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Firefly
For 14 year old Jon, the best thing about his friend Patrick is his good-looking older brother, Spencer. It’s just a crush, after all – what harm could come from wanting to spend a little more time with Spencer? But when Jon’s crush grows from love into obsession, all the usual boundaries become blurred – and he becomes willing to risk everything to get what he wants.
16 pages, ebook
Published October 24, 2017
8 people want to read
About the author
Raphael Farmer
4 books11 followersRaphael Farmer is an author originally from the island of Mauritius and now based in Perth, Western Australia.
His short story Island Boy has appeared in Wave After Wave published by the Centre For Stories. In 2019, he participated in the Digital Writers’ Festival in Melbourne.
Raphael’s background as a gay man raised Muslim in a multicultural island nation has influenced his storytelling.
He is driven to explore the intersection of sexual, social and cultural identities in his writing, with his fiction often revolving around characters undertaking a transformation or change in their identity.
His short story Island Boy has appeared in Wave After Wave published by the Centre For Stories. In 2019, he participated in the Digital Writers’ Festival in Melbourne.
Raphael’s background as a gay man raised Muslim in a multicultural island nation has influenced his storytelling.
He is driven to explore the intersection of sexual, social and cultural identities in his writing, with his fiction often revolving around characters undertaking a transformation or change in their identity.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 5, 2018
I very recently met the author at the Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival. We got chatting, and I went straight home from the festival and downloaded two of his stories from Smashwords.
They were free (by the way).
Firefly is one of those bite-sized stories that is perfect for taking a moment to unwind and read. The subject matter isn't light-hearted though, as I found the story very poignant and sad. It's about a 14 year old boy who discovers he is gay after an unrequited crush on the older brother of his friend.
There's a lot of ache to this tale, and it finishes with an almost epilogue-style visit to present day - which is somehow even sadder.
I thought this had a lovely tone to it, and though melancholy, it's also an eye-opener to a young teen gay narrator. I thought Raphael Farmer captured the hesitancy and uncertainty of that voice really well.
They were free (by the way).
Firefly is one of those bite-sized stories that is perfect for taking a moment to unwind and read. The subject matter isn't light-hearted though, as I found the story very poignant and sad. It's about a 14 year old boy who discovers he is gay after an unrequited crush on the older brother of his friend.
There's a lot of ache to this tale, and it finishes with an almost epilogue-style visit to present day - which is somehow even sadder.
I thought this had a lovely tone to it, and though melancholy, it's also an eye-opener to a young teen gay narrator. I thought Raphael Farmer captured the hesitancy and uncertainty of that voice really well.
August 28, 2024
The cover and synopsis for this story are pretty misleading - it was fine.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews