My Own Kind of Person by Tim Manley is a coming-of-age YA novel published by Rocky Pond Books. It was released in 2026.
Protagonist Sean O’Brien prides himself on being the funny guy. A 17-year-old aspiring comedian, he loves making other people laugh. He’s in his element on stage at the local comedy club, or goofing around with his friends or classmates at school. When everyone’s laughing, Sean feels okay — and he forgets about the things that bother him, like how many times he and his (single) mom have had to move, and how he failed to lose his virginity with his girlfriend Christy. How he isn’t really sure who he is, versus who everyone else wants him to be. Though these things bother him, he isn’t sure how to address them.
But things change when Sean meets Elijah in English class. Elijah has a softer confidence that Sean admires. A gay ballet dancer, Elijah commutes into the city every week to attend dance classes; he’s kind and confident without the toxic bravado of people like class bully Jay Romero. Elijah seems to admire Sean back, though Sean can’t fathom why.
As the two get closer, Sean begins to wonder who he might be if he let himself be honest. What if he tried to connect more deeply with his friends and family? What if he pushed his comedic material deeper? Would that make his stand-up better — or would it make the audience laugh at him instead?
Questions of voice and honesty follow Sean throughout the novel. One such realm is Sean’s sexuality. Though he believes himself straight at the start, he later realizes that he’s bi. He tries on a few different labels, including bi, pan, and queer, as he begins to explore his sexuality more honestly and openly. My Kind of Person also features other queer representation, including Sean’s nonbinary friend Andi. The novel includes thoughtful conversations about gender and sexuality with Sean’s friends. These more emotional scenes are tonally balanced with Sean’s jokes and comedy sets.
Kirkus Reviews praised the novel’s use of humor: “Tactfully and engagingly examines emotional crises through a lens of humor.” A starred review by Booklist praised the novel’s stand-up comedy scenes and suggested that the book “will resonate with any teen in search of their true self.”
Much of the novel focuses on issues of voice as Sean learns how to identify what he really wants versus what he’s been told to want.
My Own Kind of Person is Manley’s debut novel. His other work includes the Emmy-nominated web series The Feels.