These Indiana Winters

Queerness, family, magic and Indiana weather combine in These Indiana Winters, B. T. Roen's debut chapbook. Their imagination skips across Seussian animals, fantastical characters, and the struggles of being a queer pastor's kid in the Midwest. Roen's wit and wonder reveals a spark of magic hidden in the everyday.

Roen chronicles their growing-up years and coming out journey in this little poetic adventure. The speaker has a jumping contest with Jack Frost (they lose), find their gender paralleled in the natural world, and finally turn from the turbulence of self-discovery to comfort their younger self.

Approximately 26 pages.

Beks Roen (they/he) is a queer Shakespeare nerd & sword-wielding chaos goblin from Indiana focused on adventurous connection. He uses his acting, writing and teaching skills to show people they're not alone. They founded Blanket Fort Theatre in 2024, dedicating their career to highlight queer joy, stage combat, & Shakespeare fun across the Midwest. An internationally published poet, Roen's work can be seen in The NonBinary Review, Querencia Press, Beyond the Veil Press, Anodyne Magazine & more. In theatre, Beks has worked with Great Lakes Theater, Purdue Theatre, the Hoosier Shakespeare Festival, the Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette, the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, & more.