An interview for the 2007 GLBT Month with Nico Medina, author of The Straight Road to Kylie.

I guess this is where I admit that I've only been writing since 2005, when I was twenty-two. And before that, the last thing I'd written was a very weird little book about vampires (with some major gay undertones) when I was twelve! I can say, though, that since I've become part of the GLBT YA Lit crowd, I've been met with nothing but encouragement and excitement. And the gay YA market seems to be just growing in leaps and bounds. It's an exciting time for the genre, with new experiences and new voices being explored--it's not all tears and angst and self-hatred anymore. Not to say that that's BAD, but it's nice to have all sorts of books out there now for GLBT youth, and hopefully many more on the way....

Name and describe 3 must-read books for GLBT teens (and yes, one of your books can be in there!).

FREAK SHOW, by James St. James: This is truly the most unique YA book (gay or not!) that I've had the pleasure of reading. The pacing is blissfully frenetic, and the voice is just...WOW. You've never encountered a voice like Billy Bloom's (the teen-drag-queen protagonist), and it's certainly a must-read.

A REALLY NICE PROM MESS, by Brian Sloan: This book is my favorite book about "that one crazy night"--prom night, of course. But it's not your typical prom book whatsoever, and I just had so much fun reading it.

Highly recommended.

THE FULL SPECTRUM, edited by David Levithan and Billy Merrell: This is a collection of personal essays, poems, and photographs by GLBTQS youth, ages 13 to 23. I think this is a total must-read for any teen, because even if you're not GLBT, you'll connect with these pieces.

They're raw, real, heartbreaking, inspiring, and everything in between. I love how the whole thing is by kids, too, so it's that much more affecting and powerful. It also just won a Lambda Award, which is QUITE the big gay deal!

And, yeah, I'll be tacky and say that it'd be COOL if people read my gay YA novel, THE STRAIGHT ROAD TO KYLIE--but I didn't wanna not include any of the previous three books. So I'm bending the rules. I have all sorts of other book recommendations on my Web site, too, if anyone wants to check that out.

If you weren't an author, what would you be doing?

Well, I'm not a full-time author now--I'm a children's-book copyeditor by day--but I guess if I had to pick another career, I'd be an urban planner. I was always a huge dork for Sim City.

Of course, if I could do ANYTHING, I'd probably be some sort of a travel writer. Or an heiress with lots of free time to sit at my pool and drink mimosas and eat hummus.

Has a fan's story ever touched you as much as your stories have touched them?

No one fan's particular STORY has stuck out (my book's only been out for a few months, so I'm not exactly deluged with the fanmail), but every message I get from a reader is super cool and special in its own way. There's the 16-year-old who appreciated the book's fun and non-oversexed nature...there's the 37-year-old guy who was touched that a gay character could be so secure and happy and carefree in this day and age...the list goes on and on. Really, the simple fact that people reach out and tell me that my book affected them is touching in and of itself! It's the best part of this (part-time) job.

Do you have any advice for young GLBT writers? Teen writers in general?

Well, there's of course the usual: Read lots. Write lots. Read some more. It really does help with your writing, I think.

Then there's the maybe not-as-usual: Get a writing group. Be hard on each other. Be hard on yourself. Expect greatness! And don't take criticism personally.

And the practical: When you have the means and the writing ability (and a thick skin), move to New York and make friends with publishing people. It really helps to know folks in the industry, and how everything works. Not that it guarantees you a book deal or anything (far from it, actually!), but it certainly gets you one step closer.

(Plus, New York is a pretty astounding place to live!)

Early GLBT YA books were often categorized as "problem" novels and primarily featured characters that were white. Today's books feature many minorities and, in many ways, can be looked at as more "mainstream". What do you think will happen in GLBT lit in the next five to ten years?

I'm hoping there'll be more books about the transsexual experience.

Only I hope it's done really well, and not for the sake of gimmick. If I could do it justice, I'd consider doing it myself, but I feel like The Trans Teen Novel is waiting for JUST the right person to do it perfectly. (Crap--I hope there isn't already a great trans novel out there, or I'm in trouble!)

Even today, there seem to be fewer books published about lesbian or bisexual teens than about male homosexual teens. Why do you think that is? Do you think this will change?

That's true. (That should've been my answer to the last question! More bi and lessie novels, PLEASE!) I don't really know why this is the case, though--the lack of lesbian/bisexual teen novels. As for bisexual books, it could be because bisexuality is less understood and "mainstream" than homo- or heterosexuality. Personally, I believe that if a person can be attracted one sex or the other, then it's completely possible for a person to like both. Right?! But a lot of people don't feel this way--and think bisexuals are "greedy" or indecisive--so maybe that's why there isn't much bi YA lit out there.

People might just not be ready for it (though there definitely is some). As for lesbian novels, I don't know why the genre is kind of dominated by gay male teens. But gay YA lit on the whole hasn't been around for a TERRIBLY long time, so maybe the gay-boy books got a bit of a head start. I'd like to think that lesbian and bisexual novels are just behind them, and they probably are.

Many straight teens devour and enjoy GLBT YA lit just as much as the GLBT teens it is ostensibly targeted towards. As an author, has this surprised you? What do you think it means for our future and the future of today's GLBT teens?

I love-love-LOVE that some (some!) straight teens are all about GLBT YA lit! I think it's a positive sign that our society's moving in the right direction (despite a lot of the other crapola that's going on).

I have to say--books aside--that it seems the experience for the typical GLBT teen has changed drastically, even since I was one of them a few years ago. When I graduated high school in 2000, there was literally ONE (maybe two) out kids in my whole class. When my sister went to the same school five or six years later, she said there were SCADS of 'mos. That alone gave me hope. So I think that while for some people it's still a horribly difficult process filled with obstacle after obstacle, things on the whole are getting better. Straight teens "devouring" GLBT YA lit might be a happy side effect (or catalyst, even?) for this positive change.

Is there anything you wish I'd asked? If so, what is it...and what would your answer be?

They were all great questions, and I'm so glad to be a part of this monthlong event, but...yeah, sure. I'll come up with a question. Since we're talking about how things are evolving for GLBT youth, how about:

Q: Should kids stop using the word "gay" as a derisivie and derogatory adjective?

A: YES!!!!!!! It's getting tired, people. Time to come up with something else!