Paul Monette, from his arrival on the literary scene in 1979 until his death from AIDS complications in 1995, was one of America's most diverse and prolific writers. "The Gold Diggers," originally published by Alyson Publications in 1979, was Monette's first novel-in fact, his first substantial published work of any kind. "The Gold Diggers" paved the way for seven other novels, most notably "Taking Care of Mrs. Carroll" and the posthumously published "Sanctuary: A Tale of Life in the Woods." Monette also wrote four books of poetry, including "Love Alone: Eighteen Elegies for Rog," as well as several screen-to-page novelizations, including Predator and Scarface.