We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anne Graham. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anne below.

Alright, Anne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

I believe all parents have a huge impact on their children’s future success. When I was a pre-teen my older brother committed a crime that hugely upset the family. I have a crystal clear memory of my mother sitting me down to explain that to me. She then reassured me that I this had nothing to do with me and that I would be a very successful engineer or scientist and would ‘redeem’ this family. That my professional, powerful mother knew this about me has stayed with me my whole life and underlies my strong self-confidence and my career success. My brother took in a message that he was going to have problems in his life and lived down to that message as well. Parents mold their children’s futures.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have led a varied and challenging life born male but knowing I was in the wrong body. In those days there was nothing that one could do about such a feeling but conform to the grooming being.imposed. I served in the Vietnam War as a nuclear trained electrician aboard a fast attack sub. I then went back to college and turned a math degree plus Navy experience into a very successful engineering and engineering management career. In mid-life, 28 years ago, I discovered that I could address my long-suppressed gender dysphoria and I began living as the woman I always knew I should have been. My career blossomed and I discovered genuine love. Married 20 years now to a wonderful guy. I am now retired but I have served my country in time of war, raised two wonderful boys, built factories internationally, created a jewelry store, held elective office and generally had a wonderful life.

Just 5 years ago I saw the need to share my peaceful and happy life as a transgender woman (although I never called myself that…only ‘woman’) and began public speaking. I quickly realized I must write a book to give me access to much larger audiences. My book and life experience are unique as I lived highly contributory lives in both genders after transitioning at age 46. Never having imagined I would write a book, I have gone through a lot of learning experiences in authorship and in finding audiences in meaningful ways to counter the bad stereotypes of transgender folks. The book is available in E-book, paperback, and audible formats. The title is “Tall Annie: A Life in Two Genders.”

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

After imposing on my friends on Facebook and Twitter, opportunities to speak or sell books dried up, I then tried to market through Facebook promoted ads. Even with targeted audiences, a polite and engaging brief book synopsis brought forth vitriol and condemnatory responses. Deeply disturbed me and sold only a very few books. I went to a SCORE workshop and connected to that wonderful SBA funded organization to receive great coaching in how to market a book. First priority was to create a website which has been invaluable in allowing folks to get a sense of who I am and what they might see if they join a presentation or invite me to speak. The second big learning was to promote myself locally into what has now become a self-perpetuating series of invitations to present. I took the bull by the horns and walked into the local smaller newspaper and sold them on writing an article about me and my new book. it was picked up on day two by the large regional newspaper to run on the front page above the fold! The lesson here is self-confidence and boldness… just go ask for what will help you. I have now given dozens of presentations, author events, and book clubs and the invitations keep coming. I have found the path I needed to reach people face-to-face and allow them to see first-hand that transgender people are nothing to fear.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

As a person with a long career in design and construction and engineering, I came late to realizing that I needed to rise to yet another challenge to be creative, informative and entertaining. My early messaging from my mother once again backed me up and gave me the confidence to jump into such a very different world. My disgust at the political demonization of transgender folks that has risen in our culture provided the motivation to learn how to create what I hope is a very readable book as well as become an effective public speaker. I think most ‘non-creatives’ have what it takes to become a ‘creative’ when sufficient motivation presents itself. I believe strongly that my life experience can help change the world, one person at a time. I am out there doing it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tallannie.com
• Facebook: Tallannie: A Life in Two Genders
• Linkedin: Anne Graham ( search Anne Graham, Redmond, Oregon, Linkedin ) ( I cannot seem to find how to bring a more direct link into this )
• Youtube: iamtallannie ( where I have a few videos about my views on transgender people…. some mild personal things …and some stories about my days on the submarine.
• Other: LInk to purchase the book is on the website…
  or direct through this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p8t56kw