I had the pleasure of interviewing Colton Haynes about his new memoir Miss Memory Lane. The full piece is at Pride.com and a link will appear below the excerpt.

I’ve watched Colton for a long time and always knew he had something deep and troubling inside of him. The book itself isn’t polished and it sort of defies genre, but it sticks with you and lingers in your mind. Colton has made himself vulnerable and open to critique, judgement and hopefully support.

The book is available now wherever books are sold, the audiobook is forthcoming. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

We’re both in Los Angeles yet still separated by an internet connection and an attention-seeking feline diva named Timothee Chalomew. “He just loves to interrupt me,” Colton Haynes explained as Timothee zips in and out of frame. 

“That’s their job, you gotta let them do their jobs,” I offered. I know from cats and kids and other life distractions. Any annoyance is outweighed by the comfort these creatures can bring. Comfort that’s needed when you’re about to share your life with millions of readers. 

With Miss Memory Lane, the 33-year-old actor and model has invited readers to bottleneck every accident, sit in every traffic jam, and sometimes take a scenic detour on the road trip of his life. It’s vulnerable, it’s beautiful and at the same time, it’s stark and naive. The spine is made from authenticity and holds the book together, keeping it from being a trumped-up tell-all and instead allowing the book to be what it is. A confession? Of sorts. But I think it’s more accurately described as a reflective essay, a therapy session put to page. 

It’s personal and intimate and not apologetic of that fact. There are moments that are glossed over, some left out completely and others that beg more questions, but ultimately you realize Haynes has put everything he possibly could into this book, and you can only hope that part two is in the works. 

I told Haynes about my history with him. “I actually had that XY magazine. I was very young and stole it from Barnes & Noble. I remember being like, ‘what’s the big deal?’ and not understanding Hollywood or really the world then.” The release of the gay magazine XY’s R-rated shoot between Haynes and an ex became the source of a lot of gossip – mainly revolving around Haynes’ sexuality. 

“It was exacerbated by the fact that I was trying to hide all of it.” Haynes said confidently, “I’ve recently come to terms with why that was wrong, but now I love that shoot. I had so much fun!”

“I don’t know that it was necessarily wrong to hide it, because that’s survival,” I said insistently. There’s something in Haynes that makes you want to protect him, to understand that even though he’s not partial to playing the victim, he still is one. “That’s what so much of this book is about – survival. It’s more that it just wasn’t long-term productive, even though it seemed short-term necessary.”

He smiled graciously, nodding, yet not needing my defense, and I felt pride. This is another one of Haynes’ superpowers, the ability to feel as though your investment in him is fruitful. 

Read the rest of the article on Pride.com

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