Tyler Gillespie

“Gillespie writes about the Florida that only locals know: messy, humid, chaotic, and deeply human. Ripe with history, packed with fascinating information about the interior of the state, The Thing about Florida is a personal look at a profoundly misunderstood place. A necessary read.”—Kristen Arnett, author of Mostly Dead Things

“In this engaging, humorous, compassionate, and meticulous portrait, ‘the flamingo in the coal mine’ of America emerges as a gorgeously complex character, itself full of characters. In Gillespie’s eyes, we have a kaleidoscopic view of one of our strangest, wildest, and most beloved places.’” —Sarah Gerard, author of Sunshine State: Essays and True Love

“Gillespie’s writing is fabulous, but what’s even better in this memoir are his sharp-eyed observations about what it means to be a Florida man born and bred. His book is hilarious, candid, and insightful, a great addition to the growing body of lit Florida literature.”—Craig Pittman, author of Oh, Florida! How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country

“Here we find deft reportage guided by a poet’s love of language, disarming interviews conducted alongside moments of deep personal insight and reflection. Gillespie invites the reader to join him in a far-flung, heartfelt dive into the Florida we think we love, think we hate, but may not really know as well as we thought.”—Julie Marie Wade, author of Just an Ordinary Woman Breathing

“Gillespie takes you along for the ride on his Florida adventures, making you think about the Sunshine State in ways many people don’t.”—Cathy Salustri, author of Backroads of Paradise: A Journey to Rediscover Old Florid

Based on the hit Tumblr “The Awkward Phase,” this book answers that question with personal stories and cringe-worthy photos from seasoned comedians, YouTube stars, and people like the rest of us that cover everything from sweaty-palm moments to bad band photos. In these pages, you’ll hear about the moment Shaun Sperling realized he was gay at a Richard Simmons’s workout studio, how Bente Engelstoft made her own bra out of her dad's old underwear, and why even though Robert Bacon’s awkward phase was mortifying, it was the beginning of his new, happier life.

Ultimately, The Awkward Phase encourages us to laugh and celebrate the moments that have helped shape who we are. As Gillespie and Linic say, “Everyone is in on the joke. You don’t have to eat your lunch alone in the bathroom stall. You can sit with us.”

Florida Man stories often go viral for their weirdness such as “Florida Man Arrested for Drunk Dialing 911 When He Wanted Vodka,” but there’s more to him than a punchline, which Tyler Gillespie breaks down through an exploration of his home state’s history, landscape, and his own recovery from substance abuse.

In the tradition of C.D. Wright, Gillespie -- a reporter for national publications -- utilizes journalistic techniques in an innovative nonfiction hybrid that merges poetic sound and form in pieces that range from alligator anatomy to Southern heritage to growing up gay in a Christian school. 

As Gillespie writes, Florida is not only a vacation spot or a retirement destination but an ideal state for “A country full of people // who would spend their last / chance on a dream & a plot / their happy ending.”