Tobias Madden Tells Us About His New Young Adult Novel “Take A Bow, Noah Mitchell”
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Tobias Madden is a dancer, musical theatre performer and Young Adult (YA) novelist and editor. His debut novel, Anything But Fine (2021), was shortlisted for Book Of The Year For Older Children in 2022. His latest novel, Take A Bow, Noah Mitchell (2022), brings together online gaming, musical theatre, and growing-up gay into a swoon-worthy romance. Hendri Yulius Wijaya talks with Tobias for DNA.
DNA: Your wedding dance video went viral. What is it like going viral and having Jennifer Lopez share your video on Instagram?
Tobias: It was a very weird couple of days, to say the least! All our friends have seen the video countless times (we tied the knot in 2019) but it was brand new to the world of TikTok. Turns out a lot of people enjoyed seeing two grooms dancing to Let’s Get Loud – 8 million people, to be precise! The response on TikTok was mind-blowing, but to then have Queen J-Lo share it on her personal Instagram was truly the icing on the cake! The video recently made an appearance on the People Magazine Instagram, which brought a lot of homophobes out of the woodwork. But… as Taylor Swift would say, “haters gonna hate”.
How long did you and your husband rehearse the choreography? How did you both decide on the song?
We choreographed the dance in our kitchen a few days before the wedding. Both of us being professional dancers made the whole thing pretty fun and easy! The dance was actually our entrance to the reception venue, not our first dance (which was more like a slow dance at a high school prom). Let’s Get Loud is one of our favourite songs, and we knew it would set the right tone for our wedding reception – a big gay party, basically!
To what extent does your musical theatre background influence your new novel?
My background in theatre has a huge influence on my writing. Take A Bow, Noah Mitchell is primarily set in the rehearsal room of an amateur production of Chicago, which, as someone who performed in the show in Ballarat when I was 17, was so much fun to write! And aside from the content, I think my books feel theatrical. There’s a lot of dialogue, a lot of drama, and it’s all very fast-paced. There’s a rhythm to my writing that I think is a direct influence from my life on stage.
Tell us about the storyline.
The book is about a 17-year-old gaymer who goes undercover in a local production of Chicago – with his self-obsessed mother playing the lead role, no less – in order to win the heart of his secret online crush. It’s much more of a rom-com than my previous novel, Anything But Fine, but it still has the gay coming-of-age elements that queer adults often connect with quite deeply.
Tell us what you like about the two main characters and why it would resonate with the readers.
Noah, the protagonist, is very sarcastic and witty and awkward – a lot like me as a teenager. He makes me laugh and cringe (sometimes at the same time), and I think his journey to find love will really hit home with readers. Eli, the love interest, is camp and confident and super trusting (and gorgeous, of course!). He’s the type of character that readers will fall for very quickly because he’s just so genuine and endearing.
What prompted you to choose online gaming as a main setting of the story where the relationship between two main characters develops? What is gay about online gaming?
When I sat down to write the book I knew I wanted to write about things that brought me joy. One of those things was theatre and the other was gaming. The gaming world is huge for teenagers, and a lot of queer kids find solace in online communities. Some of the gaming spaces can be a bit homophobic (like the big multiplayer e-sports arenas) but I think there’s something about fantasy and Role Playing Games that gay guys really connect with. Maybe it’s something to do with how hot all the characters are? Or all the super-cool magic? I mean, what’s not to love?
While all the gay characters are comfortable with their sexuality, some of them still struggle with body-image issues and school bullying. What do you want to say to the young readers about these topics?
I dealt with a lot of body image issues as a teen (and still do, if I’m honest) so I really wanted to explore this through Noah. I think we often talk about teen body image as if it only affects girls, but we don’t hear a lot about the pressures gay young men – and all queer teens – face. I want readers of all genders to know that they are worthy of love and respect, regardless of their body type.
Your first novel had a lot of musical theatre and ’90s music references, have you done that again in the new novel?
Yes! With this book revolving around a musical, I was able to throw in even more theatre references. It was particularly fun this time as Noah knows very little about musicals so it felt like I was teaching him the joys of musicals along the way! And I can never resist putting some killer ’90s and 2000s throwbacks into my work. Expect lots of references to The Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Aqua, and the like!
This novel has strong female figures, like the main character’s mother who is obsessed with arts and fame and his sister who is supportive to his gay brother’s romance. What motivated you to include these characters?
I have so many strong women in my life, and I love writing female characters. My goal is always to make them as three-dimensional and relatable as possible so I hope I achieved that this time! Noah’s mum, Rose, is probably my favourite character in the book, even though she’s incredibly frustrating at times. I just love her journey, both as a woman and as a mother.
How did you see yourself develop as a writer from the first to the second novel?
It’s hard to say! The books are very different, but I think I’ve settled into my “voice” as a writer a little bit more this time. Take A Bow, Noah Mitchell also has a more complex plot and a larger cast of characters, so that was a fun challenge!
What will your next novel be about?
I can’t say too much about my next book yet, as I’m only part-way through writing it, but it follows another gay protagonist, and it takes place in his first year after high school. There’s a bit of a travel element to the story, which has been so lovely to write after being stuck at home for the last couple of years.
What’s your favourite classic ’90s pop song and why?
My favourite ’90s pop album is Hanson’s Middle Of Nowhere, and my fave song is probably Where’s The Love. I was obsessed with those boys when I was a kid (for reasons I didn’t understand at the time, if you know what I mean) and their music will always have a special place in my heart.
What do you hope to see in YA literature in the future?
Queer joy! Queer love! I’d love to see queer stories of all kinds that highlight the warmth, beauty, and inclusivity of our community.
