this boy is a constellation

by Sam Payne

Sam Payne, author of this boy is a rainbow, returns with his long-awaited second poetry collection about heartbreak and love, feeling lost and finding purpose.

Illustrated throughout, this boy is a constellation is a brazenly honest and achingly relatable collection that speaks to the struggles of young people today. From depression, anxiety, and body image to sexuality, self-love, and empowerment, these poems are not just about overcoming how others see you, but how you see yourself.

Divided into four chapters, this is a boy’s journey across the stars – from lonely wanderer to discovering stardust within and dancing his own constellation. Perfect for fans of Nikita Gill, Trista Mateer, Amanda Lovelace, Rupi Kaur, Courtney Peppernell, Becky Albertalli, and Adam Silvera.

What readers say about Sam Payne:
★★★★★ 'I challenge anybody to read these poems without also being moved.' - Caitlin Conlon, author of Cavity
★★★★★ 'Heartwarming in so many ways... This is a must-read for every poetry enthusiast.' - Aditya Tiwari, author of April is Lush
★★★★★ 'Nothing less than a well-crafted masterpiece.' - A.B. Cofer, author of Not Enough, Just Enough
★★★★★ 'This collection is perfect for anyone looking for guidance in love and in themselves.' - Zane Frederick, author of he(art)
★★★★★ 'Unique and creative, with blackout poems and beautiful illustrations throughout.' - Sabrina Laura, author of Moonflower

Genres: Poetry

124 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Sam Payne is a poet and artist based in Cambridge, UK. He has published two poetry books, this boy is a rainbow and this boy is a constellation, which explore love, loss, mental health, self-discovery, sexuality and growth. Sam's work has been featured in various anthologies and literary magazines, including mostly recently Instagram Poetry for Every Day (Lawrence King) and Poems for a Pandemic (HarperCollins).

His third book, Wildflower, a stunning collection of poems and art pieces about grief and healing, will be published in August 2022.

When he's not writing, Sam can be found tending to be houseplants, reading a good book, or treating himself to a slice of cake. Connect with him on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter @bysampayne and visit his website www.bysampayne.com.

Reviews

[Caitlin Conlon]

"this boy is a constellation" is a beautiful sophomore poetry collection by Sam Payne. Laden with lovely illustrations, cohesive imagery, and artistic blackout poems, this collection takes you on a journey of healing, rest, and acceptance. The poetic content felt very real and close to home -- you could tell that somebody genuine, somebody that looked very much like a dear friend, was letting you in on the details of his life, and it was incredibly comforting to dive into that honesty for 100+ pages. If you were a fan of Sam's debut collection, "this boy is a rainbow," you'll be absolutely delighted by this latest edition to his published work.

Sam writes "be gentle with people. you don't know how they moved the earth to survive the ghosts inhabiting their skin" and it has resonated with me since reading it. I challenge anybody to read these poems without also being moved in some way or another.

[Ari B. Cofer · Rating 5 out of 5]

this boy is a constellation by Sam Payne is nothing less than a well-crafted masterpiece.

I believe art is all-encompassing, and Sam does a great job of combining beautiful illustration with engaging metaphors and thought-provoking imagery all wrapped up in a tight bow.

Sam describes a journey of love, self-love, heartache, and everything that lies in between. I found myself completely enthralled and captivated the entire time. This book is not stagnant. It is ever-flowing and ever-changing and you’re truly taken on an emotional trip with the narrator.

I highly recommend adding this book to your poetry collection. You won’t regret reading this boy is a constellation.

[Andrea Salazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 actually

"This Boy is a Constellation" es un libro de poesía lgbtq+, tuve la suerte de ser contactada por Sam para leer su libro anterior "This Boy is a Rainbow" y fue un verdadero placer (alomejor estoy biased porque es uno de mis géneros fav) pero de cualquier forma, este nuevo libro se lee más maduro y nostálgico que el anterior, a pesar de que yo no soy parte de la comunidad lgbt podía sentir cada palabra y cada emoción descrita como propia y de manera empatica como la de alguien más, sin duda es un libro que recomendaría para jóvenes adultos tratando de entender sus emociones, buscando amor y su lugar en el mundo.

Este libro está programado para salir a la venta a principios del próximo año en inglés y está fue mi primera reseña en goodreads ✌🏼

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely recommend

Reading Sam's poems felt like talking to an old friend. At times, I wanted to hug him and cry for him. Other times, I wanted to cry with him, for myself, as I am reminded of my own pain.

[Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest ♥️

This collection feels so honest , queer , authentic , raw , cathartic yet beautiful . This made me feel less alone , when I thought I was completely lost . Keep your good work boy. You never know whose life you'd save . ❤️

[Artemis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning and hauntingly beautiful poetry collection!

- I was offered a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. -

This collection (or shall I say constellation) of deeply personal yet universally relatable poems truly stayed with me long after reading. Sam's poems touched my heart and lingered in my mind, I could see myself in his words and with each page, I ventured through his as well as my own mind. The illustrations in this book are truly out of this world - I doubt I've ever seen words packaged so beautifully! Each illustration tells a story - as unique, heartfelt, raw yet delicate, and creative as the content itself - alongside words that evoke emotions that seem to pour from the author's fingertips, onto the paper, and directly into my head and heart. Heartbreak and contemplations about love are explored in great depth, but in these pages, the reader is taken on a journey about love in so many more forms than just romantic love. This book ponders over self-worth and the battle that is loving yourself, mental health, the universe as well as the universe within oneself. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to go on a journey of vulnerability and incredible strength - truly out of this world!

[Amy Littleford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being pride month I thought it perfect to finally pick up Sam Payne's 2nd poetry collection, 'this boy is a constellation'. I love seeing Indie Author's work that you can tell has had so much effort put into it. The formatting is beautiful and the illustrations that go with almost every poem are beautiful and add to the overall response to each piece. Even more amazing is that Sam does the illustrations himself. I love how Sam experiments with different poetry styles. I love the list poems that are spotted throughout and the blackout poetry is very innovative.

This collection explores life in our early twenties. It's a book of letting go of the past, finding purpose, challenging expectations, and learning to love yourself. I feel like there is such honesty in this collection and it definitely felt very young adult. For me the poetry was maybe a little too simplistic and I didn't feel like there was any deep connection there. I kept wanting more from the words I was reading. Having said this, it was a very quick read and I think Sam's poetry collections are very important for young readers, especially those of the LGBTQ+ community.

Amy x

[Johanna Rawlings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam Payne’s portrayal of feeling lost in the darkness and finding yourself in the light is so powerful. This collection really resonated with me. His use of star and moon imagery is beautiful, and his illustrations are so creative.

This book is a journey through the dark times of depression and self-doubt to self-love and hope, to finding love again and discovering where you fit in this world you live in. It’s also a wonderful portrayal of the struggle you go through in your early-twenties to figure everything out, realising in this struggle that it’s ok to not have figured it all out yet. As he writes in his book, simply “hold onto hope. always.”

[daylightjocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this poetry book so much. It feels like a warm hug on a cold day or a friend i can come to whenever i feel lonely. I really enjoyed reading it!
It also gave me an inside of the world of a gay boy, who is trying to find his place in the world and who loved so deeply that i, as a bisexual woman, could identify myself with it so so well.
i‘m so beyond grateful that sam wrote this book and it will forever have a special place in my heart.
read it, love it and let it hug you!

[Cameron (readsandwritesbyc) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautifully written AND illustrated poetry collection by Sam! I continue to love reading his personal journey through his creative and diverse poems, as well as finding comfort and feeling as though my own struggles and journey is being understood. I intensely look forward to reading his next piece!

[August Gamboa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was splendid. It was poignant—in the sense that it seemed as though my memories lived on the pages just waiting to be found. When all was said and done, it was a book about hope and I am grateful to have walked my eyes through its pages—only to find myself on the other end, breathing easier.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this one after reading "this boy is a rainbow" and yet again blown away by how Sam manages to pull you into his emotions and feelings in the poems while reading. You can see him grow as a person and his writing got even better. Loved every second of reading this and definitely recommend everyone to read it (both books) too!!

[Rachel Hepburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting this book to be so beautiful in its illustrations and imagery, but I was really taken on a lovely little escape as I read this. If you enjoy bysampayne on Instagram then I guarantee you will love this book. There are so many pages I know I will be returning to!

[Brooke Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have one word for this book—SELF-WORTH.

Let me back up a bit before I launch head-first into how much I love this book.

First, I am so hooked on all the illustrations in! They’re well-done, relevant to the poems, and just pleasing to look at!

Second, I love the title—“this boy is a constellation”! I’m a lover of all things galaxy, night, forest, and wolf-related so these kind of things always make me excited.

This book also sets itself apart from other galaxy or night-themed poetry books I’ve read because it also incorporates other aspects of nature. I think these elements help give the book its own voice, as if the book itself is two separate entities in one—the poems and the way nature speaks to a person.

As for the poems themselves, I was smiling like an idiot through the whole book. Even if they were sad poems, I couldn’t help but smile at how they were written. Each poem has such a shine like they’ve been polished to more clearly display the raw emotions and deep thoughts of both body and soul.

This book is indeed a journey and Sam’s way of speaking through his poems makes them feel as if they were written not only for himself but for the person reading his work. There is such purpose in each piece that provides a lesson, encourages a thought, or inspires the recollection of a memory.

“this boy is a constellation” left my heart suspended in the beauty of the creative world of poetry yet reminded my feet to stay planted in self-awareness and self-worth.

I highly recommend this to anyone who may be struggling with their identity, letting go of a toxic relationship/heartbreak, learning to love yourself, discovering what makes you unique, etc.