About Lee
(a.k.a. Lee writes about himself in the 3rd person…)
Lee Wind’s superpower is stories – true and fictional – that center marginalized kids and teens and celebrate their power to change the world. Closeted until his 20s, Lee writes the books that would have changed his life as a young Gay kid. His Masters Degree from Harvard didn’t include blueprints for a time machine to go back and tell these stories to himself, so Lee pays it forward with a popular blog with over 3 million page views (I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?) and books for kids and teens.
His latest book is “Red and Green and Blue and White,” a picture book illustrated by Caldecott-winning illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky (Levine Querido.) It has received five starred trade reviews and the New York Times called it “beautiful.” Lee’s middle grade nonfiction “No Way, They Were Gay? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves” (Lerner Publishing Group/Zest Books), was honored as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection and was selected for the Chicago Public Library’s 2021 Best of the Best Books list. He is also the author of the crowd-funded YA novel “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill,” featured as a Publishers Weekly Indie Success Story, and one of Publishers Weekly’s Top Five Independently Published Middle Grade and Young Adult Books of 2018.
With day jobs for the Independent Book Publishers Association (as their director of education and programs) and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (as their official blogger), Lee’s superhero job is storytelling to empower readers to shine with their own light. Subscribe to Lee’s newsletter and start your journey to discover our past and live your future.
Lee Wind (he/him)
photo by Joanna Degeneres
Contact
To contact Lee directly, please email him at leewind (at) roadrunner (dot) com
Lee’s Literary Agent is Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency
In The News
2023 MEDIA
Interview with Author Lee Wind at Paper Phoenix Ink (May 2023)
New Podcast Bypasses “Don’t Say Gay” to Bring Queer YA Novel and History to Teens at Mombian (May 2023)
2023 APPEARANCES
Facilitated the Independent Book Publishers Association 2023 IBPA Publishing University Conference in San Diego, CA (May 2023)
Presented No Way, They Were Gay? at the National Education Association’s LGBTQ+ Caucus Social Justice and Leadership Conference in Las Vegas, NV (April 2023)
Interviews
I’m interviewed about my debut nonfiction for ages 11 and up, “No Way, They Were Gay? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves” at TeachingBooks.net – listen to the under seven minute meet-the-author interview and excerpt.
Blog Appearances
Dual Cover Reveal & Interview: NO WAY, THEY WERE GAY? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves by Lee Wind (me!) on Betsy Bird’s School Library Journal Blog A Fuse #8 Production
Media Mentions
My debut YA novel “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill” is featured as a Publishers Weekly Indie Success Story in this two-page feature story, “Bringing History into the Light: An Indie Success Story”
The small Print
Submission Guidelines: If you are an author or publisher, I do not generally accept review copies, since I don’t generally review the books featured on the I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read? blog. All I need is a synopsis (including what’s significantly LGBTQIA2+ about the book – so I know why I should include it), a link to the author website or some online info or interview with the author, and the book’s release date (as I don’t post on books before they are available to the public.) Please make sure to include your contact info so I can follow up with you!
Disclaimer: Having said that, some of the books discussed on the blog may have been provided by the author or publisher. The opinions expressed on the blog and this website, unless they’re a comment from someone else, are my own.
Disclosure: If you click on a book on this blog or website and it takes you to bookshop.org, there is an affiliate relationship in place where 10% of that book order will come back to me, Lee Wind. I hope that works for you. And if it doesn’t, no worries. I hope you buy your books somewhere that feels good to you. Thanks!
Click here to read the privacy policy.
Please, be kind and patient with each other, with yourselves, and, well – with me.
Thanks!
Lee
