THE G CLUB

Paul Madden’s debut novel, The G Club, began as a personal challenge—an exploration of grief, loss, and resilience. As a psychotherapist with years of experience in sexual and mental health, Madden sought to contribute to the conversation around men’s mental health in a way that felt raw, real, and relatable.

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The writing process was both exhilarating and unexpected. What started as a spontaneous burst of creativity soon became a deeply immersive journey. Madden wrote in bursts, allowing ideas to develop during daily walks or moments of reflection, jotting them down before they faded. One of the most profound experiences was reading the finished manuscript and finding himself moved to tears by his own words—a testament to the emotional depth of the story.

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Although The G Club features a gay protagonist and touches on themes such as chemsex, Madden emphasises that the book isn’t about being gay or about drug use—it’s about grief, loss, and the ways people cope. His aim was to create a universal story, one that resonates beyond labels and demographics. Readers of all backgrounds—from a London-based gay book club to straight women in their sixties—have found themselves drawn into Jamie’s journey.

 

The overwhelmingly positive response has been both humbling and affirming, with many calling for a sequel or even a film adaptation. For those hesitant to share their own writing, Madden’s advice is simple: be brave. Not everyone will love your work, but if it resonates with just one person, it’s worth putting out into the world.