Never judge an Author by her cover

On January 9, 2006 The New York Times sent shockwaves through the literary world when it unmasked it boy wunderkind JT LeRoy, whose tough prose about a sordid childhoodhad captivated icons and luminaries internationally. It turned out LeRoy didnt actually exist. He was the creative expression of 40-year-old San Francisco former phone-sex operatorturned housewife, Laura Albert. Author: The JT LeRoy Story takes us down the infinitely fascinating rabbit hole of how Laura Albertlike a Cyrano de Bergerac on steroidsbreathednot only words, but life, into her avatar for a decade. Alberts epic and entertaining account plunges us into a glittery world of rock shows, fashion events, and the Cannes redcarpet where LeRoy becomes a mysterious sensation. As she recounts this astonishing odyssey, Albert also reveals the intricate web spun by irrepressible creative forces within her.Her extended and layered JT LeRoy performance still infuriates many; but according to Albert, channeling her brilliant fiction through another identity was the only possible path toself-expression.