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For millions of readers, TJ Klune’s books are a first glimpse into warm, affirming queer fantasy, in stories where magic and identity are beautifully entwined. At his C2E2 2025 spotlight panel, Klune turned the spotlight around, sharing the foundational queer literature that shaped him as a young reader.

Klune told the Chicago audience that he came out first to his local Oregon librarian when he was sixteen. That brave moment led to a life-changing recommendation: The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren. “It was the first book I ever read with gay characters,” Klune said. 

Though Warren’s 1974 novel introduced him to queer storytelling, it also - mild spoiler warning! - ends on some extremely traumatic notes that were tough for a young reader to grapple with. Years later, Klune would become friendly with Warren, and upon hearing The Front Runner was his first read with queer characters, Warren replied "I'm so sorry."

It was a different book that ranks among Klune’s most transformative reads. Klune spoke about discovering Rainbow High by Alex Sanchez in the early 2000s, referencing the groundbreaking 2003 YA novel that dealt directly with HIV/AIDS. It was the first time Klune saw the topics handled so well in a book for teens.

While most fans think of fantasy when they think of Klune, he reminded the crowd that not all his influences are novels, or even explicitly queer. “Calvin and Hobbes is one of the top five works in the English language,” Klune declared, completely seriously. Not a peep of disagreement was heard, and for good reason.

As an author now known for weaving grief and wonder into the same sentence, Klune’s reflections felt like a full-circle moment. And while no single book can define a queer experience, Klune’s reading history proves they have power. As you're crying your way through Klune's next novel, just remember: it all started with a librarian and a paperback.

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