Speaking Volumes | Celebrate Pride Month with new novels by LGBTQIA+ authors
Around the world, June is celebrated as Pride Month for people who identify as LGBTQIA+. The past year has seen a huge uptick in novels published by LGBTQIA+ authors. These books span from humorous to heartfelt and portray characters from a variety of backgrounds finally living their truth.
Readers who love westerns can check out “Outlawed,” by award-winning author Anna North. In this novel, women are persecuted if they can’t have children, so when 18-year-old Ada is still not pregnant a year after getting married, she runs away and finds safe haven with a notorious gang of mostly women outlaws led by a genderless desperado. But all is not well, and Ada must make hard decisions in search of not only safety for herself but hope for a better world.
Fans of a good meet-cute will love the newly released “One Last Stop,” by Casey McQuiston. This novel focuses on the very jaded August who doesn’t believe in cheesy love stories, like meeting a charming and mysterious suiter on a subway, until she meets the charming and mysterious Jane on a subway in Brooklyn. When August learns that Jane’s 1970s punk rock look is more than just fashion— Jane is actually displaced in time — she decides to do everything she can to help, even if that means feeling some big feelings.
“Detransition, Baby”, a novel about gender and motherhood, by Torrey Peters, has been described as a modern family “dramedy of manners”. Ame s— a recently detransitioned man — has no illusions of romance when he has a fling with his recently divorced cisgender woman boss. But when his boss winds up pregnant, they recruit Ames’ ex — a trans woman — to help them navigate the messy, scary, exciting ride of becoming parents and figuring out what they want from life.
In Steven Rowley’s “The Guncle,” former sitcom star Patrick loves doting on his niece and nephew, but when tragedy strikes, he must step up and take over as their primary caregiver. Full of witty dialogue, laugh-out-loud scenes, and touching poignancy, this novel is the perfect book to make you laugh, cry, and want to share with a friend.
To celebrate Pride Month this year, the library’s literary magazine, “805 Lit + Art,” will publish a special issue filled with art, poetry, stories, and personal essays from creators who identify as LGBTQIA+. “805” regularly publishes special issues to lift the voices of under-published writers. In the most recent Teen Poetry issue, a handful of LGBTQIA+ teens penned their thoughts on growing up feeling different and searching for acceptance from family and friends. Both issues of “805” can be read for free at www.805lit.org.
Your library is online: www.mymanatee.org/library. Free masks are available at all library locations. Manatee Libraries are fine free! Please note that lost/damaged fees still apply.
Speaking Volumes is written by staff members with the Manatee County Public Library. Stephanie Katz is a librarian at the Central Library.