Actually Invisible
by Elisa Greb
Released: Apr 01, 2024
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Why this book and why now?
Josie’s story mirrors that of so many LGBTQ+ educators (including myself). With the advent of policies like “Don’t Say Gay” and recent publicity around book banning and how heavily focused those bans are on queer content, I knew I had to get this book out now. I started writing it in 2019 and finished it in 2020, and I was holding off showing it to the world for a variety of reasons—a major one being my own fear of visibility. But the effect the story is having on people has already made it worth it.
Do your character names have special significance or meaning?
Josie is named for Jo in Little Women. My wife and I went to see the most recent adaptation in the movie theater in 2019, and when Jo was laying out the pages of her book on the floor, it hit me—“I’m going to write that book I’ve been thinking about, and I’m going to name the main character Josephine.”
What TV show would your main character(s) most likely binge watch and why?
Josie would love to binge “This Is Us” because of the 90s references and the relatability to losing her father young and suddenly.
What’s your main character(s)’s favorite book and why?
Josie’s favorite book is my favorite book—The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
Publishing a book is a huge accomplishment and it’s time to party! Choose a celebratory beverage for one of your main characters to toast the release of your new book.
Josie would have an ice cold glass of fountain Dr. Pepper in honor of her dad. (Side note: My dad passed away young, and some of his characteristics very much shine through in Josie’s dad. My dad LOVED Dr. Pepper!)
What song does your character put on to start your book launch party?
Music is really important to Josie in the story—particularly several female singer-songwriters like Sara Bareilles, Jann Arden, and Tori Amos. Not one of those artists is known for party songs, so I’ll pick a song that would have meaning to Josie in terms of her “coming out”—Sara Bareilles’s “Brave.”
