The Queer Writer: September 2024
BIG NEWS! Preorders are already available for THE LILAC PEOPLE! (I'm surprised, too.) The best part of preorders starting so early is there's more chance to get some momentum going. With that in mind, I'm hoping you can help me out by doing any of these nine things to support my debut about trans fascism:
- Preorder THE LILAC PEOPLE
For better or for worse, this is the most helpful thing a reader can do to support a book. The publishing industry is a business at the end of the day, and money talks loudly. If a book is selling well, the given publisher may put in more marketing efforts, pick the author up for another book, etc. Also, since an author’s future book publications are dependent on the sales of their past book(s), good book sales also help secure the given author’s future career as a writer.
Preorders are especially important because they not only create momentum (the earlier the preorders start coming in, the better), but all preorder sales accumulate and count toward the book’s official first week on the market. This is high-and-above a book’s best chance to get onto a given “bestsellers” list (that is based on actual sales). So in order of buying importance, it goes 1) preorders, 2) buying on the day of the release, 3) buying within the first week of the release, and 4) buying at any other time.
- Request THE LILAC PEOPLE from your local library/ies
If you don’t see it listed yet, please request it. If you see it already listed, please request a hold on it. This matters because libraries buy books based on the interest level they’re receiving. Likewise, this puts a given book on their radar. This in turn ups the chances they’ll recommend the book to a given patron, as well as mention the book on library- and bookstore-specific sites such as Edelweiss, which are key ways such entities spread the word about given books and get them on each other’s radar.
- Request THE LILAC PEOPLE from your local independent bookstore(s)
Not unlike libraries, it's helpful to ask if a given bookstore has a copy of the book. Even if you don’t intend to purchase it, it helps get the book on the bookstore’s radar, and they will likely buy copy/ies if they get multiple inquiries about the book. (And again, they may also in turn get the book on other bookstores’ radars through such sites as Edelweiss.) Also, just like librarians, it ups the chances that the booksellers will recommend the book to patrons.
- Suggest THE LILAC PEOPLE for personal/local/town/city book clubs
Even if the book doesn’t get picked as the next read, it still gets it on people’s radar. If the book does get picked, that additionally provides opportunity for me to engage in a discussion, whether virtually or in person.
- Mention THE LILAC PEOPLE to relevant professors and teachers
They might purchase the book as part of their class curriculum and/or get the college/university/learning center to have me come in for a discussion. For literature and creative writing classes, this book is great for studies on narrative style, ethical/accurate historical fiction, and expressions of trauma. On the history side, it’s great for discussing WWII, the Holocaust, the Weimar Republic, German and US history, trans history, queer history, and historical erasure. For gender studies, political science, and social science classes, it’s great for discussing book bans/burnings, fascism, propaganda, marginalization, identity, community, and current political climates.
- Add THE LILAC PEOPLE to your Goodreads to-read list
Please add the book to your Goodreads to-read list. The more people who add it to their to-read list, the more the algorithms pick up on it, and the more it'll be suggested to fellow readers.
- Rate THE LILAC PEOPLE on Goodreads and/or Amazon
After you get your hands on the book, please rate it if you enjoyed it. Yes, you all know how I feel about the toxicity of numerical book rating systems, especially when they’re poorly regulated. However, they unfortunately still stand as something that can help get a book noticed.
The earlier you can rate the book, the better. The first week of a book's launch is particularly helpful, even more on the first day. If enough reviews come in on the first day and/or week, it’ll get picked up by Amazon’s algorithms. (Ever wonder why saboteurs jump in to 1-star a book the moment the book’s rating system opens? Yeah.)
Relatedly, this book can probably use all the love it can get. Let's be honest. I’m a trans author…who wrote a trans book…about trans fascism. We already know there are likely going to be attempts to tank my book’s rating. Any 5-star reviews to help counteract that—and, even better, get ahead of it—are greatly appreciated.
- Boost THE LILAC PEOPLE on social media
Again, getting the book on people’s radars is very helpful. It can be as simple as a screenshot of the book cover and saying “Can’t wait to read!” or whatever strikes your fancy. Feel free to @todd_milo (on Instagram) and #TheLilacPeople.
- Tell your friends and loved ones about THE LILAC PEOPLE
I'm on repeat here, I know. Publishers (and authors) are often still mystified as to what actually gets a book to become a bestseller and what doesn’t...with one exception. Word of mouth stands as the best way to get a book noticed. People tell people tell people. This has been a key component of “successful” books for years. So please, tell people about the book. You'll help make a big difference.
Thank you for considering any of the above ways to support me and my debut!
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But enough about me. On to authors who are publishing this month! There are some great new books coming in to start off fall, including the second half of Aiden Thomas' The Sunbearer Trials duology, an accidental demon conjuring, a basketball romance, an Appalachian thriller with a trans autistic teen, a middle grade medieval fantasy, a 1920s murder mystery, and more!
Is there an upcoming queer book you’re excited about? Know of a great opportunity for queer writers? Read an awesome article about the (marginalized) writing world? Let me know! And as always, please share this newsletter with people you think might be interested.
Upcoming Classes
**FREE!** Transcestors Series: Ancient Burial Sites
- Saturday, October 5th, 2024 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm ET
- Virtual via Zoom
- FREE!
For as long as archaeologists have existed, they've been determining sex and gender from remains found in old burial sites. They catalogue these findings to help paint a picture of people, identities, cultures, and societies of the past. But where do trans, nonbinary, and intersex people fall within these categorizations? How accurate are the scientific efforts to determine assigned sex? Is it possible to further determine one's gender identity based on such conclusions? And how have all of these cataloguing attempts affected modern people's views of trans history? This session will look at exhumed ancient burial sites, from Peru to Italy to Finland to Bohemia, and discuss just how far back trans history goes. This session includes images of ancient burial remains (i.e. bones and fragments) and mentions of ancient rituals (e.g. human sacrifices).
Transcestors is a series of free 1-hour sessions focused on trans and queer (but mostly trans) history based on Milo Todd's research for his historical fiction. Those interested must have any subscription tier of The Queer Writer, paid or free, and must use their subscriber email to register for sessions. For safety reasons, sessions will NOT be recorded. A Zoom link will be sent to registered attendees ~15 minutes before a session starts.
*Sessions are open to all identities, but please know Transcestors centers trans and/or nonbinary attendees.
Anticipated Books
Disclosure: I'm an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Any purchase through my storefront supports local bookstores and earns me a commission. Win-win!
Love and Sportsball by Meka James
Hard work has Khadijah Upton starting her dream job as an athletic trainer for the Atlanta Cannons. Then an evening of celebratory letting loose turns into a one-night stand with a beautiful stranger. It's a reckless, wildly sexy encounter that Khadijah intends to forget...until her first day on the job lands her face-to-face with basketball star Shae Harris again. Shae is a major player in every sense of the word, and Khadijah doesn't plan to be the latest in a long line of "Harris Honeys." Personal and professional just don't mix. But Shae, who's all about living life to the fullest, keeps tempting Khadijah to blur the boundaries. And the more Shae reveals about herself, the harder it is for Khadijah to resist her. In the bedroom, their tension sizzles. On the court, it's a liability. But unless Khadijah's willing to really let Shae in, it won't be just the team championship on the line, but a body-and-soul connection that rewrites all the rules.
Accidental Demons by Clare Edge
For the youngest in a long line of witches, demons used to be no big deal. A spell and a quick prick of the finger, and a witch like Ber could summon a demon to do anything she needed--clean a mess, send a message, you name it. But that was before Ber was diagnosed with diabetes. Now each time she tests her blood sugar, accidental demons are slipping into the human dimension...and causing absolute chaos. Good thing Ber and her older sister, Maeve, know that every magical problem has a magical solution. They'll just conjure a low-order demon to monitor her blood sugar! Bonus: they only have to bend one or two teeny, tiny rules. But before they know it, they've stumbled into deeper, more mysterious magic than they ever could have predicted. And soon it's not just Ber's magic but her entire coven that's in danger.
Embark on a thrilling adventure with Lea and Jake as they navigate the unexpected twists and turns at the biggest superhero fan convention of the year. When Lea finds herself trapped in an elevator during the event with superstar Jake, also known as The Amazing Boy, they realize something sinister is afoot. With everyone at the convention frozen, including Lea's friends, Lea and Jake must team up to unravel the mystery behind the villainous acts plaguing Philadelphia. As they race against time, Lea grapples with whom to trust, while Jake uncovers startling truths about his own identity. A pulse-pounding journey filled with friendship, betrayal, and the ultimate quest for justice, will Lea and Jake save the day, or will supervillains prevail? Dive into this gripping tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
Clara loves rules. Rules are what have kept her and her sister, Molly, alive--or, rather, undead--for over a century. Work their historic movie theater by day. Shift into an owl under the cover of night. Feed on men in secret. And never fall in love. Molly is in love. And she's tired of keeping her girlfriend, Anat, a secret. If Clara won't agree to bend their rules a little, then she will bend them herself. Boaz is cursed. He can't walk two city blocks without being cornered by something undead. At least at work at the theater, he gets to flirt with Clara, wishing she would like him back. When Anat vanishes and New York's monstrous underworld emerges from the shadows, Clara suspects Boaz, their annoyingly cute box office attendant, might be behind it all. But if they are to find Anat, they will need to work together to face demons and the hungers they would sooner bury. Clara will have to break all her rules--of love, of life, and of death itself--before her rules break everyone she loves.
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
On the night Miles Abernathy--sixteen-year-old socialist and proud West Virginian--comes out as trans to his parents, he sneaks off to a party, carrying evidence that may finally turn the tide of the blood feud plaguing Twist Creek: Photos that prove the county's Sheriff Davies was responsible for the so-called "accident" that injured his dad, killed others, and crushed their grassroots efforts to unseat him. The feud began a hundred years ago when Miles's great-great-grandfather, Saint Abernathy, incited a miners' rebellion that ended with a public execution at the hands of law enforcement. Now, Miles becomes the feud's latest victim as the sheriff's son and his friends sniff out the evidence, follow him through the woods, and beat him nearly to death. In the hospital, the ghost of a soot-covered man hovers over Miles's bedside while Sheriff Davies threatens Miles into silence. But when Miles accidently kills one of the boys who hurt him, he learns of other folks in Twist Creek who want out from under the sheriff's heel. To free their families from this cycle of cruelty, they're willing to put everything on the line--is Miles?
Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas
Teo never thought he could be a Hero. Now, he doesn't have a choice. The sun is gone, the Obsidian gods have been released from their prison, and chaos and destruction are wreaking havoc on Reino del Sol. All because Teo refused to sacrifice a fellow semidiós during the Sunbearer Trials. With the world plunged into perpetual night, Teo, his crush Aurelio, and his best friend Niya must journey to the dark wilderness of Los Restos, battling vicious monsters while dealing with guilt, trauma, and a (very distracting) burgeoning romance between Teo and Aurelio. Determined to rescue the captured semidioses and retrieve the Sol Stone, the trio races against the clock to return Sol and their protective light. With it, order can be restored. The future of the whole world is in their hands.
A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness in order to secure his reign over the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come true: to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she's only read about. The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader--Lorelei's beloved mentor--is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are the five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again--and a coup begins in earnest. But there are other dangers lurking in the dark: forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons hiding beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood. As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth--and resist their growing feelings for each other--they discover that their leader had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, and if this kingdom is worth saving at all.
Everything Glittered by Robin Talley
It's 1927 and the strict laws of prohibition have done little to temper the roaring 20s nightlife, even in the nation's capitol. Everyone knows the booze has never stopped flowing, especially amongst the rich and powerful, and seventeen-year-old Gertrude and her best friends Clara and Milly are determined to get a taste of freedom and liquor, propriety be damned. But after sneaking out of the Washington Female Seminary to visit a speakeasy, they return to discover that their controversial young headmistress, Mrs. Rose, has been murdered. Reeling from the death of her beloved mentor, Gertrude enlists her friends in her quest to clear Mrs. Rose's reputation, while trying to keep her own intact. But in Prohibition Washington, it's difficult to sidestep grifters, bootleggers, and shady federal agents when investigating a murder. And with all the secrets being uncovered, Gertrude is finding it harder and harder to keep her attraction to her best friends hidden. A proper, upscale life is all Gertrude has ever known, but murder sure makes a gal wonder: is all that glitters really gold?
Splinter & Ash by Marieke Nijkamp
Ash--or Princess Adelisa--is the youngest child of the queen, recently returned to the city of Kestrel's Haven after spending six years on the other side of the country. Ash was hoping for a joyous reunion, but the reality is far from it. Her mother is holding the kingdom together by a thread; her brother has only taunts and jibes for her; and court is full of nobles who openly mock and dismiss Ash, who uses a cane and needs braces to strengthen her joints. Splinter is the youngest child of one of Haven's most prominent families. She's fierce, determined, and adventurous, and she has her sights set on becoming a knight just like her older brother. Even if everyone says she can't because she's not a boy. So what? She's not a girl, either. A chance encounter throws Ash and Splinter into each other's orbits and changes the course of the kingdom's history. The princess and her new squire will face bullies, snobs, gossips, and their own disapproving families. But when they uncover a shadowy group of nobles plotting to overthrow the queen, they will show everyone how legends are born. Together.
At the End of the River Styx by Michelle Kulwicki
Before he can be reborn, Zan has spent 499 years bound in a 500-year curse to process souls for the monstrous Ferryman--and if he fails he dies. In Portland, Bastian is grieving. He survived a car accident that took his mother and impulse-purchased a crumbling bookstore with the life insurance money. But in sleep, death's mark keeps dragging Bastian into Zan's office. It shouldn't be a problem to log his soul and forget he ever existed. But when Zan follows Bastian through his memories of grief and hope, Zan realizes that he is not ready for Bastian to die. The boys borrow time hiding in the memories of the dead while the Ferryman hunts them, and Zan must decide if he's willing to give up his chance at life to save Bastian--and Bastian must decide if he's willing to keep living if it means losing Zan.
ICYMI
Want a previously published book showcased? Let me know! The given work must: 1) be written by a self-identified member of the LGBTQ+ community, 2) be published within the last five years, 3) has not yet appeared on the ICYMI list, and 4) wasn't included in the Anticipated Books section within the last three months. All genres and independently-published works welcome.
Disclosure: I'm an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Any purchase through my storefront supports local bookstores and earns me a commission. Win-win!
Better Left Buried by Mary E. Roach
Lucy Preston just wants to go on vacation. But being the daughter of a famous private detective means that sometimes, your beach vacay goes off the rails a bit. Think: a clandestine meeting at an abandoned amusement park--except instead of a meeting, Lucy and her mom find a body. Because of course they do. As Lucy's mom is swept into top-secret detective stuff, Lucy sets out to investigate her mom's mysterious connection with this town. Lucy's snooping sets her on a collision course with Audrey Nelson, the mysterious girl on the motorcycle who was there the night they found the body. Lucy has questions, and Audrey has answers, but there's this tiny problem: Lucy's mom is investigating Audrey's mom . . . for murder. Everyone has something to hide, and if Lucy and Audrey can't work together to uncover secrets that go back generations, there will likely be another body found at the base of the old roller coaster. And this time it might just be Lucy's.
Don't Let It Break Your Heart by Maggie Horne
Alana and Gray have been the perfect couple ever since they got together before high school - and neither of them think that should have to change just because Alana came out as a lesbian. Sure, things are a little different now: their romantic relationship is over, but their best-friends-since-forever relationship is stronger than ever. And yeah, Alana sees the way her other friends now exclude her in tiny, almost unnoticeable ways, but she still has Gray, and that's all that's ever mattered to her. Really, the only difference is that instead of kissing Gray herself, Alana sets him up with other girls to do that. But when new girl Tal arrives, she stops Alana and Gray in their tracks. Suddenly, Gray's all-in on his plan to get Tal to fall in love with him, and, for the first time, Alana's reluctant to help. As Alana and Tal grow closer, and Alana begins to think Tal might share her feelings, she has to decide whether to embrace her queerness and risk losing the life she thought she was building, or continue to hide parts of herself and maintain the status quo.
Opportunities
Troublemaker Firestarter: Volume 777
- What: "Troublemaker Firestarter is a biannual literary magazine specializing in LGBTQIA+ and feminist topics. Our goal is to excite readers. We welcome the uncomfortable and controversial. New, bold, and proud writers and artists should find their home here."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: $0
- Deadline: September 1st, 2024
Event Magazine: General Fiction (BIPOC Writers)
- What: "For this call for submissions, we are particularly welcoming submissions from self-identified BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) writers, whose communities are historically underrepresented."
- Fee: N/A
- Pay: N/A
- Deadline: September 1st, 2024
- What: "A queer run literary press cultivating clarity of thought and transparency of self. The first volume of our Autumnal Equinox series is now open for submissions! The theme of this volume is the equinox itself. Mabon is the modern name of a pagan holiday that celebrates the autumnal equinox, coined by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s in reference to Mabon ap Modron. For this issue, we encourage you to consider what calls to you during the time of the equinox. Whether it’s the reminder of balance, death, gratitude, reflection, or simply a memory you associate with the season."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: $0
- Deadline: September 7th, 2024
Usawa: Gender and Its Discontents
- What: "Gender is perhaps one of the most naturalised, and hence problematic of strands which make our social identities. When intersected with class, caste, or sexual orientation, gender can provide us with immense social and cultural capital, or conversely, become the reason that such positions are denied to us, violently, deliberately."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: varies
- Deadline: September 20th, 2024
LGBTQIA+ New Orleans Based Authors - Poetry (Full-Length)
- What: "Are you an LGBTQIA+ poet living in New Orleans? We want to hear from you! We're excited to announce an open call for poetry manuscripts from LGBTQIA+ writers based in the vibrant city of New Orleans. This is your opportunity to share your unique voice, experiences, and stories with a broader audience."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: N/A
- Deadline: September 30th, 2024
Saints and Sinner Short Fiction Contest 2024-2025
- What: "The winner will be selected from this year’s submissions of original, unpublished short stories between 3,000 and 7,000 words with LGBT content on the broad theme of 'Saints and Sinners.' This contest would not be possible without a generous grant from The John Burton Harter Foundation. The annual fiction contest is open to LGBTQ+ authors at all stages of their careers, from all over the globe, with stories in all genres."
- Fee: $20
- Pay: $500 (grand prize); $100 (second place); publication
- Deadline: October 1st, 2024
Saints and Sinner Poetry Contest 2024-2025
- What: "This contest would not be possible without a generous grant from The John Burton Harter Foundation. The contest is open to all LGBTQ+ writers."
- Fee: $20
- Pay: $500 (grand prize); $100 (second place); publication
- Deadline: October 15th, 2024
Rebel Satori Esoteric Call 2024
- What: "Rebel Satori Press's Arabi Manor imprint is actively seeking book-length nonfiction works in the following areas of esoterica: Witchcraft, Modern grimoires, Heathenism, Paganism, Divination (Tarot, Runes, etc), books not decks, Esoterica/Occult topics in general."
- Fee: N/A
- Pay: N/A
- Deadline: October 31st, 2024
The Pinch: Request for Equity Submission
- What: "As part of our efforts toward equity and inclusivity, the Pinch offers no-cost submissions to reduce barriers of participation to marginalized populations. Over the last decade, the majority of what we've publish online and in print is from authors and artists who have been excluded from traditional publishing venues."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: N/A
- Deadline: October 31st, 2024
Queer Adventures: Border Crossings
- What: "Tell us about an international journey that changed your life. Interpret the theme metaphorically and tell us how your gender expression or sexuality transgresses borders. Write about how sexuality and gender identity impact your ability to cross borders freely."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: $150 (first place); $50 (second place); publication
- Deadline: October 31st, 2024
- What: "Headmistress Press publishes books of poetry by lesbians, Lesbian Poet Trading Cards, and Lavender Review. Headmistress specializes in poetry and art by lesbians, and our mission is to increase lesbian visibility in the arts."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: N/A
- Deadline: October 31st, 2024
Lavender Review: Lesbian Poetry & Art
- What: "Lavender Review is an international, biannual (June & December) e-zine dedicated to poetry and art by, about, and for lesbians, including whatever LGBTQ might appeal to a lesbian readership. This e-zine is free, and open to everyone. Submissions are open year-round, and there is no fee to submit."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: N/A
- Deadline: October 31st, 2024
- What: "The Quill Prose Award is for a work of previously unpublished (including self-published works) prose with a minimum of 150 pages by a queer (LGBTQIA+) writer. The awarded manuscript is selected through an annual submission process which is open to all authors."
- Fee: $10
- Pay: $1,000 and publication
- Deadline: December 1st, 2024
- What: "We welcome submissions by those who identify with and as any of the following descriptors: trans, two-spirit, disabled, neurodivergent, Mad, queer, crip, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex. This is a space for the words, works, and worlds of and by those whose bodyminds defy social expectations and invite new ways of thinking and knowing."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: $10
- Deadline: December 31st, 2024
Shenandoah: Spring 2025 with Stevie Billow
- What: "For the Spring 2025 issue of Shenandoah, editorial fellow Stevie Billow seeks CREATIVE NONFICTION that explores the relationship between language and identity. Send your personal essays that bend and break the 'rules' of grammar, tackle the translation of self between and beyond languages, ruminate on verbal code-switching, your bilingual and multilingual writing, your emojis and emoticons where words won’t suffice, the words that fail you, the words that feel like home. Stevie is especially interested in promoting the work of emerging writers from marginalized backgrounds, communities, and experiences and highly encourages folks who don’t have an extensive publication history to submit!"
- Fee: $0
- Pay: $80 per 1000 words, up to $400
- Deadline: until 300 submissions received
Sinister Wisdom: Barbie: the Movie
- What: "In this special issue, Sinister Wisdom will explore lesbians' reactions to Barbie: The Movie. How do we voice the joy and gratitude of this cultural moment where lesbian lives and lesbian culture is expressed in the movie with a major musical plotline from the Indigo Girls and two out dykes with major roles in this movie, now the highest grossing movie in Warner Brothers' history? What else do we think and feel about this cultural moment? Were you expecting to feel deeply personally touched by Barbie? What was a special scene that reflects your dyke life? Were you surprised or shocked by your reaction to the film? How do we understand Barbie's continuing life and its relationship to lesbians and lesbian culture?"
- Fee: $0
- Pay: N/A
- Deadline: TBD
- What: "The B’K is a quarterly art and lit, online and printed magazine prioritizing traditionally marginalized creators, but open to all."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: $10
- Deadline: rolling
Bella Books Call for Submissions
- What: "At Bella Books, we believe stories about women-loving-women are essential to our lives—and so do our readers. We are interested in acquiring manuscripts that tell captivating and unique stories across all genres—including romance, mystery, thriller, paranormal, etc. We want our books to reflect and celebrate the diversity of our lesbian, sapphic, queer, bisexual, and gender non-conforming community—in all our glorious shapes, sizes and colors. Our desire to publish diverse voices is perennial. We don’t want to tell your stories for you—we want to amplify your voices....We publish romance, mystery, action/thriller, science-fiction, fantasy, erotica and general fiction. At this time, we are particularly interested in acquiring romance manuscripts."
- Fee: N/A
- Pay: N/A
- Deadline: rolling
Rebel Satori Press: LGBTQIA+ Speculative Fiction, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Manuscripts
- What: "Rebel Satori Press is pleased to announce the start of our new imprint for LGBTQ+ speculative fiction, Queer Space. The new imprint is now open to submissions of queer positive science fiction right on the bleeding edge of what is possible. We’re looking for all subgenres of speculative fiction involving LGBTQ+ characters written by LGBTQ+ authors, including but not limited to: sci-fi, interstitial, slipstream, horror, and supernatural fictional manuscripts."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: N/A
- Deadline: rolling
- What: "Prismatica Magazine is a quarterly LGBTQ fantasy & science fiction magazine. Prismatica features short fiction and poetry from emerging and established LGBTQ authors. In the magazine’s stories and poems, readers can find fantasy and science-fiction of all sub-genres and cross-genres. We happily include magical realism, contemporary science-fiction, urban fantasy, and more."
- Fee: $0
- Pay: $0
- Deadline: rolling
- What: Baest Journal, "a journal of queer forms and affects," seeks to publish work by queer writers and artists.
- Fee: $0
- Pay: $0
- Deadline: rolling
Articles
by Elsa Keslassy and Alex Ritman
J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk have both been named in a criminal complaint filed to French authorities over alleged “acts of aggravated cyber harassment” against Algerian boxer and newly crowned Olympic champion Imane Khelif.
Nabil Boudi, the Paris-based attorney of Khelif, confirmed to Variety that both figures were mentioned in the body of the complaint, posted to the anti-online hatred center of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office on Friday.
In a statement sent to Variety, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office (National Center for the Fight Against Online Hatred), confirmed it received the complaint filed by Khelif and announced that an investigation had been launched. “On Aug. 13, (The National Center for the Fight Against Online Hatred) contacted the OCLCH (Central Office for the Fight Against Crimes Against Humanity and Hate Crimes) to conduct an investigation into the counts of cyber harassment due to gender, public insult because of gender, public incitement to discrimination and public insult because of origin.”
LGBTQ Romance Authors on Writing Queer Happy Endings
by Susie Dumond
We’re living in a queer romance renaissance, where love stories across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum are being published in never-before-seen numbers and finding new readers across the globe. According to The New York Times, LGBTQIA+ romance books experienced a 740 percent increase between 2016 and 2021. We’re also beginning to see more identities and lived experiences represented in queer romance, although there’s still much room for growth in diversity. Queer authors are changing perceptions of who deserves love and a happy ending, and they’re also shifting the vision of what that happy ending might look like.
As a queer romance author myself, I’ve been especially interested lately in how happily ever afters (or, as romance readers say, HEAs) might take unexpected shapes for LGBTQIA+ characters. I’ve found myself reenvisioning final chapters and epilogues in my books after thinking about how my characters’ dream lives might not fit genre expectations. After reflecting on this topic in my own writing and reading, I decided to reach out to seven queer romance authors to ask: What do you think makes for a queer happy ending? Is it different from a “traditional” straight romance happy ending? How do you approach writing HEAs for your characters? Their responses are wide-reaching and deeply insightful. I believe these authors and many others in the genre are shifting the vision for happily ever afters, not just for queer characters, but for everyone.
