Lee Wind Newsletter #35: Just When You Least Expect It (January - September 2014)

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Lee Wind

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Oct 27, 2014, 2:09:06 PM10/27/14
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Hi everyone!

It's been a while (okay, my last newsletter was from January!) but hey, I'm here, you're here, let's get to it, shall we?

I hope you enjoy the somewhat-massive-catch-up, thirty-fifth, edition of my newsletter. It's organized into four sections, 

1.  New on the "I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell do I Read?" Blog
2.  Lee's News
3.  Children's Literature, SCBWI and Publishing World Updates
4.  Current Inspiration

I hope you find it useful and inspiring.

Thanks for reading!
Namaste,
Lee

p.s.  If you'd like to be in touch, please don't hit reply - just send me an email directly at iamle...@gmail.com  Thanks!


1.  New on the "I'm Here. I'm Queer.  What the Hell do I Read?" Blog:


Books:

January:

The Other Me - a 15 year old likes a guy a lot - or does she want to BE a guy? http://www.leewind.org/2014/01/the-other-me-15-year-old-likes-guy-lot.html

The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived - a picture book I wish had been read to me when I was a little kid http://www.leewind.org/2014/01/the-bravest-knight-who-ever-lived.html

Superior - a teen lesbian dystopian coming of age adventure/romance novella http://www.leewind.org/2014/01/superior-teen-lesbian-dystopian-coming.html

Love In the Time of Global Warming - a teen fantasy "Chockfull of LGBT characters" http://www.leewind.org/2014/01/love-in-time-of-global-warming-teen.html


February:

Helleville - gay teen paranormal horror and romance http://www.leewind.org/2014/02/helleville-gay-teen-paranormal-horror.html

 Anything that Loves - comic anthology about bisexuality http://www.leewind.org/2014/02/anything-that-loves-comics-beyond-gay.html

Breaking Boxes - A homophobia-themed teen novel from 1997 http://www.leewind.org/2014/02/breaking-boxes-homophobia-themed-teen.html

I, Emma Freke - A MG book where the main character's friend has two moms http://www.leewind.org/2014/02/i-emma-freke-middle-grade-book-where.html


March:

One Foot Onto The Ice - a teacher, a ski instructor and two 16-year-old lesbian students at a ski resort http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/one-foot-onto-ice-teacher-ski.html


Barriers To Love: Embracing A Bisexual Identity - a memoir about coming of age and overcoming the struggle with family, society, Latino culture and self to accept one's bisexual identity http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/barriers-to-love-embracing-bisexual.html

Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out - nonfiction profiles and photos of 6 trans and gender-neutral teens http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/beyond-magenta-transgender-teens-speak.html

The Seventh Pleiade - A gay teen prince of Atlantis, a mystery and a romance http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/the-seventh-pleiade-gay-teen-prince-of.html

Lazarus, Covenant and Epiphany - a trilogy about gay black and latino college guys http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/lazarus-covenant-and-epiphany-trilogy.html

Newsgirl - a middle grade historical where 12 year old Amelia (who's raised by two women) poses as a boy http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/newsgirl-middle-grade-historical-where.html

The Death-Defying Pepper Roux - a middle grade adventure at sea with a cross-dressing ship's first mate http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/the-death-defying-pepper-roux-middle.html

Riding Freedom - middle grade historical fiction about Charlie "One Eyed Charlie" Parkhurst, a famous stagecoach driver in the California gold rush who lived as a man and had a female body http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/riding-freedom-middle-grade-historical.html

Penny Dreadful - a middle grade story where the main character has a friend with two moms http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/penny-dreadful-middle-grade-story-where.html

Genie Wishes - a middle grade book where a secondary character has two dads http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/genie-wishes-middle-grade-book-where.html


April

Girls I've Run Away With - a teen lesbian skater-girl novel http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/girls-ive-run-away-with-teen-lesbian.html

Boy in Box - a middle grade novel with surprise LGBTQ content http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/boy-in-box-middle-grade-novel-with.html

An Unspoken Compromise - a transgender memoir http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/an-unspoken-compromise-transgender.html

The Trans-fer Student - a transgender girl at an all-girls school, and the witch hunt to find her out http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/the-trans-fer-student-transgender-girl.html

Goblinheart - a fairy tale picture book about not fitting in (and a very supporting transgender allegory) - a picture book I wish had been read to me when I was a little kid http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/goblinheart-fairy-tale-picture-book.html


May


Two Spirits, One Heart - a mother's day gift for us all http://www.leewind.org/2014/05/two-spirits-one-heart-mothers-day-gift.html

Two Boys Kissing - two teen guys aim to set a new guinness world record http://www.leewind.org/2014/05/two-boys-kissing-two-teen-guys-aim-to.html

The Missing Juliet - a teen lesbian turns detective to try and save her kidnapped hollywood starlet crush http://www.leewind.org/2014/05/the-missing-juliet-teen-lesbian-turns.html



June

The Summer Prince - a YA dystopian adventure where the love triangle is two teen guys and a girl! http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/the-summer-prince-ya-dystopian.html

Asher's Fault - a 14 year old discovers, along with his first kiss with another boy, that the world isn't black and white http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/ashers-fault-14-year-old-discovers.html

Everything Leads To You - a hollywood mystery, a runaway, a secret letter, an inherited fortune and two teen girls who fall in love http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/everything-leads-to-you-hollywood.html

Kirith Kirin - high fantasy with a gay romance http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/kirith-kirin-high-fantasy-with-gay.html

Far From The Tree - a must-read nonfiction book for parents (and maybe everyone else, too) http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/far-from-tree-must-read-nonfiction-book.html


July

Secret Lies - a secret romance between two teenage British schoolgirls http://www.leewind.org/2014/07/secret-lies-secret-romance-between-two.html


Archenemy - teen girl soccer and unrequited love http://www.leewind.org/2014/07/archenemy-teen-girl-soccer-and.html

If I Lie - a girl, a marine, and a secret's terrible cost http://www.leewind.org/2014/07/if-i-lie-girl-marine-and-secrets.html


August

The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher - middle grade hijinks with a family of four boys and two dads http://www.leewind.org/2014/08/the-misadventures-of-family-fletcher.html

WONDERland - a YA mystery with teen outcasts and three queer relationships http://www.leewind.org/2014/08/wonderland-ya-mystery-with-teen.html

The Coldest Girl In Coldtown - urban fantasy horror with a transgender character http://www.leewind.org/2014/08/the-coldest-girl-in-coldtown-urban.html

Replica - a YA dystopian future of clones, spies, murder and a gay secret http://www.leewind.org/2014/08/replica-ya-dystopian-future-of-clones.html

If There's A Heaven Above - 1980s goth teen tries to find the guy of his dreams http://www.leewind.org/2014/08/if-theres-heaven-above-1980s-goth-teen.html

End of the Innocence: Tales From Foster High - a gay teen in high school series http://www.leewind.org/2014/08/end-of-innocence-tales-from-foster-high.html


September

Lesbian Crushes at school 1983-1989 - a memoir in diary form http://www.leewind.org/2014/09/lesbian-crushes-at-school-memoir-in.html

Pantomime - Fantasy, gender and bisexuality as a teen runs away to the circus http://www.leewind.org/2014/09/pantomime-fantasy-gender-and.html

Shadowplay - LGBTQ teen fantasy with phantom wings, a clockwork hand, and the delicate unfurling of new love http://www.leewind.org/2014/09/shadowplay-lgbtq-teen-fantasy-with.html

The Elephant of Surprise - book 4 in the Russel Middlebrook (Geography Club) series http://www.leewind.org/2014/09/the-elephant-of-surprise-book-4-in.html

Disparate Youth - a new series of LGBTQ & Gender-Queer Flash Fiction http://www.leewind.org/2014/09/disparate-youth-new-series-of-lgbtq.html



Culture, Politics, & Gay-Straight Alliance Info:


January:

Brave Russian Man arrested as he holds up a rainbow pride flag as the olympic torch passes his hometown http://www.leewind.org/2014/01/brave-russian-man-arrested-as-he-holds.html

Inspiration - the story behind that red and pink equality logo (supporting gay marriage) all over facebook last year: http://www.leewind.org/2014/01/inspiration-remember-that-red-and-pink.html

Transgender teens and 20-somethings are sharing their stories http://www.leewind.org/2014/01/transgender-teens-and-twenty-somethings.html


February:


Counter-programming the Olympics - 17 days of Celebrating Queer, Gay, Lesbian, Bi and Transgender Russians and Russian History! http://www.leewind.org/2014/02/counter-programming-olympics-17-days-of.html

#OlympicShame #RussianPride

















Day 17 - Finale: So Many More Russian LGBTQ People To Celebrate! http://www.leewind.org/2014/02/day-17-finale-so-many-more-russian.html


Sara Bareilles wants us to be BRAVE (music video) http://www.leewind.org/2014/02/sara-bareilles-wants-us-to-be-brave.html

Arizona's near "let's use religion to excuse our homophobia" plan gets vetoed and skewered http://www.leewind.org/2014/02/arizonas-near-lets-use-religion-to.html


March:


Stand with Nigeria's LGBTQ and Allied community http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/stand-with-nigerias-lgbtq-allied.html

LGBT Characters and their place in schools - a guest post by Johanna Parkhurst http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/lgbt-characters-and-their-place-in.html



The Father of a gender non-conforming child says it so well: http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/this-father-of-gender-non-conforming.html

Matthew Shepard continues to make a difference: an ela/history resource guide for high school educators http://www.leewind.org/2014/03/matthew-shepard-continues-to-make.html



April

College football player Mitch Eby comes out as gay (and what he said to his team) http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/college-football-player-mitch-eby-comes.html

Honeymaid defines Wholesome in this Homophobia Smackdown http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/honey-maid-defines-wholesome-in-this.html

Ursula (the Disney Villain from "The Little Mermaid" re-sized... and re-cast as a hero http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/ursula-disney-villain-from-little.html


Day of Silence - what are you doing to end the silence about LGBT Bullying and Harassment? http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/day-of-silence-what-are-you-doing-to.html

Ellen makes her point about photoshopping models to unrealistic "perfection" http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/ellen-makes-her-point-about.html


May

"Trust me, I'm a Ninja" - a one minute film you have to see - http://www.leewind.org/2014/05/trust-me-im-ninja-one-minute-film-you.html


June


The Whittington Family - Ryland's Story (parents honoring their transgender child's authentic self)  http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/the-whittington-family-rylands-story.html

The UN's free and equal campaign for LGBTQ equality goes BOLLYWOOD! http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/the-united-nations-free-equal-campaign.html

The Riddle - a great anti-homophobia video from the UN's free and equal campaign for LGBTQ equality http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/the-riddle-great-anti-homophobia-video.html


July

Pride in action - Mama "T"'s response to anti-gay protesters at Seattle Pride http://www.leewind.org/2014/07/you-wanna-see-pride-in-action-check-out.html

George Takei's fascinating TED Talk - "Why I love a country that once betrayed me" http://www.leewind.org/2014/07/george-takeis-fascinating-talk-why-i.html

Progress: a shout-out to People Magazine's May profile of "online dating's most wanted: sexiest singles alive!" http://www.leewind.org/2014/07/progress-shout-out-to-people-magazines.html

A great quote from Hanne Blank's "Straight: The Surprisingly Short History of Heterosexuality" http://www.leewind.org/2014/07/a-great-quote-from-hanne-blanks.html


August

Great Resource: Campus Pride releases their 2014 list of the "top 50 LGBT - friendly colleges and universities" http://www.leewind.org/2014/08/great-resource-campus-pride-releases.html


September

Back to school - show your pride and show your support http://www.leewind.org/2014/09/back-to-school-show-your-pride-and-show.html

Banned Books Week Celebrates the Freedom to Read http://www.leewind.org/2014/09/banned-books-week-celebrates-freedom-to.html








Episode 4 - "cis," "trans," and "queer" - words to describe gender http://www.leewind.org/2014/05/gender-101-episode-4-redux-cis-trans.html

Episode 5 - "Bisexual" and "Pansexual" - what's the difference? http://www.leewind.org/2014/05/gender-101-episode-5-redux-bisexual-and.html


Episode 7 - gender neutral bathrooms - and why they're important http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/gender-101-episode-7-redux-gender.html


Episode 9 - family and coming out as gender variant http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/gender-101-episode-nine-family-and.html

Episode 10 - gendered words in our language and culture http://www.leewind.org/2014/06/gender-101-episode-ten-redux-gendered.html


Episode 12 - gender-neutral restaurant etiquette (and socks!) http://www.leewind.org/2014/07/gender-101-episode-12-gender-neutral.html



Episode 15 - transsexual, transgender and drag queen/drag king http://www.leewind.org/2014/07/gender-101-episode-15-redux-transsexual.html

Episode 16 - masculinity, femininity, androgyny (and the alien abduction question...) http://www.leewind.org/2014/08/gender-101-episode-16-redux-masculinity.html








Episode 24 - Nenu's gender non-conforming heroes http://www.leewind.org/2014/10/gender-101-episode-24-redux-nenus.html





2.  Lee's News:

While a lot has happened in the last eight months (including some really good things that I'll share in a future newsletter), the death of my mother this September 2014 has been huge. I wrote about her, our relationship, and how I'm just beginning to process the loss in this essay: "My mother is dead. And I'm gay. But those aren't causal." http://www.leewind.org/2014/09/my-mother-is-dead-and-im-gay-but-those.html




3.  Children's Literature, SCBWI and Publishing World Updates 

My Article in Writer's Digest: Writing for Kids & Teens May/June 2014 Magazine: "Your Web Presence: 3 Keys To Connecting With Young Readers Online" http://www.leewind.org/2014/04/my-article-in-writers-digest-writing.html

Editor Deborah Halverson pre-#LA14SCBWI conference interview: http://www.leewind.org/2014/05/editor-deborah-halverson-exclusive-pre.html

Associate Publisher and Editor Bonnie Bader  pre-#LA14SCBWI conference interview: http://www.leewind.org/2014/05/associate-publisher-editor-bonnie-bader.html

Editor Sara Sargent: pre-#LA14SCBWI conference interview: http://www.leewind.org/2014/05/editor-sara-sargent-exclusive-pre.html



Tiemdow Phumiruk: one of two winners of SCBWI's 2014 on-the-verge emerging voices award http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/01/tiemdow-phumiruk-one-of-two-winners-of.html

Jennifer Baker: SCBWI's second on-the-verge emerging voices award winner for 2014 http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/01/jennifer-baker-scbwis-second-on-verge.html

Inspiration and Insight: 17 year-old Sam Berns' "Philosophy for a happy life" http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/01/17-year-old-sam-berns-philosophy-for.html

The Unreliable Narrator: Lance Armstrong's Books are "Protected Speech" and the court rejects claims of "false advertising" http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-unreliable-narrator-lance.html

The 2013 Crystal Kite Profiles: "Glory Be" by Augusta Scattergood (SCBWI Florida) http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-2013-crystal-kite-winner-profiles.html

The 2013 Crystal Kite Profiles: "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate (SCBWI San Francisco North & East Bay) http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-2013-crystal-kite-winner-profiles.html



Author Angela Scott shares the 3 reasons most writers give up and her 3 reasons why you shouldn't http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/02/author-angela-scott-shares-3-reasons.html



Google Books' Ngram Viewer - a very cool tool http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-very-cool-tool.html

Laurel Snyder's "The VERY best way to go out of print" http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/03/laurel-snyders-very-best-way-to-go-out.html

The 2014 Golden Kite and Sid Fleischman Humor Award Winners! http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-2014-golden-kite-sid-fleischman.html

Pat Zietlow Miller on "Sophie's Squash" - the 2014 Golden Kite Interview (picture book text) http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/05/pat-zietlow-miller-on-sophies-squash.html

Bill Konigsberg on "Openly Straight" - the 2014 Sid Fleischman Humor Award Interview http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/06/bill-konigsberg-on-openly-straight-2014.html

Peter Brown on "Mr. Tiger Goes Wild" - the 2014 Golden Kite Interview (picture book illustration)  http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/06/peter-brown-on-mr-tiger-goes-wild-2014.html

Tim Federle on "Better NATE Than Ever" - the 2014 Golden Kite Interview (fiction)  http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/06/tim-federle-on-better-nate-than-ever.html

David Meissner on "Call of the Klondike" - the 2014 Golden Kite Interview (nonfiction)  http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/06/david-meissner-on-call-of-klondike-2014.html

The 2014 Golden Kite Poster by K.G. Campbell - the behind-the-scene interview http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-2014-golden-kite-poster-by-kg.html


Kristin Fulton's remarkable SCBWI Success Story http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/03/kristin-fultons-remarkable-scbwi.html

"Where are the people of color in Children's books" and "the apartheid of children's literature." Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers raise their voices http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/03/where-are-people-of-color-in-childrens.html





Speed Reading Apps - are they the future of reading? http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/04/speed-reading-apps-are-they-future-of.html

Picture Book Wisdom from the 2014 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/04/picture-book-wisdom-from-2014-los.html

The ABC of it: Why children's books matter - an exhibit at the New York Public Library http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-abc-of-it-why-childrens-books.html

Undiscovered Voices 2014: A SCBWI Project worth noting: http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/05/undiscovered-voices-2014-scbwi-project.html


Catherine Linka's Brilliant Marketing Innovation for her debut YA novel, "A Girl Called Fearless" http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/05/catherine-linkas-brilliant-marketing.html

Brilliance from Jane Yolen (courtesy of Julie Hedlund) http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/05/brilliance-from-jane-yolen-courtesy-of.html

Unexpected Statistics: Give away your book and sell... MORE http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/05/unexpected-statistics-give-away-your.html


Rainforest Action Network's report: "A New Chapter For the Publishing Industry" http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/06/rainforest-action-networks-report-new.html


Hollywood's films for young people have three male characters for every one female character - and what we can do about it. http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/06/hollywoods-films-for-young-people-have.html


Why Teenagers Act Crazy - some fascinating insights from a professor of clinical psychiatry http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/07/why-teenagers-act-crazy-some.html



Innovations in Book Marketing: Betsy Bird, Julie Danielson and Peter D. Sieruta's "Deleted Scenes" blog for WILD THINGS http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/07/innovations-in-book-marketing-betsy.html

Weird Al Yankovic Goes all Grammar Police, reworking "Blurred Lines" into "Word Crimes" http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/07/weird-al-yankovic-goes-all-grammar.html

Listen to a marginalized Teen Reader talk about YA from their perspective http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/07/listen-to-marginalized-teen-reader-talk.html

Sage words for our careers as writers and illustrators http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/07/sage-words-for-our-careers-as-writers.html



Don Tate on winning the 2014 SCBWI Book Launch award http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/08/don-tate-on-winning-2014-scbwi-book.html

Stacey Heather Lee on winning the 2014 SCBWI Book Launch award http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/08/stacey-heather-lee-on-winning-2014.html

When it comes to marketing your book, the experts say "be authentic" - Edith Cohn is http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/08/when-it-comes-to-marketing-your-book.html

Jim Averbeck uses "Augmented Reality" to make holding his book really, really cool: Innovations in book marketing http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/08/jim-averbeck-uses-augmented-reality-to.html

Patricia Newman has a cause, and once kids read her NF book, they will, too! http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/08/patricia-newman-has-cause-and-once-kids.html

Julie Hedlund gets innovative with publishing picture books! http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/08/julie-hedlund-gets-innovative-with.html

Author/Illustrator videos to check out: Antoinette Portis on imagination http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/09/authorillustrator-videos-to-check-out.html




The National Book Award for young people's literature long list http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-2014-national-book-award-for-young.html


Sensory Fiction - Experiments in the future of publishing http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/09/sensory-fiction-experiments-in-future.html

The 2014 Crystal Kite Winners: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl by Shannon Hitchcock (SCBWI Florida) http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-2014-crystal-kite-winners-ballad-of.html





4.  Current Inspiration:

Even though it didn't turn out to be a quote from Dr. Seuss (as is credited all over the internet) I thought this was simple, profound, and moving:

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." 
- Anonymous.




Lee Wind, M.Ed.
Producer, Blogger, Author, Speaker

Founding Blogger of the Award-Winning "I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell do I Read?" at http://www.leewind.org
Official Blogger for SCBWI: THE BLOG at http://scbwi.blogspot.com/ and Captain of SCBWI Team Blog
Sign up for the Lee Wind Newsletter at http://tinyurl.com/957bocl

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