I. W. Gregorio

I.W. Gregorio is a practicing surgeon and author of young adult fiction who writes about diverse characters and challenging social topics. Her work draws from both her medical background and her advocacy for marginalized communities. Her debut novel "None of the Above" (2015) tells the story of a teenage girl who discovers she is intersex, and became one of the first mainstream young adult books to feature an intersex protagonist. The novel received recognition from the American Library Association's Rainbow List and was a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Gregorio co-founded We Need Diverse Books, a nonprofit organization that promotes diversity in children's literature. She serves on the board of directors for interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth and frequently speaks at medical schools and conferences about intersex topics. Her writing appears in various anthologies including "The Other F-Word" and "(Don't) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health." As both an author and surgeon, she maintains involvement in both the medical and literary communities while advocating for representation in young adult literature.

Readers consistently note I.W. Gregorio's ability to handle sensitive medical and identity topics with care and accuracy. Her medical background lends authenticity to the clinical aspects of her stories. What readers liked: - Educational value while remaining engaging - Authentic portrayal of medical experiences - Clear, accessible explanations of complex topics - Strong character development - Balance of medical and emotional elements What readers disliked: - Some found the pacing slow in middle sections - Medical terminology occasionally overwhelming - Supporting characters could be underdeveloped Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: "None of the Above" - 3.9/5 (13,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 average across books Barnes & Noble: 4.4/5 average Notable reader comment: "As someone in healthcare, I appreciated how Gregorio presents medical information without losing the human story" - Goodreads reviewer Critical comment: "The medical aspects were well-done but sometimes overshadowed character relationships" - Amazon reviewer

None of the Above (2015) A teenage girl who believes she has a normal life discovers she is intersex after a medical examination following her homecoming queen nomination, leading her to navigate identity, friendship, and self-acceptance in her conservative town.

Additional contributions: • Essay in The Other F-Word anthology • Essay in (Don't) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health anthology

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