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9781803817934

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"""Daren Kay has the ability to draw you into his world with vivid and compelling characters. His work is funny, entertaining, moving and endlessly fascinating."" - Jill Nalder, actress, HIV/AIDS activist and fundraiser, author of 'Love from the Pink Palace', inspiration for Jill in Russell T Davies' 'It's a Sin' and patron of The Sussex Beacon. ///// ""Wiley old drag queens, gay leather bikers, wild fancy dress parties and almost-forgotten sex codes. What's not to love!"" - Alf Le Flohic, Queer historian and author of MAGIC Farm and other Queer Tales ///// ""A page-turner from start to finish; The Brightonians Under Siege is clever, canny and oh-so caustic in places. Daren brings out the lighter side of lockdown in Brighton in the most ingenious ways - matched with being a highly entertaining way to make a serious point. A true tale of the unexpected. Nikki Gatenby, Author of Superengaged and Better Business on Purpose The juxtaposition of the AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics illustrates the importance of love and humour in communities under siege. How wonderful to return to the cavalcade of Brightonians as they career through a new adventure. More please."" - Gary Moyle, Support Services Manager at the Landmark South London AIDS Centre 1988-1997 ///// ""I could not put it down. On finishing, I felt an overwhelming tender sadness. Drawing parallels between the two pandemics is a salutary message whilst at the same time wonderfully capturing the bitchiness and bravery, the fear and fierceness, exhibited by communities that feel they are under siege."" - Victoria Jakobs, political activist against hate speech. ///// ""A deft sequel to Kay's joyful debut which continues to immerse the reader in a slip-stream of Brightonians past, present and (almost) everything in between. With great flare Kay summons up the riotous South Coast gay scene of the 80s and sensitively portrays the hardships of the AIDS pandemic. At its core is a great warmth and affection for Brighton which can't fail to draw you close to the story he artfully weaves."" - Ed Kluz, Artist and author of The Lost House Revisited ///// ""The best thing about this book is that I could recognise the hard truths and wallow in the nostalgia without feeling down about it all. This book is an absolute joy, about people living their best, crazy lives and squeezing every bit of love and pleasure out of it, despite everything. Genius."" - Jenny Warren, Editor. Quote given by special dispensation since all royalties from the paperback are going to The Sussex Beacon."

Author Information

Ex-advertising copywriter, Daren Kay, is the author of two works of fiction and the editor of a guide to copywriting. Winning over 100 industry awards - including a D&AD and numerous Cannes Lions - with campaigns for a diverse list of clients that includes Guinness, Unilever, Oxfam and the RAF. After 30 years working for some of London's biggest agencies, in 2016, Daren jacked it all in and carved out time to write about Brighton's vibrant queer present and past. Inspired by an exhibition he helped to curate at the city's museum, called Queer the Pier, and his adoration for E F Benson's Mapp & Lucia series of novels, he refocused his passion for words to write The Brightonians, a queer tale of life beyond the picture postcards and candy floss of this far-from-quintessential seaside town, which draws a group of bitchy socialites back to the saucier side of 1960s Brighton. Drag queens, gay porn, fancy-dress parties - what's not to love! With over 70 reviews and an average rating of 4.5 on www.goodreads.co.uk and www.amazon.co.uk quite a few people agreed! Fingers crossed they like how this band of colourful Brightonians cope with the biggest social science experiment the world has ever seen: the global lockdown.

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