BLF Press Newsletter Issue #2

Meet Lauren Cherelle!

Lauren Cherelle uses her time and talents to traverse imaginary and professional worlds. She manages and writes for Resolute Publishing, an indie publisher that helps transforms dreams into realities for female writers. Her second novel, The Dawn of Nia— a story about the sting of abandonment, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the grace of transformative love— will be released in 2016. She has published stories in G.R.I.T.S: Girls Raised in the South: An Anthology of Queer Womyn's Voices & Their Allies (2013) and the forthcoming anthology Lez Talk: A Collection of Black Lesbian Short Fiction.

During the week, Lauren works in nonprofit development and administration. On weekends, she hangs up her fundraising hat to focus on developmental editing, graphic design projects, and personal writing. She resides in Louisville, KY with her partner of twelve years. Together, they aspire to open a business incubator that houses a community-based mental wellness center that serves women and families.

Outside of reading, writing, and working, Lauren volunteers as a child advocate. She loves to visit new cities, binge watch her favorite shows, play in her curly hair, and teach women to explore and adore the power of intimacy.

S. Andrea Allen's debut collection of short stories is due out this fall.

Click here to see what Stephanie is up to and look for an excerpt from Failure soon!

Call for Submissions:

Solace: Writing, Refuge, and LGBTQ Women of Color

Deeply troubled by recent acts of violence against Black and Brown lesbian, bisexual, and trans bodies, BLF Press and Resolute Publishing seek submissions for Solace: Writing, Refuge, & LGBT Women of Color that explore the ways in which LGBTQ women find solace: in each other, in their communities, and from within themselves, as they traverse the dangers of living as LGBTQ women of color in the United States.

BLF Press and Resolute Publishing will produce a collection of writing that explores our pain, as well as our attempts to find solace in a world that seeks to destroy us. Audre Lorde writes that “We were never meant to survive,” yet here we are. What are our strategies for survival? Where do we find solace? We welcome submissions from writers in varying stages of their writing careers, from seasoned to novice.

Solace: Writing, Refuge, and LGBTQ Women of Color embraces the complexities of our lives, revealing the depths of our pain and the artistry of our healing. The editors seek writing that:

cross a range of literary genres (creative non-fiction, short fiction, and poetry)
merge the themes of WOC and LGBTQ; affirm the interconnectedness of race+gender+sexual orientation
express how Black America/America experiences our race+gender+sexual orientation showcase the resilience and strength of WOC and LGBTQ communities
affirm our gifts as writers and women of color.

Click her e for submissions guidelines