Elle Nash

Various

James Cahill

Joelle Taylor

Joshua Jones

Carrie Marshall

Gerardo Sámano Córdova

Chloe Michelle Howarth

Dylin Hardcastle

William Rayfet Hunter

Seth Insua

The inaugural collection in the new VERVE Voices series, Queerphoria is a joyful and defiant queer-authored anthology proudly supporting Switchboard, the national LGBTQIA+ support line. Four housemates welcome the reader into their home for a birthday party. An elderly widow visits her first queer bar, beneath the flat she shared with her husband. A couple invite a shipwrecked sailor into their isolated lighthouse on the stormy night of their thirtieth anniversary. A single woman embarks on a romantic relationship with a sex robot. A married couple secretly prepare for their baby's arrival in a world where procreation is controlled by the Establishment. Through prose, poetry, essays, illustrations and more, twenty-one writers bring their visions of euphoria to life. These pages celebrate, subvert, expand and reimagine what joy can look like, even in uncertain times. Switchboard will receive a £1 donation from every copy sold. Includes contributions from: Amil (translated by Joheun Lee) | Santanu Bhattacharya | Maame Blue | James Cahill | Jenny Chamarette | Gerardo Sámano Córdova | Soula Emmanuel | Selali Fiamanya | Eve Gleichman | Remi Graves | Dylin Hardcastle | Chloe Michelle Howarth | William Rayfet Hunter | Seth Insua | Joshua Jones | Laura Kay | Carrie Marshall | Peo Michie | Elle Nash | Peter Scalpello | Joelle Taylor About Switchboard: For over 50 years, Switchboard has supported the LGBTQIA+ community through challenges and triumphs, offering a listening ear in difficult times and moments of joy. Their support is completely free and available wherever you feel most comfortable, whether that's via phone (0800 0119 100), chat (switchboard.lgbt) or email (hello@switchboard.lgbt). Switchboard's services are open from 10 AM to 10 PM, every single day of the year. Their trained volunteers are available to discuss anything related to sexuality and gender identity; whether it's sexual health, relationships or just the way you're feeling. For anyone, anywhere in the country, at any point in their journey.

An Own Voices anthology celebrating queer joy

Queerphoria

** 'BEAUTIFULLY, SKILFULLY TOLD WITH REAL TENSION AND GORGEOUS CHARACTERS, HUMAN, ANIMAL MOVED ME TO TEARS... REMARKABLE' - RUSSELL T DAVIES ** A deeply moving debut about one family's struggle to find connection in a rapidly changing world, Human, Animal is an ode to the wild, a journey of self-discovery and a hopeful path to common ground. Dairy farmer George Calvert is fighting to keep the family business afloat. Worried about the future but resistant to change, he refuses to face the reality of his failing farm, his elderly mother's declining health and his troubled relationship with his youngest son, Tom. Newly returned from university, Tom isolates himself in his childhood bedroom, guarding the truth of his burgeoning identity. When animal rights activists break into the cowshed one morning and Tom appears to side with the protesters, father and son lock horns. As the Calverts begin to unravel, a decades-old secret surfaces – one that might rip them apart completely, or finally unite them. Perfect for fans of Pity by Andrew McMillan, Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart, A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson and The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld. PRAISE FOR HUMAN, ANIMAL 'Impressive... The characterisation is so adept... [and] never fails to convince' - Financial Times 'Insua probes the spaces between black-and-white-thinking with immeasurable sensitivity... Human, Animal explores the anxious convergence of the past, present and future, with staggering clarity. A truly impressive debut ' - Joshua Jones, author of Local Fires 'Blisteringly emotional, exploring the complex folds of family bonds. The last page left me haunted. Completely unmissable' - Lucy Rose, author of The Lamb 'A beautiful, clever debut, written with such tenderness for its muddled, struggling cast. Insua balances polarised worlds – the young and old, the urban and rural, the expected and forbidden – to create a novel so full of generosity and insight' - Abigail Dean, author of Girl A 'One of the most thought-provoking books I've read this year' - Naomi Kelsey, author of The Burnings ‘I could not get enough of this beautiful book' - Eirinie Lapidaki, author of The Wives of Halcyon 'A formidable saga of British farming – spinning a moving tale of belonging, family, and land that brings country life into fierce reckoning with the modern world. As vital and sweeping as the countryside it enfolds us in' - Scott Preston, author of The Borrowed Hills 'Compelling, conflicting and heartbreaking, Human, Animal had my heart pounding in my throat until I'd devoured every last page’ - Awais Khan, author of No Honour 'A searingly powerful novel' - Lucy Ashe, author of Clara & Olivia 'Poignant, lyrical... Human, Animal is about remembering our shared humanity that has the potential to reunite us under one sun in this complex, ever-changing, yet beautiful world' - James Hodge, Attitude magazine ‘A rich and compelling debut from a writer with a striking talent for weaving together complex narrative strands... Insua is one to watch' - Barney Norris, author of The Vanishing Hours 'Empathetic, beautifully written and deeply moving... A must-read' - Bonnie Burke-Patel, author of I Died at Fallow Hall ‘Timely, funny and moving, Human, Animal reminds us how powerful the novel can be in the hands of a true writer' - Charles Fernyhough, author of A Box of Birds 'I can't stop thinking about Human, Animal... Heartbreaking but hopeful' - Curtis Garner, author of Isaac

A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick

Human, Animal

Seth Insua

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