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Bloomington Gay Youth Chronicles #11
Boy Trouble
Percy DeForest Spock has a successful writing career, a new boyfriend, and is just settling into life in Bloomington, Indiana when a knock at the door turns his world upside down. Waiting on the other side is Caspian, his fifteen-year-old, Goth nephew. Caspian has just lost his parents, his home, and his been ripped away from the only life he has ever known. Can the mismatched pair make a new life together or are they doomed from the start? Tyler is excited to meet Percy’s nephew, but Caspian is nothing like Tyler expected. Caspian is rude, angry, and a complete and total jerk. He hates everyone and everything and soon the boys are at each other’s throats. Just when Tyler begins to hate Caspian with a passion an incident occurs that has the potential to change everything.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 12, 2012
2 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Mark A. Roeder
99 books210 followersMark A. Roeder grew up in southern Indiana - near a small town similar to those that appear in his novels.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 22, 2013
Percy Deforest Spock, a fussy 40 something gay mystery writer last seen in Yesterday's Tomorrow, faces a new challenge when Caspian, his 15 year old nephew is orphaned and comes to live with him in Bloomington, Indiana. Fortunately, Percy has the support of his boyfriend Daniel and Tyler, Daniel's teen-aged son. Together can they deal with this deeply unhappy, goth hellion with a chip on his shoulder?
I've been a life-long theater fan and been active in community theater and had the privilege of living in NYC for 2 decades after growing up in the mid-west. As such I've seen great actors do remarkable things on Broadway as well as well-known friends do things almost as memorable in much more meager amateur surroundings. I've also seen my share of off-off Broadway shows that deal with topics that will never interest the mainstream.
Roeder's books remind me of good off-off-Broadway and community theater. They hit topics and situations that are of special interest to me and they aren't always up to professional standards of polish, but they are always enjoyable and memorable.
Boy Trouble is another in that tradition. The story is compelling and the characters are easy to like and it isn't long before one finds one's self caring about them and missing them a bit when their story ends.
Coming-out, internalized homophobia, parenting a teen, dealing with loss, infidelity, growing older, these and other topics are touched upon and dealt with in a sometimes graphic but generally wholesome well-intentioned read that ends up with the reader feeling good about the outcomes.
Sure, there are slicker books out there but I'll continue to read and enjoy Mark's work as long as it strikes as many positive chords as this one did.
I've been a life-long theater fan and been active in community theater and had the privilege of living in NYC for 2 decades after growing up in the mid-west. As such I've seen great actors do remarkable things on Broadway as well as well-known friends do things almost as memorable in much more meager amateur surroundings. I've also seen my share of off-off Broadway shows that deal with topics that will never interest the mainstream.
Roeder's books remind me of good off-off-Broadway and community theater. They hit topics and situations that are of special interest to me and they aren't always up to professional standards of polish, but they are always enjoyable and memorable.
Boy Trouble is another in that tradition. The story is compelling and the characters are easy to like and it isn't long before one finds one's self caring about them and missing them a bit when their story ends.
Coming-out, internalized homophobia, parenting a teen, dealing with loss, infidelity, growing older, these and other topics are touched upon and dealt with in a sometimes graphic but generally wholesome well-intentioned read that ends up with the reader feeling good about the outcomes.
Sure, there are slicker books out there but I'll continue to read and enjoy Mark's work as long as it strikes as many positive chords as this one did.
October 29, 2012
First off, I just have to say that the cover is fan-freaking-tastic. The guy is just gorgeous. Secondly, I'm not really a fan of first person point of view because they just seem I don't know..I just don't like them but I do like books by Mr. Roeder so I gave it try and I liked it. I would recommend this for others who like to read young adult stories.
September 7, 2017
Cute story concept and outline. Below average execution. Does this guy have an editor?
Roeder tends to over-write things that a better author would let the reader's imagination handle - like the physical process of walking to, getting in, and riding around in a car. Those words would have better been used in character development.
Also, the duo point of view story telling seems too limiting for this writer's level of craft. The book is only okay, but I bought it at markdown so there's that.
Roeder tends to over-write things that a better author would let the reader's imagination handle - like the physical process of walking to, getting in, and riding around in a car. Those words would have better been used in character development.
Also, the duo point of view story telling seems too limiting for this writer's level of craft. The book is only okay, but I bought it at markdown so there's that.
August 17, 2018
An excellent read. It ended the way I wanted it too.
May 13, 2016
I started off really enjoying this! Aaaaaand. Well. That doesn’t always last. Too much author hand holding for my liking.
It’s a real shame because there is a lot of potential here. Very unique conflict. The characters were diverse and interesting (and the ones I didn’t like are the ones you’re not meant to). I wanted to learn about them.
But.Here it comes.
The writing felt like a waaaaaaaaay over-explained pep talk. One that I don’t need.
It was also repetitive; questions like “what’s character X’s sexuality?” were brought up several times, answered, and then asked again and again. And how many times do we need to hear that Caspian lost his parents and is going through rough times? K but seriously. It must be rough for him. A teen loosing their parents? It has to wear on you. Maybe losing his parents is the reason he’s such an asshole? So it’s not his fault he’s a bigot. I’d be scared. Maybe he’s scared. Let’s ask him if he’s scared!! This is a new life. New people. New school. It’s scary. And losing his parents is hard. So let’s love him. He needs love, even if he is an asshole. It’s not his fault that—
Then we have characters announce how they feel instead of emoting...
I can work things out on my own. Trust me. Please? I can tie my own shoes and everything I promise.
So this story needs to be weed wacked, but there is a decent foundation. I may try again after an editor has taken a chainsaw to it.
It’s a real shame because there is a lot of potential here. Very unique conflict. The characters were diverse and interesting (and the ones I didn’t like are the ones you’re not meant to). I wanted to learn about them.
But.
The writing felt like a waaaaaaaaay over-explained pep talk. One that I don’t need.
It was also repetitive; questions like “what’s character X’s sexuality?” were brought up several times, answered, and then asked again and again. And how many times do we need to hear that Caspian lost his parents and is going through rough times? K but seriously. It must be rough for him. A teen loosing their parents? It has to wear on you. Maybe losing his parents is the reason he’s such an asshole? So it’s not his fault he’s a bigot. I’d be scared. Maybe he’s scared. Let’s ask him if he’s scared!! This is a new life. New people. New school. It’s scary. And losing his parents is hard. So let’s love him. He needs love, even if he is an asshole. It’s not his fault that—
Then we have characters announce how they feel instead of emoting...
I can work things out on my own. Trust me. Please? I can tie my own shoes and everything I promise.
So this story needs to be weed wacked, but there is a decent foundation. I may try again after an editor has taken a chainsaw to it.
August 5, 2016
This is my first Roeder's book and it will not be the last because i loved the way he writes. Even if I don’t like the “first person” kind of books I got to love this one.
I like the books that keep going, that have movement, are active and fun. I got to love the story and every character even Caspian :).
I like the books that keep going, that have movement, are active and fun. I got to love the story and every character even Caspian :).
December 12, 2015
Full Review: https://leonelescota.wordpress.com/20...
Mark Roeder’s “Boy Trouble” isn’t a literary masterpiece, but then no one is expecting this to be. It’s a cute little story that will make you laugh a little bit, care
Mark Roeder’s “Boy Trouble” isn’t a literary masterpiece, but then no one is expecting this to be. It’s a cute little story that will make you laugh a little bit, care
May 6, 2017
NOT one of Mark A. Roeder best books. I have been reading Marks books for some months. I am not discouraged from reading more. At times interesting but most of the time it seems a set of stock gay situations.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews