About Bud

Bud Gundy, author.

Bud Gundy is Lambda Literary Award finalist and an Executive Producer and on-air host at KQED, the PBS and NPR affiliate for Northern California. In 2003, he received an Emmy Award for producing the documentary Lonely Island: Hidden Alcatraz. He won his second Emmy Award in 2016 for directing the KQED News special, State of Surveillance. He's been nominated for two other works.

Bud grew up in North Olmsted, Ohio, a western suburb of Cleveland.  He attended St. Edward High School, graduating in 1982, followed by five years at Cleveland State University where he earned a degree in Political Science.

He began his television career in 1983 as the Program Director at the Nationality Broadcasting Network in Lakewood, Ohio, a job which has given him a lifetime of funny stories to share. Following that, he worked as a Desk Assistant, Associate Producer and Producer for the various newscasts at WKYC, the NBC affiliate in Cleveland, Ohio.  The stories from Channel 3 aren't as funny, but perhaps more illuminating.  After stints as a business reporter and a marketing executive in Northern California, he joined San Francisco's KQED in 1994, and loves the environment and dedication to the audience at PBS and NPR.  You can see and hear him on-the-air, asking for support during those annoying pledge drives.

His latest novel, Inherit the Lightning, was published by Bold Strokes Books on May 1, 2022. It features a mystery at the heart of a family saga spanning 140 years.

His novel, Somewhere Over Lorain Road was released in February of 2018 by Bold Strokes Books. It was shortlisted for a 2019 Lambda Literary Award.

His novel Accidental Prophet was published by Bold Strokes Books in June of 2019.

Reviews

Wow! I had no idea that the guy I’ve been turning off all these years during the KQED fund drives was an incredible novelist! Happened upon Somewhere Over Lorain Road on my library’s recommendations page and could not put it down till I finished it. The combination of mystery thriller, family dynamics and the growing up gay angst was so well done. And the surprise ending superb! I’ll be starting on Accidental Prophet now. Thank you for all you do!

Diane H.

Selecting Accidental Prophet was in and of itself an accidental happening. I had read another book published by Bold Strokes Books and noticed your title. I read the brief statement and I was hooked, hook, line and sinker! I have been reading gay literature for over 35 years and I continue to look for novels that are unique in theme, as well as in intelligent writing and vivid character development that is not often seen in gay literature. Somehow I knew that your book would be all of those requirements and more. I have a couple of questions for you...please bear with me. 1. How would you describe Accidental Prophet? I would call it historical fiction/ fantasy fiction but I could be way off. The reason I ask this question is as follows. All books that I read I send to The Gerber/Hart Library & Archives in Chicago, Ill. It is the only library and archive in the midwest for the protection of LGBTQ+ literature as a history of our being alive on this earth since forever. It is entirely run by volunteers and does not have any funds to purchase books. All their fundraising goes into the Library's building and preservation efforts for all of the collected literature and ephemera that it receives. It helps the staff person if I can put some type of category to it. 2. Will there be a sequel to Accidental Prophet? It was a wonderful read. Thank you for writing it. I have placed your other books on my purchase list and hope to read another one in the near future. Please keep writing and I will keep buying them!

Dennis H.