Feminism For The Real World: An Update!

April 23, 2016 |

How about a quick update about the anthology I’m editing? Well, you’re in luck since I’ve got one!

First: we have a slightly altered title. After going back and forth for a few weeks about the title as it was, my editors and I decided having a title to go before Feminism for the Real World would be catchier than the title as-is. So after bouncing ideas, this one came up and I love it. Feminism for the Real World is now . . .

Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World

It captures the spirit of the anthology, the voice and tone of the pieces inside it, and the way I’ve set up the different sections of the book. It’s inclusive and inviting.

Second: a tentative publication date. Due to a million factors, this could change, but as of now, I have what might be the best publication date possible . . .

3/14/17 . . . Pi(e) Day

It’s perfect not just because it’s pi(e) day, but the big picture behind the book is that feminism is about having the whole damn pie. About letting everyone enjoy it. About not settling for crumbs but enjoying the entire thing.

I’m so thrilled with how the book has come together. We’re in the copyediting stage right now, and all of the pieces are phenomenal. I’m thrilled with how hard all of the contributors worked and what they brought to the collection. Each piece is powerful, thoughtful, and an exciting look at feminism. I’m so, so excited to share this book with teenagers of all genders because it is, without question, a book I would have wanted as a teenager.

You can add the book to Goodreads by clicking here. I will, of course, write again when there are preorder opportunities.

If you want a little more of a look behind the covers of putting the collection together, you can read this interview I did with Amparo Ortiz about the anthology.

I am proud of this anthology and am so grateful to be able to hold my dream project in my hands in a mere 10.5 months.

Feminism for the Real World: Contributors, Round Two

November 12, 2015 |

So to catch up those who may have missed it, here’s round one of the contributors who are writing or drawing or otherwise contributing to Feminism for the Real World, my feminist anthology out with Algonquin Young Readers in Spring 2017. I’ve been reading and editing and working like wild to put their pieces together, and it’s been overwhelming in the best possible sense. Everyone brought their A game — actually, they brought their A+ game.

I mentioned that that wouldn’t be my only announcement for contributors to the collection. In addition to that outstanding lineup, I’m thrilled to note that Brandy Colbert will be contributing, and I’ll be reprinting my phenomenal interview about girls’ stories from earlier this year with Laurie Halse Anderson and Courtney Summers (slightly altered, of course).

There are also some more contributors. These pieces are a mix of brand new material and reprinted works.

I keep wanting to just write their names and let this land as it may, but I’m going to play a little game. Mostly because I’m so excited that even typing these names — people who will be contributing to my feminist anthology for young adult readers — makes me shake with anticipation and total disbelief and gratitude and every other possible feeling. Here are some photos and other goods that represent the people who will be participating/who have their words included. Maybe you can guess who they are before I list ’em and maybe it’s so obvious you don’t even need to guess. These are in absolutely no order.

READY?

4. + 5.

Did I make this too obvious? I don’t even care.

I’m absolutely thrilled, honored, and humbled to share that I’ll be publishing original and/or reprinting works by politician Wendy Davis, singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson, an interview with actress Laverne Cox (as conducted by Tricia Romano for DAME Magazine), dancer Michaela and musician Mia DePrince, writer Roxane Gay, and actress Mindy Kaling.

On top of the writers involved in this, these contributors are cherries on top of a very, very sweet ice cream sundae of feminism.

You can’t preorder the anthology yet, but you can absolutely add it to your Goodreads shelf. I’m in the midst of completing the first draft to send to my wonderful editors, so I should be able to share more when the new year rolls around.

Announcing: Part One of FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD Contributions

August 17, 2015 |

via the Creative Commons

Remember the time I sold an anthology of feminist essays to Algonquin Young Readers? It’s been a few months since I’ve talked about it here on STACKED, and that’s for good reason: I’ve been working on collecting the most dynamic, exciting, wide-ranging voices to contribute.

One of the goals of this collection is to have a solid group of essays, as well as art and comics. One of the other goals was to also reach out to “big name” and celebrities to get their voices into the collection, too. I won’t lie and say that part was easy, but I will say that has been one of the most enjoyable, eye-opening, and educational elements of putting together this collection. I have learned about negotiating on rights, among other things. Because some of these negotiations aren’t complete yet, I don’t feel comfortable sharing, but needless to say, I’m very excited by the “big” names who will be included in the collection.

But I’m not going to be a complete meanie in this post. I DO have a roster of contributors who have signed, sealed, and delivered contracts to me for inclusion in Feminism For The Real World. Curious who they might be?

I’m excited to share, in alphabetical order, the authors and artists who will be included in the anthology. Their pieces range in topic, in voice, in structure, and in approach, and the ones I have seen so far have blown me away. I cannot wait to see the whole of this come together, and more, I cannot wait for this collection to get into the hands of teenagers — especially teenage girls — in spring 2017.

I’ve linked to the websites or work of the contributors, so you can check out what they’ve been working on and what it was about their work, their voices, and their perspectives that made me want to include them:

Illustrators and Artists

It’s an honor to work with this roster of writers and artists. I’ve admired so much of their work and their insights, that being told “yes! I’m interested!” to contributing to my collection was nothing short of flattering.

This is my dream project, and I’ve learned so much so far, both from the contributors and my editors. I cannot wait to talk more about this as the project proceeds, but one thing that stands out to me is something I talked a bit about earlier this summer: the course I took in college as my capstone, where the final project was developing an anthology, has played a tremendous role in my thinking about this particular collection. But more — and maybe more importantly — it made me rethink some of the things I learned or analyzed in that particular class. Like in librarianship, you learn about ideals and perfect case scenarios in the classroom. You ask a lot of “why did they fail to do this or this or this?” in regards to imperfection in creation.

But the truth is, when you’re in the thick of things, when you’re actually on the ground making and doing, there are so many confounding factors that muddy the process. Nothing will ever be perfect; it can’t be. Instead, you make it the best thing you can make it, and you take pride in that. The process of asking myself questions, of asking questions of those who know better or who have more experience, has been enlightening and humbling.

I’m very proud of this so far, and I’m only going to be more thrilled as further pieces click into place. I cannot wait to see it all come together.