A Time Before Me Series by Michael Holloway Perronne

In this poignant coming-of-age novel, a gay teen struggles to find his identity in the contrasting worlds of rural Mississippi and the big city of New Orleans. Growing up in a small Mississippi town in the early 1990s, shy and inexperienced Mason spends much of his time with his best friend and secret childhood crush, the charming and daring Billy. When a six-pack of beer leads to a passionate encounter between the two teenagers, Mason believes his dreams may have finally come true... moreIn this poignant coming-of-age novel, a gay teen struggles to find his identity in the contrasting worlds of rural Mississippi and the big city of New Orleans. Growing up in a small Mississippi town in the early 1990s, shy and inexperienced Mason spends much of his time with his best friend and secret childhood crush, the charming and daring Billy. When a six-pack of beer leads to a passionate encounter between the two teenagers, Mason believes his dreams may have finally come true. Billy's apparent disregard for the incident, however, leaves Mason feeling confused and betrayed. When Billy slips off to glamorous New York City immediately after high school graduation, Mason fears he's doomed to spend another humid Mississippi summer scooping ice cream. But Mason's life changes dramatically when vivacious Aunt Savannah invites him to live with her in New Orleans and work in the box office of her drag queen cabaret. It's there-in the decadent and liberating French Quarter-that Mason begins to fall for Joey, a strikingly handsome and sweet nineteen-year-old, who may just be ready to open his heart to someone new. A surprise visit from Billy hints that he may be ready to return Mason's feelings, and Mason faces a difficult choice. With the help of his spirited aunt and a sassy drag queen, Miss Althea, Mason learns that sometimes it's best to roll life's dice and take a chance. less

In the sequel to A Time Before Me, Mason Hamilton starts his thirties off in what he considers a great place in life; a successful photography career in San Francisco, close friends, and a cute live-in boyfriend. Just when he thinks things can't get any better everything rapidly falls apart when his old high school friend and crush, Billy Harris, pays a surprise and turmoil filled visit.

In the follow-up to “A Time Before Me” and “Falling Into Me,” Michael Holloway Perronne explores how family is determined not by the blood that flows through us but by the love in our hearts. Mason and Joey, a gay couple in their mid-thirties, have spent the past five years in post-Katrina New Orleans trying to keep Savannah’s, a drag queen cabaret and family legacy, alive amid challenging times... moreIn the follow-up to “A Time Before Me” and “Falling Into Me,” Michael Holloway Perronne explores how family is determined not by the blood that flows through us but by the love in our hearts. Mason and Joey, a gay couple in their mid-thirties, have spent the past five years in post-Katrina New Orleans trying to keep Savannah’s, a drag queen cabaret and family legacy, alive amid challenging times. When the beloved French Quarter institution is threatened with closure, Mason and Joey are left questioning not just their relationship but also their life purposes. Friends find themselves soul-searching, too. Katie, an Asian-American lesbian, has always struggled to feel part of her adopted traditional Southern family. Can her new partner in life, Catherine, help her bridge the gap and open her heart to her parents? Former lothario Billy Harris is unexpectedly drawn back to New Orleans after experiencing a turning point in Los Angeles. What will happen when fate finds him crossing paths with Mason, the old flame he badly betrayed? Drag queen extraordinaire Miss Althea reminisces about the sometimes painful path she took as a little boy in Three Rivers, Ala., to her true birth on the stage of Savannah's. Does she have it in her power to be the one to save the cabaret for a new generation? Discover in “A Time Before Us” that life’s dilemmas are best solved when you finally listen to your heart and become honest with yourself — and those you love. less