Colour illustrated image of a cyclops with purple long hair, wearing an orange dress and a pumpkin hair band. The cyclops is throwing candy to the viewer which is wrapped in different flag colours, like the rainbow pride flag, etc. Black text logo with a ghost-themed playful, colourful background reads, ‘Queer Halloween Stories 2023 Bundle.’ Below this, black text with a white background reads, ’83 Digital Games, 22 Physical Games, 7 Books, 3 Comics, 3 Audio Dramas. All for $10 or more!’

Queer Halloween Stories Bundle 2023

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The Queer Halloween Stories Bundle returns for 2023 with over 100 projects from over 80 folks from around the globe, including work by me!

The Queer Halloween Stories Bundle is a mutual aid bundle directly benefiting queer indie developers, authors, and artists, with all sales split evenly among participants who have opted in to receive funds for their work

There are two versions of the bundle: $60 Fright Edition AND $10+ Treat Edition.

You can help fund the future of queer art by supporting these amazing creators and discovering titles you won’t find anywhere else!

(Image credit: Candy the Cyclops was originally designed by inkymaw. Main promotional art was drawn by Isla of milk+ visual, with logowork by Madi of Sad Ghost Studios.)

New poem in Cordite POP!

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I wrote a cheeky little Pokémon poem, (titled “I Google ‘are Pokémon edible?’ and wonder if I’m a bad person”), which has been published in Cordite, with big thanks to guest editors Bec Jessen and Zenobia Frost.

Do you think about the edibility of Pokémon too? Read on…

Want to read the whole issue of Cordite POP!? Do it!

I’m pumped to be published alongside poet faves Shastra Deo, Chloë Callistemon, Mindy Gill, Keri Glastonbury, Dan Hogan, Warsan Shire, Eloise Grills, Pascalle Burton, Alex Creece, Andrew Sutherland, Matt Hetherington, Scott-Patrick Mitchell, Kate Durbin, Ray Briggs, Rory Green, Pam Brown, Susie Walsh, Jarad Bruinstroop, Heather Taylor-Johnson, Jacqui Malins, Damen O’Brien, Sean West, Jini Maxwell, Josie/Jocelyn Deane, Lore White, and so many more fab folks!

I signed a new book contract!

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I’m still in shock about this wonderful, beautiful news – I have signed a contract with Hachette Australia to publish my first picture book!!! The awesomeness this week just keeps on coming 💖

I’m so grateful for my agent Danielle Binks at Jacinta di Mase, who championed this manuscript from the beginning, and to Kate Stevens at Hachette for her enthusiasm and support in publishing this gentle children’s book about gender diversity and acceptance, for readers aged 4+

***

Current working title: All the Colours of the Rainbow.

Amazing illustrator who’ll be bringing the story to life: to be revealed!

Publication date: you’ll have to wait until 2025, but it will totally be worth it!

***

What the story is about:

Jem loves wearing yellow dresses or blue jeans. Jem feels like a girl when searching for bugs and lizards in the backyard, and like a boy when running around in fast circles.

Some adults in Jem’s life only want to see in black and white, but with Mum’s help, Jem learns people can be whoever they want to be – they can be any colour of the rainbow.

***

(Joyful photo taken at this year’s Brisbane Writers Festival.)

Image description: Dark blue sketch of a pineapple laying on its side, with dark blue text above it that reads ‘Queensland Literary Awards finalist’ on a yellow background.

‘Exactly As I Am’ shortlisted for the Qld Literary Awards!

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HUGE NEWS! ‘Exactly As I Am’ has been shortlisted for the Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection at this year’s Queensland Literary Awards! 

Big congrats to my fellow shortlistees Michael Farrell, Lionel Fogarty, Autumn Royal, and Simon Tedeschi. And thank you so much to judges Ellen van Neerven, Pam Brown and Toby Fitch!

Winners will be announced at a ceremony on 6 September 2023. 

Judges’ comments:

‘Exactly As I Am is an experimental yet accessible exploration of genderqueer politics – Rae White’s fluid use of form skewers the language of conservative politics, authority, and work. Intricate connections and difficulties of identity are performed as vibrant poetry in this tough and vulnerable, joyfully nonconformist account of non-binary living. ’

Grab a copy of ‘Exactly As I Am’ on the UQP website.

Image description: Dark blue sketch of a pineapple laying on its side, with dark blue text above it that reads ‘Queensland Literary Awards finalist’ on a yellow background.
Image description: Front cover of Australian Poetry Anthology. The cover features an abstract art piece of a koala-like creature sitting on top of a white house, with a gold sheep-like creature beside them. These three are on an island surrounded by dark water, with a gold yellow sky in the background.

Australia Poetry Anthology

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I recently had the pleasure of guest editing Australian Poetry Anthology Volume 10, 2023 alongside Peter Boyle. I am so immensely proud of the poems we chose and I can’t wait for you to read them.

I’m also honoured to be continuing my work with Australian Poetry as a member of their Board of Directors. I’ve always admired AP’s strong poetic vision and I’m excited to work with them to develop and showcase what poetry can be and do in Australia.

(Cover artwork by Michelle Leber.)

It’s Exactly As I Am’s first birthday!

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This month is Exactly As I Am’s first birthday! 🎉

Thank you to everyone who bought, borrowed and read this book over the past year. And thank you to all the excellent folk who interviewed me about it and asked me to read poems from it. 

I hope Exactly As I Am continues to reach wonderful readers, especially those who need it most. 

This past year has been a particularly dark, transphobic time for my community. I hope to combat that as much as I can, by continuing to write and publish books that uplift, embrace and nurture my trans, non-binary and gender diverse siblings 💖🏳️‍⚧️

(Awesome image tiles thanks to my publisher UQP.)

Black and white shard images surrounding the front cover of Exactly As I Am.
Black and white shard images surround text that reads, ‘: paint me over / tell me : am I trope / or trouble to you? is my portraiture distraction or abstraction?’
Black and white shard images surround text that reads, ‘Rainbow confetti pixels. Today's trans trend is believing you are non-binary enough, no matter what the monsters say.’
Black and white shard images surround text that reads, ‘Somewhat safe / My heart shucked and floundering on the footpath. A car creeps down the unlit side street with headlights howling.’

Pride at Play this Saturday

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My Bitsy game ‘stand up’ is part of the Official Selection at Pride at Play, an exhibition that celebrates thoughtful queer games. Pride at Play is being held until 24 June 2023 at Carlisle Street Arts Space, St Kilda Town Hall, Melbourne.

This Saturday 17 June in Melbourne, I’ll be taking part in two awesome in-person events, kicking off from 1pm!

Readings @ Pride at Play will feature readings from Al Gallagher, Briar Rolfe, Jini Maxwell, Josie/Jocelyn Deane, Mohamed Chamas, and myself.

While the Queer Gamedev Talks: Personal Queer Games Panel will feature Logan Timmins, Elliot Herriman, Luke Millar and myself, alongside moderator Jae Stuart, discussing the creation of personal queer games and our works.

Looking forward to seeing you there!