National Book Award-winning author, Justin Torres, reveals the unusual discovery that inspired his latest novel Blackouts. While working at Modern Times, a closed San Francisco bookstore, Torres stumbled upon a box containing a collection of novels, along with an intriguing sexology book dating back to 1941 called Sex Variants. This unexpected find prompted Torres to delve into the world of queer identity and sparked the creation of the character Juan in his upcoming book, which is set to be published in Spain in September.
The discovery of Sex Variants, a study conducted by researchers George Henry and Jan Gay, led Torres to contemplate the immense personal sacrifice made by individuals who shared intimate details about their lives and their sexuality in an attempt to challenge negative societal attitudes towards queerness. This work became a focal point for Torres’s novel, with the character Juan embodying the struggle for liberation and the reclamation of queer narratives that have been suppressed for decades.
With Blackouts, Torres aims to confront the erasure and stigmatization faced by queer individuals through different time periods. The National Book Award jury noted the aesthetic complexity and beauty in Torres’s writing, particularly in the intricate portrayal of characters like Juan and Jan Gay. Through his evocative prose, Torres prompts a reconsideration of narratives around queerness, sexuality, and societal acceptance.
This book marks Torres’s return to the literary scene after a twelve-year hiatus following the success of his debut novel, Us the Animals. He attributes this lengthy break to the need to develop a unique writing style and expand his literary references. Blackouts reflects the influences of various authors, including Jean Genet, Tennessee Williams, and Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spider Woman, contributing to the novel’s multi-layered narrative structure.
As Torres prepares for the release of Blackouts, readers can look forward to the powerful stories that unfold in its pages, reflecting on the past, present, and future of queer individuals and the intricate relationships that have been deeply impacted by their struggle for acceptance.