Overview

Saskia Nash's world is turned upside down when her single-parent father tears her from an idyllic childhood in Germany-leaving behind the memories of her dead mother and the protection of her beloved Opa-for a teaching position at a small Jesuit college on the East Coast. A misfit in a strange land, struggling to learn the language and customs of a good American girl, Saskia struggles with issues of belonging, sexual identity, and faith. She's drawn to the progressive spirituality of the Jesuits at her father's college. When strong-armed into having an abortion, Saskia is sent away to recover at Pippin House, a hospice for men dying of AIDS. It is the early 1990s. Mourning the loss of personal choice and bodily autonomy, Saskia is assigned as a companion to Ed, a.k.a. Marlena Merlot, a dying drag queen who's losing control over his own mind and body. When Saskia helps Marlena Merlot stage one final performance, she learns that chosen family is the one we can count on most. A Date with the Fairy Drag Queen is a story of platonic queer friendship, regaining autonomy, letting go, and learning what it means to live.

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Reviews

""This bold and touching exploration of belonging, created family, and identity is sure to resonate with anyone finding themselves starting over, uncertain about their future, and seeking connection."" -Sassafras Patterdale (formerly Lowrey), author of Lost Boi, Roving Pack, and Kicked Out ""A beautiful, heartfelt tale of love and loss. You'll devour each page."" -Bill Konigsberg, award-winning author of Openly Straight and Destination Unknown ""Saskia's story is both unique and compelling and ultimately universal. 'Where do I belong?' is the human heart's constant cry, and Julie Turner deftly and gracefully guides us to the answer: beside each other."" -Emily Carpenter, author of Gothictown ""Heartbreaking in the first few chapters, then bittersweet and beautiful throughout, Julie Turner's not-a-memoir-yet-with-parts-drawn-from-life novel conveys raw emotion through her beautiful prose as main character Saskia works personal tragedy by taking care of a dying man in 1990. Turner has an eye for detail that captures how someone can be beautiful even as they die of a horrible disease. An unusual and interesting read."" -Allison Ashton, author of Sweet, Spicy, Delicate ""A heartfelt tale filled with warmth, wisdom, and delightfully vivid characters."" -Marshall Thornton, Lambda award-winning author of Femme and Father of the Bride

Author Information

Julie Harthill Turner's fiction and creative nonfiction has appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, Lambda Literary, Curve Magazine, Foreword Reviews, Toasted Cheese Literary Journal, and more. She enjoys a rewarding career as a senior litigation paralegal while maintaining an active writing practice. Her favorite people call her quirky, nerdy, Mom, Omi, daughter, sister, wife, super paralegal, mentor, and friend. She's excited to add debut author to the list.

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