YOU ARE A KALEIDOSCOPE SONG 2018 FULL
Hannah Moskowitz’s A History of Glitter and Blood is just…so deep and twisty and full of layers.Īnd I know this is sort of sidestepping the YA thing, but if you’re interested in the intersection of queerness and disability, you should read everything that Kayla Whaley ever writes.Īs for what I’d love to see: I had to go back to my shelves to answer this, because my first instinctive answers were all one or the other – queer, or disabled – which clearly means there’s not enough of us multiply-marginalised folks on the shelves yet. Rivers’ Solomon’s An Unkindness of Ghosts may be bleak in a lot of ways, but I love it anyway, for the things that it explores. Jacqueline Koyanagi’s Ascension is totally badass.
What are your favorite representations of disability in queer YA, and what would you still love to see?Įveryone should read Unbroken, obviously: so much intersectional fabulousness in those pages. But we must, because right now we’re doing a massive disservice to readers, disabled or otherwise: they deserve better. There are some excellent people working on that, and it takes time, and changing societal perceptions of us isn’t always going to be an easy sell. There are, of course, some excellent books with equally excellent representation! But on the whole we need, quite simply, to do better. Sometimes it’s subtle, in subplots and casual language, but it’s nearly always there. We have a tendency to use disability as a (tragic and/or inspirational) plot point, and to fall back on notions of intelligence, ability and beauty of measures of worth or humanity. How long have you got? No, seriously, my academic thesis will be 80k, and it’s not nearly enough. What are your thoughts on the state of disability rep in YA right now, both queer and otherwise? Stuff like In Terra Pax, and old, obscure carols and folk songs.īoth The Last Leaves Falling and obviously Unbroken center around disability, as does your academic research. It’s big and hopeful and a little bit heartbreaking, and I love it.Īnd I’m working on a winter-and-music story right now, which means lots of not-so-Christmassy Christmas music is sneaking its way into my work playlists. But I’ve had Black Tie on loop for a fortnight and it’s still making me cry. Oh my godddd, have you heard Grace Petrie’s new album, Queer as Folk? The entire thing is a roller coaster of queer feels. Music is really at the heart of Kaleidoscope Song, which of course means I must ask: what are you listening to and loving right now, and what are your forever favorites? And not just for obvious facts: seeking out the stories and art and food and music and film (and hey, did I mention stories?) of those places and people is a good start to understanding someone else’s perspective, in addition to where your story might lie. That said, if you’re going to write other places (or experiences) than your own, research and respect in equal measure are the key.
Everything I’m working on at the moment is much closer to home, and I’d rather concede the floor to own-voices representation, for now. Honestly, while I’m intensely proud of those books in and of themselves, the world – and publishing – has shifted since I wrote those stories. What draws you to writing about locations beyond your home nation of the UK, and what are your favorite ways to research them?
YOU ARE A KALEIDOSCOPE SONG 2018 HOW TO
Set in Khayelitsha, Kaleidoscope Songis a tale of first loves (both musical and human), of growing up queer in a sometimes-hostile environment, and of the power that lies in figuring out how to use your voice.īoth of your YA novels, The Last Leaves Falling and Kaleidoscope Song, are set in foreign countries (Japan and South Africa respectively). Or a number of retellings all tangled together and on the page at onceIt’s a love letter to (Marlowe’s version of) the play, and to theatre itself…a tale of bargaining for one more curtain call, whoever you are.Īnd your narrator is a cane-using enby with chronic pain, dodgy joints, fatigue, and wild love for crafting stories that change people.įor those who aren’t familiar with Kaleidoscope Song, can you tell us a little about it? “A Play in Many Parts” is…sort of a Faustus retelling. Newest things first: What can you share with us about your contribution to Unbroken? It’s September 2018, and that means two things: 1) you have a new short story out and 2) it’s been a year since your incredibly unique f/f YA novel set in South Africa, Kaleidoscope Song, released. New month, new author to meet! And today is a very special day to meet Fox Benwell, because he has a story in the all-#ownvoices disability anthology, Unbroken, edited by Marieke Nijkamp, which releases today! So let’s get right to it!
0 kommentar(er)
