By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Trans Author Makes NYT Bestsellers List History With Cemetery Boys
Aiden Thomas is celebrating a historic first!
With the release of their debut novel Cemetery Boys, writer Aiden Thomas is celebrating a historic first on the New York Times' Best Sellers list!
Thomas took to Twitter yesterday to celebrate their novel debuting at #8 on the Young Adult Hardcover chart. They later realized this is the first time an openly transgender author with a book centering a transgender character has appeared in the fiction verticals of the Best Sellers list.
\u201cHOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!!!!!!\u201d— Aiden Thomas \u2728preorder THE SUNBEARER TRIALS!\u2728 (@Aiden Thomas \u2728preorder THE SUNBEARER TRIALS!\u2728) 1599686175
"Holy shit," Thomas wrote. "This is the FIRST time a trans author with a trans book has made it onto the New York Times Best Sellers list! While I am BLOWN AWAY and SO GRATEFUL, it's 2020 and I should NOT have been the first — and I'm sure as hell NOT GOING TO BE THE LAST. TRANS FAM — KEEP WRITING!"
Writers like Janet Mock and Jennifer Finney Boylan have appeared on the Best Sellers list with their memoirs, but this is a historic achievement in this genre, even more so considering the novel is Young Adult fiction.
\u201cthis is the FIRST time a trans author with a trans book has made it onto the New York Times Bestsellers list!\n\nwhile i am BLOWN AWAY and SO GRATEFUL, it's 2020 and i should NOT have been the first \u2014\n\nand i'm sure as hell NOT GOING TO BE THE LAST.\n\nTRANS FAM \u2014 KEEP WRITING! \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83d\udc96\u201d— Aiden Thomas \u2728preorder THE SUNBEARER TRIALS!\u2728 (@Aiden Thomas \u2728preorder THE SUNBEARER TRIALS!\u2728) 1599690058
The official description for Cemetery Boys reads:
"Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.
However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave."
Cemetery Boys is out now!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
