I Know You Know Who I Am

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In the linked stories of this collection, Kispert delves into themes of deception, performance, and the challenges of reconciling queer identity with the broader world. Characters navigate their dissonance by embodying different personas for others. We encounter gay individuals who have constructed elaborate falsehoods, grappling with how these deceptions affect their lives and relationships. In one story, a protagonist hires an actor to impersonate a fictional friend in a desperate attempt to salvage a troubled romance. Another character faces the fallout of lies about a hunting habit, leading to an unexpected deer carcass and a confrontation with unsettling high school memories. A return to a dilapidated childhood home forces another character to confront the distortions he has created in his current relationship regarding his feelings about his father. Throughout the collection, moments of deception intersect with high-stakes performance, crafting a vivid portrait of queer individuals seeking intimacy while confronting their vulnerabilities. This work presents a densely woven exploration of emotional damage, reminiscent of Mary Gaitskill's "Bad Behavior."