GVN: Hi Rey! Thank you so much for making time to speak to Geek Vibes Nation about your upcoming graphic novel, Northranger. Could you start by telling our readers about you and your work?

Northranger is a swoony thriller-drama about a young, queer Latinx teenager named Cade, who is forced to go work on a Texas ranch for the summer where he meets a handsome cowboy who may or may not be a serial killer.  Like some of my other work, it’s an LGBTQ+ reimagining of a classic story.  I’ve done the same with middle grade with Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms (which is queer-coded), and a few upcoming works.  As for me, I’ve dreamed of being an author my whole life, so it’s a dream come true to be writing these stories for a whole new generation of readers.  Also, Rey Terciero is my pen name.  My real name is Rex Ogle, under which I write a lot of memoirs about my early life.  I separate the two for different audiences so that you can get very different books with two very different feels.

GVN: Northranger is your second retelling, and I was wondering what made you settle on reimagining the story of Northranger Abbey? 

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy was my love letter to NYC and Louisa May Alcott.  With Northranger, it’s my love letter to Texas and Jane Austen.  As an author recreating stories, I wanted to take my favorite books as a youth and make them queer.  For hundreds of years, straight literature has dominated the literary landscape.  That’s only changed recently, and I couldn’t be happier.  As for why Northranger, I loved Northanger Abbey when I read it in high school.  It takes a gothic approach to a romance novel, which is a rare take and one I wanted to explore through a gay lens.  

GVN: How was reimagining Northranger Abbey different from reimagining Little Women? Do you have a specific process when it comes to reimagining classics? What do you find to be the most difficult about the process?  

 Little Women is such a well-known classic, so I was a little worried I’d upset people.  Luckily with Northanger Abbey, it’s the least known of Austen’s work, so there’s less change of that.  Plus, with Little Women, the research was easier because there’s so much out there in terms of discussions of themes and character development.  I certainly do my homework in that regard.  But my process is first to not reread the book.  I want to base my stories on my memory rather than an exact retelling.  That way, I’m not copying the work too closely.  But that’s also the most difficult part, remembering the story arcs and trying to make it similar but different.  That said, when I’m stuck, I cheat and watch the movies, but I’m required to not take notes.  

GVN: Self-acceptance is a reoccurring theme across your work. Can you talk about why that theme is important to you? 

Because it’s hard!  It’s so hard!  At least for me, and a lot of people I know.  Growing up gay sets a person apart from a predominantly straight society.  And that feeling of “otherness” can affect us greatly, especially in our youth.  Whether you’re LGBTQ+, growing up with poverty, or live with a certain faith or worldview, it’s hard to feel different.  And others may not accept you, so you have to accept—and love—yourself.  

GVN: The characters in the story are so great. Do you have a favorite character? 

I mean, I absolutely love Cade, because he’s so much like me.  He loves scary movies, and he started off as a pretty shy youth.  But I also love Henry for a whole other set of reasons—mainly that he’s the love interest I always wish I had when I was that age.  Of course, I wasn’t out, and living in Texas, I didn’t know any gay cowboys.  

GVN: The story touches on serious topics such as racism, homophobia, and losing a loved one. Why was it important for you to address those topics?   

Life isn’t always easy, and I wanted to be honest about that.  In my life, I’ve dealt with the same issues, and all of them affected me profoundly.  So I wanted to reflect that for Cade.  Plus, I think a truly good narrative has ups and downs and twists and turns, just like life.  

GVN: Cade coming to terms with his sexuality and finding love plays such a big role in the story. Do you have any advice for LGBTQ+ youth trying to come to terms with their sexuality?  

There’s no right or wrong way to do it.  So don’t feel like you have to follow someone else’s example.  Especially with portrayals on TV and movies, which can make it seem easy.  You have to do it on your own timetable.  For me, I was coming out twenty years ago, and the world was a different place.  It was certainly more intolerant than it is now.  But there are places (like Florida), and parents, who just aren’t willing to accept it yet.  Do what’s right for you, and make sure you’re safe.  

GVN: Can you tell us anything about what you’re working on next?  

 I’m happy to say I’m working on a few projects.  I have a middle school graphic novel series with Scholastic’s Graphix imprint, starting with Four Eyes, about getting glasses in 6th grade.  But the ones most like Northranger include Dan of Green Gables, and Count of Monte Cristo High.  Like my previous writings, they’re both love letters, to places I’ve lived and my favorite authors growing up.  Both are queer retellings of classic novels and of course, have all the drama and excitement that makes for a great graphic novel.  

GVN: Where can our readers connect with you online? 

I’m terrible at social media, except Instagram!  So for pictures of my books and my dog, and occasionally me, you can find me @thirdrex

Synopsis

In this swoony and spooky teen summer romance graphic novel set on a Texas ranch, sixteen-year-old Cade Muñoz finds himself falling for the ranch owner’s mysterious and handsome son, only to discover that he may be harboring a dangerous secret.

Cade has always loved to escape into the world of a good horror movie. After all, horror movies are scary—but to Cade, a closeted queer Latino teen growing up in rural Texas—real life can be way scarier.

When Cade is sent to spend the summer working as a ranch hand to help earn extra money for his family, he is horrified. Cade hates everything about the ranch, from the early mornings to the mountains of horse poop he has to clean up. The only silver lining is the company of the two teens who live there—in particular, the ruggedly handsome and enigmatic Henry.

But as unexpected sparks begin to fly between Cade and Henry, things get…complicated. Henry is reluctant to share the details of his mother’s death, and Cade begins to wonder what else he might be hiding. Inspired by the gothic romance of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom comes a modern love story so romantic it’s scary.

Imprint: HarperAlley
On Sale: June 6, 2023