02 - A book by a trans or nonbinary author

[Anshita]

I've read books about or by trans individuals such as Nevada and This is How It Always Is and I realized I've not read anything by or about a POC trans individual. So, along with an attempt to read more LGBTQ+ books, for this prompt I've chosen by Vivek Shraya. She is a transwoman of Indian descent living in Canada and her body of work is super interesting and out of the ordinary.

[Anshita]

Veena wrote: "Can we read something by Oscar Wilde? Even he is supposed to be a non- binary."

Sure. I suggest The Picture of Dorian Gray.

[Jas]

Karin wrote: "Are we only going with authors who are alive today and use our contemporary terms or can we include authors who fit some of the definitions of nonbinary from the classics era? I ask because I have ..."

I would love to know about these authors/books you mention.

[Jas]

Anshita wrote: "Veena wrote: "Can we read something by Oscar Wilde? Even he is supposed to be a non- binary."

Sure. I suggest The Picture of Dorian Gray."this is quite a stretch (assuming Oscar Wilde was non binary). What are these assumotions based on? There are so many authors who are trans or enby we don't need to go guessing.

[Jas]

I recommend Big Pink Meat especially if you want to read something new.

[Leona]

Anshita wrote: "Veena wrote: "Can we read something by Oscar Wilde? Even he is supposed to be a non- binary."

Sure. I suggest The Picture of Dorian Gray."

Thanks for the suggestion of Dorian Gray. I have seen the movie more than once.

[Sheri]

Is there evidence that Wildes was trans or nonbianary? As far as I’ve ever read, he was gay or maybe bi.

[Leona]

I personally will still count it and be somewhat flexible.

[Melissa]

Ummm... "nonbinary" as a concept didn't even exist during Wilde's time; he identified as male/a man.

Gay/bi are sexual orientations, not to be conflated with trans/nonbinary (gender orientations).

[Sheri]

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I know that. I meant that I had read that he was gay or possibly bi. I hadn't heard anything that he might have been trans or anything even close to that. So I don't think he'd qualify for this, since the prompt is specifically a trans or nonbinary author, not someone within the lgbtqa+ community as a whole.

[Ashley]

I’m using Pet by Akwaeke Emezi. Have heard great things about it. They are a non-binary trans person.

[Cindi]

Someone suggested Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
by Alison Bechdel to me for this prompt, but it doesn't fit, does it? Alison Bechdel is gay, not trans, correct?
I don't mean to be insensitive on topics such as this, but there's a bit of confusion for me. And really, I don't pay attention to the author's story - at all - when I choose a book. I've read authors, followed them for years without knowing if they were married, had kids, or where they lived, so knowing their gender or how they identify seems to me to be a strange way to find a book.

[Books, Brews & Booze]

Cindi wrote: "Someone suggested Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
by Alison Bechdel to me for this prompt, but it doesn't fit, does it? Alison Bechdel is gay, not trans, correct?
I don't mean to be insensitive on t..."

I don't usually pay too much attention to personal lives so I know what you mean. I think the goal is to be reading books by other voices we may not have read before :)

[nitisha]

Ashley wrote: "I’m using Pet by Akwaeke Emezi. Have heard great things about it. They are a non-binary trans person."

I just finished their Freshwater for this prompt and loved it!

[Kate (Feathered Turtle Press Reviews)]

Cindi wrote: "Someone suggested Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
by Alison Bechdel to me for this prompt, but it doesn't fit, does it? Alison Bechdel is gay, not trans, correct?"

Correct, as far as I know.

[Nadine in NY]

Cindi wrote: "Someone suggested Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
by Alison Bechdel to me for this prompt, but it doesn't fit, does it? Alison Bechdel is gay, not trans, correct?
I don't mean to be insensitive on t..."


Correct, Fun Home would not work for this category.

[Kristen]

Hannah wrote: "The Merry Spinster by Mallory Ortenberg"

Just FYI, Mallory Ortberg is the author's deadname, his name now is Daniel Lavery. He recently married his partner and took her last name.

For anybody who doesn't know, it's considered rude to misgender or deadname a trans or nb person.

[Heather]

Kristen wrote: "Hannah wrote: "The Merry Spinster by Mallory Ortenberg"

Just FYI, Mallory Ortberg is the author's deadname, his name now is Daniel Lavery. He recently married his partner and took her last name.

..."

Yes, it is. This is complicated for published authors. The author name on the book is Mallory Ortberg. I'm reading Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg for this prompt right now. He cites an academic paper by Jordana Rosenberg, his own deadname, in the book. Trans writers who published with their deadname know people might have to use that name to find their work. I would not support using a deadname in any other context.

[Dedra ~ A Book Wanderer]

I haven't seen this one mentioned, but I read an ARC of You Were Here a few years ago and I really enjoyed it. It's a very well-written young adult book that also includes graphic novel panels and word art poetry. It's a gorgeous book!

[Jd]

Kristen wrote: "Hannah wrote: "The Merry Spinster by Mallory Ortenberg"

Just FYI, Mallory Ortberg is the author's deadname, his name now is Daniel Lavery. He recently married his partner and took her last name.

..."


As an author he is going by Daniel Mallory Ortberg. His latest book is Something That May Shock and Discredit You which would work well for this challenge too.

[Lynne]

I just finished If I Was Your Girl and loved it! I would highly recommend it for this category!

[Disaster]

Can't wait to read this! I think it's a good choice for this prompt if anyone is a lover of YA and Rick Riordan.

[Johanne]

Thanks for the rec Disaster. That looks good!

[Connie Robinson]

I went with Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens by Eddie Izzard. My husband and I caught the book tour when he came around but I never sat down and read the book. If you are a fan of Eddies than I highly recommend it, it reads as if he is reading it (i know I'm using the "he" pronoun for a transgender person but Eddie has publically stated that he prefers using both the "he" and "she" pronouns).

[Connie Robinson]

Sarah wrote: "Eddie Izzard is not transgendered. He is an Executive Transvestite (as a stage persona)."

Eddie has come out as transgendered. here is an article from 2017 where he discusses it:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/boo...

[Rachel]

I've just found this list of 15 books by LGBTQIA+ authors which will be published in the first half of 2020.

https://bookmarks.reviews/15-of-the-m...

Of course, some of the authors may not be trans or non-binary, but from a little research I've found that Danez Smith and John Elizabeth Stintzi identify as non-binary, and Vivek Shraya is trans.

[Thali]

Do you guys have any recommentations for fantasy or mistery books that fit this prompt?

[Zoe]

Thalita wrote: "Do you guys have any recommentations for fantasy or mistery books that fit this prompt?"

I've not read any of their work but you could look into Akwaeke Emezi

[Nadine in NY]

There are A LOT of fantasy novels that work here. For example: JY Yang’s Tensorate series. Browse the Listopia list and you’ll see more.

[Kate]

Thalita wrote: "Do you guys have any recommentations for fantasy or mistery books that fit this prompt?"

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey - various shelves list it as: fantasy, urban fantasy , magic fantasy and mystery.

[Thali]

Thanks everyone!
I will check everything out! This Magic For Liars seems quite interesting!

[Erin]

An Unkindness of Ghosts

I was really intrigued by the premise and really enjoyed this book.

[ash]

Currently reading Magic for Liars for this prompt. Sarah Gaily is nonbinary and I'm only a third of the way through the book but I am already recommending it to anybody who is looking for more The Magicians / HP vibes with a who-done-it murder twist.

[Dedra ~ A Book Wanderer]

I don't think this has been shared yet, but I stumbled across a master list of for YA and MG Trans and nonbinary ownvoices books on a blog today. I thought I'd share.

https://raystoeve.com/the-ya-trans-ow...

[Drakeryn]

fantastic resource, thanks!

[Kirsten]

the earthquake room
"Speculative fiction focusing on queer couple bea and k, who are haunted by the fear of a natural disaster in the bay area" (medium.com)

This one looks interesting

[Elen Wroten]

Anything by Julia Serano. She is trans.

[Capital Reader]

I'm reading Oliver A Lover All Over by Maranda Elizabeth.
They have also written Telegram: A Collection of 27 Issues,
Ragdoll House and We Are the Weirdos.

[Shelley]

I read All the Birds in the Sky by charlie Jane Anders. It's a mix of Sci-fi and fantasy. It was good, but not quite as good as I was hoping considering all the awards it won. Definitely an interesting concept.

[Ann]

There's a brand new book just out by Anya DeNiro called City of a Thousand Feelings which is a sword and sorcery story with trans protagonists. I know Anya is a talented author, so I was looking forward to this, Popsugar challenge or not. But it's nice that it will neatly meet By a Trans Author, Published in 2020, or more than 20 Letters in the Title!

[Alex]

Would a book by multiple authors be good for this prompt? Or should it be a book with one author throughout? I am thinking about picking this book: Summer Heat

Some of the authors included in it are transgender or nonbinary. I actually got this book, because of one of the authors who is asexual. But I am excited for the transgender and nonbinary representation in it. I thought about this book as soon as I saw this prompt.

[poshpenny]

Out of Salem - genderqueer fourteen-year-old zombie witch

[Drakeryn]

Alex wrote: "Would a book by multiple authors be good for this prompt? Or should it be a book with one author throughout? I am thinking about picking this book: Summer Heat

Some of the authors ..."

It's kind of a gray area, but if you're excited about the trans/nonbinary rep then I say go for it.

[Angelina]

I am not an expert on this so I presume some authors in the past would have been transgender or non binary if that was available to them.

Would Valentine ackland (given a different female name at birth) count? I heard an excellent radio drama a while ago about valentine and his partners life so would be interested in finding out more.

[Angelina]

Jack Monroe
Jack Monroe Collection 3 Books Set


If I can’t find anything else I guess a cook book by jack monroe will count....sadly I’m not keen on the recipes as a vegetarian or the authors opinions on other topics but would work for this prompt.

[Debbie]

I'm kind of annoyed by this challenge. I've been trying to read books I already own, but all the books I own that people have mentioned here or in the Listopia I've already read.

(/on sarcasm) I guess I'll have to cave and buy something.... darn.... (/off sarcasm)

[Lilith]

I read and adored Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. Very moving memoir. E really allows you into the most intimate parts of eir mind and thought processes and feelings. I don't usually do graphic novels, but this was uniquely touching, and funny, and so relatable, no matter what the reader's gender or sexual orientation. I hope there is a follow up.

[Jackie]

I came upon one unexpectedly today! Carly Usdin is nonbinary according to their twitter. I loved their comic book Heavy Vinyl: Riot on the Radio, Vol. 1 and was stoked to find The Avant-Guards, Vol. 1 on my library's ebook offerings. It can be a bit hard to find digital comics/graphic novels. I was just checking twitter to see if there were any sequels coming soon and was thrilled to find I could check off another prompt. If you want something cute and gay and happy, I recommend their work.

[Caleb]

Anything by Jennifer Finney Boylan.

[Celine]

I branched out for this and read a book from a local author! This is a very short read but quite tragic.

I'm Afraid of Men