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On LGBT Lit by Author Scott Tracey

August 16, 2011 By 17 Comments

Scott Tracey is the author of the upcoming Witch Eyes, which releases September 8th through Flux. He’s lived for a month on a Greyhound, wrote an illustrated autobiography at the age of six, and barely survived Catholic school, so he knows what he’s talking about.

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Comments

  1. April Wilson says:
    August 16, 2011 at 2:36 pm

    Thank you for this great presentation. Sexuality is a topic that has always interest, and it is something I would like to address in my writing. I really enjoyed hearing your perspective, and I will keep your advice in mind as I continue my writing.

  2. Lydia Sharp says:
    August 16, 2011 at 2:41 pm

    So many excellent points here. Thank you! :D

  3. Jessica Naccari says:
    August 16, 2011 at 2:42 pm

    Thanks, Scott! I’m glad you were able to add this to the WriteOnCon! My current WIP features a bisexual lead, and it is exactly the type of story you suggested. An adventure story where sexuality, although included, isn’t the point of the story. Looking forward to your book next month!

  4. Brenda Drake says:
    August 16, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    Thanks, Scott, for such wonderful and informative post. I’m so glad no puppies are killed in YA. :D

  5. Heather Kelly says:
    August 16, 2011 at 5:03 pm

    Love this! Feeds right into the conversations we’ve been having about ‘Where are the Gay Parents in Children’s Literature?”

    I love to read books where the issue isn’t sexual preference (well, I like those too! :) . But where it is just normal to have characters span a realistic spectrum.

    Thanks!

  6. Kris Asselin says:
    August 16, 2011 at 5:16 pm

    Great vlog, Scott. As Heather mentioned, we’ve been talking about the portrayal of Gay parents in Children’s Lit on my blog and Jon Arnston’s blog. If people are interested, we’d love to invite folks over to see our reading list and participate in the conversation!

    http://www.krisasselin.blogspot.com
    http://jonathonarntson.blogspot.com/

  7. Stephanie Lawton says:
    August 16, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    Thanks so much for this! I’ve also tweeted with Kris about writing gay characters — something I never planned, but fit perfectly in explaining a character’s behavior and motivation. I’ve worried about being authentic, but was able to pull from experiences with extended family to lend some authority.

    I’ve worried about getting pidgeon-holed, but I think as more and more writers embrace LGBT issues in a subtle manner, that worry will fade — it already has, thanks to heavy-hitting writers like Cassandra Clare.

    Again, thanks for your input!

  8. Erica Chapman says:
    August 16, 2011 at 6:58 pm

    You made some excellent points, Scott! Nice job. Can’t wait to read Witch Eyes!!

  9. Jennifer Pickrell says:
    August 16, 2011 at 8:06 pm

    I really enjoyed this video – not rambly at all :) Great points and I’m still laughing about the “We don’t kill puppies in YA” line.

  10. Natalie Aguirre says:
    August 16, 2011 at 10:58 pm

    I really loved your talk. It was so informative. And I totally agree with what you said about characters. I can’t wait to interview you.

  11. K8 says:
    August 16, 2011 at 11:36 pm

    Loved this vlog! I write a lot of gay characters that don’t fit the stereotypes, so this was affirmation that I’m going in the right direction

  12. Jessica (J.S.) Schley says:
    August 17, 2011 at 12:03 am

    Thanks, Scott! What a wonderful vlog. Add me to the list of people who loves seeing fiction with fully realized LGBT characters who are, for the most part, just being people like anybody else.

    And now I desperately want to write a gay werewolf bully…

  13. ClaireDawn says:
    August 17, 2011 at 1:58 am

    I agree about the United Colors of Benneton cast. I hate when I feel like they’ve included a black, an Asian, a gay and someone in a wheelchair just so they can say they have.

    Because of my beliefs I don’t think I could write a gay MC (but I also couldn’t write a liar MC without being preachy) but I do have an adversity story nagging me to be written. And I think the angle might even be a fresh one.

  14. S A Putnam says:
    August 17, 2011 at 4:03 am

    Thank you, Scott for sharing this! You brought up many excellent points.

  15. Angelica R. Jackson says:
    August 18, 2011 at 9:40 pm

    I agree that I have seen the “token” gay characters and they are usually obvious. I think a good example of a well-rounded character who just happens to be gay is Dumbledore–when JK Rowling first mentioned that he is gay, she was very matter-of-fact about it, just as if she was saying “he’s a wise man.” It was obviously something that shaped him, but did not define him.

  16. Steven dos Santos says:
    August 21, 2011 at 10:20 pm

    Great Interview! I can definitely relate to writing fully realized characters that just happen to be gay, even though that’s not the focus of the story. My own post-apocalyptic novel, THE TORCH KEEPER is also being published by FLUX and features both a main gay character, as well as gay and heterosexual supporting characters.

    Congratulations, Scott! Looking forward to devouring WITCH EYES as soon as it’s released!

  17. Steven dos Santos says:
    August 22, 2011 at 9:18 am

    I just had to say, while I agree with most of the comments above, I do take offense to the above poster who cites “beliefs” to somehow equate being gay with lying. It’s these kind of hurtful ideas that have such a negative effect on society today, particularly our vulnerable youth.

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