**Trailer:**
Step into the vibrant yet haunting world of *Nova Scotia House*, Charlie Porter’s debut novel that captures the essence of queer life during the AIDS crisis in 1990s London. This poignant narrative weaves together love, loss, and resilience, tracing the emotional journey of Johnny, a young man who falls for Jerry, an older HIV-positive activist. Their love story is a testament to the courage and creativity of a generation grappling with the shadow of death, while dreaming of a future filled with hope and radical queerness. Through tender prose and vivid storytelling, Porter invites readers to reconnect with the countercultural spirit of the past and imagine a life lived fully, optimistically, and unapologetically queer.

**Paraphrased Digest:**
Charlie Porter’s debut novel, *Nova Scotia House*, is set in 1990s London during the height of the AIDS crisis. The story follows Johnny, a 19-year-old who falls in love with Jerry, a 45-year-old HIV-positive man. Their relationship is deeply rooted in the queer activism of the 1970s, which shaped Jerry’s identity, and is marked by both passion and the looming reality of Jerry’s illness. The novel explores themes of love, grief, and resilience, as Johnny navigates his pain and seeks to build a hopeful future after Jerry’s death in 1995.

Porter, a fashion writer and author of nonfiction works like *What Artists Wear* and *Bring No Clothes*, draws on his fascination with the lost generation of creatives who died during the AIDS crisis. He reflects on the lack of primary sources from that era and uses fiction to reimagine the lives and possibilities of those who were lost. The novel challenges readers to consider how to reconnect with radical queerness and live life fully and optimistically.

In an interview, Porter discusses the differences between his nonfiction and fiction writing processes. While his nonfiction is research-heavy and laptop-based, his fiction is handwritten in capital letters, allowing him to immerse himself in the narrative and let the characters evolve organically. For *Nova Scotia House*, Porter approached character development like a simulation, creating a world and observing how the characters interact within it. The result is a deeply emotional and thought-provoking exploration of queer life, love, and legacy.**Trailer:**
Step into a world where the past and present collide, where the echoes of lives lost to the AIDS crisis are brought back to life through the power of storytelling. This is not just a book—it’s a journey into the heart of queer counterculture, a reimagining of lives that history has often overlooked. Through intimate letters, diaries, and the vivid threads of memory, the author weaves a tapestry of resilience, love, and defiance. At its core lies the AIDS Memorial Quilt, a poignant symbol of loss and remembrance, offering a visual epiphany that transforms the narrative. This is a story about reclaiming voices, about finding beauty in the fragments of forgotten lives, and about the enduring power of art to heal and inspire. Prepare to be moved, challenged, and forever changed.

**Paraphrased Digest:**
The text explores the author’s approach to writing, emphasizing the importance of creating a living, breathing narrative rather than relying on rigid storyboards. The author avoids predestined plots, allowing characters to evolve organically, mirroring the unpredictability of life. The discussion shifts to the AIDS crisis, with the author reflecting on how they deliberately avoided consuming related media during the writing process to maintain the integrity of their own story. They later watched *It’s a Sin* and were deeply affected by it, but only after completing their work.

The author’s book aims to document queer, countercultural lives that have been largely erased from history. By using fiction, they fill the gaps left by a lack of primary sources, crafting intimate narratives that reconnect readers with experimental ways of living before the AIDS crisis. The book also incorporates real-life elements, such as the AIDS Memorial Quilt, which serves as a powerful visual and emotional anchor. The quilt, a symbol of remembrance and activism, plays a crucial role in the story, offering new perspectives on life and loss.

Through this work, the author seeks to honor the lives of those lost to AIDS, challenging the elegiac tone often associated with such narratives. Instead, they celebrate the vibrancy and resilience of queer communities, using language and art to create a lasting tribute to a generation whose stories might otherwise be forgotten.**Trailer: A Journey Through Memory, Loss, and Queer Identity**

In a poignant exploration of memory, loss, and queer identity, this narrative weaves together personal and collective histories. The story begins with a reflection on the AIDS crisis of the 1990s, a time when countless lives were lost, leaving behind fragments of letters and ephemera as the only touchpoints to those who are gone. These small yet profound connections to the past serve as a reminder of the resilience and love that endure even in the face of unimaginable grief.

The narrative shifts to the author’s own journey, arriving in London in the early ’90s, a time of personal and cultural transformation. Through the lens of fictional characters, the story delves into themes of emotional intelligence, desire, and the struggle to find one’s voice in a world that often silences queer experiences. The raw and unflinching portrayal of sex as a human connection—rather than a taboo or secret—challenges societal norms and celebrates the beauty of queer intimacy.

At its heart, this story is about creating alternative ways of living and thinking, rooted in community and care. From the small garden of a council flat to the act of volunteering, the narrative imagines a world where queer lives flourish in defiance of societal expectations. It’s a call to honor the past, grieve what was lost, and envision a future where love and connection thrive.

This is a story of catharsis, liberation, and the enduring power of memory—a testament to the lives that shaped us and the futures we dare to dream.**Trailer:**

Step into a world where time bends and blooms, where the past, present, and future intertwine like the roots of a garden. This is not just a book—it’s an invitation to rethink how we live, grow, and remember. Through the lens of gardening, the author explores the timeless rhythms of life, weaving together the philosophies of the ’70s, the resilience of the ’90s, and the challenges of today. It’s a story that transcends nostalgia, celebrating queer joy and the enduring spirit of resistance.

The author, a gardener and writer, draws parallels between tending to plants and nurturing ideas, showing how both require patience, care, and the courage to let go of what once was. This book is a call to action—a reminder that while we can’t recreate the past, we can regrow, reimagine, and reclaim the wisdom of those who came before us.

With a hopeful tone, the book challenges us to look beyond clichés and legislation, urging us to reconnect with lost philosophies and threatened ways of thinking. It’s a celebration of queer joy that exists outside of time, a testament to the power of resilience, and a guide to living authentically in an ever-changing world.

*Nova Scotia House* is more than a book—it’s a movement. Out now in the UK, with a US release to follow. Prepare to dig deep, grow, and bloom.