They were raised in a small North Carolina town by a family who believed being queer was inherently “wrong”, and books were the only escape they had. Like many non-binary kids, Mason Deaver didn’t have anything close to that kind of support growing up. “I’ve been lucky to have a team behind me that believes in my dream to tell trans stories, who have supported my decisions and respected and trusted what I write,” they added. “I’ve had people tell me that I Wish You All the Best isn’t realistic in its portrayal of transness, which is ironic because it’s very close to my own transness, so do that math! “Whether it’s coming from the actual publisher, an agent, or even readers, it can be rough. “In all seriousness though, publishing… isn’t great for trans people,” they admit.

“I remember two agents specifically telling me that a book about a non-binary teen would never sell, that it didn’t have readership.”ĭeaver, who is non-binary, was pleased to prove them wrong when I Wish You All The Best went on to debut at number eight on the Indie Bestseller list – but they haven’t forgotten that early experience of rejection. “It was rough at some points,” they told PinkNews. It’s been roundly praised by critics as “heartfelt, romantic, and quietly groundbreaking”, and was voted Young Adult Book of the Year by readers as part of the PinkNews Awards 2020, in association with Amazon.īut in the early stages Deaver was warned it would never even get off the ground. As Ben and Nathan's friendship grows, their feelings for each other begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life.Īt turns heartbreaking and joyous, I Wish You All the Best is both a celebration of life, friendship, and love, and a shining example of hope in the face of adversity.Their debut novel is a painfully-real celebration of life and love that follows the story of non-binary student Ben, who is rejected by their parents but finds refuge in the arms of a friend. Struggling with an anxiety disorder compounded by their parents' rejection, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist and try to keep a low profile in a new school.īut Ben's attempts to survive the last half of senior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they're thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never even met. Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli, Mason Deaver's STUNNING debut will rip your heart out before showing you how to heal from tragedy and celebrate life in the process.

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver