I went to bed on June 11, 2016, after spending a joy-filled and glorious day with friends and family at Indy Pride. On June 12, 2016, we woke up to the news that the US had once again broken a record: Deadliest mass shooting in United States history. It’s not only a bar I’m sick and tired of seeing set higher and higher in this country, but I’m also heartbroken that it was a massacre aimed specifically at the LGBTQ+ community, in a place that was supposed to have been safe for the folks who went there that night and every night before.
As an ally of this community, it’s difficult to know what to do other than to keep fighting for acceptance and equality, to know where to stand other than side by side and hand in hand with friends and family and strangers, to know how to push back against the hate in any way other than to just keep loving each other.
And to keep reading, because that’s what opens doors and minds and hearts and creates possibilities that exist outside of our own paradigms. The books we read may not always get it right, they may at times oversimplify the world, but I hope with all I am that they encourage us to strive to be better people than the person we were before we escaped for a while into their words.
Read and Love with Pride. <3
#Peace #Love #Equality
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That was a really nice post… Read and love with pride, that’s what I do and we all should do….
AS for the books I’m really looking forward to, the new THIRDS by Charlie Cochrane, First and First by Santino Hassell and Open Seating by Mickie B. Ashling are some of them
Thank you for the post, Lisa. I’m not living in USA but I too felt the sorrow when I heard the news. Frankly I didn’t read much the last few days, and I have a few of Kim Fielding’s and Eden Winters backlist that I had for a while but haven’t got a chance to. But I really want to read lighthearted stories so probably would binge on the Daily Dose shifters novellas…
Really good post, Lisa. I just sat back and shook my head at the news. Wishing we could stop it all, but not sure how. NO H8.
Thanks for writing about it. Jenn Dease
Thank you for the post. I am still feeling overwhelmed by what happened. Reading about the victims is heartbreaking. I haven’t read much the last bit, but I am looking forward to reading Santino Hassell’s First and First as well as Wedding Favors by Anne Tenino.
Thanks for the post. I’m looking forward to the latest thirds by Charlie Cochet!
I am currently reading The Door Behind Us by John C. Houser and enjoying it. Next, I plan to read Wolf’s Own: Ghost by Carole Cummings. As to upcoming releases, I am looking forward to Smoke & Mirrors (THIRDS) by Charlie Cochet, Absinthe of Malice (Sinners) by Rhys Ford and Anthony (Survivor Stories) by JP Barnaby. Plus anything Jordan L. Hawk is writing.
Thanks for the post!
Great post, very touching and honest! I’m really looking forward to TJ Klune’s new one Wolfsong!
Lisa, “Read and Love with Pride,” excellent advice. I’m looking forward to reading Absinthe of Malice (Sinners series) by Rhys Ford, A Deer Surprise (Wildcat Hills Pride series) by Liza Kay, Angel Martinez Brandywine Investigations series and Kellen’s Awakening (AURA 3), Lyn Gala space opera series, Jaye McKenna backlist, and Shadows by Grace Suter. Also planning to reread M.A. Church’s Harvest series, my backlog of Josh Lanyon books, Rob Colton Galactic Conspiracies series. Goodness! I’ve got a lot of books to read…happy days! Thanks for the post and the giveaway.
Reading with Love and Pride – has made me more considerate. I am saddened greatly by this tradegy and will be donating once back from holiday. Not based in US so cant do anything more hands on. Have read the names even knowing i will know no one but gave them my thoughts.
Books upcoming – finishing the Spencer Cohen series, In the Middle of Somewhere and Blueberry boys
Great post it was such a shock and so tragic everyone deserves love and respect. The books I’m most looking forward to are “Wolfsong” By Tj Klune, “Absinthe Of Malice” By Rhys Ford and “Soul Seekers” By Jake C. Wallace.
Love is Love
great post <3
I'm really looking forward to Smoke and Mirrors by Charlie Cochet and Necromancer's Dilemma by SJ Himes
Thanks for the post. I’m just heartbroken and horrified by what happened. I’ve turned to favorite comfort reads over the last couple of days to help me through, but I’m looking forward to Absinthe of Malice by Rhys Ford and Smoke and Mirrors by Charlie Cochet.
Read and Love with Pride. <3
— yes, so very true. I have Shae Connor's book on my list, although if I have to be honest books I'm waiting impatiently are all MF though in upcoming weeks.
Thank you for the wonderful message. What happened was tragic and saddening. I’m really looking forward to Smoke and Mirrors by Charlie Cochet.
Thanks for sharing.
I look forward to a lot of books the upcoming weeks but one of them is A Cowboy’s Home (Montana 3) by RJ Scott.
I’m not sure I’ll get to read much this week. It’s just been a very strange week for me. I’ve been focused a lot of reading the stories of the victims and becoming familiar with their names. So yeah… hm… But I do need to do editing on a story, so I guess I’ll say I need to read that this week.
The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan
The Daylight Marriage by Heidi Pitlor
Becoming Westerly by Jamie Brisick
Beauty’s Kingdom by Anne Rice, writing as A.N. Roquelaure
I have several books I can’t wait to read… at the moment, my top read is Wolfsong By Tj Klune.
I am looking forward to Fast Connection by Santino Hassell and Megan Erickson, Blood & Milk by NR Walker, and Wolfsong by TJ Klune.