The March 2020 Lee Wind Video Newsletter!

Here's the latest!



Click this link: https://youtu.be/OJuXl9VHyTg or above to watch my March 2020 Lee Wind Video Newsletter. It's under four minutes...

Here's the transcript:

Hi Community,
I’m Lee Wind, and this is my Video Newsletter, for March 2020. It's all about Updating, Informing, and hopefully Inspiring YOU.

Queer History is Everywhere!

This month, the word bittersweet is really exciting to me, because it was invented by Sappho. She was this famous poet, back 2,600 years ago on the island of Lesbos, and she wrote a lot about her love for other women, and sometimes about how that love was bittersweet.

The word in Greek is Glukupikron, but it actually translated the other way, it was"sweet" and then "bitter," in English we made it bittersweet, but sweet and then bitter is actually more evocative. Anyway, it's super-inspiring. Queer History really is everywhere!

Lee Wind Author Update

This month I'm working on a new picture book manuscript (maybe about Sappho),
and a new YA novel,
and also the edits for the middle grade nonfiction book coming out from Lerner in May 2021, THE QUEER HISTORY PROJECT: NO WAY, THEY WERE GAY? DISCOVER HIDDEN LIVES AND SECRET LOVES.

Stay tuned!

Readers Say

Boo over on Audible gave "Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill" 5 stars, writing:

Super Book - Highly Recommended!
A new author for me. I choose this audiobook because it was narrated by one of my favorite narrators. [Michael Crouch, who did an amazing job!] I was caught up in the story immediately after starting to listen. I found it difficult to stop listening and was anxious to continue the next day. You must read or listen to this book!

Thanks, Boo!

Events

Later this month, on March 21 I'm going to be in Pheonix Arizona for “Indie Author Spring Training” event, **UPDATE: March 21, 2020 4:22pm Pacific - this section has been removed in the revised video, above, as all these events have been cancelled due to the current health crisis .**

And then at the beginning of April (3-4) I'm going to be part of the team for IBPA putting on Publishing University 2020. I'm the director of marketing and programming for the Independent Book Publishers Association (that's my day job), and we're putting on this great conference for indie publishers.

And then, I just found out that I'm going to be moderating a panel of YA authors at the LA Times Festival of Books on Sunday April 19. And that's really exciting because it's with Amy Spalding, Lauren Myracle, Zan Romanoff, and Cynthia Kadohata. I'm really excited about that - looking forward to reading all of their new books.

If you're going to be at any of those events, say "Hi!"

Reading In, Writing Out

This month I'm reading "Rick" by Alex Gino. It's a companion novel to "George," that was such a huge success and was so great.

In this book, Rick is just about to start 6th grade, middle school, and in the first chapter, there's this incredible exchange (from page 5 of the ARC):

     "Diane." Dad put a heavy hand on rick's shoulder. "Rick's about to start middle school. Whole new worlds are opening up for him. Girls..."

     "Or boys," added Mom.

I'm so excited about this book!
Thank you Alex, I can't wait to read the whole thing!

Inspiration

This month I'm really resonating with this moment from taking a course with Beth Kephart and Laurie Halse Anderson at the New York Winter SCBWI conference. It was all about scenes and memoir, and Laurie Halse Anderson at one point said, 

You don’t want to write from here (points to head)
You want to write from here (points to gut)
Your gut.

And that's just really opened things up for me. And I'm really grateful for her kindness and her words of wisdom.

Want more?
Check out I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read? at leewind.org

Until then, the light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you.
Thanks!