First Born Sons: Synopsis Vincent Traughber Meis A group of coastal California residents battle wildfires, racism, and their own demons in five distinct narratives set in late 2019 and 2020. The book is populated by a cast of diverse LGBTQ+ individuals who struggle to find love, comfort, and fulfillment in one of the most difficult periods in American history. As the novel progresses, characters interact across the separate narratives and are brought together for a birthday and a disastrous Black Lives Matter demonstration. BYRON, after saving his friend LAMAR from yet another dangerous confrontation with the police, returns to his hometown in Mississippi when he learns that the beloved housekeeper he grew up with—now his mother’s companion—has been taken to the hospital after contracting the corona virus. His return to Mississippi is haunted by memories from his teenage years when his Black boyfriend was killed in front of him, and years later, the three boys responsible for the murder met their demise in a mysterious vigilante execution.