I felt I had to to pair these two authors together as they deal with young adult anguish of facing up to ones true sexual orientation.
Alicia Tuckerman has written a searing memoir of what it is like to try and hide your true sexual feelings when growing up in a small town, while Will Kostakis’ book is a novel but so clearly based on his own experiences as a young gay teenager.
Both authors have written about the tension of growing up in small towns and agonising over whether they will be ‘ found out’ and what that would mean not just for themselves but for their families and friends. Maybe if you have a teenager or a friend who you suspect is struggling with sexual identity these two beautifully written books might give them the confidence to be themselves.
Click on image to buy bookAlicia Tuckerman reads from ‘If I tell you’
Alicia Tuckerman – Interview
Recorded at the Bellingen Writers Festival 2018
THE SIDEKICKS’ – Will Kostakis
‘The SidekickS’ deals with a young man trying to fit in with a small town definition of what it means to be male. In this read, the hero has a heart to heart with his mother about and realises he doesn’t have to hide anymore. As Will Kostakis says in his interview, everything became easier for him once he became honest about who he was.
click on image to buy book
Will Kostakis reads from ‘The Side kick’
Will Kostakis – Interview
Recorded at the Somerset Festival of Literature 2018
