Fitting In

Fitting In: A MemoirFitting In is a powerful true story about finding yourself when the world keeps telling you that you don’t belong. It starts with Jeremie getting out of prison after serving a long prison sentence. From there, the book takes us back to his childhood in Indiana, where he grew up feeling like an outsider. Bullied at school and misunderstood at home, he found comfort in books and in the kind words of his Greek grandmother, Yia Yia. After she died in a tragic accident, her poem about a lost sailboat stayed with him forever-reminding him never to let the world change who he is.Later, Jeremie chased success in real estate with help from his distant father. He made millions, but it didn’t bring happiness. Hoping for a fresh start, he moved to New York and became adult film actor Jeremy Tyler. For a while, it felt like he was finally accepted-but that came at the cost of his self-worth.Things fell apart again when he was convicted in a real estate case based on documents proven to be fabricated by forensic evidence and sent to federal prison. Life behind bars was tough-he struggled with depression, addiction, and the pain of being forgotten.Life after prison wasn’t easy but that was nothing new to Jeremy. Pushed aside by society because of his criminal record and family because of his sexuality, he turned to escorting just to survive. But even in those hard times, he never gave up and even earned his culinary degree and a second degree in Spanish education. Moving back to New York to be with Adrian gave him a second chance. There, he realized his story had already helped people-including a young man named Jonathon, who found hope and strength through Jeremy’s cooking and fitness advice.Fitting In is a story about struggle, strength, and self-acceptance. It reminds us that fitting in isn’t about changing who we are-it’s about learning to love ourselves, no matter what we’ve been through.