A book with a Crossdressing Main Character

[anaissa]

As passionate as I am about releasing the feminine persona with me through the art and practice of crossdressing, I also have a very strong desire to write fiction and to perhaps one day author a book or two. I love to express myself through my fashion and transformations, but I also enjoy baring my soul through the written word.

I have several questions. First, has there ever been a novel whose main character is a true crossdresser? (I am probably forgetting an obvious one.)

Second, do you think a fictionalized novel whose central hero/heroine is a crossdresser would be a worthwhile read. I imagine that I could really portray my sister dressers in a compassionate and realistic manner as opposed to the distorted and sensationalized way they portray us in the media and entertainment industries. All I see are caricatures presented.

Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks. I would only proceed if I can honor our sorority. I would never want to do anything that would harm us in any way.

[Laura912]

Not as the main character, but as the central character in a murder mystery in the Fletch series written by Gregory McDonald. Fletch, a reporter, traces the disappearance of a character that the son of the character is accused of murdering. The character actually disappeared because they were transgendered and afraid to tell their son. Fletch traces the character to California and everything ends well with reconciliation between father and son. Very well written and very tastefully handles transgender and transition issues.

[Audrey Sis]

I can't say I know of a book with a CDing protagonist, but I too have often felt I should attempt to write one. Shall we make it a race? hehe..
I fully agree it should be honest, honorable, respectful to our sorority.

In short: great idea, go for it!

[sarahspinkdress]

Most of the one's I've ever seen are basically plays around the "Girl dresses as a boy to join the army" sort of story. "Song of the Lioness" is the one I'm thinking of, but the Disney movie "Mulan" is pretty much that, and I know there's a similar version about the American revolution. I don't know of anything offhand that is a boy-to-girl story though. I'd be interested.

[Jilmac]

I'm not sure of any title where the main character is a crossdresser but if you could write a novel as you say, I think it could turn out to be a best seller among our sorority.

[steftoday]

Carollyn Faith Olson has written at least one, if not more.

[Beverley Sims]

I would look at the various cross-dressing and erotica forums on literature.
There are some excellent stories doing the rounds.

[Alana Lucerne]

H. E. Bates wrote a book called The Triple Echo in 1972, later made into a movie with Oliver Reed and Glenda Jackson. It is about a soldier in England deserting and hiding out dressed as a woman (as the sister of the Glenda Jackson character). Perhaps not really a heroine, but a main character. It ends sadly.

[windycissy]

The Jessica Project is out of print, but used copies are out there - it's about a crossdressing assassin who falls in love with a lesbian federal agent and goes "straight"

[Shari]

Anaissa, I can't think of any book like that.
I hope that if you wrote it, you'll be writing just for the pleasure of self expression.
Very unlikely that a publisher would ever go near that. If they did, I can't imagine the sales being much. I wonder even how many of the sorority here would buy it. Not all here are out of the closet and reading a book like that could prove quite incriminating.

[Teresa]

Hi Anaissa'
A few years ago there was a paperback in the UK called " I want what I want " about a Cder I can't remember the author it may have been an autobiography but I have a feeling it was the basis of a film starring Julie Walters, she made several films with cding themes, "Personal Lives, Just Like a Woman, " . I use to dream whole short stories, I just hope I don't talk in my sleep !

[Kim_Bitzflick]

One obvious one I can think of is "My Husband Betty". I don't think it qualifies for a novel, but the main character is a crossdressser.

There was a movie a few years ago starring Amanda Bynes called "She's the Man". It about a girl who takes the place of her brother at his new college so she can play soccer with the boys. I don't know if it is based on a novel, but my guess is it is a novel because Hollywood is not very original.

[Patty F]

I don't know of a book but there is a movie out where a soldier falls for a cross dresser and his buddies end up betting him to death. Called a" Soldiers girl" or something like that .

[patti.jean]

The Kiss Murder
By Mehmet Murat Somer

This book is a fun read. A mystery novel set in Istanbul with the main character a CD and part owner of a “transgender” club. The book was translated from Turkish with a few Turkish words left in the book, which I found intriguing and fun. Don't worry if you are not up on your Turkish language, there is a one page glossary in the back of the book that cross-references the Turkish words. I will not give anything away about the plot, but there is a lot reference to the CD life in Istanbul. Enjoy.

Link to Amazon for the book

Patti

[Barbie Anne]

Don't know of any good books with this theme. there's a lot on the web but most is centered around erotica.
Movies however........Boys don't cry and The crying game come to mind.

[Katie Oxford]

"This Charming Man" by Marian Keyes doesn't fit this mould, but it isn't a million miles away. One of the main characters is a fashion stylist who finds her self-imposed exile on the West coast of Ireland makes her the accidental focus of the area's cross-dressing activity. There are a number of cross-dressers, one of which is an important secondary character, and the topic is treated with respect, humour, and a surprising amount of insight while never delving too deeply into what is behind it. Definitely recommended.

[traci_k]

You girls who are thinking of writing those novels please start. I've published a few in the Erotica genre but would be more than happy to guide you in writingand publishing tamer novels with a CDing main character. With the advent of e-books it's easy and virtually cost free to self-publish. If you would like to know more, please feel free to PM me.

Hugs,

[BillieJoEllen]

Hi Anaissa'
A few years ago there was a paperback in the UK called " I want what I want " about a Cder I can't remember the author it may have been an autobiography but I have a feeling it was the basis of a film starring Julie Walters, she made several films with cding themes, "Private Lives, A scent of a Woman, " . I use to dream whole short stories, I just hope I don't talk in my sleep !

I just watched the movie again. It was produced in 1972 and actually starred Anne Heywood. I've read the book numerous times. They've taken license with the movie and the stories don't exactly line up. I can't for the life of me remember who authored the book.

[Aeslyn]

Virginia Woolf's "Orlando"
It is quite a famous book from the 1920. It is semi-fantastical as it follows the life of a single person (Orlando) of a span of time from the 1500s to the 1920s. It is the story of a rather effeminate young boy who grows up and goes through a transformation into dressing and acting like a woman to one day waking up in the midst of major troubles in Turkey in a woman's body and living life after that as a woman. It is sometimes seen as a semi-biographical work of Woolf's lover though in metaphorical form obviously.
I do highly recommend this book. I had to read if for university and it actually changed my life.

P.S.: as a writer I also have started working on a book that has a crossdressing main character thought the crossdressing is in the background and the work is not fiction but rather a memoir of the trials I went though in childhood and teen years. I would also encourage any of the girls on here to write their stories (under a pseudonym of course as I am doing). Believe me, your lives are interesting enough both for literary and academic reasons. I can't think of any possible way a person who was LGBT in their youth could have lived an uninteresting life.

[Teresa]

Hi BillieJoEllen I've just found a reference about, " I want what I want", it was written in 1966 by Geoff Brown, based in Baltimore. You are correct it starred Anne Heywood and Harry Andrews, my parents were newsagents so I managed to sneak a read when I was still at school, I don't think I've seen the film.

[susan jackson]

There was a movie a few years ago starring Amanda Bynes called "She's the Man". It about a girl who takes the place of her brother at his new college so she can play soccer with the boys. I don't know if it is based on a novel, but my guess is it is a novel because Hollywood is not very original.

It's based on Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night"