What is the [working] title of your next book?
BEREFT
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The book is an expansion of a short story I wrote for an anthology called FROM WHERE WE SIT: Black Writers Write Black Youth. The story deals the psychological effects of bullying and being in the closet and racism. So, in a way, the ‘idea’ of the book came from me re-visiting my 14 year old self.
What genre does your book fall under?
Realistic Young Adult Fiction.
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Hmmm. Maybe Jaden Smith for the lead character.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
14 Year Old Rafael Fannen wins a minority scholarship to Our Lady of the Woods school, where he must deal with bullies, racism and homophobia.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
The book will be published by Tiny Satchel Press this January!
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
8 Months
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I would compare it to Yukio Mishima’s Confessions of A Mask and James Baldwin’s coming of age fiction.
What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
People who read genre fiction will like that my hero, Rafael, is a book nerd, and compares everything to the various fantasy books he’s read. Inside references to Game of Thrones series and the Narnia books abound.
Please check out the other folks who tagged me.
Craig Laurance Gidney 