‘Jay’s Gay Agenda’ terview: Jason June talks queer joy and sex posivy his YA but | The Young Folks

Contents:

• YA GAY
• JA RULE ONCE WAS RUMORED TO BE GAY WHILE BEG MARRIED TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART - MEET THE RAPPER’S 3 KIDS & WIFE
• JASON JUNE'S GAY YA AGENDA
• ‘JAY’S GAY AGENDA’ TERVIEW: JASON JUNE TALKS QUEER JOY AND SEX POSIVY HIS YA BUT
• SO YOU WANT TO WRE A GAY YOUNG ADULT {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY DBACKOCTOBER 17, 2013/3:44 PMBY DBACKOCTOBER 17, 2013 / 3:44 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"SO YOU WANT TO WRE A GAY YOUNG ADULT NOVEL","DATEPUBLISHED":"2013-10-17T19:44:28.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2013-10-17T19:44:28.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"DBACK","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AS CHARL DICKENS, THE MAN WHOM MANY CLAIM VENTED THE MORN NOVEL, ONCE SAID: “IT WAS THE BT OF TIM, WAS THE WORST OF TIM.”  THIS MAXIM CERTALY APPLI TO THE PUBLISHG DTRY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY GOG THROUGH MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF UPHEAVAL (KDLE? NOOK? OR PLA OLD PAPER?), AS WELL AS FIGHTG REPEATED CLAIMS THAT PEOPLE “AREN’T READG ANYMORE.”  IF YOU'VE READ A NOVEL FOR FUN THE PAST YEAR, YOU ARE BEG PART OF AN CREASGLY RARE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THERE IS ONE GENRE OF PUBLISHG THAT IS DOG GANGBTER BS: YA, OR YOUNG ADULT. PRIMARILY MARKETED AT MID-TO-OLR TEENS AND YOUNG TWENTY-SOMETHGS, YA NTU TO MAKE MONEY HAND OVER FIST, AND EQUENTLY LEADS TO THE BOOKS BEG CRILLY ACCLAIMED FILMS (THE PERKS OF BEG A WALLFLOWER, STT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD, NICK AND NORAH’S INFE PLAYLIST), AS WELL AS MAJOR MONEYMAKERS (THE HARRY POTTER SERI, THE TWILIGHT SERI, THE HUNGER GAM SERI, ETC.). AND SOME OF THE YA TL (SUCH AS PERKS, STT PILGRIM, NICK AND NORAH AND THE MOST RECENTLY--THEATERS THE MORTAL INSTMENTS: CY OF BON) HAVE GAY CHARACTERS AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WE TOOK A FEW MUT TO SPEAK WH TWO OPENLY GAY YA THORS WHO HAVE FOUND REMARKABLE SUCCS AND ACCLAIM BY FOCG ON GAY TEEN CHARACTERS. LAMBDA LERARY AWARD-WNER BRENT HARTGER, FORMER ALUMN OF AFTERELTON, IS CELEBRATG THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS NOVEL GEOGRAPHY CLUB, THE FIRST OF FOUR (!) BOOKS ABOUT GAY TEEN RSEL MIDDLEBROOK AND HIS IENDS, AND THE LATT BOOK THE SERI, THE ELEPHANT OF SURPRISE, WAS RELEASED JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. THE FILM VERSN OF GEOGRAPHY CLUB IS CURRENTLY MAKG THE FILM FTIVAL ROUNDS AND WILL HAVE S THEATRIL RELEASE ON NOVEMBER 15TH. SIARLY, BILL KONIGSBERG, A FORMER SPORTS JOURNALIST AND LAMBDA LERARY AWARD-WNER FOR HIS 2008 BOOK OUT OF THE POCKET, JT RELEASED HIS BRAND-NEW NOVEL OPENLY STRAIGHT THIS SUMMER, TAILG THE ADVENTUR OF RAFE, AN OPENLY GAY HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER PLAYER OM COLORADO WHO CIS TO ATTEND NEW ENGLAND BOARDG SCHOOL AND START OVER BY NOT BEG KNOWN AS “THE GAY KID”—WHICH BE PROBLEMATIC WHEN HE FALLS TO A EPENG, BOUNDARY-TTG IENDSHIP WH HUNKY ATHLETE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THEBACKLOT: EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT PUBLISHG AND BOOKS DYG OUT, YET YA IS STILL ONE OF THE STRONGT TEGORI SELLG. HOW DO GLBTQ-THEMED YA LERATURE F TO THIS NUNDM?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BRENT HARTGER: WELL, THE SECRET OF TEEN BOOKS IS THAT THEY’VE ALWAYS SOLD TO ADULTS. HERE'S A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF YA LERATURE: DIDN’T REALLY EXIST THE 60’S, WAS BORN THE 70’S, THERE WERE THE BUDGET CUTS THE 80’S AND THE LIBRARY MARKETS WERE CIMATED, SO THE DTRY REGROUPED AND STARTED TO SELL THE BOOKS DIRECTLY TO TEENAGERS AND NSUMERS, AND THEN THE 90’S THE CURRENT YA RENAISSANCE BEGAN. GEOGRAPHY CLUB ME OUT MARCH 2003, AND BEME VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT MANY, MANY OF MY REARS—EASILY 50%--WERE NOT TEENAGERS. I HAD TEEN REARS, BUT ALSO ADULT REARS. IT WAS KD OF A NATURAL SEGUE, FOR THE DTRY, TO TARGET THOSE PEOPLE. I MEAN, ’S THE ONE EXPERIENCE THAT EVERY ADULT SHAR: EVERY ADULT WAS ONCE A TEENAGER, SO ’S JT SUCH A FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE. SO THERE WAS THIS GENRE, BUT THE TEEN GENRE DIDN’T REALLY BEG UNTIL THE EARLY GHTS. BUT I THK PEOPLE RPOND RIGHT AWAY BEE THEY WERE TIRED OF THE DOOM AND GLOOM, THEY WERE TIRED OF PRSN, AND SELF-HATRED, WHICH WAS UNRSTANDABLE THE 90’S AND 80’S AND 70’S—TOTALLY UNRSTANDABLE! BUT I DON’T THK RONATED SO MUCH WH THE CURRENT GENERATN OF TEENAGERS OR TWENTYSOMETHGS. AND SO THEY IMMEDIDATELY GRAVATE TOWARDS THE BOOKS THAT ARE A LTLE LIGHTER, THEY’RE MORE OPTIMISTIC, THEY’RE MORE FORWARD THKG (THEY’RE) NOT BACKWARD-LOOKG—{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: THEY’RE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BH: YEAH!…AND MORE LEAR. SO SUDNLY THERE’S THIS HUGE MARKET. AND THE OTHER UNSPOKEN—WELL, ’S MORE SPOKEN NOW, BUT THE UNSPOKEN SECRET— GAY TEEN L—AND I THK ’S A DIFFERENCE SOME OF THE TEEN LBIAN TL—THERE IS A BIG FASCATN WH GAY BOYS, GAY TEEN BOYS, AMONG TEEN GIRLS AND OLR GIRLS. YOU KNOW, THERE’S THIS SORT OF—’S NOT THE SAME THG AS SLASH, BUT ’S RIVED OM SOME OF THE SAME POOL. A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TERTED GAY MALE SEXUALY FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS…THERE ARE ALL KDS OF THEORI AS TO WHY A TEENAGE GIRL WOULD RELATE TO A GAY BOY. THE ARE SENSIVE BOYS, THEY’RE KD OF—IALIZED VERSNS OF MEN. THE FACT IS THAT GIRLS ARE VERY TERTED THE TL. PROBABLY MORE THAN 50% OF MY REARS ARE ADULTS, AND MORE THAN 50% ARE GIRLS AND WOMEN. SO ’S A BIG, FEMALE-DRIVEN MARKET. I FEEL BAD, I’D LIKE TO WRE A BOOK FOR STRAIGHT BOYS, BEE THEY’RE KD OF SCREWED THE DAYS—THERE’S NOT A LOT BEG WRTEN FOR THEM. BUT ANYWAY…’S SORT OF THE ENGE THAT DRIV YA/TEEN L; ’S THIS FASCATN WH (GAY ISSU)… THE POWERS-THAT-BE DON’T GET THIS, THEY DON’T THK TEENS ARE TERTED . OR THEY WOULD BE IF WAS ON TV, LIKE GLEE. OR GEOGRAPHY CLUB AND WHATEVER OTHER GAY-THEMED MOVI ARE THE PIPELE. AND ’S TO THEIR TRIMENT. SOMEONE’S GOG TO FIGURE THAT OUT, AND MAKE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BILL KONIGSBERG: ABSOLUTELY, I AGREE WH BRENT. HE HAS A VERY LARGE DIENCE, AS HE SHOULD. I HEAR OM A LOT OF TEENAGE GIRLS FOR SURE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THE BLOGS THAT ARE POPULAR—YOU KNOW, THE ON REVIEWG THE BOOKS—AND ’S TEENAGE GIRL AFTER TEENAGE GIRL LEAVG MENTS. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT’S THE MARKET. AND ’S ALSO GAY BOYS; GAY BOYS READ THE BOOKS, ABSOLUTELY. AND I THK, PERSONALLY, THIS IS MY BIAS, BUT, THIS IS WHERE A LOT OF THE EXCG WORK IS HAPPENG YA LERATURE RIGHT NOW. I UNRSTAND I’M BIASED, BUT: DAVID LEVHAN’S TWO BOYS KISSG IS A GROUNDBREAKG BOOK THAT JT ME OUT YTERDAY. IT’S ONE OF THE THREE OR FOUR MOST EXCG GAY BOOKS I’VE READ THE LAST , AND I’VE READ A LOT OF GOOD GAY YA STUFF. AND I HOPE THAT I’M THAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: IS THERE STILL BAGGAGE OR PRSURE TO CREATE “PERFECT” CHARACTERS, OR DO YOU HAVE AN NER VOICE SAYG “BUT WHAT WOULD THE FANS THK IF I DO X?” DO THAT BEE A LTLE B OF A SNARE SOMETIM? {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BH: THAT’S AN TERTG QUTN. FIRST OF ALL, THE WHOLE SEQUEL THG REALLY ULDN’T HAVE GONE BETTER, BEE THE SEQUELS I NTROL THE RIGHTS (TO THEM), SO I REPUBLISHED EDNS LAST YEAR ON MY OWN, SORT OF BEFORE THE MOVIE WAS ANNOUNCED. SO FANCIALLY, ACROSS THE BOARD, ULD NOT BE BETTER FOR ME—WE HAVE AN D AL THAT I JT SIGNED LAST WEEK, SO THERE’LL BE AN D VERSN BY THE TIME THE MOVIE OUT. IT REALLY ULDN’T HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR ME AND THE MOVIE—AS YOU SAID BEFORE, WAS KD OF SWEET SPOT. YOU KNOW, THE RSEL BOOKS—THOSE ARE A THG, AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF FANS, AND I APPRECIATE THEM AND RPECT THEM. I’M WORKG ON A LOT OF PROJECTS, AND I’D LIKE TO KEEP DOG (THE SERI), AND IF THE MOVIE DON’T REALLY BREAK OUT I FELY WILL, AND EVEN IF DO I THK I MIGHT DO ANYWAY, BEE I APPRECIATE THE REARS. THERE’S AN VTMENT, AND THE TIME THAT THEY’VE PUT TO THE SERI, THAT’S SO GRATIFYG AS A WRER—I’M SO APPRECIATIVE. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I’VE PUBLISHED OTHER BOOKS SCE THEN, SOME OF WHICH HAVE DONE WELL, SOME OF WHICH HAVE DONE LS WELL. AND YOU TRY TO GET YOUR DIENCE TO E ALONG, AND SOMETIM THEY DO, AND SOMETIM THEY DON’{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YOU N’T HELP THKG ABOUT THAT, PECIALLY AS WE ALL WANT A REER, WE START THKG LONG-TERM AND WE WANT TO NTUE BEG GIVEN THE OPPORTUNY TO WRE BOOKS. BUT I ALSO BELIEVE—I WAS THKG ABOUT ORR OF THE POISON OAK, WHICH IS THE FIRST SEQUEL. I THOUGHT A LONG TIME ABOUT WHAT A SEQUEL IS, AND I READ AND LOOKED AT A LOT OF SEQUELS—SOME OF WHICH WORKED, AND SOME OF WHICH DIDN’T. AND THE NCLN I ME TO WAS, PEOPLE THK THEY WANT A STORY TO NTUE, THEY THK THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT— THE FIRST STORY. AND REALY IF YOU JT WRE THAT STORY—SOMETIM MOVI DO, LIKE THE HANER—IF YOU JT WRE A NTUATN AND REPEAT THE SAME STORY THE DIENCE IS GOG TO BE DISAPPOTED, BEE THE DIENCE DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHAT THE DIENCE DON’T WANT IS THE SAME STORY, WHAT THEY WANT IS TO FEEL THE SAME WAY. BUT IF YOU WANT THEM TO FEEL THE SAME WAY, IRONILLY, YOU HAVE TO THK DIFFERENT. YOU GIVE THEM WHAT THEY LOVE THE HEART, AND THE CHARACTERS, AND THE FEELGS, BUT YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO CHANGE THE STORY, HAVE A NEW STORY, AND A NEW ANTAGONIST. BEE OTHERWISE THEY’RE GOG TO FEEL, “WELL, I ALREADY SAW THIS STORY.”  THEY THK THEY WANT THAT, BUT THEY REALLY WANT SOMETHG NEW AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND I THK THAT APPLI TO SEQUELS, BUT I ALSO THK THAT APPLI TO THE WHOLE GENRE OF GAY TEEN L—’S BEE SO RICH AND DIVERSE, SO NOW WE’VE GOT ACTUAL CLICHéS AND TROP THAT WE’VE SEEN BEFORE. WHEN I WAS REVIEWG FILMS FOR AFTERELTON, I WATCHED EVERY GAY DIE FILM FOR FIVE YEARS; I SAW EVERYTHG. AND AFTER AWHILE I WANTED TO CLAW MY EY OUT, BEE THERE WERE THE THGS THAT I KEPT SEEG OVER AND OVER AGA, AND I HAD THIS HUNGER FOR SOMETHG NEW AND DIFFERENT. SO…I HAVE A PROJECT RIGHT NOW THAT’S EXTREMELY DARK. IT’S A GAY CHARACTER, AND SORT OF TURNS OUT TO BE THE VILLA—I’M NOT GOG TO MENTN THE TLE, BEE ’S KD OF A SPOILER. TEN YEARS AGO WOULDN’T HAVE WORKED, I THK, BEE THE DIENCE WASN’T LOOKG FOR SOMETHG LIKE THAT. NOW, I THK, AS MUCH AS GEOGRAPHY CLUB WAS A RPONSE TO SOME OF THE MORE PRSG LERARY GAY FICTN OF THE 80’S AND 90’S, I THK NOW PEOPLE ARE LOOKG FOR A RPONSE TO THE MORE OPTIMISTIC, CHEERY FICTN OF THE EARLY GHTS, AT LEAST GAY TEEN FICTN, AND I THK THE DIENCE WILL BE MORE RECEPTIVE TO DARKER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YOU SEE MORE ADULT THEM THE NEW YA, THE TWENTY-SOMETHG STUFF. WHETHER OR NOT THEY’LL RPOND TO SOMETHG I WRE, THAT’S AN OPEN QUTN, BEE YOU NEVER, EVER KNOW. I LIKE TO SAY “EVERY BOOK HAS AN DIENCE”—WELL, ALMOST EVERY BOOK HAS AN DIENCE—AND WHEN YOU PUBLISH, THAT’S JT YOUR POLL TO FD OUT HOW BIG THAT DIENCE IS. IT ULD BE AN DIENCE OF THE THOR AND HIS IENDS (WELL, THEN PROBABLY WOULDN’T BE PUBLISHED AT ALL). BUT THEN MAYBE ’S SOMETHG WH AN DIENCE OF A THOAND PI, OR TENS OF THOANDS OF PI. YOU JT DON’T KNOW UNTIL YOU PUBLISH THE BOOK AND ALL THAT WEIRD, MAGIC STUFF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOW I’M MUCH MORE ZEN ABOUT THGS; IF A BOOK DON’T DO WELL, I’M LIKE “EH,” YOU KNOW? I DID MY BT, I ENJOYED , IF OTHER PEOPLE DIDN’T RPOND TO …EVERY BOOK I’VE EVER WRTEN I’VE ALWAYS HAD AT LEAST A UPLE PEOPLE WHO SAID, “THIS IS THE BT BOOK I’VE EVER READ,” WHICH ALWAYS MAK ME FEEL GOOD: “OKAY, YOU KNOW, I N LIVE WH THAT.”  AS AN THOR, I DON’T WANT TO REPEAT MYSELF, I WANT TO CHALLENGE MYSELF…I’M FISHG A PROJECT THIS WEEK; MAYBE ’LL SELL, MAYBE WON’T; I THK WILL, BUT IF DON’T, DON’T. IF DO WELL, I’LL BE HAPPY. IF DON’T, I WON’T BE VASTATED LIKE I WAS BEFORE, BEE I’LL THK, “WELL, I ENJOYED WRG THAT.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: I FELY, WH OUT OF THE POCKET, WAS TRYG TO WRE A CHARACTER WH AN DIENCE MD. I WAS TRYG TO WRE A BREAKTHROUGH, MASTREAM GAY SPORTS DRAMA. AND I FELT THAT I WAS UNIQUELY POSNED TO DO THAT, BEE OF MY BACKGROUND AS A SPORTSWRER...I’VE LET THAT GO NOW; I’M NOT TERTED DOG THAT SORT OF WRG ANYMORE. I MEAN, I DON’T THK THE WRG THAT BOOK IS POOR BY ANY STRETCH, BUT I WAS VERY NSC THIS TIME OF ALLOWG MY CHARACTERS TO BE WHO THEY ARE, AND GIVG THEM THE CHANCE TO BE. AND SOME PEOPLE HATE RAFE, THEY GET SO ANGRY AT HIM DURG THE BOOK, (BUT) I LOVE RAFE. I MEAN, HE’S TOTALLY FLAWED, BUT I ADORE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: OH, I TOTALLY AGREE. YOU TOTALLY UNRSTAND EXACTLY WHERE HE’S G OM, EVEN WHEN HE DO THGS AND YOU GO, “OH, DU...”, YOU PLETELY UNRSTAND EXACTLY WHY HE’S DOG WHAT HE’S {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: I REALLY LIKE SO MANY OF THE CHARACTERS…’S FUNNY WHAT [BRENT] SAID (ABOUT WRG A SEQUEL). I’D LOVE TO GO BACK TO THIS WORLD, BEE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE I’D LOVE TO SPEND TIME WH AND GET TO KNOW. I THK THAT I PROBABLY LIKE BEN AS A CHARACTER THE MOST. I’M ATTRACTED TO BEN…BUT ACTUALLY, RAFE IS PROBABLY A EPER CHARACTER…I REALLY, REALLY GET WHERE RAFE IS G OM. AND…I DON’T KNOW A LOT OF THGS ABOUT BEN—I STILL FEEL LIKE HE’S A B OF A MYSTERY, WHICH IS WHY I’M ATTRACTED TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: WHAT IS SOMETHG YOU’VE WANTED TO DO YOUR WRG BUT HAVEN’T AS YET? WILL YOU DO ?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BH: I HAVE THIS GAY TEEN PROJECT WH MY AGENT, AND THEN I HAVE THIS FANTASY PROJECT WH MY AGENT THAT I JT SUBMTED RIGHT NOW; HOPEFULLY THEY’LL BOTH SELL. AND I LIKE BOTH OF THOSE THGS. THE RT OF THGS I’VE BEEN WORKG ON LATELY HAVE BEEN MOVIE PROJECTS AND ADULT GENRE STUFF. THE PROJECT I FISHED THIS WEEK IS A SORT OF SCI-FI THRILLER, AND I’VE BEEN VERY VOLVED WH THIS NEXT MOVIE PROJECT, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL BE OUT 2015—WHICH IS ALSO A GAY TEEN PROJECT, BUT I WROTE THE SCREENPLAY ON THIS ONE. SO THEY’RE PRE-PRODUCTN NOW; ’S BEEN FASCATG. THEN I’VE GOT FIVE OR SIX OTHER SCRIPTS THAT I’VE BEEN CIRCULATG. EVERY WRER—I KNOW WHAT I JT SAID, AND I’M GOG TO NTRADICT MYSELF SOMEWHAT—WANTS TO BE READ, AND WE WANT TO BE EXPERIENCED.  AND THE FACT IS, THE GENRE OF MOVI, ’S NIGHT AND DAY TERMS OF IMPACT AND FLUENCE AND VISIBILY. AND I LOVE THE MEDIUM OF FILM ANYWAYS; I JT LOVE . BEE I THK FILM IS VERY MUCH ABOUT STORY, VERY MUCH ABOUT STCTURE—MUCH MORE, EVEN MORE, THAN NOVELS, MORE THAN YA. IT’S ABOUT A CHARACTER ON A JOURNEY, AND THEN SOMETHG HAPPENS, AND THEN THERE’S A REVOLUTN OR NOT…THERE’S A REASON WHY YOU WATCH THIS 90-MUTE MOVIE, AND EVERYTHG NEEDS TO BE JTIFIED. EVERYTHG NEEDS TO BE THERE FOR A REASON; ’S THE MOST LEAN AND EFFICIENT MEDIUM I THK THERE IS. THERE’S NO ROOM FOR FAT.  AND THAT’S WHY I . I JT LOVE FILMS, AND I LOVE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: I’VE ACTUALLY SOLD MY NEXT BOOK. IT’S LLED “THE PORCUPE OF TTH.”  IT’S A BIG LEAP FORWARD, I SHOULD SAY, TERMS OF…TENSY? IT’S ACTUALLY SIAR TO THIS BOOK (“OPENLY STRAIGHT”); ’S FUNNY, AND ’S DARK, AND VOLV CHARACTER WHO I’D SAY FEEL DISNTENTED AND NEGLECTED. AND THE TWO CHARACTERS GO ON A QUT. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE MAJOR CHARACTER IS NOT A GAY BOY; HE’S A STRAIGHT BOY. BUT HIS SIKICK IS A LBIAN…(WE WERE) JT TALKG ABOUT LBIANS AND LERATURE, AND YOU KNOW, I HATE TO BE CRIL, BUT I FD THIS CUR: WHERE ARE THE FUNNY LBIANS, THE FUNNY LBIAN TEEN STORI? I NNOT REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I READ A TEEN BOOK WH A LBIAN CHARACTER WHO WAS FUNNY. AND ’S TERTG, BEE JT LOOKG AT EDIENN! THERE ARE SO MANY FUNNY WOMEN!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: OH YEAH—WANDA SYK, ELLEN DEGENER, KATE CLTON, TIG (NOTARO)…REALLY, REALLY FUNNY LBIAN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: YEAH, TOTALLY! SO, WHAT I’M EXCED ABOUT IS THAT (THE CHARACTER) AISHA, ALONG WH BEG VERY—’S A EP BOOK, AND HER PA IS VERY EP—IS A VERY, VERY FUNNY CHARACTER. I THK THAT THAT’S SOMETHG THAT WE’RE MISSG. SO I’M EXCED ABOUT THAT, AND NOW I’M FOCED ON MY NEXT BOOK, WHICH IS GOG TO BE ABOUT GAY FOSTER KIDS. IT’S GOG TO BE AN ADVENTURE WHICH THE PROTAGONISTS ARE ALL A FOSTER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND I DON’T THK I’M GOG TO JUMP OUT OF THIS GENRE. I THK THAT…WHEN THGS ARE MOVG FORWARD A CERTA GENRE, YOU KD OF HAVE TO STICK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORE YA LGBT BOOKS/THORS BIS YOUR OWN THAT YOU’D REMEND?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BH: I TEND TO PUT BOOKS I LIKE ON THE WEBSE ()…AND ’S ALSO OL THAT THERE’S FALLY STARTG TO BE RACIAL DIVERSY AND GENR DIVERSY. I THOUGHT MALDA (LO)’S BOOK (ASH) WAS TERRIFIC, AND NOW ’S (YA LERATURE) REALLY CHANGED. AND NOW THERE ARE A UPLE TRANSGENRED {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: I HAVEN’T READ A LOT OF LBIAN STUFF RECENTLY. BUT FELY, WHAT H ME MOST RECENTLY, WAS AARON HARTZLER’S BOOK RAPTURE PRACTICE.  IT’S A MEMOIR ABOUT GROWG UP A CHRISTIAN NSERVATIVE HOEHOLD KANSAS. IT WAS A REALLY TERTG, WELL-WRTEN BOOK. FOR A MORE MASTREAM TAKE ON WHAT THE GAY NOVEL IS BEG, I ENJOYED PROXY BY ALEX LONDON. IT’S A DYSTOPIAN FUTURISTIC NOVEL WHICH THE MA CHARACTER HAPPENS TO BE GAY, (BUT ) DON’T PLAY A HUGE ROLE THE BOOK. I THK THAT’S PRETTY MUCH AS NTEMPORARY AS WE N GET RIGHT NOW, THAT’S THE FUTURE: OUR STORI AREN’T ALWAYS ABOUT GAY THGS. MY BOOKS NEVER REALLY HAVE BEEN; OPENLY STRAIGHT IS ABOUT, A LOT OF WAYS, WHAT THE LABEL “GAY” REALLY MEANS, HOW DO RELATE TO WHO YOU ARE AS A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: WHAT ADVICE—BIS WRE EVERY DAY AND GET A LERARY AGENT—WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO WRE LGBT YA WORKS?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BH: I THK ALL OF THE CLICHéS ARE TE: YOU SHOULD READ EVERYTHG YOU N. AND YOU WANT TO WORK YOUR BUTT OFF. AND YOU WANT TO TRY TO THK ABOUT WHAT MAK YOU FEEL PASSNATE, AND WHAT YOU HATE, AND WHY YOU HATE . YOU NEED TO THK ABOUT ALL THE THGS—THE FEELGS YOUR HEART, AND THEN YOU NEED TO TRY TO TELLECTUALLY UNRSTAND THEM. THE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT I DIDN’T GET THAT I GET NOW—AND THE OLR I GET THE MORE I GET —IS THE BORG PART, AND THAT IS THAT ’S IMPORTANT TO UNRSTAND THE BS OF BEG AN ARTIST, THE BS OF PUBLISHG. YOU NEED TO KNOW THE UNWRTEN L, AND I’M NOT SAYG YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THEM, BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME BEATG MY HEAD AGAST DOORS THAT WERE NEVER GOG TO OPEN. DECI HOW YOU’RE GOG TO PLAY THE GAME, AND ONCE YOU’RE THROUGH THE DOOR YOU N PULL A BA-AND-SWCH. EVERY WRER, YOU N’T JT S YOUR ROOM AND WRE. GET A JOB A BOOKSTORE, GET A JOB AT A PUBLISHG HOE, GET AN TERNSHIP AT A LERARY AGENCY. MEET OTHER WRERS, BEE VORAC YOUR PURSU OF NEW EXPERIENC. CONTACT PROFSNAL WRERS AND ASK THEM “WHAT WORKED? WHAT DIDN’T? WHAT DO I DO?”  AND GET TO KNOW THE PROCS BY WHICH PEOPLE DISVER BOOKS. GET ONLE, AND DON’T HATE TO PARTICIPATE THE MSS AND THE SORDIDNS—WE ALL NEED TO EAT!—AND FIGURE OUT HOW WORKS. AND WHEN HAPPENS TO YOU, ’S NOT GOG TO BE SUCH A SHOCK. ONCE YOU KNOW THE UNWRTEN L, BEE A LOT EASIER TO BREAK THEM BEE YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE DOG AND WHY YOU’RE BREAKG THEM. I WAS REALLY NAïVE, AND I SORT OF THOUGHT, “OH, ’S ALL ABOUT THE WORK, NOTHG ELSE MATTERS.”  IT’S ALL ABOUT THE WORKG, THAT’S WHAT ’S ABOUT! GET OUT THERE AND KNOW PEOPLE! DON’T BE THIS SHY, TROSPECTIVE WRER LIKE I WAS. PEOPLE ARE NOT SRY, PEOPLE HAVE LOTS OF RMATN. AND YEAH, SOME OF THEM ARE JERKS, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE GREAT; GET OUT THERE AND MEET THEM, AND SQUEEZE THEM DRY. (LGHS)  AND THAT IS LERALLY HOW YOU BEE A SUCCSFUL WRER!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: I THK THAT READG EVERYTHG YOU N GET YOUR HANDS ON IS GREAT; YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW THE GENRE. AND I THK THAT BEYOND THAT, JT WRG SOMETHG THAT ONLY YOU N WRE IS SO IMPORTANT, BEE THERE IS SO MUCH GENERIC GAY YA STUFF. WE’VE READ THOSE G-OUT STORI, AND THERE’S NOTHG WRONG WH A G-OUT STORY. BUT AT THIS POT OUR HISTORY, THE CHARACTER HAS TO BE UNIQUE, AND DIFFERENT, AND SOMEBODY WE HAVE TO READ ABOUT. SO, ’S NOT LIKE WRG A G-OUT STORY TWENTY YEARS AGO, WHICH I THK AT THAT POT WAS, “OH, THIS PERSON’S G OUT.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: MMM-HMMM. AND THEY’D UALLY E OUT WH A LOT OF ANGST AND A LOT OF BTERNS AND SOMEBODY UALLY DIED…{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: (LGHG) I DON’T KNOW IF (THAT’S) EXACTLY A GIMMICK SO MUCH AS A VOICE? YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MASTERFUL VOICE, AND THAT’S TE OF ALL WRG.  AND AT THIS POT ’S A TOUGH FIELD, SO WRG SOMETHG THAT STANDS OUT OM THE CROWD, DON’T REALLY MATTER IF YOU’RE WRG GAY OR STRAIGHT, IF ’S GOG TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE ELEPHANT OF SURPRISE—BOOK 4 THE RSEL MIDDLEBROOK SERI—IS AVAILABLE OM BUDDHA KTY BOOKS, AS ARE S THREE PRECSORS; GEOGRAPHY CLUB, THE FILM, IS SLATED FOR THEATERS EARLY 2014. OPENLY STRAIGHT IS AVAILABLE OM ARTHUR E. LEVE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

YA GAY

For transparency’s sake, on this list there are: 32 books wh lbian characters, 33 books wh bisexual+ characters, 30 wh gay characters, 17 wh trans characters, 5 wh tersex characters, and 4 wh asexual characters (y, I know that don’t add up to 100 bee some of the books have more than one LGBTQIA character them!

JA RULE ONCE WAS RUMORED TO BE GAY WHILE BEG MARRIED TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART - MEET THE RAPPER’S 3 KIDS & WIFE

There’s a lot of awome stuff happeng this book narrated by teen poet Gabi: llege applitns, pregnancy, tersectnal femism, race, beg Mexin-Amerin, fat activism, and your parents not acceptg that you’re gay.

A science fictn book that speaks directly to gay nversn mps, More Happy Than Not is about 16-year-old Aaron, who is reverg om his father’s suici wh the help of his mom and girliend who he lov. Serg is bi, but is datg his first boyiend Lance who’s gay and feelg secure about Serg’s inty.

A classic that’s now been ma to a movie, The Perks of Beg a Wallflower has a major supportg gay character and is an old favoure for many teens.

JASON JUNE'S GAY YA AGENDA

Two Boys Kissg is a well-known gay YA for a reason, bee of s unique stcture: ’s the story of two boys tryg to set a new Guns world rerd for the longt kiss narrated by a Greek Chos of the generatn of gay men lost to AIDS. A fast-paced dystopian tale remiscent of the Matrix that overturns all the trop of the genre and featur a gay ma character of lor where his sexualy is not the plot pot! At s re ’s a love story of Liza and Annie, whose iendship blossoms to love and leads them to have to al wh homophobia om fay and their schools.

‘JAY’S GAY AGENDA’ TERVIEW: JASON JUNE TALKS QUEER JOY AND SEX POSIVY HIS YA BUT

This novel set a richly scribed 80s Sri Lanka is a gay teen Amrh’s sexual awakeng wh a subplot about a school play of Othello. It stars Alex, a teen growg up on Vanuver Island who jt wish everyone would get that he wants to be a gay wboy.

This gay YA classic is about four queer teen guys who are all the closet.

Etta is tired of alg wh the labels: not gay enough for the Dyk, her ex-clique, thanks to beg bi; not ty and whe enough for ballet; and not sick enough to look anorexic (partially thanks to revery). This gay YA classic is about 3 teenage boys g of age and out of the closet.

SO YOU WANT TO WRE A GAY YOUNG ADULT {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY DBACKOCTOBER 17, 2013/3:44 PMBY DBACKOCTOBER 17, 2013 / 3:44 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"SO YOU WANT TO WRE A GAY YOUNG ADULT NOVEL","DATEPUBLISHED":"2013-10-17T19:44:28.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2013-10-17T19:44:28.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"DBACK","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AS CHARL DICKENS, THE MAN WHOM MANY CLAIM VENTED THE MORN NOVEL, ONCE SAID: “IT WAS THE BT OF TIM, WAS THE WORST OF TIM.”  THIS MAXIM CERTALY APPLI TO THE PUBLISHG DTRY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY GOG THROUGH MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF UPHEAVAL (KDLE? NOOK? OR PLA OLD PAPER?), AS WELL AS FIGHTG REPEATED CLAIMS THAT PEOPLE “AREN’T READG ANYMORE.”  IF YOU'VE READ A NOVEL FOR FUN THE PAST YEAR, YOU ARE BEG PART OF AN CREASGLY RARE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THERE IS ONE GENRE OF PUBLISHG THAT IS DOG GANGBTER BS: YA, OR YOUNG ADULT. PRIMARILY MARKETED AT MID-TO-OLR TEENS AND YOUNG TWENTY-SOMETHGS, YA NTU TO MAKE MONEY HAND OVER FIST, AND EQUENTLY LEADS TO THE BOOKS BEG CRILLY ACCLAIMED FILMS (THE PERKS OF BEG A WALLFLOWER, STT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD, NICK AND NORAH’S INFE PLAYLIST), AS WELL AS MAJOR MONEYMAKERS (THE HARRY POTTER SERI, THE TWILIGHT SERI, THE HUNGER GAM SERI, ETC.). AND SOME OF THE YA TL (SUCH AS PERKS, STT PILGRIM, NICK AND NORAH AND THE MOST RECENTLY--THEATERS THE MORTAL INSTMENTS: CY OF BON) HAVE GAY CHARACTERS AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WE TOOK A FEW MUT TO SPEAK WH TWO OPENLY GAY YA THORS WHO HAVE FOUND REMARKABLE SUCCS AND ACCLAIM BY FOCG ON GAY TEEN CHARACTERS. LAMBDA LERARY AWARD-WNER BRENT HARTGER, FORMER ALUMN OF AFTERELTON, IS CELEBRATG THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS NOVEL GEOGRAPHY CLUB, THE FIRST OF FOUR (!) BOOKS ABOUT GAY TEEN RSEL MIDDLEBROOK AND HIS IENDS, AND THE LATT BOOK THE SERI, THE ELEPHANT OF SURPRISE, WAS RELEASED JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. THE FILM VERSN OF GEOGRAPHY CLUB IS CURRENTLY MAKG THE FILM FTIVAL ROUNDS AND WILL HAVE S THEATRIL RELEASE ON NOVEMBER 15TH. SIARLY, BILL KONIGSBERG, A FORMER SPORTS JOURNALIST AND LAMBDA LERARY AWARD-WNER FOR HIS 2008 BOOK OUT OF THE POCKET, JT RELEASED HIS BRAND-NEW NOVEL OPENLY STRAIGHT THIS SUMMER, TAILG THE ADVENTUR OF RAFE, AN OPENLY GAY HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER PLAYER OM COLORADO WHO CIS TO ATTEND NEW ENGLAND BOARDG SCHOOL AND START OVER BY NOT BEG KNOWN AS “THE GAY KID”—WHICH BE PROBLEMATIC WHEN HE FALLS TO A EPENG, BOUNDARY-TTG IENDSHIP WH HUNKY ATHLETE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THEBACKLOT: EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT PUBLISHG AND BOOKS DYG OUT, YET YA IS STILL ONE OF THE STRONGT TEGORI SELLG. HOW DO GLBTQ-THEMED YA LERATURE F TO THIS NUNDM?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BRENT HARTGER: WELL, THE SECRET OF TEEN BOOKS IS THAT THEY’VE ALWAYS SOLD TO ADULTS. HERE'S A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF YA LERATURE: DIDN’T REALLY EXIST THE 60’S, WAS BORN THE 70’S, THERE WERE THE BUDGET CUTS THE 80’S AND THE LIBRARY MARKETS WERE CIMATED, SO THE DTRY REGROUPED AND STARTED TO SELL THE BOOKS DIRECTLY TO TEENAGERS AND NSUMERS, AND THEN THE 90’S THE CURRENT YA RENAISSANCE BEGAN. GEOGRAPHY CLUB ME OUT MARCH 2003, AND BEME VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT MANY, MANY OF MY REARS—EASILY 50%--WERE NOT TEENAGERS. I HAD TEEN REARS, BUT ALSO ADULT REARS. IT WAS KD OF A NATURAL SEGUE, FOR THE DTRY, TO TARGET THOSE PEOPLE. I MEAN, ’S THE ONE EXPERIENCE THAT EVERY ADULT SHAR: EVERY ADULT WAS ONCE A TEENAGER, SO ’S JT SUCH A FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE. SO THERE WAS THIS GENRE, BUT THE TEEN GENRE DIDN’T REALLY BEG UNTIL THE EARLY GHTS. BUT I THK PEOPLE RPOND RIGHT AWAY BEE THEY WERE TIRED OF THE DOOM AND GLOOM, THEY WERE TIRED OF PRSN, AND SELF-HATRED, WHICH WAS UNRSTANDABLE THE 90’S AND 80’S AND 70’S—TOTALLY UNRSTANDABLE! BUT I DON’T THK RONATED SO MUCH WH THE CURRENT GENERATN OF TEENAGERS OR TWENTYSOMETHGS. AND SO THEY IMMEDIDATELY GRAVATE TOWARDS THE BOOKS THAT ARE A LTLE LIGHTER, THEY’RE MORE OPTIMISTIC, THEY’RE MORE FORWARD THKG (THEY’RE) NOT BACKWARD-LOOKG—{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: THEY’RE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BH: YEAH!…AND MORE LEAR. SO SUDNLY THERE’S THIS HUGE MARKET. AND THE OTHER UNSPOKEN—WELL, ’S MORE SPOKEN NOW, BUT THE UNSPOKEN SECRET— GAY TEEN L—AND I THK ’S A DIFFERENCE SOME OF THE TEEN LBIAN TL—THERE IS A BIG FASCATN WH GAY BOYS, GAY TEEN BOYS, AMONG TEEN GIRLS AND OLR GIRLS. YOU KNOW, THERE’S THIS SORT OF—’S NOT THE SAME THG AS SLASH, BUT ’S RIVED OM SOME OF THE SAME POOL. A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TERTED GAY MALE SEXUALY FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS…THERE ARE ALL KDS OF THEORI AS TO WHY A TEENAGE GIRL WOULD RELATE TO A GAY BOY. THE ARE SENSIVE BOYS, THEY’RE KD OF—IALIZED VERSNS OF MEN. THE FACT IS THAT GIRLS ARE VERY TERTED THE TL. PROBABLY MORE THAN 50% OF MY REARS ARE ADULTS, AND MORE THAN 50% ARE GIRLS AND WOMEN. SO ’S A BIG, FEMALE-DRIVEN MARKET. I FEEL BAD, I’D LIKE TO WRE A BOOK FOR STRAIGHT BOYS, BEE THEY’RE KD OF SCREWED THE DAYS—THERE’S NOT A LOT BEG WRTEN FOR THEM. BUT ANYWAY…’S SORT OF THE ENGE THAT DRIV YA/TEEN L; ’S THIS FASCATN WH (GAY ISSU)… THE POWERS-THAT-BE DON’T GET THIS, THEY DON’T THK TEENS ARE TERTED . OR THEY WOULD BE IF WAS ON TV, LIKE GLEE. OR GEOGRAPHY CLUB AND WHATEVER OTHER GAY-THEMED MOVI ARE THE PIPELE. AND ’S TO THEIR TRIMENT. SOMEONE’S GOG TO FIGURE THAT OUT, AND MAKE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BILL KONIGSBERG: ABSOLUTELY, I AGREE WH BRENT. HE HAS A VERY LARGE DIENCE, AS HE SHOULD. I HEAR OM A LOT OF TEENAGE GIRLS FOR SURE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THE BLOGS THAT ARE POPULAR—YOU KNOW, THE ON REVIEWG THE BOOKS—AND ’S TEENAGE GIRL AFTER TEENAGE GIRL LEAVG MENTS. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT’S THE MARKET. AND ’S ALSO GAY BOYS; GAY BOYS READ THE BOOKS, ABSOLUTELY. AND I THK, PERSONALLY, THIS IS MY BIAS, BUT, THIS IS WHERE A LOT OF THE EXCG WORK IS HAPPENG YA LERATURE RIGHT NOW. I UNRSTAND I’M BIASED, BUT: DAVID LEVHAN’S TWO BOYS KISSG IS A GROUNDBREAKG BOOK THAT JT ME OUT YTERDAY. IT’S ONE OF THE THREE OR FOUR MOST EXCG GAY BOOKS I’VE READ THE LAST , AND I’VE READ A LOT OF GOOD GAY YA STUFF. AND I HOPE THAT I’M THAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: IS THERE STILL BAGGAGE OR PRSURE TO CREATE “PERFECT” CHARACTERS, OR DO YOU HAVE AN NER VOICE SAYG “BUT WHAT WOULD THE FANS THK IF I DO X?” DO THAT BEE A LTLE B OF A SNARE SOMETIM? {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BH: THAT’S AN TERTG QUTN. FIRST OF ALL, THE WHOLE SEQUEL THG REALLY ULDN’T HAVE GONE BETTER, BEE THE SEQUELS I NTROL THE RIGHTS (TO THEM), SO I REPUBLISHED EDNS LAST YEAR ON MY OWN, SORT OF BEFORE THE MOVIE WAS ANNOUNCED. SO FANCIALLY, ACROSS THE BOARD, ULD NOT BE BETTER FOR ME—WE HAVE AN D AL THAT I JT SIGNED LAST WEEK, SO THERE’LL BE AN D VERSN BY THE TIME THE MOVIE OUT. IT REALLY ULDN’T HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR ME AND THE MOVIE—AS YOU SAID BEFORE, WAS KD OF SWEET SPOT. YOU KNOW, THE RSEL BOOKS—THOSE ARE A THG, AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF FANS, AND I APPRECIATE THEM AND RPECT THEM. I’M WORKG ON A LOT OF PROJECTS, AND I’D LIKE TO KEEP DOG (THE SERI), AND IF THE MOVIE DON’T REALLY BREAK OUT I FELY WILL, AND EVEN IF DO I THK I MIGHT DO ANYWAY, BEE I APPRECIATE THE REARS. THERE’S AN VTMENT, AND THE TIME THAT THEY’VE PUT TO THE SERI, THAT’S SO GRATIFYG AS A WRER—I’M SO APPRECIATIVE. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I’VE PUBLISHED OTHER BOOKS SCE THEN, SOME OF WHICH HAVE DONE WELL, SOME OF WHICH HAVE DONE LS WELL. AND YOU TRY TO GET YOUR DIENCE TO E ALONG, AND SOMETIM THEY DO, AND SOMETIM THEY DON’{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YOU N’T HELP THKG ABOUT THAT, PECIALLY AS WE ALL WANT A REER, WE START THKG LONG-TERM AND WE WANT TO NTUE BEG GIVEN THE OPPORTUNY TO WRE BOOKS. BUT I ALSO BELIEVE—I WAS THKG ABOUT ORR OF THE POISON OAK, WHICH IS THE FIRST SEQUEL. I THOUGHT A LONG TIME ABOUT WHAT A SEQUEL IS, AND I READ AND LOOKED AT A LOT OF SEQUELS—SOME OF WHICH WORKED, AND SOME OF WHICH DIDN’T. AND THE NCLN I ME TO WAS, PEOPLE THK THEY WANT A STORY TO NTUE, THEY THK THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT— THE FIRST STORY. AND REALY IF YOU JT WRE THAT STORY—SOMETIM MOVI DO, LIKE THE HANER—IF YOU JT WRE A NTUATN AND REPEAT THE SAME STORY THE DIENCE IS GOG TO BE DISAPPOTED, BEE THE DIENCE DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHAT THE DIENCE DON’T WANT IS THE SAME STORY, WHAT THEY WANT IS TO FEEL THE SAME WAY. BUT IF YOU WANT THEM TO FEEL THE SAME WAY, IRONILLY, YOU HAVE TO THK DIFFERENT. YOU GIVE THEM WHAT THEY LOVE THE HEART, AND THE CHARACTERS, AND THE FEELGS, BUT YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO CHANGE THE STORY, HAVE A NEW STORY, AND A NEW ANTAGONIST. BEE OTHERWISE THEY’RE GOG TO FEEL, “WELL, I ALREADY SAW THIS STORY.”  THEY THK THEY WANT THAT, BUT THEY REALLY WANT SOMETHG NEW AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND I THK THAT APPLI TO SEQUELS, BUT I ALSO THK THAT APPLI TO THE WHOLE GENRE OF GAY TEEN L—’S BEE SO RICH AND DIVERSE, SO NOW WE’VE GOT ACTUAL CLICHéS AND TROP THAT WE’VE SEEN BEFORE. WHEN I WAS REVIEWG FILMS FOR AFTERELTON, I WATCHED EVERY GAY DIE FILM FOR FIVE YEARS; I SAW EVERYTHG. AND AFTER AWHILE I WANTED TO CLAW MY EY OUT, BEE THERE WERE THE THGS THAT I KEPT SEEG OVER AND OVER AGA, AND I HAD THIS HUNGER FOR SOMETHG NEW AND DIFFERENT. SO…I HAVE A PROJECT RIGHT NOW THAT’S EXTREMELY DARK. IT’S A GAY CHARACTER, AND SORT OF TURNS OUT TO BE THE VILLA—I’M NOT GOG TO MENTN THE TLE, BEE ’S KD OF A SPOILER. TEN YEARS AGO WOULDN’T HAVE WORKED, I THK, BEE THE DIENCE WASN’T LOOKG FOR SOMETHG LIKE THAT. NOW, I THK, AS MUCH AS GEOGRAPHY CLUB WAS A RPONSE TO SOME OF THE MORE PRSG LERARY GAY FICTN OF THE 80’S AND 90’S, I THK NOW PEOPLE ARE LOOKG FOR A RPONSE TO THE MORE OPTIMISTIC, CHEERY FICTN OF THE EARLY GHTS, AT LEAST GAY TEEN FICTN, AND I THK THE DIENCE WILL BE MORE RECEPTIVE TO DARKER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YOU SEE MORE ADULT THEM THE NEW YA, THE TWENTY-SOMETHG STUFF. WHETHER OR NOT THEY’LL RPOND TO SOMETHG I WRE, THAT’S AN OPEN QUTN, BEE YOU NEVER, EVER KNOW. I LIKE TO SAY “EVERY BOOK HAS AN DIENCE”—WELL, ALMOST EVERY BOOK HAS AN DIENCE—AND WHEN YOU PUBLISH, THAT’S JT YOUR POLL TO FD OUT HOW BIG THAT DIENCE IS. IT ULD BE AN DIENCE OF THE THOR AND HIS IENDS (WELL, THEN PROBABLY WOULDN’T BE PUBLISHED AT ALL). BUT THEN MAYBE ’S SOMETHG WH AN DIENCE OF A THOAND PI, OR TENS OF THOANDS OF PI. YOU JT DON’T KNOW UNTIL YOU PUBLISH THE BOOK AND ALL THAT WEIRD, MAGIC STUFF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOW I’M MUCH MORE ZEN ABOUT THGS; IF A BOOK DON’T DO WELL, I’M LIKE “EH,” YOU KNOW? I DID MY BT, I ENJOYED , IF OTHER PEOPLE DIDN’T RPOND TO …EVERY BOOK I’VE EVER WRTEN I’VE ALWAYS HAD AT LEAST A UPLE PEOPLE WHO SAID, “THIS IS THE BT BOOK I’VE EVER READ,” WHICH ALWAYS MAK ME FEEL GOOD: “OKAY, YOU KNOW, I N LIVE WH THAT.”  AS AN THOR, I DON’T WANT TO REPEAT MYSELF, I WANT TO CHALLENGE MYSELF…I’M FISHG A PROJECT THIS WEEK; MAYBE ’LL SELL, MAYBE WON’T; I THK WILL, BUT IF DON’T, DON’T. IF DO WELL, I’LL BE HAPPY. IF DON’T, I WON’T BE VASTATED LIKE I WAS BEFORE, BEE I’LL THK, “WELL, I ENJOYED WRG THAT.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: I FELY, WH OUT OF THE POCKET, WAS TRYG TO WRE A CHARACTER WH AN DIENCE MD. I WAS TRYG TO WRE A BREAKTHROUGH, MASTREAM GAY SPORTS DRAMA. AND I FELT THAT I WAS UNIQUELY POSNED TO DO THAT, BEE OF MY BACKGROUND AS A SPORTSWRER...I’VE LET THAT GO NOW; I’M NOT TERTED DOG THAT SORT OF WRG ANYMORE. I MEAN, I DON’T THK THE WRG THAT BOOK IS POOR BY ANY STRETCH, BUT I WAS VERY NSC THIS TIME OF ALLOWG MY CHARACTERS TO BE WHO THEY ARE, AND GIVG THEM THE CHANCE TO BE. AND SOME PEOPLE HATE RAFE, THEY GET SO ANGRY AT HIM DURG THE BOOK, (BUT) I LOVE RAFE. I MEAN, HE’S TOTALLY FLAWED, BUT I ADORE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: OH, I TOTALLY AGREE. YOU TOTALLY UNRSTAND EXACTLY WHERE HE’S G OM, EVEN WHEN HE DO THGS AND YOU GO, “OH, DU...”, YOU PLETELY UNRSTAND EXACTLY WHY HE’S DOG WHAT HE’S {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: I REALLY LIKE SO MANY OF THE CHARACTERS…’S FUNNY WHAT [BRENT] SAID (ABOUT WRG A SEQUEL). I’D LOVE TO GO BACK TO THIS WORLD, BEE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE I’D LOVE TO SPEND TIME WH AND GET TO KNOW. I THK THAT I PROBABLY LIKE BEN AS A CHARACTER THE MOST. I’M ATTRACTED TO BEN…BUT ACTUALLY, RAFE IS PROBABLY A EPER CHARACTER…I REALLY, REALLY GET WHERE RAFE IS G OM. AND…I DON’T KNOW A LOT OF THGS ABOUT BEN—I STILL FEEL LIKE HE’S A B OF A MYSTERY, WHICH IS WHY I’M ATTRACTED TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: WHAT IS SOMETHG YOU’VE WANTED TO DO YOUR WRG BUT HAVEN’T AS YET? WILL YOU DO ?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BH: I HAVE THIS GAY TEEN PROJECT WH MY AGENT, AND THEN I HAVE THIS FANTASY PROJECT WH MY AGENT THAT I JT SUBMTED RIGHT NOW; HOPEFULLY THEY’LL BOTH SELL. AND I LIKE BOTH OF THOSE THGS. THE RT OF THGS I’VE BEEN WORKG ON LATELY HAVE BEEN MOVIE PROJECTS AND ADULT GENRE STUFF. THE PROJECT I FISHED THIS WEEK IS A SORT OF SCI-FI THRILLER, AND I’VE BEEN VERY VOLVED WH THIS NEXT MOVIE PROJECT, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL BE OUT 2015—WHICH IS ALSO A GAY TEEN PROJECT, BUT I WROTE THE SCREENPLAY ON THIS ONE. SO THEY’RE PRE-PRODUCTN NOW; ’S BEEN FASCATG. THEN I’VE GOT FIVE OR SIX OTHER SCRIPTS THAT I’VE BEEN CIRCULATG. EVERY WRER—I KNOW WHAT I JT SAID, AND I’M GOG TO NTRADICT MYSELF SOMEWHAT—WANTS TO BE READ, AND WE WANT TO BE EXPERIENCED.  AND THE FACT IS, THE GENRE OF MOVI, ’S NIGHT AND DAY TERMS OF IMPACT AND FLUENCE AND VISIBILY. AND I LOVE THE MEDIUM OF FILM ANYWAYS; I JT LOVE . BEE I THK FILM IS VERY MUCH ABOUT STORY, VERY MUCH ABOUT STCTURE—MUCH MORE, EVEN MORE, THAN NOVELS, MORE THAN YA. IT’S ABOUT A CHARACTER ON A JOURNEY, AND THEN SOMETHG HAPPENS, AND THEN THERE’S A REVOLUTN OR NOT…THERE’S A REASON WHY YOU WATCH THIS 90-MUTE MOVIE, AND EVERYTHG NEEDS TO BE JTIFIED. EVERYTHG NEEDS TO BE THERE FOR A REASON; ’S THE MOST LEAN AND EFFICIENT MEDIUM I THK THERE IS. THERE’S NO ROOM FOR FAT.  AND THAT’S WHY I . I JT LOVE FILMS, AND I LOVE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: I’VE ACTUALLY SOLD MY NEXT BOOK. IT’S LLED “THE PORCUPE OF TTH.”  IT’S A BIG LEAP FORWARD, I SHOULD SAY, TERMS OF…TENSY? IT’S ACTUALLY SIAR TO THIS BOOK (“OPENLY STRAIGHT”); ’S FUNNY, AND ’S DARK, AND VOLV CHARACTER WHO I’D SAY FEEL DISNTENTED AND NEGLECTED. AND THE TWO CHARACTERS GO ON A QUT. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE MAJOR CHARACTER IS NOT A GAY BOY; HE’S A STRAIGHT BOY. BUT HIS SIKICK IS A LBIAN…(WE WERE) JT TALKG ABOUT LBIANS AND LERATURE, AND YOU KNOW, I HATE TO BE CRIL, BUT I FD THIS CUR: WHERE ARE THE FUNNY LBIANS, THE FUNNY LBIAN TEEN STORI? I NNOT REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I READ A TEEN BOOK WH A LBIAN CHARACTER WHO WAS FUNNY. AND ’S TERTG, BEE JT LOOKG AT EDIENN! THERE ARE SO MANY FUNNY WOMEN!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: OH YEAH—WANDA SYK, ELLEN DEGENER, KATE CLTON, TIG (NOTARO)…REALLY, REALLY FUNNY LBIAN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: YEAH, TOTALLY! SO, WHAT I’M EXCED ABOUT IS THAT (THE CHARACTER) AISHA, ALONG WH BEG VERY—’S A EP BOOK, AND HER PA IS VERY EP—IS A VERY, VERY FUNNY CHARACTER. I THK THAT THAT’S SOMETHG THAT WE’RE MISSG. SO I’M EXCED ABOUT THAT, AND NOW I’M FOCED ON MY NEXT BOOK, WHICH IS GOG TO BE ABOUT GAY FOSTER KIDS. IT’S GOG TO BE AN ADVENTURE WHICH THE PROTAGONISTS ARE ALL A FOSTER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND I DON’T THK I’M GOG TO JUMP OUT OF THIS GENRE. I THK THAT…WHEN THGS ARE MOVG FORWARD A CERTA GENRE, YOU KD OF HAVE TO STICK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORE YA LGBT BOOKS/THORS BIS YOUR OWN THAT YOU’D REMEND?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BH: I TEND TO PUT BOOKS I LIKE ON THE WEBSE ()…AND ’S ALSO OL THAT THERE’S FALLY STARTG TO BE RACIAL DIVERSY AND GENR DIVERSY. I THOUGHT MALDA (LO)’S BOOK (ASH) WAS TERRIFIC, AND NOW ’S (YA LERATURE) REALLY CHANGED. AND NOW THERE ARE A UPLE TRANSGENRED {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: I HAVEN’T READ A LOT OF LBIAN STUFF RECENTLY. BUT FELY, WHAT H ME MOST RECENTLY, WAS AARON HARTZLER’S BOOK RAPTURE PRACTICE.  IT’S A MEMOIR ABOUT GROWG UP A CHRISTIAN NSERVATIVE HOEHOLD KANSAS. IT WAS A REALLY TERTG, WELL-WRTEN BOOK. FOR A MORE MASTREAM TAKE ON WHAT THE GAY NOVEL IS BEG, I ENJOYED PROXY BY ALEX LONDON. IT’S A DYSTOPIAN FUTURISTIC NOVEL WHICH THE MA CHARACTER HAPPENS TO BE GAY, (BUT ) DON’T PLAY A HUGE ROLE THE BOOK. I THK THAT’S PRETTY MUCH AS NTEMPORARY AS WE N GET RIGHT NOW, THAT’S THE FUTURE: OUR STORI AREN’T ALWAYS ABOUT GAY THGS. MY BOOKS NEVER REALLY HAVE BEEN; OPENLY STRAIGHT IS ABOUT, A LOT OF WAYS, WHAT THE LABEL “GAY” REALLY MEANS, HOW DO RELATE TO WHO YOU ARE AS A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: WHAT ADVICE—BIS WRE EVERY DAY AND GET A LERARY AGENT—WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO WRE LGBT YA WORKS?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BH: I THK ALL OF THE CLICHéS ARE TE: YOU SHOULD READ EVERYTHG YOU N. AND YOU WANT TO WORK YOUR BUTT OFF. AND YOU WANT TO TRY TO THK ABOUT WHAT MAK YOU FEEL PASSNATE, AND WHAT YOU HATE, AND WHY YOU HATE . YOU NEED TO THK ABOUT ALL THE THGS—THE FEELGS YOUR HEART, AND THEN YOU NEED TO TRY TO TELLECTUALLY UNRSTAND THEM. THE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT I DIDN’T GET THAT I GET NOW—AND THE OLR I GET THE MORE I GET —IS THE BORG PART, AND THAT IS THAT ’S IMPORTANT TO UNRSTAND THE BS OF BEG AN ARTIST, THE BS OF PUBLISHG. YOU NEED TO KNOW THE UNWRTEN L, AND I’M NOT SAYG YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THEM, BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME BEATG MY HEAD AGAST DOORS THAT WERE NEVER GOG TO OPEN. DECI HOW YOU’RE GOG TO PLAY THE GAME, AND ONCE YOU’RE THROUGH THE DOOR YOU N PULL A BA-AND-SWCH. EVERY WRER, YOU N’T JT S YOUR ROOM AND WRE. GET A JOB A BOOKSTORE, GET A JOB AT A PUBLISHG HOE, GET AN TERNSHIP AT A LERARY AGENCY. MEET OTHER WRERS, BEE VORAC YOUR PURSU OF NEW EXPERIENC. CONTACT PROFSNAL WRERS AND ASK THEM “WHAT WORKED? WHAT DIDN’T? WHAT DO I DO?”  AND GET TO KNOW THE PROCS BY WHICH PEOPLE DISVER BOOKS. GET ONLE, AND DON’T HATE TO PARTICIPATE THE MSS AND THE SORDIDNS—WE ALL NEED TO EAT!—AND FIGURE OUT HOW WORKS. AND WHEN HAPPENS TO YOU, ’S NOT GOG TO BE SUCH A SHOCK. ONCE YOU KNOW THE UNWRTEN L, BEE A LOT EASIER TO BREAK THEM BEE YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE DOG AND WHY YOU’RE BREAKG THEM. I WAS REALLY NAïVE, AND I SORT OF THOUGHT, “OH, ’S ALL ABOUT THE WORK, NOTHG ELSE MATTERS.”  IT’S ALL ABOUT THE WORKG, THAT’S WHAT ’S ABOUT! GET OUT THERE AND KNOW PEOPLE! DON’T BE THIS SHY, TROSPECTIVE WRER LIKE I WAS. PEOPLE ARE NOT SRY, PEOPLE HAVE LOTS OF RMATN. AND YEAH, SOME OF THEM ARE JERKS, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE GREAT; GET OUT THERE AND MEET THEM, AND SQUEEZE THEM DRY. (LGHS)  AND THAT IS LERALLY HOW YOU BEE A SUCCSFUL WRER!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: I THK THAT READG EVERYTHG YOU N GET YOUR HANDS ON IS GREAT; YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW THE GENRE. AND I THK THAT BEYOND THAT, JT WRG SOMETHG THAT ONLY YOU N WRE IS SO IMPORTANT, BEE THERE IS SO MUCH GENERIC GAY YA STUFF. WE’VE READ THOSE G-OUT STORI, AND THERE’S NOTHG WRONG WH A G-OUT STORY. BUT AT THIS POT OUR HISTORY, THE CHARACTER HAS TO BE UNIQUE, AND DIFFERENT, AND SOMEBODY WE HAVE TO READ ABOUT. SO, ’S NOT LIKE WRG A G-OUT STORY TWENTY YEARS AGO, WHICH I THK AT THAT POT WAS, “OH, THIS PERSON’S G OUT.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TBL: MMM-HMMM. AND THEY’D UALLY E OUT WH A LOT OF ANGST AND A LOT OF BTERNS AND SOMEBODY UALLY DIED…{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BK: (LGHG) I DON’T KNOW IF (THAT’S) EXACTLY A GIMMICK SO MUCH AS A VOICE? YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MASTERFUL VOICE, AND THAT’S TE OF ALL WRG.  AND AT THIS POT ’S A TOUGH FIELD, SO WRG SOMETHG THAT STANDS OUT OM THE CROWD, DON’T REALLY MATTER IF YOU’RE WRG GAY OR STRAIGHT, IF ’S GOG TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE ELEPHANT OF SURPRISE—BOOK 4 THE RSEL MIDDLEBROOK SERI—IS AVAILABLE OM BUDDHA KTY BOOKS, AS ARE S THREE PRECSORS; GEOGRAPHY CLUB, THE FILM, IS SLATED FOR THEATERS EARLY 2014. OPENLY STRAIGHT IS AVAILABLE OM ARTHUR E. LEVE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

But the most paful secret of all is one Thom n barely face himself: he’s gay. Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school mil.

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