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Mia Kerick
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author seeking beta reader for completed coming-of-age novel with transgender main character
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I hope you get a taker or two to read for this - if not let me know and I can try to hook you up with someone. Is the character M2F or F2M or genderfluid/nonconforming?
The character (Julian, and then Julia) is M2F and this story takes places during transition. The other boy (Kale) who is a main character is what I would call pansexual, although he is not aware of this term, or that people can feel as he does. Kale is attracted to the transgender character (Julian- Julia) while he is living as a male and after she transitions to female, as well. This is actually more confusing and upsetting to Kale than accepting (at the beginning of the story) that he had romantic feelings for another boy. I hope some readers will be interested and check out the book. I write in the voices of each of the main characters, and they are quirky and interesting and have a lot to say.
I wish I had time to beta read for you, Mia. I know I'll love this one since it resonates so much with my own sexuality (I'm pan), my personal history (my first crush, who became my best friend, who later transitioned to male), and my current romantic interest (she's starting HRT this July). I'll have to keep an eye out for a publication date.Best of luck finding a beta!
Rez- it was so nice of you to comment here! I think this book will be very interesting to you, but I understand how busy life can get!! Thank you!!
I'm totally interested in beta reading your book, Mia. I've got 5 books on my read for review exchange list, but if you're willing to wait a little time, I'd happily read it, and give you feedback. Your story sounds like something I'd get into. Btw, I'm an author of fantasy/sci-fi, but I have an intersexed main character in my Shiva XIV series, and I'm very open to the transgender issue.
Email me at lyrashanti@yahoo.com
Hi Mia,I'd love to review this for you! It sounds really interesting and I love the idea of a personal conflict when it comes to sexuality. It sounds incredibly relatable.
My email address is abigaildinah@live.co.uk
I'd prefer an epub if possible. Thank you!
Hello! I'm not sure if you're still looking for readers/feedback, but I thought I'd comment just in case. I don't really think I have time to be a beta reader, but I did want to give some feedback just based on the summary of the book you gave. Of course I have no idea how it reflects the actual writing of the book, so if what I mention isn't relevant then please ignore it.First off, I want to wish the best of luck with this, it sounds promising. That being said, their were a couple of things in the summary that seem a little iffy to me, which is why I thought I'd mention it (though again this may not be an actual issue in the book). I noticed you called Kale "the other boy", which implies that Julia is also a boy. I don't know exactly how Julia identifies, so this may not be a problem, but it may be. You also referenced Julia as Julian and "he", now assuming this book starts with Julia not being out, then of course people would be referring to them as Julian and using "he" pronouns, but from the summary's point of view (and possibly in parts of the book) it may be better to say something like "Julia, who at the time was know as Julian".
Again this is all just based of the summary and may not be present in the actual work, but just in case. My overall general advice would be to look at exactly how Julia identified, and at which point she aware of that. Pronouns may be a bit tricky in writing something that starts pre-transition, as you have to stay true to both the situation on the character. If Julia wouldn't be comfortable with being referred to with "he" pronouns (which this really just depends on her, maybe she would be, maybe not), even when referencing times when people still knew as as Julian then I would advise against using them, expect for when writing from the prescriptive of a character that does not have the all knowing powers that an author of course has at their disposal when writing from an objective third person point of view.
Once again best of luck and feel free to disregard all of this if it is not relevant. If you have any questions regarding any of my feedback let me know and I'll do my best to clear it up.
I am an author of 15 published novels, most of which are YA and New Adult romances, and I have had wonderful support from YA LGBT Books Group here on Goodreads (thank you). A good friend (another thanks to Mel) suggested I post here in my search for a beta reader for my newest completed and edited manuscript, which is a coming-of-age novel with a transgender main character. If you are interested please write back.