Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: What Does God Think?
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.writtenbymom.ca/
CITY:
STATE: ON
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Canadian
RESEARCHER NOTES:
| LC control no.: | no2017057002 |
|---|---|
| LCCN Permalink: | https://lccn.loc.gov/no2017057002 |
| HEADING: | Evans, Cheryl B. |
| 000 | 00984nz a2200157n 450 |
| 001 | 10443014 |
| 005 | 20170504073549.0 |
| 008 | 170503n| azannaabn |n aaa c |
| 010 | __ |a no2017057002 |
| 035 | __ |a (OCoLC)oca10790533 |
| 040 | __ |a CaBVa |b eng |e rda |c CaBVa |
| 100 | 1_ |a Evans, Cheryl B. |
| 368 | __ |c Pseudonym |
| 370 | __ |c Canada |2 naf |
| 670 | __ |a I promised not to tell, 2016: |b Cover (Cheryl B. Evans) about the author (also known as Cheryl B. Evans. Because of my need to keep my real identity a mystery I have to refrain from sharing specific details about myself) Introduction (our real names have been changed throughout the book to honour the promise I made to my son) |
| 670 | __ |a writtenbymom.ca, viewed May 3, 2017 |b (Cheryl B. Evans was born and raised in Canada. She is a wife, mother, friend and best selling author. Cheryl is a transgender advocate and believes strongly in protecting the human rights of transgender persons and educating others.) |u http://www.writtenbymom.ca/about |
PERSONAL
Born in Canada; married; husband’s name James; children: Mariah and Jordan.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author and transgender advocate.
RELIGION: Christian.WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Born and raised in Canada and living in Ontario, Cheryl B. Evans is a writer and transgender advocate. The mother of two daughters, early on she realized that one identified as male. She has written about resolving her strong Christian faith with raising a transgender child, and she advocates for human rights for transgender people. In an interview on the Authors Talk About It website, she talked about the challenges of writing about her life saying: “Exposing the vulnerable and deeply personal side of my experiences is the most difficult. I believe in order for the reader to fully experience what I have experienced, it is necessary to share things that are uncomfortable to share.”
I Promised Not to Tell
In 2016, Evans published the parenting memoir, I Promised Not to Tell: Raising a Transgender Child, which became a Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2017 Red Ribbon Winner. Evans traces her child, Jordan, from birth to age eighteen. With a girly girl older sister, Jordan was more a tomboy playing with trucks and toy soldiers. As she reached puberty, she tried to act more like a girl but suffered depression and a suicide attempt. Diagnosed with gender dysphoria, she identified as a boy, and although Evans’ community denounced the child as “not of God,” Evans and her husband, Jim, got Jordan the help he needed. In the book, Evans writes about Jordan’s transition to male, the social and emotional issues she encountered along the way, and her determination to do whatever it took to make Jordan a happy adult.
With an unwavering love for their children, Evans and Jim share their story and discuss larger issues facing the transgender community. In a review online at Booklife, Viga Boland commented that the book provides an important discussion about the controversial topic of transgenderism. Parents facing a similar situation should read the book, said Boland, and “I’m sure you will come away impressed not just by the courage shown by Jordan in this book, but by the love Cheryl and her husband have for their children.”
What Does God Think?
Evans next published What Does God Think? Transgender People and the Bible in 2017. Faced with a transgender child and a Christian community that rejected them, Evans searched the Bible to see what God had to say about transgender people. The Bible obvious says that God loves all people, but Evans adds discussion of the difference between sex and gender, the role of social conditioning, and the way transgender people are living fulfilling lives. Although Evans has no theological training, after her research, she reveals that the Bible is inconsistent on transgender issues and is less conservative than people think. In a Publishers Weekly review, a contributor said that Evans’ “tendency to mention but not fully explore provocative scripture readings and scientific claims will disappoint some,” however, she offers clear, heartfelt writing and a compassionate starting point for the discussion of Christianity’s views on transgenderism. In this comprehensive, honest and well researched book, according to Danita Dyess online at Readers Favorite, “I appreciated the fact that Evans admitted that she was not an academic or scholar—that was the pivotal element that will truly touch readers as they identify with her position.”
Evans published several journal books aimed at LGBTQ and transgender writers and parents. Her Wonderfully and Purposely Made: I Am Enough: A Journal All About Me is aimed at writers in all stages of their journey to express their thoughts and feelings in a journal. Her My Parenting Journey with a Transgender Child: A Journal and My Parenting Journey with an LGBTQ+ Child: A Journal are aimed at parents raising transgender and LBGTQ children. All the journals offer thought-provoking writing prompts, inspirational quotes, games and activities, trivia, and coloring pages.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, February 12, 2018, review of What Does God Think? Transgender People and the Bible, p. 75.
ONLINE
Authors Talk About It, http://authorstalkaboutit.com/ (September 26, 2017), author interview.
Booklife, https://booklife.com/ (July 1, 2108), Viga Boland, review of I Promised Not to Tell: Raising a Transgender Child.
Readers Favorite, https://readersfavorite.com/ (August 25, 2017), Danita Dyess, review of What Does God Think?
Author, Cheryl B. Evans was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. Evans became a writer out of a deep desire to help make the world a kinder and more compassionate place for the LGBTQ community. In a world that seems to do far more judging than embracing when it comes to human diversity, Evans pours her passion into her writing in the hopes of making a difference.
She is an LGBTQ ally and transgender advocate and believes strongly in protecting the human rights of transgender persons and helping to educate others. Along with her husband Jim, they have raised two wonderful children, one of whom is transgender. Evans has written about their very personal journey in her award-winning LGBT memoir I Promised Not to Tell, Raising a Transgender Child. In it, she shares every step in their son's transition from female to male, the family's struggles and triumphs. This deeply personal and detailed account of their lives is shared in an effort to help support, encourage and educate others on the topic of gender dysphoria. It is the author's sincere hope that by sharing her family's true story it will help others gain a better understanding of what it is truly like to be a transgender person. For a shortened version of her family's story please visit the pinned post at the top of Written By Mom's facebook page here and while you're there why not give the page a like - I know Cheryl would appreciate it!
If you are interested in reading more about gender dysphoria from a science, social and religious perspective you may want to check out Evans's second book: What Does God Think? Transgender People and The Bible. In it Evans uses strong biblical and scientific references to answer the question many Christians have thought about, What Does God Think? about transgender people.
Want to learn more about Cheryl? Click the link below to be directed to a specific blog post where Cheryl shares 50 fun facts about herself. You can also visit her Amazon author's page (link also below) to see a full list of all her books.
www.writtenbymom.ca/blog/50-facts-about-me
Cheryl B. Evans Author Page On Amazon
A message from Cheryl:
I dedicate my stories to you, my readers, and wish you nothing but peace, love and an abundance of happiness.
[AUTHOR INTERVIEW] CHERYL EVANS -WHAT DOES GOD THINK?
September 26, 2017 atai14 Leave a comment
Featured Authors Talk About It
Author Interview
Cheryl B. Evans
ATAI: Tell us a little about you.
Cheryl B. Evans: I was born and raised in Canada and currently reside in the province of Ontario. Since I was very young I knew I wanted to become a mother more than anything. Today, I am married with two children, both of whom are now young adults. Through parenting my children, I learned that while we as parents may have our expectations regarding gender our children can still surprise us.
Our family embarked on a journey I never saw coming. It seems God had far more to teach me about parenting and gender than I could have anticipated. While there was a time when I believed I had two daughters, it turns out my second child is transgender and right under my nose was the son I never knew I had. Today, I consider myself a transgender advocate and I believe strongly in protecting the human rights of transgender persons. For me, the best way I have found to be an advocate is through my writing.
I’ve always loved to read non-fiction books but feeling the pull to write my own was not something I had planned. Life throws you curve balls sometimes and you just never know where they will take you. I write about experiences that I hope will resonate with my readers. My vision is that I help to educate others, inspire and even uplift and encourage through the sharing of my own experiences.
ATAI: How long have you been writing?
Cheryl B. Evans: The short answer is over ten years. However, it wasn’t until 2016 that I published my first memoir which I did under the name Cheryl B. Evans in order to protect the privacy of my family. That memoir which details every step of my son’s transition from female to male is called I Promised Not to Tell: Raising a transgender child. It reached #1 Best Seller in three categories on Amazon following its release and through the numerous emails I’ve received I know it has helped many families to realize they are not alone.
ATAI: What was your most recent release?
Cheryl B. Evans: My most recent release is titled What Does God Think? Transgender People and The Bible. The inspiration for this book came from a single chapter by the same title that appeared in my earlier published memoir. This is an important book because even though this is a polarizing debate today, I don’t believe it needs to stay that way. The goal of this book is to help soften the divide among Christians and help us all to know we are all beloved children of God.
Click here to get your copy!
ATAI: What do you love most about writing?
Cheryl B. Evans: I like helping people and being a beacon of hope and comfort to others. When we lack knowledge on a topic, and have no personal reference of it, it’s difficult to understand that which we can’t see from our vantage point. However, if those of us with knowledge, and with first hand experiences can step up and share our stories it can be very impactful. For the writers, like me, it can have a wonderful therapeutic effect. For readers, it can enrich their lives and offer them a new perspective from which to view the world.
ATAI: What do you find most challenging?
Cheryl B. Evans: Exposing the vulnerable and deeply personal side of my experiences is the most difficult. I believe in order for the reader to fully experience what I have experienced, it is necessary to share things that are uncomfortable to share. With non-fiction I just have to put it out there. I have to trust it will fall upon the eyes and ears of those who can benefit most. I can’t edit out what is hard to write, the things that make me feel exposed because it’s the realness, the raw emotion that can be most impactful. As challenging as it is to let my guard down and not worry about the harsh or unkind comments my stories may receive I do it, I just write.
ATAI: Where do your ideas come from?
Cheryl B. Evans: Life. It’s the stuff I struggle with, the things that bring me down and the things that lift me up. The challenges and triumphs of living in a world where discrimination and bigotry exist and grace and compassion often seem amiss.
ATAI: What is your writing process?
Cheryl B. Evans: I often sequester myself in a quiet corner of the house with a cup of coffee and my laptop. Some days I will write for just an hour or two and others I may write for a full eight hours. I don’t have a specific writing routine that I stick by. Instead, I will make notes on my phone when an idea pops in my head and refer back to those notes when I do sit down to write.
I will often overwrite and then am brutal with the delete key in order to remove all the unnecessary content. I am not a fan of filler and prefer to stay on point as much as possible when writing non-fiction. You won’t find my writing loaded down with a ton of peripheral details. I find that the end result is often more impactful even though aiming for quality over quantity sometimes makes for a shorter book.
ATAI: Do your characters (or message) ever seem to have a life of their own or an agenda of their own?
Cheryl B. Evans: No, not really. I do not believe my writing goes in a different direction per say, but it often conjures up emotions I didn’t expect. With my memoir, I actually became moved to tears as I was writing it.
ATAI: What’s your favorite part of your book (or one of your books)?
Cheryl B. Evans: My favorite part of I Promised Not to Tell and What Does God Think? is the final chapters. That is where I feel I tie everything together and when the message of unconditional love and acceptance are strongest. I think our society needs that kind of message, the kind that comforts and brings us together. The final thoughts I leave my readers with are often the ones that stay with them the longest. Therefore, I like for those thoughts to be positive ones.
ATAI: What are you working on next?
Cheryl B. Evans: Currently my memoir is being translated into both Spanish and Italian. I am working with two separate translators on these projects. I also have a couple of other book ideas I’m trying to sort out, though I still need some more time before I’m ready to share.
ATAI: Where can people find you online?
Cheryl B. Evans: I try to be as accessible as possible. I have a facebook page www.facebook.com/writtenbymom and I can also be found on twitter at www.twitter.com/writtenbymom. Of course, there is always my website www.writtenbymom.ca.
You can also check out my memoir I Promised Not to Tell: Just click here.
ATAI: Thank you for sharing with us and our audience.
Cheryl B. Evans: Thank you so much for the opportunity to speak with you today Janelle & Rob, it’s been a pleasure. Happy writing and reading everyone!
What Does God Think? Transgender People and the Bible
Publishers Weekly.
265.7 (Feb. 12, 2018): p75. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
What Does God Think? Transgender People and the Bible Cheryl B. Evans. Cheryl B. Evans. $6.99 e-book
(186p) ISBN 978-0-9951807-6-5
Evans (I Promised Not to Tell) presents an accessible introduction to issues surrounding trans identity and Christianity. After a brief explanation of the science of sexual diversity and the growing public awareness of trans people, Evans--who began exploring and struggling with these concepts after her son came out as trans--embarks on a fairly high-level exploration of the difficulty of relying on the Bible to address modern concerns. Homing in on inconsistencies and highlighting stories such as that of Philip and the eunuch, she builds the case that the Bible is less conservative than many traditionalists assert. Evans has no formal theological training, but this looseness keeps her prodding and genuine questions from feeling like a harangue. She closes with a stern warning against judgment and a plea for humility, though sometimes her excitement backs her into unpolished rhetorical corners---for instance, she argues that recent successes for LGBTQ people could be interpreted as a sign that God approves of them. The volume's tendency to mention but not fully explore provocative scripture readings and scientific claims will disappoint some, but Evans's clear, heartfelt writing is a compassionate starting point for discussion. (BookLife)
Editor's note: Reviews noted as "BookLife" are for self-published books received via BookLife, PW's program for indie authors.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"What Does God Think? Transgender People and the Bible." Publishers Weekly, 12 Feb. 2018, p.
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75. Book Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A528615556 /GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=8c55da33. Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A528615556
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What Does God Think?
What Does God Think?
Transgender People and The Bible
by Cheryl B. Evans
Christian - Non-Fiction
186 Pages
Reviewed on 08/25/2017
Buy on Amazon
Author Biography
Award winning author, Cheryl B. Evans is a passionate ally for the transgender community. She became a writer out of a desire to make a difference in a world that seems to do more judging than embracing.
Connecting with her readers is one of her greatest joys, an enriching experience where her readers often teach her as much as she teaches them. But, knowing that her books have helped people, strengthened families and encouraged people to think differently is what really makes her heart sing. Her love and compassion for all people shines through the pages of her books which readers often say are honest and heartfelt.
It is Evan's personal desire that her books leave a positive mark on the world helping others to better understand transgender people.
Book Review
Reviewed by Danita Dyess for Readers' Favorite
Is being transgender against God and the Bible? That is the question that Cheryl Evans, author of What Does God Think?: Transgender People and the Bible, attempts to answer. Evans, the mother of a daughter and a transgender son, said, "I set out to discover what is at the root of the vast differences in opinions about what God thinks, what the Bible says, and what individuals believe about transgender people." She uses scriptures like Ecclesiastes 11:5, Jeremiah 1:5 and many others to clearly show that God loves all people. Furthermore, she disproves scientific studies entailing the nature versus nurture theory. Readers will discover the difference between sex and gender, the role of social conditioning, and how many are thriving in their lives as a transgender person.
Cheryl Evans did an outstanding job writing What Does God Think?: Transgender People and the Bible. As a Christian, I was uncomfortable with the topic. But as I read about her goal to educate others and discuss the issue calmly, I wanted to know more. Each chapter has a thought-provoking scripture. This nonfiction work is comprehensive, honest and well researched. The Thank You section and Book Club Talking Points were great extras. I appreciated the fact that Evans admitted that she was not an academic or scholar -- that was the pivotal element that will truly touch readers as they identify with her position. Her first book, I Promised Not To Tell, inspired her to write her latest Christian true story. I believe Evans will receive critical acclaim. What Does God Think? is highly recommended.
Cheryl B. Evans
Author
| Website
I Promised Not to Tell: Raising a transgender child
Cheryl B. Evans, author
Book Website |
Details
2017 Bronze Medal Winner in Readers' Favorite International Book Awards. I Promised Not to Tell: Raising a transgender child is a true and honest parenting memoir about one family’s journey to discovering the son they never knew they had.
Cheryl and her husband Jim had two daughters born four years apart. Their eldest, Mariah was a girly girl who loved pink, Barbie dolls and playing dress up. Her younger sister Jordan loved blue, toy trucks and army men. It was presumed that Jordan was a typical tomboy, and these parents were totally okay with that. Both girls were happy and, while they had different interests, they got along very well right from the start.
When their youngest daughter was only a few years of age, she began to put forth a very strong male gender expression and this continued up until the time she reached puberty. Jordan decided to drop the tomboy phase in an effort to embrace the biological girl she was. However, instead of embracing the changes, Jordan experienced a drastic change in behaviour sending a once happy child into a tail spin of depression. After a failed suicide attempt, Cheryl and her husband stepped up to the plate to get their child the help she needed. They eventually learned that Jordan suffers from gender dysphoria and that all the sadness plaguing their youngest daughter was the result of this deeply seated gender struggle.
The family began a journey of learning that developed into one of self discovery for each member of the family. These parents stood together as their family faced a religious statement that this child is ‘not of God’. Mariah and Jordan grow apart and a home often filled with laughter became void of it. It was a trying time. Determination aided this family as they pushed forward in an effort to not just make the road ahead easier for Jordan but, with consideration for all those transgender children that will follow.
The book is a deeply personal account of the steps this family took to keep their family together, to push forward and help Jordan become the healthy and happy young man he is today. Each step of Jordan’s transition from female to male is documented in the hopes it will help others who may have found themselves on a similar path. The underlying thread of this story is love; the consistent and unwavering love these parents have for their children and the steps they took to protect their family.
I Promised Not to Tell is an inspirational book about survival and love that transitions beautifully between the family’s own story and some of the larger issues that face the transgender community today.
Reviews
4.5/5 Stars!
This is a great book for the general public to get an idea of what transgender means but ultimately it is a wonderfully detailed resource for parents of transgender children with a very personal feel. At the end of the book Evans provides her readers with many resources for further information. Evans has done the leg work and successfully raised a confident and much happier son which will hopefully aid other parents in similar situations. If you or someone you know is struggling with gender dysphoria I highly recommend this valuable resource. ~ Laurie Use the link below to read the entire review. http://thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca/2016/08/i-promised-not-to-tell-raising.html
5 Stars!
"I Promised Not to Tell: Raising a Transgender Child is a bright light showing the way to acceptance through knowledge, understanding and love, and it's most highly recommended." - Jack Magnus for Reader's Favorite - 5 Stars!
5 Stars!
"I Promised Not to Tell is quite possibly one of the most important books to date on a very controversial and little understood social issue: transgenderism. If you are facing such a situation with your child, I urge you to read this book. Both you and your child need what Cheryl has so kindly shared with readers and parents. And when you do, I’m sure you will come away impressed not just by the courage shown by Jordan in this book, but by the love Cheryl and her husband have for their children and their compassion for all people. I loved I Promised Not to Tell. Couldn't put it down. Highly recommended reading." ~ Viga Boland for Reader's Favorite