"Cal Speet's debut Spiralling (published earlier this year) is a witty, heartfelt portrait of queer friendship, heartbreak and rebuilding in Manchester. Following Gabriel, a gay man in his twenties whose life unravels after a breakup and job loss, the novel explores how we pick ourselves back up - through humour, sex, messy friendships, and the unexpected people who pull us through."
"Growing up, we had these hilarious stories - things like Bridget Jones or Adrian Mole. But I thought: where are the gay versions of those? We're culturally so ready for funny, relatable, down-to-earth stories about all the things that make us human, but also specifically queer. I've always been a massive Sex and the City fan. Seeing that core group of women made me think about the friendships in my own life - funny, effervescent queer people, girls, whoever."
Spiralling follows Gabriel, a gay man in his twenties living in Manchester whose romantic breakup and job loss trigger a downward spiral. The narrative traces his struggle to cope with trauma, chronic pessimistic thinking, and attempts at dating and employment while relying on humour, sex, and messy friendships for resilience. The novel foregrounds queer friendship dynamics, drawing on influences such as Bridget Jones, Adrian Mole and Sex and the City to transpose effervescent group dynamics into a queer context. Pop-culture footnotes and a conversational voice shape Gabriel’s perspective, portraying flawed characters with compassion and insisting on unexpected sources of support.
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