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Hello Dear Readers, Book Lovers, Friends & Family, Welcome to June 2021.... the bookshops are opening, museums are welcoming visitors, the sun is shining, and people are starting to inhabit the parks, the streets, the cafes, everywhere! This springy emergent post-Covid hopefulness permeating the air is delicious- and made even more delicious by the fact that this month is PRIDE! Beyond the confetti-strewn parades, bumping street parties, and rainbow crop tops, pride is, at its core, about celebrating the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and visibility of LGBTQI people. (Think pride as opposed to shame). Pride is a month for promoting queer identities, for visibility and openness in the face of oppression, for overcoming fear, and for commemorating and recognizing the pain of so many whose rights (and even lives) have been trampled on and taken from them by those who spew ignorance, fear, intolerance, and hatred. So in honor of celebrating all things LGBTQIA+ , here is Lovestruck Literature's very own Pride-inspired Literary "Best of" List: The 5 Best Queer Romance Novels of All Time 1. Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
I picked up a copy of Giovanni's Room once almost accidentally, on my way from London to Istanbul. I was surprised to see a James Baldwin there in the airport book store, among the usual beach reads and presidential memoirs and such. I read the book on the airplane and then read it again when I returned. Searing and haunting and painful and sad, Giovanni's Room is a semi-autobiographical tale by James Baldwin. Set in the bars and midnight streets of Paris in the 1950's, the story follows the lives, couplings, and uncouplings of a group of expats and bohemians. The main character is, David, an American expat who begins a fraught relationship with a beautiful Italian bartender, Giovanni. The story of the tumult and drama that ensues is rendered so eloquently and carefully. This book is important. It left me feeling somewhat haunted, and is worth reading many times. Further Reading:
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 Photo credit: Cover art for “The President’s Daughter,” the second novel by Bill Clinton and James Patterson. (Associated Press ) Hello Dear Readers, Book Lovers, Friends & Family, The thriller fans among you will of course be extremely familiar with James Patterson (author of over 200 novels!). Which means you will likely have heard about his most recent project, a second teaming up with the United States' own saxophone playing ex-President, Mr. Bill Clinton. In this, their second literary collaboration, the expert novelist draws on the expertise of the ex-Pres to craft what appears to be a highly entertaining, if somewhat ridiculous, crime thriller romp through the world of presidents, secret service staff, FBI agents, spies, and terrorists. There are kidnappings, there are guns with all kinds of names, there are quips and jabs, there are undercover ops. So what does any of this have to do with Lovestruck Literature, a company based at the intersection of real life romance and literature? Well, I'm glad you asked. Basically, you can think of Lovestruck as your personal James Patterson. Bill Clinton may be able to share his expertise, insider knowledge, and personal insight into what details could be feasible, relevant, and entertaining for an international political crime thriller, but only you (and your sweetie, and maybe your best friend) know the ins and outs and inner workings of your real life love story. Working with Lovestruck to craft your own personal novel or short story is like providing the quirky details and confirming the specifics that Bill Clinton provided and confirmed for James Patterson. As the blurb in the Barnes & Noble catalogue puts it: "This fast-action adventure is a certified nail-biter from the very first page, with details only a former president could write and action only Patterson could dream up. Just imagine the president as a superhero — all the fun without the cape!"  The team in action. Former US President Bill Clinton (L) and prolific thriller author James Patterson (R) at an event. (Associated Press). Okay, okay, it's a bit of a stretch. But if you always envisioned your love story as a thrilling heist, or your own personal James Bond-style tale, then maybe it's not such a stretch after all... (If it was me, for example, it might go something like this: "The name's True. Sara True.") With wedding season in full swing, now is the perfect time to check out our packages for original short stories and 100% personalized novellas. (Here's what one recent customer had to say about her custom short story.)  Further Reading:
Here's hoping you are all safe, happy, healthy, and literary! xx Sara True Lovestruck Literature writer & founder |
AuthorSara Rosenthal is the creator of Lovestruck Literature. She enjoys long beaches, long walks, and short stories. Archives
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