Hello, friend,

This is my very first newsletter, and I’m so glad you’re here. I’m thinking about this space, you and me in your inbox, as one of the ways I’m navigating these dark times. What could we do, together?

Hopefully, you signed up for this and want to hear about my literary life, what’s helping me now, and what I’m thinking about. If you did not and don’t want to receive any more messages from me, feel free to unsubscribe at any time. Inboxes are a precious space. No hard feelings!

Lit Life
I’m reading at Joy in the Soft Apocalypse this Thursday, April 17. It’s a stellar line-up, and I would love to see you there! I’ll be reading from a new opening to the memoir. (More on that in another missive.)

Absolute Pleasure: Queer Reflections on Five Messy Decades of Rocky Horror is coming out September 16, 2025, from The Feminist Press. I’m so proud of my essay that made it in, and I’m thrilled to be in the company of some of my favorite writers. I’ll let you know when pre-orders are live!

What’s Helping Me Now
Finding Steady Ground recommends sharing with others what’s helping you, so I’ll do that here.

I’ve been getting up earlier to write before work every day, and that grounding has given me more steadiness than anything else I’ve found. That time alone with my brain and the page helps me come back to myself each morning.

I’m also making time for joy. This week, that looks like a lot of time at the dog park, playing guitar through a new amp, and hosting pals (new and old) for Pesach seder.

Take Action
If you can show up with your time or your money, local LGBTQ+ organizations across the country need you right now. The closer an organization is to where you live, the more impact they have on your local community. If you don’t know where to begin, Equality Federation’s members are all statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations fighting the opposition in your state. [Let me know if you want to talk more or find other ways to get plugged in. It’s literally my job.] LGBTQ+ community centers are also under threat; many of them receive government grants, and local infrastructure is going to be critical for the fights ahead.

What I’m Thinking About
(I posted this on Instagram for Transgender Day of Visibility, and it’s exactly how I want to begin this newsletter.)

When I first put this side-by-side together, I was a year on testosterone and mere months past top surgery. I felt so old, that I’d spent so long waiting to feel safe in my own skin. And I had: 22 years was my whole lifetime. 37-year-old Mel feels like he’s become the cool, stable, solid adult of his dreams. Transitioning 👏🏻 saved 👏🏻 my life!

This Trans Day of Visibility, I feel the vulnerability of this moment more than I have in a long time. And the rage. And the fire to be in this fight for our rights and our lives. (Big shout out to my people in the movement, the brilliant team at Equality Federation!)

I want more for us trans people. I want more dreams and futures. I want to know what is waiting for us on the other side, after the systems and empire come tumbling down. So, I’m here. As queer and trans as I’ve always been, ready to throw down for what we deserve.