Me Time
What's the Frequency, Cindy?
The above pic is for those of us feeling a bit upside down these days.
So we're gonna move this newsletter to twice a month. The poll I inserted into last month's issue resulted in over 90% of those who responded wanting this change in frequency. Let's see how it goes.
I asked about this because I always have a surplus of great content (41 items still waiting to be included on top of the 28 featured here). That number will only increase as I find more things to share with you over the next 2 weeks.
One thing I discovered (a bit late to the party) is gift links. So any NY Times articles included here have gift links which bypass the paywall.
Otherwise, things are zipping along. I had a very busy time in September with my consulting work--a bunch of deliverables coming due all at once. Gladly, I'm past that, but I picked up one new project so these next few weeks will be busy.
One other thing I've been doing is volunteering with Queers for Kamala, writing for their newsletter. This week they're including my VP Debate Recap and last week I wrote a piece focused on the ways in which trans folks can navigate many of the obstacles to voting they face. I'm hoping also to join one of their trips to Pennsylvania before Election Day.
Also, of course, for me and others, it's the season of Jewish High Holidays so "Shana Tova" and "May you be written into the Book of Life" for another year.
Sapphic Lit and Other Book Stuff
Arts Emergency Support Resources – Arts North Carolina
If you are a WNC Artist and/or Arts Organizations: WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU! Please let us know about your immediate and upcoming needs by filling out the WNC Creatives Needs Assessment Form, so we can better support you
Event Reminders: June Thomas in Conversation with Charis Books & More and The Gilda Stories Book Club Featuring Author Jewelle Gomez
From our friends at Sinister Wisdom: Mapping Queer Women's Culture: June Thomas and A Place of Our Own Sinister Wisdom Book Club: The Gilda Stories
New State Laws Are Fueling a Surge in Book Bans - The New York Times
Two reports from advocacy groups show that book banning continues at higher rates than before the pandemic. Newly implemented state laws are impacting the numbers this year.
How Booksellers Are Taking On Book Banners
Indie booksellers are rising up to defend the freedom to read alongside educators and librarians.
(7) A Sapphic Romance For COVID-Conscious Queers
I highlighted the passages about masking so I could come back to them whenever I'm feeling down and invisible, living like I do with Long COVID. Stuck inside so much of the time because so many people still don't get it, or just don't care.
Introducing…the Character Secret Thesaurus - WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
Whatever your character is hiding, there are certain things you’ll need to know as the author so you can write it convincingly.
The Missing Link in Three-Act Structure - WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
Three-act structure produces a disproportionately large act in the middle of a novel—the double-stuff cream in the three-act Oreo—leaving writers with a puffy, gooey act notoriously recognized as the most difficult section to write. Act 2 of a three-act story is twice the length of the other acts, forcing writers to combat the infamous “saggy middle” effect using a hodge-podge of plot tangents and pacing tricks.
Character Driven = Driven Character – Writer Unboxed
There are many approaches to non-plot driven storytelling, the kind of novels that center around not events but people, what in editorial parlance is generalized as “character driven” fiction. What human beings go through is interesting…or rather, unhelpfully, interesting to you but not necessarily interesting to readers.
The Official SCBWI Blog: Learn the Basics About Translation and International Rights
The Not-for-Profit Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)* recently held a webinar "Translation Rights 101" that explains the basics of how the world of translation and international rights work, and also includes some information about the IBPA member benefit programs that can help you sell these rights for your books.
What Characterization Detail Gives Your Protagonist More Depth? - WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
the key to creating someone who readers connect to comes down to knowing them inside and out, and carefully choosing each detail about them so each piece of characterization – their personality, experiences, emotional wounds, motivations, beliefs, struggles, fears, needs, and all the rest – weaves together into a meaningful tapestry
Why Pre-order “Campaigns” Rarely Work - by Kathleen Schmidt
pre-order campaigns are anyone’s guess. The problem? Consumer behavior
The Official SCBWI Blog: 7 Great Resources if You're Looking for an Agent
how do you find the agents you're going to query/pitch/approach? Here are seven resources that might help:
News You Can Use
Separated by the Ukraine War, Two Soul Mates Reconnect - The New York Times
Ms. Malina, a pro-Ukraine L.G.B.T.Q. activist, traveled back into Russia and then Crimea, where she reunited with Ms. Muzhychkova. Together, they planned their escape for a year from what was a repressive and intolerant Russian-controlled society. In April they fled through Russia and crossed into Ukraine, planning eventually to make their way to Germany.
Rebel Wilson Marries Ramona Agruma in Destination Wedding in Italy (Exclusive)
Wilson and Agruma, who is the founder of the sustainable apparel brand Lemon Limon, got engaged on Valentine's Day in 2023 — and the Australian actress chose a fairytale setting for the big moment. She popped the question to her now-wife in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in California.
A Festive Florida Wedding With Two Cocktail Hours, Two Aisles, Two Rabbis, and Two Receptions | Vogue
“Everyone knows cocktail hour at weddings is sometimes the best part, so we thought, ‘Let’s have two!’ The pre-ceremony cocktail hour overlooked the beach, where the giant deck for the ceremony was,” share the couple
Study outlines positive impact of 20 years of marriage equality in America
New research released 20 years after the first same-sex marriage ceremony in America shows that the expansion of marriage rights to LGBTQ people has translated into positive outcomes for queer people as well as the general US population.
WATCH: The shocking catfish story that nearly ruined pop-rock duo Tegan & Sara - Queerty
After it first was discovered that someone had been using Tegan’s identity online to access personal information and catfish fans, her team launched an investigation in 2011 to find out who was behind “Fegan,’ a.k.a. Fake Tegan.
It Looks Like Bella Ramsey and Maisy Stella Just Hard Launched Their Relationship | Them
Ramsey shared a photo on their Instagram Story of themself cuddling a grinning Stella with an arm wrapped around her waist.
Ellen DeGeneres Drops New Netflix Special ‘For Your Approval’: Review - The New York Times
in her standup, she comes across as a more paradoxical figure: calm but neurotic, cheerful but also haunted, ordinary pal and alien superstar. What anchors her is trusty comic instincts and timing. She’s at her best leaning into her prickliness.
Former ‘Ellen’ Staffers Say Her New Special “Misrepresents” Abuse Allegations | Them
Six former The Ellen DeGeneres Show employees have anonymously spoken out against the star’s new Netflix standup special For Your Approval, telling Rolling Stone that DeGeneres’ framing of herself as someone who was kicked out of show business “continues to invalidate and deny our experience.”
Shavana Clarke is First Openly Lesbian Miss Connecticut USA - Tagg Magazine
“Pageantry is very queer. My interview coaches, walking coaches, styling team, hair and makeup team, are all queer people. The people that succeed and help us do our best are part of the queer community.”
Lesbian Kansas City Firefighter Set to Receive $1.3 Million Discrimination Settlement | Them
During her 21-year tenure, she alleged that she was subjected to workplace humiliation and abuse, including an incident in which superiors allegedly screamed at her that she was “not normal” due to being a lesbian.
Queer Women 45+ Reflect on Love, Life, and Identity - Tagg Magazine
Tagg Magazine spoke to three remarkable queer women, all of whom are over 45, to hear their reflections and insights on love, life, beauty, and gender identity.
(11) Introducing...Old Lesbians! - by Compostudio
A documentary short about queer elders preserving herstory.
Sue Kerr Is Keeping Lesbian Blogging Alive | Autostraddle
Sue Kerr has been a unique fixture in the queer media landscape for over 18 years
Gaps in LGBTQ+ homeownership, explained
The homebuying barrier is higher for LGBTQ+ people than their cisgender and/or straight counterparts.
Helpful Tools
(6) Converters - Good Tools #21 - by Robin Good - Good Tools
40+ (mostly free) tools to convert files, audio and video clips, documents, images and more into other useful formats at zero cost.
