‘This Is Me!’ – A Heartfelt Debut Novel Exploring Identity, Love, And Acceptance In A Small Australian Town, Just In Time For Pride Month

May 27, 2025 11:30 AM PDT | By Send2Press

Google News:

‘This Is Me!’ – A Heartfelt Debut Novel Exploring Identity, Love, And Acceptance In A Small Australian Town, Just In Time For Pride Month — Image source: Send2Press

Recent News

The Home Depot’s Role in the Dow Jones Index

Blackstone’s Healthcare Moves Stir Interest Amid Focus on Earnings Per...

Humana Q1 Growth Russell 1000 Health Care

S&P 500 Futures React to Tech Sector Moves Amid Cloudflare Activity

COOMBS, Australian Capital Territory, Australia, May 27, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Released in the lead-up to Pride Month this June, “This Is Me!” (ISBN: 978-1779628541) Book One in the “Finding Ourselves” series by debut author Aspen Thomas, is a moving and timely novel that delves into self-discovery, authenticity, and resilience in the face of societal pressure.

BOOK: THIS IS ME! by Aspen Thomas
Image caption: “This Is Me!” by Aspen Thomas.

Published by Tellwell Publishing, “This Is Me!” follows Luke Corbett, a young man returning to his conservative hometown of Gamarra after years living in Canberra. Struggling to reconcile who he is with where he comes from, Luke faces the challenge of living openly in a place that may not be ready to accept him. When a long-lost childhood friend resurfaces, old feelings reawaken and Luke must choose between staying silent or embracing his truth.

Part coming-of-age, part quiet revolution, “This Is Me!” captures the tension of living authentically in a world that often demands conformity. With lyrical prose and vivid character development, Aspen Thomas offers a tender portrayal of love, identity, and courage, deeply rooted in the rural Australian experience.

“I wanted to tell a story that felt real. Growing up gay, autistic, and with ADHD in a small town shaped the way I see the world and how I write. Luke’s story is fictional, but the feelings, the fears, the moments of joy, they’re very much my own,” said Thomas.

As Pride Month approaches, “This Is Me!” is a timely reminder of the importance of visibility and diverse storytelling. In Australia, nearly 10% of young adults aged 16 to 24 identify as LGBTQ+, reflecting a growing demand for authentic, inclusive stories that reflect real lives. With LGBTQ+ romance literature experiencing a global surge in readership, up more than 700% over five years, “This Is Me!” stands proudly among a new wave of powerful queer voices shaping contemporary fiction.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ASPEN THOMAS is a science and mathematics educator, avid tennis player, and lifelong storyteller. Raised in the small Riverina town of Goolgowi and now based in Coombs, ACT, Aspen draws inspiration from his rural roots, his experiences as a neurodivergent individual, and his passion for honest, human stories. This Is Me! marks his literary debut and the beginning of the Finding Ourselves series. Learn more: https://aspenthomas-writes.com/

BOOK SUMMARY

Title: “This Is Me!”

Series: Finding Ourselves – Book One

Author: Aspen Thomas

Genre: Fiction / Coming-of-Age / LGBTQ+

PAPERBACK: 9781779628541

HARDCOVER: 9781779628558

EBOOK: 9781779628565

Author Website: https://aspenthomas-writes.com/

Publisher: Tellwell Talent – https://tellwell.ca

Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, and major book retailers.

IMAGE LINK FOR MEDIA: https://aspenthomas-writes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cropped-this-is-me-book-3D-cover.png

News Source: Author Aspen Thomas

To view the original post, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/this-is-me-a-heartfelt-debut-novel-exploring-identity-love-and-acceptance-in-a-small-australian-town-just-in-time-for-pride-month/.

This press release was issued by Send2Press® Newswire on behalf of the news source, who is solely responsible for its accuracy. www.send2press.com.

Disclaimer

The content, including but not limited to any articles, news, quotes, information, data, text, reports, ratings, opinions, images, photos, graphics, graphs, charts, animations, and video (Content) is a service of Kalkine Media LLC., having Delaware File No. 4697309 (“Kalkine Media, we or us”) and is available for personal and non-commercial use only. The principal purpose of the Content is to educate and inform. The Content does not contain or imply any recommendation or opinion intended to influence your financial decisions and must not be relied upon by you as such. Some of the Content on this website may be sponsored/non-sponsored, as applicable, but is NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold the stocks of the company(s) or engage in any investment activity under discussion. Kalkine Media is neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice through this platform. Users should make their own enquiries about any investments and Kalkine Media strongly suggests the users to seek advice from a financial adviser, stockbroker or other professional (including taxation and legal advice), as necessary. Kalkine Media hereby disclaims any and all the liabilities to any user for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental or other consequential damages arising from any use of the Content on this website, which is provided without warranties. The views expressed in the Content by the guests, if any, are their own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Kalkine Media.
The content published on Kalkine Media also includes feeds sourced from third-party providers. Kalkine does not assert any ownership rights over the content provided by these third-party sources. The inclusion of such feeds on the Website is for informational purposes only. Kalkine does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the content obtained from third-party feeds. Furthermore, Kalkine Media shall not be held liable for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the content obtained from third-party feeds, nor for any damages or losses arising from the use of such content. Some of the images/music that may be used on this website are copyrighted to their respective owner(s). Kalkine Media does not claim ownership of any of the pictures/music displayed/used on this website unless stated otherwise. The images/music that may be used on this website are taken from various sources on the internet, including paid subscriptions or are believed to be in public domain. We have used reasonable efforts to accredit the source (public domain/CC0 status) to where it was found and indicated it, as necessary.

This disclaimer is subject to change without notice. Users are advised to review this disclaimer periodically for any updates or modifications.