The Sign for Home: A Novel

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Description

When a young DeafBlind man learns the girl he thought was lost forever might still be out there, he embarks on a life-changing journey to find herand his freedom.

Arlo Dilly is young, handsome, and eager to meet the right girl. He also happens to be DeafBlind, a Jehovahs Witness, and under the strict guardianship of his controlling uncle and unscrupulous Tactile ASL interpreter. His chances of finding someone to love seem slim to none.

And yet, it happened once before: many years ago, at a boarding school for the Deaf. Arlo met the love of his lifea mysterious girl with onyx eyes and beautifully expressive hands which told him the most amazing stories. But tragedy struck, and their love was lost forever. Or so Arlo thought.

After years spent nursing his broken heart, Arlo attends a writing class where a new unfiltered interpreter is assigned to him. Against the wishes of his guardians, the new interpreter provides Arlo with access to a world he had no idea existed. Memories from his past are unlocked. Soon he wonders if the hearing people he was supposed to trust have been lying to him all along, and if his lost love might be found again.

No longer willing to accept what others tell him, Arlo convinces his new best friends (his gay interpreter and a rebellious Belgian barista) to set off on a journey to learn the truth. Despite the many forces working against him, Arlo will stop at nothing to find the girl who got away and experience all of lifes joyful possibilities.

Tender, hilarious and decidedly uplifting, (BookPage), The Sign for Home is a poignantriveting (Los Angeles Times), fresh and charming romance that you wont soon forget.

Reviews

"As if complex characters, a compelling voice, smart stylistic choices, and the fierce defense of diversity, accessibility, and equality were not enough, THE SIGN FOR HOME also immersed me in an engrossing and important conversation I knew too little about. I closed this book more enlightened, more engaged, and more hopeful than I was when I opened it, and I enjoyed every page along the way." -- Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of ONE TWO THREE
*The 2022 Pride Reading List: 72 New Books to Read All Year* * Goodreads *
"Ahilarious, peculiar and very touching story about a deaf, blind Jehovahs Witness boy and his gay interpreter." -- James Hannaham, author of the PEN/Faulkner Award winner, DELICIOUS FOODS
"Fell writes with a deep compassion and keen attention to the experiences of living with deafness and blindness. This heartfelt romance is hard to resist." * Publishers Weekly *
"Aunique coming-of-age romance." * Buzzfeed *
"Tender, hilarious and decidedly uplifting." * BookPage *
Poignant . . . . Riveting * Los Angeles Times *
*April's Most Anticipated* * The Millions *
"Reading THE SIGN FOR HOME will cause you to experience many emotions, from indignation to horror to heartbreak. Ultimately, though, this is a novel about the power of love --- not just romantic love but the love that evolves from friendship. It's a beautiful story thats powerfully told." * BookReporter.com *

Author Bio

Blair Fell writes and lives in Jackson Heights, New York,with his partner. Blairs television work includesQueer as Folk, and the Emmy AwardwinningCalifornia Connected. Hes written dozens of plays including the award-winning playsNaked Will,The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun,and the downtown cult miniseriesBurning Habits. His personal essays have appeared inHuffPost,Out,Daily News(New York), and more. Hes a two-time winner of the prestigious Doris Lippman Prize in Creative Writing from the City College of New York, including for his early unfinished draft ofThe Sign for Home. Concurrently with being a writer, Blair has been an ASL interpreter for the Deaf since 1993, and has also worked as an actor, producer, and director.