James McBride’s new novel, ‘Deacon King Kong,’ takes place in 1969, in a Brooklyn housing project similar to the one he grew up in. “In this book and in this community, people generally love each other,” he says.

RuPaul describes his drag persona as “one-part Cher, two-parts David Bowie, one-part Diana Ross and two heaping spoonfuls of Dolly Parton.” The reality show he hosts and created, ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ is now in its 12th season on VH1.