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thebibliosphere · 6 months

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Okay, well, I was planning to build up some hype, but

🦇🎃HAPPY HALLOWEEN🎃🦇

Lorehaven Bound: A Hunger Pangs Short is now available on Amazon.

A train ride through the Nevrondian countryside should be a calming proposition, but for Ursula, it isn't. Her thoughts swirl, fixated on one thing... make that two things. Specifically Nathan Northland and Vlad Blutstein. It's not just because they are both breath-stealingly attractive—although to be fair, that doesn't hurt. It's because they surprised her, and Ursula is very rarely surprised.

Even more confounding is her reaction to them, particularly the vampire, Vlad. Just what is she supposed to do about these... feelings?

All Ursula knows is that she doesn't have time for emotions right now. Not when the fate of the world is at stake. She can deal with this later. First, she's got to figure out what story she's going to tell the sure-to-be-furious Alfbern. Then, she needs to catch up on all the sleep she missed before hitting the road again. Surely, she can do those things while being Lorehaven Bound.

*

This story is a 10,000-word character study/missing moment that takes place immediately after Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites. You will want to read that first if you don't want to be spoiled for the events in that book!

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💖 Available now on Amazon

💖 Apple, Kobo, Smashwords, and more... (links still populating.)

💖Payhip - my personal storefront 💖

Happy reading!

Okay, thanks, love you all, bye.

ID: A red book cover showing a feminine figure standing in front of a steam strain. The title reads Lorehaven Bound, A Hunger Pangs short by International Bestselling Author Joy Demorra. There is a glittery crystal next to the text, and gold decorative swirls adorn the corners.

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haveyoureadthistransbook · 4 months

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GRIT: a poetry collection by silas denver melvin

goodreads

The polite transphobia from adult women is no longer keeping you hostage as you sob an earthquake in your ex-boyfriend's car. Grit is a transgender coming of age story. There are no beautiful rainbows here, no whispers, but raw cries from somewhere primal.

Mod opinion: I haven't read this poetry collection, but I think I've read some of the author's poems here on tumblr.

#grit #silas denver melvin #polls #trans lit #trans literature #trans books #lgbt lit #lgbt literature #lgbt books #poetry #trans man #own voices

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mxtxdiaspora-may · 1 year

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stories that spoke to us: MDZS & the Chinese diaspora experience

From March to April 2023, Chinese diaspora fans in the MXTX Diaspora May discord server and Danmei Diaspora discord server compiled a list of MDZS fanworks that rang true to their diaspora experiences. Works that used canon as a setting were excluded, but everything else was welcome. Most, if not all, of these stories were written and/or podficced by Chinese diaspora fans.

This is not a comprehensive list of all MDZS fic with diaspora settings, nor do the works encompass all the diverse experiences of Chinese diaspora. If you would like to contribute to the ongoing recs sheet and future fanwork compilations, please contact @dmdiaspora on twitter or tumblr. You may also send information about a fanwork rec you’d like to add.

Without further ado, we present a list of the diaspora stories that we felt represented our voices. These recommendations have been categorized by in-story identity markers and settings.

We will making recommendation posts for each individual story from now until the beginning of May.

Reblogs are welcome.

#admin post #mdzs fic recs #mdzs #chinese diaspora #own voices #mdzs fic rec

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caseyscraftycorner · 3 months

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Bipolar, part 1.

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taliabhattwrites · 1 month

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For Trans Rights Readathon, consider 'Dulhaniyaa', a desi F/F tale of forbidden love. A woman, promised to a man, can't help but fall for her transfem dance instructor. Written by a desi transbian, at a modest 39k words. Preorder linked here, ARCs available on request.

#transrightsreadathon #trans rights readathon #own voices #trans books #trans lesbian #sapphic books #sapphic literature

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3rdeyeblaque · 1 year

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On January 7th, we venerate Ancestor & Hoodoo Saint, Auntie Zora Neale Hurston on her 133rd birthday (updated 2024). 🎉

Novelist, Anthropologist, Folklorist, Scholar, Vodou initiate & Historian, Zora Neale Hurston's legacy is forever cemented in Hoodoo Culture (and beyond) as the masterful wordsmith who cast a shining light on black excellence in all everyday forms/spaces, our ATR roots, & the preservation of Black Voices during the prime of the Harlem Renaissance.

Auntie Zora was born in Notasulga, AL and raised on 5 acres of land in Eatonville, FL by her preacher-father and free-spirited mother ; in what would be the first all-Black township in the country. After the shattering loss of her mother, Zora turned up in Baltimore, MD where she presented herself as a 16 year old (10 years her junior) in order to access free public school education resources; thereby finishing school. From then on, Zora lived her life presenting herself as 10 years younger than she actually was. She'd go on to graduate from Barnard College in 1928.

She published several novellas & articles, including "Mules & Men"; a collection of Hoodoo Folklore. She entered the zenith of her career in the late 30s/40s after publishing her masterworks: "Their Eyes Were Watching God", "Tell My Horse", "Moses, Man of the Mountain", & an anthropological study on Hatian Vodou .After publishing her autobiography, "Dust Tracks on a Road, "Auntie Zora finally received the public recognition & literary respect that was long overdue. Despite her successes, and unprecedented contributions in classic literature & anthropology, Zora never received the financial contributions that her work so deserved.

Zora Neale Hurston passed away; penniless, alone, & drifting into obscurity. Friends and supporters from near and far raised $600 for her funeral service and burial. She was buried in an unmarked grave, in a segregated section, at the Garden Of Heavenly Peace Cemetery in Fort Pierce, FL. Over a decade later, in 1973 the Great Alice Walker found the unmarked grave and ordered a headstone to be placed on it; engraved with, "Genius Of The South" in Zora's honor. It remains in place today. “Let no Negro celebrity, no matter what financial condition they might be in at death, lie in inconspicuous forgetfulness. We must assume the responsibility of their graves being known and honored.” - Zora Neale Hurston to W.E.B. Dubois Auntie Zora wanted to be remembered & demanded that the same honor and respect be given unto her peers & others. Never forget the infectious voice that defined & defied, inspired & struck fear in many hearts of her time & after. We pour libations & give 💐 today as we celebrate Auntie Zora for her enigmatic spirit, ancestral wisdom, labor of love for Hoodoo Folklore, & for the seeing the beauty in the dark, sometimes solemn, corners in Black Culture. Let her studies continue to inform our own. Let her spark a fire in us to reconnect to our roots & grow within our lineages.

Offering suggestions: money, music, read/share her work, libations of water, & flowers.

‼️Note: offering suggestions are just that & strictly for veneration purposes only. Never attempt to conjure up any spirit or entity without proper divination/Mediumship counsel.‼️

#hoodoo Saints #Hoodoo Saint #zora neale hurston #Hoodoo #vodou #haitian vodou #the hoodoo calendar #hoodoohistory #hoodoos #atrs #atr #hoodoo culture #bvm #Hoodoo Folklore #Black authors #Black writers #own voices #Black Power

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wrecklwj · 11 months

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MXTX Diaspora May 2023 is drawing to a close, so here are some personal reflections

As some of you may know, MXTX Diaspora May was originally started by Frost in 2021 as a means of elevating Chinese diaspora creators in fandom. At the time the event was set up, the climate in fandom was truly a hostile one, with Chinese diaspora creators routinely facing discrimination and marginalization. Adding to that were a slew of vicious hate crimes against Asian diaspora people in real life.

May is AAPI Heritage month in the US, and thus it was chosen as the posting month for the event. In other words, it was a time for us to come together, to heal, and above all, to let our voices be heard.

Since 2021, the scope of MXTX Diaspora May has evolved. Instead of solely focusing on MDZS, we now spotlight fanworks for all of MXTX’s novels. More importantly, MXTX Diaspora May has gone international in welcoming the participation of Chinese diaspora creators from not just the US, but all around the world (like me)!

So, why is MXTX Diaspora May so meaningful to me?

At the time that Frost invited me to be a part of the mod team, I was honestly struggling to find a place in MDZS fandom. I was frequently spoken over, treated as an expendable resource for cultural information, and on the receiving end of comments that contained racist microaggressions (and sometimes, outright aggression). Dealing with these interactions was exhausting, as well as grappling with the constant feeling that I had no real right to be in the English-speaking fandom. I still feel like this, even today — works where I (subconsciously or otherwise) downplay my identity as a member of the Chinese diaspora are always substantially more well-received than works where I do not. In other words, as some commenters (helpfully) pointed out to me, it was exhausting and difficult to get into the stories I told and the viewpoints I presented, especially if they contained too many cultural markers and language code-switches.

Being part of MXTX Diaspora May changed everything for me. Creating and interacting in this space that belonged to us, that was built solely for the purpose of elevating voices like mine — it meant that for once, I could tell the stories I wanted to tell, to the likeminded people I wanted to reach, without needing to downplay, apologize, or make excuses for just how unpalatable they might be.

Personal revelations aside and back to the culture-building aspect — I truly believe that the path to disempowering racist structures in fandom (and by extension, in real life as well) lies in changing the fundamental mindsets and worldviews of people. And to achieve that, we all have to relearn the ways in which we think, feel, and operate. MXTX Diaspora May is built on this very principle — the belief that through giving a platform to marginalized voices and actively encouraging open dialogue and appreciation, we can connect with each other over our shared experiences and gradually influence the perception that others outside our immediate circle have over our culture and language. It is an active, inclusive, and sustainable way of dismantling preconceived notions and habits that allow racism to flourish in fandom.

At the same time, it is also worth acknowledging that there is also a limit to how much power we place in institutions to do the work for us. Sit with the discomfort and the exhaustion, question our preconceived notions, and challenge our hearts — and I am optimistic that as things change at the individual level, the associated structures and systems will naturally follow.

So, where should we start?

There are so many ways we can be a part of the movement to dismantle systemic racism against members of the Chinese diaspora in MXTX fandom. One of the most actionable ways would be to boost and consume works by Chinese diaspora creators. And if we’re reading, listening to, or looking at something that doesn’t immediately appeal to us, and especially if we find ourselves struggling to comprehend or relate — ask ourselves honestly if it is a failing on the part of the creator, or just our own unfamiliarity with the context of the work, and/or implicit biases coming into play. Take our time to realize it for what it is, and then decide from there whether to move on, or move ahead.

MXTX is a Chinese writer, and her works are an extension and reflection of her culture and upbringing. It is impossible to separate her identity and belonging from the stories she writes. It’s exactly the same for us Chinese diaspora creators. Wherever we are in the world, however we were raised, and whatever pieces of ourselves that we choose to share in our works — I hope that we will continue to find our peace, our pride, and our homecoming whenever we do.

Resources

MXTX Diaspora May collection (2023, 2022, 2021)

Danmei Diaspora Creatives collection (showcases work by Chinese diaspora creators across a myriad of danmei fandoms including MXTX; not affiliated with MXTX Diaspora May)

Directory of MDZS fics and podfics by Chinese diaspora writers that are focused on the modern diaspora experience, compiled by G (not affiliated with MXTX Diaspora May)

#MXTX Diaspora May #own voices #Chinese diaspora #danmei fandom thoughts #Racism in fandom

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krsonmar · 11 months

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A lot has been said about how Stede would be unlikeable if anyone other than Rhys Darby were playing him, but to add to it, so much of what makes the character sympathetic is that the character is so autistic-coded *in ways recognizable by people who actually have autism*. He isn't Sheldon Cooper, he's portrayed in ways that people who actually live that experience can see and say, "Yup...yyyyup...big old mood right there." That takes someone who knows those experiences themselves, or at the very least is closely adjacent to or loves people who do. It's a portrayal where the autism isn't a joke or a flaw or something that makes a character a "difficult/unsympathetic hero", and it isn't an "educational"/Very Special Episode portrayal either. Stede is very much Just Like That, and by seeing him portrayed as someone who can be loved, and deserves to be, and wants so badly to be, and is, it lets the audience see an autistic person in a very human light, instead of as the constantly regurgitated and tired stereotypes or who only exists subtextually as the character who's the robot/alien/nonhuman teammate. Whether the viewer is themselves autistic or not--or is maybe undiagnosed or sees something they recognize in someone they know--Stede is a character who is coded autistic in a highly authentic way, not one that's dictated by neurotypical perspectives, and who gets to have his need to be loved recognized, and honored, and freakin' fulfilled, and that means one of the main takeaways of the show can be boiled down to the idea that autistic people need and deserve love just as much as everyone else. Whether you see some of Stede in yourself or someone else, damn it all, that's such a powerful thing to have out in the world!

#ofmd #ofmd stede #ofmd stede bonnet #ofmd meta #neurodivergence #autism #autistic adult #rhys darby #actually autistic #own voices #autistic representation

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virtuallyleslie · 2 months

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Congratulations Moniquill Blackgoose!

TO SHAPE A DRAGON'S BREATH is on the official reading list for Best First Novel with the Locus Awards

The Locus Awards are reader awards! You decide the winners!

Just go through the poll: https://poll.voting.locusmag.com

#to shape a dragon's breath #writers on tumblr #own voices #amreading #female writers #book tumblr #booktok #ya fantasy #gaslamp fantasy #fantasy #sff books #debut novel #first novel

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thebibliosphere · 9 months

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Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites

In a world of dwindling hope, love has never mattered more...

Captain Nathan J. Northland had no idea what to expect when he returned home to Lorehaven injured from war, but it certainly wasn’t to find himself posted on an island full of vampires. An island whose local vampire dandy lord causes Nathan to feel strange things he’d never felt before. Particularly about fangs.

When Vlad Blutstein agreed to hire Nathan as Captain of the Eyrie Guard, he hadn’t been sure what to expect either, but it certainly hadn’t been to fall in love with a disabled werewolf. However Vlad has fallen and fallen hard, and that’s the problem.

Torn by their allegiances–to family, to duty, and the age-old enmity between vampires and werewolves–the pair find themselves in a difficult situation: to love where the heart wants or to follow where expectation demands.

The situation is complicated further when a mysterious and beguiling figure known only as Lady Ursula crashes into their lives, bringing with her dark omens of death, doom, and destruction in her wake.

And a desperate plea for help neither of them can ignore.

Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites by Joy Demorra is a queer, paranormal, gaslamp fantasy romance novel featuring enchanted forests, gothic castles, and just a smidge of industrial coal dust, and is the first book of the Hunger Pangs slow-burn polyamorous romance series. Join Vlad, Nathan, and Ursula as they navigate a magical world torn asunder war and politics as they work to restore balance to the world and find love along the way. Book one is available now in ebook, paperback, and audio.

Buy the (high heat) Flirting With Fangs Edition Here.

Buy the (medium heat) Fluff and Fangs Edition Here.

Why are there two versions, and what's the difference between them? Glad you asked! You can also check out individual content tags and heat ratings on my website at www.joydemorra.com

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haveyoureadthistransbook · 5 months

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Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

goodreads

Beth and Fran spend their days traveling the ravaged New England coast, hunting feral men and harvesting their organs in a gruesome effort to ensure they'll never face the same fate.

Robbie lives by his gun and one hard-learned motto: other people aren't safe.

After a brutal accident entwines the three of them, this found family of survivors must navigate murderous TERFs, a sociopathic billionaire bunker brat, and awkward relationship dynamics―all while outrunning packs of feral men, and their own demons.

Manhunt is a timely, powerful response to every gender-based apocalypse story that failed to consider the existence of transgender and non-binary people, from a powerful new voice in horror.

Mod opinion: I read this book and I really liked it. It's a dark book that deals heavily with triggering topics, but I really enjoyed reading it.

#manhunt #gretchen felker martin #polls #trans books #trans literature #lgbt lit #trans lit #lgbt boks #lgbt literature #horror #trans woman #trans man #own voices

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cottagecore-droids · 9 months

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Where is all the buzz about this book??? All my dragon friends should be reading it!! It’s an Own Voices historical fantasy/AU with American dragons! Natural and emotional heir to Temeraire. Read it AT ONCE!!

#dragon #books #reading #dragon books #own voices #temeraire #his majesty's dragon #naomi novik #moniquill blackgoose #nampeshiweisit #fantasy #awesome #fantasy books #fantasy biology #indigenous #american indian #read it now

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the-entity-down-the-street · 5 months

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Idk how to self promote for shit but I'll tell you Tumblr.Com I'm very excited about my weird little novella that's half-memoir and half cosmic horror comedy and its about the existential dread of overcoming suicidal ideation as an autistic trans bitch but now idk what the fuck to do with my life in this rapidly crumbling capitalistic hellscape

The answer is be loud about existing in spite the statistics, love my friends, and suck goblin dick

#book #autistic writer #autistic voice #trans voice #trans writer #own voices #book promotion #am i doing this right?#i put my heart and soul into this #memior #fantasy #tw horror #horror novel #important to me

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lucifer-imaginaryfriend · 3 days

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