representation

Something New at Kismet Books!

/ katemckinney79 / Leave a comment
I’m thrilled to announce that my debut YA verse novel is now at Kismet Books in Verona, WI!

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of going to one of my favorite local bookstores, Kismet Books in Verona, Wisconsin. They first opened their doors in November 2020, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2021 that I actually discovered them. Walking into their bookstore for the first time felt like fate. Indeed, Kismet, is the perfect name. My heart was craving this kind of bookstore.

I was blown away by the awesome selection of books and the warm and welcoming atmosphere. They offer books for every kind of reader, but I’m especially partial to their children’s, middle grade, and young adult room, which has an amazing collection.

The last time I wrote, I touched on the need for representation, so I’m extra happy in Kismet Books, where there are so many books by and about queer, POC, and Indigenous folks. This place is truly special.

Kismet Books is on the corner of Main Street and E. Verona Avenue.

So, my kiddo and I stepped out of the heat yesterday, not only to enjoy browsing the titles (which we did!), but also to bring in copies of my debut YA verse novel, When to Hold On, and I’m excited to announce that it is now on their bookshelves!

What’s the book about?

In the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, a quiet teen girl struggles to accept her mother’s death while also trying to date the new girl in town, but she’s about to lose both love and the only place she calls home. To save them, she must learn when to listen and when to speak up, when to let go and when to hold on.

You can find this girl-meets-girl story in two different spots in the store.

#1 The Young Adult Section, which is straight ahead from the front door, and on the shelf to the right.

It’s a special honor for When to Hold On to be among all these amazing books!

#2 The Local Authors section, which is just inside the front door and to the left.

It’s so exciting to see my book on the shelf with so many other books by Wisconsin authors.
When to Hold On is set in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, with its native and restored prairies and oak savannas, limestone rock outcroppings, and cold-water streams.

So, go check out Kismet Books!

I always find something new and interesting to read.

What will you find?

Being In Between

/ katemckinney79 / Leave a comment

There’s a lot to talk about in regards to gender identity, gender expression, sexual attraction, and romantic attraction. I’m so grateful to the many wonderful people that continue this multi-faceted conversation.

Here is a great site that uses a “Genderbread Person” graphic as “a teaching tool for breaking down the big concept of gender into bite-sized, digestible pieces.”

Spectrums are used as a metaphor to explain further, because people are not always this or that. Sometimes they’re somewhere in between. People can be anywhere on a spectrum and even change over time. And even this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as this discussion goes.

As for me, I’m somewhere in between. As a kid growing up during the 1980s and 1990s, I didn’t have the language to talk about what I was feeling. No one around me seemed to be having the same feelings as me, and they certainly didn’t seem interested in talking about them. It left me feeling confused, lonely, and invisible. I would’ve really appreciated having a resource like Queer Kid Stuff.

Queer Kid Stuff, founded by Lindsay “Lindz” Amer in 2015, is an edutainment company that brings LGBTQ+ and social justice media to kids and families. They make videos, podcasts, newsletters, and so much more!

One of their core values is to be “Joy-Full.” This is what they write:

“Enfolding our work in a blanket of joy. Celebrating and encouraging the beautiful uniqueness of LGBTQ+ people while recognizing that queer joy is born of queer suffering. Choosing joy in the face of hardship as a radical act against hate and systemic oppression. Shifting the notion that it is hard to be queer toward the universal truth of the collective joy of the LGBTQ+ community.”

Yes, let’s make that shift.

Another helpful resource on Queer Kid Stuff is their new Rainbow Parenting podcast. Their first episode talks about many things; one part discusses the importance of Inner Child Healing.

It reminded me of one of the reasons I wrote When to Hold On. When I was growing up, I remember finding only one book on the library bookshelf that involved two girls falling in love. Never mind the other categories within the LGBTQ+ umbrella. There was a huge lack of representation. Fortunately, in the last 20+ years, the number of books with LGBTQ+ characters and books written by LGBTQ+ authors has grown, but we need more. If you’re looking for your next young adult book to read, check out the YA list on LGBTQ Reads, a site dedicated to promoting curated LGBTQIAP+ literature for all ages, run by author and blogger Dahlia Adler.