Sufjan Stevens "Mystery of Love"
In one of their first conversations, love interest Elijah says he reads Sufjan Stevens lyrics in his free time. Elijah later plays a Sufjan song for the narrator, Sean, and it is likely "Mystery of Love." The song originally featured on the soundtrack for Call Me By Your Name, a film that notably centers a young man who has physical relationships with both men and women.
Yo La Tengo "Autumn Sweater"
Best friend Andi still makes mix CDs, creating a collection in Sean’s glove compartment known as the Andi Lucero Mix CD Library. The first mix they made for Sean had a slipcase made of duct tape and was called Autumn Sweater. Andi listens to music from the early 2000s, as though their glory days happened before they were born.
The Replacements "Unsatisfied"
Unsatisifed is the title of a loud, angsty mix Andi asks Sean to play on the drive to school one morning. When I first came out as bi in 2008 and got my heart broken by a boy, I listened to the Replacements' "Unsatisfied" on repeat.
Bob Dylan "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall"
When alone, Sean listens to folksy Bob Dylan records from his mom. This song, sung from alternating perspectives of a parent and their child, always moved me when I was young. It moves me even more now that I'm a parent.
The YouTube playlist, "lofi hip hop radio beats to relax/study to"
When Sean’s girlfriend Christy comes over, she puts on a playlist of lo-fi beats for them to make out to. I can’t speak to this playlist’s effectiveness as makeout music, or even as music to study or relax to, but I love the image of the person writing by an open window with their cat.
In this heartfelt and hilarious coming‑of‑age romance, Sean discovers his bisexuality and his true voice while chasing his dream as a stand‑up comedian.
"What can I say about this brave, disarmingly funny, heart‑punch of a book? Tim Manley writes with vulnerability, wit, and unblinking honesty, and his debut is a love letter to humor, authenticity, and hard‑won self‑discovery. I felt things I haven't felt since reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower at sixteen."—Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Sean O’Brien copes with anxiety by being the funny guy—at school, in his relationships, and onstage at local open mics. But when his stand‑up act starts feeling like a performance of someone he’s not, everything changes. As Sean struggles with awkward girlfriend encounters and rising panic, he meets Elijah, a new guy with quiet confidence and an honesty Sean has never allowed himself. Suddenly, Sean’s life, his comedy, and his self‑awareness come into sharper focus.
With wit and emotional depth, My Own Kind of Person explores the courage it takes to speak your truth—even when your voice shakes.
Young Adult Romance | Romance LGBTQ [ Rocky Pond Books, On Sale: September 8, 2026, Hardcover / e-Book / audiobook, ISBN: 9798217114481 / eISBN: 9798217114498 ]
Tim Manley is a writer and illustrator and the creator of the blog Fairy Tales for Twenty-Somethings. He has won the Moth StorySLAM, taught high school English at New York City’s School of the Future, and served as a mentor with the PEN American Center’s Prison Writing Program. Born in 1985 on Long Island, he lives in Queens, New York.
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