LGBTQ Novels And Why We Need More!

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LGBTQ Novels And Why We Need More!

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By now, I hope you’ve seen our article about coffee houses becoming hell-holes. It’s a living tragedy, even more so than the survey claiming it is tragic to go to a club after the age of 37. What was once fun dates at a coffee shop has led to a quick grab, go, and walk around the block. If the cast of FRIENDS ever reunited, I could guarantee they would claim coffee shops aren’t what they used to be. The cast would likely lounge around their apartments, glued to their phones rather than communicating and people watching.

The fall of the coffee house is dreadfully devastating for writers all around America. I cannot seem to focus for more than five minutes before being bombarded by distractions of angry customers, overcrowding, and long lines. I say this as someone who has written an LGBTQ novel back and forth between coffee shops and fast food restaurants when I was in college and lacked internet at my then-apartment.

It makes me wonder what other LGBTQ novelists, writers, and the like have worked on their projects in coffee shops across the country. Honestly, it made me rethink my love of LGBTQ novels written by members of the community. I had to recount some of my favorites.

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Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez.

Rainbow Boys was first introduced to me by an old girlfriend during my Sophomore year of high school. Said girl was so shocked that I never heard of it, as she considered it to be one of her favorites. Rainbow Boys was not only inspirational in more ways than one, it showed a wonderful glimpse, for the first time, into stories of boys like me. My feelings and teenage angst deemed almost, normal. It has been far too long since I’ve read this incomparable novel. Time for a reread, many moons and maturity later!

Editor's Note: That is hunky Matt Bomer on the cover!

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Paused: A Novel Based On True Events by Bryan Keating.

This is definitely a shameless plug on my end. I wrote Paused somewhere in between the dimensions of hell in coffee shops, college, and my life. Inspired by Sanchez’s Rainbow Boys, I never anticipated to have an audience gravitate towards my story as their summer read. The premise of the story deals with real life issues that a lot of the LGBTQ Community face. From addiction, to chaos, to false love; Paused has it all and more! If you’ve ever felt like an anti-hero, this is the novel for you.

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Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs.

It’s really hard to compare any LGBTQ novel's success with Burrough’s Running With Scissors. I believe this is the novel that everyone in the community is required to read in order to receive their gay card! In college, I took an LGBTQ history course and this was a book that we had to read within the first month. Pleasantly surprised, my entire class began to discuss it the day we received word. We had all read it before. The tragic, yet sometimes comedic, story of a young boy who befriends a pedophile and has to endure electroshock therapy is bone tingling.

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You can argue with me that reading novels is on the way out the door. The industry has definitely changed now that the world is in a Digital place, but we need to continue to inspire our community to write, write, write! It is important to continue to support our esteemed gay writers, independent writers, and continue to pave the way for future generations to know that we are creative, important, and our stories must be told!

While I begin rereading Rainbow Boys, I invite you all to let me know who your favorite LGBTQ authors are! I would love to hear your suggestions, get some more summer reading done, and share my review of their work!