From the heart of an intersex teen, one who must ultimately choose male or female—family or true love—comes the story of a deeply emotional and perilous journey home. This is a young adult novel unlike any other—an authentic portrayal of the issues faced by a child growing up with a sexually ambiguous body.
Jameson can be like other boys after minor surgery and a few years on testosterone Well, at least that’s what his parents always say. But Jamie sees an elfin princess in the mirror, and male hormones would only ruin her pretty face. For him to become the man his parents expect, Jameson must leave behind the hopes and dreams of a little girl. But what is so wrong with Jamie’s dreams that they can’t be her life?
#lgbti #gender #intersex
Genre: YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Coming of Age
The English language version of Confessions of a Teenage Hermaphrodite was published in ebook format by MuseItUp Publishing, and as a paperback and audiobook by Faie Miss Press. The Chinese language rights have recently been acquired by a major publisher in mainland China.
The book was first released in September of 2012 and appeared on Best I've Read.
http://bestiveread.blogspot.com/p/bir-2012-schedules.html
The novel has won praise from both Christian and LGBT reviewers. Some of the reviews are posted at http://www.liannesimon.com/reviews/
Literary Aficionado—”Lianne Simon is as much a poet as she is a prose author. This exceptionally sensitive book sings, and in making that choice in her writing Simon has created something far more than a study of gender conflict: she has created a hymn to all young teenagers who face some of the most impossibly difficult decisions and life choices imaginable.”
I didn’t have any clothes fit for an elfin princess, so my cousin Kaylah let me borrow some hand-me-downs one of the Fair Folk had given her. She safety-pinned the white velvet skirt to my slip, so the waist stayed up under my arms and the hem brushed the floor. The satin sleeves of the woodland green blouse hung down past my fingertips. She wrapped a silver lace belt around my waist twice and made a bow in the back. A spider-silk flower went on my shoulder. I sat down so she could tie the ribbons of starlight ballet slippers around my ankles. “There you are!” She clapped her hands together. “Princess Grace herself doesn’t dress any finer than that.”
Fancy clothes weren’t all an elfin princess needed to be dressed for a party, so I sat facing my reflection and waited for my maidservant to finish. She stood behind me in the wall mirror, intense concentration twisting her face. I grinned as she pulled the soft foam rollers out of my locks and fluffed, brushed, teased, and sprayed until my hair was perfect. It wasn’t very long, but the color was pretty, somewhere between ripe pumpkin and the gold of the earrings she clipped on my ears.
Face full of wonder, Kaylah held a glass vial before my eyes. “There’s a river so high in the Mountains of the Moon that the water turns silvery-blue.” She pulled the stopper out of the shiny bottle and dipped a small brush into it. “I’m going to paint your nails with moonlight. Sit still until it dries.”
In the mirror sat a beautiful elfin princess—golden hair aglow, large emerald eyes, small red mouth, and rosy cheeks sprinkled with freckles. She was the happiest elf-maiden of the realm. I stood, grabbed a handful of white velvet on each side, curtseyed to the lady in the mirror, and spun around so my skirt would fly.
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Chinese
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Translation in progress.
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Italian
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Already translated.
Translated by Monica Scalici
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Japanese
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Already translated.
Translated by Yumi
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Portuguese
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Already translated.
Translated by Elen Canto
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Author review: I thoroughly enjoyed working with Elen. I appreciate her transparency and her willingness to listen. I do not read Portuguese, so my evaluation of the translation is based on the feedback of a Brazilian friend who read both the English version and the Portuguese version. She thought the translation was awesome. |
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Spanish
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Already translated.
Translated by Agatha Lopez
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Author review: The native Spanish speaker that I hired for beta thought it was great. |
