New book explores life of gay teen in the Deep South

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A new book, entitled "A Time Before Me" and written by Michael Holloway Perronne’s, takes the rare but very needed plunge into the life of a gay teenager in the South (more specifically the Deep South). Perronne's debut novel explores the life of Mason, a teen from a small town in Mississippi who goes to spend the summer after his graduation with his aunt in New Orleans. According to a 365gay.com Review:

Shy and inexperienced Mason spends much of his time with his best friend and childhood crush, the charming and daring Billy. When a six pack of beer leads to a kiss between the two, Mason believes his dreams have come true. Billy’s disregard for the incident, however, dashes Mason’s hopes. After graduation, Mason fears he’s doomed to spend a humid Mississippi summer scooping ice cream. Everything changes when his vivacious Aunt Savannah invites him to live with her in New Orleans and work in the box office of her drag queen cabaret. It’s there- in the decadent and liberating French Quarter- that Mason begins to fall for Joey, a strikingly handsome and sweet nineteen-year old, who may just be ready to open his heart to someone new. With the help of his aunt and a sassy drag queen, Miss Althea, Mason learns that the only way to get anywhere is to roll life’s dice and take a chance. The primary lesson Perronne hopes that his readers take from reading his book is one of taking chances in life. “The novel doesn’t wrap everything up with a nice little bow tied around it- which is how life is more often than not. The important thing is that Mason realizes the risks in life he needs to start taking to find true happiness,” Perronne said. “I also always felt that the voice of Southern gay people- and, yes, there are lots of us- was one not often heard.” Perronne who is an adult education instructor and writer living in Los Angeles, knows his subject matter. He was born in the Deep South and has degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of New Orleans. For anyone who grew up in the South, or in a rural community anywhere, this is book will evoke memories of youth. Source: 'A Time Before Me' 365gay.com

====== Now who says you can't be both Southern and gay? I know I am... but, you know, when I say "Southern" I don't mean redneck. There is a difference between being Southern and being redneck; hey, rednecks exists in every part of the country. I really think I want to get this book. Maybe Borders, Barnes & Noble or the UNCG Bookstore carries it. Technorati Tags: gay youth, gay, lgbt, gay literature, mississippi, new orleans, french quarter