Cheers, friends, and welcome to a short preview of what we have coming up for you in the week ahead! It’s going to be another awesome and full one, with lots of outstanding guests and giveaways, some great tours and cover reveals, and more in store, including our celebration of the freedom to read.
It seems counter intuitive in the 21st century to still be discussing censorship with respect to the written word, but the American Library Association and the Office for Intellectual Freedom continues on its mission, day in and day out, to preserve our ability to seek out a diversity of books in our libraries and classrooms, even if those books contain thematic elements or characters that are unconventional or unwelcome to some.
The ALA and OIF are there to ensure that whatever book is challenged, whether it be the Bible or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone or Two Boys Kissing, that book remains available to those who wish to read it. It goes without saying that the policing of the written word isn’t a matter of one’s own personal likes and dislikes, and it should never come down to someone attempting to make a book unavailable to others due to that person’s distaste for its subject or characters. The reading of books about people who don’t look or behave like ourselves, especially for our children, builds empathy and allows us to live vicariously through others, gifting us with the exceptional gift of thinking outside the narrow framework of our own existence.
During the week of September 25th through the 29th, The Novel Approach will be honoring Banned Books Week 2017 with a special series of giveaways just for you! Of the Top Ten Challenged Books of 2016, the first five feature LGBTQ characters or thematic elements. So, it goes without saying that a huge debt of gratitude goes out to the librarians, authors, publishers, teachers, and readers across the country who fight so diligently to ensure books of all stripes and subjects remain available to everyone who wants to read them.
Because representation matters.
We’ve got a whole slew of amazing authors who’ve stepped up to offer some great prizes that will be included in Virtual Gift Baskets every day during the coming week, so be sure to watch for those posts.
Now, here’s the rundown of the regular calendar of events!
Monday – Kicking off the week, we have two great Cover Reveals coming your way, the first from authors Liv Rancourt and Irene Preston for the next book in the Hours of the Night series, Nocturne
We’ll also have author Z. Allora joining us to reveal the cover of their newest release from Dreamspinner Press, The Librarian’s Rake
Next up is GRL Supporting Author Alyson Pearce, who’s joining us on the Countdown to GayRomLit 2017 blog tour
Then, author Jodi Payne drops by to celebrate the release of her new book, Creative Process, from Dreamspinner Press
Tuesday – Author L.A. Witt stop by on the Rank & File blog tour, book four in the Anchor’s Point series from Riptide Publishing
Author Cari Z. also joins us today on the tour for her new novel, Off the Beaten Path, her latest from Dreamspinner Press, and, side note, I book I happened to adore
Wednesday – Author KJ Charles will be our guest today to celebrate the release of An Unsuitable Heir, the upcoming new installment in the Sins of the Cities collection from Loveswept
Author J. Scott Coatsworth also joins us on the tour for the new anthology Renewal, to chat about writing good flash fiction
Next up is young adult author Aurora Peppermint, who’ll be here to chat about her new release from Harmony Ink Press, Behind the Tales, book two in The Knowledge Effect series
Thursday – Today kicks off with author Skylar M. Cates and the tour for her latest release, Rim Shot, from Dreamspinner Press
We’ll also have author Elle Keaton joining us to celebrate the release of her new book, As Sure as the Sun, a new standalone novel in the Accidental Roots series
Next up is author/graphic artist Lex Chase who’ll join us for her monthly segment, The Art of Lex Chase
Friday – And finally, to close out this busy week, we’ll have author Avon Gale joining us on the tour for her new release from Riptide Publishing, The Love Song of Sawyer Bell
And then, it’s a little Christmas in September when we welcome author Sandra Schwab on the tour for her historical holiday novella, Yuletide Truce
And that does it for this week. Until next time, happy reading!