Creative Dynamos Ep. 39: Author Gina Brower on Writing ‘City Freaks’ and the Legacy of Glam Rocker Jobriath

In episode 39 of Creative Dynamos, I interview author Gina Brower about how losing her office job pushed her to finally write, beginning with a horror slasher script reworking Slaughter High and leading to books inspired by Jobriath. Brower explains how rediscovering Jobriath through the documentary “Jobriath A.D.” (directed by Kieran Turner) made him her muse, and describes her first prose project, City Freaks: How I Fell in Love with a Lilac Angel, written “in stereo” as a conversation between her and Jobriath. She discusses Jobriath’s history as an early openly gay major-label rock artist, his theater background, musical talent, troubled life, and death in 1983, plus other overlooked musicians she features. Brower shares research methods, publishing plans (Visionary Booksellers), her self-published standalone Lilac Angel (Kindle/paperback), horror influences, and where to follow her (Threads/Facebook: City Freaks).00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro00:35 From Day Job to Writing01:29 Discovering Jobriath as Muse02:57 Who Was Jobriath04:39 Writing the Book in Stereo06:32 Process and Influences08:24 Researching the Rock Legends09:56 Publishing Plans and Legacy12:14 Titles and Inspirations13:03 Horror Favorites and Slasher Roots15:09 Why Horror and Practical Effects19:29 New Author Challenges and Marketing21:13 Release Dates and Where to Buy22:09 Husband Influence and Jobriath Deep Dive24:39 Next Books and Final Wrap