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.