For straight people in the industry can you describe what it’s like not being able to see”people like you” in books and what it would have meant to you to have done? I literally found myself writing straight narrators when pursuing publication. I didn’t know we were allowed to publish stories with queer narrators because I wasn’t coming across them. None of those stories were main- stream when I was growing up, and my career would be a lot less revolutionary if I had just added more straight stories to shelves already overflowing with them. That’s not my truth and not a story I’m bursting to tell. I wish that freedom and joy for every marginalised writer, if they want it.
What’s your writing day like? I read that you wrote the first draft of More Happy Than Not in two and a half months. How? I wasn’t working when I wrote that first draſt of More Happy Than Not, but I was when writing They Both Die at the End and it took about the same amount of time. Love of story pushes me through, and if I’m obsessed with the story, I will find the time. But I don’t draſt books in two months any more. I’m unfortunately too much of a perfectionist, so I can be prety slow, but I pick up a lot of speed as the deadline hits.
One of your other huge hits is Infinity Son, which you’ve described as “X-Men but queer”. Why do you think fantasy, superheroes and science-fiction is so hugely popular with LGBT audiences? There’s oſten similarities about dual identities between superheroes and queer people; that can be comforting, even if you’re still closeted. There’s a lot of power there.
What do you think the most important thing in life is?
Being good and trustworthy and protective of yourself while mindful of how your actions can affect, and even damage, other people.
What’s it like being in the privileged position of writing books that young LGBT people can relate to? Is that a weight of responsibility, or not something you dwell on?
The responsibilit is something I dwell on, but if I let it be the driving force I wouldn’t get anything done. I just have to hope that if you come into one of my stories, you leave with something that changes you—no mater how small or big that thing may be.
If you could, what piece of advice would you give yourself when you were starting out? Writing is hard, so make sure you keep writing stories that you want to read.
What are you working on at the moment? Doing revisions on Here’s to Us, which is the sequel to What if it’s Us, co-writen by Becky Albertalli. It is released in December of this year!
History is All You Left Me S&S Children’s, £7.99, 9781471146183 Griffin has lost his first love in a drowning accident and, reeling from grief and worsen- ing OCD, Griffin turns to an unexpected person for help.. 14,538 units sold
Silvera’s top three
They Both Die at the End S&S Children’s, pb, 9781471166204 On 5th September, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: they’re going to die today. 56,184 copies sold
What If It’s Us Co-authored with Becky Albertalli S&S Children’s, £7.99, 9780007489442 Arthur is only in New York for the summer; Ben is still carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things. But then the boys have a chance meeting.. 15,170 units sold
35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
