At the start of advance copies of his new novel, "The Disappearers," Marlon James issues a stark warning: "This time, it's personal." The 600-page epic draws on real events from James's life, depicting gay bashings, violence, and murder. "I don't go to novels to be safe," James said in a recent interview. "I go to novels to be titillated, to be scared, to be educated, to be frightened — honestly, to be appalled."

James, 55, grew up gay and closeted in Kingston during the 1970s through 1990s, a time when Jamaica rejected homosexuality. Writing became his refuge from bullying, helping him connect with classmates who once picked on him. After studying literature at the University of the West Indies, he worked as a copywriter and art director before returning to fiction. His first novel, "John Crow's Devil," was published in 2005.

"The Disappearers," released Tuesday by Riverhead, spans two decades across five sections. Central to the story is a brutal 1980s attack in Kingston where a mob destroys a gay theater rehearsal. Survivors then begin vanishing, raising questions about justice and survival.

"The novel is about the price you pay, eventually and day to day, for the simple act of being yourself," James said. He currently lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with his partner, biographer Nicholas Boggs.