Children's Fairy Tale Featuring Same-Sex Marriage And A Lesbian Princess Hits Bookshelves
(CBS SF) -- Two princes fall in love, marry and are rescued by a lesbian princess in this new children's fairy tale book that hit international bookshelves, major retailers and local libraries.
Published in February by Sacramento author Jeffrey Miles, "The Princes and The Treasure" is the story of undefeated champion Gallant and shy bookworm Earnest and their quest to rescue Princess Elena. Along the way, the princes realize "the greatest treasure in the land" is not what they expected.
Miles, a professor of management at the University of the Pacific, said he was inspired to write his first children's book after watching a live-action show at an amusement park that featured a prince and princesses, according to The Advocate.
"I suddenly wondered, 'Why aren't there any gay princes or lesbian princesses? Why can't the handsome prince marry another handsome prince? Why can't a damsel in distress be rescued by a beautiful princess?'" he told The Advocate. "When I got home from the trip, I thought, 'I have to get busy and create my own prince and prince romantic adventure story.'"
Born and raised in a very conservative part of the Midwest, Miles knew from an early age that he was gay and found it frustrating there weren't any children's books with gay characters, according to Outword Magazine.
Public reaction to the book has been overwhelmingly positive, Miles said, with public libraries in New York and Sacramento adding the book to their collections.
Miles, who said the story serves as guide for all kinds of parents to talk to children about same-sex couples, is working on two more books for The Princes series.