Mason Deaver, a newcomer to the YA writing scene, has just published their first novel, I Wish You All the Best (2019). The book has been well received since its publication since it serves as a guiding light for those who can relate to Ben, the protagonist. The movie adaptation of the novel is almost complete. Filming is scheduled to begin this autumn, according to Tommy Dorfman, the movie’s writer and director, and Deaver has verified that it will begin in October. The two also shared the news that they are holding an open audition for the part of Ben.
Although progress has been made with casting, no further details are currently available to the public. Ben de Backer, the protagonist of IWYATB, is a non-binary kid whose parents throw them out when they come out as transgender to them. So, they decide to join their sister Hannah and her husband Thomas at their new home. Although they are happy to have Ben in their lives, the two are still dealing with anxiety brought on by their parents’ rejection. So Ben does his best to blend in at his new high school. Meeting Nathan, though, has brightened Ben’s outlook on life. Dorfman had a solid acting resume prior to her role on IWYATB. Fans of the Netflix series Thirteen Reasons Why may remember her from that role. The 2020 series Love in the Time of Corona and films like The Shuroo Princess marked her most recent appearances in the industry.
She is making her directing and writing debuts with IWYATB. With Dorfman on board, it’s clear that trans and non-binary individuals can look forward to evening more representation in the media. I Wish You All the Greatest was praised by NPR, The New York Times Book Review, BuzzFeed, and many other newspapers after its release, and was named one of the best books of 2019 by Autostraddle, Book Riot, and other media outlets. The novel was also included in Cosmo’s list of the top 100 books for young adults. I’ll Be Home Christmas, a novella written by Deaver and published the year after I’ll Write You a Terrible Book takes place immediately after the events of IWYATB.
They’ve since written three more novels under their own names: 2015’s The Feeling of Falling in Love and 2016’s The Ghosts We Keep, both of which are unique to Audible. Short stories written by them have been included in a variety of anthologies. I Wish You All the Best has not yet been given a release date.