Holden Sheppard: From Invisible to Invincible

After cresting the wave of literary success, gay author Holden Sheppard is riding high. 

By Rita Bratovich

His acclaimed debut novel, Invisible Boys (2019), was adapted into a 10-episode Stan Original Series last year. His follow-up novels, The Brink (2022), and King of Dirt (2025) have received critical and popular praise. He is now adding finishing touches to the much anticipated sequel to Invisible Boys; titled Yeah The Boys, it is due for release in May this year. 

Sheppard was born and grew up in the coastal town of Geraldton, Western Australia, a coastal town about 420km north of Perth. Though it’s a major port on the western coast, Geraldton has a large rural footprint. Its population of less than 40,000 gives it the feel of a large country town.  

Though his stories are not necessarily autobiographical, Sheppard says they are informed by his experience growing up gay in the hyper masculine, heteronormative atmosphere choked with dust, sweat, and beer.   

Invisible Boys, released in 2019 and instantly garnering critical acclaim, helped establish Sheppard as a writer of note. Set in Geraldton in 2017 against the backdrop of the national Marriage Equality survey, the story centres on a group of teenage boys who are coming to terms with their sexuality. Each boy is different in personality and has diverse family backgrounds and situations to deal with, yet they are bonded by their common experience of being queer in a small, conservative town.

The novel focuses on three main characters, telling the narrative from each one’s perspective in turn. Charlie Roth opens the book with a statement that perfectly frames the theme:

“There are two ways out of this poxy sh*thole of a town: you leave in a blaze of glory and never look back, or you die. I don’t want to die. I’ve wanted the blaze of glory option since I was a little kid.”

The Stan series, which screened in 2025 to rave reviews, featured an impressive cast of familiar faces and newcomers. They include Joseph Zada (who plays Charlie), Pia Miranda, Joe Klocek, Aydan Calafiore, Zach Blampied, and Myles Pollard. Nicholas Verso directed the series. 

The upcoming sequel, Yeah The Boys, is set seven years later and follows the now older Charlie, Zeke and Hammer living in Perth. In a Facebook post from May 2025, Sheppard describes the story as follows: “the boys are lost and isolated, both from one another and from the hopes and dreams that first brought them to the city. Yeah the Boys is the story of three boys finding their way back to each other, and finding their own ways to become men."

True fans will enjoy the fact that Sheppard is featuring guest appearances by characters from The Brink and King of Dirt in the new novel. 

Sheppard was the 2026 WA Local Hero nominee in this year’s Australian of the Year honours. On their website they said: 

“Holden Sheppard is one of Western Australia’s most distinctive literary voices.  

Deploying raw, powerful storytelling, Holden’s debut novel, Invisible Boys, draws directly from his own experiences growing up gay in Geraldton. Through his generous mentorship, authentic LGBTQIA+ representation and fearless mental health advocacy, Holden is a voice for countless Australians, particularly gay and bisexual men from rural areas.” 

Pre-order Yeah The Boys from www.holdensheppard.com and other major book outlets.