Confession: I’ve never been to the Big Apple. But now I’m heading there in June because…

-BECAUSE!-

GRAVITY is a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award and I could not be more excited/humbled/grateful/shocked/awed. Because…

-BECAUSE!-

LOOK AT THESE AMAZING AUTHORS AND TITLES IN THE CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT FINALIST CATEGORY!

What. An. Honor.

I know, I know. Everyone says, “It’s an honor just to be nominated” and inwardly we think, “Yeah, well, ya sorta gotta say that otherwise you sound like the most entitled jerk on the planet!”

But here’s the thing: It IS an honor. Look, I am a straight, cis, white author, writing affirmative fiction for young adults because my heart is called to ADD my voice to the beautiful chorus of voices out there, telling hard truths and trying to create a kinder more equitable world. And if I know ONE thing to be true it is this: The community for which I write does not NEED my voice. #OwnVoices is something I support 100%.

But, for some remarkable reason, this community has made space for me and welcomed me and bestowed on me the title of Ally (gulp – still chokes me up) and even held my work up as worthy of recognition.

So, thank you. Thank every single one of you from the queer writing community to my publishing house at Bold Strokes Books to Lambda Literary Society – THANK YOU. This work I do is a labor of love and I gotta say, I’m feeling the love right back, and what a beautiful feeling that is.

Thank you.

Peace,