TELLING TEEN TALES

Phil Stamper is an author of young adult fiction dealing with deeply personal issues.

Phil Stamper grew up in a village near Dayton, Ohio, before moving first to Washington DC and then New York City to become an author of young adult novels. His first book, The Gravity Of Us (2020) was an indie bestseller in the US, and a fan-favourite in Australia. His second book, As Far As You’ll Take Me (2021), is an incredibly personal novel dealing with issues of coming out, body image and how to turn a failure into a meaningful life journey. Phil spoke with Hendri Yulius Wijaya for DNA.

DNA: What does the title of your book, As Far As You’ll Take Me, mean?

Phil Stamper: You know, this is the first time someone’s asked me that, and I’m so glad you did! The book went through a lot of titles, just dozens of bad ones, before I finally landed on As Far As You’ll Take Me. I wanted a title that fits the tone of the book, spoke briefly to the growth Marty, the protagonist, experiences, and had layers of meaning, and this ticked all those boxes.

In As Far As You’ll Take Me, Marty is coming of age, and the central theme of the book is that everyone he has a relationship with – his family, his friends, even his new boyfriend – can only take him so far on his journey. A good friend or, hell, even a bad one, can set you on the path to becoming a better, truer version of yourself. But at the end of the day you have to complete the job yourself. There’s only so far another person can take you, as it were. And I think there’s such power in what happens next.

The book begins with Marty lying to his family about going to London and deciding never to return. What inspired this storyline?

Sometimes, queer people become great liars without even knowing it. When you grow up in a conservative household, like Marty does, it feels like you’re essentially living a double life. You spend years lying to your friends, your family, and even to yourself, to protect your

identity. And even when you’re “out” you still feel the pressure to act a certain way around certain people.

Obviously, there’s a bit of aspirational fun in an overseas trip, and not many queer teens get to do that! But I think the premise of wanting to escape your closeted life at any cost is something a lot of queer people can relate to, and that’s what inspired this theme of lying to stay true to yourself.

Why London as Marty’s escape destination and the setting of the novel?

When I moved to London for grad school, I thought it would make such a marvelous setting for a young adult story. For me, there was so much about that stressful move that helped me come to terms with my own experiences with anxiety and ultimately seek treatment for it. So, when I created Marty – this repressed, anxious gay teen character – placing him in a city like London made sense to me. I wanted readers to experience Marty’s wonder throughout the story, but also understand the experiences with the anxiety he’s going through.

London has a fantastic gay scene, but I think the story really appeals to anyone who’s ever felt like they needed to leave their hometown to find a real home, in a big city or any otherwise welcoming place. Yes, London has its problems but to Marty, London represents acceptance and opportunity, which gives him hope to push through the many obstacles he encounters.

Marty has disordered eating habits and feels uncomfortable with his body. What do you want to say to a young, gay male audience on this topic?

I never want my writing to feel didactic, or like I’m trying to teach these big lessons –especially since I write for teens. They get enough lessons force fed to them! But I do like to show various experiences in my books, even if they end up touching on heavy topics. Marty’s experience with disordered eating was something I wanted to explore, because it’s a very personal topic to me and it seems to be an issue that many gay men experience.

When I was a teen, I fell for the first boy who showed an interest in me, and between his cutting remarks about my weight and seeing his interest in me drifting away, my anxiety took over and told me that if I just lost x more pounds, or skipped one more meal, I would finally get that approval I was looking for.

Queer people become great liars without even knowing it. You spend years lying to your friends, family, and even yourself. When you’re “out” you still feel the pressure to act a certain way…

I was lucky to be able to pull away from that as I got older, though, like anything else, it’s an ongoing battle. But I wanted to show this, because it’s such a common experience in our community. I want teens and adults alike to see themselves in this story and feel less alone. No, there’s no magic fix for anxiety or disordered eating, which Marty learns throughout the story, but there’s so much power in knowing you aren’t alone.

You describe the electrifying feelings Marty has for Pierce when they accidentally touch, and how Marty can’t divert his gaze from Pierce’s pecs. What are the challenges in writing sensual scenes for young adult readers?

I read a ton of romantic books for all age groups – middle grade, young adult, and adult – and when it’s done well, there’s a clear shift in the perspective of attraction and sensuality for each age group. For Marty, all of this is new. Of course, he’s checked out other guys before (we’re human!) but when he gets to experience attraction with someone who could actually show a mutual interest in him for the first time, the newness of the experience provides a filter for everything he feels and does. Keeping that in mind as I write and revise is key to staying authentic to these experiences.

Your first book, The Gravity Of Us, combines elements of science and young adult fiction.

As Far As You’ll Take Me is more like a realist novel. What made you decide to shift?

I think it’s really important to show range in your work, especially as an early career author. Though there are so many elements you can find in both of my stories – hope, first love, ambition, coming of age – I think of my first two novels as in conversation with each other.

In The Gravity Of Us, Cal is a delightfully confident main character, while Marty in As Far As You’ll Take Me is a bit more introspective, and their narration matches that. Cal is telling you a story, while Marty makes you feel like you’re inside his brain. In both cases, the worlds felt fantastical, and I had such fun building them. In my mind, it’s not too much a shift, but it’s enough of one to give you a fun sampling of what a Phil Stamper novel is.

What will you be writing next?

In early 2022, my third Young Adult novel is planned to hit shelves. A lot of the details are up in the air, including the title, but it’s the first book in a queer rom-com duology, and I cannot wait to talk more about it!

Any last words for your readers?

I hope you all love As Far As You’ll Take Me once it’s on shelves. Thanks so much for reading!

MORE: Find Phil on Twitter or Instagram @stampepk Visit his website: philstamper.com.

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