Meet Your Host
Laura Browne-Lambert
Writer/Blogger
Welcome to Underground Bookshelf! My name is Laura. I'm a New England-based, queer, neurodivergent writer who envisions a world where our art helps up build the world in which we want to live. I'm married to my gorgeous, resourceful, and brilliant wife, Jasmine. Our cat, Julie, is the cutest little allergen you could possibly meet, and if you met her, you would probably agree!
My first book is now available on Amazon! The Wood is a coming-of-age fiction with themes of identity, found family, accessibility, and self-acceptance. Check it out here.
I do my best to keep this blog up-to-date, but am living with a chronic illness you may know better as long-COVID, so my day, my week, and my month can take a lot of odd turns depending on my health and energy levels. Please be patient with me as I do my best to balance the work that comes with this blog and the hurdles of managing chronic illness.
Thank you, and remember: You are wonderful, valid, and valued!
Underground Bookshelf - The Origin Story
When we consume media that represents our identity, race/ethnicity, culture, abilities, and other aspects of ourselves, we recognize our own value, our personhood, and the wealth of knowledge and vibrancy that our personalities, histories, and experiences bring to the proverbial table. Importantly, so do the people around us! I believe that art reflects culture and culture reflects art. If we have a culture that devalues people of certain backgrounds, experiences, or abilities, our art will reflect that belief and vice versa. The reverse is also true. By telling diverse stories, we have the potential to create a society that values everyone.
Presently, many communities in the United States push back against the inclusion of diverse stories that challenge old ways of thinking. This has led to the banning of books that represent LGBTQ2IA+ characters, stories about racial division, and other characters and plots that don't fit the straight, white, cisgender, heteronormative mold.
As a queer, neurodivergent person, I recognize the harm that comes from not seeing yourself represented in the media. If I had read about characters like me at a younger age, I'm certain that I would have felt less like an alien that didn't belong on earth and much more like the whole person that I am. I'm also certain that if the people around me read stories about characters like me, they would have seen me differently as well.
This blog is my way of combatting exclusion in the stories we tell -- particularly the stories that make it to shelves and in front of readers. There will always be free stories available through this site, so if your school or library won't stock stories about you, you can find stories here.
This website will always be FREE because I believe that we should all have access to stories that reflect us and resources that support us. However, if you would like to help me keep this project going, I invite you to become a Subscriber on Patreon! In return, you'll get an extra story each month, community conversations, and the occasional cat pic!
* Housekeeping: Please be respectful of one another in the comments. This site is meant to be uplifting and community-oriented. We are all just doing our best. If I notice any harmful or derogatory comments, I will take them down.
Mission, Values, & Strategy
MY MISSION
The mission of the Underground Bookshelf brand is to celebrate diverse perspectives in literature, enabling minorities, women, queer folks, and people with disabilities to see themselves reflected in the art/ media they consume.
MY VALUES
- Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion – I believe that all people should be able to see themselves in the media they consume and know that they belong in this world.
- Creativity – I believe that art reflects life and life reflects art, creativity captures the beauty of life and when shared it is a vehicle for human connection.
- Empathy – I believe that it is imperative that we seek to understand each other’s lived experiences, so that we can learn how to respect and uplift one another.
- Empowerment – I believe we all hold power to drive positive change, and it is important that we unlock that power to make the world a better place.
MY BUSINESS OPERATING STRATEGY
The underground bookshelf will leverage four platforms to further its mission:
- Website / Blog Posts – With this platform I will use my voice to amplify those books that are getting banned but are an integral part of the fullness of life. I will also use this platform to self-publish free short stories, and share other short stories from a diverse set of authors (when available)
- Book Authorship – As an author, I will continue to spotlight characters from different walks of life, to tell rich stories from new and unique perspectives.
- Social Media – My social media will be used primarily as vehicle to help drive awareness to my website and books. This is a critical strategy in ensuring that those who need to find the website can find it.
- Festivals and Fairs – Participation in festivals and fairs will be the last advertising strategy to drive readership to the website and the books I and other minorities create. I will prioritize participating in local / minority run festivals to ensure that they remain a vibrant part of our society.
Create Your Own Website With Webador