Denis Belloc
Dennis Belloc was born in La Rochelle, France in 1949. His childhood was marred by a neglectful mother and an abusive stepfather, which led him to seek solace in drugs and prostitution. He stated that writing, a career he never dreamed of in his youth, served a similar role - it gave him comfort. His semi-autobiographical novels deal frankly with the events of his youth. Neons, his first novel to be translated into English, concerns his discovery of his homosexuality, Suzanne his relationship with his mother, and Képas his struggles with addiction. His 1994 novel Les Ailes de Julien was adapted for film in 1998 under the title Victor... pendant qu'il est trop tard.