#these are my owned lgbt books

[artemismatchalatte]

Looking for a good read about or by sapphic women or gay/bi men?

Look no further! I gave all these books 4 or 5 stars when I read them. 

Lesbian and bisexual women (subject and author): 

Two or three things I know for sure by Dorothy Allison (lesbian memoir)

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Kabi Nagata (graphic novel, lesbian memoir)

The Sealed Letter by Emma Donahue (historic fiction, bisexual woman and lesbian wlw relationship)

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabi Rivera (ya contemporary, lesbian mc)

Fried Green Tomatoes at The Whistlestop Cafe by Fannie Flagg (historic fiction, butch/femme wlw)

Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden (ya lesbian classic)

The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall (historic fiction, lesbian classic)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (historic fiction, bisexual woman and lesbian wlw relationship)

Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me by Ellen Forney (graphic novel, memoir- even though it’s mainly about bipolar disorder mostly she is bisexual and it’s mentioned in the novel)

Lesbian or Bisexual Woman author (not necessarily an LGBT subject): 

Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse and A Room of One’s Own all by Virginia Woolf (bisexual author)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (bisexual author)

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (lesbian author)

The Yellow Wallpaper (and other stories) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (bisexual author)

The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls by Emilie Autumn (bisexual author)

Passing by Nella Larsen (bisexual author)

Transgender Topics: 

Female Husbands: A Trans History by Jen Manion (LGBT history- only concerns relationships between historic AFAB couples and AFAB people who lived as men for many reasons- wider career opportunities and being able to marry a woman were the two most common reasons cited across all stories chronicled) 

Gay Men and Bisexual Men (subject and/or author): 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (historic fiction, Greek Myths)

Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin (gay author, essays on race in America)

Boy meets Boy by David Leviathan (ya contemporary mlm romance)

If We were Villains by M. L. Rio  (ya, dark academia, mystery)

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (historic fiction, bisexual mlm, ya) The two sequels also have more lgbt characters. 

[pigeon-princess]

I'm very excited to finally share the alternative dust jacket designs I did for dazzlingbookishshop's FT Lukens set! I absolutely adore these books and they were such a pleasure to illustrate covers for. Check out their site for details if you're interested in grabbing the set!

https://dazzlingbookishshop.com

[letters-to-lgbt-kids]

My dear lgbt+ kids, 

If you sometimes come across the term “banned books” but don’t really know what it means, here’s a simple little introduction to the topic: 

“Banned books” refers to books that have been censored or removed from libraries, schools, or bookstores due to objections from certain groups or individuals.

When we read that definition, I think a really common and understandable response is: „whoa, okay, these must be really bad books full of dangerous ideas!“… and in some way, that’s true. 

Because, you see, to someone with a homophobic worldview, any book with a gay character is really bad and dangerous. And to a child abuser, any book that educates children on consent is really bad and dangerous. 

Among the top reasons for book bans are lgbt+ content, sexual content (including sexual education or education on sexual abuse), themes of racism and themes like drug use or addiction. Over the years, many books with significant cultural and educational value have faced bans - and this continues to be an issue all around the world, including in the US. 

When books are banned, it restricts the access to information people (including kids and teenagers) need to understand themselves and others. This negatively affects queer people and other marginalized groups (for example people of color or disabled people) but it also impacts everyone else. Diversity in literature enriches our understanding of the diversity of real life. It helps to build empathy, compassion, kindness and understanding. Access to different stories and viewpoints is vital for an inclusive society. 

Censoring queer books in particular also normalizes the message that queer experiences are inappropriate or “dirty” - which, again, is really beneficial to homophobes and transphobes. If it feels safe for them to say that queer books harm children, it paves the way for all other kinds of discrimination and harassment of queer people. 

Now you may think “this all makes sense when it comes to books with gay characters! But didn’t you also mention stuff like sexual abuse and addiction and racism up there? These are indeed bad and dangerous things!” 

I think this is another really common thought. These things happen in real life and it can be uncomfortable to even think about them. But that’s precisely why we need books about those “uncomfortable” topics! 

We may not like the idea that a child hears about racism or abuse - but in a world where kids can experience racism and abuse, they also need to be able to read about racism and abuse. They need to be able to say “this is what’s happening to me and this is not okay”. We need to be able to name bad things when they happen to us or when we witness them happening to others. We need an understanding of and a language for bad things. That’s the only way to fight the bad things. 

Another thought you may have is “Okay, and now what? I don’t have the power to do anything about all this anyway”, and honestly I wouldn’t blame you for that one either. Hearing about book bans (on top of all the other negative stuff we hear about) can feel really depressing. But there are things you can do to push back and help keep diverse stories accessible - even if you are young or have limited resources! 

Some ideas: 

use your public library (many public libraries actively resist censorship and make banned books available!) 

use a digital library (services like Libby and Project Gutenberg offer free access to many books) 

look out for online petitions or letter-writing campaigns by organizations that oppose book bans (for example PEN in America) 

look up if there are any “little free libraries” in your area (free book-sharing box operating on the honor system: anyone can take or leave a book for no cost) 

look up if there are any book swapping events in your area 

take part in reading groups, book clubs etc. (either in person or online) 

And of course the big one: if you can afford to buy books - make a point to buy banned books (or more generally, queer books and books from marginalized authors and books on topics that frequently get banned)! As a starting point, you can find lists of banned books online. Wikipedia has one, for example. 

If you have a bigger budget, you could even buy multiple copies and put some in your local “little free library” or bring them to book-swapping events or gift them to friends etc! (You could also ask your local public library (or school library or prison library or youth center or women’s shelter etc) if they take book donations, but you may want to hold off on buying before they say yes - not all of them can accept donations!).

Happy reading and resisting!

With all my love, 

Your Tumblr Dad 

[caspiarts]

Natt and Soo-Yun are the definition of two pretty best friends

Also chose not to recolor the lines on this one because I just didn't want to :P

Was gonna give them pride-themed clothes but I really hate pink clothing and so I just gave them accessories.

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

Be Kind, My Neighbor by Yugo Limbo

goodreads

Murder. Love. Cults. Puppets! It’s 1973, the town of Baths, cozy middle-of-nowhere American heartland. Traveling musician Wegg rolls in, content to busk for a beat and be on his merry way once more. That is, until he meets Mr. Neighbor, the disarmingly sweet man made of cloth who offers him company and a place to stay. As the two grow closer, they click together just right, each harmonizing with the other's most secret self. Yet their growing romance is haunted by uncertainty and mystery... There's the town itself, plagued by repeated, ritualistic murders by the elusive Baths Heartbreaker. Then there's Neighbor, whose cheerful demeanor never falters, but who disappears like clockwork every month. And Wegg, who lives as though he's on borrowed time―what exactly is he afraid will catch up to him? A twisting graphic novel of love and deceit, all threaded together with lush psychedelia, folk horror, and a heaping helping of mirth. Turns out, sometimes the best way to conquer your past is to find a future.

Mod opinion: I haven't gotten around to reading this book yet, but I really hope I'll get around to it some day soon, I've heard good things!

[abalonetea]

Do you love the concept of possession movies but not their execution? So do I! That's why I set out to make my own possession-based horror series! This book covers all of the tropes you love from a good old fashioned possession horror, while adding in a healthy dose of slow-burn devotional love, priests with foul mouths, and eerie winter mountain settings!

Do you like the chilling depiction of demonic possession, psychological horror, and the deep dive into themes of faith and personal struggle in The Exorcist?

What about the exploration of friendship, devotion, and the complex character dynamics of Stranger Things?

Are you looking for a book where the romance is present but not the center stage focus? Where faith is tested? Where priests have guns?

How about a series where the possession is just the start? Where the infection is spurred on by demons?

If so, get your copy here today!

[ouiyesplease]

Brilliant shower thought: a publishing house that takes *only* AO3 fics (& their authors), helps to file off the fandom, polishes them into original stories, and published them. I’m thinking “Dead Dove Press”.

The team? Top-notch ao3 betas, sharp editors, die-hard readers from various fandoms scouting hidden gems (& kindness is a firm non-negotiable for all hires 🫡❤️).

Inexpensive Kindle versions for binging, stunning hardcovers for the keepsake crew.

Because DANG, if those fics on that site haven’t transformed my life more than any book ever has. They. Should. Be. On. Shelves.

A smutty ol’ pipe dream with a million logistical hurdles, sure. But also…rich people and angel investors, yall know where to find me. 🌝

[curiositysavesthecat]

*This poll was submitted to us and we simply posted it so people could vote and discuss their opinions on the matter. If you’d like for us to ask the internet a question for you, feel free to drop the poll of your choice in our inbox and we’ll post them anonymously (for more info, please check our pinned post).

[muffinlance]

BOOK LAUNCH: Fox’s Tongue and Kirin’s Bone

Fox’s Tongue and Kirin’s Bone is officially on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!

Reviews would be appreciated, even just a click-the-stars rating--you don't need to buy anything to leave one. <3

Cover art by Lakatos Csenge @art-emisz

Summary:

For fans of The Queen's Thief and Every Heart a Doorway, this dark fantasy joins folklore and politics, each as deadly as the other... Humanity is dying, hunted to extinction by creatures of legend. One boy was born to save them all. That boy just got knifed in the back. He looked a bit too much like Aaron, you see. Now it’s Aaron’s job to step up, lest his Death correct that little mix-up. But Aaron’s skills as a street rat run more towards stealing and stabbing than towards saving. And the more he learns of what brought dear dead Markus to that fatal alleyway, the more he has to wonder just what the world’s savior was really up to the night the wrong boy died. The best rated serial fantasy, now available in print, ebook, and on Audible!

Preview the first three chapters here.

Thank you to everyone who preordered! Your copies are currently on their way to me for signing; I'll send out tracking numbers when they're on their way to you. If you ordered an ebook bundle, you should have gotten your epub today through the email you use with PayPal--let me know if you didn't get yours!

If you were waiting on cheaper international shipping, keep an eye on your country's Amazon page--the books should be live there soon!

Reviews would be appreciated, even just a click-the-stars rating--you don't need to buy anything to leave one. <3

[theygender]

For any horror fans out there that haven't read it yet: The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher is SO GOOD. I don't remember ever being so scared by a book

[litnerdchest]

We wish you all the good books and tasty ramen!

bookmark shoppe

[the-snadger]

this photo of untouched books my mom gave me as a tween vs. books i checked out this week at the library feels like a poem in and of itself. i do not have the words but do you see me

[novelconcepts]

not fic related but you and your wife seem so happy! any advice for a couple of newly married queer ladies?

Hey, I love any excuse to talk about being gay and happy! Congrats on being newly married! I dunno, my advice is always really straightforward. Like. Keep prioritizing communication, keep talking to each other about your day, your headspace, the stuff you love, the stuff that freaks you out. Keep that line open no matter how long you're together, because I really do think marriages fall apart when you start just assuming you can read one another's minds. My wife and I are always really careful to be honest with one another; for example, in the event that one of us is having a bad day and the other person's jokes aren't landing, 'cuz we're just sensitive that day, we talk about it. it soothes hurt feelings before they can really take root.

And find ways of making your own fun. Try new foods together, travel if you're into that, remind yourself that intimacy (if that's your bag) is an excuse to just play with one another and learn about the other person. Cherish the comfort of knowing your person is there for you no matter what, make sure you're on equal footing together, make sure you're allowing each other the space to change and grow and learn. And just take as much joy as you can out of being in love. It's not an easy thing, living in the world right now, but love makes it a damn sight more bearable. Queer love is awesome, queer joy is awesome. I wish you all the best, friend.

[icaruswithwingsofwater]

My writing space this morning when I arrived at work. 😳

Happy first day of spring 🌸✨💕🌻🍓

Currently working on a chapter outline. I’m having a lot of fun with it! The chapter before was more intense and this chapter is much lighter. It’s nice to have balance in your work, I like to think. 😌

A new chapter of The Locked Door will be posted to the website archiveofourown.com this Saturday the 23rd at 11:00 AM EST time. The chapter with be the third in the first book and be sure to also check out my Spotify (which can be found as Kate Wanderer) for updates to the soundtrack.

Hope your day is fair and bright! ✨

From my heart to my wings,

Kate 💙

[caspiarts]

Finished making a cover for one of my books.

I started this book around 2015-2016, but never finished it after I graduated because I didn't feel connected to the story anymore [story takes place in high school], but now that I'm almost 25, my mom has demanded that I finish this book because it was her favorite 😭🤣 so I might as well

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

Body After Body by Briar Ripley Page

goodreads

In this long novella inspired by the Mountain Goats & John Vanderslice concept EP Moon Colony Bloodbath, three indentured, memory-wiped laborers at a crumbling storage facility make some unexpected discoveries about the genetically engineered mutant bodies they tend each day. Sex, drugs, violence, cannibalism, psychic powers, a catgirl (sort of)…BODY AFTER BODY is the lurid, dreamlike, amoral queer/trans sci-fi trash literature at least four or five people have been waiting for.

Mod opinion: I've read this and this book made me feel shrimp emotions. It is my top read of the year. It's on itch for name your own price and the suggested price is more than fair. If you can handle body horror and gore (and lots of it), I implore you to check this novella out.