welcome to callenharty.com

Callen Harty is a writer, public speaker, and activist based in Monona, Wisconsin.


Photo taken for an article in Our Lives Magazine--Photo by Melody Harrison Hanson. Used with permission.

Bio

Media

Other Published Work

Member, Wisconsin Writers Association
Member, Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets
Lifetime Member, Broom Street Theater

LATEST NEWS:

The Dubuque Telegraph Herald published an article on Callen's newest book on September 24. Wisconsin Towns' Claims to Fame Featured in New Book.

Callen's short story, "The Owl Catcher," was accepted for publication by online literary journal, The Bookends Review. However, it won't be published until August of 2024, so no link to share at this time.

On October 3, Callen will be a guest on The Larry Meiller Show on Wisconsin Public Radio to talk about his new book, Signs of Pride: Wisconsin Towns and Their Claims to Fame.

This is the first article about Callen's newest book, Monona Author's Book Explores Wisconsin Towns' Claims to Fame. The company that owns the paper owns a number of newspapers in Wisconsin and around the country, so the article has been reproduced several times in other newspapers.

Signs of Pride: Wisconsin Towns and Their Claims to Fame is now available. Written with a love for the state, the book explores the many towns throughout the state that lay claim as the capital, birthplace, or home of something important and gives background on why Where Wisconsin Began is Mineral Point, why Bloomer is the Jump Rope Capital of the World, and why Lake Tomahawk is the Snowshoe Baseball Capital of the World, among others. It is available on Amazon, Kindle, or through your favorite local bookstore.

Callen received word from a well-known international publication that they would like to publish something he sent to them last fall, likely in November. More details to follow when available.

In July, Callen was was part of an online poetry reading for the Survivor Poetry Reading series. It also included poet Talia Fletcher and host Michael Broussard.

Callen was scheduled to do a Facebook Live reading from his poetry book, Compendium, a few months ago. When it was released he was recovering from an operation for stage 3 colon cancer and was not able to do a release or any readings. However, a few seconds into the reading, Facebook Live ended the session, so he recorded a reading for those who might be interested.

Callen recorded a guest spot on the podcast Unspoken: Conversations with Candace. Candace Sanchez hosts the podcast which features conversations with survivors of sex abuse. In 2023 she is dedicating the entire season to male survivors. The podcast was on audio first and then on YouTube, both during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April.

Callen spoke to Kenosha County's SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) via Zoom on April 19. He shared his story as a survivor of child sex abuse and talked about being a male survivor of sexual assault.

On March 17, Callen was live on Survivor Stories, hosted by Michael Broussard, sharing his story of surviving child sex abuse. The interview can be viewed on his Facebook page.

On March 3, Callen and other founding members of the University of Wisconsin's first campus-wide LGBT group, the Ten Percent Society (now The Pride Society), appeared on a panel with current members of the group discussing the 40th anniversary of the organization.

In February, Callen was interviewed for an oral history as part of the University of Wisconsin's LGBTQ Archive.

Callen's poem, "Neighborhood: St. Louis," was accepted in early January for inclusion in Wingless Dreamers' anthology, My Sanskriti in Teal.

Callen's newest book, Signs of Pride: Wisconsin Towns and Their Claims to Fame, is a look at the how and why of Wisconsin towns' claims to fame.

Buy your copy of Signs of Pride: Wisconsin Towns and Their Claims to Fame on Amazon or through your local bookstore.


Callen's newest books are companion volumes of essays/writings on a variety of topics. Bleeding Heart is a collection of political pieces, including general observations and notes, queer issues, open letters, and race issues.

Buy your copy of Bleeding Heart on Amazon or through your local bookstore.


Callen's newest books are companion volumes of essays/writings on a variety of topics. A Full Heart, is a collection of pieces on topics ranging from nature to war and peace, from health and well-being to life and death, and more.

Buy your copy of A Full Heart on Amazon or through your local bookstore.


Callen's first book of poetry, Compendium, is a collection of about 80 poems covering a variety of subjects and emotions.

Buy your copy of Compendium for only $8.00 ($2.50 for e-book).


"Harty's intensely personal essays were published online at the time, and this collection--coinciding with the uprising's 10-year anniversary--captures the passion behind the history."--Michael Popke, The Isthmus, Dec. 4, 2021.

Callen's book, Breathe Passion: Remembering the Wisconsin Uprising, is a collection of photographs and essays on the tenth anniversary of the Wisconsin Uprising protests against Governor Scott Walker.

Buy your copy of Breathe Passion: Remembering the Wisconsin Uprising, only available on blurb.com.


Callen's play, A Wake, is about an Irish Catholic family that decides to hold an old-fashioned Irish wake for a cousin who was killed when he ran into a cow and the insanity that ensues as a result. The play is an entertaining examination of family, religion, death, and life.

Buy your copy of A Wake on Amazon or order through your local bookstore.


Callen's family history book, The Townsend Brothers of Shullsburg, Wisconsin, is a look at his great-great-grandfather and brothers who were among the earliest settlers in southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois.

Buy your copy of The Townsend Brothers of Shullsburg, Wisconsin on Amazon or order through your local bookstore.


Callen's book, The Stronger Pull, is a memoir on his coming out years in the late 1970s in small-town Wisconsin.

Buy your copy of The Stronger Pull on Amazon or order through your local bookstore.


Callen's play, Invisible Boy, is an autobiographical play on surviving child sex abuse, finding oneself, and finding forgiveness.

Buy your copy of Invisible Boy on Amazon or order through your local bookstore.


"Written simply and with shattering honesty, Empty Playground is a compelling read, and surprisingly uplifting."--Bill Lueders, The Isthmus, Jan. 21, 2016.

Callen's second book is Empty Playground: A Survivor's Story. It is a true story of surviving childhood sex abuse in a small town in southwestern Wisconsin. Foreword by Dr. David Lisak.

Buy your copy of Empty Playground: A Survivor's Story on Amazon or order through your local bookstore.


Callen's first book is My Queer Life, a collection of essays, poems, scenes from plays, speeches, and other writings detailing more than thirty years as a queer community activist.

Buy your copy of My Queer Life on Amazon or order through your local bookstore.


Follow:


Callen's blog, A Single Bluebird, averages more than 10,000 views a year. There are over 380 posts on a variety of subjects, most recently one on discovering classical music for the first time and one on dying and living. Go to Callen's Blog, A Single Bluebird

Over 830 others are following or have liked Callen's Facebook author page. Visit Callen Harty, Author

On Goodreads you can follow him at Callen's Goodreads author page

Callen is no longer on Twitter.

If you are a Kindle Unlimited user you can read all of his books except Invisible Boy, A Wake, and Breathe Passion: Remembering the Wisconsin Uprising free of charge on Kindle.
You can also support local businesses by ordering all of his books except Breathe Passion: Remembering the Wisconsin Uprising (only available though blurb.com) through your favorite bookstore.


At a reading at Milwaukee PrideFest. Photo by Brian Wild. Click on the photo above to go to Callen's biography page.



Holding a copy of the play Invisible Boy. Click on the photo above to go to Callen's media page for articles and interviews.



At a reading at Second Chance Coffee in Shullsburg, Wisconsin. Click on the photo above to go to Callen's other work page for essays, articles, poems, photos, and other published work.


For book readings/signings, speaking engagements, or for any other reason, Callen may be contacted at the e-mail below.

To view/purchase some of Callen's photography, check out his page on FineArtAmerica. Sell Art Online


All material on this and other web pages within this website are copyright 2006-23, Callen Harty. For further information, please contact charty@tds.net.

Site last updated 9/24/23