Coming Soon from Award-Winning Publisher
When I was twenty-seven, at the height of AIDS. they gave me six months to a year to live. As I am about to turn sixty-five, I can’t think of a better way to honor those on the other side of the veil than to follow my path and tell my story. We will not be erased.
My Story
On May 25th, 1976, in St. Louis, Missouri, a postal employee fell down an elevator shaft on his way to work and perished. That day, his closeted fifteen-year-old son’s mind shattered. The shadow known as Elevator Boy was born out of a necessity to survive the tragedy. Pity was his sworn enemy, and rejecting it became his ultimate survival skill. Wearing shields of protective armor, like cool hair in the '70s or muscles in the face of AIDS, the shadow would fight anyone or anything that looked like sad-eyed condolences.
David M. Stern’s autobiographical account takes readers into another world with openness, candor, and raw honesty. Elevator Boy guides the audience through the author’s early trauma, the streets of Hollywood in the '70s, and the era of AIDS when print media thrived and local LGBTQ+ activists paved the way for the rights we have today—rights that are once again at risk.
The spiritual adventure of a runaway who transformed himself into the publisher of the once-leading LGBTQ+ publications, Frontiers and IN Los Angeles magazines, contains life lessons, pearls of insight, and delightful accounts of a rich and inspiring journey.
David M. Stern spent over 25 years building platforms for the LGBTQ+ community. He co-founded IN Publications, which acquired its competitor, Frontiers Media, the publisher of Frontiers magazine and the Gay and Lesbian Yellow Pages, and also created an events division that organized the first Lesbian and Gay Wedding Expo.
Mr. Stern founded the Frontiers Awareness and Education Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to training the next generation of LGBTQ+ media professionals and their allies.
He is also the author of the children’s book The Tailor’s Gift: A Holiday Tale for Everyone. Above all else, Mr. Stern considers himself to have the soul of a poet.
Photo credit: ClaesLiljaPhotography.com
This cover art was graciously painted by mixed-media artist Ruben Dario, now living in Los Angeles. His artistic journey began in Venezuela at the tender age of five when he started using lines, colors, and textures to express emotions, share his struggles, and explore his identity. Growing up in a conservative society with limited resources, Ruben found art to be his escape, transforming challenges into a powerful visual language that resonates deeply with others.
In the process of creating the cover art, Ruben discovered that the author presents his life’s journey through three distinct inner characters. These shadows are written with such clarity that they feel like separate individuals, each representing a different aspect of the psyche. This painting represents how fragments come together to create the whole.
Photo Credit: ClaesLiljaPhotography.com
Early Reviews
“Not many gay runaways can boast a transformation as remarkable as David M Stern. Told with such honesty, David’s journey from a traumatically scarred Hollywood Boulevard hustler to respected publisher in a sea of sharks is both gut-wrenching and uplifting. All the while, his heart of gold guided and delivered him to tell his unbelievable story.” Louie Mandrapilias, author of Flew Too High“
"This book is about a period of LGBTQ+ history that is vitally significant to all of us. David tells the story from a unique perspective with all the humanity intact and gleaming.”
Don Kilhefner, LGBTQ+ rights activist, Jungian psychologist.
"Your style is like a word song where you take us through a time in our community that was as magical as it was painful." Sam Smith, former Chairman of the Board, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
"I love how the stories are connected to songs. I see this as a teaching tool for runaway youth to help them feel less alone. I can imagine you leading discussions about this at gay youth centers. Bravo!"
Dan Allen-Rowse - author of Foreign to Me
"Your book arrived in my hands at precisely the right time in my life. It is not only eminently readable and entertaining but also compelling and transporting for me. You are a master. All people need this book. I can’t put it down."
John P. - A husband dealing with the trauma of Alzheimers
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