Megan Leyman has just completed her first novel — a fiction story loosely inspired by her own experiences growing up.
“The Trip Between the Two,” centres around Max, a character who’s never felt comfortable in his own body and secretly dresses up in women’s clothes at home. After a fall at work, Max wakes up five years later transformed into Una — living as a woman and working in her dream job.
“I’ve always been into anime and manga,” 35 year-old Megan explains.
“I love stories that explore gender, identity, transformation — especially ones with a magical or surreal twist. My book draws on that, and on real life. That feeling of waking up in the body you wish you had — it’s something I’ve always dreamed about.”
When Megan first started experimenting with her own gender identity at 13, it was in private moments — experimenting with her mum’s clothes when no one else was home, trying not to get caught.
But curiosity, self-reflection, and the support of the women in her life planted a seed that would grow into something more permanent — not just a personal transformation, but a creative one too.
“I always had better relationships with the women in my life,” Megan explains. “My mum, my nan, my aunties, my cousins. I was always drawn to their world, and I wanted to understand it.”
As a teenager, she began buying her own clothes — experimenting with fashion from New Look and H&M, pouring over magazines and building a private wardrobe. “I’d wait for people to leave the house. There was something so freeing about dressing up. Even back then, putting on makeup or a dress made me feel more like me.”
Eventually, Megan came out to her family and started her transition journey. She’s currently on hormones, with surgery on the horizon — a goal she’s working toward while also managing the practical challenges, including the need to lose weight before she qualifies for bottom surgery.
“I don’t love every part of my body,” she says. “But I’m learning to work with what I’ve got. Even if I go through surgery, there will always be bits I adapt to. That’s part of it.”
“If I can’t wear something feminine, I’ll soften my voice, or wear a little make up.” She remembers vividly the first time she went out in public presenting as female. “It was a summer’s day in Duston village. I wore a wig, padded bra, women’s T-shirt and shorts — just walking down to get my legs waxed.
I was nervous about people’s reactions, but you know what? Most people really don’t care what you’re wearing. I realised it’s not always about how others see you — it’s how you feel in your own skin.”
Family acceptance has been a mixed journey. “My mum’s still getting used to it. My dad and I don’t have the best relationship. My younger brother sometimes struggles with the idea — he says he’ll keep calling me Matt until I’ve had surgery. That’s hard. But my stepdad has been supportive in his own way, and that means something. It’s still a learning curve for all of us.”
Now in her 30s, Megan has legally changed her name from Matt to Megan, and fully identifies as female. “I don’t like putting too many labels on myself,” she says. “Trans woman, pre-surgery… I just see myself as a happier version of me.”
Living at home with her mum, stepdad, and their cat, Megan who works in a local bakery,
is currently focusing on her writing.
Extract from The Trip Between the Two
While waiting for the public transport for work, Max got his phone out of his trouser pocket to decide on what songs to listen to this morning and after scrolling through an endless list of songs that he liked, he hit play on one he hadn’t heard before.
“Cameron’s in drag, makes his father mad. Since he was a little boy he always felt more comfortable in lipstick. People call him fag, teachers turn their backs. Off the bus he runs and runs to get home before anyone can catch him. These days the world is full of aliens. The world is full of aliens. But you are a real, live human. Aren’t you, Cameron?”
Just as I want to get my mind off of the other thing, this song comes up, thought Max and decided to skip to another song.
“You’re such a delicate boy. In the hysterical realm. Of an emotional landslide. In physical terms. With your cherry lips and golden curls. You could make grown men gasp when you go walking past them. In your hot pants and high heels. They could not believe that such a body was for real. It seemed like rainbows would appear. Whenever you came near the clouds would disappear. Because you looked just like a girl. Your baby blues would flash and suddenly a spell was cast.”
“I’d been blogging about my journey for the past four years, blending personal experiences with fiction to help others facing similar challenges,” she explains.
The first in a trilogy Megan is creating, “The Trip Between the Two’ is Megan’s first novel. It took around six months to write, with her dedicating two to three hours a day to crafting the plot and shaping the characters.
Published by Olympia Publishers, the book has received some good reviews on Goodreads, Megan said. One review stated: I highly recommend this book to fellow readers. The story is engaging, fast-paced, and never dull. It offers a powerful and eye-opening glimpse into the experiences of gender-diverse individuals.
“It’s about visibility really. If someone reads my blog or my book and feels less alone, that means the world.”
“The Trip Between the Two” can be purchased on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trip-Between-Two-Megan-Leyman/dp/1835433286
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