MORE 'REPRESENTATION' POSTS
As writers, and readers, we connect with so many characters that are so different from us – that’s the beauty of the books. I hope that by having more biracial characters in books we can make those connections deeper.
Much like how my main character, Harris, doesn’t want his wheelchair to be the first thing people notice about him, as the author, I don’t want disability to be the only takeaway from my book.
I’m more determined than ever to create characters and stories that represent the identities and lives of people who have always been and continue to be marginalized. We deserve better.
It's my hope that Repairing the World, a book ostensibly about grief and healing, will also be a place for Jewish kids (Reconstructionist or not) to see themselves in a story. I want to illustrate how normal it is for kids to have help managing their mental health. And, that grownups and kids can be queer or questioning and it’s just part of life. It doesn’t have to be a big deal.
When I was growing up, if I had a big feeling about something, books were the first place I turned…but there was nothing on the shelves that could have helped me learn about being queer, or trans, or autistic.
Creators of the graphic novel SQUIRE talk process, inspiration, and being left out of fantasy stories.
Between Safe and Real wasn’t fun to write and it’s unlikely readers will think it’s fun to read, but I’m okay with that because I truly believe representation matters, even when it’s not fun.
When there are so many of us, why do I rarely find South Asian kids on the cover of books especially those who are magic-wielding, realm-saving main characters?
Debut author B. B. Alston talks about the revolutionary and life-saving power of seeing yourself in stories.
This story is for the teenage me — and for every other teenager who feels like they don’t belong. I wish I could go back in time and tell twelve-year-old Pintip, “Your story matters, too. Your existence has value. Your difference is something to be celebrated and embraced.”
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