I am a gay wizard

The process of uncovering our identities is long and painful. Whisked away to the institute and told they can never return to their old lives, Johnny and Alison must quickly adapt to a new world shimmering with monsters, fraternities, and cute boys like Hunter and Blake.

Absolutely not. What do you hope to bring to the world of young adult fiction? Santoni will be released for sale by Wattpad Books in October. What sets your book, I’m A Gay Wizard, apart from this genre? James Demmin-De Lise, an acclaimed author and fervent advocate, masterfully transforms complex issues into compelling narratives.

I 39 m a : He lives in Nashville with his husband

A (presumably Latinx) gay teen is forcibly taken to a school for teen wizards. They get their answer in the form of an earthquake unleashed at their behest, which draws the attention of the Marduk Institute, an age-old organization dedicated to fostering the talents of young wizards.

Although the media landscape has improved, I still feel there is a need for queer genre fiction, and, moreover, honest queer genre fiction with unabashed depictions of queer characters, not just tropes. What is your advice for aspiring writers who face similar challenges?

Juan “Johnny” Diaz and his best friend, a transgender girl named Alison, think they’re just playing around when they cast a magic spell, but they are abducted to a secretive institute for teens exhibiting magical potential. Santori expertly weaves bullying, coming out, love, self-loathing, and more into a believable!

When Johnny and his best friend, Alison, pass their summer holidays dabbling in magic, they never expect it to have consequences. It eschews cynicism for optimism, casts aside decorum for honesty, and revels in being bright, colorful, and romantic.

I 39 m a : V

I would tell future writers to have great, great patience with their projects. V.S. Santoni is the author of I’m A Gay Wizard. He's a Latinx nonbinary guy who spends way too much time daydreaming, scouring YouTube for retro-anime movies, and sobbing to sad, old punk songs with his best friend, a Chihuahua named Darla.

Check out our privacy policy here. Growing up a lonely gay goth kid, I spent a lot of time ravenously consuming any media with queer content, whether it was the Weetzie Bat series by Francesca Lia Block or the excellent queer fantasy novels of Mercedes Lackey, anything to stave off the soul-crushing reality that being a queer kid kind of sucked.