Guest Post on coming of age by Peter Monn
When people ask me what my upcoming book The Before Now and After Then is about, I say that it is a simple love story that weaves together all of the joy and struggles most teenagers face. For those that know that my book is actually a love story between two teenage boys, they ask if it centers on issues that are specific to LGBT teenagers: coming out, bullying, acceptance, love and tolerance. The answer is yes, but I have found that these are not just LGBT specific issues. People are bullied for being too young or too old, being too pretty or not pretty enough, talking to fast or not reading fast enough, being overweight or being too thin. People are bullied by haters, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, employers, employees, teachers, coaches and yes, even parents. Bullying is everywhere. We all face these issues on a daily basis
As I fell in love with my characters and became a silent participant of their world, I slowly started to realize that they didn’t know their issues were any different than anyone else because they could only view the world from their own point of view. And isn’t that how it is for all of us?
At one point in the book, the main character Danny is asked what it is like to be a twin. He responds that he’s always been a twin so he doesn’t know any other reality. Likewise, Danny has always been bullied, so he doesn’t know any other truth. He doesn’t know how to live in a world where he isn’t bullied, and to some extent, his experiences define him in a way he doesn’t want to be defined.
Maybe that’s the question dancing through the words of my pages; how do you define yourself and break down the prison walls of your life experiences and open the cocoon into a new personality?
Danny I both share one very strong life experience in that we were both bullied from a very young age for being gay. While writing this book I knew that I wanted this to be a truth but not the truth of the story, because even though I was bullied during all of my school years, it wasn’t the only experience that defined me as a person today.
For years I’ve struggled with this notion of it gets better. I think we tell kids that it gets better but we don’t teach them how to get over the tough times. I wanted to show people that even though you’re bullied, or have life defining struggles, life goes on and you grow from it. It doesn’t make it right or even understandable, but it makes it serve some purpose. I’m definitely a stronger person today for having been bullied.
I also wanted to show the bullying from the bully’s point of view because I think for us to overcome hate we have to put ourselves in other people’s shoes and walk around for a while. Compassion is a coin with two sides. We must forgive others to truly find ourselves and this was a powerful lesson for Danny which eventually allowed him to find his own “something to live for”.
For years, I was mercilessly bullied by being called names, slammed into lockers, chased on foot and by cars, having my things vandalized and ultimately being afraid to go to school on a daily basis. But one day, I met this guy who offered me a piece of gum and made everything that I went through seem not so bad. That’s really what my book is all about. That’s really my truth.
Love trumps all.
Title: The Before Now and After Then
Author: Peter Monn
Blurb: Danny Goldstein has always lived in the shadow of his identical twin brother, Sam. But when a hurricane of events forces him into the spotlight, he starts to realize that the only thing he’s truly afraid of is himself.
With the help of his costume changing friend Cher, a famous uncle with a mysterious past of his own, two aging punk rocker parents and Rusty, the boy who will become his something to live for, Danny begins to realize that the music of the heart is truly the soundtrack for living.
Peter’s debut is available wherever you buy books, iTunes, Google Play, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, etc.
You can chat with Peter on Twitter – @petermonn, via Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/petermonnauthorfans, or his blog: http://www.petermonn.com.
Peter is signed to Pen Name Publishing, a boutique publisher looking for bold stories by bold voices. More information can be found on Pen Name Publishing on our website, http://www.pennamepublishing.com. We also love to chat on Twitter, come hang out with us: @pennaepublish
Oh my goodness, that is a powerful message. I like that he stated compassion is a two-sided coin. And that we need to teach kids how to survive difficult times – not just tell them things will get better. Having 2 teenagers and a tween, this is very relevant to me. Thanks for sharing this guest post and the book. I’m certainly going to pick it up. 🙂
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…**#COYER Release Day Review ~ Bound Forever ~ Hanna Peach**
Some great points made in this post. Thanks Brandee!
I’m always on the look-out for debut authors, so thanks for bringing Peter Monn to my attention! If I wasn’t already sold on this book after reading the blurb, that guest post would have sure down the trick.
Carmel @ Rabid Reads recently posted…Interview and Giveaway with Jennifer Estep #StompvsRomp
It is a really good guest post 🙂 I’m happy the author wanted to share it with our readers.
Wow, this was such a thought-provoking and heartfelt post. I kind of teared up reading it! Haha. It’s true though, we may say, “Hey, it’s okay, chin up. It gets better.” But to the person we are saying that to, it may be hollow words. How can we truly understand what they feel when he haven’t been in their shoes and experienced their same plight? That’s where books come in, I think. With the books I read, I’ve become the heroes and heroines I admire and empathize with, and I get to feel what they feel. And in many of the stories where they have themes like this one, about bullying and self-acceptance, it gets pretty hard. Like a character is having a hard time and I find myself having to pause because I feel so much for them and am experiencing the same frustrations they are feeling.
Faye @ The Social Potato recently posted…ARC Review: Magnolia by Kristi Cook
I like that you said that about reading – it really does help us understand the characters and their troubles since we experience it right along with them.