Mariah Carey's response to gay author inspired by her music has fans tearing up

Mariah Carey fans are celebrating a sweet moment on Twitter between the singer and a fan-turned-author who cited her as the inspiration for his LGBTQ+ book for kids.

Last year, Ian Eagleton published a book about an 11-year-old named James who “loves dancing, poetry and Mariah Carey.” From the description, it sounds like the story of a boy who is initially confident in who he is and the things he loves — even if he doesn’t have a complete grasp on what that all means just yet — but struggles with school bullies and a father who is uncomfortable with gay people and stepping outside of traditional gender roles.

Eagleton detailed how Carey’s music helped him through his difficult teen years in an essay for The Guardian last year, tying it to the inspiration behind his novel, appropriately titled Glitter Boy.

He also shared that info in a letter to Carey herself, which he reposted on Twitter this week in celebration of the 19th anniversary of her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi.

“When I was growing up, being gay was something to be ashamed of and I was bullied terribly for it,” he wrote. “I was eleven and had just started secondary school when I heard Honey on the radio. I remember rushing to the record store and discovering your album Daydream, the first album I ever purchased. It changed my life.”

“Your music and your lyrics offered solace, companionship, and a reminder that, with a little self-belief, I would make it through the rain,” he added.