Work Text:
“My name is Charlie Spring, I’m a children’s author and illustrator who writes inclusive stories for people of all ages. I live with my husband Nick and our dog Miss Daisy. You might have seen one of my videos go pretty viral recently after a bookshop returned their order of my book The Final Puzzle Piece. For those that don’t know, The Final Puzzle Piece is a sweet children’s story following the adventures of Mr and Mr Campbell the capering Capybaras as they deliver children’s toys to all sorts of other animal families. Whether they have a mum and a dad, two mums, or two dads, single parents, children being raised in foster care or by grandparents. Colin and Calum deliver the toys and a lot of joy to these families and then one day they get the final piece of their own puzzle and adopt little capering Capybara of their own.
While this book has never felt controversial to me, I understand that not everyone feels that way. But how do we best combat this?
At first like any person faced with this set back I felt dejected. I’d been so excited to get my book out there into the world and for it to be on shelves for people to buy and read with their children. Getting that email telling me it didn’t align with the shop’s values – without expressly saying what those values were – felt like a kick in the gut.
But I know there are more of you out there, that support love rather than hate, and so I’m hoping you’ll do your best to support story tellers like me and ask if you could spend a little of your hard earned money on the sort of books I write and spread that message.
If you want to buy my book in particular, then I’d be so eternally grateful and even more so if you could leave me a decent review...
So, I’m not going to give in to the fear and the hate. I know I won’t change everyone’s mind and while I really wish that it wasn’t considered controversial in the first place I know that in some circles it is. I may be legally blind but I’m not blind to that fact.
Little blind joke for you there. It’s allowed, I’ve got retinitis pigmentosa which actually means I'm legally Severely Sight Impaired if you want to be technical about it. Just in case you didn’t know. Miss Daisy is my guide dog, maybe I should have mentioned that bit at the start.
Anyway – please buy the book and spread love not hate. Thankyou.”
Nick stopped recording and reached out to give him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.
“Do you think it was OK?”
“It was great, darling, it said everything you needed it to.”
“But I don’t want it to come off like I’m begging for sales, or like I’m capitalising on this whole thing.”
“Charlie, why the hell shouldn’t you capitalise on it anyway? Some utter bigot got upset because two male sloths were married in a children’s book like... we need some good to come out of this.”
“Yeah, I know it’s just... I don’t know, social media... it's so... I'm opening myself up to like every kind of hate out there. There’ll be the homophobes, obviously, but then there’s ableists, those that think I’m not even blind to begin with... I don’t know. It’s scary.”
“I know love. C’mere.”
Nick reached for his husband and Charlie fell into his arms. “I’m so proud of you. You know that don’t you.”
Charlie tilted his head upward and found Nick’s sweet soft lips. After a moment he pulled back, and they rested their foreheads together. “I know love, I’m proud of you too. Now, get to work and edit that video so you can get it posted.”
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Charlie was working on his next story idea on his iPad. With the brightness turned up and the ability to zoom right in, so the pinprick of his tunnel vision could focus on a small spot on the screen, he was still able to create his art and tell the stories he wanted to. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t fear the day when the little slither of vision he retained was reduced even further. Of course that was a frightening thought. Using his adaptive technology meant he was still able to do the thing he loved and had dreamed of since he was a little boy. The thought of that going was terrifying but he knew it wouldn’t mean the end to his self expression. He would find new ways to tell his stories, even if right now he didn’t know quite how that would work.
And he’d always have Nick.
The memory of how he looked when they first met on that fateful day in form, forever etched in his brain. He seemed to glow in the sunlight, his auburn hair, floppy against his forehead, his amber eyes shining and his infectious adorable smile beaming back at him. He’d joke that Nick would have to put up with his greying hairs and increasing number of wrinkles while Nick would remain the vision of youth and unspeakable hotness forever. “You’re husband is going to be an old man one day – and you’re going to have to witness it!”
Nick never let him away with that chat however, “Charlie, you know I like, still really fancy you, even with your greying temples. Actually maybe especially with your greying temples.”
“I’m not greying?!”
“Sweet heart! I hate to break it to you...”
Charlie would bat him playfully and they’d descend into play fights and tickles until it would inevitably get heated and Nick would perform his signature move and carry Charlie to their bedroom.
He heard the key in the door and Miss Daisy sat up to attention, he placed the iPad at the side of the desk and made his way to greet Nick at the door.
“Darling - you’re not going to believe it.”
“What?”
“How many reviews did The Final Puzzle Piece have last week on Amazon?”
“Em, I think we were on 42 last time I checked.”
“Yeah, well there are over 2000 reviews there now.”
“What? You’re joking!”
“I’m not.”
“Wait are they good or...”
“Like almost all 5 star honey – it's incredible – everyone has totally rallied – it’s so amazing!”
“Oh my God – we need to do another video to say thank you.”
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“Wow, I actually don’t know what to say. I feel so incredibly moved by all of your reaction. Like, this is beyond my wildest dreams. Thanks to all of your support I’m going to be able to keep creating the stories I love for I hope a long time to come.
So, I just want to say such a massive thank you to every one of you, who bought the book, who left a review, who recommended to a friend or who even just liked and shared my video.
I know there are people who would have written me off. It’s been happening to me my whole life, when I was just the bullied gay nerd in high school, or when no one would give me a publishing deal and when no one believed that someone with only 5% vision could ever create a story in a visual medium. I won’t lie, there are times when I’ve doubted myself too but with your support, the support of my friends, my family and my unbearably wonderful husband, I’ve proved all the doubters wrong.
You’ve all contributed to spreading some positivity and inclusivity and I couldn’t feel more proud. I’m proud of me, of my ever supportive husband Nick, and I’m proud of all of you. God, there’s pride in every inch of me right now I’m so totally buzzing.
So, keep liking and sharing the video, keep promoting and recommending the book and please if you do have the misfortune to come across a person who gets their knickers in a twist over a pair of gay capybaras in a children's book then please just send them to Edinburgh Zoo, where there was in fact a pair of male penguins who were mated for many years and looked after many a chick in need of a nest to call home. Thank you all again. You've made me, Nick and Miss Daisy very happy. ”