Late Bloomer Baby Boomer: A Collection of Humorous Essays About Being Gay Back in the Day and Finally Finding My Way by Steve Milliken Book Tour with Guest Post
Book Title: Late Bloomer Baby Boomer: A Collection of Humorous Essays About Being Gay Back in the Day and Finally Finding My Way
Author and Publisher: Steve Milliken
Release Date: December 2022
Genres: Memoir/Biography
Tropes: Self-discovery through humor, finding identity, acceptance, and resilience by laughing through life’s absurdities.
Themes: Finding humor as a gay Baby Boomer – Because the coming-out process never really ends, and it’s best to laugh along the way.
Heat Rating: 2 flames
Length: 66 000 words/228 pages
It is a standalone non-fiction book.
Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited
Laugh-out-loud stories about coming out, coming of age, and coming to terms with myself—finally!
Blurb
What happens when the class clown embraces his truth, becomes a teacher, and takes on the absurdities of life? Hilarity ensues.
In LATE BLOOMER BABY BOOMER: A Collection of Humorous Essays About Being Gay Back in the Day and Finally Finding My Way, Steve Milliken delivers a laugh-out-loud memoir packed with sharp wit, self-deprecating humor, and occasional bursts of wisdom. With the observational humor of David Sedaris and the candid charm of Augusten Burroughs, these essays explore self-discovery, urban teaching misadventures, and the hilarity of navigating adulthood as a gay baby boomer.
Spoiler: It’s a parade of pitfalls, pratfalls, and punchlines.
Review Quote:
"Delivers great sendups of the gay dating scene... impressive comedic timing. Each essay is short and snappy... A wide-ranging collection driven by humor and insight." — Kirkus Reviews
Excerpt 1: From "Introduction"
“Some people ask me, ‘Steve, who's the target audience for your book?’
And I tell them:
‘My book is for anyone who is gay, knows someone who's gay, or someone who is NOT gay but would like to be! Or… a straight guy who’s had a gay experience—like wearing a belt that matches his shoes.’”
“Back in my distant youth, I pursued a career as an actor, but the problem with acting for me was that I was a comic character actor trapped in a leading man's body. If Rodney Dangerfield and Grace Kelly had a baby, that would have been me.
But to be honest, I never wanted to be rich and famous… and so far, that’s working out great! Not really…”
Excerpt 2: From "Epistolary Possibilities for a New Year"
“After not working out for a month, I arrived at the gym only to realize my gym bag had turned into a mildew science project thanks to a rogue water bottle. Unfortunately, I discovered this catastrophe only after I'd stripped down in the locker room. I panicked, naturally, but I was too far gone to turn back. I had no choice but to wear my stinky clothes.”
“Now, I’m not religious, but in moments like these, I consider a higher power. I clutched my hands together and said a novena to the patron saint of putrid smells: ‘Our Lady of Sacred Stench, please help me now.’”
“Once on the gym floor, I tried to keep a safe distance from everyone. But when someone got too close, I’d suddenly dash to another part of the gym for no apparent reason. I’d seen my cat do this, so it seemed worth a try…”
Excerpt 3: From "Bitch Ass Snitch"
“One day, I ‘snitched’ to the Dean about a student of mine who had tagged his desk with a box cutter blade. The next day, when he came back, in front of the whole class, he called me a ‘bitch ass snitch’ and ran out of the classroom.
Later that day, in the staff parking lot, I discovered someone had vandalized my car.”
‘Gee, I wonder who that could have been?’
Of course, I came to one conclusion… ‘Karma's a bitch… for a bitch ass snitch!’”
Excerpt 4: From "Changing Closets"
“Originally, I was in the closet for being gay… but now I'm in the closet about my age.
To counter the effects of aging, I’ve reluctantly adhered to diet and exercise mandates. I even tried becoming a vegetarian… although not a strict one.
Occasionally, I’d eat chicken, fish, and ass. I’m kidding, I kid. I didn’t eat chicken…”
AUTHOR NAME: Steve Milliken
Introduce yourself and your writing:
Hi, I’m Steve Milliken—former class clown, long-time English teacher, and now, accidental author. My debut book is Late Bloomer Baby Boomer, a collection of humorous essays about growing up gay, finding my footing, and laughing through the mess. It took two decades to write, and my goal was always to make people laugh—and maybe even think a little—along the way.
1. What/who inspired you to start writing?
It all started with a group email to some former classmates after a reunion. My replies got pretty funny—especially the banter between me and one other classmate—and I began forwarding them to friends. One of those friends said, “You should save these and turn them into a book. You write just like David Sedaris.” I didn’t know who he was, so I started reading his books—and that lit a spark. I began writing essays 20 years ago, just a couple a year since I was so busy teaching high school English. Once I retired, I got serious: revising, editing, attending writing workshops. Eventually, I self-published Late Bloomer Baby Boomer. Making people laugh has always been my passion, and writing this book is actually an extension of that.
2. Tell us about your new release. What inspired you to write it?
I started writing Late Bloomer Baby Boomer because I wanted to make people laugh—plain and simple. The book is a collection of humorous, deeply personal essays about being gay "back in the day," stumbling through adulthood, teaching in the inner city, and finally embracing who I am. It’s memoir with punchlines. The stories range from hilarious to sometimes heartfelt, but always with a comedic edge. What inspired me was the belief that laughter is a connector, a healer, and sometimes the best way to tell the truth. I wrote this book because humor is contagious—and I’m trying to start an epidemic!
3. How did you decide on the title?
My original title was Learning with Laughter, but that felt too generic. The phrase "Late Bloomer Baby Boomer" came from one of the essays, and it felt like the perfect fit. The subtitle—A Collection of Humorous Essays About Being Gay Back in the Day and Finally Finding My Way—came later in the writing process. I wanted the book cover alone to tell readers exactly what they were in for. Plus, I have a lifelong love of alliteration, rhyming, and wordplay, so the title practically wrote itself.
4. What is the hardest part of writing any book?
Writing is rewriting. I taught that for years as an English teacher and living it as a writer was humbling. For me, the hardest part wasn’t digging up memories—I’ve always been a storyteller. It was making the leap from telling a funny story at a party to crafting something that works on the page. I only write about things that actually happened to me—things that were chaotic, frustrating, or wildly funny. Making people laugh is my passion—whether it’s in person, on stage, or now, on the page. As I like to say: writing is like shoveling sand into a sandbox so you can start building the castle.
5. Did you learn anything from writing your recent book? What was it?
I learned that humor and vulnerability go hand in hand. But more than that, I became more compassionate toward who I used to be—and who I’m still becoming. I already knew that the coming out process never really ends, but writing the book made me feel that truth more deeply. It helped me accept myself a little more and cringe a little less.
6. Do you have any advice for other writers?
Don’t wait for inspiration—it’s lazy and has a terrible work ethic. Write every day, even if it’s just a paragraph or a grocery list that spirals into a monologue. The first draft is just you shoveling sand into a sandbox—the real magic happens when you start shaping it into a castle. Don’t fear rejection; every “no” gets you closer to the right “yes.” Even Stephen King’s first novel was rejected.
7. Are any of your characters based on you or people you know?
Absolutely. It’s nonfiction—everyone in the book is real, and everything happened (though told through my perspective). I write from the point of view of myself as a young boy, a young man, and all the way to an older man of today, which still requires massive introspection! Some essays feature students, friends, family, or moments of inner conflict—but all of it is rooted in actual events and real people.
8. Do you have a favourite character and/or book you’ve written? Who, what and why?
Me, Myself & I—but not necessarily in that order…. I’m in every essay, after all. Whether it’s Young Me with a Barbie obsession, the closeted college kid who joined a fraternity for "straight cred," or the class clown turned high school teacher juggling chaos and curriculum, they’re all snapshots of me at different stages. Each version makes me laugh and sometimes cringe.
9. Are you a cat person or a dog person? Tell us about your pets.
Definitely a cat person. I used to have a male cat named Rebel who lived up to his name—aloof, charming, and full of attitude. He knocked things over with flair and rarely apologized. A role model really. Iconic.
10. What are your writing and personal goals for 2025 and beyond?
I’m not planning another book, but I am focusing on promoting this one—mainly through social media. I’m making short comedy videos that pull from the essays in Late Bloomer Baby Boomer, often featuring my alter ego "Sassy." These videos are mostly excerpts from my book and help me reach people who might never pick up a book otherwise. You can find them on social media as well as my website at latebloomerbabyboomer.org.
About the Author
Steve Milliken, a native Californian who never left—thanks to a rent-controlled Santa Monica apartment—is a writer, humorist, and recovering class clown who has spent a lifetime finding the comedy in life’s quirks and curveballs. A gay baby boomer with a knack for self-deprecating wit, he’s been an inner-city teacher, a reluctant adult, and an expert in the fine art of laughing at himself.
In LATE BLOOMER BABY BOOMER: A Collection of Humorous Essays About Being Gay Back in the Day and Finally Finding My Way, Steve shares sharp, heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud stories about coming out, inner-city teaching, and navigating life one misadventure at a time. His writing has been compared to the observational humor of David Sedaris and the candid storytelling of Augusten Burroughs.
When he’s not finding the humor in everyday life, Steve creates and shares short comedy videos online based on excerpts from his book, proving that some stories are best told with a punchline… and good lighting.
Author Links
Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
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