We’re sticking with books and friends
Hello Friends,
We’ve added two independent bookstore trips to our growing list of visits. We took a quick trip to Key West in January and popped into Judy Blume’s Books & Books @ The Studios of Key West and Key West Island Books. There was no shame in fangirling Ms. Blume’s bookstore. Forty years ago, one of us spent hard earned babysitting money on Ms. Blume’s books — too impatient to wait for library copies. If you’ve been there, you know Key West is laid back vibe personified. Lovely porches all over the island practically dare you to drink tea and read a book. We did both.
The read out from ReadOUT 2025
Only in our minds was a book event during Valentine’s weekend considered a sexy getaway. And yet, it was… if you were in the audience for the “Be My Spicy Valentine” panel. Imagine an award-winning book narrator, Quinn Riley, doing what award-winning narrators do… live on stage at the Catherine Hickman Theater in Gulfport, Florida. Reading erotic excerpts from featured authors’ books. While those featured authors were on stage hiding behind sunglasses, trying not to blush. With the audience paying close attention to suss out which author wrote what. We don’t have to tell you that it was a hoot — and a lot of fanning.
Less titillating but just as engaging, the panels we were honored to be a part of focused on the use of place and time in romance (hello early 2000s Baltimore) and our experiences as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color queer authors. We met authors that we've been reading for years. And we also connected with K. Aten, one of the first authors to share writer resources after we published THIS: A Simple, Complex Love Story.
It felt good to be in person and in community with readers and queer writers, and we brought home lots of goodies (and by goodies, we mean more books). Being at ReadOUT reminded us that if you read a novel that speaks to you, follow the author on social media, leave a comment, or write a review. Writers like encouragement too.
More…
Michelle Brown produces a podcast, Conversations: A Collection by Michelle Brown, “…about people living in between the lines, standing boldly in the crosshairs of their intersectionality as they create change.” Her warmth and curiosity made our interview with her seem like a conversation between old friends. Check out her podcast featuring us (Naomi + Rivers). A few days ago, we also had the privilege of participating in an event hosted by Rainbow Room Publishing with Michelle Brown and authors from the anthology From a Black Perspective: The Homeland.
We believe 2025 will offer plenty of opportunities to escape into books, lean on each other, and truly recognize the value of community – WE are the people! If you are concerned about the cruel policies, hostile takeover, and attempts at marginalization that’s happening in the U.S., at the federal level, call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to register your displeasure with your Representative and Senator. Do the same at the state level. Attend a Council meeting in your town or city if you can. Let your voice be heard!
Reading is resistance and writing is rebellion,
Naomi
