“As much as it hurts to say, my own book was the first time I got to see myself. “Trans characters were always relegated to side-characters or, if the story did star a trans main character, there was forced outing or stereotypes that just… weren’t accurate at all. Though the same couldn’t be said for trans books. “Reading books with gay main characters was the first time I felt like what I am was truly accepted. They were raised in a small North Carolina town by a family who believed being queer was inherently “wrong”, and books were the only escape they had. Like many non-binary kids, Mason Deaver didn’t have anything close to that kind of support growing up. “I’ve been lucky to have a team behind me that believes in my dream to tell trans stories, who have supported my decisions and respected and trusted what I write,” they added. “I’ve had people tell me that I Wish You All the Best isn’t realistic in its portrayal of transness, which is ironic because it’s very close to my own transness, so do that math! “Whether it’s coming from the actual publisher, an agent, or even readers, it can be rough. “In all seriousness though, publishing… isn’t great for trans people,” they admit.

“I remember two agents specifically telling me that a book about a non-binary teen would never sell, that it didn’t have readership.”ĭeaver, who is non-binary, was pleased to prove them wrong when I Wish You All The Best went on to debut at number eight on the Indie Bestseller list – but they haven’t forgotten that early experience of rejection. “It was rough at some points,” they told PinkNews. It’s been roundly praised by critics as “heartfelt, romantic, and quietly groundbreaking”, and was voted Young Adult Book of the Year by readers as part of the PinkNews Awards 2020, in association with Amazon.īut in the early stages Deaver was warned it would never even get off the ground. Their debut novel is a painfully-real celebration of life and love that follows the story of non-binary student Ben, who is rejected by their parents but finds refuge in the arms of a friend.

I wish you all the best book