The first regular newsletter of 2023 will be out next week, and even though it feels like we just did one of these a minute ago, there are lots more of you now (welcome!) and I’m planning on doing these threads on the first Friday of every month. That’s today!
So, how’s it going? Have you read any books for the challenge yet? Got any amazing recs? What does your January TBR look like? What prompts are you still struggling with? All discussions of queer lit are welcome here!
You can find all the details about the challenge here, including the prompt list and game card. And be sure to find it on Storygraph if you haven’t already. Folks have added 650 books and counting!
Hello everyone! I'll start by saying that I love nothing more than giving recs, so please bring your quandaries if you have them! I also absolutely loved all the amazing books folks talked about in the last thread—my TBR has increased exponentially! I can't wait for it to happen again. I'll be in and out all day, so I'll respond to everyone's comments, though maybe not immediately.
I started the year with a few Queer Your Year books that I absolutely loved!
Dream Rooms by River Halen: A really interesting (and short) essay collection about being trans, writing and language, family entanglements, romance. A mix of poetry and essays, with a really compelling strucutre! (Prompt 2: A nonfiction book by a trans author; 13. A book with less than 100 Goodreads ratings; and 24. A book under 150 pages.)
How Poetry Saved My Life by Amber Dawn: A fantastic, thoughtful, funny, open-hearted, insightful memoir about sex work, community building, poverty and the way we talk about it, stigma, queerness, and so much more. So readable and left me with so much to think about. (Prompt 44: A book published by Arsenal Pulp Press.)
I'm currently reading None of the Above by Travis Alabanza which is AMAZING. A wonderful, wonderful collection of essays about transness, the ways that whiteness works to uphold the gender binary and the violence of that, fluidity and change and language and history. Alabanza's thinking is so rigorous and creative. I was excited about this one, but it's exceeding all my expectations. (Prompt 2: A nonfiction book by a trans author.)
I am a lesbian author/poet/playwright and I read a lot of queer books. My debut poetry collection was Desire Returns for a Visit: Intimate Poems about Lesbian Love, published by Launch Point Press. They've published four more of my collections since then. Many people tell me they "don't like poetry, but I like yours," maybe because of content, but also because I purposely write accessible work. I love Andrea Gibson's work, also Mary Oliver, both queer poets. There are many of us, find the ones you like!
I just finished reading Fine: A Comic About Gender by Rhea Ewing for the graphic nonfiction prompt, which was a really insightful and interesting read! It's an illustrated collection of interviews the author did with fifty-six people (trans and cis) about gender, interwoven with their own journey as coming out as nonbinary. It covers a wide range of topics about gender and definitely gave me a lot to think about.
Also, I just wanted to take a minute to recommend R E D by Chase Berggrun (a trans author) for anyone looking to fill the debut book of poetry prompt. It's a book of blackout poems based on the text of Bram Stoker's Dracula, reimagining it as a story of abuse, power, and female rage. I read it late last year and it is one of my favorite collections of poetry that I've read recently, I highly recommend it if you're comfortable reading poetry that delves into some heavier topics.
Well I got sick with Covid the last part of December and while I was stuck in bed I read one of my queer your year reads early (The Two Doctors Gorski by Isaac Fellman, a fantasy novella). I didn't like it nearly as much as Dead Collections, so if you haven't read that I'd recommend starting there if you need a genre novel by a trans writer. But The Two Doctors Gorski does have some beautiful writing and concepts.
I'm currently listening to the audiobook of Sabrina Imbler's How Far the Light Reaches (science or nature book). So far it's wonderful. Read by the author!
I started listening to Las Biuty Queens on Scribd- I think this group of stories is best on audio! I plan to read Giovanni's Room as well this month. Currently reading the Third Person- a graphic novel by Emma Grove, it's chunky but it's fantastic.
I loved Las Biuty Queens! I've also been interested in The Third Person, but I'm a little bit intimated by its thickness! Good to hear it's fantastic. Will definitely add it to the list.
I just picked up a 2021 advance copy of Zak Salih’s Let’s Get Back To The Party novel at a used bookstore in Asheville, NC. Excited to dive into it this year. Anyone read this?
I read Lavender House and Gender Queer, and am currently reading The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Death of Vivek Oji. I would love some recs for the poetry prompt, as someone who does not enjoy poetry and almost never reads it. I've only ever read two books of poetry voluntarily - Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson. Halp!
When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities by Chen Chen: His poetry is intense, but also wonderfully playful.
Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans: I haven't read this one but I've heard it's really good and also accessible.
Pole Dancing to Gospel Hymns by Andrea Gibson: I haven't read this one (their debut), but their poetry in general is really wonderful.
I hope that helps a little! It's so hard to recommend poetry because how everyone feels about it is so different. Or: read a debut novel in verse instead! It totally counts. No restrictions here, the point is to have fun. :-)
Hello everyone! I'll start by saying that I love nothing more than giving recs, so please bring your quandaries if you have them! I also absolutely loved all the amazing books folks talked about in the last thread—my TBR has increased exponentially! I can't wait for it to happen again. I'll be in and out all day, so I'll respond to everyone's comments, though maybe not immediately.
I started the year with a few Queer Your Year books that I absolutely loved!
Dream Rooms by River Halen: A really interesting (and short) essay collection about being trans, writing and language, family entanglements, romance. A mix of poetry and essays, with a really compelling strucutre! (Prompt 2: A nonfiction book by a trans author; 13. A book with less than 100 Goodreads ratings; and 24. A book under 150 pages.)
How Poetry Saved My Life by Amber Dawn: A fantastic, thoughtful, funny, open-hearted, insightful memoir about sex work, community building, poverty and the way we talk about it, stigma, queerness, and so much more. So readable and left me with so much to think about. (Prompt 44: A book published by Arsenal Pulp Press.)
I'm currently reading None of the Above by Travis Alabanza which is AMAZING. A wonderful, wonderful collection of essays about transness, the ways that whiteness works to uphold the gender binary and the violence of that, fluidity and change and language and history. Alabanza's thinking is so rigorous and creative. I was excited about this one, but it's exceeding all my expectations. (Prompt 2: A nonfiction book by a trans author.)
I love How Poetry Saved My Life! Such a unique memoir. I highly recommend it if anyone else is considering it!
I am a lesbian author/poet/playwright and I read a lot of queer books. My debut poetry collection was Desire Returns for a Visit: Intimate Poems about Lesbian Love, published by Launch Point Press. They've published four more of my collections since then. Many people tell me they "don't like poetry, but I like yours," maybe because of content, but also because I purposely write accessible work. I love Andrea Gibson's work, also Mary Oliver, both queer poets. There are many of us, find the ones you like!
Thanks for sharing this!
I just finished reading Fine: A Comic About Gender by Rhea Ewing for the graphic nonfiction prompt, which was a really insightful and interesting read! It's an illustrated collection of interviews the author did with fifty-six people (trans and cis) about gender, interwoven with their own journey as coming out as nonbinary. It covers a wide range of topics about gender and definitely gave me a lot to think about.
Also, I just wanted to take a minute to recommend R E D by Chase Berggrun (a trans author) for anyone looking to fill the debut book of poetry prompt. It's a book of blackout poems based on the text of Bram Stoker's Dracula, reimagining it as a story of abuse, power, and female rage. I read it late last year and it is one of my favorite collections of poetry that I've read recently, I highly recommend it if you're comfortable reading poetry that delves into some heavier topics.
I also loved Fine!
And thanks for the poetry rec, that sounds so interesting. Definitely putting it on the list!
Well I got sick with Covid the last part of December and while I was stuck in bed I read one of my queer your year reads early (The Two Doctors Gorski by Isaac Fellman, a fantasy novella). I didn't like it nearly as much as Dead Collections, so if you haven't read that I'd recommend starting there if you need a genre novel by a trans writer. But The Two Doctors Gorski does have some beautiful writing and concepts.
I'm currently listening to the audiobook of Sabrina Imbler's How Far the Light Reaches (science or nature book). So far it's wonderful. Read by the author!
I just put in a hold for Imbler’s book and I’m sooooo far down the line! I’m really excited to read it though.
I started listening to Las Biuty Queens on Scribd- I think this group of stories is best on audio! I plan to read Giovanni's Room as well this month. Currently reading the Third Person- a graphic novel by Emma Grove, it's chunky but it's fantastic.
I loved Las Biuty Queens! I've also been interested in The Third Person, but I'm a little bit intimated by its thickness! Good to hear it's fantastic. Will definitely add it to the list.
update on the Third Person- I had to stop about 60% in. It got to be very repetitive.
Oh, that is good to know. I saw it in a bookstore the other day and was, once again, intimidated by the thickness.
I just picked up a 2021 advance copy of Zak Salih’s Let’s Get Back To The Party novel at a used bookstore in Asheville, NC. Excited to dive into it this year. Anyone read this?
I really enjoyed it! I thought it was very sad but very good, a really interesting exploration of queer generational differences.
Alright! I’m looking forward to it.
I read Lavender House and Gender Queer, and am currently reading The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Death of Vivek Oji. I would love some recs for the poetry prompt, as someone who does not enjoy poetry and almost never reads it. I've only ever read two books of poetry voluntarily - Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson. Halp!
I loved all of those books you mentioned!
Okay, about poetry, here are a few ideas:
When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities by Chen Chen: His poetry is intense, but also wonderfully playful.
Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans: I haven't read this one but I've heard it's really good and also accessible.
Pole Dancing to Gospel Hymns by Andrea Gibson: I haven't read this one (their debut), but their poetry in general is really wonderful.
I hope that helps a little! It's so hard to recommend poetry because how everyone feels about it is so different. Or: read a debut novel in verse instead! It totally counts. No restrictions here, the point is to have fun. :-)