Peter Schutes

Peter Schutes (1896–1981) was the nom de plume of a prolific and acclaimed novelist and the fictionalized subject of The Autobiography of Peter Schutes. A gay historical figure with a rich and unconventional backstory, Peter Schutes was born in the United States in 1896. After a brief period of study at Harvard University, he enlisted and fought in World War I. Following the war, he was incarcerated at Napa State Mental Hospital because of his homosexuality. After his release, Peter came to Hollywood, where he worked as a hustler. Arrested for drug dealing, he escaped and fled to Kentucky. There, he worked in a coal mine, where he met his first great love. Following the death of his lover, Peter retired to a bunkhouse in Montana. There, he discovered an old typewriter and began exploring his fantasies through writing. As laws and social attitudes changed, Peter was eventually able to publish his gay pulp fiction in Denmark and later in the United States. He ultimately returned to Los Angeles, where he spent his final years as the city became increasingly accepting of gay life and culture. Peter Schutes died in Santa Monica, California, in 1981, at the age of 85. Under the name Peter Schutes, he was credited as the author of The Slaves of Rome, Dark as a Dungeon, The Gospel of Priapus, and Panama Heat. His work was written in the style of the vintage gay pulp authors of the 1960s and 1970s.