MATT CAIN.

The author and journalist on how the original Material Girl helped shape his queer life and latest book, The Madonna of Bolton.

She’s made a career on the back of worlddominating pop hits, advocating for equality, and sticking the middle finger to the patriarchy, so it’s no surprise that Madonna has become one of the most beloved gay icons of all time.

Those are also some of the many reasons why author Matt Cain has dedicated his most recent novel, The Madonna of Bolton, to the pop culture behemoth, who he describes as having had a “constant presence” in his life – his ray of light, if you will. “I’m fascinated by the way that so many gay men can worship their divas, whoever they might be, and the emotional support so many of us can draw from popular music,” he says.

We spoke to Matt about his love for all things Madonna, her ever-lasting influence on the community, and the importance of LGBTQ representation in literature.

What made you want to write The Madonna of Bolton?

I’ve written novels before, but this was one I felt I had to do. I had a tough time growing up and at school was identified as gay before I really understood what that meant. This shaped my character and continued to determine my behaviour in adulthood, but I realised that there were no mainstream novels that really explored the impact homophobic bullying can have on a person’s life. I wanted to have a go, although I didn’t want to write anything that was miserable and depressing – I wanted to create a light, frothy and fun read that also dealt with a serious issue that can affect so many gay men.

And why now?

I tried to get it published several times before, actually. Between 2008 and 2016, I worked with three agents who pitched it to over thirty publishers in three rounds of submissions but they all rejected it; most of them told me that it wasn’t commercial or was too niche because it had a gay central character. I disagreed with this and became convinced that straight people were willing to engage with gay stories, as had already been proven in other art forms. So at the end of last year I decided to crowdfund it through the publisher Unbound. The campaign was a huge success; we hit our target in seven days, which broke Unbound’s record for a novel, and secured a mainstream release for the book. And we recently signed a film deal, which is very exciting.

How key was it to get support from the likes of

David Walliams and Mark Gatiss?

It was terrific when celebrities pledged for the book and came out in support of the campaign and this was undoubtedly a huge help in building buzz around the project, but I genuinely appreciated every single pledge. And probably the ones that meant most to me personally were the ones from family or friends – sometimes friends or former colleagues I hadn’t seen for decades. It was quite overwhelming to be honest.

And support from those in countries where it’s illegal to be gay...

Yes, because the Madonna fan forums got on board, word spread around the world and we had pledges from people in countries like Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia. It reminded me that the campaign wasn’t just about me following my creative dream but it was also a form of activism that could have an impact around the world.

So how did Madonna become such a big focus?

I’d played around with a first draft of the book without any reference to Madonna but it wasn’t really working. And then in 2006 I was filming a documentary in Buenos Aires and, as I explored the city, I kept coming across reminders of Madonna’s time there while she was filming Evita – and I couldn’t get the soundtrack out of my head. It was then that I realised that she’d been a constant presence in my life and this was the key element missing from the book I’d been wanting to write.

Talk us through how the book is structured... Each chapter is inspired by a Madonna song. So not only does her music provide the soundtrack to my character’s life but she’s like a spirit guide to him – someone he clings on to in order to get through challenging times. I’m fascinated by the way that so many gay men can worship their divas, whoever they might be, and the emotional support so many of us can draw from popular music. Although in the case of my character, as he grows up he comes to realise that he needs to let go of his dependence on his diva in order to find his own voice and become the person he’s meant to be.

Where did your obsession with Madonna first begin?

I first became aware of her in 1985 – the year of Into the Groove, Desperately Seeking Susan and her appearance at Live Aid, but I was only ten at the time so was a bit wary of this rebellious, forthright, sexually confident and expressive woman. Over the next year, though, as I started to realise that I was in fact gay, I came to see her as a kindred spirit; in the same way that gay men were banished onto the fringes of acceptable society, so were the kind of women Madonna represented. By the time she released her Open Your Heart video, in which she played a stripper with a heart of gold, performing for an audience of supporting characters such as a lesbian drag king and a couple of gay sailors locked in an affectionate embrace, I was hooked.

How much did she shape you discovering your sexuality then?

Hugely. During the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, the mainstream media portrayed gay men as dangerous, disease-carrying sexual predators who wouldn’t be trusted around children. Section 28 even made it illegal to say anything positive that might ‘promote homosexuality’ in schools. Popstars such as Freddie Mercury and George Michael didn’t dare to come out as this would almost certainly have ended their careers. In the immediate world of my hometown of Bolton, no-one had a good word to say about the LGBTQ community... and then along came Madonna, who from the start of her career was an outspoken and passionate advocate of gay rights.

Her connection to our community is massive... Yes, and it’s great that you say that because so many younger gay men don’t realise this now. But during this very bleak time for our community, she was one of the few people in the public eye who had our backs.

In interviews she paid tribute to her gay friends and collaborators, such as the artist Keith Haring, the photographer Herb Ritts, and the gay ballet teacher who’d changed her life. She performed various AIDS benefits and included a personal note in every copy of her album Like A Prayer in which she

argued that anyone suffering from AIDS, regardless of their sexual orientation, deserved ‘compassion and support, not violence and bigotry’. And she proudly paraded her gay brother and her gay dancers across cinema screens in her documentary In Bed With Madonna, including close-up footage of a passionate gay kiss that shocked audiences and earned the film an 18 rating. If you still doubt her passion, watch some of the promotional interviews she gave for the film, in which she’s accused of ‘promoting homosexuality’ to impressionable audiences; she attacks her interviewers with all the ferocity of a lioness protecting her cubs.

The book also comes out as Madge turns 60. What’s your favourite moment of her career so far?

Either the film In Bed With Madonna or the Hung Up/Confessions era as this came at a time when many people had started to write her off as an ageing has-been – and then suddenly she was back, exploding from a giant disco ball in a pink leotard.

Genius, and peak gay!

Do we think we see enough LGBTQ representation in new literature today?

No, but I’m on it. Hopefully if this book is a big hit others will follow. Don’t forget the ‘phobia’ part of ‘homophobia’ stands for fear rather than hatred and many people in publishing are just frightened gay books won’t sell. If I can prove them wrong with a big hit in the bookshops it’ll be much easier for gay authors to secure mainstream deals.

So what’s your campest ever Madonna moment?

There’s a question! My campest Madonna moment has to be when I was about 20 and went to a student fancy-dress party with the theme Slinky or Kinky dressed as Madonna in the Erotica video. In those days, there was no internet so you couldn’t quickly check a video on YouTube and my reference points were a bit off, but I had the eye mask, the leather trousers and the whip – and still have the photos to prove it.

The best Madonna song is?

I’d have to say Open Your Heart as this was the first song I saw her perform live on 15th August 1987, the first UK date of her Who’s that Girl tour. I was only 12 and desperately unhappy at school and then suddenly here I was standing just a few metres away from my idol, who was preaching a message of standing up for yourself, channelling your inner strength and conquering all obstacles to follow your dream. I was blown away and it changed my life forever.

And finally, what are you hopeful people take from The Madonna of Bolton?

So far I’ve been really humbled by all the gay men who’ve approached me to tell me how much the book reflects their life as well as my own. I really hope I’ve touched on experiences and emotions that affect lots of us. And then if anyone in Saudi Arabia is reading the book, they’ll feel like they’re not alone.