first-person perspective, this collection's novelistic focus on Anderson's journey to thoughtful self-acceptance allows for greater character development than often seen in short stories, which makes this well-paced work rich and satisfying, and one of Townsend's strongest. An extremely important contribution to the field of Mormon fiction.

- Kirkus Reviews

• Mormon Underwear by Johnny Townsend
  Tales of gay Mormons.
• The Circumcision of God by Johnny Townsend
  Tales of unorthodox Mormons
• God's Gargoyles by Johnny Townsend
  Tales of gay Mormons.
• Sex Among the Saints by Johnny Townsend
  Sex lives of Mormons. A glimpse into the Mormon bedroom.
• Dinosaur Perversions by Johnny Townsend
  Gay Mormon short stories by an important Latter-day Saint writer.
• Zombies for Jesus by Johnny Townsend
  A girl is haunted by Joseph Smith's wife. A timid gay man unleashes his inner beast through a role-playing game. A plastic surgeon accidentally discovers a new life form. God's wives fight for supremacy amongst themselves. Two women switched at birth have to decide to which eternal family they belong. And much more.
• The Gay Mormon Quilter's Club by Johnny Townsend
  Gay Mormons make quilts, get shot, and become prophets.
• The Golem of Rabbi Loew by Johnny Townsend
  The Golem of Prague is really Rabbi Loew's secret lover.
• Mormon Fairy Tales by Johnny Townsend
  Fascinating Mormon folktales with an unorthodox twist.
• Let the Faggots Burn: The UpStairs Lounge Fire by Johnny Townsend
  On Gay Pride Day in 1973, arson in a French Quarter gay bar kills 32.