Author: Chris

With the official launch of The Family Way coming up on May 27, I thought I would share my Spotify playlist for the book (I shared one for Pluto a few months ago).

These are not songs that I listened to while writing the novel, rather songs that would help put me in the world of my characters. Sometimes, if I hadn’t worked on the manuscript for a while, I’d put it on to get back into things. Or I’d listen to it on walks or doing the dishes, trying to work out what might happen next in the story.

In all there are 48 songs on the playlist, but below are ten that hold particular meaning.

“Little Bird” by Annie Lennox

The Family Way is a long book, and my editor wanted me to break it up into three parts. I liked that idea but wanted to give each section a title. I had the idea to name each part after a song. Annie Lennox is referenced at one point in the novel. She is one of the artists that Michael has discovered in his gay education. She definitely was part of mine. Her albums Diva and Medusa were such important albums for me in my development as a young gay man, and a song like “Little Bird” perfectly captures the spirit of Michael’s story.

“500 (Shake Baby Shake)” by Lush

This song is about the Fiat 500 subcompact car. It’s a great, fun pop song that my partner Greg and I turn up every time it comes on in our house. Although Miki Berenyi is singing about a car, she might as well also be singing about a lover, which is often how people feel about their cars. In the novel, Michael is obsessed with cars, particularly his old BMW he names “Baby.” I like how this song befuddles our feelings for animate and inanimate objects.

“Drag” by Day Wave

This song sounds like summer to me and listening to Day Wave—along with The Drums—makes me think of long afternoons on the beach and bike rides in Provincetown. P-Town is an important location in the book, and my main character Paul does start to feel like a bit of a drag on holiday. Paul is the responsible one, while Michael is playful. I feel like this song captures Paul’s thoughts about himself in this regard—he knows he can be a drag sometimes, and does not want to be.

“Alan” by Perfume Genius

When I created the character of Alan, I didn’t know much about him. All I knew was that he was Paul’s former lover and that his name was Alan. Sometimes it’s like that with characters. There’s no other name for them. Fast-forward to me editing the book last year and discovering this song by queer musician Perfume Genius. It was kind of spooky because I feel like maybe he and I were channeling a parallel muse when writing our projects. To me, the song captures how Paul feels about his time with Alan in only a few lyrics and a haunting melody.

“The Thing About Things” by Amanda Palmer

Part Two opens with the title of this song by Amanda Palmer. Truth be told, I’m normally not a huge fan of lyrics. I often don’t even know what a song is about, preferring to daydream to melodies than understand words. But Palmer is such a gifted storyteller. I will sit down and listen to one of her eight-minute songs every time it comes on because she captures life’s moments so perfectly in them. I discovered this song late in the process of writing too, but I felt there was something here connected to what I was trying to say about the meaning we ascribe to the inanimate objects in our lives.

“Liberation” by Pet Shop Boys

One day I’ll write more eloquently about Pet Shop Boys and their influence on my life. Like Paul, I came out around the same time that Very was released. I remember having liked the band when I was in high school in the 80s, but after coming out in the 90s I was looking for queer content wherever I could find it. A lot of the people I was meeting were enamoured with PSB and there were the rumours that Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe were gay (you had to read between the lines, but the message was there). On the days that I worked part-time as a sales clerk, I would sometimes eat lunch in my dad’s car in the hopes of catching “Liberation” on the radio. It was often played in the same hour as Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia,” and together these two songs would allow me to daydream about being a member of this new community I had discovered.

“Make Me Believe in You” by Patti Jo

I’ve said this multiple times, but Andrew Holleran’s Dancer from the Dance is my all-time favourite book. In The Family Way, I pay tribute to it and the other formative influences in my queer life (i.e., Armistead Maupin, Annie Lennox, Pet Shop Boys, Bronski Beat, Ethan Morrden, Madonna, etc.). In fact, I named Paul’s two cats Malone and Sutherland after the protagonists in Dancer. This song, by Patti Jo, is one of several mentioned in Holleran’s novel. Out of all of the songs the men dance to, it is the one that keeps coming back and represents the lives and desires of his characters. When music started to become more accessible online, I remember searching for this song to have a better understanding of the world of his characters. Maybe one day, curious young readers will look up the songs mentioned in my books.

“Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray” by Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline is the queen of heartbreak and there is some heartbreak in this book too. Like many gay boys, I developed a fondness for Patsy Cline at a young age. I don’t know why we are often drawn to the same influences, but we are. I could have included so many of her songs here, but I like the image of there being three cigarettes in an ashtray. Who exactly is this third person? And how did she take her man away?

“Last Dance” by Donna Summer

This song title is for the third and final part of the book. If you’ve ever been to Tea Dance at the Boatslip in Provincetown, you know that this song often closes out the party. Donna Summer is a diva that exists at the height of old-school gayness and big-time disco. This song can be seen as a moment of celebration but also a plea, and I think it sets the stage perfectly for the end of the book.

“Buddy” by Willie Nelson

Although this song is really about a man losing his girlfriend, there is still something extremely touching to hear Willie Nelson asking his male friend for emotional support. “Laugh with me, buddy… Don’t ever let me start feeling lonely.” It’s a wonderful song about friendship, and makes me think of the bond between Michael and Paul who call each other “buddy” in the book.

Want to hear more? Listen to the other songs on the playlist.

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The other day I went to Drawn & Quarterly in the Mile End to sign copies of The Family Way in advance of my launch. I’m thrilled the bookstore agreed to host. Still feels strange to not be able to have an in-person event, but here we are. Those of your who remember Pluto’s launch will remember the animated projections, drag queen servers and purple cocktails. This will be a much more sober affair I’m afraid, but I’m sure you’ll be entertained.

I’ll be reading from the book and speaking about it with writer and journalist Rachel Giese. Rachel was kind enough to read an advance copy and provide me with a blurb. The editorial director of Xtra magazine, she is also the author of the award-winning book Boys: What It Means to Become a Man. Joining us will also be my incredible editor, Dimitri Nasrallah (author of The Bleeds and Nico).

It all takes place on Thurs. May 27 at 7 PM ET. You can sign up to receive a reminder through YouTube (below), or RSVP on Facebook.

Hope to see you there!

Well, this was a surprise. I knew the interview was coming, but I had no idea it was going to be the cover story.

Fugues magazine has been a constant in my life. When I was just coming out, it provided a glimpse into a world that wanted me in it. It provided hope, information, excitement, and even arousal. I can’t remember which edition was my first, but I do remember hiding it in my bedroom in a locked drawer. It was one of the only pieces of my gay identity I had to hold on to and reference.

The publication sure has changed over time, but it continues to play an important role in our community. Over the years they’ve promoted and covered my events, and reviewed my work. But to put me on its cover! (I can remember when it was just shirtless muscle hunks that graced each edition.) It feels like a full circle moment for me and I am honoured.

A big thanks also goes to Richard Burnett for being my first interview for the book. We had such a great (and long) conversation that he edited down to this Q&A. I was happy to get to talk about some of the early influences on my young gay life—from my work with Divers/Cité to my writing mentor Peter Dubé.

You can read the interview here.

We’re almost there! My baby is due to hit shelves on April 21. It’ll be great to finally have the kid out in the world.

There will be an official launch sometime in May (albeit, online). But for now, I am offering my friends and family a chance to purchase a special limited-edition bundle to celebrate the book being born.

A few months ago, I wrote about how I designed a campy coffee mug to mark the occasion. The “My Queen” mug is a replication of the one that my main character Paul drinks fromx. My good friend Neil offered to illustrate the image, and we made 100 of them to sell alongside the book.

For $41 (taxes included) you can get a special package designed by my partner Greg (see below). It includes a signed copy of the book, a limited-edition coffee mug and a postcard. And if you live in the Montreal area, Greg and I will personally deliver the package to your home sometime in April.

If you live outside of Montreal and want a bundle, please know that there will be additional shipping costs (still trying to figure out how much and how best to send them).

But if you’ve already pre-ordered the book, or prefer to buy your own copy at your local bookseller, you can purchase just the mug too (for $20).

I’ve already sold 50 of the 100 bundles, so there are only 50 left. If you’re interested in purchasing one, please write to me directly at cd@christopherdiraddo.com to reserve yours.

This is such a wonderfully exciting and anxiety provoking time. Waiting for the first reviews.

The first ones to come in are usually the “endorsements.” It’s standard practice for publishers/writers to approach a few authors in advance and ask them to consider reading the new work and provide a short blurb to grace the cover (if they see fit). These blurbs often provide additional context to a story, the writers agreeing to loan their name and reputation to the work.

For my first book, I was lucky enough to land ones from Andrew Holleran and Brian Francis. This time around, we approached Stephen McCauley, Ann-Marie MacDonald and Rachel Giese. I’m thrilled all three said yes.

We chose Stephen McCauley because The Object of My Affection had such a huge impact on me. I had also recently read his novel My Ex-Life and loved it. His protagonists are often gay men charting new paths to create alternative families.

I’ve been a big fan of Ann-Marie MacDonald’s work for decades. I first discovered her work while employed at the National Theatre School of Canada, where she was one of the school’s most prestigious graduates. I loved her comic play Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet), and Fall on Your Knees was beautiful and devastating. But it was really her novel Adult Onset that made me think about asking her for a blurb. That novel masterfully explores the pressures queer people feel to assimilate and the ways we are sometimes caught between our past and present selves.

As for Rachel Geise, I’ve been such a great fan of her work too. We first met briefly working for the same company (albeit in different cities, on different projects). After she left, I followed her career, as she conducted smart interviews on CBC Radio and went on to reimagine Xtra Magazine. A few years ago, she came to Montreal and read at the Violet Hour from her award-winning book Boys: What It Means to Become a Man. It’s a breathtaking mix of cultural analysis and personal nonfiction that offers a nuanced view on the pressures young men feel growing up.

I’m forever grateful to all three of them, because I know what it means to endorse a book. I, too, have been asked to blurb on occasion and it’s never easy. It’s quite the time requirement and the turnarounds are fast. Reviewing is also an artform (and not one I feel particularly good at). But still, I do it when I can because I know what it means to the writer. If an author has approached you for an endorsement. it’s a sign of great respect. It means they hold your work in high regard. And your words will forever appear on the copies of their books, as essential an element to the design as the cover, the font, the author photo and description. I feel so lucky.

Here are mine:

“Christopher DiRaddo has a knack for creating characters so instantly recognizable, they could be your neighbours, friends, or family.”
— Stephen McCauley

“The Family Way is a love letter to families, chosen and otherwise, and an engagingly bittersweet tale of the city of Montreal.
— Ann-Marie MacDonald

“Tender, affectionate and sexy, The Family Way is an astute chronicle of modern queer life at middle age. With sharp-eyed observations on love, loss, sex and friendship, Christopher DiRaddo has crafted a timely tale about creating families that can fit us all.”
— Rachel Giese

It’s about three months until The Family Way comes out. In a normal year, this is when I’d begin to plan the launch.

For Pluto, I went all out. I spent months trying to find the perfect venue. Initially, I had hoped to rent out the old K.O.X. bar, which featured in the book, but the owners were hard to pin down. In the end, I settled on Cabaret Mado and worked with them to create a special Pluto-themed cocktail. I also borrowed equipment from my old high school (teacher’s desk, blackboard and projector) and recreated Will’s classroom on the stage. My good friend Craig created a series of background visuals, which were projected on the classroom screen. And I dressed up as a geography teacher, sat at the desk and signed copies.

Well, it looks like I won’t be able to do anything as spectacular for this launch (although I am entertaining a few out-of-the-box ideas), but I still want to make it special.

One of the things I’ve done is design a limited-edition keepsake. In The Family Way, my main character Paul has a favourite coffee mug he drinks from. It’s super tacky—a thrift store find gifted to him by his sister. On it is a photoshopped image of Freddie Mercury and Lady Diana over a rippling Union Jack with the words “My Queen” written out in bold black lettering. It’s total invention, of course, but I thought it might be fun (and very meta) if I created a real-life version of the mug, which holds particular significance in the book.

For this, I asked another good friend of mine, Neil, if he wanted to collaborate. In addition to being a great writer, Neil is also a wonderful illustrator. I sent him a description of the mug as it appears in the book (along with photos of Freddie and Diana as inspiration) and he sent me back this incredible replica.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been testing out the image on mugs to try and find the right design. I think I got it now. Soon, I’ll order a limited edition of copies to sell along with the book as part of a special package. No idea yet where or how we’ll do that yet, so stay tuned.

Hopefully, this won’t be the only unique offering around the book’s publication. I have plenty of other ideas, but we’ll see if the pandemic permits.

The book has also just be listed on Goodreads. If you’re on that platform, consider adding it to your shelf.