

Creating the Heroes You Want to See in the World, featuring Lee Wind
4 snips Jan 20, 2025
Lee Wind, author and Chief Content Officer at the Independent Book Publishers Association, passionately advocates for LGBTQ+ representation in literature. In this conversation, he reflects on the progress in fiction, sharing his personal experiences with limited queer visibility. Wind discusses the transformative power of stories for LGBTQ+ youth, innovative strategies for inclusive narratives, and the importance of uplifting diverse voices. He also critiques traditional portrayals of masculinity and femininity, stressing that representation can change lives.
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Barren Landscape
- Lee Wind recalls a literary landscape devoid of positive gay representation during his youth.
- He mentions problematic depictions like the villain Baron Harkonnen in Dune and a predatory captain in another novel.
Shift to Children's Literature
- Lee Wind's shift to writing for children stemmed from his move to Los Angeles for film and the birth of his daughter.
- He initially perceived picture books as easy due to their length, but later realized their complexity.
Passion-Driven Promotion
- Lee Wind prefers promoting books he loves over self-promotion.
- He uses his passion for James Bond to discuss A Different Kind of Brave, framing it as both homage and critique.