News
Articles
CanvasRebel Interviews J.Q. Gagliastro
“I am not a people pleaser. I don’t believe in conventionality or watering yourself down to make others feel comfortable. I believe in loving yourself.”
J.Q. Gagliastro Featured in Allegheny College’s Fall 2024 Magazine
Allegheny alumnus and bestselling author, J.Q. Gagliastro, is featured in Allegheny College’s Fall 2024 Magazine despite TDS being a clear cautionary tale about the capitalization of the American collegiate education system.
J.Q. Gagliastro Sits with Journalist Sean Lewis of Chicago’s WGN
Sean Lewis: What was the inspiration for [The Diary of a Sugarbaby]?
Accolades
~ Not a week after its release, The Diary of a Sugarbaby became a #1 bestseller in LGBTQ+ Coming of Age Fiction and stayed at the top for 10 consecutive days! What this means is Gagliastro had a highly supportive audience before they became a published author!
⇩ The Progression ⇩
The Diary of a Sugarbaby is a #2 Bestseller in Dystopian Fiction on Ingram’s Bestsellers Lists!
From July to September of 2024, “The Diary of a Sugarbaby” by J.Q. Gagliastro became a #2 Bestseller in Dystopian Fiction on Ingram’s Bestsellers List! What this means is people who go into bookstores have picked up my book, read the back, and are intrigued enough to buy it. Thank you so much to bookstores and bookstore-goers for taking a chance on TDS! Read Full Article!
The Diary of a Sugarbaby is NYC Queer Book Club’s October 2024 book pick (10/18)!
QBC started in October of 2023 as a book club for LGBTQIA+ readers in New York City. According to Andrew Karo, “what started as a group of 8 has now reached over 120 members!” They turned one in 2024. The event was held on October 18th. If you would like to join the QBC, please message Andrew on Instagram or send them an email.
A Return to the Top
July 1st, 2024, the Monday after Gagliastro’s book signings in Annapolis and NYC, The Diary of a Sugarbaby returned to the Top 100 bestsellers list. Gagliastro is also humbled to have their book in the fabulous company of Augustina Bazterrica’s Tender is the Flesh and Jacqueline Harpman’s I Who Have Never Known Men. Both were huge inspirations for TDS.
Finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards
The Diary of a Sugarbaby becomes a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards in Adult Fiction for books published in 2023. Thank you so much to the judges and reading groups in Stockholm and London for selecting TDS as a finalist! Read more on their website.
TDS Selected for Addition to the Library of Congress
As of December 13th, 2024, The Diary of a Sugarbaby was selected for addition to the Library of Congress' General Collections!
Top 250 in Political Fiction on the Kindle Bestseller List
The Diary of a Sugarbaby reaches the Top 250 in Political Fiction on the Kindle Bestseller List! TDS also receives a lovely 5-star review from Jose Carrasquillo — “A great first novel destined to become a classic.”
Bestseller in Epistolary Fiction
On January 18th, 2025, The Diary of a Sugarbaby reached #45 on Amazon’s Bestsellers List in Epistolary Fiction. The bestseller stayed in the top 250 for over a month and even returned to the top 25 in LGBTQ+ Bildungsroman Fiction!
Testimonials
IndieReader
“J. Q. Gagliastro’s The Diary of a Sugarbaby is a poignant epistolary novel that immerses readers in the harrowing experiences of a young, gay [nonbinary person] navigating a dystopian America. It offers a stark narrative of a society divided by race, class, and gender, providing a deeply touching and thought-provoking reading experience for people from any minority and walk of life.” ~ IndieReader
Readers’ Favorite
“Tragic and heartbreaking, The Diary of a Sugarbaby is a coming-of-age story unlike any other. Written in the style of an autobiographical memoir, J.Q. Gagliastro's dystopian tale pulls no punches. The narrative is unflinchingly raw and relentlessly bleak, showcasing the extreme lengths a bigoted authoritarian regime will go to oppress those they consider beneath them. This is a theme-driven tale that sheds light on some very real-world issues we, as a society, face today. Dime's story is emotionally devastating. However, despite the darker elements of the plot, the book ends on an optimistic note that offers hope. Overall, this isn't everyone's cup of tea. But if you like dystopian fiction that is thematically rich and focuses on societal issues, The Diary of a Sugarbaby is just the book for you.” ~ Readers’ Favorite (five-starred review)
Kirkus Reviews
“Gagliastro’s chilling novel about a nightmarish future pushes right-wing politics to terrifying extremes and tells a raw but perceptive story about the resulting victims. The viciousness of the regime is over the top, and some of the descriptions of violence and degradation are excessive. But the bulk of the novel provides first-person insights into being queer, before and after the revolution, that are razor sharp, timely, and written with a great deal of thought behind them. Dime is in an impossible situation, but he’s a dynamic, enterprising character whose perceptiveness about the world elevates the story to an impressive, convincing level. A frightening novel about an unthinkable future elevated by a very sophisticated protagonist.” ~ Kirkus Reviews
The BookLife Prize
“A dark satirical work of sci-fi… Gagliastro writes in clear-headed, hard-hitting prose… there is an element of dry and sarcastic wit that carries this story forward and breaks up the horror… Right from the start, this story sets itself apart from other dystopian novels with the way that it approaches gender inequality and the dangers of clinging to an outdated, violent sociopolitical system. Gagliastro managed to take many modern fears and roll them together with more positive ideals, creating a complex web of realistic frankness, pessimistic anticipation, and optimistic determination.” ~ The BookLife Prize
The Manhattan Book Review
“The Diary of a Sugarbaby is an eye-opening dystopian novel told from the point of view of a young adult named Dime who lives as a gay, non-binary sugarbaby turned sex slave. When a Bill gets passed and young people become slaves to the Elders, they must endure such violent acts as public and private rape sessions, branding, torture, and death. With themes of LGBTQ+ hate, racism, government control, and the banning of all creative materials, The Diary of a Sugarbaby is The Handmaid's Tale on steroids. Captivating and graphic, this book is not for the faint of heart.” ~ Manhattan Book Review
BlueInk Review
“The Diary of a Sugarbaby is a harrowing dystopian novel about a young queer man enduring sexual slavery… The explicit sex and occasional violence, while appropriate, may shock some readers; one execution by guillotine is especially gruesome… Employing short chapters and much suspense, the book powerfully critiques homophobia, misogyny, and sex-shaming, as well as societies that force young, struggling people into sex work.” ~ BlueInk Review
Publishers Weekly
“Chilling… The story takes place in an alternate reality Philadelphia, where Dime Gagliastra, the 26-year-old gender-fluid narrator, has survived the recent Ameriqueerocide, in which all queer people were targeted for killing, by passing as masculine. Declared a Minor along with everyone under the age of 35, he’s held captive by an Elder, a member of the ruling class who forces Dime to have sex with him. The Elder’s hypocrisy is but one example of Gagliastro’s incisive satire of homophobia. When Dime, who grew up poor and financed his education by spending time with older men in return for their financial support, considers how the role of sugar daddy has morphed into something much more sinister under the gerontocracy, it’s clear Gagliastro is satirizing “sugaring” as well. When Dime’s Elder dies, he’s auctioned to another Elder, a retired NBA player who seems gentle at first but turns out to be cruel. The plot ramps up after Dime meets a fellow Minor, and she lets him in on a rebellion plot. Gagliastro’s depictions of sexual violence can feel gratuitous, but Dime’s thoughtful narration of his experiences with sugaring are revelatory. This provocative novel is not for the faint of heart.” ~ PW
