{"title":"Books by Calum McSwiggan","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780241551141","title":"Straight Expectations","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'I want what the straight kids have. Even just for a couple of days . . .'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSeventeen-year-old Max might be out and proud but he's usually too busy checking his nail polish to check his privilege.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSo when he says he wishes he could have the 'easy' life straight kids enjoy, Max gets more than he bargained for. He wakes up to find his wish has come true - not only have his feelings for boys vanished, so has his lifelong best friend Dean.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith his world turned upside down and relationships in tatters, can Max find his way back to the life he took for granted, and maybe even win the heart of the guy he thought could never be his . . . ?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhat If It's Us\u003c\/i\u003e meets \u003ci\u003eOne Last Stop \u003c\/i\u003ein this deliciously swoony queer romance. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Outrageous, heartfelt, funny and tender, \u003ci\u003eStraight Expectations\u003c\/i\u003e is a thought provoking exploration of identity and what makes us who we are' Simon James Green, author of \u003ci\u003eGay Club.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A refreshingly unique, beautifully queer take on a familiar trope, packed with endless adorable moments, sugar sweetness and laugh-out-loud hilarity. Don't miss out on this utterly charming, heart-melting rom-com from a new voice to watch in the queer YA world!' Sophie Gonzales, co-author of \u003ci\u003eIf This Gets Out\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'\u003ci\u003eStraight Expectations\u003c\/i\u003e blends classic rom-com with a heartfelt examination of what it is to be queer, and how it's so much more than just a matter of attraction' LC Rosen, author of \u003ci\u003eCamp\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43071148032178,"sku":"9780241551141","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780241551141_ec5d34b5-6be1-4c9f-b270-cf469252affa.jpg?v=1786012944"},{"product_id":"9781529384529","title":"Eat, Gay, Love","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e**LONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI FIRST BOOK PRIZE**\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'You've never read a travel memoir like this before'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e, 'Pride Culture Guide'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Sweet and fun, with real emotional depth and a rousing, feisty spirit'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Matt Cain\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn the spring of 2012, Calum finds himself single again after his relationship of six years comes to an end. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heartbroken, unhappy and unsure of what to do next, he leaves the hometown he has been in all his life to embark on a journey that takes him all around the world, from teaching in a school on the outskirts of Rome to exploring the sex clubs of Berlin, to raising tigers in an animal sanctuary deep in the jungles of Thailand. Along the way, he meets LGBT+ people from all walks of life and every part of the rainbow - from an Italian teenager struggling with a homophobic father to a \u003ci\u003ekathoey\u003c\/i\u003e navigating life as a trans person in Thailand, to a young HIV-positive man living on the streets of London. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Their individual stories, not only of hardship and sorrow but also of profound strength and hope, show the breadth and depth of queer life and experience, shedding light on themes such as homophobia, sexual violence, marriage equality and gender identity. Through these meetings and friendships, Calum not only finds the encouragement to embrace life after heartbreak, but also discovers a beautiful, loving global community who support and uplift him through the best and worst moments of his time on the road. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A travel memoir with a difference, \u003ci\u003eEat, Gay, Love\u003c\/i\u003e is a celebration of the power of community and a personal tribute to the extraordinary lives of LGBT+ people everywhere in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43204690182322,"sku":"9781529384529","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781529384529_8e946e6d-1818-4fe3-9748-c8b51758f6f0.jpg?v=1786023501"},{"product_id":"9780241554418","title":"Masquerade","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Prom\u003c\/i\u003e meets \u003ci\u003eGroundhog Day\u003c\/i\u003e in the irresistible new queer YA romance from the author of \u003ci\u003eStraight Expectations\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProm is supposed to be the night you remember your whole life. But for seventeen-year-old Zach, it's about to \u003ci\u003ebecome\u003c\/i\u003e his whole life - after a kiss from a masked stranger, Zach finds himself stuck in a time loop, endlessly repeating the same day.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eZach thinks that the only way to break the cycle is to work out the identity of his mystery admirer. But when everyone around him is wearing masks of one kind or another, how can he ever find out who his true love might be?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eInclusive, feelgood romantic comedy perfect for fans of Adam Silvera, Casey McQuiston, \u003ci\u003eElite\u003c\/i\u003e or the movie \u003ci\u003ePalm Springs\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55205902319989,"sku":"9780241554418","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780241554418.jpg?v=1786013022"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-calum-mcswiggan.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}