The Little Gay Book Club FAQs

 

The Little Gay Book Club reads literature that centers the queer ideas, stories, and experiences that share our movement. Membership is always free and all are welcomed.

Here are some answers to our frequently asked questions: 

How do I join?
Start a membership for free today here.

Are there five different book clubs?
We are one core book club, but we offer five different book club meetings every month. You can attend just one, all five, or as many as you'd like! All of the meetings feature books by and about LGBTQ+ people. By signing up for a free book club membership, you're gaining access to information about all five of these monthly club meetings.

The five meetings each month are:

1. Fiction Club 
This club generally reads literary fiction, but sometimes reads genre fiction (romance, horror, etc.) and focuses heavily on new releases. You can also expect historically important queer reads, backlog favorites, and recommendations from our club members. 

2. Nonfiction Club
This club reads all types of nonfiction from queer history, theory, memoir, essays, and more. Like all of our clubs, we use this space to learn more about our history, culture, community, and each other. 

3. YA Banned Books Club
A club focused on reading young adult books that have been banned or challenged. This club is our opportunity to celebrate queer YA literature and stories and to actively fight back against censorship and book banning in our communities. 

4. Wildcard Club
Anything goes in wildcard club! We may pick books of any genre, fiction or nonfiction, for this group. Expect a lot of genre fiction in this space including the sexiest romances, goriest horror, most spectacular fantasy world-building, and lots of comics and poetry. 

5. Virtual Club
Our only virtual club (at the moment), this club meets once a month and always chooses one of the four books that the other clubs are reading that month. So, you may read that month's fiction, nonfiction, YA banned, or wildcard pick. This club is open to everyone, everywhere (all at once- the time the club happens, obviously), so please share this club with your queers and allies far and wide!

Do I have to attend all five meetings?
Of course not (but if you do, we're going to think that is VERY cool and hype you a lot)! You can pick as many or as few meetings to attend.

Do I have to read the book to attend? 
No, you are welcomed at book club whether you've finished the book or not. But please note, you can expect spoilers at the book club conversation. Also don't feel like you have to prepare for the book club conversations (unless you want to), because our meetings are pretty laid back and very conversational.

What are the book club mixers?
Every month, we host at least one event that isn't directly tied to reading a particular book. We usually call these events mixers, and we try to keep them free (though sometimes we pick events that require a ticket to attend. We'll always let you know when this is the case). The mixers are an opportunity for us to hang out and get to know each other. All are welcomed! 

How does it work?
Each month we pick four books. We have 4 in-person and 1 virtual meetings to discuss what we read, share our ideas, and meet new people. Membership is always free.

What platforms do you use to communicate?
The primary modes of communication will be through email and through our book club channel on Slack. We also have our own Instagram. Follow us @thelittlegaybookclub.

When and where are the meetings?
We offer five book club meetings (four in person, one virtually) every month as well as monthly social events and mixers. To get all of the details about the dates, times, and locations please sign up for a membership here. Once you sign up you will receive a welcome email and invitation to our slack channel.

Generally, the meetings follow this schedule: Fiction Club on the third Saturday of every month at noon, Nonfiction Club on the last Sunday of every month at 5:30pm, Wildcard Club on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 6:30pm, YA Banned Books Club on the last Tuesday of every month at 6:30pm, and Virtual Club on the 3rd Monday of every month at 7pm CST. Please note that this schedule is subject to change based on space availability. Meetings take place at locations all around the Austin area, sometimes at locally LGBTQ+ owned and allied cafes, breweries, or restaurants, sometimes at the public library, and sometimes right at The Little Gay Shop. Always check slack, Instagram, or our emails for the final locations. 

Do you have to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community to join? 
Our book club is focused on uplifting, centering, and celebrating diverse LGBTQ+ people, stories, and experiences. This is a book club by queer people, for queer people and those who love and support us. All queer, questioning, and allied people are welcome to join us. If you are interested in reading more queer books, celebrating more queer authors, and connecting more meaningfully with queer community than this is the book club for you! 

Why did you start a book club?
We have a huge community of queer readers who are looking to create further connections, have meaningful conversations, be inspired, and expand their way of thinking. At The Little Gay Shop, we're proud to create spaces for our community to come together and a book club was a natural next step for us. Over the past few years, we've grown the club to more than 200 members and have had a great time in the process. We hope you'll join us for a meeting!

How can I reach out with questions about accessibility or to request accommodations?
Email our Book Store Manager, Lex Loro, at [email protected]. Please give a couple business days for a response, but don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. 

Have any further questions? 
Email us at [email protected]