Interview with Dean Angeles (aka Elliott DeLine) Author of “The Stars Below.”

February 5, 2023February 5, 2023 ~ Elliott

Why do you write primarily transgender and queer characters?

Well, first off, because I write what I know. I’m a transgender man. Secondly, I think it’s important that other trans people see themselves reflected in media. I’d especially like to see more books and movies about transgender people that are written by transgender people. In this novel, like my others, the trans protagonist is very flawed. Why do I do this? Why don’t I portray ideal versions of trans people for good publicity? After all, there are enough negative stereotypes out there, why add to it? Simply put, perfect characters are not what literature is about. Especially in The Stars Below, I want readers to watch the journey of Damien, as he grows into a better person. I want them to see his humanity: that he’s struggling just like the rest of us. I think there’s a place for trans superheroes and antiheroes in media. I’m better at creating the latter.

Tell your readers about your book.

The Stars Below is about a man named Damien. He is transgender, female-to-male, and in his early 30’s. He has a drinking problem. He’s a writer, and he’s moved from living with his parents and working at a library to a farmhouse in the country to have solitude to work on his novel. When he gets there, he meets the various boarders: a woman named Michelle who is very sexually charged and seems to be constantly coming on to him. An androgynous goth named Alex. A friendly cowboy named Jesse with whom he starts a would-be-romance. A little girl named Ruby. And one starry night, a mysterious, handsome, cloaked man named Alexander. Damien gets hooked on a drug, ketamine, which is a psychedelic. He discovers eventually that all these people are actually one: a shapeshifter with multiple personalities. He begins a passionate Dom/sub relationship with Alexander, a demon who makes the shapeshifting possible. Damien’s drug use gets worse and worse, and eventually he has to decide between his new family and home with the shapeshifter or continuing to use ketamine and other harmful substances.

Click here to read the novel.

Tell your readers a little about yourself.

I live on a farm with my partner and family. We have goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and soon we will have horses. I’ve lived here for 3 years since the pandemic. I was born in Syracuse, NY, and grew up in the suburbs. I’m 34 years old. I’m the author of several books of fiction, memoir, and poetry including Refuse, Show Trans., and I Know Very Well How I Got My Name, and My essays have been published in The New York Times, The Advocate, Original Plumbing Magazine, and The Body is Not an Apology. My short story Dean and Teddy was published in The Collection: Short Fiction From the Transgender Vanguard, which won the Lambda Literary Award. I attended SUNY Purchase and Syracuse University and have a Bachelor’s degree in Literature.

Besides writing, my passions include photography, animal care, nature, music, snowboarding, and art. I am introverted but also thrive in communities.

What inspired you to author this book?

Mainly, I wanted to show how hellish addiction can be inspired by my own experiences. I portray a very flawed character and show how he recovers and becomes a better person. It would be great if the story gave people hope.

You’re an established author, with award-winning books including Refuse, I Know Very Well How I Got My Name, and Show Trans. Why did you go with Wattpad for this novel?

I prefer self-publishing. It allows me to have control over the process: the timeline, the cover art, the promotion….in short, everything. I chose Wattpad this time because I wanted to release this novel in installments, like a television series. Over the next few months, readers will be getting “Season One.” I also like Wattpad because it’s a community of people storytelling. I thought this would be a productive place to reach everyday readers in this modern age, where they can read on their phone or laptop. In the future, I will be publishing paperback versions of the book.

LINKS

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Elliott-DeLine/author

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4786908.Elliott_DeLine

https://www.facebook.com/authorelliottdeline

https://www.instagram.com/dean.ryan.elliott/

https://deanangeles.tumblr.com

https://www.wattpad.com/user/dean-angeles

The Stars Below – #5 Transman story on Wattpad!

February 2, 2023 ~ Elliott

“What manner of creature are we, Damien, to look down upon the stars?”

It’s been a stellar beginning for The Stars Below and I want to thank readers for their support! Thanks to your help voting, viewing, and commenting, the novel is trending as the fifth most popular #transman title on Wattpad! It also ranks as number 121 on #addiction out of 13K stories. Help me get more exposure by heading over and voting right now: https://www.wattpad.com/story/332243510-the-stars-below

Over the next few months, I will be posting Part One (or the first “season”) of The Stars Below and working on Part Two. Release date for Part Two is currently unknown. If you want to wait to read as a whole, the Kindle ebook will be coming out in a few months. Paperback forthcoming for those of you who prefer print.

That’s all. Have a good night!

Cover Reveal and Chapter One

January 24, 2023 ~ Elliott

Chapter One is now published on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/1306853731-the-stars-below-chapter-1

Dean, an anxious transgender man, moves to the country to write, where he uses copious amounts of hallucinogens and begins a relationship with his landlord, a shapeshifter with a mysterious past.

How does this work?

A chapter will be posted twice a week (Wednesday and Sunday at noon )

How to help get this novel trending:

Create a Wattpad account

Click the star to vote

Click the plus sign and add it to your library.

Book updates: Yes/No?

January 24, 2023 ~ Elliott

Hi everybody, I’m trying not to spam so I’m reaching out to see if you want updates biweekly on my novel as I post chapters. If you do, email me at elliottdeline@gmail.com.

That way the rest of you aren’t getting lots of updates.

Oh, and if you are reading along, Chapter 2 is posted.

https://www.wattpad.com/1308589408-the-stars-below-chapter-2

“Queer Words” Interview

January 12, 2023 ~ Elliott

I did an interview with Queer Words Podcast a few months ago and it has been published. It’s available here on queerwords.org or on Spotify and other services. Check it out!

On Novel Writing, Sobriety, and Virtual Events

January 6, 2022January 6, 2022 ~ Elliott

I’m not sure I wrote about this before, but I was selected for the Writers.com 2022 Novel Writing Intensive Program. It started this month! A few days ago we had a meet-and-greet with the students and instructors, and today we had a workshop on publishing and marketing strategy. Bottom line: no one is going to do it for you. The good news is, I already know quite a bit about self-publishing from my projects between 2011-2016. I’m working on building my platform. I want to use the name Dean, but for now, Elliott DeLine is the name I have established, so I will be using that.

Yesterday I went to a thing called “Palm of the Hand Memoir Workshop” with poet Michael Czarneki. I found it very valuable, as it validated for me that my current writing style for my novel in progress is a good one. The idea behind Palm of the Hand writing is basically flash fiction, but for memoir. I don’t know too much about flash fiction, but I would say I am writing it. Flash scenes, at least. And my fiction writing, as in the past, has a lot of memoir elements as well. So I found this style helpful to learn about.

Besides the novel writing intensive, I have some other things going on. I’m taking two workshops this winter with poet Susan Vespoli, also through Writers.com. I love Susan’s writing circles and have signed up for them consecutively since I discovered them. The first one is “Writing Poems for Gratitude and Hope” and the other I forget the name of, but we study 8 poets styles and incorporate it into our own work. I’m planning on including some poetry in my novel, and I’d like to publish it otherwise. A publication I’m especially interested in is Anti-Heroin Chic, because of my poetry about addiction.

Addiction recovery goes well. I’ve been sober from all substances for a little over 2 weeks. I’m happy to say I’m finally giving 12-Steps a real try. And it’s actually right for me this time. I have a sponsor, I’m going to an LGBTQ meeting everyday at noon, and I’m doing the work. As I said today at a meeting, the sky is starting to look beautiful to me again.

Other projects of mine:

The Pandemic Poetry Open Mic Featuring Susan Vespoli, January 16th. I’m very excited about this. It will be perfect timing for the release of her book Blame in on the Serpent. I really enjoy Susan’s work, especially her poem “Chicken” and her poetry about addiction in her family. It looks like over 100 people are interested on Facebook, so there should be a good turnout! I’m going to read as well, and I’m looking forward to hearing what other people bring. I plan to doit every month. In February we will feature Ithaca poet Nora Snyder. Stay tuned!

Queer Writers Meetup on Discord, meeting pretty much daily at this point. This has been a HUGE help to me, as I’ve made a few friends I write with regularly. We set a time for 30 minutes, write, then share if we want and give feedback. Then we do it a second time.. I was a little skeptical that this would be a good idea– don’t want to edit too much as you go — but it’s been such a motivation to write everyday. We also have free writes with prompts on Sundays.

I’ve written quite a beefy entry, so I think I’ll end here for now. I haven’t even gotten into life on our land, which is starting to come together again. This summer/fall was….a mess. But we’ve got this! Next spring we are going to get back to work on planting, building, and more. We have a couple, Rima and Kris, who will be moving to the land soon, and collaborating with us. All very exciting. I will write about that soon. In the meantime, here is their blog, Half Hectare Homestead.

I also started a Discord server for my partner Joey’s company GenderCat.com. That has been rewarding, interacting with the trans community.

If you’re interested in following my progress on my novel, please continue to follow me here, or add me on Facebook, or Instagram.

Oh and lastly, I will soon have an interview coming out on the blog Bitchin’ Chickens, about my poetry and our chicken saga. Stay tuned!

December 8, 2021 ~ Elliott

Pandemic Poetry Open Mic!

The way it works:

-Show up at the Open Mic on Zoom (dates coming soon!)

-Sign up for a reading slot (3 poems or <5 minutes)

-Listen to the featured poet (and tip if you can!)

-Listen to all the other poets and share.

-Exchange contacts and build community!

Starting January 2022. Join the Facebook community to get updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/406881367613620

Gina (a poem)

December 2, 2021December 2, 2021 ~ Elliott

Good morning friends,

This is my first poem in a series about ex-girlfriends. I love feedback, but no pressure. Feel free to send me something of yours as well! If you wanna join my poetry mailing list, shoot me an email at elliottdeline@gmail.com. Have a great day.

Gina

by Elliott DeLine

This morning I showed Christen

Golden The Ponyboy,

A stuffed horse, made of maroon corduroy.

The outer skin is cut from women’s pants, the pocket seams visible on the right side of the pony’s bottom.

The white stitching of the maroon pony is rough, done with an untrained hand.

The tail and mane are made of strips of fabric, the sort you’d find in a box outside for free in Ithaca, beside the local craft store.

Brown plaid pattern and a white fabric adorned with little red flowers, green leaves, and ladybugs.

Golden the Ponyboy’s legs do not hold his weight

So he sprawls with them spread in four directions, like a starfish,

on the dark wood table

where we sit.

“Gina made him for me,” I say.

Christen laughs because I named a chicken after Gina because– well, forget it, it’s mean.

Why be mean about ex-girlfriends anyway?

At 33, I’m only just realizing this.

I once brought Golden

To art school

Because I was proud of him.

I placed him on the table

Along with a drawing of him I had made.

That teacher told me

My work was immature

And asked wouldn’t I rather

Be a writer?

And now I sit with Golden

As I type this

And I wonder

Is Gina still alive?

I mean seriously.

She has no Facebook.

Seriously, Gina, are you out there?

Are you ok?

I heard a rumor that you

Moved to Texas?

Really Gina, are you ok?

I really hope that you’re ok.

4th Puberty (Testosterone Journey)

November 26, 2021November 26, 2021 ~ Elliott

A lot of trans people go on hormones and talk about 2nd puberty. Makes sense. I’m on my 4th.

I was born a girl. Or assigned female. I went thru puberty at 14 and grew breasts, got wider hips, body hair, a period, etc. I didn’t like it much at all. I liked girls best but didn’t consider myself a lesbian. I was just a boy that was unfortunately a girl, if that makes sense. I heard the term Female-To-Male at 17 from a friend and it clicked. I did some old-school internet research (Hudson’s FTM resources anyone?) and started going to a clinic at Syracuse University to work on a letter for hormones. It was…awful. Akin to conversion therapy in my opinion. You had to be binary and straight to transition. And abusive, invasive questioning. But anyway. Such was the times.

When I was 20, I went on testosterone. This was….2008. I was at SUNY Purchase College in Whiteplains, NY. It’s a pretty queer school. Gotta be the queerest SUNY school at least. It’s the definition of hipster. It’s where I learned that I was not unique but in fact a hipster. Ouch. Also I became more of a hipster (skinny jeans, big glasses….) It’s also where I learned that actually (sometimes) we like being called queers, dykes, etc. Anyway, I rode the train to Callen-Lorde in NYC where they did Informed Consent and I got my t. After a torturous Syracuse summer, which I have chronicled elsewhere.

After that I lived as a pretty gay, writerly loner dude for….wow….over 10 years, mostly in Syracuse with frequent trips down to NYC. Mostly with my parents. I went to SU and finished up my English BA. The trans community leaders and resources in Syracuse were FUCKED UP. I have also written about this elsewhere. There was a right and wrong way to be transgender for sure, and people of color and nonbinary people always got it wrong of course. And were shunned. Shrug. I didn’t stand for it, neither did my future partner Joey…We shook shit up, fell in love, it was beautiful…. Also difficult. I have a lot of trauma (but also just kinda sucked sometimes). But lots of good times with my new chosen family that included the wonderful Drew, Joey’s son, and two cats. Both on the road in our RV and in the crazy, lovely/ infuriating little college town of Ithaca, NY. Also chronicled quite a bit in this blog.

Anyway, Joey made me comfortable enough with my feminine side that I went off T, on it again, and off it several times over 6 years, usually going with a low dose. But, when covid hit, my alter ego Ellie was just like “I NEED TO EXIST DAMNIT” and so I…detransitioned? Not completely, because I never went out. And I never presented as female around Drew ( like with my breast prosthetics, makeup, wig, etc). I went with femboy. But I was a girl. “On” estrogen. And really longing to exist out in the world. But, well, covid.

Then, this summer. moody gay transsexual Dean (featured in my first book, Refuse) was like, “I’m back and uncomfortable in my body!” and Ellie was like “Well…I can work with T. I actually think I’m nonbinary and more of a femboy and tomboy, and also girls can have beards!).” And then there was Ryan (who is currently typing) who was like…”dude I’m a stereotypical masculine trans guy who wants to lift weights… and I’m bi but I’m like really hot for fem women especially.” Everyone else was like, “Noooooo you are somehow inherently problematic with your privilege!….But then….No wait, I guess you really aren’t actually. OK. Hi Ryan! You can exist too.” Ryan hadn’t been around in, well, decades. So here he was. He was formerly named Laura in my head, which was my birth name, and I kinda just “deadnamed” him outta existence. But he’s real. And he wants to be called Ryan.

Don’t freak out tho, you can call me Elliott or Dean or Ryan or Ellie and I won’t mind. Elliott is probably easiest for most. Or I’ve heard it’s cool to name your D.I.D. system. We are “The Angeles Family.”

Anyway.

I learned about D.I.D. and autism from Joey and that made sense of A LOT. Forgot to mention that.

So in August, Dean went back on T. And now here I am, Ryan, on .5 cc (decent dose), living in the country, lifting weights, doing pilates, posting shirtless selfies on IG…yeeeeah. I’m a bit of a harmless bro, which drives Dean a little crazy. But that’s ok. Because I realize everything about this sounds crazy, and I don’t mind. 🙂 It’s me. And yes, Dean is around often, to write and be a sub and listen to Depeche Mode and wear eyeliner and all black, and the others pop in pretty regularly too.

Anyway.

I’m not sure what to say about being back on T yet again except that I’m experiencing gender euphoria and it’s beautiful. Also, my partner invented GenderCat.com and that is also largely contributing to the euphoria. Woot woot.

Sorry if that’s TMI. Shrug.

Anyway, if you wanna check out my posts back when I went on estrogen you can look back a little ways in this blog..

And if you wanna check out my books, you can look them up under Elliott DeLine. Beware, I was pretty miserable.

And I guess that’s it for now, I’ll write another post if something comes to me. Peace.

Little update- November 2021

November 22, 2021November 22, 2021 ~ Elliott

Posting in the middle of a weekday as per usual I suppose…

SINCE I LAST WROTE: JOEY AND I ARE GETTING MARRIED!

Probably in June? Stay tuned.

I did some stuff to actually promote my writing this morning. I also got accepted into a writing program– a 9 month intensive at writers.com. Writers.com actually has some pretty awesome stuff going on. I’m taking a poetry class there that has this thing called a Writing Circle. it’s run by Susan Vespoli. Here’s a link: https://writers.com/classes/writing-circle-gratitude-hope-new-year

The goal is to finish a novel. I am not ready to share it’s synopsis. But it will be a continuation of the “Dean series.”

Life on the farm goes. We have the chickens for eggs and the goats for milk. Hoping the fruit trees make it!

I’m really interested in creating online writer communities to share work, especially with other queer especially trans people. 🙂

Hit me up if this interests you- deanangeles88@gmail.com

Oh, and I am going by the name Dean now.