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Books That Make You Podcast


Books That Make You is a channel about all things bookish. Home to the The Books That Make You show with host Desiree Duffy of Black Chateau Enterprises. Where she discuses books with authors and experts, unraveling the inner pages of all the books that help make us who we are. BTMY also live streams bookish events as well as posting author readings and bookish contest on www.BooksThatMakeYou.com

Jul 29, 2025

What happens when your family identity, religious upbringing, and personal truth collide? In this compelling conversation, author Bill Hulseman shares the deeply personal stories that shaped his life and inspired his book six to carry the casket and one to say the mass: reflections on life, identity, and moving forward.

Bill opens up about being the youngest of ten children, what it meant to grow up feeling ornamental in his family, and how he found his voice amid the chaos of family dynamics and personal struggle. He talks about the power of reflective practices, what it means to question the identities we’re born into, and how 2020 forced many of us to confront who we are—and who we want to become.

Bill also discusses the evolution of Pride, the influence of pop culture icons like Madonna on his queer identity, and the balancing act of being an openly gay man in Catholic education. His reflections are thoughtful, nuanced, and deeply relatable for anyone navigating questions of belonging and selfhood.

Tune in for an honest conversation about life, faith, queerness, and finding purpose in unlikely places.