Brontez Purnell is an American writer, musician, dancer,[1] and director[2] based out of Oakland, California. He is the author of several books, including Since I Laid My Burden Down (2017),[3] and the zine Fag School;[4] frontman for the punk band The Younger Lovers;[3] and founder of the Brontez Purnell Dance Company.[5] He is a recipient of the 2022 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction for his novel 100 Boy Friends.[6]

Brontez Purnell
Purnell at the 2018 Texas Book Festival
Born	July 2nd, 1982 Triana, Alabama
Occupation	author, musician, dancer
Years active	2003-present
Notable work	Since I Laid My Burden Down
Awards	2018 Whiting Award

Biography

Purnell grew up in Triana, Alabama[5] where he created his first zine Schlepp Fanzine,[7] when he was 14 years old.[2] After moving to Oakland at 19,[8] he created Fag School[7] out of "wanting there to be a Sassy for gay boys."[4] "I hadn't really seen a zine or at least a personal gay zine that dealt with the difficult subject of gay sex with both humor and frank talk. It covered some real issues."[7]

His electro rock band Gravy Train!!!! gained national prominence for their live shows.[9] His punk band The Younger Lovers started in 2003 as a bedroom demo project.[10]

Awards

In 2018, Purnell was awarded a Whiting Award for fiction.[11]

Focus

Much of his work focuses on sex and sexuality. "In my work I try to use 'sex' or the body as this thing that does not create boundaries or separation with an audience, but instead gives my audience back their humanity."[12] He is gay.[4]

On June 1, 2021, he was named a winner of the Jim Duggins Outstanding Mid-Career Novelists' Prize from the Lambda Literary Foundation.[13]

Bibliography

• The Cruising Diaries (2014)
• Johnny Would You Love Me if My Dick Were Bigger (2015)
• Since I Laid My Burden Down (2017)[3]
• 100 Boyfriends (2021)[14]

References