Under Her Breath

Hannah is a transgender woman in her late twenties, living in the UK where she works as a marine biologist. She has largely put her physical transition behind her to focus on her career, her life and loves. She travels back from a scientific expedition in Greenland, that was curtailed by bad weather, to resume her academic position as a university lecturer. Though her research was cut short, she is unaware that old friends are helping out. One of those is about to re-enter her life as this story reveals. Hannah is an autistic trans woman and pansexual, but she cannot be defined or limited by those simple labels. She is so much more. She is a free spirit with a zest for life, she is a scientist with a hungry mind and a romantic with a heart that yearns for love. Who is she, exactly? She would say she is just a woman and that is how we should acknowledge her. In this story, you'll discover a young woman who is no different from anyone else who has overcome a medical issue. She simply asks to live a meaningful life, to be accepted and, like all transgender people, deserves to be given that basic consideration. Transgender people are a part of our richly diverse society and want nothing more than to be part of it. Rich descriptions embellish every part of the narrative, with well observed details that bring the reader into the moment. Overall there is a gentle pace with touching moments of both humour and sadness without mawkish sentiment. Around 13k words.