Hi All!

I hope you are doing well. I know that it’s a very difficult, scary time for a lot of people right now. You may be feeling frustrated, helpless, angry, frightened, or all of the above. You may also be feeling hopeful that things are going to get better, and there are many signs that that may be the case.

Some of you may be feeling like you don’t have time for fiction right now. Some of you may be turning to fiction, either to escape from the harsh realities of the outside world, or to try to understand the people around you better. Both are excellent reasons to read, since reading, especially fiction, is one of the best ways we have to be transported to other times, places, and worlds, and to feel what it’s like to live someone else’s life.

Talking about your own work at a time like this feels a bit self-centered–even more than usual–but, with the idea of sharing diverse voices, I’m delighted to say that my book The Dreaming Land is part of Kobo’s “Read With Pride” event this weekend.

The Dreaming Land is a story of healing, individual and national, under difficult circumstances, so it seems particularly relevant at the moment.

This event, which is running this weekend in the US and Canada, features discounts on selected books featuring LGBTQIA characters. They have selections in a variety of genres, including Fantasy and Science Fiction.

If you’re interested, the US link is here and the Canadian link is here. It looks like they’ve got a great selection of books, so I recommend browsing around and seeing what strikes your fancy!

Kobo is also featuring works by black authors and works that describe the black experience this week. They have some excellent recommendations, so if you’re interested, I suggest checking it out. The “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes” selection looks particularly good, but they have a number of different curated lists on their home page.

Happy reading, everyone, and stay safe.

And here’s this week’s book giveaway:

Check out the Fantasy Fiction Giveaway, running this week on Bookfunnel.