Author, Historian, Editor & Publisher
Russ López has built a career at the crossroads of storytelling, scholarship, and community. His work spans fiction, history, and cultural commentary, always grounded in a deep sense of place. Whether writing about Provincetown or broader social landscapes, he brings curiosity, compassion, and precision to every project.
“With decades of study, teaching, and writing on the urban environment—and deep professional and political experience in Boston—Lopez brings unmatched authority to this history.”
“Lopez’s long engagement with Boston’s neighborhoods, city government, and civic life makes him the ideal person to tell this story.”
“Having studied, taught, and written extensively about Boston—while also serving in City Hall and the State House—Lopez is uniquely qualified to undertake this history.”
About Russ
Russ López is a writer, editor, publisher, and historian whose work explores the deep connections between people, place, and identity. He is the author of six nonfiction books, including The Hub of the Gay Universe: An LGBTQ History of Boston, Provincetown, and Beyond, and the founder and editor of LatineLit, an online literary magazine dedicated to publishing fiction by and about Latine people and expanding the range of stories available in contemporary literature.
His most recent book, Provincetown Stories, brings to life the joy, contradictions, and irresistible pull of Ptown through characters who exist proudly outside the mainstream. His fiction has appeared in The Fictional Café, Somos en escrito, Northeast Atlantic, Discretionary Love, Night Picnic, and numerous other literary magazines, and he is currently at work on a novelized reimagining of The Importance of Being Earnest.
In addition to his writing and editorial work, López is the founder of Shawmut Peninsula Press, a mission-driven independent press publishing fiction, history, and social commentary. Across his roles as writer, editor, publisher, and teacher, he champions work that rejects stereotypes and illuminates the complexity of underrepresented communities.
Born and raised in San Jose, California, López attended Stanford University and Harvard University before earning a doctorate from Boston University. Before turning full-time to literary work, he served as a community organizer, political aide, environmental advocate, and university lecturer—experiences that continue to shape the social and geographic worlds he writes about. He divides his time between Boston and Provincetown with his husband, Andrew Sherman.
Publishing with Purpose
Russ’s work extends beyond his own writing into the infrastructure of contemporary literary culture. Through founding and leading LatineLit and Shawmut Peninsula Press, he has focused on creating space, access, and long-term support for stories that are often overlooked by mainstream publishing. Both initiatives reflect a shared commitment to editorial rigor, cultural responsibility, and the belief that literature plays a vital role in shaping how communities see themselves and one another.
LatineLit Online Literary Magazine
Founded and edited by Russ López, LatineLit is an online literary magazine dedicated to fiction by and about Latinx people. Created in response to the persistent lack of Latinx representation in mainstream literary publishing, the magazine serves both as a showcase for exceptional writing and as a gathering place for a wide range of voices and perspectives.
Under Russ’s editorial leadership, LatineLit has published more than 100 original stories spanning realism, speculative fiction, and experimental forms. The magazine is known for its editorial rigor, openness to risk, and commitment to stories that challenge stereotypes and expand how Latinx lives are imagined on the page. In addition, LatineLit curates a widely read monthly Latinx bestseller list, helping to amplify Latinx authors across the broader publishing spectrum.
Shawmut Peninsula Press
Russ is also the founder of Shawmut Peninsula Press, a mission-driven independent publishing house devoted to fiction, history, and social commentary. Shawmut Peninsula Press is not a self-publishing imprint; it is a carefully curated press built on close editorial collaboration, long-term development, and a deep investment in each book it publishes.
The press works with a small number of authors each year, focusing on projects that engage seriously with place, identity, culture, and social change—books that often fall outside the priorities of commercial publishing. Through Shawmut Peninsula Press, Russ brings an editor’s care and a publisher’s vision to work that deserves both time and attention.
Why I Write
The Intention Beyond the Craft
Russ speaks directly about the intentions that shape his craft and guide his work across genres.
"Writing, for me, is another way to tell truths. My work—whether fiction, history, or scholarship—begins with people and the places that shape them. I’m drawn to moments when identity, community, and the built environment intersect, revealing how lives unfold within neighborhoods, landscapes, and cultures."
"In fiction, I follow characters by listening closely to how they speak, what they value, and how they move through the world. In nonfiction, I turn to research and archives to uncover the stories that help us understand who we are and where we’ve been. Across everything I write, I’m searching for the deeper realities that connect us: dignity, curiosity, resilience, and the quiet magic that threads through everyday life."