First and foremost, Books Beyond Binaries was created to amplify non-binary, trans, and/or queer voices within the world of books and publishing. It is #OwnVoices, written largely from the perspective of emmy, a gendervoid bookseller and literary agent, and avid reader, and provides reviews, recommendations, news, and other related content about diverse books and book-related events. BBB also aims to provide resources for allies who are seeking to better serve LGBTQ2S+ communities, and a space where LGBTQ2S+ people can find content that resonates with them and that may be difficult to find elsewhere.
Content Creators
emmy, purveyor of spines
emmy (they/them) is the creator of BBB. They hold a PhD in justice-oriented social work with a focus on critical animal studies from McMaster University, with additional peer-reviewed publications in public health and psychology. They are a member of the planning team for the Festival of Literary Diversity, and a literary agent at Westwood Creative Artists. They are a queer, trans, non-binary colonizer originally from Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland), the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk and the Mi’kmaq, now based in Tkaronto (Toronto, Ontario), which is unceded territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Mississaugas of the Credit. They have psychiatric disabilities, chronic illness, and autism. They are proudly queer, nebularomantic, polyamorous, and gendervoid.
In their doctoral program, emmy conducted research on the wellbeing of dogs who work in therapeutic practice. They are also a member of Re:searching for LGBTQ2S+ Health, based out of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, a team that conducts community-based research to understand physical, emotional, and mental health experiences of LGTBQ2S+ people. emmy lives with their partner, a Deaf Dalmatian, and two formerly feral Maine coon cats. They keep busy with thread painting embroidery, wholesome video games, snail mail, their sticker collection, and… obviously, reading.
emmy will always have a special place in their heart for spooky spec fic and feminist thrillers, and believes that these books are often queer and move beyond binaries in their own ways. emmy grew up on fantasy novels and 90’s kidlit horror like Bunnicula and Goosebumps. Murder is their comfort read.
You can find emmy elsewhere on the internet on their
- professional bio: Literary Agent for Westwood Creative Artists
- MSWL
- Goodreads
- Instagram for their pets or their embroidery
- Etsy for embroidery stickers
- research bio for Re:searching for LGBTQ2S+ Health
If you want to support this blog and other projects by a trans publishing professional, you can leave a tip using ko-fi.
Jack
Jack is writing rad reviews of queer books. Jack is a queer writer and artist who is completing her English and Cultural studies BA at McMaster University. She likes to read psychological thrillers, Afrofuturistic works and genre-bending memoirs that include Auto-Theory. Also, she enjoys watching films, writing short stories, drawing, and desserts that are sweet, but not too sweet.
CeCe Lyra
CeCe Lyra identifies as many things, but first and foremost she is a voracious reader. She is a literary agent at The Rights Factory who specializes in both fiction and nonfiction on the adult side. As a mixed race Latinx immigrant, CeCe is passionate about representing under or misrepresented voices and stories that contribute to a larger cultural conversation. Books that are centered around feminist issues have a special place in her heart. CeCe is also the author of THE SUNSET SISTERS and THE FAITHFULS. Being both a storyteller and a storyseller is not without its challenges — but CeCe wouldn’t have it any other way. She is a recovering lawyer, but asks that you do not hold that against her.
Partnerships
Santana Reads
Books Beyond Binaries is proud to lend our support to Santana Reads’ Blog and Bookstagram! The content producer behind Santana Reads is Carolina, a bi, genderfluid, Puerto Rican 16-year old teen book blogger who is very passionate about diverse literature. When they’re not reading a good book, they can be found snacking on gingerbread cookies, napping, playing with their dog, and marathoning TV shows on Netflix. They are one of the co-hosts of the Latinx Book Club.
reddietoread
Books Beyond Binaries is proud to lend our support to the reddietoread Booktube! Eddie is a college student studying literature, creative writing, and art history. They are currently fulfilling their middle school dream of being a booktuber, and they are working on their other childhood dream of becoming a published author. In their spare time they can be found reading YA and middle grade fiction, learning how to use power tools, and obsessing over anything dark academia-related.
Art
The artist behind the Books Beyond Binaries logo and all icon images featured on this page is Ice, aka Bill Underwood, a non-binary freelance comic artist and illustrator.
The artist who created the Books Beyond Binaries banner is Oaky, a non-binary Latino concept artist and illustrator.
The artist who created emmy’s portrait on this page is Lia, the aromantic blogger behind Sunflowers and Wonder.
Books Beyond Binaries 