The Inside Reader: K.L. Going
Show me the books he loves and I shall know the man far better than through mortal friends - Silas Weir Mitchell
I love to mix these Inside Reader lists among fully LGBT authors and more gay shaded ones. K.L. Going maybe is more of the second category, with her story about a teenager who goes living with his gay uncle. It gives deepness to the genre, and allow more reader to start considering it not a "secluded" genre, but mainstream literature.
K.L. Going's Inside Reader List
This is definitely a challenging assignment. The books that I call my favorites represent many different stages of my life and range from books I loved as a child to books that shaped my teen heart, to books that still inspire me today. There are so many to choose from! I found that when choosing, the sentimental value of a book was a more important factor than the literary value. That probably says a lot about me. It also reminds me of a truth I always try to remember in my career as an author -- books are what readers make them!
1) Two Against the North by Farley Mowat - This book was one of my father's favorites when he was a child, and I remember reading it aloud with him when I was young. Much of the book takes place in a single cabin where the two boys are stranded during the arctic winter, and I can still visualize that setting exactly the way I imagined it as a child. I still have the 1960s edition that was my father's and it is very dear to me.
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Starfire (February 1, 1985)
ISBN-10: 0553275259
ISBN-13: 978-0553275254
Amazon: Lost in the Barrens
Two brothers must face the wilderness with no food and no hope of rescue when their canoe is destroyed by the rapids.
2) The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein -- Okay, I realize this one is probably a cliche these days, but the heart loves what the heart loves. Really, I'd choose the whole series because nothing else has inspired my imagination in quite the same way, but if I had to choose just one of the books The Hobbit would be my choice since it was my first introduction to Tolkein's world. I read it aloud with my parents as a child and I've read it on my own many times since. I can't wait to read it to my son when he's old enough.
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 333 pages
Publisher: Graphia; Young Adult edition (September 2001)
ISBN-10: 061815082X
ISBN-13: 978-0618150823
Amazon: The Hobbit or There and Back Again
From J.R.R. Tolkien"s own description for the original edition: "If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage and considerable good luck), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler. . . . In following the path of this humble adventurer, you will learn by the way (as he did)-if you do not already know all about these things-much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period."
3) Christy by Catherine Marshall. -- I wonder if I would still enjoy this book if I read it again today, but to my sixth grade self it was full of profound ideas that literally changed my life. After I read the book I took a walk with my grandmother and told her that I wanted to do volunteer service when I got older. That desire stayed with me and when I graduated college many years later I did exactly that and it was by far the best choice I ever made. Thank you, Catherine Marshall!
Mass Market Paperback: 576 pages
Publisher: Avon (June 27, 2006)
Publisher Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Christy-Catherine-Marshall?isbn=9780380001415&HCHP=TB_Christy
ISBN-10: 0380001411
ISBN-13: 978-0380001415
Amazon: Christy
In the year 1912, nineteen-year-old Christy Huddleston leaves home to teach school in the Smoky Mountains -- and comes to know and love the resilient people of the region, with their fierce pride, their dark superstitions, their terrible poverty, and their yearning for beauty and truth. But her faith will be severely challenged by trial and tragedy, by the needs and unique strengths of two remarkable young men, and by a heart torn between true love and unwavering devotion. And don't miss another heart-soaring bestseller from Catherine Marshall: Julie
4) The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye -- This was another teen favorite and even though I haven't read it since my teen years, the effect of this stunning, sweeping romance will never be forgotten. This was probably the first time I fell in love with the leading man, but it would not be the last.
Paperback: 960 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (January 15, 1997)
Publisher Link: http://us.macmillan.com/thefarpavilions
ISBN-10: 031215125X
ISBN-13: 978-0312151256
Amazon: The Far Pavilions
When The Far Pavilions was first published nineteen years ago, it moved the critic Edmund Fuller to write this: "Were Miss Kaye to produce no other book, The Far Pavilions might stand as a lasting accomplishment in a single work comparable to Margaret Mitchell's achievement in Gond With the Wind." From its beginning in the foothills of the towering Himalayas, M.M. Kaye's masterwork is a vast, rich and vibrant tapestry of love and war that ranks with the greatest panoramic sagas of modern fiction. The Far Pavilions is itself a Himalayan achievement, a book we hate to see come to an end. it is a passionate, triumphant story that excites us, fills us with joy, move us to tears, satisfies us deeply, and helps us remember just what it is we want most from a novel.
5) Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger -- I am a huge JD Salinger fan and of all his writings, this one is my favorite. I loved the final truth that we are all the "fat lady". This was a huge inspiration for my first novel, Fat Kid Rules the World.
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Back Bay Books (January 30, 2001)
Publisher Link: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780316769020.htm
ISBN-10: 0316769029
ISBN-13: 978-0316769020
Amazon: Franny and Zooey
The author writes: FRANNY came out in The New Yorker in 1955, and was swiftly followed, in 1957 by ZOOEY. Both stories are early, critical entries in a narrative series I'm doing about a family of settlers in twentieth-century New York, the Glasses. It is a long-term project, patently an ambiguous one, and there is a real-enough danger, I suppose that sooner or later I'll bog down, perhaps disappear entirely, in my own methods, locutions, and mannerisms. On the whole, though, I'm very hopeful. I love working on these Glass stories, I've been waiting for them most of my life, and I think I have fairly decent, monomaniacal plans to finish them with due care and all-available skill.
6) To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee -- Simply put, if I could write like anyone in the world, it would be Harper Lee. This novel is a classic for a well deserved reason. I love the way she captures the child's perspective of the world and translates adult ideas into innocence and humor.
Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: HarperLuxe; 1 Anv Lrg edition (May 11, 2010)
Publisher Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-LP-Harper-Lee?isbn=9780061980268&HCHP=TB_To+Kill+a+Mockingbird+LP
ISBN-10: 0061980269
ISBN-13: 978-0061980268
Amazon: To Kill A Mockingbird
"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel-a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice-but the weight of history will only tolerate so much. One of the best-loved classics of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many dis-tinctions since its original publication in 1960. It has won the Pulitzer Prize, been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, and been made into an enormously popular movie. It was also named the best novel of the twentieth century by librarians across the country (Library Journal). HarperCollins is proud to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the book's publication with this special hardcover edition.
7) On the Road by Jack Kerouac -- I've had a love affair with Jack Kerouac for a long time now. I've devoured his biographies and writings, and this iconic novel makes me want to write more and live more. What else could you want from a book?
Paperback: 112 pages
Publisher: Research & Education Association (July 25, 1996)
Publisher Link: http://www.rea.com/display_prod.cfm?p=0878910379&g=087891000x
ISBN-10: 0878910379
ISBN-13: 978-0878910373
Amazon: On the Road
Novel by Jack Kerouac, published in 1957. A formless book, it describes a series of frenetic trips back and forth across the United States by a number of penniless young people who are in love with life, beauty, jazz, sex, drugs, speed, and mysticism. The book was one of the first novels associated with the Beat movement of the 1950s.
8) A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving -- I love the poignancy of John Irving's writing. He's one of the many authors who inspired me to be a writer. This novel is my favorite for many reasons, but mostly its his trademark quirky characters that make me love this book. I adore Owen and his meaningful life. I adore the way John Irving pulls you into the story and doesn't let you go.
Paperback: 656 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books; Later Printing edition (June 23, 1997)
Publisher Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345417978
ISBN-10: 0345417976
ISBN-13: 978-0345417978
Amazon: A Prayer for Owen Meany
John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany is the inspiring modern classic that introduced two of the author’s most unforgettable characters, boys bonded forever in childhood: the stunted Owen Meany, whose life is touched by God, and the orphaned Johnny Wheelwright, whose life is touched by Owen. From the accident that links them to the mystery that follows them-and the martyrdom that parts them-the events of their lives form a tapestry of fate and faith in a novel that is Irving at his irresistible best.
9) The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice -- I love this book. It's luscious and fun and reminds me of New Orleans, where I lived for several years. In terms of characters, you can't get much better than Lestat. He's fascinating, sexy, and just the right mix of good and evil. This book is pure indulgence.
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books; 11th edition (November 29, 1997)
Publisher Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345419644
ISBN-10: 0345419642
ISBN-13: 978-0345419644
Amazon: The Vampire Lestat
Once an aristocrat in the heady days of pre-revolutionary France, now Lestat is a rockstar in the demonic, shimmering 1980s. He rushes through the centuries in search of others like him, seeking answers to the mystery of his terrifying exsitence. His story, the second volume in Anne Rice's best-selling Vampire Chronicles, is mesmerizing, passionate, and thrilling.
10) GoodNight Moon by by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd -- This is the last book I read to my one year old son every night before he falls asleep and it will forever represent eternal, unconditional love and wonderful memories.
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: HarperFestival (December 26, 2006)
Publisher Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Goodnight-Moon-Book-and-CD-Margaret-Wise-Brown?isbn=9780061142703&HCHP=TB_Goodnight+Moon+Book+and+CD
ISBN-10: 0061142700
ISBN-13: 978-0061142703
Amazon: GoodNight Moon
In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight room, goodnight moon." And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room--to the picture of the three little bears sitting in chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one--he says goodnight. In this classic of modern children's literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day. Generations of children have begged to hear this story before bed. Now children can add a new element to their bedtime routine by flipping the tape and listening to the original Goodnight Moon lullaby on the reverse side.In a new, beautifully designed reusable pouch, this wonderful recording of the classic bedtime story and the special bonus of the soothing, original lullaby composed especially for this recording is just right for sleepyheads.
About K.L. Going: K. L. Going lives in Glen Spey, NY. Since graduating college she has worked as an adult literacy tutor, a ticket agent for an airline, a front desk clerk at a resort hotel, as an assistant to two agents at a Manhattan Literary agency, and a manager of an independent bookstore.
Currently, she is writing from home full time.
She has lived in Maine, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and New York City.
She also has a very unsettling obsession with Ketchup.
King of the Screwups by K.L. Going
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: Graphia (May 3, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0547331665
ISBN-13: 978-0547331669
Amazon: King of the Screwups
Liam Geller is Mr. Popularity. Everybody loves him. He excels at sports; he knows exactly what clothes to wear; he always ends up with the most beautiful girls in school. But he's got an uncanny ability to screw up in the very ways that tick off his father the most.
When Liam finally kicked out of the house, his father's brother takes him in. What could a teenage chick magnet possibly have in common with his gay, glam rocker, DJ uncle who lives in a trailer in upstate New York? A lot more than you'd think. And when Liam attempts to make himself over as a nerd in a desperate attempt to impress his father, it's his "aunt" Pete and the guys in his band who convince Liam there's much more to him than his father will ever see.
I love to mix these Inside Reader lists among fully LGBT authors and more gay shaded ones. K.L. Going maybe is more of the second category, with her story about a teenager who goes living with his gay uncle. It gives deepness to the genre, and allow more reader to start considering it not a "secluded" genre, but mainstream literature.
K.L. Going's Inside Reader List
This is definitely a challenging assignment. The books that I call my favorites represent many different stages of my life and range from books I loved as a child to books that shaped my teen heart, to books that still inspire me today. There are so many to choose from! I found that when choosing, the sentimental value of a book was a more important factor than the literary value. That probably says a lot about me. It also reminds me of a truth I always try to remember in my career as an author -- books are what readers make them!
1) Two Against the North by Farley Mowat - This book was one of my father's favorites when he was a child, and I remember reading it aloud with him when I was young. Much of the book takes place in a single cabin where the two boys are stranded during the arctic winter, and I can still visualize that setting exactly the way I imagined it as a child. I still have the 1960s edition that was my father's and it is very dear to me.
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Starfire (February 1, 1985)
ISBN-10: 0553275259
ISBN-13: 978-0553275254
Amazon: Lost in the Barrens
Two brothers must face the wilderness with no food and no hope of rescue when their canoe is destroyed by the rapids.
2) The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein -- Okay, I realize this one is probably a cliche these days, but the heart loves what the heart loves. Really, I'd choose the whole series because nothing else has inspired my imagination in quite the same way, but if I had to choose just one of the books The Hobbit would be my choice since it was my first introduction to Tolkein's world. I read it aloud with my parents as a child and I've read it on my own many times since. I can't wait to read it to my son when he's old enough.
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 333 pages
Publisher: Graphia; Young Adult edition (September 2001)
ISBN-10: 061815082X
ISBN-13: 978-0618150823
Amazon: The Hobbit or There and Back Again
From J.R.R. Tolkien"s own description for the original edition: "If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage and considerable good luck), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler. . . . In following the path of this humble adventurer, you will learn by the way (as he did)-if you do not already know all about these things-much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period."
3) Christy by Catherine Marshall. -- I wonder if I would still enjoy this book if I read it again today, but to my sixth grade self it was full of profound ideas that literally changed my life. After I read the book I took a walk with my grandmother and told her that I wanted to do volunteer service when I got older. That desire stayed with me and when I graduated college many years later I did exactly that and it was by far the best choice I ever made. Thank you, Catherine Marshall!
Mass Market Paperback: 576 pages
Publisher: Avon (June 27, 2006)
Publisher Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Christy-Catherine-Marshall?isbn=9780380001415&HCHP=TB_Christy
ISBN-10: 0380001411
ISBN-13: 978-0380001415
Amazon: Christy
In the year 1912, nineteen-year-old Christy Huddleston leaves home to teach school in the Smoky Mountains -- and comes to know and love the resilient people of the region, with their fierce pride, their dark superstitions, their terrible poverty, and their yearning for beauty and truth. But her faith will be severely challenged by trial and tragedy, by the needs and unique strengths of two remarkable young men, and by a heart torn between true love and unwavering devotion. And don't miss another heart-soaring bestseller from Catherine Marshall: Julie
4) The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye -- This was another teen favorite and even though I haven't read it since my teen years, the effect of this stunning, sweeping romance will never be forgotten. This was probably the first time I fell in love with the leading man, but it would not be the last.
Paperback: 960 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (January 15, 1997)
Publisher Link: http://us.macmillan.com/thefarpavilions
ISBN-10: 031215125X
ISBN-13: 978-0312151256
Amazon: The Far Pavilions
When The Far Pavilions was first published nineteen years ago, it moved the critic Edmund Fuller to write this: "Were Miss Kaye to produce no other book, The Far Pavilions might stand as a lasting accomplishment in a single work comparable to Margaret Mitchell's achievement in Gond With the Wind." From its beginning in the foothills of the towering Himalayas, M.M. Kaye's masterwork is a vast, rich and vibrant tapestry of love and war that ranks with the greatest panoramic sagas of modern fiction. The Far Pavilions is itself a Himalayan achievement, a book we hate to see come to an end. it is a passionate, triumphant story that excites us, fills us with joy, move us to tears, satisfies us deeply, and helps us remember just what it is we want most from a novel.
5) Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger -- I am a huge JD Salinger fan and of all his writings, this one is my favorite. I loved the final truth that we are all the "fat lady". This was a huge inspiration for my first novel, Fat Kid Rules the World.
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Back Bay Books (January 30, 2001)
Publisher Link: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780316769020.htm
ISBN-10: 0316769029
ISBN-13: 978-0316769020
Amazon: Franny and Zooey
The author writes: FRANNY came out in The New Yorker in 1955, and was swiftly followed, in 1957 by ZOOEY. Both stories are early, critical entries in a narrative series I'm doing about a family of settlers in twentieth-century New York, the Glasses. It is a long-term project, patently an ambiguous one, and there is a real-enough danger, I suppose that sooner or later I'll bog down, perhaps disappear entirely, in my own methods, locutions, and mannerisms. On the whole, though, I'm very hopeful. I love working on these Glass stories, I've been waiting for them most of my life, and I think I have fairly decent, monomaniacal plans to finish them with due care and all-available skill.
6) To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee -- Simply put, if I could write like anyone in the world, it would be Harper Lee. This novel is a classic for a well deserved reason. I love the way she captures the child's perspective of the world and translates adult ideas into innocence and humor.
Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: HarperLuxe; 1 Anv Lrg edition (May 11, 2010)
Publisher Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-LP-Harper-Lee?isbn=9780061980268&HCHP=TB_To+Kill+a+Mockingbird+LP
ISBN-10: 0061980269
ISBN-13: 978-0061980268
Amazon: To Kill A Mockingbird
"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel-a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice-but the weight of history will only tolerate so much. One of the best-loved classics of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many dis-tinctions since its original publication in 1960. It has won the Pulitzer Prize, been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, and been made into an enormously popular movie. It was also named the best novel of the twentieth century by librarians across the country (Library Journal). HarperCollins is proud to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the book's publication with this special hardcover edition.
7) On the Road by Jack Kerouac -- I've had a love affair with Jack Kerouac for a long time now. I've devoured his biographies and writings, and this iconic novel makes me want to write more and live more. What else could you want from a book?
Paperback: 112 pages
Publisher: Research & Education Association (July 25, 1996)
Publisher Link: http://www.rea.com/display_prod.cfm?p=0878910379&g=087891000x
ISBN-10: 0878910379
ISBN-13: 978-0878910373
Amazon: On the Road
Novel by Jack Kerouac, published in 1957. A formless book, it describes a series of frenetic trips back and forth across the United States by a number of penniless young people who are in love with life, beauty, jazz, sex, drugs, speed, and mysticism. The book was one of the first novels associated with the Beat movement of the 1950s.
8) A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving -- I love the poignancy of John Irving's writing. He's one of the many authors who inspired me to be a writer. This novel is my favorite for many reasons, but mostly its his trademark quirky characters that make me love this book. I adore Owen and his meaningful life. I adore the way John Irving pulls you into the story and doesn't let you go.
Paperback: 656 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books; Later Printing edition (June 23, 1997)
Publisher Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345417978
ISBN-10: 0345417976
ISBN-13: 978-0345417978
Amazon: A Prayer for Owen Meany
John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany is the inspiring modern classic that introduced two of the author’s most unforgettable characters, boys bonded forever in childhood: the stunted Owen Meany, whose life is touched by God, and the orphaned Johnny Wheelwright, whose life is touched by Owen. From the accident that links them to the mystery that follows them-and the martyrdom that parts them-the events of their lives form a tapestry of fate and faith in a novel that is Irving at his irresistible best.
9) The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice -- I love this book. It's luscious and fun and reminds me of New Orleans, where I lived for several years. In terms of characters, you can't get much better than Lestat. He's fascinating, sexy, and just the right mix of good and evil. This book is pure indulgence.
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books; 11th edition (November 29, 1997)
Publisher Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345419644
ISBN-10: 0345419642
ISBN-13: 978-0345419644
Amazon: The Vampire Lestat
Once an aristocrat in the heady days of pre-revolutionary France, now Lestat is a rockstar in the demonic, shimmering 1980s. He rushes through the centuries in search of others like him, seeking answers to the mystery of his terrifying exsitence. His story, the second volume in Anne Rice's best-selling Vampire Chronicles, is mesmerizing, passionate, and thrilling.
10) GoodNight Moon by by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd -- This is the last book I read to my one year old son every night before he falls asleep and it will forever represent eternal, unconditional love and wonderful memories.
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: HarperFestival (December 26, 2006)
Publisher Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Goodnight-Moon-Book-and-CD-Margaret-Wise-Brown?isbn=9780061142703&HCHP=TB_Goodnight+Moon+Book+and+CD
ISBN-10: 0061142700
ISBN-13: 978-0061142703
Amazon: GoodNight Moon
In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight room, goodnight moon." And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room--to the picture of the three little bears sitting in chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one--he says goodnight. In this classic of modern children's literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day. Generations of children have begged to hear this story before bed. Now children can add a new element to their bedtime routine by flipping the tape and listening to the original Goodnight Moon lullaby on the reverse side.In a new, beautifully designed reusable pouch, this wonderful recording of the classic bedtime story and the special bonus of the soothing, original lullaby composed especially for this recording is just right for sleepyheads.
About K.L. Going: K. L. Going lives in Glen Spey, NY. Since graduating college she has worked as an adult literacy tutor, a ticket agent for an airline, a front desk clerk at a resort hotel, as an assistant to two agents at a Manhattan Literary agency, and a manager of an independent bookstore.
Currently, she is writing from home full time.
She has lived in Maine, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and New York City.
She also has a very unsettling obsession with Ketchup.
King of the Screwups by K.L. Going
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: Graphia (May 3, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0547331665
ISBN-13: 978-0547331669
Amazon: King of the Screwups
Liam Geller is Mr. Popularity. Everybody loves him. He excels at sports; he knows exactly what clothes to wear; he always ends up with the most beautiful girls in school. But he's got an uncanny ability to screw up in the very ways that tick off his father the most.
When Liam finally kicked out of the house, his father's brother takes him in. What could a teenage chick magnet possibly have in common with his gay, glam rocker, DJ uncle who lives in a trailer in upstate New York? A lot more than you'd think. And when Liam attempts to make himself over as a nerd in a desperate attempt to impress his father, it's his "aunt" Pete and the guys in his band who convince Liam there's much more to him than his father will ever see.