Let Them Stare

“This quirky, passionate, rebellious, and quick-witted novel brings aspects of modern queer culture into direct, literal conversation with elements of its past. It’s a monument to what came before, a testament to continued struggles, and a celebration of queer joy.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“The collaborators seamlessly connect Rufus’s and Sully’s stories, showing through both the resilience of queer life and the bigotry they each face.”  — Publishers Weekly”This hilarious, heartwarming, and offbeat page turner is for anyone who’s ever dreamed of a bigger life and finds the truth that sometimes that bigger life is found right where you already are, with the people who become your chosen family (and maybe even a fabulous vintage haunted handbag)!” — Busy Philipps, New York Times bestselling author of This Will Ony Hurt a Little and cohost of Busy Philipps is Doing Her Best”Let Them Stare glitters with humor and mystery, with a narrator whose verve and charm leap off the page. It’s a love letter to queer history wrapped in a small-town ghost story romp, and I loved it to pieces.” — Becky Albertalli, New York Times Bestselling Author of Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda”Let Them Stare is the perfect combination of humor and heart, the supernatural and the super fashionable! Sully, Rufus, and Brad will always have my heart, and this book will haunt me (in the best way!) in this and every decade from here on out!“  — Jason June, New York Times bestselling author of Out of the Blue and Jay’s Gay Agenda”Jonathan van Ness and Julie Murphy’s Let Them Stare is a magical queer romp of a book that will enter your heart purse first and linger there forever. A beautiful and hilarious ode to celebrating, uncovering, and growing out of our history.” — Abdi Nazemian, Stonewall and Lambda Award Winning author of Like a Love Story and Only This Beautiful Moment”The world that Jonathan and Julie create in Let Them Stare is nothing short of queer excellence. It was healing to my younger self but also wildly entertaining and funny for my current self! I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH! A perfect read.” — Dylan Mulvaney, author of Paper Doll, influencer, actress

Julie Murphy lives in North Texas with her husband, who loves her; her dog, who adores her; and her cats, who tolerate her. After several wonderful years in the library world, Julie now writes full-time. When she’s not writing or reliving her reference desk glory days, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, or planning her next great travel adventure. She is also the author of the young adult novels, Puddin’, Ramona Blue, Side Effects May Vary, and Dumplin’ (now a Netflix original film). This is her first book for middle-grade readers.