Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Animated
AUTHOR: Kim Fielding
PUBLISHER: Tin Box Press
LENGTH: 93 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2025
BLURB:
World War II veteran Frank Porter was permanently injured during his service as a paratrooper. But that was eight years ago, and now his bum foot is only a small part of his struggle. He never found success in the field of fine art and instead works long hours as an animator in an LA film studio. Fearful about revealing his true self, even to his friends, he’ll be enduring another Christmas alone—except for his two pet frogs.
When his boss orders him to spend a day observing handsome matinee idol Carver Reed—the voice behind the character that Frank is animating—Frank figures he’s in for an embarrassing ordeal. The meeting, however, turns out to be something quite unexpected. Battered but not broken, can Frank find the courage to make one more jump?
REVIEW:
Frank Porter is an animator at a studio that is working on what will hopefully be a very successful film that will keep the studio going. He’s drawing the star of the film, a frog prince, that is going to be voices by matinee idol and Oscar winner Carver Reed. Carver has been the star of his fantasies and he’s incredibly nervous to meet him. His boss insists that his work will be better if he can incorporate the man into the character. There is no way out of it.
When Carver meets Frank, it’s an interesting interplay. He’s nothing that Frank expects. He’s confident but not pompous. He SEES everyone around him. He makes each person feels seen and valued in fact – down to the coffee cart boy. The interaction and conversation between them at the studio makes a huge difference to Frank’s work. He also has ideas about how to improve scenes and he and Carver work together to figure out the approach.
This is all taking place the week before Christmas so there are parties, and plans and decorating and gift buying to handle as well. Frank has been invited to a Christmas celebration, but he has spent his whole life hiding part of who he is and he is getting tired of this and doesn’t want to put in that kind of work over the holidays. Until someone else convinces him that it just might be ok and that there are people in his life who appreciate the entirety of Frank Porter.
Oh how I loved this story! I could see these places and people in my mind’s eye 🙂 This is the time of Hollywood glamor and stars but things are changing. This is an interesting period in history that Ms. Fielding writes about – this post war huge change to society with the GI bill and the building of the middle class. It’s clear that there were “open secrets” in Hollywood over the years of actors/actresses and other creatives who had same sex relationships. Frank has more baggage though with his family history and his war injury that he believes adds to the reasons why nobody would want him anyway. His boss Sylvia and another of his colleagues, Paul, who have been encouraging to him and ultimately accepting of all of him 🙂 But it’s Carver Reed’s interest and acceptance of Frank that makes him think a different life might actually be possible for him. Such a well written story that shows how Frank’s acceptance of himself and he can and will be embraced by others if he allows them into his life. Highly recommended.
RATING: 
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