SMALL TOWN CONNECTIONS: highlights queer small-town life, with an emphasis on community for the characters
SHARP SENSE OF HUMOR: with many jokes and puns, the narrator’s sensibility is a cross between a shady drag queen and a self-deprecating stand up comedian
THE DRAG SCENE: taps into the continuing mainstream popularity of drag seen in shows like Rupaul’s Drag Race and We’re Here, written by an author who does drag!
SUMMER READ: the laugh-out-loud humor and drama that follows Peter makes Dragging Mason County the perfect summer read
YA DEBUT: Curtis Campbell makes his stunning YA debut with a hit!
"A timely tale of friendship, self-acceptance, and the importance of proper contouring."—Kevin Christopher Snipes, author of Milo and Marcos at the End of the World
A laugh-out-loud YA debut that examines the realities of small-town queer life and celebrates the transformative power of drag—perfect for fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race and Pumpkin.
Peter Thompkin needs a public image overhaul. After a tense confrontation with one of the few other queer kids in his small-town high school, rumors about him are becoming more elaborate by the day. Meanwhile, his best friend Alan (aka teen drag queen Aggie Culture) is throwing Mason County’s debut Drag Extravaganza. Although Peter is a self-described “dragnostic,” he decides to help produce the show, hoping to prove that he isn’t a self-hating gay. In the process, he finds himself facing down angry guard dogs, angrier bigots, and a very high-strung church lady. As backlash grows, Peter begins to wonder whether he's setting fire to his already damaged reputation and if his friendship with Alan will survive past curtain call.
At turns touching, sharply funny, and a little absurd, Dragging Mason County explores the pains and pleasures of queer community through one teen’s journey to self-acceptance.
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About the author
Curtis Campbell
CURTIS CAMPBELL is a writer, comedian, and theater artist. His plays are mainstays of the Toronto indie theater scene, and he is the winner of the inaugural Comedy Bar and Second City Award for Best Comedy at the 2022 Toronto Fringe. NOW Toronto has described Curtis’s work as “razor sharp,” the Toronto Star called it “pitch perfect satire,” and Curtis’s mother has described it as “just not my cup of tea.” Curtis grew up in rural Ontario and now lives in Toronto with an artist named Kevin and their dog, Pip. Dragging Mason County is his debut novel.
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