Ray Christian-Dickens
Portfolio
Positions of Power
Fiction: Queer Melodrama Novella
Published in the Scarlet Leaf Review 11/12/2019
It's 1976. After a month apart, Leo and Danny meet at their local diner to reminisce over the hell that's been their five year relationship.
Crown of Blooms
Fiction: Queer coming of age
Coming Soon
Kayden Moses has worked for 15 years to be a good pastor’s son. He’s volunteered at every Vacation Bible School, gone to every bible study, and tried to follow the example of his spiritually gifted twin sister, Delilah. However, all his diligent efforts are disrupted when he meets the biggest stumbling block of his life: Alex. He’s the new boy in youth group, bubbly and opinionated and dizzyingly nice to look at. Suddenly, Kayden finds himself caught in a spiral of confusion and asking questions he’s never asked before. Who is Kayden Moses? Because he’s certainly not a good pastor’s son anymore.
The Diva Cup Disaster
Live Non-Fiction Story
Ray gets a call from a co-worker, not an intimate friend, who is freaking out because she has a diva cup stuck in her vagina. Ray pulls it out and feels proud.
Bring Gloves
Non-Fiction Audio Drama
One stubborn, little DivaCup is all that stands in the way of life, liberty, and the pursuit of queerness. Ray Christian-Dickens tells their story of breaking free of the Bible Belt.
This story contains sexual situations and references to homophobia, please take care while listening.
What's Ray Saying
Podcast Show Notes
What's Ray Saying? is a black history podcast hosted by PHD historian, war veteran, Fulbright scholar, and decorated storyteller Dr. Raymond Christian. New episodes coming in 2023!
Black Snake Moan: A Critical Watch
Media Analysis
“Everything is hotter down south” is the tagline for the 2006 film Black Snake Moan. Its poster depicts a disgruntled Samuel L. Jackson holding a petite, young, half-naked white woman on a chain as she kneels like a dog at his feet(IMDB). In the film, recently heartbroken Lazarus(Samuel L. Jackson) finds town whore Rae(Christina Ricci) beaten on the ground and takes her in, eventually chaining her to the radiator in an attempt to cure her ailments...
Women, Death, and Decay: The Work of Hozier as Understood by Deleuze
Media Analysis
An Irishman born to a blues musician, Andrew Hozier-Byrne made a dramatic debut onto the mainstream music scene in 2013 with his song Take Me To Church, an exploration of sex and eroticism co-opting the language of religion (Erhlich). A straight, able-bodied, white, man, it may be jarring to call his work revolutionary. However, I am going to argue that Hozier’s work reaches the level of artistic rebellion, specifically as it relates to Deleuze’s views on literature...
Noble Soul
Non-Fiction Journalism
It’s just past three at Noble Kava Boone, a spacious lounge nestled under an apartment complex, next to a vape shop, just a ten-minute walk from Appalachian State University's campus. Despite the low lighting, the place is bright with sunlight filtered in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. The walls are decorated with souvenirs from the pacific islands, masks, small statues, an ancient weapon used to pop the heads off of enemies during battle...