What a wonderful story. I was right tearing up all over again—the tears had just dried after writing my answer to Gloria, and here they came again with yours. You touched something raw and gentle at the same time. I would have longed for a nest like this, the way you shape it here—tender, warm, without pressure, full of choice and soft reassurance.
The way Dolly asks questions without assuming the answers, how she sees Mattie and meets them where they are—yes. That’s exactly the kind of adult I once wished for. The kind who doesn’t teach identity, rather makes space for it to speak. I felt that in every sentence.
Have you ever considered writing books for children? Truly. You already know how to listen through story. You know how to name fear and care and invitation in the same breath. You’d be brilliant in it. I would’ve held a book like that close to my chest.
Aw, thank you! I’ve never actually thought of writing something for kids - I have zero nurture instinct and no idea what kids want from media. Heck, I didn’t understand kids when I *was* a kid. 😅 But if some of my stuff is good for kids, that’s awesome!
Yes I think more teens in need for role models. You truly have a way of writing all these young characters and they live, they feel real to me. Go search. I a have friend her in Germany who is a really successful queer children's book author. Ok he illustrates as well, yet he write stories for children to understand sexuality, sex, gender, gender identity and sexual orientation and he also does talks at schools and kindergarten.
Leeron,
What a wonderful story. I was right tearing up all over again—the tears had just dried after writing my answer to Gloria, and here they came again with yours. You touched something raw and gentle at the same time. I would have longed for a nest like this, the way you shape it here—tender, warm, without pressure, full of choice and soft reassurance.
The way Dolly asks questions without assuming the answers, how she sees Mattie and meets them where they are—yes. That’s exactly the kind of adult I once wished for. The kind who doesn’t teach identity, rather makes space for it to speak. I felt that in every sentence.
Have you ever considered writing books for children? Truly. You already know how to listen through story. You know how to name fear and care and invitation in the same breath. You’d be brilliant in it. I would’ve held a book like that close to my chest.
Thank you for sharing this. It touched me.
Aw, thank you! I’ve never actually thought of writing something for kids - I have zero nurture instinct and no idea what kids want from media. Heck, I didn’t understand kids when I *was* a kid. 😅 But if some of my stuff is good for kids, that’s awesome!
Yes I think more teens in need for role models. You truly have a way of writing all these young characters and they live, they feel real to me. Go search. I a have friend her in Germany who is a really successful queer children's book author. Ok he illustrates as well, yet he write stories for children to understand sexuality, sex, gender, gender identity and sexual orientation and he also does talks at schools and kindergarten.
I’ll look into it! Hm, I suppose I do have quite a few stories with kids in them; I could at least create a section so they’re all together.