New Young Adult Novel Struggles with Transgender Identity and Acceptance

MARBLE, NC, April 26, 2014 (Press-News.org) Julian Norwood's first published novel doesn't hold back on his bold statements about the struggles of teens and identity or his raw talent as a wordsmith. Forsaking Magic dives into the controversial subjects of gender identity and sexuality while maintaining a delightful story of magic and friendship.

Forsaking Magic is a poignant coming of age story set in a world where a portion of the population is born with a supernatural ability like magic or shape-shifting. Although not illegal, those who have abilities must keep a low profile to avoid public scorn. This is no ordinary young adult novel however. The core of the message goes much deeper as the teens in the book struggle with identity ranging from accepting their magical abilities to sexual identity.

The vehicle for framing the issues in Forsaking Magic is the protagonist, a teenage girl named Abby. She is not only faced with her own trials of dealing with her magical skills and identity conflicts and the impact they have on herself and her family, but she is also the witness to teens' and parents' struggles to find acceptance and stability both within the family units and in society.

Norwood's writing skill and sense of story shouldn't get lost in the message in Forsaking Magic. The novel is well crafted both in story and execution, and it is neither apologetic nor zealous. His description of the places and people is both touching and humorous, and the dialog feels genuine. In the end, Forsaking Magic is a well-told tale.

Norwood's talents are numerous, and he is no stranger to publishing despite Forsaking Magic being his first published novel. "Julian really wears two hats at Word Branch Publishing," says company owner Catherine Rayburn-Trobaugh. "He is the creative director who designs the book covers, and he is a talented emerging writer. His creative talents are at the core of the identity of Word Branch Publishing, and we are lucky to have him on our team."

Word Branch is an independent publishing company located in the heart of Appalachia. WBP represents talented new and emerging authors who need a venue to make their voices heard. Word Branch Publishing offers unique titles in both paperback and e-books in a variety of genres including science fiction, fantasy, young adult, and spiritual.