A Modern Day Tale of Growing Up, Coming Out, and Fitting In

Marpheen Chann’s memoir scheduled for June 21 Release

May 4, 2022—Marpheen Chann’s forthcoming memoir Moon in Full, a contemporary coming-of-age story, shines light on a young man’s search for truth and compassion in a complicated era as it unwinds the deep-seated challenges of finding our authentic voice and true identities. The book is officially slated for release on June 21 from Islandport Press.

Chann’s inspirational journey weaves through housing projects and foster homes; into houses of worship and across college campuses; and plays out in working-class Maine where he struggles to find his place. Adopted into in a majority white community, Chann must reconcile his fears and secret longings as a young gay man with the devoutly religious beliefs of his new family. Chann, a second-generation Asian American, recounts what he has learned, what he has lost, and what he has found during his evolution from a hungry refugee’s son to religious youth to advocate for acceptance and equality.

“Marpheen is a young man in full flight, now emerging as a critical and engaging voice for Maine’s future,” said Dean L. Lunt, founder and editor-in-chief of Islandport Press. “As our state continues to diversify, his message of inclusion and acceptance increasingly resonates from Fort Kent to Kittery.”

While Chann poignantly examines the frustrations and the emotional toll "the system" can take on neglected children of all ethnicities, his memoir also serves as a testimony to the graciousness of those who—along the way— understood, accepted, and helped him navigate and tear down psychological barriers to realize and express his true self.

Chann is a Portland-based writer, speaker, and advocate. He has devoted his career to advancing diversity, inclusion, and understanding. He graduated from the University of Southern Maine and is a popular speaker who uses a mix of humor and storytelling to help people view topics such as racism, xenophobia, and homophobia through an intersectional lens. Moon in Full is his first book.