Reading the Rainbow

This episode hosts Em and Annica have an exciting guest as they discuss the book Design of Darkness- the author himself, RD Pires! This epic fantasy is filled with magic and mysticism, forbidden love, family, and untold dangers as some set out to save what they hold dear and others trifle with powerful, dark forces. Listen in as we dive into questions about non-eurocentric inspired fantasy, multi-perspective storytelling, and fantasy worldbuilding (and the delightful creatures contained therein). If you’d like to learn more about RD and his other publications, visit his website at https://rdpiresauthor.com/

The Dauphin County Library System is delighted to partner with Midnight Meadow Publishing, who specialize in LGBTQIA+ stories. This episode is the first of a series of interviews with their authors with recent releases.

Drawn in by the promise of bookbinding and sapphic secrets, cohosts Amber and Annika discuss Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly.

Dawn is at a point in her life where her art feels blocked, she doesn’t know where her relationship is going, and she isn’t sure who she is and how she wants to be perceived. When she comes across a letter on the back of a lesbian pulp novel cover, hidden in the endpapers of a book she is restoring for work, she thinks that maybe finding answers to that mystery will help her figure out her own life.

Discussion topics include: finding the people who will support you as you are, the Lucas haters club©, gender, art as a form of expression and protest, and

CW: homophobia, violence, panic attacks, anxiety 

Sometimes what we need for Christmas is a spicy story

If you're interested in reading A Merry Little Meet Cute after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

Robin Gow joins cohosts Ashley and Amber in this

If you're interested in reading A Million Quiet Revolutions after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

When they heard the name Chuck Tingle in connection

With a laundry list of content warnings, cohosts and

CW: mentions of violence, gore, body horror

If you're interested in reading Wilder Girls after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

This book made us so hungry! Annika and Anne interview Curtis Chin about his memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, which describes what it was like growing up in 1980s Detroit. In this interview, we discuss trauma, resilience, the importance of family, and the importance of working together despite our differences. Curtis Chin was amazing to speak with and had us laughing the entire time.

If you're interested in reading Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

YA novels often help tackle themes that are difficult

CW: Off page rape, sexual assault

If you're interested in reading The Luis Ortega Survival Club after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

If you have ever wondered why the chosen one is always a teenager and not a retiree who actually has the time to handle saving the world, tune in and hear hosts Annika and Jamie discuss E.M. Anderson’s The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher. They talk about the uncommon delight of having an entirely queer cast of characters, playing with well-worn tropes, and growing diversity in Sci-fi.

Hansen House (now Midnight Meadow Publishing) is the publisher mentioned in the podcast that specializes in queer stories: https://www.midnightmeadowpublishing.com/

Also! Annika is an author! You can find more information about their work at : https://annikasundberg.com/

Cohosts Dani and Ashley discuss Kacen Callender's