Medina, Nico 1982–

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Medina, Nico 1982–

PERSONAL:

Born June 5, 1982, in Orlando, FL; partner of Billy Merrell (a poet). Education: University of Florida, B.A., 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Home—New York, NY. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Author and editor. Gleim Publications, Gainesville, FL, proofreader, 2001-04; Viking Children's Books, New York, NY, associate production editor, 2004—; writer, 2005—.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Popular Paperback for Young Adults selection, American Library Association, and Books for the Teen Age selection, New York Public Library, both 2008, both for The Straight Road to Kylie.

WRITINGS:

The Straight Road to Kylie, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2007.

Fat Hoochie Prom Queen, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2008.

SIDELIGHTS:

Nico Medina, a copyeditor of children's books, is the author of the 2007 novel The Straight Road to Kylie, "a well-written, thought-provoking, and welcome twist on the coming-out story," observed School Library Journal contributor Johanna Lewis. Medina, who came out during his freshman year at the University of Florida, began work on his story in the winter of 2005 after joining a novel-writing group. As he told Watermark interviewer John Sullivan, "I wrote it for fun and I wrote it ‘real,’ never thinking of it as becoming a resource for GLBT teens. But I guess that in doing that, I've made it sort of a resource in itself."

Set in the author's hometown of Orlando, Florida, The Straight Road to Kylie centers on Jonathan Parish, a gay high school senior who drunkenly sleeps with one of his best girlfriends at a party. When rumors spread that Jonathan is straight and available, he is approached by the wealthy and glamorous Laura Schulberg. She offers Jonathan a trip to London to see his favorite pop star, Kylie Minogue, in concert, if he pretends to be her boyfriend. Jonathan's decision to accept Laura's bribe causes friction with his best friends, however, and the situation is further complicated when he develops feelings for a new guy. The Straight Road to Kylie "packs slick, Gossip-Girl-Goes-to-Orlando language stylings with realistic yet over-the-top situations," noted a Kirkus Reviews contributor, and Olivia Duran remarked in Kliatt that the novel "explores the many facets of friendships and romantic relationships."

Medina's second novel, Fat Hoochie Prom Queen, concerns the rivalry between Margarita "Madge" Diaz, a flamboyant, overweight teen, and Bridget Benson, a perky cheerleader. Describing the work to Rhonda Stapleton on the Fictionistas Web log, the author stated: "I won't give anything much away except that these two girls have one UGLY history, and during a heated argument at a house party, they decide there's only one way to end their rivalry: be named prom queen, and the other backs off for good."