M or F?

Co-written with Chris Tebbetts

Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin

Category: Humor

Ages: 12-up

When Frannie is desperate to get the attention of her crush, her fabulous (and gay) best friend Marcus suggests that Frannie chat with him online. Too bad Frannie’s terrified. She won’t type a word without Marcus’s help.

In the chat room, Marcus and Jeffrey hit it off. But the more Marcus writes, the more he’s convinced that Jeffrey is falling for him, not Frannie…

From BOOKLIST

Marcus and Frannie are "brain twins," best friends each looking for romance. Frannie thinks she has found just the person in Jeff, but she's much too shy and insecure to send him an e-mail. Marcus, on the other hand, has no problem finding just the right words to keep Jeff interested, which he discovers when he impersonates Frannie. This creative, funny romance is written with style and sophistication. Marcus is gay, but Frannie is more nonchalant about his orientation than he is. Frannie is straight, but Marcus can better mimic the chat conversations that will intrigue the opposite sex. It's a classic tale of mistaken identity and inaccurate assumptions, filled with twists of plot that will tantalize and please teen readers. The general acceptance of Marcus' gayness within the high school and parent community is a refreshing example for YA readers, and it also sets a high bar for future teen novels featuring gay characters.

From VOYA

Marcus and Frannie, best friends and brain twins, experience romantic angst in person and in chat rooms as juniors at Illinois's Roaring Brook High and take turns narrating their story. Marcus tends to liken his life to a movie and to introduce his chapters by describing camera angles and shots, much like a character on the daytime drama General Hospital--teen heartthrob Dillon Quartermain. Frannie, with an eye for hot guys who turn out to be losers, sees herself as romantically challenged, and accepts advice from Marcus--who is single and gay. When Marcus finds Frannie lurking in an online chat room "gathering intelligence" about her new crush, Jeffrey, he volunteers his writing facility to aide the cause. While at first Frannie is present, Marcus's chats on her behalf go so well that he cannot resist returning without her; he also thinks Jeffrey is hot. Then novel becomes a comedy of errors wherein Marcus, posing as Frannie, chats online with Jeff and then must tell Frannie what "she" said.

Rife with humorous scenarios and authentic teen dialogue (this reviewer could hear familiar teens narrating throughout), the story unfolds plausibly as fiction. The protagonists' families are suitably distant yet likeable. Frannie's parents stumble like teens while seeking to rekindle romance in their relationship, and Marcus's grandmother is a delightfully gregarious character. Fast and funny, this book will be a hit with teen readers, and its romance without sex makes it an ideal "quick pick" for classroom library shelves. (Cynthia Winfield)

I absolutely LOVED your book M or F? I saw my friend reading it once, and I just got into it. I was reading the info on what it was about, and I thought it looked interesting. So, I rented it at the library and started reading it! It was very good. It is my all-time favorite book now. You and Chris Tebbetts did an amazing job on this book, I hope you write more like it. (L.T.)

Dear Lisa,
I loved your book M or F...
It is so cozy and happy to read.
I wanted to say... I have a symbol for blushing.
*^.^*
Maybe you can use it for a sequel? :D

 

Cheers!
(L.S.)