Matt Cain has been recognised for his services to LGBTQ+ culture and will accept his medal at the investiture ceremony in Buckingham Palace in a few months.
Born in Bury and raised in Bolton, he has achieved great success while remaining connected to his roots.
The majority of his novels are set in the North West, including “The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle,” which takes place in a fictional town inspired by both boroughs.
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He said: “I’m chuffed to bits with this award! I’d like to say it’s a dream come true, but the truth is it’s beyond a dream come true because when I was growing up, there was hardly any LGBTQ+ culture and what little we had was pretty much underground and undiscussed.
“Then when I started writing, it was really difficult for me to break through.”
In 2017, Matt crowd-funded his novel The Madonna of Bolton after fighting for it to be published for over 10 years.
He received more than 30 rejections from publishers.
The title was pledged by 28 countries and backed by celebrities was eventually published by Unbound in 2018.
Matt said: “Even with my latest, One Love, I’ve had to fight to make sure it gets into shops and through to readers. So I didn’t for one second dream I’d ever be awarded an MBE.
“But now all the fighting and hard work has been worth it. I feel valued and appreciated and even more determined to keep telling my stories!”
Along with a well-versed background in broadcast and entertainment, Matt is an ambassador for Manchester Pride and the Albert Kennedy Trust, and a patron of LGBTQ+ History Month.
He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bolton in 2021 for his outstanding contributions to literature and the community.
Matt said: “People often think that the most pioneering work in the arts and creative industries comes from London and that the improvement in attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people has been driven by the UK’s cities.
“But it’s important to me to show how much attitudes have changed in smaller towns, such as those in Greater Manchester and Lancashire, and to celebrate this too.”
He credited his success to living in the region, adding: “If I wasn’t from Bolton and Bury, I don’t think I’d have got this MBE! So I’d like to thank all those readers in Bolton and Bury who’ve got behind me and opened their hearts to my books.”