A gay Christian author wants youth to know they don害羞草研究所檛 have to choose between their faith and their sexuality.

Stacey Chomiak, an LGBTQ illustrator and author who recently moved to Chilliwack, is sharing her personal story about her young self as she struggled with coming to terms that she was both gay and Christian.

Chomiak害羞草研究所檚 queer, illustrated, young-adult memoir Still Stace: My Gay Christian Coming-of-Age Story is being released on Oct. 19 and there will be a book launch and signing in November.

She wrote the book because she doesn害羞草研究所檛 want others to feel alone.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e always wanted to share my story somehow because I never had anybody I could talk to. The term 害羞草研究所榞ay Christian害羞草研究所� didn害羞草研究所檛 exist.害羞草研究所�

Chomiak grew up in Winnipeg in a conservative, evangelical home and always loved attending Bible camp.

The book starts out when she was 16 years old, about 25 years ago, when she met a girl at church camp.

害羞草研究所淚 started to realize I had feelings for girls, but didn害羞草研究所檛 know what that meant because I didn害羞草研究所檛 even know the word 害羞草研究所榟omosexuality.害羞草研究所� I was very Christian. I wasn害羞草研究所檛 allowed to go to sex ed,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 literally had to go to the library and look up what homosexuality was.害羞草研究所�

The next 13 years were a struggle. Everyone in her life said it was wrong, including God. She thought she couldn害羞草研究所檛 be gay and also be Christian.

害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 exist being wrong. My faith is really important to me,害羞草研究所� Chomiak said. 害羞草研究所淚 couldn害羞草研究所檛 walk away from it, I didn害羞草研究所檛 want to do that, yet I couldn害羞草研究所檛 pray it away. I couldn害羞草研究所檛 get rid of these feelings.害羞草研究所�

Her story of heartbreak, family conflict, trying to become ex-gay, wrestling with her faith and finding love all unfold in Still Stace.

害羞草研究所淚 remember feeling so alone for years.害羞草研究所�

The book ends happily on her wedding day at the age of 30.

She害羞草研究所檚 hoping Still Stace will show gay Christian youth that they don害羞草研究所檛 have to change.

The suicide rate is 害羞草研究所渁stronomically害羞草研究所� high for teens of faith who are gay, she said, adding that she too had those same thoughts.

害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 pray this away, no one understands it and God hates me. So what else is there?害羞草研究所� she recalled thinking when she was younger.

Chomiak is now married with children. She and her family moved to Chilliwack this summer and she recognizes there is a divide here between the queer community and the faith community.

害羞草研究所淭hey do not mix, they do not overlap害羞草研究所� but my story makes peace with both with a happy ending 害羞草研究所� which is rare.害羞草研究所�

She wants people to have conversations, open their minds, meet other people and hear their stories.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no black and white to anything,害羞草研究所� Chomiak said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 love to get more positive conversations going so less people feel alone. If I can tell somebody else 害羞草研究所榊ou are beautiful as you are and flourish in that,害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 my hope.害羞草研究所�

The book launch for Chomiak害羞草研究所檚 memoir Still Stace: My Gay Christian Coming-of-Age Story is on Saturday, Nov. 20 at Smoking Gun Coffee Roasters (101-46168 Yale Rd.) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

She害羞草研究所檚 also part of a multi-author book signing event at The Owl and The Cat Bookery (105-45655 Tamihi Way) on Saturday, Nov. 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Folks can buy the book at either of those events, at The Book Man ($27.99), or by going to .

Chomiak has a degree in animation and is currently art directing a series of shorts for DreamWorks. She also illustrated children害羞草研究所檚 book Rainbow Boy which came out in January.