Guess who's at #KidLitCon19? Me!

I'm excited to be in Providence, Rhode Island, for the 2019 annual KidLitCon — the official theme of the conference is "Reaching Readers" and my own personal theme is "Community" — connecting in person to my/our community of bloggers about children's and teen literature.

The conference schedule includes a panel I'm on (and moderating): Reaching Readers: Part 1 Getting Books to Kids

Here's the program description:

Great books need great readers; great readers need great books. But how to get the two together? This panel of authors and professional publicists and book promoters talk about strategies they use to get books into the hands of gatekeepers (teachers, librarians, reviewers, booksellers, and family), and strategies that the gatekeepers can use to make the process of discovering the right books for their kids more effective.

with Anika Denise (author of several picture books), Debbie Kovacs (co-founder of Walden Pond Press, the joint middle-grade imprint of HarperCollins and Walden Media and an author herself), Barbara Fisch (co-principal of Blue Slip Media, a children's book publicity and marketing firm), Josh Funk (picture book author and SCBWI NE Conference coordinator), and me, Lee Wind (!)

Here's my bio from the program:

Lee Wind is the founding blogger and publisher of I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?, an award-winning website about books, culture, and empowerment for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Questioning, and Queer youth, and their Allies. For over 11 years, readers from 100-plus countries have racked up 2.5 million page views—and counting! In his “Clark Kent” jobs, Lee is the director of marketing and programming at the Independent Book Publishers Association and the official blogger for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. His Superhero job is writing, inspired by our world’s amazing—and untold—LGBTQ history. Lee lives in Los Angeles with his husband and their teenage daughter. Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill is his debut novel. Visit him online at www.leewind.org.

And it's actually 2.6 million since I submitted that bio to them!

Our panel is Saturday March 23 from 1:30-2:15pm, and there's so much more great programming on the conference schedule on both days- there's even the chance to buy books and have the authors sign them (including my own “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill”!)

I can't wait -- and if you're attending #KidLitCon19, please say hello!

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