Book Launch June 18th: The Gay Boat: Italy

Kicking off OutHudson Pride weekend, Hudson Hall presents the launch of Hudson-based author Rich “Trixie” Volo’s filthy, funny, and tender debut novel, The Gay Boat: Italy (2026).

The reading, conversation, and book signing will take place on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 6pm, moderated by Lodro Rinzler, Kinderhook resident, Buddhist teacher, and the author of several books, including the international bestseller The Buddha Walks into a Bar. 

The Gay Boat: Italy centers on online adult star Buzz Idol and his self-conscious editor and assistant Alex, who gets on board when Buzz is invited to perform on an all-gay cruise around Italy. With no shortage of baggage, Buzz, Alex, and a colorful cast of drag queens, twinks, bears, and fans navigate the Mediterranean and each other, healing old wounds along the way. Raunchy, irreverent, and unexpectedly moving, The Gay Boat: Italy is a story about sex, friendship, and finding your people, even when you’re all out at sea.

While a work of fiction, the novel was inspired by real events and people: a real gay cruise, the town of Hudson, New York, and the people and friendships that shaped Volo’s life, including his years as an activist and community organizer in 1980s and ’90s New York City. The book’s cover model is gay adult film actor, social media personality, and former Hudson resident Matthew Camp. Camp came to prominence in 2013 with Getting Go: The Go Doc Project and has over half a million followers on Instagram.

“The Gay Boat: Italy is a gay romance and erotic fiction novel written by a gay man — go figure! It is unabashedly and unapologetically GAY,” says Volo. “The characters live their lives openly and without filter.”

“We’re thrilled to celebrate the release of Rich Volo’s debut novel during OutHudson Pride weekend,” says Hudson Hall Executive Director Adam Weinert. “The Gay Boat: Italy is fabulously filthy and incredibly fun, but it’s also a love letter to friendship, chosen family, and the communities that keep us afloat. Who doesn’t need more of that right now?”

Rich Volo is a Hudson-based writer, baker, and community organizer. A Hudson resident since 2006, he is the founder of Hudson’s Pride Parade and the creator of Trixie’s List, a hyper-local cultural blog and event listing site, and Potentially Inappropriate Posts, a personal Substack of potentially inappropriate yet hilarious content.

Named one of “50 Innovators Shaping the Future of Wellness” by SONIMA, Lodro Rinzler’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Good Morning America, CBS, and NBC. He is the author of eight meditation books including The Buddha Walks into a Bar and the forthcoming You Are Good / You Are Enough. His books Walk Like a Buddha and The Buddha Walks into the Office have both received Independent Publisher Book Awards.