My Story Book Club

Join us now on Goodreads!

(Scroll to the box at the bottom of the donate page. If you would like your name mentioned in the donated copy, indicate that in the “Memo” box. This donation is tax deductible.)

Follow @MyStoryBookClub on Twitter

Live Chat with My Story’s May Author, Martin WilsonWednesday, May 30, 2012 @ 8 p.m. EST on Goodreads

As part of our LGBT Writers in Schools program and our growing mission to promote the acceptance of LGBT works, their authors and LGBT students in schools, we are launching a national online book club for LGBT youth. Lambda Literary Foundation, in partnership with the Gay/Straight Educators Alliance and the National Council of Teachers of English, aim to provide readers 14 years-old and up the opportunity to read and discover LGBT works in the safe and protective atmosphere of Goodreads.

Covering many genres including fiction, memoir and poetry, My Story is a place where LGBT youth and their supporters can read a story like their own and participate in an open discussion with like-minded readers. Focused on providing an open and welcoming atmosphere online, My Story exposes diversity in the positive and creative conduit of literature.

Each month, we will introduce a LGBT work geared towards young adults with compelling discussions, polls, play lists, author commentary and trivia each week led by a guest youth moderator. At the end of the month, the author will participate in an hour-long Q&A with readers.

We are excited to announce our first My Story selection:

What They Always Tell Us

By Martin Wilson

JAMES AND ALEX have barely anything in common anymore—least of all their experiences in high school, where James is a popular senior and Alex is suddenly an outcast. But at home, there is Henry, the precocious 10-year-old across the street, who eagerly befriends them both. And when Alex takes up running, there is James’s friend Nathen, who unites the brothers in moving and unexpected ways.

Buy a copy for yourself through the official independent bookstore of My Story Book Club, Skylight Books, or donate a copy here.

Enter Our Flash Fiction Contest!

Get your keyboards ready. Martin Wilson’s What They Always Tell Us is about many things, but the relationship between James and Alex is at the core of the novel. Our theme for May is about brothers. Give us your best 500 words on brothers. Tell us a story about brothers that shatters us. It’s about imagination, so don’t be afraid to let yours go crazy. Amaze us! The winner and two runner-ups will be posted on Goodreads and on Lambda Literary Foundation’s website. Deadline is May 25, so get writing. Send all submissions to mcarter@lambdaliterary.org. Put submissions in the body of the email with “Brothers”in the subject line. Good luck!

Upcoming Selections

MAY What They Always Tell Us by Martin Wilson	JUNE Name All the Animals by Alison Smith	JULY Nothing Pink by Mark Hardy	AUGUST I am J by Cris Beam
SEPTEMBER Empress of the World by Sara Ryan	OCTOBER Through It Came Bright Colors by Trebor Healey	NOVEMBER Starting From Here by Lisa Jenn Bigelow	DECEMBER My Almost Certainly Real Imaginary Jesus by Kelly Barth
JANUARY 2013 Who I Am by M. L. Rice	FEBRUARY 2013 Inheritance by Steven Reigns	MARCH 2013 What Night Brings by Carla Trujillo	APRIL 2013 Chulito by Charles Rice-Gonzalez

Why Donate?

For a flat rate twenty dollar donation, a copy of the current My Story Book Club monthly selection is purchased and sent to a community center, high school, or nonprofit organization that is building its own LGBT library. Because of funding cuts, these organizations can’t afford to supply their libraries with books even though there is a demand from teens to read and discuss them. Unfortunately, these economic challenges affect the smaller cities and towns where these books are most needed. Often there are few resources for LGBT youth and one book that reflects their own experience can make a positive difference during a vulnerable time in their lives. Once you’ve made your donation, our official partner, Skylight Books, will send the book to a community center, high school, or nonprofit organization in need. Please consider helping a youth by donating a copy today. Your support makes a difference!

If you’re high school, community center, or non-profit organization is interested in receiving a donated copy, email Monica Carter.

Interested in Becoming a Guest Youth Moderator
for My Story?

A youth moderator, 14-18 years old, will check the My Story online activity daily. The moderator will also be expected to provide weekly discussion topics based on the pages/chapters read that week and promote thoughtful commentary from the group’s readers. They will also be expected to monitor and remove any offensive language or content posted. The moderators are there to provide and maintain a fun, safe and positive atmosphere in which readers can discuss openly LGBT works. If you would like to showcase your love for books, email Monica Carter at: mcarter@lambdaliterary.org.

INTERESTED IN STARTING YOUR OWN MY STORY BOOK CLUB?

High schools, community centers, LGBT organizations and libraries interested in holding their own My Story Book Club each month, please tell us about here.

My Story and Skylight Books Partnership

As part of My Story’s dedication to community and diversity, we wanted to partner with an independent bookstore that reflected our mission and values. Skylight Books has always been a thriving cultural center in the local community and a proponent of LGBT literature. We are proud to have Skylight Books as our official partner.

Skylight Books is an independent bookstore (founded in 1996) in a 1930s storefront in Los Feliz, known for its curated selection of fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, art books, LGBTQ-interest books, children’s books, and magazines. The store’s author events program includes many acclaimed LGBTQ authors, with recent events held for Jeanette Winterson, Eileen Myles, Dennis Cooper, Bret Easton Ellis, J. Halberstam, and many more.

LGBT Young Adult authors interested in participating in My Story, please contact Monica Carter at: mcarter@lambdaliterary.org.

My Story Book Club’s to-read book montage