Palm Springs Peeps! I'm speaking tonight (6:30pm Wednesday November 7, 2018) at the Palm Springs Public Library!

If you're in Palm Springs, California, I hope you can join me and our community for this "Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill" book event! We start at 6:30pm, and you can find all the details here.

It's also exciting to see how the word has gotten out in Palm Springs, with write-ups in The Uken Report,

Poets and Writers,

Gay Desert Guide,

and Palm Springs Life!

My thanks to Julie Warren, Library Services and Public Relations Manager of the Palm Springs Public Library for inviting me out to Palm Springs to speak about my debut teen novel, and to QTrading, who will be onsite for book sales following the presentation.

I hope to see you there!

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

In Philadelphia This Sunday November 4, 2018? Join me at the Woodmere Art Museum for an Author Talk and Book Signing!

from the Woodmere website!

Philadelphia is my hometown, and the Woodmere Art Museum, in celebrating the art and artists from Philadelphia, is the perfect place to celebrate the publication of "Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill"!

You can RSVP for this FREE event here!

CAN A SECRET FROM HISTORY CHANGE THE WORLD?

Join Author Lee Wind as he discusses his debut teen novel, Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill, that explores that very question. To fix his life, bullied and closeted fifteen-year-old Wyatt goes public with historical evidence that Abraham Lincoln was in love with another guy—triggering a backlash and media firestorm that might destroy everything he cares about.
This free event will include a talk, reading, Q&A, and book signing. Copies of the novel will be available to purchase and/or donate to LGBTQ and Allied teens.

DATE AND TIME
Sun, November 4, 2018
4:30 PM – 6:30 PM EST

LOCATION
Woodmere Art Museum
9201 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118

RSVP here for this FREE event in Philadelphia, PA!

Hope to see you there!

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

Lee

Just Julian - the other side of the "Romeo For Real" Gay Teen Coming Out Story

Just Julian by Markus Harwood-Jones

After years of bullying at school, 19-year-old Julian is depressed. He sees a glimmer of hope after meeting the similarly out-of-place Romeo at a party and sharing a kiss with him. The only problem: Romeo has always identified as straight and he hangs out with a group of intolerant guys. But as the two begin to fall in love, Julian finds strength he never knew he had.

When Romeo’s old friends come after the couple, a vicious fight puts both Julian and Romeo in the hospital. The two boys decide to take a stand for their right for respect.

The companion novel to the author's "Romeo for Real." 

Add your review of "Just Julian" in comments!

Today's My Book Launch Celebration - All Day, All Over L.A.!

Hello Community!

It has been a quite a journey to get to this amazing moment, and I'm hoping you can join me at one or more of these events today, Saturday October 13, 2018, to celebrate the publication of my debut teen novel, "Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill".

The day will start at 10:30am-11:30am in West Hollywood, with a Teen Reads Week event at the West Hollywood County Public Library's West Hollywood Room. I'll talk a bit, read from the book, answer questions, and do a signing. Address: West Hollywood County Library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90064.

Then at 1:00pm - 2:00pm in Pasadena I'll be part of the San Gabriel Valley Pride celebration with a time slot at the author's tent, where I'll once again talk a bit, read from the book, answer questions, and do a signing. Address: Pasadena Central Park, 275 S. Raymond Aveneu, Pasadena, CA 91105

The day's big finale is at 7:00pm-10:00pm, with a Party at Highways in Santa Monica. We have the entire theater for a talk, reading, Q&A, signing... and a BIG DANCE PARTY! There will be fruit, and desserts, and sparkling apple cider to toast to this book that is heading out into the world to make a difference in LGBTQ teen lives. Address: Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404.

If you're local, or are in Los Angeles, I'd love to see you!

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


Lee

Romeo for Real - A Gay Teen Struggles with Coming Out

Romeo For Real by Markus Harwood-Jones

On the surface, Romeo has it all: success on the basketball court, a group of friends, and the beautiful Rosie. Deep down he knows something is missing: all he feels for Rosie is friendship. Everything changes when he shares a kiss with openly gay Julian at a party. Despite their obvious attraction, Romeo is less sure of himself than ever, and leaves without even telling Julian his name.

With Rosie’s support, Romeo begins exploring his sexuality—and ends up running into Julian again. Realizing how little he knows about other sexual orientations and gender identities, Romeo begins to see the world in a whole new light, and he and Julian begin to fall in love. But his homophobic friends and family can’t accept him as gay. After a violent confrontation with one of his old friends, Romeo becomes determined to prove that his love for Julian is real and right.

Add your review of "Romeo for Real" in comments!

"Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill" Makes It Into The Semi-Finals Round of the BookLife Prize!

More book news from launch week to share...

On October 1st, the top five middle grade and young adult books were selected as "semi-finalists" in Publishers Weekly's BookLife Prize...

"The mission of the BookLife Prize is to discover, cultivate, support, and celebrate great works of unpublished or self-published writing by independent authors."

I'm thrilled and very honored that "Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill" is being celebrated as a "great work," and I'm excited to see what happens next in the competition.

Thanks for being part of the adventure,
Lee

An Amazing Shout Out to "Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill" in the Santa Monica Daily Press

Continuing a wonderful launch week, my friend David Pisarra has a column in this local Southern California paper, and what he wrote this week about my debut book is remarkable:

Reading this young adult novel one feels the angst and anguish Wyatt faced when disclosing world shattering information, both about Lincoln, and himself. This novel is one of the seminal books of this year, and will be for decades. It is the modern gay version of “Are you there god? It’s me Margaret”. It should be mandatory reading in history, government and English classes as a way to open minds, reduce homophobia, improve the self-esteem of LGBTQ teens and start dialogues about sex and sexuality in health classes. —David Pisarra

Click here to read the whole piece.

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