Harmonious Hearts 2014 - Stories from the Young Author Challenge (Harmony Ink Press - Young Author Challen) - Softcover

Burrow, Avery; Harrington, Trisha; Roth, Scotia; Buchanan, L.A.; Segev, Gil; Reed, Amanda; Schoonover, Annie; Taylor, Leigh; Beaird, Laura; Long, Rebecca

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1632161869 ISBN 13: 9781632161864

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC, 2014

Synopsis

Celebrate with Harmony Ink Press as we recognize the talented winners of our first annual Young Author Challenge. This anthology showcases the LGBTQ genre's best up-and-coming-authors between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one. The transition from childhood to adulthood is never easy, and growing up presents unique challenges for LGBTQ youth. Confusion, bigotry, and struggle transcend time and place, but fortunately, so does love. Travel with these exceptional young authors from country cottages to big cities, into the past and the future, from fantastic lands of magic to the recognizable landscapes of our world. Regardless of the setting, the characters in these stories, along with families, friends, lovers, and allies, fight to claim their places in life. Their identities and situations are different, but the young people in this collection share the strength and courage to succeed, sometimes against great odds, and they invite you to join them on their journeys. Cigar, Parasol, Star by Laura BeairdCounting Stars by L.A. BuchananThe King of Dorkdom by Avery BurrowHappy Endings Take Work by Morgan CairTess by Becca EhlersOur First Anniversary by Trisha HarringtonThe Dragon Princess by Eleanor HawtinAn IRL Love Life by Rebecca LongOn Their Own Terms by D. William PfiferGlitterhead by Benjamin Shepherd QuiñonesCity Lights Will Carry You Home by Amanda ReedThe Gift of Flame by Scotia RothWaiting by Annie SchoonoverQuiet Love by Gil SegevParanormal Honor Society by Leigh Taylor

About this title

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—In the publisher's first Young Author Challenge anthology, the authors of these LGBTQ short stories range in age from 16 to 21. The stories share common themes of hope, love, acceptance, and happiness. The entries include many genres, such as fairy tales, the supernatural, science fiction, fantasy, and realism. Standouts include "Tess" by Becca Ehlers. Here, girlfriends Sam and Tess reassess their relationship when Sam, who is not yet ready to be out, heads to New York for college. In "Paranormal Honor Society" by Leigh Taylor, Andi, who prefers the pronouns "ze" and "hir" and calls hirself "gender fluid," starts a new school and is immediately embraced by the paranormal club. The teenagers work to solve the mystery of who has been killing women in their town, certain something supernatural must be behind the deaths. Some club members wonder if Andi could be the murderer, though as one humorously points out, "You're confusing gender fluidity with werewolves again." The final piece, "The King of Dorkdom," by Avery Burrow tells the story of Wallace, who is about to meet his online best friend. Wallace should be excited, but is scared because he identifies as "gender ambiguous and most people in his town know him as Molly. Other narratives cover coming out, opposites attracting, careless insults, a wish granted, and a boy who never speaks. What the selections may lack in sophistication, they more than make up for in spirit in this wonderfully diverse collection.—Amanda MacGregor, formerly at Apollo High School Library, St. Cloud, MN

About this edition

• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1632161869
• ISBN 13: 9781632161864
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 294