Let me begin with the first book, The Ice Princess: set in 2008 this tells the tale of Desiré Andersen, a Black transwoman living in Western MA. Dee, as a her close friends/family call her, is slowly working her way up from Sales Associate to Store Manager at a retail clothing store. While doing so she is leaving much of her past behind which includes a physically abusive former pimp boyfriend, a mentally abusive mother Dorothea and brother Dorian, and towards an emotionally stable love life (either the Italian Joseph Pagano she met in college or the Hispanic Shayne Gomes) and family named the Andersens. Of course she will do anything to preserve her new life including lying to her new boyfriend about her gender identity. Although the "new" family supports her something must give. As expected when she finally confesses her gender identity he rejects her. The story then becomes will she go back to familiar terroritory with one of her exes or will she fight for the love of her life?
The genesis behind the book was truly my cockiness thinking I can make a better version of the British film "Different for Girls," but with a twist. I knew what a transwoman was from "The Joan Rivers Show" when Tula was a guest, but DFG made me realize I could do something in Hollywood with a fictional story. Originally the book was written simply a Black female but after watching the movie I thought "well nobody is writing romantic transgender love stories." I changed Desiré into a Black transwoman. Now there have been many incarnations of the book being a self-published author; my poor friends have so many copies I've sent to them since 2011. I've paid for an editor (unsuccessfully). Then I decided I'd give this one more try before moving on. I initially didn't send it to anyone, one of my friends reviewed it for me at the same time a new friend did. Both said the timeline and flashbacks were confusing, but the story was interesting. Couples with a former friend saying "I've been violated by your original book I don't wish to be by another" motivated me to rethink the book and it's role in my life. Then I talked to my friend Brandon who has always inspired me. I took the timeline of the book, made it present tense chronological, and moved onto the second book. I got no feedback on this just put it up and this Thanksgiving weekend; I'm forging ahead. It wasn't until someone asked me to compare this to another story I caught a glimpse of "Ever After" I realized my book is like "Cinderella:" girl with family issues meets the man of her dreams under a not-so honest identity, keeps up the lie cuz she's in love, and when she's outed he rejects her at first until he realizes he actually loves her. If that's not my book I dunno what is lol only difference is there are two suitors. This book took me 20 years to write from start of finish and feel comfortable with.
The Family Portraits is the first sequel as the story of Desiré and her "choice" move forward with their lives in 2008, but are forced to revisit her past with the discovery of Desiré's mom Dorothea's journals, letters from her brother Dorian, and a binder of memories Desiré wrote during her transition period. We get more insight as to what growing up openly gay and Black as Elijah Davis in Feeding Hills, MA was like for her, how she met the Andersens, and what led to her decision to transition from male-to-female. This book oddly enough took me 4 days to write start of finish. Memories of my childhood came flooding back to me all at once. It was amazing and cathartic writing this book, easily my most personal and proud piece.
After viewing "Anne of Green Gables" as an adult, I am convinced I subconsciously recreated The Family Portraits based off that movie (one of my faves growing up). Ann with an e is a fiery red-head orphan whom finds her way when she moves to a new town. She speaks her mind to her fault, and ends up falling for her mortal enemy while maintaining deeply strong bond with a girl whom encourages her to do better. She wins over everyone she meets with her personality and in the end she is living out her dreams people told her should couldn't. This is EXACTLY TFP to a T. Except TFP adds more characters, makes Anne Elijah and adds a troubled family.
The third will be called The It Girl set in 2013, and it will directly tie into the first two books. I am not done with it yet, BUT here's the general idea: Desiré and her now husband get her a job in entertainment only she's nearing the end of her run when someone from her past comes back to stir the romantic pot. The question then becomes how far from your plans are you willing to go for fame and fortune including sacrificing the great love of your life. I draw most of this story from fantasy, but also I had watched all four versions of "A Star Is Born" and really wanted to write my own version with Desiré. I thought about it for a few months and came up with this story. Immediately 5-time Academy Award nominee and former soap actress Julianne Moore popped into my head. I love how respected Julianne was in both the soap opera and film communities. I saw a marriage of that with Dee when Elijah was watching soaps with Taylor in The Family Portraits.
When bringing the story to Hollywood I became fascinated with the notion that things aren't all we think. WE think you become an actor in movies and make millions and it's glamorous, but I thought what if it's more calculated than that. I loved the aspect that things haven't exactly changed from what we knew of "Old Hollywood." Now this book is pure escapism. I wasn't done with Desiré and her lot, but once you read the ending of the second book this is the logical step. The things that happen in this book will be a close the series. I'm crafting a witty, clever take that even I'm a fan of ;) But like the first two there will be a major social issue addressed that is relevant to today's world.
I do not want to spoil this, but Shayne and Desiré will forever be shaken up. I tried to stay true to the characters and not create situations that were unbelievable. I do have this story going at the same time with Kimberly dealing with Alicia's death. I just didn't feel it was totally dealt with and wanted to address it. As I was writing this the storyline of "Delia Abbott" was playing on my soap "The Young and The Restless." I thought this would be a great time to wrap that up and delve deeper into that family. I wrestled with Dee forgiving Dorian and the family, but in the end I needed a happy ending.
As far as the character's inspirations when I first started writing the books in 2011, I was TOTALLY fangirling on Stephen Amell (who I just saw on "The Vampire Diaries," Jonathan Scott from "Property Brothers," and William Levy (who was on the cover of a magazine at a grocery store I was at, and whom the internet labeled the Spanish Brad Pitt). Stephen Amell is the physical makeup of Joseph with Jonathan Scott's personality. William Levy is Shayne up, down, sideways, and forward. Desiré is me...sort of. She's who I am, who I never want to be, who I wish I could be, and who I think people think I am stirred up in a pot and pulled out. She does things that make me shake my head, but then I think "moron, you wrote her that way." But for me the characters write themselves to be honest. Dorothea and Dorian are the darkest versions of my mother and half-brother; they aren't true representations of them. But they serve a purpose in Desiré's world. Dorothea's sisters are a combination of my mother's siblings (my mother is the youngest of 11). I wanted three sisters to a) manage the writing b) 3 is my favorite number. I love how wildly different they are without being stereotypes. I tried my best NOT to fall into stereotypes with any of them. Jarnel Jeffries, the football player, is oddly enough a combination of a few people Julian Edelman & Danny Amendola. But I never want to repeat a character meaning the reason I made Joseph a white Italian man was so I could make Shayne a Latino man. So now I wanted to bring a Black man into Desiré's life. I wasn't sure how until I came up with Jarnel. The classic Black athlete that has the "playboy" reputation, but once you get to know him he's anything but. When I did a rewrite an added Jarnel, I became social media friends with DeMario Jackson from "The Bachelorette" season 14. DeMario was accused of sexually assaulting a white girl, and after an investigation he was 100% cleared. But in talking with DeMario at the time he went through a very dark time. Lucky he didn't do what he was considering, but it inspired me to write. PLUS having a Black male celebrity going public dating a Black transwoman TRULY is a work of fiction. And to be honest I just loved Jarnel. I loved breaking down this character like peeling the layers of an onion. It was my way of saying "You may see a Black male celebrity and think one thing, but they aren't what you think often times."
The Andersens are fictionalized versions of the family I grew up with from the age of 10 to present. And all that Pheasant Hill Village drama in The Family Portraits is mostly fiction. There are snippets of facts that happened to me, but mostly it's all made up. The "real" Andersens are 3 sisters and 1 brother I grew up with. The brother died February 26, 2011 which inspired me to self-publish before I passed. In fact in the original incarnation of the first book these were one big book, but one of the sisters died at the hands of her abusive husband. I decided that not every woman in an abusive relationship dies, but I had an opportunity to send a clear message. The real fun of writing this book was tapping into my own childhood though. With both books I cooked up plot points in my own life, my friends' lives, sprinkled in fiction, and pulled out the story. It's a true coming-of-age set in the 80s. Like the other books the characters dictated the story, and things happened to Elijah that when he grew into Desiré he overcame. The Epilogue will make you gooey and mushy.
As far as the character's inspirations when I first started writing the books in 2011, I was TOTALLY fangirling on Stephen Amell (who I just saw on "The Vampire Diaries," Jonathan Scott from "Property Brothers," and William Levy (who was on the cover of a magazine at a grocery store I was at, and whom the internet labeled the Spanish Brad Pitt). Stephen Amell is the physical makeup of Joseph with Jonathan Scott's personality. William Levy is Shayne up, down, sideways, and forward. Desiré is me...sort of. She's who I am, who I never want to be, who I wish I could be, and who I think people think I am stirred up in a pot and pulled out. She does things that make me shake my head, but then I think "moron, you wrote her that way." But for me the characters write themselves to be honest. Dorothea and Dorian are the darkest versions of my mother and half-brother; they aren't true representations of them. But they serve a purpose in Desiré's world. Dorothea's sisters are a combination of my mother's siblings (my mother is the youngest of 11). I wanted three sisters to a) manage the writing b) 3 is my favorite number. I love how wildly different they are without being stereotypes. I tried my best NOT to fall into stereotypes with any of them. Jarnel Jeffries, the football player, is oddly enough a combination of a few people Julian Edelman & Danny Amendola. But I never want to repeat a character meaning the reason I made Joseph a white Italian man was so I could make Shayne a Latino man. So now I wanted to bring a Black man into Desiré's life. I wasn't sure how until I came up with Jarnel. The classic Black athlete that has the "playboy" reputation, but once you get to know him he's anything but. When I did a rewrite an added Jarnel, I became social media friends with DeMario Jackson from "The Bachelorette" season 14. DeMario was accused of sexually assaulting a white girl, and after an investigation he was 100% cleared. But in talking with DeMario at the time he went through a very dark time. Lucky he didn't do what he was considering, but it inspired me to write. PLUS having a Black male celebrity going public dating a Black transwoman TRULY is a work of fiction. And to be honest I just loved Jarnel. I loved breaking down this character like peeling the layers of an onion. It was my way of saying "You may see a Black male celebrity and think one thing, but they aren't what you think often times."
The Andersens are fictionalized versions of the family I grew up with from the age of 10 to present. And all that Pheasant Hill Village drama in The Family Portraits is mostly fiction. There are snippets of facts that happened to me, but mostly it's all made up. The "real" Andersens are 3 sisters and 1 brother I grew up with. The brother died February 26, 2011 which inspired me to self-publish before I passed. In fact in the original incarnation of the first book these were one big book, but one of the sisters died at the hands of her abusive husband. I decided that not every woman in an abusive relationship dies, but I had an opportunity to send a clear message. The real fun of writing this book was tapping into my own childhood though. With both books I cooked up plot points in my own life, my friends' lives, sprinkled in fiction, and pulled out the story. It's a true coming-of-age set in the 80s. Like the other books the characters dictated the story, and things happened to Elijah that when he grew into Desiré he overcame. The Epilogue will make you gooey and mushy.
I do feel you will need to read both to arrive at the third, but the second will be more universally accepted. My opinion the first book is peeking into another person's life. The average person doesn't know anyone transgendered; maybe gay. But reading the first book gets you into her life, gets you comfortable with the topic, gets you informed with transsexuality a very relevant topic today. The second book is everyone's story. Black, White, Asian, or Spanish you will identify to one if not all of the characters in the book; you may know someone like Elijah, hearing Dorothea's backstory will make you more sympathetic to her, you fall in love with the Andersens all over again, or you see yourself, a friend, a family member, or someone you use to know represented. Point is it's much more open for identification. I cannot wait to share it with everyone.
I decided to invest some money into the books to get them professionally copyedited and custom covers. Having said that now the first two books are available in print & electronic copy on iBooks, Google Play, Amazon/Kindle, iUniverse, and Barnes & Noble.com; I am working on getting them on Barnes & Noble book shelves.
Thank you for reading. I love writing (obviously), and hope that one day someone is inspired by me to write trans literature; because once we have more visibility, we will have more acceptance. :)
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