Brian Sloan, author of A Really Nice Prom Mess (SimonPulse), recently spoke with several out gay authors about their prom night experiences. He's graciously agreed to blog about it.

Like seeing the first robin of spring, I have recently spotted those super-sized Hummer limos tearing around the city with girls shrieking out the sunroofs as guys in ill-fitting tuxes puke out the window. Yes…it’s prom season again!

The main feeling I have when I see these kids reveling in their “big night” is a wave of relief that comes with the realization that I’ll never have to go through that uniquely American right of passage again. Prom night is a fraught experience for the average male but, if you’re a gay man, you can then add a whole additional level of anxiety and awkwardness to a night that’s already filled with it. Prom night is often billed as a night to remember but, for the gays, it’s often one that we’d rather forget.

As someone who has written a bit about the high school years, I thought it would be interesting to see what other writer’s experiences of prom was like. In my survey, I heard more stories of survival more than trauma. It seemed that showing up and getting through the night was more the norm. Which is not to say it was easy.

“It was not really a positive experience,” says novelist Alexander Chee, who wrote Edinburgh (Picador). “It was one of those things where you realize you’re gay and you’re participating in this ritual that isn’t really designed for you to be there.”

Alexander Chee

Alex’s prom night was memorable but for reasons not so fondly recalled. “My date for the evening went off to make out with one of my best friends,” he says laughing. “What was so ironic is that I thought it was exciting that someone wanted to make out with her.”

More gay authors share their prom stories after the break!