With David’s final baseball season starting and college plans still up on the air, he begins senior year on edge. But when his baseball coach wants to know if David is gay, he is left speechless. No one was supposed to notice the hallway glances at Tyler, a star on the boys track team, or their rides home together. In a school where his friends are turning their backs on him, he finds a new set of allies, that he didn’t know roamed the high school halls. Although he was forced out of the closet before he thought he was ready, what happens next is up to him. David can either cower in the corner or man up.
There is a war raging overseas.
There is a war raging at home.
But a different war is raging inside Anthony and Sam.
It seemed right as Anthony and Sam found each other, they were torn apart. Soon after high school graduation, Sam leaves for college to the University of Wisconsin while Anthony heads overseas to fight in the Vietnam War.
Communicating only through letters filled with secret messages, scary truths and fears, Anthony and Sam cling to the one thing they know for certain: each other.
But will their faith in each other be strong enough to survive the war on all fronts?
Praise for MAN UP and THE WAR ON ALL FRONTS
“Two men strengthen their senses of identity against daunting historical forces in the sobering novel THE WAR ON ALL FRONTS.”
– Foreword Reviews
“Interspersed with interstitials by Tyler, David’s narrations is down-to-earth and relatable, particularly for teens who live in places without large LGBTQ communities. Students preparing for the leap from high school to college in particular will find plenty to identify with.”
-Publishers Weekly
“Oclon thoughtfully develops David’s and Tyler’s inner transformations when it comes to self-acceptance, noting how others in their community need to grow with them. An engaging and enlightening coming-out tale for teens of all sexual persuasions.”
-Kirkus Reviews
“Man Up is an important and realistic young adult novel that deals with bullying, homophobia, and physical violence against the backdrop of varsity sports.”
-Foreword Reviews
Author Kim Oclon
With a BA in Screenwriting and MFA in Fiction, Kim Oclon taught high school creative writing and film, in addition to the classics. There, she was the co-founder of her school’s first gay-straight alliance. As an active member in the LGBTQ community and SCBWI representative, she has combined her passion for storytelling and giving a voice to the LGBTQ community in her writing. Kim lives in Dundee, Illinois. Connect with Kim online at www.kimoclon.com