Epic Pride Event
What: Authors Dean Atta, Kacen Callender, Andrew Eliopulos, Tobly McSmith and Ciara Smyth will appear in conversation with Sam Maggs as part of Epic Reads' EPIC PRIDE event. This event will take place on Epic Read's Facebook Live stream.
When: Tuesday, June 16, 2020, 3:00pm
We work hard to bring events to our community for free, because connecting readers with authors is central to our mission. But these programs are not free for us to put on! If you’re interested in attending, we hope you’ll consider purchasing a copy of Valentine from our bookshop. Your support is critical to keeping us here and offering events like this, and we hope to do that for many years to come!
About the Authors:
Dean Atta's poems deal with themes of race, gender, and identity. He regularly performs across the UK and internationally and his work has been shortlisted for the Polari First Book Prize and appeared on MTV and BET. The Black Flamingo is his debut YA novel. You can find him online at www.deanatta.com.
Kacen Callender is originally from Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Kacen has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MFA from the New School's writing for children program. They are also the author of the young adult novel This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story and the middle grade novel Hurricane Child, winner of the Stonewall Book Award and Lambda Literary Award. They can be found online at www.kacencallender.com.
Andrew Eliopulos is a children's book writer and editor. Originally from Georgia, Andrew graduated from the University of Chicago and now lives with his husband in Brooklyn, New York. His debut novel, The Spider Ring, was a CBC Children's Choices Reading List Pick and a Grand Canyon Reader Award nominee. Andrew may or may not believe in magic. www.andreweliopulos.com
Tobly McSmith is the co-creator/writer of seven somewhat successful musical parodies, including Friends! The Musical Parody. Tobly was born in Texas. He now lives in New York City with his two cats, Buster and Bananas McSmith. Tobly is proud to be transgender.
Ciara Smyth studied drama, teaching, and then social work at university. She thought she didn't know what she wanted to be when she grew up. She became a writer so she wouldn't have to grow up. She enjoys jigging (verb: to complete a jigsaw puzzle), playing the violin badly, and having serious conversations with her pets. Ciara has lived in Belfast for over ten years and still doesn't really know her way around. Visit her online at www.ciarasmyth.com.
About the Moderator:
Sam Maggs is a bestselling author of books, comics, and video games. She's a Senior Writer for Insomniac Games, including work on Marvel's Spider-Man; the author of DK's Marvel Fearless and Fantastic! and Quirk Books' The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy, Wonder Women, and Girl Squads; and a comics writer for beloved titles like Captain Marvel, My Little Pony, Star Trek, and Jem and the Holograms. A Canadian in Los Angeles, she misses Coffee Crisp and bagged milk.
Ordering:
Payment type must be "CreditCard." Shipping will be charged if you want the book shipped to you. If you'd prefer to use our curbside pickup program, we ask that you please collect your book(s) within one month of the event date. After that date, your book will be donated to a Houston-based literacy organization.
To place an international order, please email orders@bluewillowbookshop.com to obtain shipping details and to have items shipped to you. Staff will respond within 24-48 hours.
Stonewall Book Award Winner * A Time Magazine Best YA Book Of All Time
A fierce coming-of-age verse novel about identity and the power of drag, from acclaimed poet and performer Dean Atta. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jason Reynolds, and Kacen Callender.
A Stonewall Honor Book * A Time Magazine Best YA Book of All Time
From Stonewall and Lambda Award–winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.
A magic-infused YA novel about friendship, first love, and feeling out of place that will bewitch fans of Rainbow Rowell and Maggie Stiefvater.
Living in a small town where magic is frowned upon, Sam needs his friends James and Delia—and their time together in their school's magic club—to see him through to graduation.
Debut author Tobly McSmith delivers a coming-of-age teen love story about a transgender boy who’s going stealth at his new Texas high school and a cisgender girl who is drawn to him, even as she’s counting down the days until graduation. Perfect for fans of David Levithan, Becky Albertalli, and Jenny Han.
Two girls embark on a summer of montage-worthy dates (with a few strings attached) in this hilarious and heartfelt lesbian rom-com that’s perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Jenny Han.
Seventeen-year-old cynic Saoirse Clarke isn’t looking for a relationship. But when she meets mischievous Ruby, that rule goes right out the window. Sort of.
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