Bibliofreakblog

Guest Post: Frank Anthony Polito Is Lost in the ’80’s

“Oh, my God… I’m sooo old!”  The catch-phrase of my life.  One I’ve been uttering for as long as I can remember.  (“I can’t believe I’m going to be fourteen!”)  With each passing year, I keep reminding myself: I’m the oldest I’ve ever been.  Someday, I’ll look back on the age I am now, and think, “I was sooo young then!”  Ah, the vicious cycle…

Perhaps the secret to remaining young is to never grow up?  To this end, I’ve become a master.   I’ll admit it:  I’m a Toys R Us kid.  I had the hardest time answering the What I Want to Be When I Grow Up question in school, because I never wanted to grow up.  And to this day, I don’t think I have.

I will forever be “Lost in the ’80s.”  Seriously, I can’t remember what happened last week.  But it’s okay!   My ability to tell you what song came out which year, based on the grade I was in school, became a blessing when it came time to sit down and write my two novels… 

Time for the plug! 

My name is Frank Anthony Polito.  I’m a Brooklyn-based actor/playwright-turned-novelist, and author of the ’80s-themed books, Band Fags! and Drama Queers!  This past June, by chance, I met J.T. in Royal Oak, a Detroit suburb in our mutual home (“Great Lake”) state of Michigan.  I was at a bar with friends (dare I call them, my entourage?) for my post-book signing party, and she just so happened to be sitting on the lovely patio when my so-called entourage took the place over. 

J.T. managed to get my attention (after signing books at Barnes & Noble for two hours, there were more!), told me about her awesome book blog, and invited me to “speak” to you, her lovely readers…

So here I am!  Now, what to say (in 500-1,000 words)?   Ah, yes… The books!

Band Fags! came first, in June 2008.  Drama Queers! in 2009.  Why the exclamation points?  If you read the books, you’ll notice, I’m a fan.  I actually tried to limit my use in Drama Queers!  But I couldn’t take them out of the title.  Band Fags! is based on a play of the same name, which was originally called John R, which is the “main” street of my home town, Hazel Park, aka Hazeltucky.  (That, right there, should tell you what it was like growing up there being a gay teen!) 

For the play, I created a collage of 1980s images culled from the story: the dearly-departed (and hyphenated) Jon-Erik Hexum, the cast of Dynasty, Bo & Hope from Days of our Lives.  One picture came from my high school yearbook, a shot of me and my best friend (the basis for “Brad Dayton” in both books) taken in Sophomore Symphony with our horns up to our faces (him, baritone, me, French horn).  Under each photo, I wrote a caption: “JEH,” “Dynasty,” “Bo & Hope” (not too original, I know!) 

How else could I label the shot of me and “Brad” other than “Band Fags!” (with an exclamation point.)  At least I dropped the quotes for the title, right?

Okay, I’m at 509 words…  Over half-way there.

J.T. has advised me that whatever I choose to write about, it should “make the reader want to go buy your book!  :)”  So far, this is total “stream of consciousness,” a way in which I never, ever, ever, write.  I run the risk of coming across as obnoxious.  Which I can be, but I’m totally not.  At least not usually…  At least I hope.

The books!  Or is it book?  Am I only supposed to be focusing on Drama Queers!?  I can’t remember.  What will make you, dear reader, want to buy my book(s)?  Hmmm…

I think if you grew up a “Child of the ’80s,” you’ll enjoy them.  The jam-packed references you’ll surely remember, or may have forgotten all together (Timex Social Club, anyone?)    If you were/are/thought-you-might-be gay, you’ll (hopefully) empathize with Jack Paterno (in Band Fags!) and his plight to “come to terms” with being gay.  His fear of being “the only one,” and admitting it, especially himself.  His self-hatred, his own homophobia.  His desire to be “popular.” 

You might also want to strangle him!  Kick him in the pants and say, “Get over it!  You’re 16 years old, and you’re gay.  So what?  You’ve got an awesome best friend who’s a Total Homo, too.  Go out to the gay bar together, listen to Debbie Gibson, and enjoy your life!  Because one day, you will wake up and it will be 2009, and you will wonder how you got to be sooo old!”

If you’re not gay, you’ll (hopefully) get an insight into the world of what it was/is like to be in the ’80s, and if you didn’t grow up during that decade, after reading my book(s), you’ll feel like you did!

820 words…  Time to move on to Drama Queers!

Thankfully, I was given the chance to flesh out Brad Dayton’s world.  Which, believe you me, is a heck of a lot more exciting than the angsty daily grind of Jack Paterno.

With Drama Queers! you’ll (hopefully) enjoy taking a look inside the world of a gay teen growing up in the ’80s who is totally confident in his sexuality.  Sure, he’s not “out,” per se, but he doesn’t pretend he’s anything other than who he truly is.  He doesn’t date girls, doesn’t try to be “popular” (he already is), he just does his thing.    

I hope, after reading Brad’s story, you’ll wish you could have been more like him when you were growing up.  If you were/are gay, or even if you’re not!  And if you’re still growing up (like me), maybe you’ll take a lesson from Brad, and be more confident in yourself, and enjoy your life more.  Go on a date with a hot mechanic, or dress up in drag, and perform in a show! 

You’re only young once… Or forever.

Visit Frank at his website dramaqueers.net