Winner! 2013 International Book Awards in category Fiction: Gay & Lesbian. Simon, a gay ex-cult member, battles substance abuse in a desperate search for love on the darker avenues of Hollywood Simon Powell escapes the Unification Church of self-proclaimed messiah, Sun Myung Moon, and becomes a successful Hollywood film distributor. Unable to overcome the emotional turmoil that brought him to Reverend Moon's congregation, Simon's despair leads him down a dark path of drug abuse, plagued by religious hallucinations stemming from his fear that, in betraying his faith, he is doomed to a life of suffering. Seldom reflecting on the causes of his self-loathing, Simon embarks on a string of broken relationships that threatens his mental and physical health, until the appearance of Thad, who brings Simon to the realization that love can provide meaning to his life.A profound journey of self-discovery and acceptance, Simon Says offers a probing look into the darker reaches of the human psyche and the renewing power of love.