TopShelf Magazine June 2023

PRIDE & JOY

ROGER LESLIE

Exclusive Interview

Dr. Roger Leslie is a scholar in the fields of success and education.

Through major literary houses, medium and small presses, and his own publishing house, Leslie has published fiction and nonfiction books in multiple genres: historical fiction, inspirational selfhelp, spirituality, writing and publishing, movie reference, teaching and librarianship, biography, history, and memoir.

Q: WHEN DID YOU BEGIN CRAFTING YOUR MEMOIR, LIGHT COME OUT OF THE CLOSET: MEMOIR OF A GAY SOUL?

The idea for the memoir came to me in 2019, and I began writing it with the working title The Divine Gift. For most of my life, memories of my pre-teen and teen years pricked old pains I’d attributed to religion and some adults during those years. As a man, I adopted a belief that perspective shapes everything. Reflecting on those years to start this book, I wondered how I might rethink those experiences if I perceived them as a divine gift that gave me the courage to live my life as I have since then.

Q: WHAT THEMES DOES YOUR MEMOIR UNCOVER?

Perception creates our reality is a central theme of this book. It’s easy and disempowering to believe that someone else can hurt us. In this memoir, I retrace several significant moments in my childhood that led me to withdraw from the world. Some major events—such as being pawed at and prayed over by zealous congregates at my aunt’s Pentecostal church—traumatized but eventually emboldened me. As significantly, tiny moments where my loved ones spat seemingly innocuous gay slurs convinced me that how I was born made me unclean and unlovable. At least that was my perception, and that’s what led me into and through the dark night of my soul.

Another theme I explore is the mind’s mistaken tendency to overgeneralize. Often as a child, our family, our school, and our church are our worlds. I made the mistake of thinking that my narrow suburban enclave represented the world. Had I understood the vast diversity that exists in this glorious universe, I would have treated myself with more grace and compassion while learning lessons that shaped my life.

Finally, I loved distinguishing between religion and spirituality. Religion gave me rules and disciplines, which turned out to be very empowering. But individualized spirituality stirs our passions and reveals our innate wisdom that makes us who we really are.

Q: WHAT AGE WERE YOU

WHEN YOU REALIZED YOU WERE GAY?

I always knew I was gay, although I didn’t know what that meant until I reached puberty. From my earliest years, I perceived myself as different from most other children. I liked intellectual and artistic pursuits, which ostracized me from most of my peers. I believe my biggest mistake at the time was defining myself as the odd-man-out—of my family, of my classroom, of my religion. That perception led me to feel very lonely and despondent. This all happened to me during the 1960s and 1970s when representation of gay people in our culture was either nonexistent or damning. I knew I was neither like nor attracted to the extreme examples represented in media. Because of that perspective, naïve as it sounds, I spent most of my youth thinking I was the only person in the world who felt exactly as I did. The conclusion I drew: I would have to live my entire life without love. Hopelessness spiraled me down into the dark night of my soul. To find the light, I had to come to terms with myself exactly as I was.

Q: DID YOU EVER TURN AWAY FROM YOUR FAITH DUE TO NEGATIVE FEELINGS AS AN OUTSIDER?

No, but I turned away from the religion of my youth. I have always been a rule-follower. As a boy I wanted most to earn the respect of my parents and teachers. So, I did everything my family, my school, and my religion taught was honorable. My greatest struggle came from trying to reconcile how my

behavior—which revealed my character—could unilaterally be negated by the fact that I was gay—something I didn’t choose but which was true of me since birth. Through that struggle, however, I began to think that maybe God didn’t damn, but religions and people did. In my effort to find my faith, I let go of the strict religion of my childhood.

featured in the book. Others don’t yet know. But I learned long ago from many great authors, you must take risks in writing. I tell my writing students and clients, “In the first draft, bare your soul. Decide during the revision stages if you’ve shared anything too personal.” At this stage in my writing career, I’m all for baring my soul and leaving every personal detail in the final draft. Readers connect with authors who are willing to be vulnerable and share the painful mistakes they made on their journey to something better. I definitely do that in this book.

Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO STRUGGLED LIKE YOU DID IN THE BEGINNING?

I live by a strict rule: I only say positive and encouraging things. Of course, that makes me quite an anomaly, but I have learned to embrace being an odd-man-out in this context. Any interesting writing requires conflict. To tap into the pulse of this book, I had to share instances in my childhood where people treated me, or others, unkindly. The challenge was to describe their behavior objectively, but honestly. For some minor characters, I changed their names, as I never want to hurt anyone’s feelings. With at least one central figure from my childhood, I used her real name because her actions still resonate so powerfully in my psyche. Writing about her proved cathartic. My memories of her used to focus on only the hurt. When writing this book, I discovered an entire complex relationship I had with her that made her more approachable and even instrumental in helping me develop personal courage.

Q: WERE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS SUPPORTIVE WHEN YOU PUBLISHED YOUR MEMOIR?

The book will be published in a few weeks, so except for my editor, my publicist, and several reviewers, no one else has read it. Because I only say positive, encouraging things, most of my family and friends are excited to read the book and find themselves in it. Some of those people I’ve told are

Trust yourself. What you feel and think are valid. Assumptions you may make about yourself, others, and even the world are not ironclad. They are perspectives, and you’re free to change your perspective on any topic, even yourself, at any time. As you work through a struggle, treat yourself with grace and patience. You WILL reach your desired outcome, and you CAN live the life you dream.

Q: WHEN WAS THE AH-HA MOMENT WHERE YOU BEGAN TO ACCEPT YOURSELF AS IS?

The climactic scene of the memoir describes that awestriking, lifechanging epiphany. Although I won’t spoil it by describing it here, I am convinced that we set our mission in life even before we start it. As we progress along our life’s journey, we encounter a series of inspirations that thrill us into imagining how wonderful life can be. Those inspirations feel like new beginnings. They are not. They are part of a continuum set

Q: WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART FOR YOU WHEN WRITING YOUR MEMOIR?

up for our success. Before we ever get an inspiration, life sets in our path every person and skill we need to make that dream come true. We are an integral part of realizing that success, but we never do it alone. Life is guiding us to our destiny.

Q: HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN TEACHING, MENTORING, AND IN PUBLISHING CAREERS?

I encourage all people to recognize and follow life’s “fateful detours.” Since age 13 I knew I wanted to be an author. When I was an English major in undergraduate school, an acquaintance asked me what I was studying to be. I declared proudly, “I am going to be an author.”

Sincere as can be, he replied, “You know you can’t make a living being a writer?”

In the instant, his comment jarred me. But it also inspired me to change my major to English education. I planned to teach a few years until my writing career burgeoned. Once in the classroom, I discovered I loved teaching. When I did hit it big as an author, I felt called to help make other authors’ journeys to publication easier and faster. That led to my being an editor, writing coach, and publisher.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MOST FAVORITE TOPICS TO SHARE WITH YOUR AUDIENCES AS A RENOWNED INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER?

I love to inspire and empower. My doctoral research focused on success, so I share exciting insights about the qualities that all successful people master. Living and writing about My First Last Year led to my FLY (First Last Year) courses where I lead people through fulfilling their grandest dreams. As a movie award expert, I am also in demand as a keynote speaker where I relate award-winning movies to any group or interest. Audiences are stunned by how much information I have committed to memory. Some people say I am “an encyclopedic compendium of film knowledge.” Others say I have “thousands of useless bits of information in my brain.” Those events are

especially fun.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST LAST YEAR COURSES THAT YOU TEACH?

The idea for those FLY courses came even before I lived my first last year. One night I had a dream where I was told to live the next 365 days as if I’d never experience those calendar dates again. I wasn’t told I would die within a year, but, as with anything in life, I wasn’t guaranteed I wouldn’t. I was instructed to pack everything I wanted to do, see, and say to others into that one year so that when I reached the end of my life, whenever it was, I could die with no regrets. In that dream, I was also told to journal my experiences and publish it as a book, and then teach others how to get the most from their lives as well. That year was the most meaningful of my life. The resulting book became a huge hit and was named #1 Inspirational Book of the Year by Writers Digest. Since then, I have been teaching FLY courses where I help FLYers identify their dreams, their strengths, and their values, and then guide them through the fulfillment of their grandest lifelong goals. The FLY courses continue to evolve. Currently, I am writing books that support each FLYer’s journey so they can highlight the milestones of their year.

Q: WHERE AND HOW CAN PEOPLE TAKE YOUR FLY COURSES?

Anyone can visit the FLY page of my website, RogerLeslie. com, to learn more about the courses. People who subscribe to my email list are the first to learn when I’ll be offering them again.

Q: WHERE CAN READERS FIND YOU AND YOUR BOOKS ONLINE?

A search for “Dr. Roger Leslie” or “Roger Leslie, author” will lead to hundreds of sites about my books, awards, interviews, articles, speeches, and courses. On my website, RogerLeslie.com, visitors can sign up for my inspiring

emails or learn about how I can help them through my writing, editing, coaching, publishing, and teaching.

ROGER LESLIE, PHD AWARDS & HONORS

• An inaugural Inductee to the Jersey Village High School Wall of Fame, January 28, 2023.

• Galena Park chapter of the National English Honor Society created as the Dr. Roger Leslie National English Honor Society, 2023.

• Texas Association of Authors Best Nonfiction Spiritual Book for Divine Destiny, 2020

• Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Award named My First Last Year #1 Inspirational Book of the Year, 2019

• Inaugural winner of the Houston Literary Award from Houston Public Library Foundation, 2019

• Texas Association of Authors Best Nonfiction Entertainment Book for Oscar’s Favorite Actors, 2018

• Texas Association of Authors Best Autobiography for My First Last Year, 2015

• Dissertation of the Year nomination from Northcentral University, 2012

• Dissertation Poster Session of the Year nomination from Northcentral University, 2012

• Educator of the Month, North Channel Chamber of Commerce, November 2005

• Ben Franklin Silver Award for Success Express for Teens as Best Psychology/Self-Help Book, 2004

• Foreword Magazine Bronze Award for Success Express for Teens as Best Family & Relationship Book, 2004

• Proclamation from the city of Galena Park, TX declaring April 1, 2004 “Roger Leslie Day”

• Outstanding Service Award, Project Hope of Houston, 2001-2002

• Outstanding Young Men of America, 1996-1999

• Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, 1992-1996

• Texas A & M Honors Program and Academic Scholarship

Award, 1994

• Galena Park Citizens Award for writing the book Galena Park: the Community That Shaped

• its own History, 1993

• 10 x 10 1-act play writing contest award for “Pardon This Interruption, Teachers,” 1992

• Outstanding Teacher in Texas award, the University of Texas, 1992

• Teacher of the Year, G.P.H.S. student body, 1992

• Spotlighted on “Teachers Make a Difference,” ABC News, 1990

• Galena Park I.S.D. District Teacher of the Year, 1989

ABOUT ROGER LESLIE, PHD

Dr. Roger Leslie is a scholar in the fields of success and education. Through major literary houses, medium and small presses, and his own publishing house, Leslie has published fiction and nonfiction books in multiple genres: historical fiction, inspirational self-help, spirituality, writing and publishing, movie reference, teaching and librarianship, biography, history, and memoir.

Leslie has won numerous national awards including ForeWord Book of the Year, The Ben Franklin Award, and Writer’s Digest’s #1 Inspirational Book of the Year. At its inaugural event, Leslie received the Houston Literary Award for his body of work.

Leslie is in demand as a teacher, coach, and keynote speaker. He leads FLY (First Last Year) courses based on his blockbuster memoir, My First Last Year. He draws from decades as an author, editor, and publisher to coach writers in groups and individually. He is also a soughtafter speaker for his lively, entertaining keynotes relating award-winning movies to any topic or group.

In every book and presentation, Leslie entertains, inspires, and empowers people to live the life they dream and soar toward their own ideal of success. For more, visit RogerLeslie.com.

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