Malcolm Brenner (writer)

Malcolm J. Brenner (born 9 May 1951) is an American author, journalist, and zoophile.^[1] He is best known for his controversial novel Wet Goddess (2009), about a love affair between a college student and a bottlenose dolphin in the 1970s. As a journalist, he has covered local news in New Mexico and Florida since the early 1990s.

Career in journalism

In the 1990s, Brenner worked as an investigative reporter covering the Navajo Nation and surrounding area. An article regarding the American Indian Movement and Russell Means, that he wrote for the Gallup Independent in 1998, is featured on the AIM website.^[2]

From 1992 to 1994, Brenner worked at the Farmington Daily Times. After termination, Brenner filed a federal lawsuit claiming that he had been terminated for practicing Wicca.^[3]

Wet Goddess

Since 2010, Brenner has gained international notoriety for his novel, Wet Goddess.^[4][5] The novel details several months in the life of fictional college student Zachary Zimmerman, in which the protagonist meets a dolphin named Ruby at a local theme park and falls in love with her.^[6] Brenner claims the book is autobiographical, and based on a series of events that happened to him in the 1970s. In an article in the Huffington Post, Brenner said, "I wrote this book for dolphins because we are mistreating these animals by keeping them in captivity."^[7]

Zoophile

Brenner claims to have had sex with a female dolphin in the 1970s, and is a zoophile activist.^[8]

Works

• Say "Rooo-beee!" (1974), Mind in the Waters, A Book to Celebrate the Consciousness of Whales and Dolphins, assembled by Joan McIntyre

• The Wet Aliens (May 1978), Future Life^[9]

• Whale Museum Surfaces (July 1979), Future Life

• Dolphin (November 1979), Future Life

• Your God Isn't Big Enough – An Interview with John Lilly (August 1980), Future Life

• Interview – Poul Anderson (May 1981), Future Life

• Attack of the Laughing Warthogs (March 1981), Future Life

• Nikola Tesla – The Man Who Turned On The World (November 1981), Future Life

• Walkers bring peace message to Gallup (May 4, 1995), Global Emergency Alert Response 2000, originally published in The Gallup Independent

• The Us-Them Dichotomy (1995), Witchcraft Today IV. Living Between Two Worlds: Challenges of the Modern Witch^[10]

• AIM seeks distance from Russell Means (January 5, 1998), The Gallup Independent

• Shiprock Miners Plot Radiation Act Amendments (January 26, 1998), originally published in The Gallup Independent

• Air, earth and water: Former miner was contaminated by uranium three ways (January 26, 1998), originally published in The Gallup Independent

• Volunteers Use Straw To Build Home For 86-Year-Old Woman (May 10, 1998), The Seattle Times, originally published in The Gallup Independent

• Navajo Ethics Investigator (August 1998), Investigative Reporters & Editors, originally published in The Gallup Independent

• A Witch among the Navajos (Summer 1998), Gnosis

• The Decline and Fall of Zuni Arts and Crafts Enterprise (October 1998), Investigative Reporters & Editors, originally published in The Gallup Independent

• Premium hikes leave self-employed uninsured (January 28, 2003), Charlotte Sun^[11]

• Wet Goddess (2009)

• Masters of the Garden (September 2011), Harbor Style ^[12]

Awards

• 1992 – New Mexico Associated Press Managing Editors Awards: First Place, Investigative
• 1993 – New Mexico Press Association: Second Place, Columns
• 1994 – New Mexico Associated Press Managing Editors Awards: First Place, Columns
• 1995 – New Mexico Associated Press Managing Editors Awards: Best of Show and First Place, Investigative
• 1996 – New Mexico Associated Press Managing Editors Awards: First Place, Investigative
• 1996 – New Mexico Associated Press Managing Editors Awards: First place, Spot News Photo
• 1998 – New Mexico Press Association: First Place, News Writing
• 1998 – New Mexico Associated Press Managing Editors Awards: First Place, Columns
• 2004 – Florida Society of Newspaper Editors: Honorable Mention^[13]
• 2004 – National Newspaper Association: Best Business Story
• 2004 – National Newspaper Association: Honorable Mention, Best Breaking News Story

References