Hello Darlings

The glamour, the gloss and the glitter … Hello, Darlings.

When the spotlight calls, you have to answer. That’s what most drag queens and kings say when asked how they got into this business. But the surprising thing is, not many ever thought about getting into drag, until they did.

The fifty-four entertainers in this book face-off their non-drag personas in personal essays that take us backstage to the not-so-glamorous side of their shows and the hilarious things that happen along the way. The long and arduous process of being fabulous can be very painful, but so transformative.

‘It takes me around two hours to paint my mug and then around thirty minutes to get dressed and all that, but I do have to take my time. I am a diva.’ Michelle Mayhem

‘Beyoncé said, “pretty hurts”. And it does. Seriously. The front, backside, corset and everything is itchy. It is uncomfortable. It stinks. But it’s beautiful.’ Danni Issues

And they also provide sage advice for those struggling with identity issues or who face violence for being who they are, because they’ve been there. They know how hard it can be. They also know that it gets better, because you will find your people, as they did in the drag communities around Australia.

These beautifully told stories are from their hearts to yours. They will transform the way you see drag performers because each story is unique in the path taken, but all of them are welcoming and uplifting. Hello, Darlings will move you.

About the Author

Richard Wiesel is a photographer based out of Sydney, Australia, with a diverse career background in the art of storytelling. His career includes 26 years in the film and television industry as Marketing Director at University Pictures and Paramount Pictures home entertainment; leading the Australian marketing team to establish the premium movie channels on FOXTEL; importing the Voss artesian bottled water to Australia, and launching Australia's and Singapore's first entertainment product placement agency.

Now working in a commercial photography studio in Sydney, Hello Darlings is Richard's first book.