Excited to be reading @litquake.org's LitCrawl on October 25th! Come along to hear a bit of my gay toll booth epic in progress, as well as pieces from my incredible writing colleagues.

#litquake #litcrawl #writers #writinglife #sfww #sfwriters

I’m reading on August 10 with Public Words at their next live event: Fantasy and Friendship. I’ll be sharing a bit from my novel-in-progress about toll booths, queerness, and not-quite rock bottom. Free + open mic!

#PublicWords #BayAreaWriters #SFreading #LitSky #QueerWriters #amwriting #queerlit

Wow, #NobodyLovesYou at A.C.T. In San Francisco is a 5-star smash. Whip-smart and hysterical with a heart of gold. Highly recommend! #actsf #theatre #newmusicals

I’ll take it.

THE HANDMAID’S TALE by @margaretatwood.bsky.social exceeded the hype. I was struck by the frightening parallels, of course, but also the repeated truth that there are many who can see the light and will sacrifice to keep it burning.

#ReadingRecommendations #BestBooks2024 #WhattoRead

THE PEOPLE WE KEEP by @allielarkinwrites.bsky.social was a gem of a novel. Richly woven lives with quirky characters I wanted to spend all day with. Heartbreaking but ultimately packed with hope and resilience.

#ReadingRecommendations #BestBooks2024 #WhattoRead

THE SUN ALSO RISES by Ernest Hemingway - the first of his novels I’ve read, and yes, the guy can write, but I was struck by the parallels between this lost generation and our current moment, and heartened by our ability to go on.

#ReadingRecommendations #BestBooks2024 #WhattoRead

FAMILY MEAL by Bryan Washington was a powerful portrayal of grief in various forms, and a testament to the unconventional families we build. I loved these characters, no matter how much I wanted to shake them, and this book shook me a little too.

#ReadingRecommendations #BestBooks2024 #WhattoRead

THE SONG OF ACHILLES by @madelinemiller.bsky.social reignited a love for ancient mythology I haven’t felt since childhood. A riveting reclamation of the gay heroes who’ve been all but written out of our oldest stories.

#ReadingRecommendations #BestBooks2024 #WhattoRead

MRS. DALLOWAY by Virginia Woolf - I’d been struggling with interiority in my own writing and this was the tonic - a gorgeous exploration of every character’s inner thoughts and feelings across a solitary day. So pacey I finished it in one day too.

#ReadingRecommendations #BestBooks2024 #WhattoRead

THINKING SHAKESPEARE by Barry Edelstein was that rare thing - incredibly informative while still being a joy to read. With wit and generosity, it offers a definitive guide to Shakespeare with plenty of practical exercises for theatre practitioners

#ReadingRecommendations #BestBooks2024 #WhattoRead

FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON by Daniel Keyes is a classic for a reason. I don’t often cry at books, but this one got me. An ahead-of-its-time reflection on the limits of technology and the double-edged sword of knowledge and enlightenment.

#ReadingRecommendations #BestBooks2024 #WhattoRead

SECRET CITY: THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF GAY WASHINGTON by James Kirchick was a riveting account of more than 60 years of US history and the LGBTQ+ figures who have been relegated to the shadows for too long. Essential reading.

#ReadingRecommendations #BestBooks2024 #WhattoRead

I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL by Natalie Sue was a hilarious and heartbreaking look at corporate lunacy and millennial malaise. I loved the unflinching narrative voice, and embracing this protagonist, flaws and all. #ReadingRecommendations #BestBooks2024 #WhattoRead

Happy holidays to you and yours from the Plotkin-Sullivans!

#merrychristmas #dogsofchristmas