It was that enforced invisibility that made Emmett want to share his story in his own words – to reclaim his own narrative years after tabloids cast their own agenda onto his narrative. It sounds naive now but it hadn’t even occurred to me that there were other ways to be and that I could embrace being disabled as an identity.

While Emmett eventually found his own chosen family, he still sees ableism everywhere in society – and says it’s rampant within the LGBTQ+ community too. One of the strengths of this memoir is de Monterey’s ability to convey the constant struggle faced by individuals who exist outside societal norms. He portrays the reductive and violent language thrown at him from various institutions, such as the medical establishment, the education system, and the church. By highlighting these encounters, de Monterey exposes the harmful impact of ableism and homophobia on marginalized communities, forcing readers to confront their own prejudices and biases. Viking has landed debut author Emmett de Monterey’s “beautiful, powerful” memoir Go the Way Your Blood Beats following an exclusive submission. De Monterey’s early life was marked by challenges. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at a young age, an experience that deeply shaped his understanding of identity and difference. Despite these challenges, De Monterey maintained a resilient spirit, using his personal experiences as a source of strength and inspiration in his writing. In this week’s episode Rina and Lauren discuss the importance of connecting with people who share your experience, building a community (hello the fkingnormal podcast!) and just how valuable this is for providing a safe space to cope through difficulties — together. They interview Australian author and advocate Melanie Dimmitt on her journey to accepting her less typical parenting path, what she learnt and what she has gone on to achieve to support others in a similar position.Emmott de Monterey's memoir is a fabulous read that chronicles his journey of growing up disabled and gay in the 1980s and 90s. I was completely engrossed in this book and couldn't put it down. The author's storytelling is a perfect blend of moving, funny, and poignant moments that left a lasting impact. I cannot put my feelings into words ... I am just very grateful that I was able to read his memoir and that he shared his story with us. The title of this engaging memoir exploring Emmett de Monterey’s life growing up gay and disabled (he has cerebral palsy) in 1980s London comes from James Baldwin: “You have to go the way your blood beats. If you don’t live the only life you have, you won’t live some other life, you won’t live any life at all…” In his memoir, De Monterey draws from his personal experiences to provide a vivid account of what it means to navigate the world as a gay, disabled individual. His narrative is marked by his encounters with societal institutions, such as the medical establishment, the education system, and the church, that often perpetuate reductive and violent language towards marginalized communities. From an early age, de Monterey grappled with the realities of living with cerebral palsy, a condition that shaped his understanding of identity and difference. However, he refused to let his disability define him, instead using it as a wellspring of strength and inspiration for his writing.

When Emmett de Monterey is eighteen months old, a doctor diagnoses him with cerebral palsy. Words too heavy for his twenty-five-year-old artist parents and their happy, smiling baby. De Monterey, who is a trained psychotherapist, commented: “Writing this book has been a wonderful, rewarding experience. I’ve so enjoyed working with Isabel, who is a remarkable and sensitive editor. I’m thrilled it’s being published by Viking.” De Monterey, a seasoned writer and traveler, takes readers on an extraordinary journey through his own experiences, delving into themes of identity, culture, and the pursuit of self-discovery. His unique perspective and engaging storytelling make “Go the Way Your Blood Beats” a compelling read that resonates with readers from all walks of life. Before becoming an acclaimed author, De Monterey held various roles that further enriched his perspective. He worked as a travel guide, exploring different cultures and landscapes, a journalist, reporting on social and cultural issues, and an advocate for the disabled community, using his platform to raise awareness and promote inclusivity. To them I was the boy on the telly who’d flown to America to get fixed, so they saw me as rejecting them as a disabled community because I’d tried to ‘fix’ myself.”Facing rejection from his peers at that pivotal time in his life led Emmett to hope he would find greater acceptance in the gay community – but his early experiences in gay bars and queer venues left him feeling more alienated than ever. ‘I’m too gay for the disabled people and I’m too disabled for the gays, so where do I go?’ Even though he was still just a child, he also had to come to terms with the fact that many in the disabled community were not best pleased by his documentary and media coverage. In fact, many felt angry and let down. In the months that followed, Emmett struggled to accept the outcome of his surgery. There were small improvements, but he still had cerebral palsy. Emmett de Monterey’s memoir, “Go the Way Your Blood Beats,” offers a captivating and poignant account of his life as a gay, disabled individual growing up in 1980s London. Drawing from his personal experiences, de Monterey provides readers with a vivid exploration of the challenges and triumphs he faced in a society that was both ableist and homophobic.

The book is raw and intimate, showing his childhood experiences of, in Emmett’s own words, his “double difference”. As a reader, I felt so many emotions. I felt angry, sad, ashamed for the behaviour of general society, afraid for the author; while his first experience of Pride made me smile. Emmett’s story starts with his premature birth, weighing a tiny 1lb 1oz. His survival seems miraculous, though after reading his memoir, I’m sure the author would not appreciate this terminology. We travel through his diagnosis with cerebral palsy, and his understanding and acceptance of being gay; the behaviour and attitudes of others in the brutal 1980s and 90s.

I’d told Joanna I was gay when I was 16, while lying on my living room carpet, listening to REM. Although I had finally said the words out loud, I wasn’t sure I believed it, if I knew what the words would mean for me. I still felt like the bullied boy, my eyes fixed to the whiteboard, ignoring the sting of spitballs on my collar and the breaktime shouts of “bender”. I would catch the train home on Fridays, fizzing with freedom. Sometimes I would buy a gay magazine, if the newsagent wasn’t too crowded, but the photos of smooth-muscled perfection only increased my feelings of alienation. I hid them under my mattress – they didn’t seem to promise a bright future, a party I could join. I have cerebral palsy and, as a disabled person, I felt my sexuality would always be theoretical. What did it matter, really, what I called myself? https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/451111/go-the-way-your-blood-beats-by-monterey-emmett-de/9780241570531 The memoir’s strength lies in De Monterey’s ability to vividly depict the cultural nuances and complexities he encounters along the way. Through his evocative prose, readers are transported to distant lands, where they can almost taste the flavors, hear the sounds, and feel the emotions that permeate each chapter. The author’s keen observations and introspective reflections invite readers to question their own beliefs and biases, fostering a deeper appreciation for the diversity that enriches our global community. In this memoir, Emmett de Monterey tells us what it was like growing up as a disabled queer kid in 1980s London. In clear, sometimes harsh and sometimes tender, words, he takes us on a journey that is his life and that he could not simply end to return to another (desired) one. Emmett is painfully honest, brutally so in places. His strong voice is bold, brave and courageous. The book shows the resilience of human nature. To have encountered such narrow-minded and judgemental attitudes, and now to be happy and comfortable in your own skin, is to be celebrated.

Banijay Rights has revealed the return of their “Big Brother” format to MultiChoice‘s M-Net in Nigeria following a two-season renewal by the network. Produced by Red Pepper Pictures, the eighth season of “Big Brother Nigeria” will launch later this month. The deal marks M-Net’s first ever two-season acquisition of “Big Brother,” with the ninth season set to broadcast in 2024. De Monterey’s prose is engaging and emotionally charged, drawing readers into his world and allowing them to experience the highs and lows of his journey. His writing style is both introspective and introspective, inviting readers to empathize with his struggles and triumphs. Through his storytelling, de Monterey creates a sense of connection and understanding, fostering a deeper appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit.Emmett de Monterey added: “I’m thrilled and delighted that Genesius Pictures will be developing my book for TV. I’ve admired the company ever since seeing their beautiful film ‘Mrs Lowry & Son,’ and am sure they will bring the same originality and sensitivity to telling my story.”