May 21, 2019 In Book News & Events By Rachel Gold

Launch Day Video Fun!

This year Stephanie Burt and I have the same publication date! So we made a video talking about our books. Hers is Don't Read Poetry: A Book About How to Read Poems, and mine is In the Silences. You can find out more about both in this video (and see below the video for the transcript): Key moments in the video (in case you're looking for something specific): 2:17 — Rachel describes her novel, In the Silences 5:30 — Rachel's cat Seeley interrupts the video and Stephanie insists they keep this footage in. (Rachel's note: my older cat had three canines removed and is now nicknamed "Captain Holepunch" for his one remaining canine; this cat is not Captain Holepunch.) 6:23 — Stephanie describes her book, Don't Read Poetry 11:54 — Stephanie talks about why writing about poetry felt like writing about comic books 16:06 — Rachel and Stephanie talk about de-centering whiteness, fighting implicit/systemic racism, and white people talking to white people about racism. For more info about Rachel's launch events, check out this post. For more info about Stephanie's launch events, follow her on Twitter: @accommodatingly. And stay tuned for more information about both of us being at the Boston Book Festival in October! Video Transcript Rachel Gold: Stephanie Burt, [pointing to self] Rachel Gold, we have been friends since 2012. We met

May 16, 2019 In Book News & Events By Rachel Gold

In The Silences – Book Launch Events

You can buy my new novel starting today! The official publication date is May 21, but my publisher, Bella Books, has made copies available early on their site (click here!). The launch party will be June 1 at the Roseville Barnes & Noble, HarMar Mall, 2100 Snelling Ave N, Roseville, MN 55113. You can RSVP to the Facebook event here or just show up! I'll read from the new book and have special guests with me to talk about the beta reading process, plus we'll take audience questions. I will sign books and happily geek out about comic books and gaming with anyone who wants to. I will also have copies available at the Reclaim booth at Twin Cities Pride on Saturday, June 22. (There might still be copies on Sunday, June 23 also, but I won't be there to sign them for you.) You can get a copy with a donation of $15 or more to Reclaim, which is a great organization that connects queer and trans you to therapy and other services (check them out).  Wondering what people are saying about my new novel? My publisher posted it to NetGalley and here are some of the early reviews it's received: goodreads Lex Kent’s Reviews

May 1, 2019 In Book News & Events By Rachel Gold

Pre-Order My New Novel!

In three weeks, my new novel will be shipping. This one's targeted for slightly younger ages, like Being Emily, focusing on ages 14-15 for the main characters. What's it about? Fourteen-year-old Kaz Adams just wants to read comic books and spend every day with Aisha Warren. And maybe get up the nerve to ask her out, if Kaz turns out to be a gender that Aisha’s into. Kaz had always expected to be targeted for gender nonconformity, but loving Aisha opens Kaz’s eyes to the prevalence of racism in their town. Trouble is, none of the other white people are seeing it, even when Kaz points it out. By the time they reach sophomore year, Aisha is fighting on all fronts and their school system is crushing her. Kaz’s gender expression was something the two of them could tackle together in private. The issues Aisha is up against are different and there’s no place they can hide. Kaz can’t magically undo centuries of systemic racism—but must find a way to change minds at school and among their friends before Kaz loses the sweetest, smartest, comic-book-reading girl in the world. You can pre-order it from my publisher, other online bookstores, or your local brick-and-mortar store. 

March 11, 2019 In Book News & Events By Rachel Gold

Spring Events 2019

This spring and summer I'll be at three conventions: ClexaCon in April, WisCon in May and GCLS in July. I'm very excited to be on two panels for ClexaCon: Breaking into Book Publishing for Aspiring Writers, with Catherine Lundoff,  Andi Marquette, and Kim Turrisi. Creating Diverse Stories Without Tokenism, with Victoria Stagg Elliott, Karen Shoffner, and CB Lee. For more info check out the panels list on the ClexaCon site: https://clexa-con.com/programming/2019-panels-workshops/ Warning: you might end up buying a ticket if you don't already have one. And while you're clicking links, check out feminist science fiction/fantasy convention WisCon, whose guests of honor this year are G. Willow Wilson and Charlie Jane Anders. In July, Malinda Lo is keynoting at the Golden Crown Literary Society conference. I'm on a couple of panels there and will update soon! Stay tuned for info about my new book that will be out in May, launch events, and more!      

October 9, 2018 In Book News & Events By Rachel Gold

October & November Events!

I'm excited to be participating in three great events in the Twin Cities area for October and November: Oct. 24: The Evolution of LGBTQ+ Young Adult Lit: From Sad-Eyed Loners to Superheroes 7 - 9 PM Quatrefoil Library 1220 East Lake Street Minneapolis, MN, 55407 Discover exciting trends in young adult literature, expand your reading list, and play a trivia game with prizes! Christine Jenkins, co-author of Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature, will take you on a whirlwind tour of five decades of this exciting and now booming genre. Author Rachel Gold will read from the new edition of her groundbreaking novel, Being Emily, and explore the future of YA literature with queer and trans content. Reception to follow. Books will be for sale and authors will be available for signing! More info or to RSVP via Facebook: https://thelspot.lgbt/upcoming/2018/10/5/talking-lgbtq-ya-literature-rachel-gold-amp-christine-jenkins https://www.facebook.com/events/1043243145836634/   Oct. 30: Save the date! Details on this event will be posted later this week, but if you love talking about trans rep in all sorts of media, then block out your calendar this evening from 6-8 p.m.   Nov. 4: Get a Grip! Minding Your Mind in Teen Literature 3 – 6 PM Trinity Episcopal Church 322 2nd St, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331 Mental health is more than mental illness. Mental health is important to everyone. It’s finding constructive

September 19, 2018 In Book News & Events By Rachel Gold

The Boston Globe & Harvard Book Store

The week before I read at Harvard Book Store, the Boston Globe ran a great profile focused on the new edition of Being Emily, which you can find on their site. Here's my favorite quote: Echoing [Stephanie] Burt’s introduction, Gold added, she intends the new edition to be a book "where trans girls really see themselves, see themselves being loved, see themselves in a positive light, overcoming problems. I think there’s still not enough of that in the world in terms of trans identity

August 9, 2018 In Book News & Events By Rachel Gold

Exciting September events!

Come see me in September if you're near Atlanta; Portsmouth, NH; Boston; or St. Cloud, MN! Sept. 1: AJC Decatur Book Festival "Who Even Am I?" panel, Saturday, 10:00-10:45 YA Stage — Adolescence is a time for figuring out big things, including who you are. But how do you do that when your whole world is turned upside down? Details here. Sept. 4: 3S Artspace, Portsmouth N.H. An evening with me, celebrating the new anniversary edition of Being Emily! In partnership with Seacoast Outright & RiverRun Bookstore. The event is at 6:30 p.m. and is free. Details here: http://www.3sarts.org/performances/performance/An-evening-with-author-Rachel-Gold-celebrating-her-book-%22Being-Emily%22?performanceid=3233 https://www.facebook.com/events/1668617923248774/ Sept. 7: Harvard Book Store Harvard Book Store welcomes award-winning author, marketing strategist, and public speaker Rachel Gold for a discussion of her novel, Being Emily. She will be joined in conversation by acclaimed poet, literary critic, and Harvard professor Stephanie Burt. Event starts at 7 p.m. and is free, details here: http://www.harvard.com/event/rachel_gold/ Sept. 14-15: St. Cloud, MN Catherine Lundoff & I will be reading and talking at the St. Cloud Public Library on Friday, Sept. 14: Time: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Location: Mississippi Community Room 106 Join award-winning Minnesota authors Rachel Gold and Catherine Lundoff for an author reading and short talk on writing queer and trans fiction. Q&A to follow. For teens and adults. Details here: https://griver.org/event/saint-cloud/author-talk-rachel-gold-and-catherine-lundoff/2018-09-14/43354 And on Saturday,

July 18, 2018 In Book News & Events By Rachel Gold

My gender presentation

Below you’ll find a PDF of the presentation “Gender in 50 Min or Less” that I delivered at the Golden Crown Literary Society annual convention in early July. I’ve also tried to list most of the papers, articles and books that I read while thinking about my gender presentation. I probably forgot some resources, so this list might expand later. At some point I hope to add my notes or a link to the video if it’s public (apologies to people who weren’t at the conference if the PDF doesn’t entirely make sense without the notes). Thanks to the Golden Crown board for inviting me to speak, and to my audience for laughing at all my jokes! The presentation Click here to download! Papers & Articles: Many papers by Dr. Charlotte Tate! She has many of her papers posted on the San Francisco State University site.  Scientific American: The New Science of Sex and Gender (This is many SciAm articles combined into a book.) “Update on the Biology of Transgender Identity” LAURA ERICKSON-SCHROTH, MD, MA, New York University, published in Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 2013 “BECOMING GENDERED IN EUROPEAN PREHISTORY: WAS NEOLITHIC GENDER FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT?” by John Robb and Oliver J. T. Harris “Gender

June 7, 2018 In Flourishing in the Margins, Queer and Trans Literature By Rachel Gold

The science behind the new Being Emily

Because I like science, I read a lot of it while updating Being Emily. This ended up with many books and studies turning into only a few sentences on the page, but hopefully they’re the right, impactful sentences. Here are some of the core concepts I heightened or added in the new edition of Being Emily: Being transgender (and gender identity in general) is influenced to some degree by genetics, hormones and hormone receptors. It’s unclear whether gender identity is also influenced by the shape of your brain or your gender identity shapes your brain. Kids learn gender early and begin to have a gender identity at young ages. Many trans girls know they’re girls at early ages both consciously and subconsciously. Trans kids who can socially transition young are not at high risk for depression and anxiety. Here’s some of the science behind that understanding: Genetics, hormones and hormone receptors Laura Erickson-Schroth, MD, MA, examined over 60 years of studies about trans people to create the “Update on the Biology of Transgender Identity” published in the Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health in 2013. She found that: “Overall, genetic studies suggest a possible heritable component to aspects of gender identity…” For example,

May 15, 2018 In Book News & Events By Rachel Gold

Being Emily launch day!

The new, anniversary edition of Being Emily is now available! Later today/this week I will answer some questions (lower in this post) and talk about the process of editing Being Emily. First here's some very important ordering info: on Amazon.com you can order the new paperback edition of Being Emily, but the current kindle edition is the old, 2012 version. If you want the new BE as an ebook, please order it from Bella Books. On the Bella site, you can get the new version, which I abbreviate as 2BE, as an epub, mobi or pdf file. It will work on all the major eReaders and tablet apps. The kindle format is .mobi.  Here are the links: Paperback 2BE from Bella (supporting independent publishers!) eBook 2BE from Bella Paperback 2BE from Amazon Pro tip: If you see a black spine, it's the old edition. If it has a red spine in the promotional images (even for an ebook), it's the new edition. If you are a reviewer or a professor and you want a copy for reviewing or possibly teaching from, I have some available. Email me at beingemily [at] gmail.com and let me know your preferred format(s) and how to get them to you. Questions & Answers There