The Importance of Queer History in YA - The Lambda LitFest 2019 Panel (recorded at BookSoup on September 27, 2019)

It was a great discussion, captured here on video to share with all of you! Click here (or on the still frame below) to check out the conversation moderated by YA author, Amy Spalding (THE SUMMER OF JORDI PEREZ), with authors James Brandon (ZIGGY, STARDUST AND ME), Abdi Nazemian (LIKE A LOVE STORY), and Lee Wind (QUEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL) for a roundtable discussion about why writing Queer History in Young Adult canon is not only an important aspect to the popular genre, but a necessity in documenting our history for young people today.




Thanks to Amy, Brandon, and Abdi, Mark for recording, and everyone at BookSoup and Lambda LitFest 2019 for making this event possible!

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

I'll be a panelist for the 2019 Lambda LitFest Event at BookSoup This Friday September 27, "The Importance of Queer History in Young Adult Novels"

The information on their website may not be all there, but my enthusiasm is! I'm delighted to be one of the panelists who'll be at the famed BookSoup in West Hollywood, California this Friday September 27 at 7pm to discuss The Importance of Queer History in Young Adult Novels!

As the panel description says,

The 2011 passage of California’s FAIR Education Act mandated that LGBTQ accomplishments be taught in our history and social studies classrooms to show that gay Americans have been an integral part of our society and continue to shape our current world. A few other states have joined in this movement, but still, we have a long way to go before LGBTQ+ history is fully integrated into school curriculum. Join us for a roundtable discussion about why writing Queer History in Young Adult canon is not only an important aspect to the popular genre, but a necessity in documenting our history for young people today.

The more complete panel description:

Moderated by YA author, Amy Spalding (THE SUMMER OF JORDI PEREZ), join authors James Brandon (ZIGGY, STARDUST AND ME), Abdi Nazemian (LIKE A LOVE STORY), and Lee Wind (QUEEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL) for a roundtable discussion about why writing Queer History in Young Adult canon is not only an important aspect to the popular genre, but a necessity in documenting our history for young people today.

James Brandon's ZIGGY, STARDUST AND ME is being released August 6 from Putnam/Penguin Random House. "Set in St. Louis in 1973, months before homosexuality was 'de-classified' as a mental illness, sixteen-year-old Jonathan Collins is fighting to overcome his 'illness' when he meets Web, a Lakota Two-Spirit. The two boys fall in love and struggle to retain their identities in a world that continually threatens to tear them apart.

Abdi Nazemian's LIKE A LOVE STORY was released June 6 from Harper Teen/Balzar+Bray. "At the height of the U.S. AIDS epidemic in the late 1980s and early 1990s, three teenagers grapple with love, friendship and family as they become involved in activism under the tutelage of a queer mentor."

Lee Wind's QUEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL was inspired by the real historical letters between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Fry Speed. In this award-winning novel, Wyatt, a bullied and closeted teen, outs Lincoln to change the world—triggering a conservative backlash and media firestorm. Crowdfunded, the book was Publishers Weekly’s September 2018 “Indie Success Story.”

Amy Spalding grew up in St. Louis, but now lives in the better weather of Los Angeles. She has a B.A. in Advertising & Marketing Communications from Webster University, and an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School. Amy studied longform improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. By day, she manages the digital media team for an indie film advertising agency. By later day and night, Amy writes, performs, and pets as many cats as she can. She is the author of five young adult novels, including her latest, the bestselling THE SUMMER OF JORDI PEREZ (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles).

If you're in the Los Angeles area this Friday, I hope you'll join us for what promises to be a great discussion!

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

Tonight's Free "Crowdfunding Queer Lit" Panel is Online at 7pm Pacific

UPDATE Nov 14, 2018: Here's the recording:


Join me, Tee Franklin, and Tobi Harper for a great discussion about crowdfunding LGBTQ Literature.

From teen novels to graphic novellas to poetry, our diverse Queer stories are being published and promoted using crowdfunding. Learn how these authors and publishers harnessed the power of their communities, hear excerpts of their crowd-funded creations, and get inspired about crowdfunding your next project.

Register for the free online event here.

Hope to see you there!
Lee

My Lambda LitFest Los Angeles 2018 Panel: CROWDFUNDING QUEER LIT: A PANEL AND READING

I'm really excited about this community curated event that happens the night before "Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill" publishes! Crowdfunding Queer Lit: A Panel and Reading

On October 1, 2018 from 7:00PM - 8:30PM Pacific Time. Here's the panel description:

Curious about crowdfunding? From teen novels to graphic novellas to poetry, our diverse Queer stories are being published and promoted using crowdfunding. Learn how these authors and publishers harnessed the power of their communities, hear excerpts of their crowd-funded creations, and get inspired about crowdfunding your next project.

I'll be moderating, and also speaking about my experience crowdfunding "Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill." The other two panelists are:

Tobi Harper is Deputy Director of Red Hen Press, Founder and Editor of Quill (a queer publishing series), Publisher of The Los Angeles Review, and Instructor for the UCLA Extension Publishing and Editing program. Tobi is a Queer speaker, event curator, literary warrior, tech wiz, and headed a Kickstarter project to help fund the publication of HANGING ON OUR BONES and a reprint of LOVE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO DO THE FEELING by legendary Queer poet, Judy Grahn.

Tee Franklin is a Queer disabled Black woman who writes comics: The Outfit (Nailbiter #27), A Blazin’ (in the Ignatz award winning Elements Anthology), Tears (in the Eisner-winning and New York Times Best Selling Love is Love), and Inclusive Press’ Queer romance graphic novella, BINGO LOVE. Franklin won the 2017 Queer Press Grant for Bingo Love and raised almost $60k for this graphic novella via Kickstarter. She fights for inclusion in comics, no matter the risks, as she hopes that the next generation of marginalized comic creators won’t have to put up with what’s been happening for the past 75+ years.

This online event is FREE, hosted by the awesome nonprofit where I work, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). You can register here.

I hope you'll help spread the word, and join us!

Inspiration from the First Annual Lambda Lit Fest in Los Angeles

Panels, Workshops, Readings... there was so much to dive into at the inaugural Lambda Lit Fest Los Angeles.

Here are some moments that are still resonating for me:

"Write something that forces people to imagine something radically different." -Justin Torres

"I was a trans kid in an Amish town. Rebellion has been my means of survival." -Our Lady J

"Reporting is a verb... part of my job is to be a witness." -Melissa Chadburn

"As an artist, the first thing you need to believe is that you deserve a place at the table." -Michael Nava

Not assimilating into whiteness but dissolving it into a community where everyone can see each other -Ryka Aoki

"If you're queer and you're writing, eventually you're going to run into the person who tells you your book saved their life." -Ryka Aoki

"Most of us didn't wake up on Nov 9 realizing we are under attack because we've been under attack" -Claudia Rodriguez

"America loves the heroic individual but change doesn't happen that way. Things only change by coalition." -Sarah Schulman

"We need to start talking about art as a regular practice in everyone's life." -D'lo

"Being a human requires looking out for other humans -Zackary Drucker

"Don't let them colonize your imagination. And write!" -Lucy Jane Bledsoe

"Our job right now is to be as queer as possible, so they know we're not going anywhere!" -Alec Mapa

"This is the moment to be alive and do the work." -Luis Alfaro

And maybe most of all, being in community with over 300 other writers who are also creating Queer-themed work! 

It was truly an honor to be part of the Lambda Lit Fest Los Angeles Steering Committee, and I'm grateful to all who participated. 

The First Annual Lambda LitFest Los Angeles - A Queer Festival of Writing And Reading!

Where are you going to be Saturday March 11, 2017? If it's Los Angeles, or even the Lambda Literary Facebook page for the live video feed, count yourself fortunate.

LitFest Saturday is a full day of discussions, readings, entertainment, and community. The day features four powerful panels:

The Morning Plenary on barriers, opportunities, and being a queer writer in the 21st century with panelists Luis Alfaro, Zachary Drucker, Sarah Schulman, Justin Torres and Rebecca Walker, moderated by Cheryl Klein.

Quintessentially Queer LA, with panelists Ryka Aoki, Bernard Cooper, D’Lo, Wendy C. Ortiz, Claudia Rodríguez and Terry Wolverton, moderated by Alex Espinoza.

Queer Characters in Novels, Screenplays & Everything in Between with panelists Lucy Bledsoe, MariNaomi, Michael Nava, Our Lady J and Peter Paige, moderated by Noel Alumit.

Queer Truth: Nonfiction & Journalism in a Post-Truth World with panelists Tre’vell Anderson, Diane Anderson-Minshall, Melissa Chadburn, Alberto B. Mendoza and Robin Podolsky, moderated by Susie Bright.

That evening there's Lambda LitFest presents UnCabaret, hosted by Beth Lapides and featuring Julie Goldman, Marga Gomez, Ian Harvie, Alec Mapa and Justin Sayre. (Sorry, this one won't be live-streamed - you have to be there in person!)

But, as the infomercials used to say, That's not all!

Lambda LitFest is actually a full week (March 6-12, 2017) of programs and readings, with more than 24 community-curated events all across the city. From Giving Tongue: A Celebration of Lesbian/Queer Poets to Celebrating our Heroes: Betty Berzon, Jeanne Córdova, Paul Monette, Mark Thompson there's so much to enrich and inspire!

There's even a Lambda LitFest Closing Party -- with dancing and crafts!

It's going to be so much fun.

Check out the schedule of events (LitFest Saturday and the whole week's worth of readings, workshops, discussions, and entertainment), speaker bios, and all the rest here.

I'm honored to be part of the #LambdaLitFest steering committee, and I hope you'll mark your calendars, check it out, and be part of the first annual Lambda LitFest Los Angeles!

Lee