The scariest thought this Halloween

Ahhh!

Now that's too scary.

We all have to vote!

(image created at http://www.abcya.com/pumpkin_carving.htm)

Wonders of the Invisible World - Secrets, A Curse, and A Childhood Friend Who Might Be Much More...

Wonders of the Invisible World by Christopher Barzak

Aidan Lockwood lives in a sleepy farming community known for its cattle ranches and not much else. That is, until Jarrod, a friend he hasn’t seen in years, moves back to town. It’s Jarrod who opens Aidan’s eyes to events he’s long since forgotten, and who awakes in him feelings that go beyond mere friendship. But as Aidan’s memories return, so do some unsettling truths about his family. As Aidan begins to probe into long-buried secrets, the lines between the past and the present, tales and truths, friends and lovers begin to blur, and Aidan will need to confront a family curse before he can lay claim to his life once more.

This was a Stonewall Book Awards–Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Award Honor Book! 

Add your review of "Wonders of the Invisible World" in comments!

I'll be at #NY17SCBWI

how about you?

And once again I'm honored to be hosting the LGBTQ + Allies Social (with special conference faculty guests!) on Saturday February 11, 2017 at 8:30pm (right after the Gala!)

Find out all the conference info here. Registration is open for this amazing conference that sells out year after year. Hope to see you theere!

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

Our latest Authors and Illustrators for Children... For Hillary Clinton video

"Bullying"




A week ago, John McCain had the audacity to promise that Republicans "will be united against any Supreme Court nominee that Hillary Clinton, if she were president, would put up. I promise you."

It's a great argument to not only elect Hillary Clinton, but to elect her with a mandate, and a congress that's willing to work together to get things done.

Consider sharing this with everyone you know who is in a swing state.

We've got to win this one. For children. And all of us!

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

Alok Vaid-Menon: Gender Selfie-Determination

This hour and fifteen minute lecture by Alok Vaid-Menon at the Annenberg Space for Photography is brilliant, and thought-provoking, and very moving.

Some highlights:

On speaking of themselves and fellow Trans and gender non-conforming people, Alok says,

"the reason we are punished is not because we are different but rather because people recognize a part of themselves in us that they had to destroy in order to get here."

and

"There are as many genders as there are people in the world."

"I am not actually gender non-conforming. You only see me as such because you are filtering my image through your gender binary."

"You are not who you look like, you are who you are."

"When we're talking about being tortured in the streets and you call us beautiful..." means you see us as "walking portraits and not actually as people."

and

"I'm fighting to be recognized as a person, but we exist in a culture right now where trans people are not people."

Alok's talk is important and, as a starting point, I wish every GSA would watch and discuss. I encourage you to watch and discuss it as well!

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

Breakthrough - Nonfiction about a gay teen scientist

Breakthrough by Jack Andraka, with Matthew Lysiak.

Teen scientist Jack Andraka’s journey through middle and high school is replete with homophobic persecution at school and skepticism from the scientific community. Between developing an early and inexpensive test for pancreatic cancer and establishing his own sense of self-worth, Jack’s story is a beacon of inspiration and hope.

Okay, I can't wait to read this one - and it was a top ten choice of the ALA's Rainbow List for 2016! Add your review of "Breakthrough" in comments!

Do You Know Any Undecided Voters in the upcoming USA Presidential Election?

If you only have a second, share this with them:

If you have a minute and a half, share one of these Authors and Illustrators for Children videos with them:

Uncomfortable?



and/or

Fame ≠ Experience



If you have a half hour, share this amazing Michelle Obama speech with them:



Let's all do what we can to make sure that our next US President is Hillary Clinton. As Michelle Obama says so brilliantly (at 13:47 into her speech) ~

"Because lets be very clear. Strong men - strong men - men who are truly role models, don't need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful. People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together. And that is what we need in our next President. We need someone who is a uniting force in this country. We need someone who will heal the wounds that divide us. Someone who truly cares about us and our children. Someone with strength and compassion to lead this country forward. And let me tell you, I'm here today because I believe with all of my heart that Hillary Clinton will be that President."

Thanks!

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

See lots more resources at http://aiforc.org/ and by following Authors and Illustrators for Children on social media with the hashtag #AuthorsandIllustrators4Clinton

A Revised Birth Announcement For A Trans Teen

This was so wonderful, to see the love with which Kal's family embraces their child! The story is from 2014, but I'm just catching up to it now.

The clipping reads:

A RETRACTION - BOGERT -
In 1995 we announced the arrival of our sprogget, Elizabeth Anne, as a daughter. He informs us that we were mistaken. Oops! Our bad. We would now like to present, our wonderful son - Kal Bogert.
Loving you in the easiest thing in the world. Tidy your room.

So powerful and, as a parent – as a human being – inspiring. You can read more about the story here.

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

Doug Locke's #ThisCouldBeUs - A gay love music video you have to see

This really moved me:





Thanks, Doug.

And on Yom Kippur, the traditional day in Jewish life when you take stock of your year past and aim to do better in the year ahead, I know I have wishes for these two characters and their own happy ever after...

Meanwhile, for those of us whose lives are real, let's be as authentic as we can be!

Sound like a plan?

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

Have you been following the Alicia Keys #nomakeup movement?

Here's a quick way to catch up, in this New York Times article by Penelope Green, "Alicia Keys and the 'Tyranny of Makeup."

Hurray for Alicia for having the courage to say makeup isn't right for her right now.

Hurray for having the courage to do something different than what everyone else is doing.

Hurray for all of us being authentically ourselves, and no one feeling like they 'have' to wear makeup!

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

It's LGBTQ History Month!

Don't know all the names on this list? That's the point - get to know our LGBTQ history! (And, to make the point, it's ALL of our history, whether we are LGBTQ or not.)

Check out the lgbthistorymonth.com website for all the 2016 profiles, videos, and downloadable bio pages!

Magician and Comedian Justin Willman explains everything you need to know about Trans and Gender NonConforming people using bathrooms in under 2 minutes

This is brilliant.

It does have one sexual reference in it, so if that's off-putting for you, just read the article instead.

Having said that, the video is funny and, yeah - brilliant:




Justin, you have new fan!

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

Putting out the call to Editors and Agents who want more diversity in their submissions!

In an effort to be more democratic about this, I'm putting out the call.

Children's and Teen literature agents and editors - if you believe in #WeNeedDiverseBooks, and if you want to see more diversity in the submissions you receive, and you would like to do an interview here on this blog about diversity (like the twenty AGENTS LOOKING FOR DIVERSITY and EDITORS LOOKING FOR DIVERSITY interviews that have been done so far - check out the column to the right) then please be in touch.

My email is leewind (at) roadrunner (dot) com

I look forward to hearing from you, and to this series continuing proudly on to help amplify unheard voices, open up more opportunity for diverse authors and illustrators -- and for creators working on under-represented stories, and to make kid lit even better!

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee

p.s.: To avoid the potential awkwardness of me having to vet people, please help me by vetting yourself if you haven't presented at a SCBWI conference in your current capacity... Note that to be included, agents need to have at least three kidlit deals that are publicly listed (i.e., somewhere like publishers marketplace) and editors need to work for a company that doesn't publish just their own books (i.e, at least three other kidlit authors.) Thanks for your understanding!