My first full-length book is finally coming out. I can't tell you how good this feels. I remember when I was young, my mother showed me a book, Pineapple White by Jon Shirota, and we were amazed that someone who looked like us could actually get a book published. I remember my father telling me there were no Asian-American writers and to pursue writing was impossible (this was even before Maxine Hong Kingston, et. al.)But I never gave up, and times change, and people break walls..and through it all, I just keep writing. Eventually there were more Asian-American writers, and Gay/Lesbian writers, and feminist presses... But in my writing and performing and travel, I have noticed yet so many more margins and underrepresented communities.
Along the way, I have made so many friends and people with whom I want to change the world. We have complained over beer and wine and scotch and coffee about the limits and politics of the publishing game, and how we need to support our own. That is why, when Seasonal Velocities was ready, I asked my longtime friend and fellow artist, A.J. Bryce if he wouldn't mind publishing me under his Trans-Genre imprint.
I know there are larger presses, and possibly I could have landed a deal with a press like that. But with Trans-Genre, I could really work with a publisher who knew what walls we still need to break. And besides, if we don't support our own, why should anyone else?
So, if you really want to support a small press, and a new author, and collaborations between friends and allies, please consider purchasing Seasonal Velocities. I feel so good and clean about this book. There are no compromises within its pages, and I hope and trust that will make all the difference with you.
http://trans-genre.net/content/seasonal-velocities/
