This author wrote a coming of age novel set in the WA town he grew up in. Now, it’s a TV show

West Australian author Holden Sheppard never imagined the Mid West town he grew up in would become the backdrop for a television show.

He also never imagined that show would be based on a novel he wrote.

Invisible Boys author and self-confessed ‘Gero derro’ Holden Sheppard. Credit: Minderoo

A self-described “Gero derro” – someone from Geraldton, for those who need clarification – Sheppard wrote Invisible Boys based on his own experiences growing up in the regional town.

“I just wanted to write what I know and tell it like it is,” he said.

“I tried to depict it as honestly as I could, which is all the good parts of Gero that I love – I have bulk affection for that town – and all the rough parts as well.”

Invisible Boys is a coming of age novel which follows a group of teenage boys coming to terms with their homosexuality in a town where their identity feels invisible, set against the backdrop of the 2017 same-sex marriage plebiscite.

The book discusses masculinity, anger and suicide through this lens.

“It can feel very isolating and certainly, that’s how I felt growing up gay in the country. Am I the only gay in the village? Where are my people? You do feel like you need to get out to find yourself,” Sheppard said.

“I think that’s why the book and now the series are connecting with so many people. The core audience is gay and bisexual men who can really relate to these boys, but to be honest, every human knows how it feels to be lonely or to feel a bit ashamed or to feel like you don’t belong.

“This show is really about that. It’s really about finding your found family, your tribe, people who love you for who you are.

“I love seeing that play out in the show, in the characters. They find each other. They give each other support as best they can. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Invisible Boys Zach Blampied as Hammer, Aydan Calafiore as Zeke Calogero, with Joe Klocek as Matt Jones & Joseph Zada as Charlie Roth.Credit: Photograph by David Dare Parker

Sheppard says the show was “so perfectly cast” he didn’t even need to be told who was playing what character to know.

“It was really cool to see that so many local creatives in this industry in WA got to have opportunities for work here locally. I’m really proud that we did that,” he said.

“Each time that a West Aussie production gets made it shows audiences and markets that this is viable, people want to watch this stuff.

“I hope that we see more Aussie and WA books adapted for film and TV.”

The sequel to the Invisible Boys novel, titled Yeah the Boys, won the $50,000 Minderoo Artist Fund Award for 2025 on Wednesday.

Sheppard won a $25,000 grant from Minderoo back in 2023 which he used to write the first draft of the sequel. The follow-up winnings will now be put towards getting Yeah the Boys through to publication.

All 10 episodes of Invisible Boys are now streaming on Stan.