Meet Greg Hudson, the published novelist, author, and established photographer
Greg Hudson was born in the Ozark area in the state of Missouri, USA. His father’s family lived there. His mother was from Southern Ohio. Shortly after Greg’s birth, his parents moved the family back to Ohio for a job opportunity. He was the middle child with an older brother and a younger sister. They all grew up in the Appalachian area of Southern Ohio in the USA. You can say that he is a double-grade hillbilly, born in the Ozarks and raised in the Appalachian Mountains along the Ohio River.
His mother died when Greg was a senior in high school. His older brother had already moved out by then. Greg suddenly realised that his life was about to change. His plans for his future were put on hold because, with his dad working full-time at a warehouse, there was no one available to keep watch over his 12-year-old younger sister. Greg decided not to go away for college and take some classes locally. During his junior and senior years, Greg worked part-time at a restaurant to help bring in more money for the household.
Greg knew he was “different ” from an early age. His first memories of being attracted to the same sex go back to his 3rd grade class. The principal was a large, bearded man, and he always caught my attention. Then Greg realised that he loved watching bearded men on TV. It was an old black-and-white TV with limited channels, only three to choose from. He knew he was different, but he also knew he had to keep it a secret, for now. As he worked part-time at the restaurant in his high-school days, he was sent to another location in a neighbouring town to help train new employees. It was there that he met and worked with my future husband, Dean. They became friends very quickly and were unaware of each other’s secret crush for each other.
As life goes on, days turn into years, and they lost track of each other. Although they were the same age, they went to different schools. It wasn’t until seven years later that Dean saw Greg at a department store and started up a conversation. They have both grown up, we were mature, Greg had a well-kept beard, Dean only had a moustache at the time. Dean said, “We should catch and talk more.” This was his way of inviting Greg to his apartment. Greg said, “Sure, what are you doing when you leave here?” An hour later, they ended up at Dean’s apartment, only 2 blocks away from where they first met while working together at the restaurant, seven years earlier.
Well, one thing led to another, and they ended up getting naked together. That was the beginning of what is now a 36-year relationship. Once gay marriage was legal, they legally got married in 2015 outside on the Big Island of Hawaii with a group of friends and family in attendance. Within these years, they have started businesses, travelled the world, bought rental home properties, and tried their best to make life happen in a peaceful and loving journey. Years ago, they tried to purchase homes in Hawaii multiple times, but each time they failed, not by our fault. The seller backs out of the deal. That’s when we looked at properties in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean. Once they decided to make an offer on a seaside home, it was accepted by the seller, and the closing of the sale went very smoothly. Who would have figured, two hillbilly bears from Appalachia, in the Caribbean? They kept our home in Ohio and travelled back and forth between locations.
Luka Musicki (L.M.): So, welcome to the interview, Gregory (or do you prefer Greg)? And you are also known as G Hud on Amazon, and Gregory S Hudson, so do you go by various names in your authorship, or was this a good pick up from me?
Greg Hudson (G.H.): I go by Greg. Gregory is my birth name, and I only heard that name when I was growing up and getting in trouble. Lol, I got in trouble a lot!!!
L.M.: So tell us about your life growing up in the queer community and bear community, including in the USA and the Caribbean? Are they both friendly to visit and grow in, or are you in good company?
G.H.: I grew up in part of the Bible belt of the USA. Once Dean and I got together, I came out to my brother and sister. Both of them received the news very well. I never officially came out to my dad openly. However, I invited him to our wedding in Hawaii. He declined because of health reasons and travelling. He welcomed Dean to the family and gave him a kiss and a hug.
I first learned of the bear community in the early 90s during a trip to Columbus, Ohio, 2 ½ hours away. We went bar hopping and ended up at a leather/bear bar where we felt right at home. That was our first experience with the bear community. The presence of an organised bear community in the tri-state area of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, was still lacking.
The main gay bar in Huntington, West Virginia, was called The Driftwood Lounge. Complete with drag shows every weekend, pool tables, and other entertainment. This was my first experience with the gay bar life. Although it was the area’s only means of “community”, I only went out for special occasions.
As a young adult back then (I’m 62 now), it was always a fun and happy atmosphere to be in.
Now that I also live part-time in the Caribbean, we have made some wonderful gay AND straight friends in Puerto Rico. We have our annual friends/bear beach day every year.
Over the years, the ingredients of my and Dean’s relationship have changed. Our love and commitment are as strong as they ever were. However, we have opened our relationship to others. I have a very special second husband whom I love very much. He is a Puerto Rican bear and has joined our family. This is not a triad. His first name is Angel, and he is now part of our family. The Local Caribbean family of friends are all amazing people.
L.M.: So you are the author, writer and illustrator of Gregory Hudson Books, and you have published over 400 titles. When did you decide to write books (early age or later on)? What are your best sellers? What type of books do you write/produce? And how much time do you spend on a book (on average)?
G.H.: In School beginning in 5th grade, I excelled in English class. I would always write short stories for extra credit. That writing gave me a hidden spark that ignited a few years later when I was the lead vocalist/screamer for a thrash/punk/metal band. I wrote most of the song lyrics for the band. All together, we had 35 original songs.
A record label in LA signed us to release a studio album and to have 2 different singles on compilation albums that featured bands from around the world.
This was when Dean and I became reacquainted with each other. At this time, I had a long-haired punk-style appearance.
The spark of writing never left me. It was 30 years later when I wrote my first book, released in 2016. Through My Eyes is a motivational book featuring the photography I have taken around the world. Each picture includes a short story or a motivational quote.
After that, I wrote my first novel, Sole to Soul. A different twist to a cold case murder mystery, and includes two timelines of a family tree, merging together to reveal secrets of the family. Sole to Soul and my other novels are released through my publisher in London, England. My next novel is Running on Empty, a psychological thriller featuring the story of a serial killer family and their line of victims spanning over 50 years. All of my novels are in paperback, e-book, and Audible formats.
The main story in Running on Empty is about two of the victims, years apart, who got away and escaped their tormentors. Fate brings them together for them to realise they need to end their psychological suffering and seek out the serial killers who ruined their lives. So, the quest helps bring karma to the serial killers in the most unexpected way.
All of my novels include gay characters and bear men characters. I’m currently writing a dark comedy called White Rash.
(Sounds like White Trash) The first chapter explains why it is called White Rash. Although it is about an albino white trash family whose last name is WHITE, living in a white Trash neighborhood of Staten Island NY. A neighbourhood where every household has plenty of dee,p dark secrets behind closed doors. Including the Bear couple across the street.
Each novel takes me about two years to write. I always have at least five different book projects going on at the same time.
My novels go by my legal name, Gregory S Hudson. My publisher contract has rights to that name, and I am not allowed to use my legal name on any other book releases.
That’s why I have released hundreds of Gag Gift Books as Greg Hudson or G Hud Gag Gift Books. These books all have embarrassingly funny covers and titles. Diaries, Cookbooks, Adult couples sex coupons, Contact information books, Adult Colouring Books featuring bear men, Adult Story Books featuring full colour pages of bear men and other adult situations. Some books are just notebooks with silly titles like 101 ways to wipe your butt. There are currently over 400 Gag gift books in all. All created within the past ten years, with more on the way. My morbid twisted mind just won’t stop, thus emerges the creative side of me and I must go on.
L.M.: Sticking with the topic of books, do you do all of the artwork for all of your book covers and interior pages, other than the publishing of books?
G.H.: Aside from my novels, I create all of my book covers and interior graphics, full colour pages, and artwork for every book. The Adult Story books by Greg Hudson are especially fun to create. Each book is over 100 pages. So far, there are 8 different Adult Story Books. Collectively, they are 912 full-colour pages of funny, ironic, dark humour.
L.M.: Have you done any author collaboration with other publishers, illustrators or authors? If so, whom? If not, whom do you want to collaborate with? Maybe we can do some shenanigans together, haha, right?
G.H.: I’m always open for shenanigans. It definitely fits with my sense of humour.
I have collaborated with other authors for a book idea I had titled WORST BOOK EVER. It contains several short stories submitted by other authors. They are very creative stories. The reason for the title, WORST BOOK EVER, is that tucked between each short story is a factual statement about some of the worst things in history.
L.M.: So tell us about your new novel that you are currently writing – White Rash?
G.H.: White Rash is about a family with four albino children, ages 11-14. The youngest, at age 11, is a girl along with her 4 oldest brothers. A chemical reaction to some hair dye at the salon Sandy, the mother, worked at while pregnant with her first child, caused her newborn baby to be born as an albino child. The following 3 kids were also born albino.
Once they were tested and examined by the local health department, the government set up monthly checks on the family to make sure that this albino “Rash” is not contagious. It turns out the government agent in charge thinks that any and every offspring from these four children could all be Albino, altering the family tree and the distant future of the human race.
There are plenty of other secrets within the family, along with some VERY illegal activities. This dark comedy is something like nothing I’ve written before. I printed over 30 pages of notes to build characters, plots, and weird twists within the story.
L.M.: Other than your writing and publishing books, you do photography as well, under the name Gregory Hudson Photography, and this is linked to your education from the New York Institute of Photography? What was this an early passion, and then you did writing/publishing of books, or vice versa?
G.H.: After the death of my mother in 1981, we realised that we didn’t have very many pictures of her because SHE was the one always taking the pictures. She was never in the pictures. We found 12 pictures of her. That was it. Upon realising the importance of how families need to have pictures of their loved ones, I started photography and bought a few cameras to teach myself experimental photography. Later, a few years later, I went to the New York Institute of Photography to get a better grasp on techniques and the art of photography.
Now, in my spare time, I photograph weddings, gay couples, and Bear photography in dramatic black and white shots.
L.M.: And in the late 1990s-2010s, you were a music producer to help LGBTIQA+ artists receive more promotion. Why do you do this (what was the motivation to begin)?
G.H.: In my early years in the Thrash Metal band, Torn Flesh, I learned the importance of self-promotion within the music field. Promotion is EVERYTHING!! No matter how good or bad you are, there is always a following for your music style, somewhere in the world. Once the band broke up. Mainly due to life changes, one member got married and moved away, another went into the armed services, I started thinking of ways to help musicians within the LGBT community receive more exposure for their talents. It started with putting together professional compilation CDs of songs from Bear bands/artists. This was all happening when CDs were starting to go out, and streaming was moving in.
Artists such as Kendall, Freddy Freeman, Tommy John’s, and Andy Northrup were part of the lineup of dozens of musical artists. Woobie Bear Music released 4 BEAR TRACKS CDS as well as other CD series promoting all other LGBT musicians from around the world. CD release parties occurred in London, Paris, Toronto, Nashville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Seattle, Anchorage, Alaska and Honolulu, Hawaii. Once the streaming format caught on, Woobie Bear Music quit releasing CDs and focused on promoting the streaming version of the music already released. I helped promote other new releases from artists as they self-produced and released their own music.
L.M.: And you are the owner of Woobie Bear Music, and you have released compilation music CDs from various bear musicians from around the world. And you have released approximately 14 CD albums. Wow, that is amazing. So, how did you get into the music industry and how did you find bear musicians? Did you know them personally, and are you open to additional suggestions, like Skatebard (Norway DJ musician) and Teddy Swims (USA)?
G.H.: I eventually discontinued Woobie Bear Music as it was beginning to take up so much of my time. In the beginning, I knew some of the artists personally. Once word got out about this Gay Bear label, it snowballed and grew on its own.
L.M.: So you live in both Puerto Rico (Caribbean) and in Southern Ohio (USA). What prompted this decision to live in both locations? What are the benefits, and where do you spend most of your time living in – does it depend on your writing mood or enjoying the sunny weather? And on various sources, it says that you are a novelist for Austin Macauley Publishers in London (England, UK), so do you do a lot of traveling or do you have good publisher book deals?
G.H.: I spend most of my winter months in the Caribbean because the sunshine and fresh sea salt air are very healthy for my imagination. I’m also there a few weeks at a time during the late summer and early fall seasons.
I have done several book signing events for my publisher. Mostly in the states. Ironically, most of my novel book sales has been within the United Kingdom and Japan.
My book deals with the cost of the events, including promotional posters and backdrops. On a side note, the contract is very strict. Since I represent my publisher and they practically own my author name, I need to behave when I’m online. This includes not sharing full frontal nude pictures or dick pics with anyone or anywhere. I can always send out a teaser, just not too revealing. Lol.
L.M.: You have a nice, long Santa Claus beard in a nice polar colour and shape. When did you decide to grow a beard? Do you love your Santa Claus-like beard, and how do you maintain your beard in nice condition? Do you get recognised more as Santa Claus or as the author of Gregory Hudson books?
G.H.: I rarely get recognised as a prolific author or book creator. I’m actually happy about that. I can comfortably live my life in the open. However, I definitely get attention because of my Santa type appearance. During the Holiday season I enjoy wearing a Santa hat. Children smile and ask me questions. I allow them to live in their imaginary world that they just spoke to Santa Claus its just me, it’s my beard, my personality and my desire to help people smile and enjoy life. I’ve had a full beard for over 20 years. Before that, I had a short stubby beard. Once it turned white, a trait I received from my father, I decided to let it grow into a full beard.
Grooming seems easy, I keep it washed and hydrated. I have tried several brands of oils but still haven’t discovered a favourite. For me, keeping it clean and brushed keeps it full and alive
L.M.: When I was doing research by Googling you (with “Gregory Hudson” typed in only), you can imagine that you have a few people with the same name as you. So, you are Gregory S. Hudson, and there is Gregory L. Hudson. There is a British Gregory Hudson who is a bodybuilder, marathon runner, Vegetarian and Gay. There is a Chicago man, Gregory W Hudson, from Chicago wanted by police, and another in Queensland (Australia). And Gregory William Hudson, who is an American college football coach and former player. Do you get confused by someone else with a name similar to other people with the same name?
G.H.: Locally, in Ohio, there is a paediatrician baby doctor with my same name. I used to get calls all the time from his patients asking me to come to them to deliver their baby. If they only knew that there is no way in HELL am I going anywhere near the place that babies are born. Lol
L.M.: So you have a dog that I can see from some of your posts, right? What is the gender, name and special connection to the dog?
G.H.: Barkley is a 14-year-old rat-terrier. He is Terrier #4. I had one named Sarge to live to be 21 years old. Dogs have always been special in my life. They are family. Barkley travels with us everywhere we go. He is specifically trained for airline travel and proper etiquette.
L.M.: What do you do for hobbies and fun and travelling, other than your busy schedule with writing?
G.H.: I love hiking and enjoying nature. I enjoy swimming and snorkelling as well as taking random pictures of people, places, and silly things. I’m 6ft 1 inch and 285 pounds. I love eating different foods. I don’t have any strong dislikes of food. I enjoy it all.
L.M.: Would you say being a bear has helped or hindered your career? Is your audience primarily bear for work and life?
G.H.: Being a big man, a bear man, my body is also extremely hairy. I have never felt Ike someone felt intimidating around me. I try to set a happy atmosphere wherever I go. If anything, it has helped my career. I love meeting new people. I can talk and talk and talk. Most importantly, I also listen.
L.M.: Is there any advice that you would give someone (like a bear) who would be interested in the writing industry, production/ownership of a business, or looking into moving to the Caribbean, and what is involved?
G.H.: Anyone with ideas for a future in writing or any other artistic notion should just let it happen. Write that story, sing that song, go on that trip. Don’t be that person who wakes up 30 years from now and looks back thinking “I wish I did this” or “If only I did that”.
Don’t worry about defeat. If you’re doing something you enjoy, you are a winner no matter what the world says. You do you. You be you. You are an original.
L.M.: What are your career goals for the future?
G.H.: Actually, I’ve already surpassed my wildest dreams and my most anticipated goals. I’m happy with that. It definitely isn’t stopping me from doing what I love doing. My mind always comes up with new book ideas. Oftentimes, I wish I had 48-hour days just so I can outrun my mind’s ideas. I have an app on my phone where I keep my thoughts and notes on new book ideas. I know it sounds crazy, but I know I will never stop creating books because it is a passion that I hold dearly.
No matter how funny, crazy, or sick-minded a book may be. I can always look back on it with pride because even though it may not be something for you, there is someone out there that will enjoy it.
L.M.: Is there anything else that you would like to add that I have missed, or you would like to say to our audience?
G.H.: Always allow yourself to be the person you are. Don’t give up on your passions. Don’t seek acceptance from the wrong places.
L.M.: Thanks, Greg, for your time to answer the main questions of the interview. Now it is time for the quick-fire questions.
- What type of animal would identify with (and if a bear, what type?) I’m an evolving Bear. I’m currently a big, happy Grizzly bear evolving into a chilled, big white polar bear that loves cuddles and an occasional afternoon nap.
- Location: Boqueron, Puerto Rico
- Pronouns: He, Him, His
- Relationship status: Married/Open
- Favourite Drink: A winter drink would be a hot chocolate with a splash of rum and cinnamon mixer, a summer drink is anything fruity, colourful, and extra alcoholic. I’m a girly drink drunk. Don’t forget the tiny umbrella.
- What type of guy are you into? I’m into big bearded bear men. It has always been my main attraction.
- Favourite Cities/Vacation Spots: Paris, France, is my favourite European city. I love Maui, Hawaii, and now I call the Caribbean my home. I’ve been here for 10 years now.
- Favourite Hobby or Pastime: Hiking, Rollercoasters, attending music concerts and local festivals. Travelling and meeting new people
- Idea of a good date? Hmm, it has to be fun, not boring. It needs to include a conversation 50/50 on both sides. Then we go from there.
- What do you look for in a guy? First is the personality. Aside from the physical attraction. The personality is a strong start.
- Where can you find yourself?
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greg.hudson.greghudson
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gregoryhudsonbooks/
- Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/Gregory.S.Hudson
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B0BR421KY1/allbooks
- X/Twitter: @HudsonAuthorS over 20,000 followers
Support Bear World Magazine – Donations and Subscriptions:
It was great, folks, interviewing Tom, and we appreciate his humbleness and polite responses. If you loved reading this article, and you want to help keep the magazine going, please donate to us with a monthly donation, click here Support Bear World Magazine – Bear World Magazine. And subscribe as well.
