New Review says “Songs for the New Depression” Shines!
Very grateful for a new review in Arts & Understanding, a magazine devoted to HIV/AIDS, on Songs for the New Depression. The review (found on page 48) notes “the laughs make the book deceptively breezy. SONGS shines with psychological truth and historical accuracy.” Love it when folks “get it!”
“Songs for the New Depression” lands on another Top Books of 2012 list!
My sincere thanks to Butterfly-O-Meter Books for including Songs for the New Depression on their Top 10 Books of 2012 list. I’m overwhelmed with the response to my novel, and truly appreciate the mention! Also, thanks to Out in Print, Alfred Lives Here, and QueerMeUp for inclusion on their lists as well. It has been a wonderful year, and I appreciate all of the notes from readers about how the novel has touched you.
The holidays encapsulate all of the bittersweet, subtle emotion I hoped to convey in the book. At times joyous, others sad, and still others sexy and raucous… Life is a wonderful mix, and I am grateful every day that I’m alive and able to experience and be moved by it.
I hope that you each have a wonderful holiday season!
Kergan
Out in Print names “Songs for the New Depression” one of their “Best Books of 2012″
I’m so grateful for Out in Print Reviews including Songs for the New Depression in their wrap up of the top books of the year; it is a career highlight for me. Not only does it affirm my instinct to write, but it also means that others may eventually discover my tale, and hopefully it will inspire and resonate.
Out in Print wrote, in part: “Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written… You’ll read this once for its emotional impact and again to see how the author achieves it. But no matter how many times you dive in, you’ll be impressed.”
My Christmas gift came early this year!
New Review Calls “Songs for the New Depression” a “Gem”
I’m so grateful for the wonderful review of Songs for the New Depression in the Examiner by noted author Alan H. Chin, calling it “a gem.” Under any circumstances, that alone would be high praise, but what most people don’t realize, though, as I normally don’t discuss it, is that–from beginning to end–I published the novel largely by myself, making the accolades even more meaningful.
In December 2010, after 12 long years of on-again, off-again writing, I finally finished the novel in order to be able to give it to my partner, Russ, as his 50th birthday gift. After meeting my deadline, I then began trying to sell the book in the traditional manner. I approached over 250 literary agents, and was rejected or did not receive a response (which is the same thing as a “no”–just less polite) by every single one. I sent the manuscript to publishing houses, large and small, and was again rejected. I took every route possible, and was told “no,” time and again. It was incredibly demoralizing, to have written something which I felt so passionately about, only to have my baby repeatedly deemed ugly.
Finally, I received two rejections which sent me off on an entirely different path than anticipated. One was from the agent who represents Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Cunningham (The Hours.) She’d read the novel, enjoyed it, and had shared with other agents in her office, calling the writing “contemporary, fresh, funny,” only to then let me know that she couldn’t “sell it.” There was a glut of literary fiction on the marketplace, she noted, and marketing a book such as this would be difficult, at best. While that should have been disappointing, it really wasn’t. Neither was the next rejection letter I got.
An esteemed editor and publisher, Don Weise, who used to run Alyson Books and now heads the LGBT press, Magnus Books, also read the novel. Again, I got the same response, which essentially said,”I love your book, but literary fiction just ain’t selling!”
While no one likes rejection, to have been told by two well-respected sources such as these just how great they thought the book was proved a huge boost to me, launching my “make-it-happen” instincts into overdrive. My feeling was, if these amazing folks love it, but there just isn’t a marketplace for it, why not create my own marketplace?
Thus began a huge leap into the world of indie publishing. I had no money, so leaned on friends to help me edit the novel. I learned how to make videos, in order to create my own promotional tools. I learned code to be able to build my website. I wrote my own press releases, contacted reviewers, acted as my own shipper, and more, in order to both publish and promote my book.
While the novel may never make me rich, that was never the intent. I wrote a cautionary tale of love, loss, and redemption, and for those folks who’ve read and “gotten it,” my hope is that the novel will feed and nourish their souls. Happily, most of the letters I’ve received tell me that it has. Others won’t like it, and that’s okay, too. I’d rather have written something which is polarizing than to have written something bland.
This particular reviewer, however, “got it,” and I feel so grateful.
Songs for the New Depression isn’t the story of my partner, Shane, though he inspired it. This is really my emotional journey, entirely fictionalized, of going from self-serving to self-loving. Of going from a person I hated into one in whom I now see value. Going from someone scared of taking leaps into one for whom leaping has become mandatory.
Each and every person who reads and appreciates the journey means that my learning and efforts have not been in vain.
For those of us who choose the lonely road, it is a hard one, but the rewards at the end are also ours to savor…
Please check out the full review here, but following are a few lovely quotes:
“This is a sad story brushed onto the canvas with insightful, dark humor and touching flourishes…
Gabe is not a likable character, yet the author skillfully presents his protagonist in such a way that the reader understands why Gabe chooses to push people away, even people he loves. Also, the three snapshots are told in reverse-chronological order, so the reader builds up sympathy for the character while he struggles with AIDS, and then in the end, reveals the sexual incident that derailed Gabe’s life, to finally bring understanding. Reversing the order was a stroke of genius.
The author presents a story that is heartfelt and authentic, and told with great skill.
If you are looking for a gushing mm romance with a happy ending, keep looking. If you are looking, however, for a well-written, intelligent, bittersweet tale of love and overcoming a troubled past, then I can highly recommend this gem of a book.”
Butterfly-O-Meter Gives “Songs for the New Depression” 5 Butterflies!
Gotta tell you, I love-love-love it when someone reads and understands my book, Songs for the New Depression. With a challenging lead character in Gabriel Travers, it seems from most reviews that readers either love or hate him; there is no in-between. Yes, he is flawed, critical, and at times downright awful, but he is also smart, funny, passionate, confused, and genuinely attempting to change his ways, if only he knew how. I sympathize with him a great deal, and don’t always understand it when someone else writes him off as simply mean, unlikeable, or without redemption.
Happily, most folks do “get” him, including this terrific new review at Butterfly-O-Meter.
You should head over there to read the full review, where she notes that the book is in her top 5 reads of the year thus far, among other flattering things. Here, though, is my favorite of her quotes: “So, all in all, this book is a work of art. It won’t be a hit and run, it won’t fleet away after you’ve galloped through it, it won’t leave you the way you were when you started the read. I was touched, moved, impressed and sort of shaken after reading this, and I’m still recovering now, 24 hours later, and you know what? That’s what a book should be able to do for you. That’s what art should be able to do for you, alter your soul once you’ve been touched by its magnificence. I’m altered.”
Thank you, Butterfly-O-Meter!
A Lovely Quote from Steven Fales, Creator and Star of “The Mormon Boy Trilogy”
I’ve long admired the talented artist Steven Fales. He’s a writer and performer who is also an advocate, never afraid to share his life, loves, and struggles through his artistry. Audiences worldwide have loved his performances, especially his well-known play, Confessions of a Mormon Boy, which he is currently performing in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Confessions is part of The Mormon Boy Trilogy, which he recently performed in repertory in Los Angeles.
I was thrilled to learn that Steven recently read my novel, Songs for the New Depression, and even offered me a lovely quote, which I’m proud to share.
“Songs for the New Depression is an impressive, innovative, and dynamic love story. Rich, witty, and vivid, this is a heart-wrenching, hilarious and sometimes shocking journey of an everyman-narcissist who finally finds redemption in embracing his humanity and ultimately reunites with the hero he was always looking for between the lines of Paris, Bette Midler, and all things fabulous. I found myself singing along until I was able to shout, ‘Amen!’” – Steven Fales, Confessions of a Mormon Boy
Thank you, Steven!
Top 2 Bottom “5 Kisses” Review of “Songs for the New Depression”
I’m very grateful to the folks at Top 2 Bottom Reviews for the wonderful “5 kisses” review of my novel. I also appreciate just how well written and thoughtful the review is!
Songs for the New Depression, by Top 2 Bottom Reviews (D.H. Starr, Reviewer)
Songs for the New Depression by Kergan Edwards-Stout was one of the most emotional, touching, heart-wrenching, and intelligent stories I’ve read in a very long time. With a dark wit reminding me of David Sedaris, this story examines the life of a man who’s made many mistakes and, at the end, has managed to learn a few lessons.
Written in the first person from the perspective of Gabe Travis, the story is broken into three sections. The first section focuses on his later years as he is dying from AIDS. The next section focuses on his twenties at a juncture when he had lost his youthful idealism, but still had hope for a happier future. The third section depicts his high school years and the awakening of his physical sexuality and first love.
Part of what made the story so touching was this backwards design. As we moved forward in the book, we learned about Gabe’s past, but we learned about it already knowing where he’d end up. References and dreams take on a new meaning because we know, ultimately, where the desires of the younger Gabe will lead him.
The language is sophisticated and elegant, each word precise, depicting clear images and evoking specific emotions. The description, whether of location, food, clothing, people, or emotions draws the reader into the moment as if it were actually happening. As a result, we experience Gabe’s highs and lows on a powerful level, truly understanding Gabe, his limitations, and his dreams.
Author Spotlight: Drake Braxton
I love discovering fresh literary talent, particularly in the genre of gay fiction, and was pleased when Seventh Window Publications introduced me to one of their new authors, Drake Braxton. His debut novel, MISSING, is a fun and sexy read, detailing what happens when a happily married man journeys to the Deep South for a 20 year high school reunion, only to find that his husband has mysteriously disappeared. Part romance, part suspense, MISSING takes readers on a fast paced ride, with twists you never see coming.
Drake Braxton took the time to engage in an interview via email, sharing more about his inspiration, gay literature, and his debut novel, MISSING.
Thanks for taking the time to “chat”, Drake! Tell me about MISSING. How did the story originate?
Most stories have a strange place where they start and this one, as cliché as it sounds, was a real dream. I awoke in a panic, full of fear and sadness, as I’d dreamt that I had attended a reunion with my other half and he disappeared. My goal was to recreate that horrible feeling in the early part of this book.
Your lead character, Blain Harrington, has many issues he is dealing with, which I won’t go into, as I don’t want to ruin any surprises. But how did he come into being? What was your impetus for his character?
Blain is someone so different from me and yet, I’m sure there are parts of me in all of my characters. He wants desperately to be the good guy in the relationship, but he is deeply flawed and has done things in his past that haunt his current relationship. I also wanted to show a character that gets on a soapbox about how people are so judgmental towards gays and yet he has judgments of others based on their education, intelligence, background…a little Shakespearean book snob.
While MISSING isn’t strictly a romance, it also isn’t strictly a suspense novel, either. It straddles the two genres quite well. Were you aware, when you began the book, that it wasn’t quite one or the other?
I love reading books that are not afraid to mix genres–that have sensual moments that propel the story, but also other moments of great romance or suspense. I needed to unravel the past romance of these two men and that led to twists and turns I did not expect. Interestingly enough, a few years ago, an LGBT publisher really wanted to publish the book, but only if I changed it to be a “true mystery.” I couldn’t do it. And in hindsight, I’m glad I waited and that Seventh Window has took the chance with the book.
Given the genre-bending, who is your reader? To what kind of person would MISSING appeal?
Humbling Edge on the Net Review of “Songs for the New Depression”
Once again, I find myself thoroughly humbled. I received an advanced copy of this review, and had to keep my mouth shut, or else folks all over the world would’ve heard my guttural screams of ecstasy. I’ve reread this amazing review of Songs for the New Depression on Edge on the Net eight times, to make sure I’m not misreading their lovely praise!
Songs for the New Depression – Review by Christopher Verleger
Screenwriter and director Kergan Edwards-Stout’s compelling, beautifully written debut novel, “Songs for the New Depression,” examines three decades in the short life of Gabriel Travers, an AIDS-stricken California man who fails to recover emotionally from unfortunate events that transpired when he was an effeminate teen.
Named after an album by Bette Midler, “Songs for the New Depression” has all the trademark ingredients of gay men’s literature–a witty albeit troubled protagonist, his incorrigibly loyal female best friend, an emotionally absent father, a quirky yet lovable mom, and an incomparable first love. Despite the seemingly familiar premise, the author’s darkly comic, brutally honest prose reads like poetry and has a melodic flow that is equally funny and heartbreaking.
Told in reverse, beginning when our narrator is approaching forty and increasingly symptomatic, Gabe confronts death with sarcasm, insecurity and regret, much like how he has dealt with everything throughout life. Knowing his days are numbered should soften his disposition, but initially it has the reverse effect, as shown when best friend, Clare, writes him off after having had enough of his insensitive commentary, and when Gabe tries to dismiss his young lover, Jon, assuming he’ll eventually abandon him anyway once the disease takes over.
The next two parts paint a picture of Gabriel as a reckless, disenchanted twenty-something having evolved from a feisty high school teen, forever scarred by a hazing incident that exacerbates his already-strained relationship with his parents, and especially his father. Although he has Clare to confide in, Gabe only begins to truly understand friendship and unconditional love after becoming attached at the hip to his free-spirited, fellow classmate, Keith. Another pleasant version of Gabe surfaces later in life, upon meeting Pastor Sally, the object of his mother’s affection.
Readers will certainly empathize with Gabe, but most of the time, it’s hard to like him, perhaps because we all have someone like him in our lives, or recognize one or more of his traits in ourselves. Regardless of your opinion of him, Gabe’s story is bittersweet, heartfelt and profound.
Even with the grim backdrop of AIDS and a narrator of questionable character, “Songs for the New Depression” is a quintessential page-turner and the product of a truly gifted author.
Chapters and Chats Interviews Kergan Edwards-Stout, Author of “Songs for the New Depression”
Chapters and Chats is a fun blog focused on authors and reading. Jodi does a great job both in leading readers to terrific books, but in interviewing authors as well. I was flattered she both gave my book a glowing review, but took the time to interview me as well. You can check out the full interview at her site, but here are a few of my favorite questions and answers:
C&C: First let me say what an honor it is to have read your book as well as the chance to interview such a skilled author. With your writing, directing, volunteer work and being a father and spouse how do you juggle everything successfully?
Thank you so much for the opportunity to discuss my work! I really appreciated your review of the book, and love it when a reader or critic “gets it!” As far as your question, juggling it all is a struggle, and the biggest reason I don’t write more. It is tough to do it all, and in my life, our kids come first–even if that means my next book will have to wait.
C&C: At what point did your sons Mason and Marcus realize you are incredibly talent and celebrated with many awards? How do they react?
(Laughing.) Well, I’m not sure they think I’m talented! I won’t let them read “Songs for the New Depression” until they’re older, due to some racy bits, but they are very proud of my accomplishments. When it’s won awards or gotten great reviews, the kids have done a family toast at dinner, which is really all the acclaim I need.
Author Spotlight: Jeffrey Luscombe
One of LGBT fiction’s brightest new stars, novelist Jeffrey Luscombe has received much acclaim for his debut novel, Shirts and Skins, recently released by Chelsea Station Editions. Edge on the Net says that “Shirts and Skins is nothing but authentic in its pathos, eloquent in its delivery, and well worth the read,” and, having recently read the book, I can agree.
While newly published in the states, in his native Canada, Jeffrey first gained fame as the Gay Groom, due to his blog, which chronicled his trip down the aisle with his partner, Sean, and continues to chart his experience as a writer. Now, he and Sean are legally and happily snuggled into their charming Toronto abode, but Jeffrey graciously agreed to chat with me about his journey to author- hood, his thoughts on the gay community, and what wedded bliss means to him.
Jeffrey, congratulations on the debut of “Shirts and Skins.” What inspired you to write the novel?
I had the first line of this book in mind head for years. It just took some time to actually get down to work and write it. After I earned my Masters in English a few years ago, I was accepted into a PhD program at McGill in Montreal but, to be honest, there was nothing I was interested in enough to spend four years writing a dissertation on. And since I had always written fiction, I decided to finally get serious about it. So I applied to the Humber School for Writers program and four months later I had finished half a manuscript.
Chapters and Chats Reviews “Songs for the New Depression”
Very grateful for the wonderful review of Songs by Chapters and Chats, which calls it an “important book.” Wow! Thank you!
Songs for the New Depression by Kergan Edwards-Stout (Circumspect Press 2011)
Link: http://www.kerganedwards-stout.com
This is an incredibly important book. I was raked over the coals with the raw emotion that Kergan Edwards-Stout creates in the telling of this story. You can feel the anguish of someone wanting, needing to be loved; and the pain one wishes to inflict, at their failure to find what they are looking for.
Kergan Edwards-Stout writes his debut novel ‘Songs for the New Depression’ with the experience of someone who has lost a partner to AIDS. Given his knowledge, his readers will come away shaken by the painful and often graphic memoir of Gabriel Travers; a fictional character, as he reflects on his life.
From his deathbed, Gabe tells his story broken down into three decades; 1995, as he comes to terms with his choices in life, the 1980s, when sex was his way of looking for love and AIDS became an ugly result of free love, back to his tumultuous youth in 1976, when he begins his journey with reckless abandon, through the gay scene after experiencing a broken heart.
Given that the book deals with such a difficult topic, Edwards-Stout manages to lighten the mood of what could be an oppressive book, by injecting humor and light-hearted moments. Regaling us with stories of Gabe’s relationships with his unlikely friend Clare; one of his only friends high school, his mother Gloria, who is exploring her new found freedom and finally the man who becomes his partner guiding him through the final journey of his life.
Q Magazine Edmonton Reviews “Songs for the New Depression”
I’m not sure what it is, but I’ve gotten amazing reviews from Canadian critics, as well as heartfelt letters from Canadian readers. Not sure why the novel resonates so with them, but am grateful for the reception it has received! Check out the lovely review from Q Magazine Edmonton!
Songs for the New Depression
Gabe Travers is dying. He knows it. He is surrounded by the people he loves, his mother and her new wife Pastor Sally, his best friend Clare, his lover Jon. These are the people who have clung to him through the years, who have stood by him through bad decisions and bitchy remarks. Dying, he takes Jon to Paris; what better gift to give the man you love than the world?
It was a gift he’d been given 9 years earlier, by a man he loved, and as the book goes back in time, we the readers are taken on that journey with him. And then that journey continues back 10 years, to first kisses, to coming out, to a time when Gabe begins to make those relationships that will set the course of his life. To when he first hears Bette Midler.
When you look back at your life, how do you want to see yourself? Why did you make the decisions you made? How did you get here, to this point? Those are just some of the questions Gabe faces, and while he faces them, we explore his life, stripped away of pretension, bare, honest, pure. (more…)
QVegas Magazine Reviews “Songs for the New Depression”!
Always great to stumble unexpectedly on a wonderful review of my book! Check out QVegas Magazine, from March!
Blade California Covers “Songs for the New Depression”!
My sincere thanks to the great folks over at Blade California for including Songs for the New Depression in their June gay pride issue! Our family did a photo shoot for them many years ago which was lots of fun, and it is terrific to be included now with my book. The magazine is on their website in flash format, so the screenshot is difficult to read, but if you head over to their site, the article is on page 31. Thank you, Blade!
Indie Reviewer: “Songs for the New Depression”
I so appreciate the wonderful review of my novel by Indie Reviewer. There are times, even now, when I wonder if what I’ve written is as intended, and it is only through reviews such as this and the lovely notes and emails I’ve received that I can see that it is indeed having the desired effect. Thanks, Indie Reviewer, for your understanding and appreciation. I’m very grateful…
Songs for the New Depression by Kergan Edwards-Stout
“I’m leavin’ my fam’ly
Leavin’ all my friends
My body’s at home
But my heart’s in the wind
Where the clouds are like headlines
On a new front page sky
My tears are salt water
And the moon’s full and high”
(Shiver Me Timber by Tom Waits, 1974)
Kergan Edwards-Stout’s debut novel, Songs for the New Depression, is the poignant and darkly humorous story of Gabriel Travers who is HIV positive and convinced that he’s dying despite his doctor’s proclamations to the contrary. His viral load is undetectable, his T-cell count is up, but according to Gabe one glance in the mirror tells him everything he needs to know. “His ass, once the talk of West Hollywood, now looks suspiciously like a Shar-Pei…” Faced with his own mortality, Gabriel’s first person narrative takes the reader on an emotional journey as he recounts his life experiences and relationships, reflecting on the choices that he’s made along the way and questioning his treatment of the people in his life.
“It seems impossible that my choices have led me here, to this spot, drained of every ounce of life. Despite my long-held belief that one’s journey – or ride, if you will – holds more importance than one’s destination, I am no longer cocksure. For if I, at age 17, had been handed a snapshot of myself as I am right here and now, providing the gift of foresight, isn’t there a chance I might have chosen a different path?
…Perhaps I would have ended up here, regardless of choice. Perhaps it was destiny. Fate. An unlucky draw of the straw. Whichever, it is much too late to ponder, for no amount of wishing can change who I am or what I have done.”
The title of the novel is taken from the Divine Miss M’s 1976 album of the same name. The story spans some two decades, from 1976 to 1995, and unfolds in retrospective but begins and ends in the present with the Prologue and Epilogue. Divided into three parts, each section of the story delineates a specific period in Gabe’s life, and each is thematically linked to a particular song from the album. Part I of the novel (Shiver Me Timber by Tom Waits) takes place in the near present (1995) as Gabe ponders his life and mortality. The reader is then taken back in time to 1986, Gabe’s 20s and a time of love, money and sex (Samedi et Vendredi by Bette Midler and Moogy Klingman) and finally to 1976 during Gabe’s adolescence and the determining events that occurred during this period time in his life (Let Me Just Follow Behind by Moogy Klingman).
Songs for the New Depression is beautifully written with a rich narrative and resonant characterization. Gabriel is written with honesty and depth. While he is self-absorbed and can be insensitive in his treatment of others, at the same time, he is both generous and sympathetic. There is an authenticity to this character that makes him altogether accessible to the reader. I loved Gabriel’s sarcasm and manner of viewing the world and there were many laugh-out-loud moments throughout the story, including his description of his somewhat zany mother, her new wife Pastor Sue and their wedding. Most heartfelt, however, is Gabe’s narrative in respect of his relationship with his partner Jon, and his first love Keith.
The author peels the proverbial onion one layer at a time when it comes to Gabriel as he looks back on his life. From the beginning we are aware of Gabe’s often-difficult relationship with his parents but are unsure as to the reasons. There are also hints early in the story as to a life-altering experience in high school that still affects him as an adult and of course the pivotal importance of Keith in his life. All is slowly revealed as the story progresses and the present-to-past narrative is extremely effective in not only emotionally enveloping, but also deeply investing the reader in Gabriel’s journey.
This story touched me on such a personal level that it was difficult for me to immediately put my thoughts out there via review without feeling exposed. While I finished reading this novel a number of weeks ago, I needed a level of emotional distance from the story before putting my thoughts on paper. In many respects I believe that I was blind-sided by Gabriel. Lulled into a false sense of emotional safety by his sarcasm and acerbic wit behind which he hides. But Gabriel wasn’t going to let me off the hook that easily. Even with an extremely engaging character and his humorous descriptions of some of the events in his life, this story remains one of a 36 year-old man facing the sheer horror and trajedy that he’s dying of AIDS. As the story progressed to its fruition and the many mysteries of Gabriel’s life are revealed, including the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding his HIV infection, so did the blurriness of the pages increase.
“Voices call to me. Soft whispers, beckoning, offering tales of the sea. Suddenly I am in the sails of a pirate ship, adjusting my cap, a gull perched at my side. The wind cools my sunburned face.
Below, the men, my brothers, count towering stacks of gold coins while eating gigantic turkey legs. It is odd, though, that the turkey heads and bodies are still attached.
Even odder still is one pirate in a wheelchair, dressed as a mermaid. He looks to me, knowingly.
Though I cannot place his face or the long ringlets of hair, I am certain we once shared a meal or conversation.
The bell clangs as I glance to the stern, my father at the wheel. He winks at me, playfully, before turning the boat toward open sea. As he does, a purr, sad and resigned, plays through my head.
Shiver me timbers, it whispers, and before I can fully grasp what is happening, I find myself sailing away…”
Songs for the New Depression is both heartrending and bittersweet without melodrama, or attempts by the author to manipulate the reader’s heartstrings with cliché. This, coupled with the sincere and textured depiction of Gabriel, who is altogether human, demonstrates respect for the character and his story, but also for the reader. It is a deeply soulful account of a man coming to terms with having AIDS and his eventual death from the disease, of redemption, and ultimately of both human fragility and enduring spirit.
“What I wouldn’t give to once again experience such brazen, all-embracing delight. To hold Jon in my arms, heart racing, and say nothing. Just to feel a flicker of sunshine, a spark, some reminder, of our love. A love that lingers, now only as memory. The weight, the truth of it, I am no longer capable of feeling.
And if all feeling is gone, I ask myself, what, then, remains?
With a jolt, the elevator completes its descent, doors opening. The influx of wind sends the sounds and regrets of Paris coursing through me and, pulling my jacket tighter against my throat, I step into the waiting city to begin my life anew.”
Songs for the New Depression by Kergan Edwards-Stout received the 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Award in the LGBTQ category and was also short-listed for the 2011 Independent Literary Award in the same category. The novel is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and through Indie Bound in print and ebook formats.
Book Pleasures Interviews Kergan Edwards-Stout
I enjoyed being interviewed by Joseph Valentinetti at Book Pleasures recently, as he asked a lot of fun questions most people don’t. Check out the interview on the Book Pleasures site, or see below for a taste!
Joseph: Here’s some fun questions to start. At least they’re fun for me. What is the most overrated virtue?
Kergan: Chastity. But I’m not telling my kids that.
Joseph: What is the one thing other people always seem to get wrong about you?
Kergan: Until the publication of my novel, I’m not sure anyone thought there was as much going on in my head as there actually is. Most folks just saw me as a “gay dad.”
Joseph: If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
Kergan: I would erase the divide between the have and have not’s.
Joseph: What pet peeve do you have about other people?
Kergan: Wastefulness. Whether it is food, water, resources, or–for writers–words.
Joseph: Is there any occasion when it’s OK to lie?
Kergan: The trite answer is to say that it is alright to lie to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. But, as I grow older and–hopefully–wiser, I’m not entirely sure even that is justified.
Joseph: Tell us your philosophy of writing?
Kergan: Write from the heart and let the words flow.
Joseph: Is your writing an art or craft or some combination of both?
Kergan: I think of writing as an art, which is more passionate and emotional. Too often, writers treat it more as craft, making sure every syllable is perfectly placed, but–to me–that kind of perfectionism usually robs the writing of its soul.
Joseph: If you could go back ten years and give yourself one piece of advice what would that advice be?
Kergan: “It doesn’t get any better. Life is harder than you think it will be. The trick is to find the joy, even amongst the rubble.”
Joseph: What’s the name and genre of you book?
Kergan: My debut novel is entitled Songs for the New Depression, though it is neither a song, nor inordinately depressing. It is a work of literary fiction, along the lines of a Michael Cunningham book, but mixed with the humor of Augusten Burroughs.
Joseph: Who is the audience for this book?
Kergan: I believe the book is for everyone, as the themes of love, longing, sex, and redemption are very universal. But if you ask my publisher, the primary audience is the LGBT community and straight women, as the themes seem to resonate strongly for both audiences.
Joseph: Describe your protagonist and describe the challenges the protagonist needs to overcome and the motivation for overcoming them.
Kergan: Set prior to the HIV drugs we now have, Gabriel is a gay man facing death, and wondering how the choices he’s made have led him to this point. Blessed with beauty and a sharp wit, Gabe has–more often than not–used words as a weapon, to keep others from getting close. Now, he’s facing the ramifications of such behavior, scrambling to make amends to those he has wronged. In particular, to find peace, he needs to reconcile an incident which, while it occurred long ago, continues to haunt him.
Joseph: Quote a passage from your book that you love and elaborate on the meaning of the passage .
Kergan: “James Baldwin once wrote that Americans lack a sense of doom, yet here I stand.” Over 12 years ago, that line popped into my head. At the time, I didn’t know who was speaking it, its context, or where it would lead, but that one line is now the opening sentence of my novel.
Joseph: What surprising things did you learn while writing this book?
Kergan: I think, most surprisingly of all, I learned that I am actually a writer. When I was younger, I would’ve never imagined that this could have been a career option, but here I am!
Joseph: How has your upbringing influenced you writing?
Kergan: My upbringing and life experiences have helped define my voice as a writer, so that everything I write has a certain shared sensibility.
Joseph: Where do you live and how does that influence your writing?
Kergan: I live in Southern California, and I think that kind of “laid back” attitude influences my writing style. I don’t obsess over every notation. While at times poetic, my writing is much more of a dialogue with the reader, putting all of my characters thoughts onto the page. And I think that “accessibility” is definitely influenced by my location.
Joseph: Do you prefer fermented or distilled?
Kergan: I’m drinking chardonnay right now.
Joseph: Thanks once again and good luck with your book.
Carey Parrish: Spotlight Interview with Novelist Kergan Edwards-Stout
I feel so fortunate, to be meeting so many terrific people through my journey of writing and publishing Songs for the New Depression. I met author Carey Parrish through a fun group of fellow writers, all of whom have been supportive cheerleaders, and it has been a real pleasure connecting with them.
Carey asked if I’d do an interview with him, and when he published it, I was floored when he called my book one of his top 10 reads of the past decade! Wow–such a thrill, and most appreciated.
Check out the interview here, and thank you, Carey!
For more about Carey Parrish, author of Marengo and Big Business, please check out his website.
18 Questions with Author Kergan Edwards-Stout
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to answer a few questions from Terrence Moss, a terrific writer and blogger who read and loved Songs for the New Depression. He even went so far as to post an ad for it on his site–which is above and beyond generous. (Thank you, Terrence!)
Check out his 18 Questions, as they give you a fun behind-the-scenes look at the book!
A Review by Author Carey Parrish: “Songs for the New Depression”
I’m really overjoyed that Songs for the New Depression seems to be striking such a chord in readers–particularly when they happen to be authors themselves!
A Masterpiece of Modern Literature by Carey Parrish
It isn’t often I read a book that touches my soul, but that is exactly what happened with Songs for the New Depression. Author Kergan Edwards-Stout has crafted a story that is beautiful, tragic, and consuming. Once you start this one, you won’t be able to stop. And keep some tissues handy.
Meet Gabriel Travers. A man approaching 40, Gabe is ill with HIV and he thinks he’s dying; no, he knows he’s dying. Nobody believes him but he knows it. His life hasn’t been everything he wanted it to be, but whose has, eh? The world he lived in back in the 80′s is something he recalls fondly but which in the present day is a mere memory and a passel of regrets. He never found true love. He never became what he thought he wanted to be.
He lets his thoughts drift back to his high school days and the first love of his life, Keith. Keith was perhaps the only person who knew the potential Gabe possessed and it was with Keith, and only Keith, that Gabe shared the savagery of an attack that has left him scarred ever since.
Gabe’s story is one of personal redemption. In what he believes to be the finality of his life, he at last sets out on the journey of self discovery that will hopefully rid him of his regrets and put to rest the bitterness of a past that he’s never been able to shed.
Readers can delight in Gabe’s journey because it is one that we all at some point in our lives, for whatever varying reasons, have to take. Maybe Gabe isn’t the classic literary hero, he is a very flawed character in many respects, but no one is perfect, and anyone who reads this tale will relate to Gabe in a very personal manner. His love of Bette Midler, his reliance on the help of his mom’s wife, a priest who loves country music, and his own remembrances of what he sees as a life half lived will open the door to the reality of what he actually is, was, and will become.
Kergan Edwards-Stout has written a masterpiece. A bravura debut novel, its heartfelt message is ultimately timeless.
Mr. Edwards-Stout, well done, sir.
For more about Carey Parrish, author of Marengo and Big Business, please check out his website.
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