Julie's Book Diary

Julie. 23. Maryland. I read and write a lot. This blog is mostly a collection of quotes from whatever I'm reading at the time.

[narcolepticdrugs]

"We read to know we're not alone."

- William Nicholson, Shadowlands

[proartspb]

[bookaddict24-7]

I’m currently reading NEVERWHERE by Neil Gaiman and I’ll admit, it was a little hard to get into it. But now I’m almost halfway through and I’m starting to enjoy it more. 😊📖

If there was a secret world on the other side of your own reality, would you want to visit it? 🤔📚

IG: @daylafm

[bbhwhomst-blog]

anyone know any books with a wlw indian mc?

[wlwfiction]

Indian authors

The Navarasa Potion Shop by Akshaya Raman [free online short story]

Kari by Amruta Patil

Miss Timmins’ School for Girls by Nayana Currimbhoy

Babyji by Abha Dawesar

Falling into Place by Sheryn Munir

Love Bi the Way by Bhaavna Arora

The Paths of Marriage by Mala Kumar

I Can’t Think Straight by Shamim Sarif

The World Unseen by Shamim Sarif

Nights Like This by Divya Sood

Valmiki’s Daughter by Shani Mootoo

Cereus Blooms at Night by Shani Mootoo

A Married Woman by Manju Kapur

The Normal State of Mind by Susmita Bhattacharya

377 by Manish Jani

The Green Rose by Sharmila Mukherjee

Stealing Nasreen by Farzana Doctor

All Inclusive by Farzana Doctor

Acid by Sangeetha Sreenivasan

Out! Stories From The New Queer India edited by Minal Hajratwala

Facing the Mirror: Lesbian Writing from India edited by Ashwini Sukthankar

Non-Indian authors

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Vanished series by E. E. Cooper

Future Leaders series by Emily O’Beirne

Forward Pass (Podium Sports Academy #4) by Lorna Schultz Nicholson

Landing by Emma Donoghue 

Certainly, Possibly, You (Sucre Coeur #2) by Lissa Reed

Love by the Numbers by Karin Kallmaker

Up on the Roof by A. L. Brooks

Flinging It by G. Benson

Parties in Congress by Colette Moody

[mothbiteclub]

Are y’all ready for some book recommendations? I can’t explain what each book is about (well I can but I’m too lazy). But basically if you love

Essays

Personal memoirs

Short stories

Art (the lonely city)

Science (we are all stardust)

Beautiful writing

Learning something

Impressive personal stories

LGBTQ stories

Non fiction (everything except susan sontag + her body and other parties)

Then check out these books. You won’t regret it! You’re welcome. | Instagram

[prairielights]

“We were talking about The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which was something which resembled an iPad, long before it appeared. And I said when something like that happens, it’s going to be the death of the book. Douglas said, No it won’t be. Books are sharks. And I must have looked baffled at that because he looked very pleased with himself. And he carried on with his metaphor. He said, Books are sharks … because sharks have been around for a very, very long time. There were sharks before there were dinosaurs. And the reason sharks are still in the oceans is that nothing is better at being a shark than a shark is. He said, Look at a book. A book is the right size to be a book. They’re solar-powered. If you drop them, they keep on being a book. You can find your place in them in microseconds. They’re really good at being books, he said, and books, no matter what else happens, will always survive. And of course he’s right.”

— Neil Gaiman, giving the Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture 2015 (via thinkingingallifreyan)

[hyena-frog]

Autism and NT concepts in children’s literature

I work in a public library and there are times a book comes through circulation that is so awesome I can’t believe I hadn’t seen it before.

Last week I came across this lovely children’s picture book called Why Johnny Doesn’t Flap: NT is OK! by Clay Morton, Gail Morton, and illustrated by Alex Merry. (Pardon the library barcode covering part of the title here.)

[Pictures of the front and back covers of the picture book. The back cover summary says: “My friend Johnny is different from me. We have fun together, but sometimes he acts pretty strangely. He is never exactly on time, he can;t seem to strict to a routine, he stares right into your eyes, and he often says puzzling things. Johnny is neurotypical. I like Johnny and I think being NT is OK.”]

The fact that I was seeing the term “NT” on the cover of a children’s book was enough to pique my interest. Upon further inspection, I discovered that the book is really quite lovely!

[Two page spread reads: “We have a lot of fun together, but sometimes he acts pretty strangely. Mom says it is because he is NT, or neurotypical. He doesn’t have autism, so his brain works differently from mine, but that’s OK.”]

It flips the typical “little Timmy has a special friend” narrative on its head. Instead, the narrator is an autistic boy who has an NT friend who he sometimes struggles to understand. 

[Two page spread reads: It can be pretty interesting being friends with a kid who is NT. He has a lot of quirks that can be very frustrating until you get used to them. Mom says that everyone’s brain is different and different isn’t always wrong.”]

The book uses simple terms to describe a perspective not usually seen in any literature, let alone lit intended for children.

[Two page spread reads: “When something exciting happens, Johnny doesn’t respond like you would expect. He doesn’t flap his arms or jump up and down. He just moves the sides of his mouth up and slightly widens his eyes. Maybe he doesn’t know much about how to express emotions.”]

I think ultimately this flipping of the narrative is more effective in getting the message across that kids with autism are just like everyone else but with unique needs. 

[Two page spread reads: “Johnny never has a meltdown when disasters happen, like a fire drill or art class being canceled. He is afraid of what people might think. It seems like he is bottling his feelings up, but he just has his own way of dealing with things, and that’s OK.”]

And this book is something autistic kids don’t usually have– it’s a book from their perspective! And it’s a non-offensive, matter-of-fact perspective, which is all the rarer.

[Two pages spread reads: “When he talks to you, Johnny looks directly into your eyes, which can make you pretty uncomfortable. He doesn’t mean any harm, though. That’s just the way he is, and that’s OK.”]

It talks about things that autistic people experience and can relate to.

[Page reads: “I like Johnny. I think that being NT is OK.”]

How awesome is that?

[freckles-and-books]

Award for best end papers goes to…

[bookscomefromtrees]

And what do I risk to tell you this, which is all I know? Love yourself. Then forget it. Then, love the world.

Mary Oliver, “To Begin With, the Sweet Grass”

[bookmania]

[biandlesbianliterature]

Lesbrary Link Round Up February 1 - 14

[image description:  Collage of the book covers below with the text LESBRARY LINKS: Lesbian & Bi Books, February 18-31]

[image description: the covers of Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado, Chameleon Moon by RoAnna Sylver, Lyric Sexology Vol. 1 by Trish Salah, Bruja Born by Zoraida Cordova, and Villains Don’t Date Heroes! by Mia Archer]

Autostraddle posted 8 Books to Read If You Loved Carmen Maria Machado’s “Her Body and Other Parties”.

Bella Books is holding multiple giveaways through their Facebook page.

Book Riot posted 7 Fantastic Queer Sequels Coming Out in 2018 and 10 Unmissable LGBTQ+ Poets.

Casey the Canadian Lesbrarian posted Three New Must-Read Queer Canadian Poetry Books.

Lambda Literary posted New in February: Joseph Cassara, Saundra Mitchell, Jeffrey C. Stewart, and Karin Kallmaker.

LGBTQ Reads posted New Releases: February 2018 and Valentine’s Day Reads for Under $5!

Ylva posted Inside India: Writing Lesbian Fiction from the East.

[image description: the covers of Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, My Rainbow Family, Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters, and All Out by Saundra Mitchell]

“The Lesbian Grandma Romance In “Bingo Love” Will Melt Your Cold, Cold Heart” was posted at Logo.

“Lesbian media representation changed my life” discusses Fun Home and the podcast “Nancy.”

“Remembering ‘Tipping The Velvet,’ The “Joyous” Lesbian Romance That Changed Television” was posted at Decider.

In Croatia, an “enlarged effigy of My Rainbow Family, a picture book created for kindergarten-age children, was put to flames in front of several hundred children and parents on Sunday” at a children’s carnival. Here’s the link to their Indiegogo page to support the authors and get your own copy of the book!

[image description: the covers of Queerly Loving (Volume 1) edited by G Benson and Astrid Ohletz, White Houses by Amy Bloom, The Legend of Korra Turf Wars Part Two by Michael Dante DiMartino and Irene Koh, Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann, and Loving Her by Ann Allen Shockley]

Queerly Loving (Volume 1) edited by G Benson and Astrid Ohletz was reviewed at Lambda Literary.

White Houses by Amy Bloom was reviewed at TBO.

What Weaponry by Elizabeth J. Colen was reviewed at Lambda Literary.

The Legend of Korra Turf Wars Part Two by Michael Dante DiMartino and Irene Koh was reviewed at Okazu.

Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Jenn St-Onge, and Joy San was reviewed at Lambda Literary.

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann was reviewed at Rich In Color.

An Outsider Inside by R J Samuel was reviewed at Curve.

Loving Her by Ann Allen Shockley was reviewed at Black Lesbian Literary Collective.

Flowers of Luna by Jennifer Linsky was reviewed at Okazu.

(Originally posted at the Lesbrary.)

For even more links, check out the Lesbrary’s twitter! We’re also on Facebook, Goodreads, and Youtube.

If you like what we do at the Lesbrary and Bi & Les Lit, support us on Patreon at $2 or more a month and be entered to win a queer women book every month!

[blueinthefaceangel]

BOOKS WITH QUEER WOMEN OF COLOR PROTAGONIST

*This is a WIP. So if you see something incorrect please message me. Or if you want to add a book or comic message me with the title and ethnicity of the leading woman*

Books

Homecoming by Nell Stark ( Queer* Asian-American  )

Winds of Fortune by Radclyfe (African American Lesbian)

Blood Hunt by L.L Raand (African American Lesbian)

Punk Like Me and Punk and Zen by JD Glass (Latina Lesbian )

Blind Eye Mysteries by Diane Anderson-Minshall  and Jacob Anderson-Minshall (Japanese Lesbian(Has a visual disability)    and African American Lesbian)

Better Off Red: Vampire Sorority Sisters by Rebekah Weatherspoon(Latina Lesbian)

Blacker Than Blue: Vampire Sorority Sisters Book by Rebekah Weatherspoon(African American Lesbian)

The Fling by Rebekah Weatherspoon(African American/Russian Lesbian)

The Necessary Hunger by Nina Revoyr (Japanese -American Lesbian)

Southland by Nina Revoryr (Japanese-American Lesbian)

Car Pool by Karin Kallmaker (Asian American Lesbian)  

Choices by Skyy (Queer African American women )

Naughty Little Secrets by Mary Wilbon (African American Lesbian)

The Mimi Patterson/Gianna Maglione Mysteries by Penny Mickelbury (African American Lesbian)

Falling Star by Gill McKnight (Japanese Lesbian)

Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey (Queer Latinas )

If You Could Be Mine  by Sara Farizan  (Queer Iranian)

Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan (Queer Persian)

Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon (African American Lesbian)

At Her Feet by Rebekah Weatherspoon (Jamaican-Korean Lesbian and Mexican-American Lesbian)

She Slipped And Fell by Shonda (African American Lesbians)

Second Nature by Jae (Asian Lesbian)

The Gunfighter and the Gearhead by Cassandra Duffy (Korean Lesbian)

The Enterprise of Death by Jesse Bullington (African Lesbian)

Marriage of a Thousand Lies by SJ Sindu ( Sri Lankan Lesbian)

Falling Hard by Jae (African American Lesbian)

Manga’s (Unless otherwise stated all the protagonist are queer Japanese women/girls)

Revolutionary Girl Utena by Chiho Saito and Be-Papas (Indian Queer women)

Kannazuki no Miko

Octave

Kimi Koi Limit

Love Flag Girls

Gokujou Drops

Sweet Blue Flowers,

Shōjo Sect

Maria-sama ga Miteru

[violentgril]

Writing Fanfiction

This 15-question survey is to collect data for an academic research project conducted by a student at the University of Leeds in Leeds, UK. If you write and post fanfiction on the Internet and would like to contribute to this project, please answer all the below questions. This survey is anonymous and the data collected will only be used for research purposes.

Hey, if you write and post fanfic and would like to answer a short survey to help with my Masters research project, I’d be eternally grateful! 

[bookscomefromtrees]

A town isn't a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore, it knows it's not foolin' a soul.

Neil Gaiman, American Gods

[emilysidhe]

What we really need is an adaptation of the original 1740 The Beauty and the Beast

So were you aware that the The Beauty and the Beast story we all know is a heavily abridged and rewritten version of a much longer novella by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve?  And that a lot of the plot holes existing in the current versions exist because the 1756 rewrite cut out the second half of the novella, which consisted entirely of the elaborate backstory that explains all the weird shit that happened before?  And that the elaborate backstory is presented in a way that’s kind of boring because the novel had only just been invented in 1740 and no one knew how they worked yet, but contains a bazillion awesome ideas that beg for a modern retelling?  And that you are probably not aware that the modern world needs this story like air but the modern world absolutely needs this story like air?  Allow me to explain:

The totally awesome elaborate backstory that explains Beauty and the Beast

Once upon a time there was a king, a queen, and their only son

But while the prince was still in his infancy, in a neat reversal of how these fairy tales usually go, the king tragically died, leaving his wife to act as Regent until their son reaches maturity

Unfortunately, the rulers of all the lands surrounding them go, “Hmm, the kingdom is ruled by a woman now, it must be weak, time for an invasion!”

And the Queen goes, “Well, if I let some general fight all these battles for me, he’ll totally amass enough fame and power to make a bid for the throne; if I want to protect my son’s crown, I have no choice but to take up arms and lead the troops myself!”

(Btw, I want to stress that this woman is not Eowyn or Boudica and nothing in the way her story is presented suggests that she had any interest martial exploits before or in any way came to enjoy them during these battles.  This is a perfectly ordinary court lady who would much rather be embroidering altar covers for the royal chapel and playing with her child until necessity made her go, “Oh no, this sucks, I guess I have to become a Warrior Queen now” and she just happened to kick ass at it anyway.)

And the Queen totally kicked ass, but the whole “twice as good for half the credit” thing meant that no matter how many battles she won, potential enemies refused to take her and her army seriously until she had defeated them so no sooner would she fend off one invasion than another one would pop up on a different border.

So she spent the majority of her young son’s life away from the castle leading armies, but it was OK because she left him in the care of her two best friends, who just happen to be fairies!  This was an awesome idea because a) fairies have magic, and therefore are like the best people to protect the prince from any threats and b) fairies consider themselves to be so above humanity that the lowest fairy outranks the highest mortal, so they’d have no interest in taking a human throne.  Good thing they were both good fairies instead of one good and one evil one!

(Spoiler:  they were not both good fairies.)

So the two fairies basically take turns raising the prince until he’s old enough to rule.  And on the eve of his twenty-first birthday, the evil older one comes into the prince’s bedroom.

“So listen, kid.  You’re about to become king, your mother’s on her way home from the war to see you crowned, and I have a third piece of good news for you!  You see, I’ve actually been spending so much time here lately because Fairyland’s become a bit too hot to hold me for reasons totally not related to me being secretly evil.  And if I have to hang in the human world, I might as well reside in the upper echelons of it, so even though as a powerful fairy I completely eclipse your puny human status in a staggeringly unimaginable way, since you’re about to be king and since my premonition that I should stick this whole guardianship thing out because you would be hot one day has totally proved accurate (go me), I will graciously lower myself to allowing you to marry me.  Please feel free to grovel at my feet in gratitude.  (Btw, we can totally start the wedding night now, we’ll tell your mother about it when she arrives tomorrow.)”

Keep reading

[bookscomefromtrees]

Curiosity always leads its practitioners a bit too far off the path, and that way lie stories.

Donna J. Haraway, Staying With the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene

[bookscomefromtrees]

Good stories reach into rich pasts to sustain thick presents to keep the story going for those who come after.

Donna J. Haraway, Staying With the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene