@tiotasram@kolektiva.social2025-10-13 06:57:46
Day 19 (a bit late): Alice Oseman
As I said I've got 14 authors to fit into two days. Probably just going to extend to 30? But Oseman gets this spot as an absolute legend of queer fiction in both novel & graphic novel form, and an excellent example of the many truths queer writers have to share with non-queer people that can make everyone's lives better. Her writing is very kind, despite in many instances dealing with some dark stuff.
I started out on Heartstopper, which is just so lovely and fun to read, and then made my way through several of her novels. The one I'll highlight here which I think it's her greatest triumph is "Loveless", which is semi-autobiographical and was at least my first (but no longer only) experience with the "platonic romance" sub-genre. It not only helped me work through some crufty internal doubts about aro/ace identities that I'd never really examined, but in the process helped improve my understanding of friendship, period. Heck, it's probably a nice novel for anyone questioning any sort of identity or dealing with loneliness, and it's just super-enjoyable as a story regardless of the philosophical value.
To cheat a bit more here on my author count, I recently read "Dear Wendy" by Ann Zhao, which shouts out "Loveless" and offers a more expository exploration of aro/ace identities, but "Loveless" is a book with more heart and better writing overall, including the neat plotting and great pacing. I think there are also parallels with Becky Albertalli's work, though I think I like Oseman slightly more. Certainly both excel at writing queer romance (and romance-adjacent) stuff with happy endings (#OwnVoices wins again with all three authors).
In any case, Oseman is excellent and if you're not up for reading a novel, Heartstopper is a graphic novel series that's easy to jump into and very kind to its adorable main characters.
I think I've now decided to continue to 30, which is a relief, so I'm tagging this (and the next post that rounds out 20) two ways.
#20AuthorsNoMen
#30AuthorsNoMen
@cheeaun@mastodon.social2025-11-10 15:33:16
Not sure if it'll be useful, but looks good 🤔
Too bad I can't add a Share/Download (image) button due to CORS issue (avatar image and header image). Possibly can fallback to just pure solid-color version but doesn't look as pretty 😆
For context, Mastodon Android app has this https://bl…
@cdarwin@c.im2025-11-22 16:32:45
At a Pride festival in October,
a volunteer approached Sara Luce Look, the co-owner of
Charis Books and More,
and shared that decades prior,
a person in her life was sexually abused.
The person’s counselor had suggested they go to Charis for support.
Known as “the South’s oldest independent feminist bookstore,”
the Decatur, Georgia, shop
not only offered books that the survivor found helpful,
but it also provided a safe space where the…
