THE FAMILY THAT FINDS US
Name of Author
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GENRE: LGBTQIA+ Coming of Age
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BLURB:
In a school that doesn’t accept them, Phee, Theo, and Alex fight for a community close to their hearts. The community desperately needs the trio to help the rest of them leave the shadows without fear of violence and discrimination. Through some heroic activism, the three push the school officials to their limits — forcing them to act — for better or worse.
For Phee, the fight for a place where she can be herself doesn’t stop when she gets home. The strain of taking care of her alcoholic and abusive mother threatens to break Phee away from her family bond forever. Her mother can go from a messy drunk to an angry one in an instant, turning Phee’s home life from an obligation to a war zone.
Theo’s house offers respite to Phee. With compassion scarce in her life, Alex and Theo are Phee’s light in the dark. They protect and cherish her. At Theo’s, Phee is free to be herself and explore her identity safely — her chosen family is ready to catch her if she falls. That’s what family does, how family finds us when we feel lost and alone.
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EXCERPT
“Thank you, my precious-ous-es son.” She slurred her words as
she spoke into the table, and I sighed inaudibly.
At least she wasn’t angry drunk. This was the drunk I could handle, the drunk I knew how to care for. I’d been doing it half my life, it would be strange if I weren’t good at it by now. I finished the dishes and laid them out on the drying rack after wiping them dry with a kitchen towel, then sat down in the chair next to her at the table.
“Do you need anything, Mom? Have you eaten? Drank anything?”
“Mmno.” She rolled her face to look at me, her deep dark eyes glistening but not completely there.
I got a plastic cup from the cupboard and filled it with some ice water and handed it to her. Her hands shook as she tried to lift the cup from mine, so I helped her guide it to her mouth and take a couple sips, then set it back down on the table in front of her. I rummaged through the fridge to pull out some milk and went to the pantry for some cereal. Only, as I lifted the milk to pour, I felt objects hit the side of the carton. I opened the cap to take a whiff and gagged; the milk was sour. Sighing, I dropped the carton into the trash and opened the barren fridge to search for another option.
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Everyone loves a
hero! Tell us all about this genuine character and the inspiration behind their
development.
Phee’s
conceptualization has changed a lot over the years, and even over the course of
the series. Phee and Theo became fast friends, Theo quickly recognizing the
signs of abuse in Phee’s life and offering her all the help they could give.
Phee harbors a crush for Theo – one that she tries hard to ignore but casually
lets slip on an occasion. She doesn’t expect anything from Theo, she knows
their feelings for Alex and that nothing can change them. However, she
continues to struggle with her feelings, afraid that she’ll do something
inappropriate with Theo if she shows any affection, even if it’s met in a
friendly way. It’s always in the back of her mind when she’s alone with Theo,
and it can make for some awkward situations.
Another
part of Phee that’s completely unspoken is her place on the autism spectrum.
She’s undiagnosed, and hasn’t had the resources put into her for anyone to
recognize it. She’s often nervous in social situations, as she knows what she
calls “quirks” are off putting to people. Theo and Alex meet her needs so
completely, even though they’re unaware. They don’t view her as strange or
bothersome – when she has a need, they’re right there to meet it. Because of
this, she feels a lot safer with the two of them than she does anywhere else.
The
major development in this book, however, is her realizing that she’s trans.
She’s been out as gay with specific people for the entire series, but she
hadn’t even considered that she was trans, she just knew that some things felt
wrong and didn’t know why. Everything really comes to a head in Family, where
she’s left remembering the party of the end of Love where Alex really made her
up in an effeminate way, and how good it felt. How free she felt. She continues
to deny herself, hoping desperately for it to be untrue. She holds a double
standard for herself – she thinks Theo is amazing for how out and proud they
are, but thinks that she’s terrible because she’s trans, that she can’t be
trans. It would cause too many problems.
I’d
have to say that Phee is the character that is the most like me in the series.
I shared most of these inner battles, and went through many of the same
emotions. I felt so much for her through all of these, and ended up really
rooting for her in the end. The inspiration for most of my characters is really
by the seat of my pants – I just sit down, and the words come. Because of this,
I think a lot of them draw from the inner parts of myself and the people around
me. She’s a beautiful soul, and I think you’ll really enjoy getting to know her
in The Family that Finds Us.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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2 Comments
Thank you so much for hosting today!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a good read
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