Underground Bookshelf

The United States prides itself on having built a system that separates church and state and upholds religious freedoms. Despite this ideal, many communities around the country have been banning books and censoring points of view that don't fit their particular set of beliefs. This censorship often deeply impacts members of the LGBTQ2IA+ community. In a similar vein, it can shut down the conversations that science-fiction and fantasy spark through metaphors and allusions. For example, The Lord of the Rings was once banned for being "satanic" in nature despite its Christian metaphors and measured commentary on good and evil.

Genre: folklore, paranormal

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is a popular, live-action Marvel miniseries that introduces Sam Wilson as the next Captain America and his journey to taking on the mantel. It's been recognized for it's efforts to address the nuances of being a Black American and a superhero. But there's another character named in the title. Although it's rarely addressed, the Winter Soldier also represents certain minority groups - disability and queerness. In this essay, I discuss how The Falcon and the Winter Soldier deals with these two communities -- if at all.

In a foreign city

I wrote Airphibious because I was craving a heroine like me - Queer and disabled. It can be really hard finding intersectional representation in mainstream literature. Most of the time, if a character has some sort of minority identity, they are only allowed one (for example: they can be gay or a person of color, but they can't be both). It's also really hard to find disability or chronic illness portrayed in a way that's authentic and ancillary (meaning it's part of the character, but not the obstacle that the character has to overcome by the end of the story).

Are you a fan of graphic novels and comic books? Personally, I find myself going to this format (and some of my favorite characters) when I need a comforting and familiar read, but still want a new story I've never read before. In this post, I share some of the resources I have found for reading graphic novels and comic books affordably. Some are free, while others include a small fee. I hope that one of these resources will help you find new books to read and enjoy within this format.

Genre: Horror (includes: blood, death)

Thank you to everyone who participated in this month's Flash Fiction and Poetry Contest! First, I'd like to congratulate everyone on a job well-done. It's interesting to see the way submissions shift from month to month. Sometimes they are all poems, other times a blend, and occasionally all short stories, which was the case this month. The genres ranged from adventure to thriller, holiday fiction to fantasy.

Native American Heritage Month, celebrated each November, honors the knowledge, traditions, languages, beliefs, and stories of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and affiliated Island communities. Indigenous communities in the Americas have been fighting for generations to preserve their peoples and identities in the face of colonization, broken treaties, residential schools, and other injustices. Native American Heritage Month helps to raise awareness of the continued struggles that Indigenous communities face, support Native people reconnecting with their cultures and languages, and brings visibility to the continued presence of Native and First Nations peoples.

Genre: mythological creatures, cryptids, horror

** Please note that this essay most definitely contains spoilers for the 2024 television miniseries, The Penguin.

Genre: horror, mythology