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Outtakes of A Walking Mistake

by Anthony Paull (Goodreads Author)

3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 · rating details · 198 ratings · 66 reviews

Outtakes of A Walking Mistake chronicles the romantic entanglements of an 'out' gay 16 yr. old boy named Tyler Morris, who auditions for a student film to win the heart of Billy Greske, the school's celebrity thespian. The plan seems promising until Tyler’s bipolar best friend Jenny offers love advice and a local skater takes interest in Tyler as well. Furthering complicat...more

Kindle Edition, 196 pages

Published October 4th 2011 by Feelmagik Productions

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Lists with This Book

Maybe With a Chance of Certainty by John Goode

Best Gay Romance Featuring Characters Attending High School/College

39th out of 313 books — 506 voters

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green

Best YA Fiction with GLBTQQI themes / characters

65th out of 380 books — 1,083 voters

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Community Reviews

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May 24, 2013 G rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: thebest, glbt

It's refreshing to see a gay character comfortable with his sexuality, even while battling those around him. I think that's why I love this book. I also enjoyed the love triangle between Eric (the bad boy), Billy (the heartthrob), and Tye. It's LOL funny at times and heartbreaking in the next moment. Jenny deserves a spin-off of her own with her dirty theories on dating. The dialogue is super funny, and I love how romantic it is, even when the Tye and Billy are fighting. I gushed several times r...more

16 likes · like · see review

Mar 15, 2013 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I positively LOVED this book. It was LOL from page one and continued to read like a treat thereafter. Mr. Paull has created a great piece of literature for gay teens. The characters are smart, witty, and the dialogue is fast-paced and very, very sharp. I felt the book was a fun, realistic look at a gay experience in high school, taking in the many heartbreaks and triumphs with each page. Tyler Morris is so much fun, it's hard not to be taken by him in the first few pages. He's loud but so vulner...more

7 likes · like · see review

Dec 06, 2012 Forest rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, glbt

I've read this book twice so far, loved it each time. It's ballsy and funny and biting, like Mean Girls on crack. It makes the life of Tyler appear difficult but SO SO wonderful. The characters each have multiple dimensions, appearing equally scarred and beautiful at the same time. Even the secondary characters come with interesting spins. This is more than a gay YA book -- it's filled with wisdom and so many memorable lines about love and growing up. I love the pill popping Jenny with lines lik...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Lauraadriana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lmao, teen-love, m-m

Meet Tyler Morris, 16. Mr. Morris is braving the halls of Rivershore High School, with determination, a wicked sense of humor, and hope in his heart. His hope is that an adorable (and now 24 pounds lighter), witty gay boy like himself can find true love, even if it means that he has to take matters into his own hands. And he's got his eye on Billy Greske, star of the High School Drama club and walking teenage wet dream.

The problem is Billy doesn't see Tyler. Tyler "the school gay" is invisible....more Meet Tyler Morris, 16. Mr. Morris is braving the halls of Rivershore High School, with determination, a wicked sense of humor, and hope in his heart. His hope is that an adorable (and now 24 pounds lighter), witty gay boy like himself can find true love, even if it means that he has to take matters into his own hands. And he's got his eye on Billy Greske, star of the High School Drama club and walking teenage wet dream.

The problem is Billy doesn't see Tyler. Tyler "the school gay" is invisible. His claim to fame being that his mom literally ran off with the circus, doesn't help. It's just him and his best friend Jenny "the school slut". Trying to survive the trials and tribulations of high school life.

Getting to know Tyler was a delight. I loved that kid.

This book was not perfect. But it was so charming and funny. Tyler's voice was completely disarming. He's so irreverent and honest. He just wants to be seen, to be held, to be talked to, touched. He just wants to be cared about and to not be lonely anymore. He broke my heart so many times, he was so nakedly sincere in his longing. I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him, "High School won't last forever, you will be okay!".

This story has some very tough moments, that boldly went into just how vulnerable young people are in their teens. The dangers that are everywhere, out in the world and even in the home. The world can make you broken at 16, in ways that leave permanent scars. There are very hard moments for Tyler and his friends. But our Tyler is resilient, he wants what he feels he deserves and even if it means some loneliness now, he won't settle for less.

I really loved the humor in this book. Tyler was sharp and SOOOOOO funny. He is worth getting to know. So is his friend Jenny. Actually, all of the characters in this book were pretty fantastic.

There a few things here and there that could have been better. In some places the story went a bit long, and there were a lot of typos. But it is still an exceptional debut novel. Mr. Paull is on my radar, I loved his style. I hope he has more for us soon.

Certainly recommend.

(less)

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Dec 26, 2011 L-D rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to L-D by: G

Shelves: recommended-to-me, m-m, hs-childhood-loves, nook-lendable

This story is a young adult book that follows a few events in the life of an openly gay high school student, Tyler Morris. Tyler has a crush on one of his classmates and unabashedly pursues him. Joining the school theater group where BIlly Greske is the most popular thespian, Tyler hopes to get close to his crush to woo him. At the same time, an older skater boy is pursuing Tyler and offering him the physical relationship that Tyler is dying to try. Tyler has to decide if chasing a straight crus...more This story is a young adult book that follows a few events in the life of an openly gay high school student, Tyler Morris. Tyler has a crush on one of his classmates and unabashedly pursues him. Joining the school theater group where BIlly Greske is the most popular thespian, Tyler hopes to get close to his crush to woo him. At the same time, an older skater boy is pursuing Tyler and offering him the physical relationship that Tyler is dying to try. Tyler has to decide if chasing a straight crush or going for the sure hook-up will make him happier.

Tyler is a pretty amazing kid. He is so self-aware for someone his age. Although he does have some insecurities which come out during pursuit of his "first time" with another boy, his directness and in-your-face personality is awesome to see. A lot of these coming of age stories depict teenagers who fear coming out, but Tyler is just who he is and I love him. Billy on the other hand, could have been any other character. He was neither here nor there for me. That's not a negative to the story, in my opinion, it just showcases how dynamic Tyler was. I wanted to know about Tyler and whether his romantic interest was BIlly or (insert other closeted gay teenager here), I don't think it would have mattered. Billy was almost a secondary character to me.

Tyler's best friend Jenny is interesting. They are the best of friends, but at times she seems extremely selfish and self-centered. I didn't always like the way she treated Tyler and I didn't like the way Tyler made excuses for her. But ultimately it becomes clear that all is not as it appears with Tyler's promiscuous friend.

The sub-plot with Tyler's mom was the least interesting part of the story in my opinion. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't something that I think added to the overall plot and I would have enjoyed the story without that additional storyline. I also never connected with his mom at all. I felt her actions and her personality detracted a little bit from the overall flow of the book.

I liked the ending of this book and I enjoyed Anthony's writing style. I think that I would love to learn more about Tyler and what happens next in his interesting and colorful life. If there is a sequel I would definitely read it, and I would definitely recommend this book to others.(less)

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Feb 20, 2012 Julesmarie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, young-adult, nook

Not since Ordinary People have I read a book that speaks so well of what it feels like to be a teenager, or even just a person. I love books, and authors, that aren't afraid to acknowledge that life is HARD, that people can be awful to each other, and that in spite of that there is so much good that makes it all worth it.

Tye officially became one of my all-time heroes at that dance at the end. His reactions to everything that had happened are just so inspiring and hope-giving.

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Mar 04, 2012 Jon O rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay, teen

I read a review on Outtakes of a Walking Mistake, quoting it to be engaging. I agreed with that. It was a book difficult to put down. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not entirely crazy about the main characters. In fact, none of the characters were perfect. They were either self-centered, confused, lost or different.

There was Tyler, who cared for no one else, except for his own love life, and lust life, which did not really take off. He did care for one, Jenny, his girl best friend, who interestin...more I read a review on Outtakes of a Walking Mistake, quoting it to be engaging. I agreed with that. It was a book difficult to put down. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not entirely crazy about the main characters. In fact, none of the characters were perfect. They were either self-centered, confused, lost or different.

There was Tyler, who cared for no one else, except for his own love life, and lust life, which did not really take off. He did care for one, Jenny, his girl best friend, who interestingly was also portrayed as self-centered semi-diva. Her character got me curious, although I did not want to care much, because I was trying to read about a gay teenager's struggle and not a lost girl. Tyler's father was still much hoping for Tyler's mom to return. Tyler's mom did return and talked to ocean. Billy - lost between staying safe in his quiet zone or befriending Tyler and be exposed. Eric - wanted no labels for his sexual preference and led a much screwed-up life.

There were things I did not understand. Maybe because I was bias. Why would a manly Billy want to hang out with a guy who talked and walked like a girl, according to a kid who observed Tyler? Thank goodness the book did not remind me much of that feature, and so I proceeded not being turned off by that factor. Why would Tyler imagine all the guys, whom he suspected to be straight, to be eager to hold his hand, open the door for him or to buy him flowers? Why he would want eagerly to be near such guys and yet demanded for things like these which would keep insecure guys away? Well, thank goodness the guys in the story were pictured as someone who did not hesitate long to react not-negatively to Tyler's daring teases...

The characters in the book were likable. It kept me going through the book in a matter of hours. I was made to be interested to know what would happen next. Not much was spent on the chemistry between Billy and Tyler, but still, I found myself rooting for the two. I wished for more moments between them, and less diva-emotional Tyler. I liked that the author was able to make Tyler stand out, irritating or not. (less)

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Nov 20, 2011 MsMiz (Tina) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbt-all

3.75 - I love teen finding themselves stories. Tyler is irreverent and lovable and you just will want to whisk him away to some big gay island for lost boys. There is a lot of really funny moments in this book and those are countered with some really dark moments as well. We forget while teens are trying to be so independent and adult, that they are really vulnerable as well.

The only reason why this did not get 4 stars is due to the editing. It took some of the enjoyment away.

I will be waiting...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Cayce rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbt-ya

4.5 stars

Outtakes of A Walking Mistake is one those books that leaves you wishing for more. It was a book I read veeery slowly, taking my sweet time with it, savoring it. I didn't want it to end as I had such a wonderful time reading it. In most cases even those supposedly funny books only got a giggle or two out of me, but I was literally laughing out loud on this one. I've read a few articles by Anthony Paull, so it came as no surprise that he can write great, entertaining stories, but this bo...more 4.5 stars

Outtakes of A Walking Mistake is one those books that leaves you wishing for more. It was a book I read veeery slowly, taking my sweet time with it, savoring it. I didn't want it to end as I had such a wonderful time reading it. In most cases even those supposedly funny books only got a giggle or two out of me, but I was literally laughing out loud on this one. I've read a few articles by Anthony Paull, so it came as no surprise that he can write great, entertaining stories, but this book was even better than what I expected. And it wasn't just exceptionally funny. Outtakes of A Walking Mistake is at times oh-so-funny, at times bittersweet, at times moving and heartbreaking at others. Outtakes of A Walking Mistake -*sigh* I have a thing for the title - is an effortlessly funny, not-so-light novel about love, family and the difficulties of growing up gay in our society.

Tyler is a sweetheart. He's easy to warm to and sympathize with. He wants "popular guy" Billy, and goes for it. He's a hopeless flirt, and gets shot down repeatedly, but refuses to give up. So what if Billy might be straight or not interested in him that way? So. What? Tyler just keeps trying. All is fair in love, right? A little stalking? Absolutely! Auditioning for the same movie? Sure, bring it on! Well, he needs some pushing from his best/only friend, but he goes through with it. And those suggestions of Jenny's - lol. He's a little delusional, but I still found myself rooting for him. He felt so, so lonely and unsure inside, I just wanted him to be happy. And I admit it was hilarious to watch his attemps at "seducing" Billy. I found myself really liking Billy. He had some unexpected sides to his personality.
Even if on the extreme end of the spectrum, Tyler is just a healthy teen, so when "bad boy" Eric seems interested in him, he is thrilled. But getting involved with hot skater boy might not be such a good idea...
Besides trying to score a boyfriend, Tyler also has to deal with his Mom's sudden reappearance and Jenny's problems. I thought Jenny was gonna be the token "fag-hag" - funny, with no depth. How wrong I was! The poor girl was particularly screaming for attention, but same as Tyler, I didn't realise what was really happening until it was almost too late. And I'm still not sure whether I liked her or not, but one thing is creatin: Tyler's Mom is one of the most unique moms I've come across.

Outtakes of A Walking Mistake starts out as a light coming-of-age story with a somewhat flamboyant main character, but as the story progress - whilst retaining the humour- it gets more and more deep and darker in tone. Tyler has complained that his life was boring and dull, but then over the course of a few days his and Jenny's life spirals out of control. And things will never be the same. There is no happily ever after in Outtakes of A Walking Mistake. Life is no fairytale, and this book is about life, real life. But there's hope: things, people are changing for the better and overall getting better. The last sentence was pure hope, it felt real and beautiful, made me happy.

Posted on Fighting Dreamer (less)

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Oct 24, 2011 Kitty rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Any open-minded book lover

Tyler Morris is a gay 16 year old Junior in highschool. He's mostly invisible among his classmates and his only real friend, Jenny, is bipolar. The story follows his thoughts as he crushes on a cute actor, Billy Greske, tries to deal with the attention of local bad-boy, Eric Bryant, struggles with his mom coming back after abandoning him and his father to join the circus, and tries to find a place to fit in through all this hell.

And now for the actual reviewing part:

I thought it was interesting...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Tamela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: club-challenge-reads, contemporary, first-love, mm-or-mmm, recommended, love-romance, young-adult, mid-size

When I first started reading I wondered if Tyler was the one who needed to be on drugs to combat over-active imagination. He was so into his head a lot of the time, and as he said a few times... not grounded.

The more I read the more I realized that, HEY... Tyler is a typical teenager. They are all so inwardly focused and everything revolves around them.

But Tyler had a LOT to deal with in a short time, and it was rough. He started to think things through in terms of others and what they were goi...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Tye Morris, the randy, feisty narrator of dating columnist Anthony Paull’s amusing debut novel, "Outtakes of a Walking Mistake," is not your ordinary teen.

Much like protagonists in most gay, coming-of-age stories, Tye has a female best friend who demands all of his attention, one of his parents is noticeably absent, and he has an outlandish crush on a presumably straight, all-too-easy on the eyes classmate who doesn’t know he’s alive and is completely out of his league.

But what sets Tye apart i...more Tye Morris, the randy, feisty narrator of dating columnist Anthony Paull’s amusing debut novel, "Outtakes of a Walking Mistake," is not your ordinary teen.

Much like protagonists in most gay, coming-of-age stories, Tye has a female best friend who demands all of his attention, one of his parents is noticeably absent, and he has an outlandish crush on a presumably straight, all-too-easy on the eyes classmate who doesn’t know he’s alive and is completely out of his league.

But what sets Tye apart is his unrelenting, arguably incorrigible will to tempt fate and somehow alter his destiny. To his credit it works, but only some of the time. Most importantly, his tendency to expect and prepare for the best possible outcome comes in handy when things don’t go exactly according to plan.

When we first meet Tye, he pronounces his undying love for Billy, the master thespian and resident hunk of his high school in Rivershore Heights, Florida. In an attempt to get closer to the object of his affection, Tye auditions for a school film project, and art imitates life when he is cast as the secret, homosexual love interest of the lead, to be played by none other than Billy.

His gal pal, Jenny, whose mood changes as often as the air temperature, isn’t the least bit impressed with Tye’s newfound fame or his longstanding interest in Billy. Then there’s Eric, his neighbor, an aspiring writer who has ulterior motives when he offers to take Tye under his wing.

Meanwhile, Tye paints a different picture of his film role for his father, the town sheriff, who refuses to accept the fact that his son his gay. In most instances, a boy like Tye would seek comfort and support from his mother. Unfortunately, she left him and his father to join the circus and make a career as a clown. But all is not lost, however, because as luck would have it, the circus has come to town.

A high school teen as spirited and outspoken as Tye hasn’t come along in a while. Paull’s protagonist is remarkably self-aware, and his self-deprecating disposition is particularly fresh. Even if the trials and tribulations of Tyler Morris occasionally lead the reader astray, it’s worth going along for the ride just to hear his witty commentary.(less)

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Mar 20, 2012 Janette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Janette by: Ashley

Most of the time on goodreads I rate books but don't write reviews. When I finished this one, I triumphantly marked it four stars in my stamp of approval before moving on to my next read. Then I kept thinking about it. And thinking. I recommended it to Kristy Z and sung its praises, but still I couldn't stop thinking about it. I read it on the recommendation of a new GR friend (thanks, Ashley!), and thought the synopsis sounded interesting. I was expecting an interesting story of a teen struggli...more Most of the time on goodreads I rate books but don't write reviews. When I finished this one, I triumphantly marked it four stars in my stamp of approval before moving on to my next read. Then I kept thinking about it. And thinking. I recommended it to Kristy Z and sung its praises, but still I couldn't stop thinking about it. I read it on the recommendation of a new GR friend (thanks, Ashley!), and thought the synopsis sounded interesting. I was expecting an interesting story of a teen struggling to accept his homosexuality, but what I got was so much more.

In the beginning I'll admit that I thought Tyler's behavior was a little stereotypical. I was bordering on irritated by him being so flamboyant and obvious, but I quickly realized that this was necessary. As a reader I needed to understand Tyler's way of thinking and feeling, because there were times when I didn't necessarily agree with his actions or thoughts. Without that understanding I could have written him off as insensitive or uncaring, but Anthony Paull connects you with him in a way that makes you curious as to how it's going to end. It was refreshing to have a MC who is comfortable with his sexual preference. The true struggle for Tyler is how to assert that preference on those around him (family, friends, neighbors) who are close-minded and less accepting. His internal debate over whether or not being gay makes him worthy of true love or if that even exists for guys like him is at times heartbreaking.

While homosexuality is definitely a main theme in this book, it's not the only one. Paull weaves a story that includes sensitive issues like sexual abuse and assault, abandonment, and drugs & alcohol. For me the overall main theme was love. Love in its many forms or in ANY form. Everyone is driven by it, whether they realize it or not. Many times this desperation or depth of feeling had me on the verge of tears, but only once did I actually cry. LOL

I highly recommend this book even if you're someone who doesn't typically read LGBT literature. It's funny, quirky, snarky and thought provoking at the same time. I hope writing this review will help me move on so I can start my next read, but I have a feeling this one's going to stick with me for a long time. (less)

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Oct 25, 2011 Sammy2006 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Anthony Paull, a newcomer to the world of m/m YA fiction brings us a veritable feast in his novel, Outtakes Of A Walking Mistake. The story centers around a snapshot view of Tyler, a 16 year old gay high school whose life is anything from dull. We are immediately drawn to this quirky, sassy and, yes, wounded young man. Paull draws us in with humor, fast paced dialogue and an emotionally gripping story that delivers one bold surprise after another. To give you much of a summary of this story woul...more

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Nov 11, 2011 Yvonne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, loaned-book

This is a very enjoyable coming of age story filled with lots of warm humor and pathos. Tyler is the star of the novel trying to navigate his way from childhood to adulthood trying to accept the limitations of the people in his life from a father who denies he's gay, a mother who missed most of his childhood to a best friend who's fighting her own demons. The disappointments in Tyler's life instead of leaving him despondent and passive, instead fuels his belief that not only does he deserve love...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Kaje Harper rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, m-m

4.5 stars. This is a unique book. At times I felt like I needed a seatbelt to read it. It opens as a somewhat wacky almost screw-ball comedy account of the life and times of the young gay narrator, Tyler, as he tries to navigate high school with the less than adequate support of his father who refuses to believe he is gay, ("..."Denial is just the bottom rung on the ladder of acceptance,"... Too bad dad's afraid of heights...",) his melodramatic and emotional best friend Jenny, ("Statements like...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Jeff Erno rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay-themed-young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. There are so many things to say about this book that it's hard to decide exactly where to begin. By my rating, it's obvious that I loved it, yet I also don't view it as perfect. I'm a tad bitter about the ending and probably will be for a long, long time. I wonder why literary critics insist that the only good fiction are the stories that don't have happy endings. I'd have been content if even one aspect of the plot was resolved in a way that resulted in an HEA. Why couldn't Billy at least have...more There are so many things to say about this book that it's hard to decide exactly where to begin. By my rating, it's obvious that I loved it, yet I also don't view it as perfect. I'm a tad bitter about the ending and probably will be for a long, long time. I wonder why literary critics insist that the only good fiction are the stories that don't have happy endings. I'd have been content if even one aspect of the plot was resolved in a way that resulted in an HEA. Why couldn't Billy at least have danced with Tye? Why couldn't Jenny's mother come around and supported her? Why couldn't Tye's dad have had an epiphany and accepted that his kid was gay? Why couldn't Tye's mom have stayed? Any ONE of these things would have been cool. It kind of irked me that EVERY hope I had for Tye was ultimately dashed.

Okay, with all that being said, I loved Tyler! I loved his voice, his humor, his sensitivity, and his personality. He reminded me of a young version of Will and Grace's Jack, and his best friend Jenny was his Karen. Jenny is an over-sexed, pill-popping fag hag that basically runs Tye's life. She's bossy, selfish, materialistic...like I said, very Karen-esque.

And to be honest, I loved all the characters. The characterization in this story was brilliant. Even Eric, though a predator who should have been thrown in jail, was someone I believed in. When I say that, I mean I found him believable. Who doesn't know a "straight" guy like this? On the down-low he seeks out sexual encounters with other guys yet maintains a tough, bad-boy image. The entire hetero population is in denial that these types of men exist. He defies the stereotype of men who have sex with men. Yet he represents a very real segment of society. Sure, he is despicable, yet I had my share of encounters with creeps like this. They're so easy to love and hate at the same time.

And Billy! OMG, he's the classic closet-case. Of course he's gay. You know it immediately. Everyone knows it, really, except for him. And it is so frustrating that it takes him so damn long to evolve. Why can't he just admit, at least to himself, who he is? Why does he have to send all these mixed signals? I just wanted to storm into the story and rip his closet door off at the hinges.

Both of Tyler's parents loved him. There was no question about this, and even though his dad was suffering from serious denial, he did have his son's best interest at heart. To me, it would have been believable (and nice) for him to have at least taken some baby steps toward acceptance of his son's sexual orientation. Oddly, though, I did like the guy. I liked that he was responsible, that he cared so much about young Tye. I kept hoping his friend James would knock some sense into his thick skull, though.

I can't rate this book less than five stars, in spite of my misgivings. It was just so well written. The pacing was spot-on, and I flipped through the pages, laughing and crying, with an eagerness that I seldom experience when reading. The story was so funny, at times exaggerated, but almost perfectly-so.

This is an awesome YA book, and I enjoyed every second of it.(less)

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Apr 10, 2013 ShAdOwBrEaK *Just*Try*And*Know*Who*I*Am* rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: computer-internet-ebook, i-don-t-know-what-i-feel, maleauth2013, glbtq-books

I don't think I need to tell anyone what this book's about since other readers have already stated numerous summaries of this novel, so I'll go straight ahead to the review.

I'm confused. Thoroughly confused. Not about the novel, but about how I feel about it. It's a great book, Paull has a great way to entice readers to keep turning the pages of his story. His writing deserves kudos and all that stuff but (because there's always a but when you're confused and don't know how the hell to feel) I...more

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May 24, 2012 Lenore Kosinski rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, recommended

2.5 stars -- and I think that has more to do with my inability to relate to the story. Not the gay bit...just the characters personalities were so far removed from what I experienced in childhood that it didn't jibe for me. Half the time I was left waiting for the real Tyler to emerge...but that's who Tyler was. I'm just an anti-attention seeker that I couldn't understand his thoughts and motivations (half the time I wondered if he was delusional, and then that made me wonder if I was missing so...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Adara rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm having some difficulty describing this one. It's a Young Adult slice-of-life. It's fiction, but it could easily be a gay boy's life. It takes place over the course of maybe a month at the most, and it deals with some pretty hefty issues (view spoiler) from a teen's perspective.

I wasn't sure I liked the voice of this piece at first. It's told from Tyler's point of view. His thoughts are sometimes delusional, ma...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook-lend-me-s, angsty-m-m, m-m, ya

I have to start off by saying I really liked this story, this is my first YA story in this genre and I'm glad I waited for the right one.
At first I was thinking that Tyler was a huge drama queen but the more I read the more I wanted to just hug the child. This boy was really spread thin, his best friend was a mess and dealing with her own problems, his parents were both in denial and all he's left with is a boyfriend who's deep in the closet and doesn't want to be seen in public with him and a...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book started off amazing. Super funny, witty, charming, and sweet, and then randomly it started to drag on in places. I wish the writing had been tighter from the middle on. There were a lot of tough situations thrown into this book that I frankly didn't really see coming, and some felt a bit forced. However, they were real situations that happen to young adults. I'm just not sure all of them needed to be pushed into this book from the middle on. I have major problems when a book just pushe...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, glbt, humor, m-m, friend-recommendation, coming-of-age, ya

4.5 Stars

“So much of adolescence is an ill-defined dying, an intolerable waiting, a longing for another place and time, another condition.” – Theodore Roethke

Tyler Morris just wants to find someone who’s brave enough to hold his hand, someone who isn’t ashamed to be his boyfriend. He’s guarding his virtue, saving himself for just the right boy, but while he’s busy waiting, the sex deprived part of Tyler’s sixteen-year-old libido is working to convince the apparently straight Billy Greske that he...more 4.5 Stars

“So much of adolescence is an ill-defined dying, an intolerable waiting, a longing for another place and time, another condition.” – Theodore Roethke

Tyler Morris just wants to find someone who’s brave enough to hold his hand, someone who isn’t ashamed to be his boyfriend. He’s guarding his virtue, saving himself for just the right boy, but while he’s busy waiting, the sex deprived part of Tyler’s sixteen-year-old libido is working to convince the apparently straight Billy Greske that he needs a boyfriend, while at the same time lusting a little bit for Eric Bryant, the bad boy who refuses to be labeled.

Tyler’s mother ran away with the circus, his dad’s in complete denial of Tye’s sexuality, his best friend Jenny is bipolar and more than a little fragile, and he’s just landed a small but fortunate part in a school film that may be a bit too controversial for the governing powers. It’s a part, though, that could just convince Billy that kissing a boy will straight up rock his world.

Outtakes of a Walking Mistake is a book that reminded me what a miracle it is that any of us managed to survive high school, being brave enough to admit you’re the square peg when everyone wants you to fit into the round hole, and growing up, experiencing the pangs of first lust, realizing that what you want and what’s right for you can be two very different things, that you’re worth waiting for, worth fighting for, that your self-respect is worth far more than settling as anyone’s dirty little secret.

Sometimes life can feel as though it’s little more than a series of mistakes to learn from. Sometimes it takes a series of lies and exposed secrets to lead you to the truth that life is full of small cuts and gaping wounds that shape who we are, that some of those hurts will eventually heal better than others, and that sometimes what you’ve been led to believe is as flexible as what you’ve been told is the truth.

Tyler is a sweet and funny narrator of his play, but for as much humor as there is in his story, there’s also a lot of heart there to remind you that being in that in between stage, when you’re no longer a kid but aren’t quite an adult, can be a really difficult transition to navigate.

Anthony Paull skillfully directs the reader through each scene, stepping back and wisely leaving his characters large and in charge, emoting and finding their marks and motivations within the simple act of living.

TNA (less)

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Dec 05, 2011 Fangtasia rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Young adults, questioning or not

High school hell is the main setting for this very funny, sometimes sweet, many times heart-wrenching story by Anthony Paull. The main character, Tyler, is the unknown LGBTQ kid I pray for every single day. My "Mom" switch was in the "on" position during the whole book.

The characters in this story are all incredibly real and believable. Yes, Tyler's mother ran away with the circus but you know what they say, life is stranger than fiction. The author did an exceptional job of creating a 16 year o...more High school hell is the main setting for this very funny, sometimes sweet, many times heart-wrenching story by Anthony Paull. The main character, Tyler, is the unknown LGBTQ kid I pray for every single day. My "Mom" switch was in the "on" position during the whole book.

The characters in this story are all incredibly real and believable. Yes, Tyler's mother ran away with the circus but you know what they say, life is stranger than fiction. The author did an exceptional job of creating a 16 year old young gay man, showing us readers the conflicts and pain in his life, but also his ability to make (mostly) the right decisions with hardly any support from anyone in his life.

Tyler is out at home and at school, which is incredibly brave of him. He's "okay with the gay", but his Dad is having a leisurely swim in that well-known river in Egypt. Mom left when Ty was a little kid. Jenny, Ty's best friend, is a psychologically unstable girl trying to survive horrendous circumstances at home. Meanwhile, Ty is hopelessly in love with Billy, the school heart-throb, who also happens to be a good kid. And Ty's not letting anything stand in his way to happiness, even the fact that Billy seems to be straight and is totally unaware that he's Tyler's boyfriend. To complicate things further, Eric, the neighborhood misfit, takes an interest (not necessarily a healthy one) in Tyler.

The story is told as a series of scenes in Tyler's life, which he imagines as a movie. This is mirrored in his real life when he gets a part in the film the high school drama teacher is putting together. Ty grabs on with both hands, because this is his great chance at spending more time with Billy, who landed the starring role in the film.

In summary, this story suffered a bit from some editing issues but overall, it was a fabulous read. It clearly illustrates the challenges and vulnerability of adolescence, the war of hormones and responsibility, conscience and feelings, the conflict between wanting to grow up and not knowing how. Remembering back to my 16 year old self, and my daughter at that age, I wish both her and I had the opportunity to know about Tyler and his razor-sharp wit, considerable courage, and irrepressible optimism. (less)

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Nov 24, 2012 Carlo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbt

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 15, 2011 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, ya, con-rom, buddy-read, i-own

"When life gives you lemons, eat them and shit them out, Jenny once told me. Lemons are a natural diuretic. Shit them on everyone around you. You'll feel better."

My new favorite words to live by. Courtesy of a sixteen year old wickedly funny, sharp tongued, out and proud, gay teen named Tyler Morris. Outtakes is full of lines like this. But it's also full of heart. Tye is a horny teenager, looking not just to score but to also find romance and love, while maneuvering the friends & family han...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Roger Kean rated it 3 of 5 stars

It's a shame that Outtakes suffers from a number of spelling/typo errors and missing articles, or I would have given an extra star to what is a completely engaging funny-sad, bitter-sweet story, loaded with humor and tremendous observation. At 16, Tyler Morris has a mouth on him that could strip paint, but Anthony Paull makes his out glibness a perfect shield to the boy's inner pain. All the relationships—with his sheriff dad, his eccentric circus-clown mom, his crazy best friend Jenny, bad boy...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Juli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Juli by: Anthony Paull

Shelves: owned-kindle, kindle-lendable, young-adult

I love young adult LGBT fiction and Anthony Paull has delivered a winner. An engaging main character with a distinct voice, out, proud and not ashamed to show it. At the beginning of the book I found the main character's voice a but too loud but as the character matured and progressed throughout the book his voice did as well and it was nice to see the growth.

Also our lead is not perfect, crushing on a "straight" boy while be pursued by the local bad boy and also dealing with his best friend Jen...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Joshua rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, kindle-books, young-adult

I enjoyed the book. I waffle between 3 & 4 stars. I try to rate based on the context of the work; not evaluating it in a vacuume. As I've disclosed before, I'm probably not in the target demographic for this book (high school age), so thinking back to how I was back then (despite the huge changes to everything since those days ;) it would have been close to spot-on.

The ending was one of the best and worst parts for me. (view spoiler)...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Trisha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: humour, kindle, lgbt, romance, ya-literature

This is snarky, funny and also quite sad & dark. The main character Tyson, an openly gay 16 year old just wants what we all want. A nice boy to date, open car doors for him and hold his hand. What he gets are two boys who are both bad for him but in very different ways.

But Tye is resilient, self-depreciating and so tenacious. His ability to see the positive when all around him, things are difficult and unfair, is a testament to both the writing style and the consistent characterisation.

I lov...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
YA LGBT Books: Gay YA Novels 'Outtakes' and 'Shine' make NPR Finals for Best YA	6	56	Jul 26, 2012 04:52am
YA LGBT Books: Tyler Can't Get No Lovin'	6	37	Dec 23, 2011 02:48am
YA LGBT Books: Lions and (Rivershore) Tigers and Sluts, Oh My!	50	34	Dec 17, 2011 01:48pm
YA LGBT Books: I Directed a New Music Video! Super Gay and Fun!	4	17	Dec 11, 2011 07:33pm
YA LGBT Books: Outtakes now on NOOK!	3	13	Dec 09, 2011 11:35pm
YA LGBT Books: Instinct Magazine Praises Outtakes	5	10	Dec 07, 2011 08:44am
YA LGBT Books: Part-time student, Part-time model, Full-time SKANK! Meet Kim, the bully!	1	20	Dec 05, 2011 11:50am

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About Anthony Paull

Anthony Paull is the author of the syndicated gay dating column titled 'The Dating Diet'. Published in Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Utah, Illinois, New York, and online outlets, The Dating Diet has earned Anthony several reader's choice awards and has a readership of over 200,000. His first short story 'The Man I Love. The Man I Left' was published in Best Date Ever: True Stories That Celebrate G...more

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“God, if only I were smart enough to know I'm worth more than being kept secret” — 12 people liked it

“Today, love came knocking at my window. To share with dad such a confusing, yet wonderful occasion would be great. Still, I keep this to myself. Who knows? In the future maybe dad and I can share more than silence but not until dad allows love to knock for me at the front door.” — 11 people liked it

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