An open letter ...

Dear Mr. Stephen King,

I just finished your new novel, Cell, and I must once more commend you on finding the horror in the innocuousness of a cellular phone and scaring me out of my ever loving mind. I really hate cell phones but had been considering that eventually I may actually need one. However, I doubt I could even borrow one at the moment.

Ordinarily, I would simply marvel at your genius and go on knowing that the acclaim you will receive from the public should be enough without my extra clamor. However, once small facet of one of your main characters cries out for comment. The character of Tom McCourt is gay.

Simple, isn't it? You didn't make him the butt of any joke, he wasn't inappropriately used as comedic relief, and the rest of the characters didn't keep explaining his gayness away. Instead, Tom McCourt was portrayed as a level headed young man who did not giggle with the girls and who did not simper at his larger, stronger, straighter male compatriots.

Thank you so much for not giving McCourt more than his due; thank you for not beating us over the head with his gayness, and thank you for writing something that I loved.

Sincerely,
A'tuin
(who sacrificed sleep to finished your book in one sitting)