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And their upcoming novel, The Death of Vivek Oji, comes out later this year.

Roxane Gay

Roxane Gay is a literary icon. Sara Collins’s 2019 debut was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish prize and winner of the 2019 Costa First Novel Award. Their book An Unkindness of Ghosts tells the story of Antebellum horrors repeating themselves on a spaceship.

It's a poignant exploration of identity, friendship, and embracing one's true self.

Hurricane Child - Kacen Callender

Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender is a coming-of-age story following Caroline Murphy as she navigates love, loss, and her feelings for her brother's best friend, touching on family, identity, and self-discovery.

King and the Dragonflies - Kacen Callender

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender follows Kingston James as he navigates grief, friendship, and his feelings for his brother's best friend, touching on family, identity, and self-discovery.

Little & Lion - Brandy Colbert

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert explores the complex relationship between siblings Suzette and Lionel, as they navigate love, mental health, and sexuality, offering a nuanced portrayal of bisexuality and personal struggles.

Things We Couldn't Say - Jay Coles

Things We Couldn't Say by Jay Coles is a heartfelt coming-of-age story following Gio, a black teen grappling with his sexual identity and family expectations, touching on love, identity, and being true to oneself.

The Kindred - Alechia Dow

The Kindred by Alechia Dow is a thrilling sci-fi adventure following Mirabel, a girl who discovers she's a genetically engineered clone, exploring themes of identity, family, and resistance.

Pet - Akwaeke Emezi

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi is a compelling story set in a world where monsters no longer exist—or so people think.

Patrick Johnson – scholar and writer of Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South

  • Julian Randall – author of Refuse
  • Alexis De Veaux – celebrated poet and biographer of Audre Lorde
  • Tariq Thompson – rising voice in contemporary poetry
  • L.

    Whether you’re looking to deepen your perspective or simply enjoy some of the best writing out there, this list is your starting point.

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    Jericho Brown

    Jericho Brown is a Pulitzer Prize winner, and rightfully so. Diversifying your bookshelf is incredibly important. Saeed Jones

    If you want poetry and prose that slice you open and leave you transformed, look no further.

    Pet explores the realities of a society striving for peace to the point of willfully ignoring the monsters in their midst, all from the perspective of a young trans girl. What it means is simple: evaluate the kinds of books you’re reading and make sure they aren’t all reflecting a white, western—AKA colonizer—point of view.

    And these 20 Black authors of LGBTQ books are a great place to start, exploring experiences, both fictional and non, of what it means to be queer and Black.

    They include some of my personal favorites, some classics, and some on my TBR that I still really need to get around to because I have over 1,000 books on my Goodreads Want-To-Read shelf (bet you can relate).

    An Unkindness of Ghosts reimagines a space-faring society structured around racial oppression, while The Deep is a haunting novella about memory, legacy, and the descendants of enslaved Africans who live beneath the sea.

    Must-read: The Deep — an immersive Afrofuturist tale born from a song by clipping.

    gay black author

    Disabled authors? Their poems blend the sacred and profane, the political and personal, with an honesty that electrifies. Brandon Taylor

    Brandon Taylor doesn’t just write characters—he dissects them. They are central to our understanding of identity, resilience, and the future of literature.

    What about nonbinary authors?

    N.K.

    Celebrating Black LGBTQIA+ Authors: A YA Reading List

    As we celebrate Black History Month, it's essential to recognize and uplift the voices of Black LGBTQIA+ authors who share their stories and experiences through their powerful writing. A fat, Black queer girl who is not interested in your diet advice, thank you very much, is at the heart of If It Makes You Happy.

    Brown created The Duplex, a poetic form that marries the sonnet and the ghazal, and his poems explore the intersections of Blackness, queerness, masculinity, and tenderness.

    Must-read: The Tradition — poetry that reads like scripture for the Black queer soul.


    Honorable Mentions:

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