Pride in Books

June is Pride month, which invites us to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, reflect on its history and struggles, and recognise the ongoing journey towards equality. Parades, parties, community events, and advocacy campaigns are often the face and soul of Pride, but literature plays an important role in preserving the voices of the community, as well as sharing and shaping the cultural understanding.

Historically, LGBTQ+ stories have been overlooked, censored, or forced into the margins. Despite these challenges, authors continued to write with courage, creating works that documented love, resilience, heartbreak, and joy.

Today, readers have access to an increasingly diverse collection of queer literature spanning every genre. These stories remind us that there is no single LGBTQ+ experience. Instead, they celebrate the richness and diversity of human lives.

Representation in literature goes far beyond simply including queer characters. Authentic storytelling allows readers to see complex individuals whose identities are only one part of who they are.

When readers encounter characters with different backgrounds and experiences, they develop empathy and understanding. At the same time, LGBTQ+ readers can discover stories that affirm their identities and remind them they are not alone.

For young people especially, finding books that reflect their lives can provide comfort, confidence, and hope during important moments of self-discovery.

We have an amazing selection of LGBTQ+ stories here at Pegasus.

Firstly, upcoming we have

From The Ashes: The Writings of an All-American Transgender Boy by Phoenix Gray.

For a memoir to be inspiring the writer must be honest with themself and their reader. They must know that their life story is an important and valuable one that needs telling.
The process can be daunting, triggering in fact. We must honestly look at what we sometimes are nostalgic about in our lives.
We must be brave enough to look directly into our past to give a true account of our lives. We must remember our demons and angels and embrace both in our quest to portray our life in a meaningful, and truthful, telling of our tale of surviving and hopefully thriving. From the Ashes: The Writings of an All-American Transgender Boy is such a telling of truth.
I had the pleasure, and honor, of having Phoenix Gray as my student in my Creative Non-fiction class. The bulk of this book was created one class at a time. Each writing exercise that Phoenix wrote for the assignments I gave was another piece to the puzzle. By the end of the semester the exercises became the basis of this excellent portrayal of Phoenix's life.
He bravely recounts both the good and the not so good with a style that is engaging. This memoir is one that deserves reading. It is a beacon for the darkness of living a false self. It is also a bonfire for letting go of the false self and courageously claiming our true nature.
This is evident in From the Ashes: The Writings of an All-American Transgender Boy

Written by Profressor Tammy Morgan

And

My Unleashing, Memoir of a Queer Dad by Morgan Morgan

My Unleashing, Memoir of a Queer Dad is a bold, heartfelt exploration of identity, love, and transformation. After decades of living within the confines of deep-seeded expectation – dutiful husband, devoted father, successful construction professional – Morgan finally answers the call for a more complete version of his identity. With humor, honesty, and striking vulnerability, the author, Morgan Morgan reflects on the defining moments that shaped his current reality – from family and fatherhood to discovering his true queer self. His story speaks to anyone who has ever questioned their self-worth or purpose in life. Through rich storytelling and emotional insight, Morgan invites readers to share his journey, to learn that growth and self-acceptance are lifelong pursuits. Both tender and powerful, this memoir celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the freedom that comes with embracing one’s truth.

And our all-time favourites…

Want by Paula Guildea

In the heat of a summer break in Dublin, Darcy, a university student in her final year, navigates a world steeped in the complexities of woke culture. As her peers immerse themselves in the fervour of social justice and activism, Darcy grapples with the pressure to conform, feeling like an outsider in her own life.

Behind closed doors, Darcy bears the weight of a secret world. She is the silent guardian of her grandmother, a woman lost to the clutches of dementia. In the shadows of her responsibilities, Darcy conceals the haunting tragedy of losing her parents in a devastating accident, shielding herself from the pitying glances of her friends.

Amidst the societal expectations and her hidden burdens, Darcy seeks solace in the embrace of someone unexpected during moments of vulnerability. However, the truth remains elusive as she wrestles with the intricacies of her own desires, morals and confusion.

At the heart of Darcy's journey is Jessica, an ex-lover whose presence looms large, a constant reminder of the crux moments that shaped her past. Their tangled history serves as a mirror reflecting Darcy's inner struggles, forcing her to confront the layers of deception she has woven to protect herself.

"Want" is a poignant exploration of identity, loss, and the ever-evolving landscape of woke culture. In a world where authenticity is both a shield and a vulnerability, Darcy must navigate the delicate balance between the person she presents to the world and the one she discovers within herself. Will she find the courage to strip away the veils shrouding her true reflections?

Ken & Bobby by Jai D. Wilde

True love and happy endings only happen in fairy tales... right?

Bobby Vanderpool is a young millionaire, a popular model, and a closeted gay heir to his conservative family's legacy. He has everything he could possibly want except for a storybook romance and the freedom to be his true queer self.

Meanwhile, Ken Walker, a sexy surfer and musician, fears his family, friends, and church will reject him if they learn he's not entirely straight, so he struggles to repress his sexuality while trying to find himself.

But after the steamy surf stud's chance encounter with a certain bubbly blond beau, nothing can stand in the way of their magical love-at-first-sight romance--nothing but family conflicts, treacherous frenemies, and a vexing hex, that is.

If the star-crossed lovers are ever to be together, Ken must overcome his fears and learn to accept himself, and Bobby must survive his death drop from grace and learn how to stand on his own two feet.

Will Ken & Bobby lose themselves to society's pressures and expectations? Or will they find a way to live their truth and write a fairy tale ending together? Only one sassy narrator can spill this tea!

Lord Byron’s Phlox by Summer Hayes

London, 1828. Jonah, adopted by an artist when he was a child, is now a young man and his guardian, Leonard, knows that he must secure the young man's future. He secures him a position with a noble family, where he is instructed to act as a bodyguard to the unruly younger son - although on first meeting the young lord is more withdrawn and quiet than he is unruly.

Jonah's passionate nature and sense of loyalty are sparked by something in Charles, and he soon feels obliged to protect him beyond the obligations of his position.

As Jonah begins to learn more about himself and those around him, he finds himself caught up in the tensions of the household, the secrets it keeps and the dangers that hover close by.

Caravaggio’s Boy by Keith West

This is a tour de force which imaginatively and convincingly fills the gaps in our knowledge of Caravaggio's life and that of his model, student and lover, Francesco Boneri. It is a rollicking story which vividly brings to life the violent contrasts of their time: the opulence and squalor, piety and corruption, sophistication and degradation of 16th and early 17th century Italy. Against this backdrop West's expertise in art and art history gives fascinating insights into the genesis and genius of the paintings.
Very Reverend Jeffrey John, former Dean of St Alban's Cathedral.
Cover painting: Sacrifice of Isaac c1603

One April Night by Jerry Sacher

Andrew Elliot is being forced into a marriage by his aristocratic father, but before the marriage takes place, he's being sent to America with the girl and her brother as chaperone. His father is certain this union will cure him of his feelings for the son of a caretaker on his parent's country estate.
Matthew Ahearn, a working class Irishman dreaming of a fresh start in the New World, finds himself running from the police after an accident. In Southampton, he gets a job as a third class steward on a passenger liner bound for New York. Andrew and Matthew's paths cross, and they find romantic feelings for one another, unaware that they will soon take part in an event that will change the course of history: It's April of 1912, and they are aboard the R.M.S Titanic and onto their next stop.