America was going to hate me for being black and gay, then I might as well make a weapon out of myself. - Saeed Jones

In America, a gathering of people is called target practice or a funeral, depending on who lives long enough to define the terms.

Something you see in the book is my tendency to self-bully. It started when I was a gay black kid growing up in the suburbs. I wasn’t bullied by individuals; kids weren’t shoving me into lockers or calling me slurs to my face. Shame—electrified by racism and homophobia—was enforced by the broader culture though, and in response, I started bullying myself. I started saying cruel things about myself to myself. While I’ve generally grown out of self-hate, an ease with being tough and candid about myself to myself is an integral aspect of my writing…

I buried myself in the bodies of other men so I could feel something other than the depression that was rolling in like a fog bank.