Legendary Author Michael Nava praises "Songs for the New Depression"

Coming out in the 1980's, I eagerly devoured every LGBT book I could lay my hands on.  Novels from such authors as Armistead Maupin, Larry Kramer, and Patricia Nell Warren filled my crate shelves.  But given my even-earlier leanings toward the mysteries of such stalwarts as the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Agatha Christie, the books of Michael Nava held particular appeal.  An attorney, Nava created one of the most indelible and groundbreaking of characters in Henry Rios, a gay Latino criminal defense attorney, and his books were more than mere mysteries.  He has been honored with five Lambda Literary Awards, and was also awarded the Publishing Triangle's Bill Whitehead Lifetime Achievement Award for Gay and Lesbian literature.

I recently met Nava at Palm Springs Pride, where we were both signing our books, and was absolutely floored when he bought mine.  (I was such a fan, I would've given it to him for free!)  Still, even knowing he had it, I never expected him to read it, let alone contact me.  Color me shocked when I received a lovely note from him on the novel.  After a brief exchange, he sent me the following quote, which I'm so happy to share with all of you!

"Songs for the New Depression is an affecting novel, written with great literary flair. I particularly enjoyed its portrait of Los Angeles in the 80's and 90's, as well as the author's brave willingness to write about the AIDS epidemic at a time when so many of us seem to want to forget that terrifying era. At times laugh aloud funny, and at other times intensely moving, it is the first of what I hope will be many books to come from Kergan Edwards-Stout. I recommend it."

Such moments as this make all of the challenges of writing well worth it!