ACT COOL

A charming, heart-breaking yet hopeful novel about being transgender, dealing with family and friends, and pursuing dreams.

August Greene just nailed the audition of a lifetime. Doing so landed him a coveted spot as a junior at the prestigious School of Performing Arts in New York, where real-deal actors are born. There's just one problem. To get into his dream school, he had to run away from his small-town conservative parents who refuse to accept that he's transgender.

If August wants to stay with his quirky aunt in the city, he must promise his parents he won't transition and continue to play the role of their daughter. Because August is an actor to the core, he's convinced he can play the part his parents want while acting cool and confident in the company of his talented new friends. But who does August want to be when the lights go down? And where does he turn when the roles start hitting a little too close to home?

From Tobly McSmith, author of Indies Introduce Top pick Stay Gold, comes an honest and thoughtful standalone sophomore novel about a transgender teen following his dreams of becoming an actor, and staying true to himself during the journey. Perfect for fans of Symptoms of Being Human and This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story.


Tobly McSmith is the co-creator/writer of seven somewhat successful musical parodies including Friends! The Musical! (New York, North American Tour, Vegas Residence). Tobly is also the author of Stay Gold, his debut novel. This is his second. Tobly was born in Texas. He now lives in Brooklyn with his two cats, Bam-Bam and Bananas McSmith. Tobly is proud to be transgender.