Author Lee Wind about his novel “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The story centers around Wyatt a fifteen year old dealing with his sexuality in a homophobic small town of Lincolnville, Oregon where nobody knows that he’s gay, not even his best friend Mackenzie who accidentally and conveniently becomes his girlfriend. Wyatt then discovers the theory about Abraham Lincoln's close relationship with Joshua Fry Speed a Springfield, Illinoi...
Author Lee Wind about his novel “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The story centers around Wyatt a fifteen year old dealing with his sexuality in a homophobic small town of Lincolnville, Oregon where nobody knows that he’s gay, not even his best friend Mackenzie who accidentally and conveniently becomes his girlfriend. Wyatt then discovers the theory about Abraham Lincoln's close relationship with Joshua Fry Speed a Springfield, Illinois merchant who met Lincoln in 1837. At the time Lincoln was a successful attorney and member of Illinois' House of Representatives. The two men lived together for four years during which time they occupied the same bed and developed a friendship that would last until their deaths. Wyatt feels since everyone loves Abraham Lincoln that if the world knew about this relationship they would treat gay people differently and it would solve everything about his life. So Wyatt outs Lincoln online triggering a media firestorm that threatens to destroy everything he cares about and he has to pretend more than ever that he’s straight. Then he meets Martin who is openly gay and who just might be the guy Wyatt’s been hoping to find. We talked to Lee about his inspiration for writing “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Lee Wind is the founding blogger and publisher of “I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?” an award-winning website about books, culture and empowerment for LGBTQ youth and their allies. For over 11 years readers from 100-plus countries have racked up 2.6 million page views and counting. “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill” is Lee’s debut novel and readers describe it as “a love letter for history geeks” that “perfectly captures teen angst,” “had my heart racing” and helped them feel “less alone.” Selected as the September 2018 Publishers Weekly “Indie Success Story” over 900 copies of “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill” have been donated to LGBTQ and allied teens. It was also named a BookLife Prize semi-finalist one of Publishers Weekly’s top five independently published middle grade and young adult books of 2018. Currently Wind is Director of Marketing and Programming at the Independent Book Publishers Association and the official blogger for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Lee’s passion is writing stories to empower LGBTQ youth and their allies. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband and their teenage daughter.
For More Info: leewind.org
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