Some books are banned from our nations schools and libraries just because they are stories about gay people, period. What many gay teens resort to is smuggling the books into their schools and starting a passionate underground secret gay book club. It almost sounds like a plot to a novel itself, but it’s not, it’s reality.
Author, writer and gay teen literature superstar Brent Hartinger chats with us about his brand new book “Split Screen” a flip book of two stories: “Attack of the Soul Sucking Brain Zombies” and “Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies.”
The two stories follow the hilarious and sexy adventures of gay teenager Russell and his best pal Min as they work as extras in a zombie horror film. I wish we had books like this when I was a kid. Then I would not have had to re-imagine The Hardy Boys so much. Mmmmm…Parker Stevenson.
You can think of Brent as a modern-day Judy Blume, writing books that inspire and nurture the spirit of gay youth and speak to those who never had the ability to comfortably be themselves when they were young.
Bret, Marc and I talk about the challenges faced by gays, why the gay youth of today reject some of the trappings of established gay culture and who exactly buys books about gay youth. You might be surprised to find out.
Are you there God? It’s me, Feast of Fools.
Featured Books:
• Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies / Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies
• The Order of the Poison Oak
• Geography Club
all books by Brent Hartinger
Featured Music:
Christopher Dallman – Race the Light: iTunes | CD Baby
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2 Comments
Comments
I am really glad that there is literature available to young people that speak to the young gay audience. This was a good podcast!
Hey, thanks for having this podcast. I grew up on gay teen literature. My favorite book is “Almost like being in Love” by Steve Kluger. If you haven’t read it, you should. Its entirely told in memos and letters and its so funny and sweet. After reading it back in high school I went and e-mailed the author and asked “Does love get easier when you’re older?” and he replied “No, it doesn’t” or something like that.
I wonder if I still have the e-mail.
Geography Club was a good book too. And Mr. Sanchez’s books were pretty good too. The public libraries need to have more of these books because for high school students like I was, going out and buying these books were almost impossible (money, transportation, privacy, etc).