Transgender brothers raised in Surrey have co-authored a debut fantasy novel that aims to challenge racism and transphobia.

Vincent Hunter is the pen name for Kise Vincent Hastings, 29, and Hunter Levi Hastings, 25, who self-published The Garnet Crown in August.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e co-authored the book as a duo, which is not too common for brothers,含羞草研究社� Vincent said.

Graduates of Kwantlen Park Secondary in Surrey, the siblings say their book 含羞草研究社渄elivers a thrilling high-level fantasy plot that features diverse characters and themes.含羞草研究社�

Vincent said J. K. Rowling含羞草研究社檚 recent 含羞草研究社渁nti-transgender tweets含羞草研究社� challenge diversity in the fantasy genre, and that the Surrey-based duo is determined to showcase transgender, LGBTQIIA+ and queer characters in their novel series.

含羞草研究社淭ransgender people are being misrepresented in popular fiction and media, and we aim to change that,含羞草研究社� the duo say in a news release. 含羞草研究社淎s mixed-race transgender individuals, we grew up terribly underrepresented in all of the fandoms that we have loved. When we were represented, it did no justice. The characters that were portrayed as 含羞草研究社榙iverse含羞草研究社� or 含羞草研究社榯ransgender含羞草研究社� were written stereotypically, were usually antagonists, and did not occupy main roles in the story.含羞草研究社�

Mixed-race individuals were rarely mentioned at all, the duo add.

含羞草研究社淲henever we tried to challenge the representations of transgender and mixed-race characters in popular fiction, we were often discouraged by educators and told by other fans that our kind of person didn含羞草研究社檛 belong in these series because they were not a part of the lore.含羞草研究社�

The Garnet Crown, a 666-page book billed as 含羞草研究社淏ook 1 in the Crimson Plumes series,含羞草研究社� , in both soft-cover and e-book formats.

The book also aims to celebrates Canadian values, the brothers say.

含羞草研究社淎s Canadians, we wanted to write a story that represented the diversity and inclusion that our country is known for,含羞草研究社� the duo stated. 含羞草研究社淲e are proud to be Canadian and we were determined to write an epic fantasy series that highlighted how important and wonderful our country含羞草研究社檚 values are. We hope that our novel will inspire the world to be more like Canada and to celebrate multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion.含羞草研究社�

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Vincent Hunter has also written an album of 含羞草研究社渟hanties and tavern songs含羞草研究社� to promote their love for the fantasy genre and the universe they含羞草研究社檝e created. Some of the tunes, featured on the album 含羞草研究社淪hanties & Songs of Aldrayon,含羞草研究社� are posted to their .

They hope their novel series will inspire others who have felt marginalized and misrepresented to write and share their stories, and participate in the fandoms they love.

含羞草研究社淥ur stories deserve to be told and we deserve to take up space. We含羞草研究社檙e a part of this world too, and it含羞草研究社檚 time people realized that,含羞草研究社� the brothers stated.

Vincent Hunter is on , and , and also runs a page.

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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