✨ Exclusive Cover Reveal: PHONING FAUST ✨
We’re thrilled to share that Gays Reading has partnered with NineStar Press, Lavender PR, and author Sophie Mutiara Nova to bring you the exclusive cover reveal of Sophie’s upcoming novel, Phoning Faust.
Additionally, Sophie has created two playlists for their main characters which can be found below AND to get us ready for the Halloween season, shares their favorite Halloween candy.
And now…
**DRUM ROLL PLEASE!**
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ABOUT PHONING FAUST
Queer mixed Indonesian college student Dian Faust attempts to call the suicide hotline only to dial the wrong number, her finger slipping and typing in six three times (the mark of the Devil). The mysterious voice on the other end of the line is revealed to be a charming scam caller named Memphis with a penchant for chattiness, trapped in a dingy bus stop bathroom, wanting to learn a concerning amount about the lonely Dian’s life.
But this scam caller is more than just a Mr. Robot hacker wannabe—a sinister presence lurks in the pixels on Dian’s laptop screen in the shadows of her apartment. The Devil themself has come to collect Dian’s soul, and “Memphis” is actually Mephistopheles—Hell’s foremost golden-tongued agent and notorious liar.
In this loose retelling of Goethe’s Faust, will Dian save her soul before time runs out—or will she fall prey to the renowned storytelling deception of the infamous Mephistopheles?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Final Girl fanatic Sophie Mutiara Nova is a Queer, half-Indonesian, SLE-diagnosed Writer-Director. (Writing Fellow of ACEX TV Initiative, Finalist of Emmy’s TV Academy Foundation Directing Program). Their TV series have won the Launchpad Pilot Competition, ScreenCraft Horror Competition & more, w/ film work screening internationally. Their monster book CATCH LILI TOO was spotlighted by the Golden Crown Literary Society with PHONING FAUST upcoming. Originally from Chicago, Sophie’s now in Los Angeles (Dartmouth College BFA & MFA Film Directing CalArts). When not writing or rocking out, they practice Indonesian traditional dance with Burat Wangi. Find them in a haunted house and @thesophiewhit.
Soundtrack for main character Dian Faust:
Soundtrack for love interest, Memphis:
What’s your favorite Halloween candy?
Writing and directing Queer horror films (alongside writing Queer monster stories) has been my passion ever since I dressed up as Dr. Frank-N-Furter for Halloween. That and seeing cool SFX friends make monsters out of the most insane makeup equipment ever. Movie magic!
In the past, I’ve made edible blood for a vampire horror film we were shooting where (shockingly, I know) the vampire had to really “drink” the fake blood. It was a mixture I got off the internet of tapioca flakes, corn syrup, cocoa powder, and a bit of red and blue dye to make a deeper violet mimicking blood after it oxidizes. Then I filled up fake bachelorette party “blood bags” with the tubing and all, tucking them away to nest like weird baby birds in this little fire-engine-red fake medical cooler.
I wouldn’t want to put anyone through anything without testing it myself, so I drank a bit of my imitation blood wares before putting them away in the freezer. Turns out, fake blood tastes a lot like a watered down chocolate pudding. I had way too much fun making the SFX, sitting over the mimic blood in its bubbling cauldron.
Oh and specifically candy? York Peppermint Patties. Shoutout to our favorite Queer-coded baseball-playing tomboy Peppermint Patty from the Peanuts comics. Very League of Our Own.
What’s YOUR favorite Halloween candy?
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