WPS Author Interview Day 21: Marlon Yelich
Welcome to day 21 of the Wonderland Pride Spotlight author interviews! Today I am interviewing Marlon Yelich. To see all of the spotlight posts created by my lovely community, head over to the hashtag #wonderlandpridespotlight over on Instagram!
Marlon's Books
1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?
"My sexuality fluctuates between having a label or none at all. I’m one of those people who’s keen to term everything but also doesn’t want to be boxed in, haha. I consider myself to be far from straight. Often, I’ll just use the label 'queer' when I’m in the company of LGBTQ+ folks, or 'bisexual' if people wish for something more familiar. Those are the terms I’ve always felt most aligned with."
2. What books of yours have LGBTQ+ representation, and what rep do they have?
"My debut novel, The Shadow of Summer, has MM rep, as well as aromantic rep (although this is set in the 1980s, so the aromantic-ness is just described rather than outright stated).
3. Why do you think LGBTQ+ rep in books is important?
"The answer is always visibility, though the lens with which I view that answer has shifted somewhat over the last couple of years. If you’d asked me in the 2010s, I would say visibility is key because we’ve been shunted to the sidelines for so long despite our struggles: true, we are a minority, but that doesn’t mean we don’t exist. I don’t believe there can be such a thing as 'forced diversity' when, in reality, humans are naturally diverse. Right now, I think it’s more important than ever when conservatism is on a sharp increase. We can’t go away, no matter how many policies change."
4. What got you into writing?
"Oof. That’s a good one. I’ll be honest: I’ve been writing on-and-off for so long I don’t really remember! I was super inspired by Jacqueline Wilson, who herself is part of the LGBTQ+ community. Her books were super eye-opening to me and introduced me to a lot of topics that weren’t often talked about in my circles. Rick Riordan is a massive inspiration, too. I guess having my own ideas and wanting to experience things I couldn’t was the pull for me to get into writing."
5. Who is a queer figure you look up to?
"I feel like this is such a cliché answer, but: Chappell Roan! I love her storytelling in her music, her maximalist look, how well she presents the WW experience, and most of all, the way she takes no BS from anyone. She’s really taught me to remind myself that I’m worthy of respect. I don’t care if this is a controversial statement: that girl never misses."
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