title: True Letters from a Fictional Life
author:  Kenneth Logan 
description: Gr 9 UpSeventeen-year-old James reveals his true self only in letters he keeps locked away and never intends to send. As far as everyone knows, popular athlete James is happy with his sort-of girlfriend, Theresa. But James's letters tell a different story: James is pretty sure he is gay. The only problem is that he is surrounded by people who seem like they might not react well to that news. His friends frequently use homophobic slurs, and his parents say things like they are glad he is "normal," not like his gay classmate who had his skull cracked recently. James meets Topher, whom he secretly starts dating, and considers coming out to his friends and family. But before he can, someone steals some of his letters and starts the process for him. Logan shines at creating strong, nuanced characters who behave realistically and unpredictably. Despite their tendency to trash-talk and their reliance on horrible slurs, James and his friends have deep, meaningful, complex bonds. The protagonist's story is about struggling to come to terms with his sexuality. While he knows who he really is, he is uncomfortable with facing this. In a letter to God, James asks him for "a cure for boys who like other boys." Though readers may be turned off by the near-constant homophobia that permeates the story, Logan's look at a boy reconciling his private and public selves is well written and affecting. VERDICT A solid addition to the LGBTQIA+ field.Amanda MacGregor, Great River Regional Library, Saint Cloud, MN
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  **Patrick C. Walsh**
  
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  **Two Dogs**
  
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  _**The sixth ‘Mac’ Maguire mystery**_
  
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  Garden City Ink
  
    
  
  A Garden City Ink ebook
  
  [_www.gardencityink.com_](http://www.gardencityink.com)
  
  First published in Great Britain in 2017
  
  All rights reserved
  
  Copyright © 2017, 2018 Patrick C. Walsh
  
  The right of Patrick C. Walsh to be identified as the author of this work has
  been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and
  Patents Act 1988.
  
  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
  or transmitted, in any form or means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
  recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holder.
  
  All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real
  persons, living or dead, is purely co-incidental.
  
  A CIP record for this title is available from the British Library
  
  ISBN 978-0-9932800-5-4
  
  Cover art © Patrick S. Walsh 2017
  
  Garden