Matt Cain, a 50-year-old writer and former television executive from the north of England, tells his life story. Through the fractal aesthetic of his work, he shares the intricate multitudes of his experience as a gay man, an artist, and a person living with autism and ADHD. Cain’s path is shaped by deep interests—from activism to hair—an exuberance for music—particularly Madonna—and a persistent battle with bullying, judgment, and his own self-worth.
Cain’s story begins in a rough, rust-belt, working-class Youngstown, Ohio. In fact, from a young age, he became obsessed — almost preternaturally so — with compiling and analyzing facts and statistics. He knew Madonna’s every chart position by heart. The charisma this passion for music created was obvious, and it made him memorable — distinct from everyone else auditioning — and his peers. Such passion, however, came with challenges. Just like the rest of us, Cain often found himself lost and overwhelmed by the world around him. He had meltdowns — especially in the mornings before school, something he connected to his later-diagnosed autism.
Although these obstacles were stacked against Cain, he continued to chase his educational dreams and, in 1994, was accepted to study at Cambridge University. Even this academic accomplishment could not protect him from the trauma of trying to fit into a world as a Black man. As a gay man, Cain struggled with romantic relationships and found himself caught in a cycle of casual encounters that left him feeling unfulfilled.
When Cain’s literary career kicked off in the late 1990s, it was trailblazing—just not without a few detours. His debut novel, The Madonna of Bolton, was rejected by agents and publishers for ten years. This long fight for acceptance pretty clearly mirrored the internal conflict he was feeling in his personal life too.
In recent years, Cain had been making important strides toward self-acceptance. Only then, at 50 years old, he was diagnosed with autism. This insight became the key to him unpotting the many layers of his experience. In addition to this diagnosis, he was diagnosed as having ADHD. These insights have been instrumental in helping him change the narrative about himself and how he engages with society.
Cain talked about the tremendous influence that criticism has had on his life. “If anybody said anything negative about Madonna, I would feel like that was a direct attack on my character,” he said, demonstrating just how much he internalized criticism. This reaction usually came with a pitiful, empty sadness that lasted for weeks.
His new novel, One Love from Headline Publishers, is a natural outgrowth of that passion and understanding. It’s remarkable success on many levels—not just what it means for the ideas inside. Its unusual funding history is interesting, as it was crowdfunded by readers who passionately identified with Cain’s journey.
Orchestrated by Matt Cain, who has quickly established himself as one of the country’s bright, young talents in arts reporting. It’s the critics who have likened him as much to “what Wayne Sleep was to darts,” as late AA Gill cleverly noted. This appropriate juxtaposition further highlights not just his singular style but the struggles he has encountered in receiving acclaim.