Queer AuthorsTag

Zain Bandali Uses Mehndi to Talk About Gender, Creativity, and Being Your True Self in His Delightful Debut

In Zain Bandali's Mehndi Boy (Annick Press), Tehzeeb loves to draw. He practices his clouds, patterns, stars, and more, as whole galaxies of beautiful and intricate designs swirl across his notebooks. ...

Excerpt from Nights Too Short to Dance by the Late French Canadian Literary Icon Marie-Claire Blais

Marie-Claire Blais was known for her fiery writing, her passionate representation of the French Canadian experience, and her fearless literary voice. Over 70 years, she became an icon of Quebec, Canadian, ...

Michael V. Smith on the Unexpected Journey of His Spectacular Seventh Book, Queers Like Me

Michael V. Smith's seventh book, the poetry collection Queers Like Me (Book*hug Press) was a surprise to him – it wasn't a book he expected to or even set out to write, but it's a gift to readers: ...

Red Light, Green Light: how to actually listen to your body while writing

It’s the last week of Careful Inventory! I’m very grateful to Open Book for all the time they have afforded to me in this residency. Today is the penultimate post, building on last Friday’s piece, ...

Unstuck: what writers can learn from artists in other disciplines

What can writers learn from burlesque performers, chefs, choreographers, and designers? What advice do established artists in other disciplines have for emerging writers? Let's find out. I'm so excited ...

Play to your strengths: a short guide to arts admin for emerging artists

And we're back! As promised, these last two weeks of Careful Inventory are a bit lighter, more directly applicable in the pandemic—thanks for sticking with me so far! We’ve covered online safety, ...

No one is coming & it's not your fault: on money

As promised, folks, today we're moving on from my previous three posts on boundaries and talking about money. I'm going to share a few horror stories with you, strongly advise you to not quit your day ...

Poets in Profile: Vivek Shraya

Multi-talented and multi-genre artist and musician Vivek Shraya is running out of debuts — she has tackled short fiction and the novel and now she's completing her literary hat trick with a gorgeous, ...

How to Plan a Book Tour

As grateful as I am for the vast reach that the internet provides artists, every time I tour I am reminded of the value of real life human connection and interaction. Being able to travel with my art ...

The Many Colours of Kamal Al-Solaylee

Kamal Al-Solaylee wrote an amazing book called Brown. It's essential reading and its subtitle, What Being Brown in the World Today Means (to Everyone), says why you need to read it much more concisely ...