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deadpresidents · 10 months

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I ask this every month or two but what have you been reading lately?

•True West: Sam Shepard's Life, Work, and Times (BOOK | AUDIO | KINDLE) by Robert Greenfield

•The Oswalds: An Untold Account of Marina and Lee (BOOK | AUDIO | KINDLE) by Paul R. Gregory

•Wahhabism: The History of a Militant Islamic Movement (BOOK | KINDLE) by Cole M. Bunzel

•The Madman in the White House: Sigmund Freud, Ambassador Bullitt, and the Lost Psychobiography of Woodrow Wilson (BOOK | KINDLE) by Patrick Weil This is a really interesting new book about one of the more unique Presidential biographies ever written. William C. Bullitt was a longtime American diplomat and former supporter of Woodrow Wilson who blamed the failure of American ratification of the Treaty of Versailles following World War I on the worrisome personality changes he witnessed in President Wilson after Wilson suffered a stroke and serious health issues in the final years of his Presidency. Bullitt was close to Sigmund Freud and he teamed with Freud to write a psychological biography about Wilson several years after Wilson's death. The book they wrote (Thomas Woodrow Wilson: A Psychological Study) was very controversial and wasn't even published until nearly 30 years after Freud himself died. It's a really fascinating story and Weil's book -- as well as the original book by Bullitt and Freud -- reveal the potential dangers behind Presidential disability.

•The World: A Family History of Humanity (BOOK | AUDIO | KINDLE) by Simon Sebag Montefiore

•Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge from Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic (BOOK | AUDIO | KINDLE) by Simon Winchester I try to read every book that Simon Winchester writes. It seems like he's written books about basically every subject under the sun, and I can't think of a single one that I didn't find interesting.

•The Sergeant: The Incredible Life of Nicholas Said: Son of an African General, Slave of the Ottomans, Free Man Under the Tsars, Hero of the Union Army (BOOK | KINDLE) by Dean Calbreath The subtitle of this book alone makes it pretty clear that this is one hell of a story about a man who lived quite a life.

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biggest-gaudiest-patronuses · 5 months

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i will never understand why more people in their 80s don't commit felonies. you reach that age and surely there's something illegal you always wanted to do but didn't bc Consequences

dammit, GO FORTH GRANNIES!!! rob an armored car! hold up that bank! tunnel your way into fort knox! what are they gonna do, sentence you to 20 years? good fuckin luck with that

#mine would be a coordinated museum heist utilizing the lifetimes of experience and diverse expertise of my fellow nursing home residents #also there's Karl the orderly. his skill is he drives the shuttle van #technically he shouldn't be enabling us but he thinks it's a good enrichment activity #heck debra hasn't been this excited since her son flew in from australia.#plus Karl figures formulating an elaborate heist is better brain exercise than the puzzle books they keep in the resident lounge #all the sudokus are half finished anyway #update: upon consideration my second choice is just. MASSIVE credit card fraud.

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emeryleewho · 8 months

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I keep seeing posts talking about the WGA/Sag-Aftra strike, which yes, good, but in all this "support writers" sentiment I'm seeing no one talk about book writers, which I think is something people should know more about right now.

We are at an all-time high for book bans, namely targeting queer & PoC-authored books. This means that a lot of schools and libraries are no longer stocking diverse YA books, and if you're not in publishing, you may not realize this but school & libraries are by far one of the biggest markets for diverse YA books.

This means that in 2023, YA book sales are down. This is also in part because Barnes & Noble (the largest physical book retailer in the U.S.) is no longer really stocking YA hardcovers. This means that marginalized authors and debut authors are struggling to sell books.

But it's a LOT worse than that. In the past couple of years, marginalized authors are *really* struggling to get new book deals. Most books are acquired by a publisher about 2 years before they release to the public, so this isn't all that noticeable yet, but a LOT of marginalized authors I've spoken to (myself included) have been unable to sell a new YA book since 2020. So while I had a book out last year, even if I sell one right now, you won't see it until 2025-2026. That's three to four years without a new release or the income I get from publishing those books.

On top of that, Big 5 publishers have started closing imprints (namely their diverse imprints) and have started telling their marginalized YA authors to just go. I've had multiple authors tell me their publisher basically said, "eh, we don't care to put in the work for you anymore. You can just go somewhere else". Of the authors who *are* getting offered new contracts, we're being offered pay far below the cost of living and we're being handed contracts that split our payments 4 or 5 ways and require we sign over our work to be used to train AI so they can replace us a few years down the road.

Authors are freelancers who own our IPs, which means we can't unionize the way Hollywood writers can, and despite authors showing up in droves to support HarperCollins employees when they went on strike for fair wages, we're being hung out to dry when it comes to our own rights.

If you enjoy diverse books, especially diverse YA, please understand that many of the authors you loved over the past 3-5 years are being forced out of the industry. We're being exploited, and we have no way to defend ourselves. Our books sales are drying up thanks to anti-queer legislation, our rights are being eaten up by AI, and our publishers are degrading us while profiting of us and refusing to share those profits with us.

Within the publishing industry, we've all been watching this decline happen over the last decade, but outside of it, I know most people have no idea what's going on so please spread the word. And if you care about diverse books especially in YA, please support marginalized authors in any way you can. The industry needs to be reminded that it needs us before we're all eliminated from it.

#Books #diverse books #author #publishing #sag aftra #writers strike #writers #labor rights #workers rights #wga strike

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bargainsleuthbooks · 1 year

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King Charles: The Man, the Monarch, and the Future of Britain by Robert Jobson #BookReview #HouseofWindsor #KingCharlesIII

The #AudiblePlus catalog features many books on the royal family that I've been slowly going through. #KingCharlesIII by #RobertJobson was first released in 2018. #houseofwindsor #queenelizabethII #princeofwales #princecharles #bookreview #biography

Based on extensive fresh material and resources, Robert Jobson’s biography provides a definitive insight into the extraordinary life of HRH Charles, Prince of Wales as he approaches his seventieth birthday at a watershed in the history of the modern British monarchy. Exploring beyond the banal newspaper headlines that have caricatured Charles over the years, the book debunks the myths about the…

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#Audible Plus #Camilla Parker Bowles #Diversion Books #Duke of Edinburgh #House of Windsor #John Blake Books #King Charles III #Prince Charles #Prince of Wales #Prince Philip #Princess Diana #Princess of Wales #Queen Consort #Queen Consort Camilla #Queen Elizabeth II

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writingwithcolor · 6 months

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It wouldn’t be historically accurate for my story to include BIPOC!

This is an argument often made about European-style fantasy media like Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and Disney’s Frozen. Audiences, often white, assume that due to the majority-white setting, adding any visible number of BIPOC to the story would be unrealistic.

What these critics fail to realize is that BIPOC do in fact live, and have lived, in these settings, and records of BIPOC presence in places assumed to be majority-white have been buried, written out, or not taught due to white supremacist and/or colonial bias in the field of history. There are historical European settings that were far more diverse than is often portrayed. Consider:

The Moorish Empire exerted an extensive influence over life and culture in Southern Europe from Spain from 711 to 1492

The Ottomans were heavily involved in European affairs up until the treaty of Karlowitz in 1699, but still considered a part of Europe even through the 19th century

The sheer size of the Roman Empire ensured the continued movement of people from various backgrounds within the Mediterranean well until the end of the Byzantine Empire.

“Historical accuracy” should not be used as an excuse for media to be exclusively white in its casting. While there are places which are or were predominantly white, there will always be factors like global trade and immigration that bring multiculturalism to their doors.

And even if the presence of a certain demographic is unrealistic for a certain setting? Consider that we’ve accepted far worse inaccuracies in historical fiction in the name of artistic license. Consider that our understanding of human history is, and will always be, incomplete.

Further Reading:

Historically Diverse London, “Historical Accuracy,” and Creator Accountability

Making a Black Pride and Prejudice Resonate

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This Q&A is an excerpt from our General FAQ for Newcomers, which can be found in our new Masterpost of rules and FAQs. If you're new to Writing With Color and/or want more writing resources, check it out!

-Writing With Color

#writing with color #writeblr #representation #poc representation #history #historical fiction #historical accuracy #writing advice #writing tips #writers on tumblr #diverse books #diversity matters #faq

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thatchickmaya · 1 month

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My very first coloring book is finally ready! I'm so excited!! ✨😁✨

Available on ETSY

If this does well I'm considering taking model submissions for volume 2 in the summer.

#thatchickmaya #maya lee #body positive art #plus size art #body diversity #plus size friendly #body acceptance #fat art #fat positive #fat babe #coloring book #coloring #merch #etsyshop

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sapphicbookclub · 1 year

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23 sapphic books in 2023

Here’s a list of 2023 book releases with f/f pairings that you can add to your TBR and you can preorder now to support the authors!

Science Fiction / Fantasy books:

The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang

Ravensong by Cayla Fay

The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield

The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Ann Older

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

Lucha of the Night Forest Tehlor by Kay Mejia

The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero-Lacruz

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz

Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom by Nina Varela

Contemporary romance books:

Life is Strange: Steph’s Story by Rosiee Thor

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

Out of Character by Jenna Miller

What a Desi Girl Wants by Sabina Khan

The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar

The Girl Next Door by Cecilia Vinesse

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko

Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni

The Rules of Us by Jennifer Nissley

Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni

If Tomorrow Doesn't Come by Jen St. Jude

The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur

May 2023 bring you even more sapphicness and books! 🎆🎇

#sapphic books #lgbt books #queer books #diverse books #lgbtq books #sbl

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readerupdated · 5 months

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Do you ever get discouraged and need to remind yourself of the good things in life? One brilliant illustration can change your mood instantly and help stay focused and motivated for a long time.

Meet Elise Gravel. She is known for her vibrant illustrations, and their positive messages about friendship, creativity, empathy, and tolerance.

(via Discover the positive side of life through illustrations by Elise Gravel)

#positive #positive quotes #illustration #cartoon #comic #comic books #reading #education #learning #tolerance #diversity #bright colors #reader updated

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polaraffect · 1 year

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y'all remember when book fairs used to have those "banned books" display sections that advertised books based on that fact that they had been banned in schools in the past and everyone went "haha wow, it's crazy that they banned books like this! what a wacky thing to do!" haha........ yeah....... who would even do that......

#damien.txt #honestly i would prefer to go back to ppl using it as a marketing strategy than it just. happening! in my state!#i'm so tired fr morality wars make me want to curl up in a ball & choke #yeah sure the books are indoctrinating your child. the exact same way YOU. the parent. are indoctrinating them.#sorry it's from a different viewpoint i forgot that we're all trying for a homogenized society here. land of the free and all that.#just generally speaking the shit that is getting passed in my state.... truly beyond belief.#shoutout to the diversity programs that are fully just. getting defunded! by state law! how haha funny of them.#please get me out of here i'm desperate #us politics #politics

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yvesdot · 7 months

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SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT IS OUT!

“A quietly fantastical wonderland of creatures, queerness, and possibility.” — Max Franciscovich @goose-books, author of Night Shift

The debut collection returns in a special fifth anniversary edition, repackaged with three new short stories, a new cover, and additional bonus content! A vampire is forced into a compromising situation; a father fears his child's growing plant collection; the undead go to high school; a butcher contemplates whether or not she can be loved. In a captivating debut, yves. opens the door to our world, slightly askew—where the crows work for witches and telephone booths serve as secret channels for prophecy; where a diverse cast of monsters and humans alike are forced to contend with what the world believes is right.

Thank you to everyone who made my weird uncategorizable "Lemony Snicket meets Carmen Maria Machado" speculative fiction an instant bestseller! If you’ve ever felt like a monster, this book is for you.

PRESS: KZSC interview | Santa Cruz Sentinel interview

EXCERPTED SHORT STORIES

BUY NOW!

signed paperback | paperback & ebook (amazon) | ebook (itch.io)

& at all major retailers!

Thank you so much for reading this post about my book. I hope you will share it, and this image of my beautiful black cat, Andy, widely. To queer weird fiction and indie pub! To you, Dear Reader, with love.

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deadpresidents · 11 months

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have you read 1948 by David Peitrusa (sp?)?

I have read all of David Pietrusza's books and have been a big fan of his work for a long time. In fact, his publisher even used me as a blurb on at least the paperback editions of a couple of his books.

I'm particularly fond of Pietrusza's 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents (BOOK | KINDLE). It's a really great read and I remember breezing through it when I got it. My second favorite of his books is 1960: LBJ vs. JFK vs. Nixon: The Epic Campaign That Forged Three Presidencies (BOOK | KINDLE).

Like I said, I am a longtime fan of Pietrusza's writing style. He's written many books on a variety of subjects, but you especially can't go wrong with any of these books about the Presidents and Presidential elections: •1932: The Rise of Hitler and FDR: Two Tales of Politics, Betrayal, and Unlikely Destiny (BOOK | KINDLE) •TR's Last War: Theodore Roosevelt, the Great War, and a Journey of Triumph and Tragedy (BOOK | KINDLE) •Roosevelt Sweeps Nation: FDR's 1936 Landslide and the Triumph of the Liberal Ideal (BOOK | KINDLE) •1948: Harry Truman's Improbable Victory and the Year That Transformed America (BOOK | KINDLE)

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gabibookworm · 1 month

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Here are some fiction books by Palestinian authors about Palestinian characters that I've read and enjoyed! Whether it's about living under the occupation or teenage diaspora falling in love, it's important to support Palestinian authors and read their stories, especially as attempts at censorship increase Let me know if you have any recs for me to add to my tbr!

#booklr #books #diverse books #ya books #bookworm #ya romance #womens fiction #poetry #palestinian books

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cemeterything · 3 months

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sorry if you’ve read this before and i just haven’t seen you post about it, but the book “hell followed with us” by andrew joseph white seems right up your alley

i need some kind of faq with a section where i explain that i consider andrew joseph white to be a poor writer except when it comes to describing excesses of body horror and gore because people keep suggesting hell followed with us to me and i'm sorry but his books are not good. aside from the vivid descriptions mentioned above they're incredibly devoid of compelling narratives, fleshed out characters or immersive worldbuilding. the guy can come up with some amazing concepts for a story, but his ability to execute them is consistently disappointing. i'm glad he's making money and having fun pursuing his creative passions but his stuff just does not appeal to me at all and frankly makes a hater out of me.

#i would be more forgiving if it werent for the fact that he markets his books as containing diverse representation #but nearly all his character tend to read like they were created using a checklist of things you need to include #in your story to advertise it as such #anyway none of this is to say i want him cancelled or to never make another buck off writing or whatever #but i cannot recommend his existing published works

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writingwithcolor · 6 months

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Wouldn’t my writing be worse off if I forced in elements like diversity?

If you are asking this question, you have yet to challenge the “default” of your culture’s media. Consider that the majority of modern Western media fill their casts with white men, and when there are women or POC, they stick out conspicuously. Many people view adding diversity as tweaking some white man characters by toggling race or gender. But this assumes that “white man” is some default, standard character template.

If you feel pressured to include diversity in your writing, distance yourself from this pressure and ask yourself why you feel it. If you feel attacked when seeing campaigns for more diversity or criticism of all-white, uninclusive media, sit with the discomfort and ask yourself why those who are different from you say they need diverse media.

These are people whose voices and faces are rarely visible in entertainment. Despite this, they enjoy an adventure as much as anyone, and have become accustomed to projecting onto white characters. Yet, when the reverse is asked of white audiences to acknowledge protagonists of color, it becomes a difficult ask. These character choices are immediately questioned, discredited, fought against, and accused of being “woke” or “unrelatable.”

This resistance reflects a larger issue: the imbalance between audiences’ empathy towards the majority/“default” and empathy towards those perceived as Other.

By mostly reading about white people, they become easier to relate to. By the same token, if we are not reading media and histories from the perspective of POC, we end up with more people who literally fail to relate to POC. When we talk about hope-deficits, increased alienation and lower self-worth among marginalized populations, underrepresentation in media is a big factor. Imagine for a moment: never the beautiful princess in the tower, never the badass hero riding dragons; always the two-second sidekick.

People of color are people and want to be seen and treated as such. Not as a burden to devote your time to, but people who have a place in the world, fictional or no. Really, writing a world in your story that is all or mostly white is more unrealistic, more forced—after all, there are far more non-white people on Earth. Becoming comfortable with diversity requires unlearning White as the Default and POC as the Other. It takes setting aside feelings of pressure to emphasize, open your heart and listen.