Forbidden

A dark coming-of-age comedy that goes behind closed doors into the rarely-glimpsed world of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Gabe is a teenage Jehovah's Witness convinced God is going to kill him at Armageddon for masturbating.

But Gabe's not alone: There's his best friend Peter, who writes obscenities in the margins of his Watchtower; Jin, the Korean kid in the congregation, who subsists on Ho Hos and Doritos; and Camille, who follows Gabe around, trying to be his girlfriend. When he falls in love with Jasmine, Camille's beautiful older sister, things only get more complicated.

Meanwhile, the adult world around him seems to be going from mildly absurd to full-blown dysfunctional. His dad is an elder in the congregation who decides the fate of sinners (like the married couple who confess to accidentally having anal sex), while his mother waits for happiness on the other side of Armaggedon.

Fearing eternal damnation and caught in the only belief system he has ever known, it is up to Gabe to find a path to romance, love, sanity, and something like happiness.

Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk is Tony's debut novel.

"DuShane's debut novel unfolds within the insular world of Jehovah's Witnesses, following a teenager's coming of age within the strict rules of a widely known but little explored sect. Gabe is in many ways a typical California teenager: attending public high school, lusting after female classmates, and enjoying hacky sack with his best friend, Peter. At the same time, he is preoccupied with thoughts of Armageddon, and whether or not masturbating will keep him from being resurrected at the end of the world. Gabe wrestles genuinely with his faith-both embarrassed and deeply committed. As pre-pubescence gives way to young adulthood, Gabe, his troubled (non-Jehovah) cousin Karen, his high school crush Jasmine, and Peter find their moral dilemmas taking on serious dimensions, eventually leading to a tragedy that profoundly alters Gabe's understanding of faith. As a former practitioner, DuShane writes with an insider's perspective about this unique world, balancing criticism with understanding and a convincing portrait of the struggle to integrate religion into a modern world, producing an ultimately touching story that will speak to atheists and believers alike." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"I'll never slam the door on a Watchtower hopeful again without thinking of Tony DuShane's hilarious, original coming-of-age novel. Addictive, informative, heartbreaking, and utterly satisfying." Janet Fitch, author of White Oleander and Paint It Black

"[A]stonishing and hilarious, evoking shades of John Kennedy Toole and C.D. Payne...a sharp, new voice that's sure to be noticed; I have no doubt he'll garner fans fast." Katie Crouch, author of Girls in Trucks and Men and Dogs

"Tony DuShane's highly original novel lives at the fecund corner of religion and sex.... You'll pull for this most sympathetic hero and hope he finds a god of his own." Seth Greenland, author of Shining City and The Bones

Gabe is a teenage Jehovah's Witness who is convinced that God is going to kill him at Armageddon for masturbating. Life looks dreary until Gabe falls in love with Jasmine, and begins to see her as the answer to all his frustrations.

Tony DuShane writes for the San Francisco Chronicle, Mother Jones, Crawdaddy, and other publications. He hosts the radio show Drinks with Tony, interviewing writers, musicians, and filmmakers. He lives in San Francisco.