RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
Write what you know.
That’s probably the cornerstone of advice for all writers, and that’s exactly what Don Scarborough did for his first published book. His novel, based on his own real-life experiences, centers on Mitch, who visits the remote gay site Camp Willowswish where he goes through his own journey of self-acceptance, a journey that includes him entering a drag pageant.
“I visited the real camp throughout the ’90s, and it was an exclusive thing back then,” the Dallas-based author told Dallas Voice this week. “You had to be invited, and it was in this remote space at Lake Murray in Oklahoma. And it was held on the same weekend as the Miss America pageant, so this pageant in the woods was a parody of that.
“But these contestants were so brilliant.”
He promises that the contestants back then weren’t drag queens professionally, but they did make every effort to create a full character behind their dress and heels.
Scarborough kept the name of the camp for his title but moved the location to East Texas.
The author describes the book, Camp Willowswish, as funny and poignant. But underneath the random drag contest, the main character also has to face his own personal demons
Thankfully, he has help from his pageant competition, including Mimi Goodhead, Missie Sippie and Bunny Slope.
Recalling his own good times at the camp, Scarborough added dimension to the story through Mitch’s guilt and fear.
“The character was ashamed of not sticking up for another kid in school who was bullied for being gay,” Scarborough explained. “So, mixed in with the fun atmosphere, there’s that guilt that’s gotten piled up over the years and the fear of coming out himself after seeing what happened to his friend.”
Scarborough will talk about the book at length at the Oak Lawn Library Friends Author’s Talk on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 1 p.m. — an event a year in the making.
“I met a guy last year on New Year’s who was on the board of the Friends, and we started talking about the book, and it went from there,” Scarborough said.
At the talk, Scarborough will discuss his first book with a moderator and have a Q&A with the audience. Books will also be available for purchase.
As for Camp Willowswish, it’s still going and hardly the secret it once was. The camp has a website (Willowswish.org), is on social media and hosts two camping events a year.
From its website: This gay event has been going on for more than 55 years. It was started, we believe, in 1969 by a group of friends, part of whom lived in OKC and Dallas [who would] meet at the lake to party. It was relatively quiet in the ’70s, then grew in the ’80s and exploded in the ’90s with the popularity of the internet.
The site says the event — while predominantly gay men — welcomes all genders and orientations to the fun. Just follow the rules.
Admission to the Author’s Talk is free. Copies of Camp Willowswish are also available for purchase on Amazon.