This website is dedicated to celebrating diversity in literature! If you like to read work by new writers, please visit Short Stories & Poems. To lcheck out book reviews and to learn about the history of exclusion in film, television, literature, and comic books, visit Essays. On the Resources page, you will find a vast array of articles to help you explore new books and new ways of reading as well as a few articles for the writers among us. All are welcome to participate in the monthly writing contests. Visit Writing Contests to find out this month's theme and to find out how to participate. Visit the Submissions page if you would like to submit your work to be featured on this platform. And if you are an indie, self-published, or up-and-coming author or poet, consider contacting me about being featured in one of the Author Q&A posts or for your book to be included in the Book Release Radar. Underground Bookshelf is on Patreon for those who would like to help me keep this project going. You're also welcome to subscribe to the monthly newsletter to receive regular updates. May you find your next favorite book or author! Happy reading!
5 Nov 2026 10:54
Thank you to Alex Chan for allowing me to repost this book review of Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett. You can find this article in its original form (and so much more) on Alex Chan's website. It was originally posted on May 9, 2026.
4 Nov 2026 12:04
Congratulations to Chris Pearson, one of the winners of the July 2026 writing contest.
29 Oct 2026 13:15
What does that mean? The theme is poetry, but you can be as creative as you want as long as you stay within the format. Prose poetry, stories in verse (under 2,000 words), sonnets, acrostic poems, and every feasible rhyme scheme are all welcome. Please reach out if you have any questions.
29 Oct 2026 12:45
Last year, I expanded Underground Bookshelf to include a traveling secondhand bookshelf. I bring the bookshelf to local community events, and anyone who visits my booth are invited to bring a book or two home with them for free. This is a small way for me to encourage free access to literature in the community. In the last couple years, Underground Bookshelf has attended the Trans Resistance MA Festival, Pride Worcester, the Roxbury Poetry Festival, Disability Pride at the Museum of Science, and Open Streets: Jamaica Plain.
29 Oct 2026 11:39
Sarina Langer is a dark fantasy author of both epic and urban paranormal novels. Her characters knew she's queer (demi and pan) and has ADHD before she did (and they didn't say *anything* to her!).
29 Oct 2026 11:38
Underground Bookshelf attended the Disability Pride Celebration at the Museum of Science on July 25, 2026. Attendees were invited to participate in a one-day micro-poetry or short story contest at our booth, and we received so many great submissions that it was hard to select the winners. But it was truly delightful reading what everyone submitted. I can't wait to do another contest like this at the other events we attend this summer. Below, you'll find one of the honorable mentions. Thank you to everyone who submitted. Keep writing!
29 Oct 2026 09:43
Underground Bookshelf attended the Disability Pride Celebration at the Museum of Science on July 25, 2026. Attendees were invited to participate in a one-day micro-poetry or short story contest at our booth, and we received so many great submissions that it was hard to select the winners. But it was truly delightful reading what everyone submitted. I can't wait to do another contest like this at the other events we attend this summer. Below, you'll find one of the honorable mentions. Thank you to everyone who submitted. Keep writing!
29 Oct 2026 09:42
Underground Bookshelf attended the Disability Pride Celebration at the Museum of Science on July 25, 2026. Attendees were invited to participate in a one-day micro-poetry or short story contest at our booth, and we received so many great submissions that it was hard to select the winners. But it was truly delightful reading what everyone submitted. I can't wait to do another contest like this at the other events we attend this summer. Below, you'll find one of the honorable mentions. Thank you to everyone who submitted. Keep writing!
26 Oct 2026 16:40
My family and I just returned from some last-minute travel, so I'm a little behind on all-things Underground Bookshelf, but I'm working on catching up. It was so nice to get home to SO MANY contest submissions! Below are the winners and honorable mentions.
8 Oct 2026 13:06
Welcome to the latest resource series by Underground Bookshelf. This series focuses on literature written by authors of Iranian heritage. War often comes with undermining the humanity of the people and cultures impacted. One way to reaffirm a people's humanity is to engage with the people, culture, and perspectives through literature and storytelling. In this series, you'll find fiction and nonfiction books for children, middle grade readers, young adults, and adult readers.
8 Oct 2026 13:04
Underground Bookshelf attended the Disability Pride Celebration at the Museum of Science on July 25, 2026. Attendees were invited to participate in a one-day micro-poetry or short story contest at our booth, and we received so many great submissions that it was hard to select the winners. But it was truly delightful reading what everyone submitted. I can't wait to do another contest like this at the other events we attend this summer. Below, you'll find one of the honorable mentions. Thank you to everyone who submitted. Keep writing!
30 Sept 2026 16:07
What does that mean? There are lots of options this month. Poetry, short stories, excerpts, and so forth are all welcome (the full list is below). The stipulation is that all submissions must be either works in the horror, thriller, paranormal, or supernatural genres or works that cross genres and include elements of the genres in question.
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