Loretto Abbey welcomed Peyton Thomas for an insightful interview about his award-winning book, Both Sides Now. The conversation was thoughtfully led by the LAT Book Club heads, Veronica, Theone, and Sakena.
During the interview, Thomas spoke about the process of writing Both Sides Now and how his experience as a transgender person informed and inspired his work. He detailed his writing process, shared steps on how to publish books, and discussed how AI is affecting the publishing industry. He also provided practical advice for young writers who may be experiencing writer’s block.
Throughout his talk, Thomas emphasized the importance of communicating truth empathetically in writing. The connections between the book and real-life events, people, and queer experiences were impactful and helped students understand that true success can be found when we do not hide who we are.
His intelligent and witty responses helped many Abbey students understand both the challenges and the opportunities he has encountered throughout his career as a writer and barrier-breaking queer journalist. Learning about the many ideas and stories that were eventually refined into Both Sides Now demonstrated how a polished story goes through multiple phases of development—just like the people he continues to inspire. He has undoubtedly motivated many aspiring writers to continue their journey toward becoming thoughtful and diverse journalists, writers, and communicators.
Loretto Abbey would like to extend its gratitude to Ms. Steele and Ms. Racioppo for helping to facilitate this event, as well as to Aileen Santiago and Roy Fernandes for their leadership within the TCDSB Equity Department. We would also like to thank Peyton Thomas for sharing his time and wisdom. Thomas is a wonderful storyteller, and it is our hope that, as we continue to listen to the stories of others, we can better understand and appreciate everyone’s experiences.
