ID3 vTOPE NPRTCOM TALB Morning EditionTIT2 ! Novelist Fears the Stigma of AgeTCOP 2006TRCK 50TCON COMM nprComment The novelist JT Leroy, who was once thought to be a man, is actually a woman: Laura Albert. The literary hoax was unmasked earlier this year. And now Albert is talking more about the experience. She is unapologetic about the hoax because she thinks her alter ego helped save lives with stories about his life as a former male prostitute and drug addict. Albert only hopes younger readers aren't scared off when they find out she's 40, not 25.TPE1 NPRTYER 2006 P , zb!;Jpx_Bx@xx#3" x@/=tn V