SEATTLE, WA — For readers seeking a transformative, soul-baring exploration of identity, queerness, and faith, Bill Hulseman’s debut essay collection, six to carry the casket and one to say the mass, is a must-read. Releasing on July 8, 2025, this powerful book invites readers into the deeply personal and culturally resonant journey of a queer man raised Catholic—and the spiritual reckoning that follows.
Blending memoir and meditation, Hulseman examines how the identities we inherit—from religion, family, and culture—both define and constrain us. His essays navigate the complexities of growing up gay in a devout Catholic household, teaching religion in Catholic schools, and seeking authenticity in a world that often demands silence. What emerges is a tender, courageous reflection on belonging and transformation.
Bill Hulseman, a writer and ritual designer based in Seattle, writes from the intersection of personal pain and spiritual insight. As the youngest of ten children in a deeply religious family, Hulseman recalls his early life as one lived on the periphery—“an ornament” in his own story. His lived experience becomes the foundation for essays that are equal parts confessional and contemplative.
“Sometimes the safest-looking spaces are the ones asking you to be small,” Hulseman notes. “That’s not safety—it’s erasure.”
In six to carry the casket and one to say the mass, Hulseman doesn’t simply reject tradition—he reframes it. With essays that explore everything from Catholic liturgy and religious education to Madonna’s “Ray of Light” and the quiet rebellion of queer joy, he offers a new way of holding faith: with curiosity, creativity, and care. His message is clear—we are not confined to the roles we were given. We can choose what to keep and what to let go.
This collection speaks directly to anyone who has ever felt out of place in their own community or questioned the stories handed down to them. Readers will find inspiration in Hulseman’s ability to hold tension without bitterness and to pursue reconciliation with honesty and hope.
Hulseman’s thematic structure walks readers through key phases of identity: formation, suppression, questioning, and renewal. The final section of the book turns toward Pride—not as a spectacle, but as an act of spiritual clarity and resistance. Through his essays, he reminds us that living truthfully is both a sacred and political act.
With a voice reminiscent of memoirists like Garrard Conley and Alexander Chee, Hulseman invites readers into moments of vulnerability that are at once personal and universal. His reflections offer comfort to those on the margins and challenge to those in the center. This is not a manifesto—it’s an open invitation.
Advanced praise highlights the book’s power to create space for reflection and dialogue. Readers are encouraged to see themselves anew, to question the systems they were raised in, and to find the divine in their own becoming.
Published by Peanut Butter Publishing, six to carry the casket and one to say the mass is available for pre-order in hardcover through Amazon, Pathway, Allstora, Barnes & Noble, or your local independent bookstore. Reviewers and booksellers can request advanced copies on NetGalley.
