Red Clay Suzie

(Paperback)

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Longlisted for the Center for Fiction 2023 First Novel Prize

A novel inspired by true events

The coming-of-age story of Philbet, a gay, physically-misshapen boy in rural Georgia, who battles bullying, ignorance, and disdain as he makes his way in life as an outsiderbefore finding acceptance in unlikely places.

Fueled by tomato sandwiches and green milkshakes, and obsessed with cars, Philbet struggles with life and love as a gay boy in rural Georgia. Hes happiest when helping Grandaddy dig potatoes from the vegetable garden that connects their houses. But Philbets world is shattered and his resilience shaken by events that crush his innocence and sense of security; expose his misshapen chest skillfully hidden behind shirts Mama makes at home; and convince him that hes not fit to be loved by Knox, the older boy he idolizes to distraction. Over time, Philbet finds refuge in unexpected places and inner strength in unexpected ways, leading to a resolution in the form of a letter from beyond the grave.

Author Bio

Jeffrey Dale Lofton hails from Warm Springs, Georgia, best known for Roosevelts Little White House. He calls the nations capital home now, where early on he spent many a night acting on the stages of DCs theaters and performing arts centers. He even scored a few television appearances, including a Super Bowl halftime commercial, which his accountant wisecracked is the finest work of your career. When he stepped away from acting for other, more traditional employment (much to his parents delight and relief), he also focused on pursuing post-graduate work, ultimately being awarded masters degrees in both Public Administration and Library and Information Science. Today, he is a senior advisor at the Library of Congress, surrounded by books and people who love booksin short, paradise. Lofton is gay and is afflicted with pectus excavatum, both reflected in his debut novel Red Clay Suzie.