Despite having dirty-blonde hair and fair skin, Laura Chinn is mixed-race:the daughter of a Black father and a white mother, which onits own makes for some funny and insightful looks at identity. Laura's parents were both Scientologists and nonconformists in myriad ways. They divorced early in Laura's childhood,and she spent her teen years ping-pongingback and forth between Clearwater, Florida, and Los Angeles (with an extended stintin Tijuana for good measure).
Laura livedalone and raised herself for long periodsof time, but don't worry! Her mom's alcoholicboyfriend was always nearby to supervise. She alsolost family members to horrific tragedies,started drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes when she was eleven years old, anddropped out of school when she was fifteen, all the while completely obsessed withand scarred by her severe acne condition.
Thisis not a sad story. There is Jell-Owrestling.There is an abnormal amount ofdancing. There is information about whetheryou can drink gallons of sangria while takingunregulated Accutane acquired in Mexico. But mostly there is love, and ultimately there is redemption. Laura explores her trauma through anecdotes riddled with grit and humor, proving that in the face of unspeakable tragedy, it is possible to find success, love, and self-acceptance, zits and all.