Scott Heim’s debut novel, 1995’s Mysterious Skin rocked the literary world with its stark portrayal of child abuse and sexuality in a sleepy rural town. Ten years later, director Gregg Araki adpated Skin into a film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose daring performance transformed the sitcom sweetie into an indie darling.

Heim’s third and latest, We Disappear, finds the former New Yorker returning to Western Kansas. But this time, dude gets personal. Queerty correspondent Megan Metzger recently sat down with Heim to discuss this latest tome, how writers must adapt in a world where we’d rather read a blog than a book, hiding inside his characters and why we should all join him at a reading this Thursday. Hint: it's more than just the free booze.

CONTINUED »

For those of you who only remember little Joseph Gordon-Levitt from the sitcom Third Rock from the Sun, let us be the first to remind you that he is all grown up (okay, he's still short). Since his role as a teenage hustler in Gregg Araki's 2004 movie Mysterious Skin, Mr. Levitt has shown he has real acting chops as well as a sexy, distinct look, which is highlighted nicely in a photo spread in this month's L'Uomo Vogue.

More photos after the jump.

CONTINUED »