Description
Book SynopsisCornish mermaids take to the football pitch to protest warming seas. Trans students in Manchester searching for the perfect dick accidentally warp the fabric of spacetime. England's worst pogrom comes for York's particle collider, powered by bread and gender energy. On Bournemouth beach, a storm delivers an ancestor across oceans of time to sire a drowning descendant. The devil stands a drink at London's famous gay pub, The Black Cap, while Artemis, in the guise of Joan of Arc, roams a life-or-death night in East Sussex. Remember the Witchcraft Act of 1927, and the refugees that fled via cinema to defend the Republic of Catalunya? Of course not, it's been written out of history. This is England, (but not?) as we know it. A queer quantum tour through what was, what is, what could have been and may yet still come to pass, in a collection that braids high-wire believe-it-or-not memoir with cutting-edge science fiction from alternate timelines that vibrate very close to ours. Truth or dare? Both, always.
Trade Review“A brilliant, propulsive collection. These daring tales solid Mayer as an exciting talent.” Irenosen Okojie, author of Nudibranch “Clever, beautiful, brilliant little queer worlds - a collection which deftly plaits thoughtfulness, bravery, unflinching grief and defiant hope.” Nat Reeve, author of Nettleblack “A roaring girl, a punk tribute to queer ancestors, an experiment with words, a dare and a promise… People might rightly ask, what is queer writing. Mayer is here to show us. This. Is. It. I can’t wait to share this book.” Adam Smith, author of Deep Sniff “What so Mayer achieve here is a triumph. These stories are at once captivating, innovative, deeply thoughtful, and fabulous. With Truth & Dare, Mayer has crystallised themself as an essential voice in contemporary fiction. This collection is astonishing - I was euphoric reading it.” Peter Scalpello, author of Limbic
