The last several months have been trying for our nation, and I believe that we are entering a new period of political and societal unrest. Now more than ever, we need literature that reflects and accurately represents the richness of our lives as women of color. BLF Press has always been committed to amplifying this writing, and we feel a renewed urgency to ensure that marginalized voices are heard. 

I'd also like to personally invite you to my first author event. I'll be reading from my new collection of short stories, and chatting with one of my favorite sister writers, La Toya Hankins. More details are at the end of this message. 

Thank you for supporting BLF Press, and I look forward to seeing more of you soon. 

Love and solidarity,

Stephanie

A Failure to Communicate

S. (Stephanie) Andrea Allen’s debut collection of short fiction focuses on how communication, or the lack thereof, impacts Black women’s lives.  The stories range from the humorous to the heartbreaking: one woman wins a bake-off because her co-worker misunderstands the contest; an overweight woman finally learns to love herself, even though it means leaving her girlfriend.

A teenager reflects on his mother's inability to discuss her depression; a woman realizes that her partner has been hiding a gambling addiction, and has to decide whether to help her or save herself. The women in these stories are often silenced, but Allen imbues them with a voice that demands to be heard. 
  
Solace: Writing, Refuge, and LGBTQ Women of Color

Pre-sale date: December 1, 2016
Publication date: January 31, 2017

Deeply troubled by recent acts of violence against Black and Brown lesbian, bisexual, and trans* bodies, Solace: Writing, Refuge and LGBTQ Women of Color explores how LGBTQ women find solace: in each other, in their communities, and from within themselves, as they traverse the challenges of living as LGBTQ women of color in the United States. 

Solace is a collection of poetry and prose that explores our pain, as well as our attempts to find solace in a world that seeks to destroy us. What are our strategies for survival? Where do we find solace? Audre Lorde writes that “we were never meant to survive,” yet here we are.

Upcoming events:

LGBT Center of Raleigh (Raleigh, NC)
Sunday, February 5, 2017
2:00pm  4:00pm
LGBT Center of Raleigh Library