Growing up Catholic made it really difficult for me to come out. In fact, it was my personal struggle of balancing my faith with my, then newly understood, sexuality that inspired my upcoming novel, Carousel of Questions.
Anyone on the LGBT spectrum faces a carousel of questions regarding their identity when they come out. Who am I? Will I be accepted? Am I the only one like this? What will the future hold? For those on the LGBT spectrum who grew up in a religious family, those questions multiply. They question their creation, their moral being, and their afterlife. They question whether or not God made them this way. Am I disordered, as some Christians say? Am I just the way God intended me to be, as other says?
When coming out, this carousel ride of unanswered questions can feel like a prison. Navigating the inconsistencies between Christians is difficult, scary, and lonely. All of a sudden, you go from being an active member of your church to an outcast. Friends turn their back on you, not knowing how to help. You feel lost and confused, left yearning for that familial sense of belonging.
So, what do you do?
In my novel, Carousel of Questions, you'll follow Francis Maggiano's attempt to balance his faith and sexuality. Francis has, so far, successfully avoided the thought of being gay, but Adam Jackson, the Adonis of Dreux Creek High School, brings everything Francis believes into question with the invite: "Wanna go with me to Adoration?"
We all, at one time or another, have to deal with our own carousels. Stay tuned to see how Francis deals with his.
Enjoy!
JG
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