Underground Bookshelf

Welcome back! This resource series focuses on ICE and deportations in the United States. Painful experiences with ICE, immigration, seeking refuge, and deportation in the United States can impact people at any age, including children. The books below bring a human element to stories about immigration, dealing with the pain of deportation, and the loss of safe harbor, all written at a level that is accessible to children.

"Winter Wonderland" was first published on Wattpad as a standalone speculative flash fiction story and the second chapter of the composite speculative fiction novel, Of Ice and Snow on August 13th, 2024.

B.W. Alan holds a graduate degree in Psychology, a lens through which she crafts her evocative and introspective narratives. Her writing weaves together elegance and raw emotion, often delving into the intricate dance between light and darkness within the human experience. A lover of depth and nuance, her stories explore the complexities of the mind and heart. When not immersed in her writing, she finds peace in the company of her cherished rescue dogs. This book is a testament to her deep passion for the written word, the exploration of human nature, and the transformative power of storytelling.

That's right, you can choose from any of the above genres (or blend all three!).

The theme from February's writing contest was ROMANCE! Thank you to everyone who participated. I enjoyed the creative directions writers took the prompt. There were two standout stories this month.

"The Nightmare" (horror) by Arushi Kashyap is a spooky tale of a dream gone wrong. It is told in eight parts, with each part whisking the reader into a new dreamscape. This is Chapter Six.

Genre: horror

Some wounds bleed beneath the skin. Some desires burn in the dark. Hampton Grace has spent her life teetering on the edge of oblivion, drowning in shadows only she can see. In a world where failure feels inevitable, she hides behind ink and paper, pouring her torment into stories no one will ever read. Then there’s Walker—effortlessly charismatic, dangerously perceptive, and haunted in ways he refuses to admit.

Being an author is a lot of work, especially when you don't have the backing of a "big five" publisher. This series of resources is meant to support indie, self-published, and up-and-coming authors, writers, and poets. Today's article includes resources designed to address writing style.

A Life in Too Many Margins is a literary episodic tale featuring David, an autistic, chronically ill, and deeply exhausted queer individual.

We're rounding out our series centering themes of homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity in literature with books for adult readers. Information access is one small way to push back against cruelty and misinformation, both of which have been used in recent U.S. politics against unhoused communities. Below, you'll find resources for getting active in your community, accessing support for yourself or others, and books (both fiction and nonfiction) that highlight voices and experiences of unhoused folks or people struggling with poverty or food insecurity.

This book review by Kristie De Garis was originally published on Mastodon.