Blind Melissa Whitney has written a romance novel to show the “fun, sexy” side of the disabled community – San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Fullerton-based author Melissa Whitney grew up blind and tirelessly consumed media representation of the blind community, hoping to connect with inclusive characters who reflected her and her disability.

“I always wanted a book in which I could see myself as the main character,” Whitney said. “I can think of very few truly amazing depictions of blindness.”

To celebrate Blindness Awareness Month in October, Whitney released her latest book, At First Smile, on October 1, which features her first blind character. At First Smile is a romance novel about a blind social media influencer and a semi-famous hockey player who has a chance encounter when something deeper blossoms.

Author Melissa Whitney signs her latest book “At First Smile” at Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday, October 12th. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

Author Melissa Whitney presents her white cane earrings at a Disability in Fiction event at Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday, October 12. White Cane Awareness Day is October 15th and October is Blindness Awareness Month. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

The Disabled Author and the Story Shelf on Saturday, October 12, at the Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia. Underdog Bookstore is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to highlight underrepresented authors such as authors of color, indie authors, authors with disabilities, and more. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

A sign at the Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday October 12th. Underdog Bookstore is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to highlight underrepresented authors such as authors of color, indie authors, disabled authors, and more. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

Orange County author Melissa Whitney’s latest book, “At First Smile,” is a romance novel about a hockey sports star and a blind disability influencer. Whitney spoke at an event on disability in fiction at the Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday, October 12th. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

Orange County author Melissa Whitney’s dog, Milo, at an event on disability in fiction at the Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday, October 12. Milo inspired some favorite characters in her books. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

Orange County author Melissa Whitney (left) and Underdog Bookstore owner Kealie Mardell-Carrera (right) speak about disability in fiction at the Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday, October 12. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

Orange County author Melissa Whitney’s latest book, “At First Smile,” is a romance novel about a hockey sports star and a blind disability influencer. Whitney spoke at an event for authors with disabilities in fiction at the Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday, October 12. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

Pasadena resident Sally Kruegar-Wyman (left) listens to author Melissa Whitney’s advice on writing disabled characters at the Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

Orange County author Melissa Whitney’s latest book, “At First Smile,” is a romance novel about a hockey sports star and a blind disability influencer. Whitney spoke at an event for authors with disabilities in fiction at the Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday, October 12. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

Author Melissa Whitney poses for a photo with her latest book, “At First Smile,” at Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday, October 12. October is Blindness Awareness Month. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

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Author Melissa Whitney signs her latest book “At First Smile” at Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia on Saturday, October 12th. (Photo by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.)

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At a book signing and question-and-answer session for the new book held at the Underdog Bookstore in Old Town Monrovia on Saturday, October 12, Whitney spoke about her motivation to write about disability in fiction and to advocate for the blind community.

Her goal is to write accurate and entertaining love stories with characters “who happen to have disabilities,” the author said. She often finds that books with disabled characters are about “more negativity” or that they feed into the community’s stereotypes.

“There’s still a perception that books with disabled characters automatically have a broader theme, and that shows where we’re at with disability stories,” Whitney said, adding that the romance genre is “therapeutic” for her , when it comes to writing about it. “There’s some emotion in my books, but ‘At First Smile’ is a funny, sexy romantic comedy. Disabled people and characters can feel joy and fun, and we can be more than just sad or inspirational.”

Whitney found that writing romance novels that highlighted disabled characters was a natural way to challenge narratives about disabled people.

“It doesn’t happen often enough that people with disabilities and sex are in the same conversation,” she said. “I wanted to show a disabled person who both wants sex and is sexually desirable, because we are often seen as asexual beings or treated as a fetish.”

At Saturday’s event, the author, who uses a blind cane, also wore themed earrings in honor of Blindness Awareness Month and White Cane Awareness Day on October 15 – honoring the tool that helps blind people feel freer and more independent move, says the National Association of the Blind.

While Whitney – and by extension her characters – is proud to be disabled, she doesn’t want them to ever be seen as just disabled.

“But at the same time you have to look at it because this disability is going to affect the way disabled people experience the world and also the way they experience relationships,” she said.

For Kealie Mardell-Carrera, the new owner of Monrovia’s Underdog Bookstore, disabled authors have a special place and meaning. The nonprofit’s mission is to highlight underrepresented authors, including authors of color, indie authors, authors with disabilities, and more.

Mardell-Carrera struggled with various disabilities most of her life and was an ambulatory wheelchair user. She was “overjoyed” to see a disabled author represented at her bookstore’s event.

“As a physically disabled person, I used to feel pushed out of working in a bookstore,” said Mardell-Carrera, 31. “Many bookstores have requirements for the ability to stand, lift a certain amount of weight, etc. To be able to ensure that I would have absolutely never imagined that something like this would never happen and that everyone would feel welcomed and welcome.”

Pasadena resident Sally Krueger-Wyman was inspired when she heard another disabled author write characters that reflected her disability.

“I liked the talk about how a character is not just their disability, but that they are a full human being,” said Krueger-Wyman, 32. “Those of us who have a disability are obviously not who we are …not the whole picture.” But you are not just your disability.”

Like Whitney and Mardell-Carrera, Krueger-Wyman advocates for more positive and nuanced representation of people with disabilities as executive director and co-founder of the Los Angeles Dysautonomia Network. The group hosts a quarterly “Sick Lit Book Club” to discuss books written by authors with chronic illnesses and disabilities or on these topics.

Whitney’s other romance novels feature characters with autism, complex trauma, and more. She has more books planned and is in the process of completing a magical realism novel.

At First Smile is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and wherever books are sold. For updates, follow Melissa Whitney at @melissa_whitneyauthor or melissawhitneywrites.com.