W J D Read

You know how every bio is really professional? I was born here and lived there and like this and that? This isn't one of those.

Do you remember all that stuff we had to learn at school?

History, Maths, Physics and English and stuff?

Yeah... I hated them. Like, properly loathed them! But now I'm really into those things, what's up with that?!?

I even write books now, for the love of cheeses.

I'd go so far as to say that I LOVE writing books!

Jeremy and the Sleagur came about because, growing up as a male, I was acutely aware of the boy rules.

You know the ones? Where you must like football and should never have a limp wrist? In fact, the list goes on and on; including everything from the way you talk, walk, sit, stand, what you say, your sexuality… everything. Don’t do anything girls do, say, think or wear.

…and if you don’t follow the rules? Well… that could lead to being friendless, verbally abused or even physically harmed.

I followed the rules very obediently. I kept a close eye on those wrists of mine, kept my legs apart when I sat in my manly trousers, making sure I didn’t study too hard in-case I was accused of being a girly swat.

I told myself that I was fitting in; when really, I was committing the self-destructive crime of trying to be something I wasn’t. What that is, is non-binary. It seems somewhat ironic considering that professionally I’m a computer programmer.

I wanted to write a book which laid out the boy rules for open scrutiny, outlaying how they can restrain your true character and cause mental anguish.

There is nothing on Earth that challenges the rules more than a boy playing the role of Cinderella.