Anna-Marie McLemore explained

Genre:Young adult, magical realism
Notableworks:When the Moon Was Ours, The Weight of Feathers, Wild Beauty
Awards:Stonewall Book Award, James Tiptree Jr. Award
Years Active:2011–present
Language:English

Anna-Marie McLemore is a Mexican-American author of young adult fiction magical realism, best known for their Stonewall Honor-winning novel When the Moon Was Ours, Wild Beauty, and The Weight of Feathers.[1]

Personal life

McLemore is a queer Latine,[2] [3] which they cite as one of the reasons why they write inclusive, queer, Latinx casts.[4] [5] Their husband is transgender.[6] McLemore themself is nonbinary and bigender, using singular they pronouns.[7]

McLemore describes their work as inspired by the fairytales and stories they grew up with and their own background,[8] which is why many of their novels feature magical-realist themes, queer characters, and Spanish and French language.[9] [10] They cite Laura Esquivel's novel Like Water for Chocolate as one of the reasons they started writing[11] and names Carla Trujillo, Malinda Lo, Isabel Allende, and Federico García Lorca as some of their influences.[12] [13]

Career

McLemore was named a Lambda Literary Emerging Writer Fellow in 2011.[14]

Their debut young adult novel, The Weight of Feathers, was published in 2015 by Thomas Dunne Books. It deals with themes of discrimination and marginalization[15] in a magical-realist story about black magic,[16] and includes a generational feud between Mexican-American and Romani rival families.[17] Their debut was chosen as a William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist in 2016[18] and received a starred review from Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.[19] It also was chosen for YALSA's 2016 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults list.[20]

Their second novel, When the Moon Was Ours, a magical-realist fairytale about a transgender Pakistani-American boy and a cisgender queer Latina falling in love,[21] was published in 2016 by Thomas Dunne Books. It won the James Tiptree Jr. Award[22] in 2016 and the Stonewall Honor Award[23] in 2017. It was also named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews[24] and Booklist.[25] When the Moon Was Ours received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews,[26] School Library Journal,[27] and Booklist.

McLemore's third novel, Wild Beauty, about a family of cursed women and magical gardens, was published in 2017 by Feiwel and Friends.[28] It again received three starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews,[29] School Library Journal,[30] and Booklist,[31] and was also named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews[32] and Booklist. Wild Beauty was nominated for a Northern California Book Award in 2018.[33]

Their fourth novel, Blanca & Roja, is a Latinx retelling of Swan Lake[34] and Snow White and Rose Red, about two sisters who fall in love with a boy who can turn into a bear and a non-binary teen who can turn into a cygnet (a baby swan).[35] It was published by Feiwel and Friends in 2018. Blanca & Roja received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews,[36] School Library Journal,[37] and Booklist[38] as well. School Library Journal named Blanca & Roja a best book of 2018.[39]

Their fifth novel, Dark and Deepest Red, is a split-timeline story based on The Red Shoes, set in 1518 Strasbourg and 2018. The book was published in early 2020.[40]

Their sixth novel, Miss Meteor, is about two girls attempting to change their town's future while they participate in a talent competition. It is their first co-written novel, together with author Tehlor Kay Mejia, and was published by HarperCollins in 2020.[41] [42]

McLemore's seventh novel, The Mirror Season, was published in March 2021 by Feiwel & Friends. It received a starred review from Kirkus.[43]

Their eighth novel, Lakelore, was published in March 2022.[44] Lakelore follows Lore, who has dyslexia, and Bastian, who has ADHD, as they navigate the waters of being teenagers who are trans, nonbinary, and Mexican American. It received a starred review from Kirkus.

Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix, is McLemore's ninth novel, published in September 2022 by Feiwel & Friends.[45] It is the fifth book in the young adult series Remixed Classics, which features authors of diverse backgrounds reinterpreting literary classics through their own unique lenses.[46] Centering on 17-year-old Latinx, gay, and transgender boy Nicholás Caraveo, the novel reimagines The Great Gatsby to explore not just the deceptive decadence of New York, but the struggle to find where one fits in, representing themes such as the racism and queer lives of the 1920s.[47]

Venom and Vow is their tenth novel, published in May 2023.[48]

Their novels have been translated into Turkish, Italian, and Spanish.

They have also written several short stories and non-fiction essays for anthologies that were published with Ambush Books, Harlequin Teen, Candlewick, Simon Pulse, Soho Teen, and Algonquin Young Readers.[49]

Bibliography

Young adult novels

Short stories and essays

Awards and nominations

YearAwardWorkCategoryResultRef
2016James Tiptree Jr. AwardWhen the Moon Was OursBest Book[50]
2016William C. Morris Debut AwardThe Weight of FeathersBest Young Adult Debut (finalist)[51]
2016National Book AwardWhen the Moon Was OursNational Book Award for Young People's Literature (Longlisted)[52]
2017Stonewall Honor AwardWhen the Moon Was OursChildren's and Young Adult Literature[53]
2018Northern California Book AwardWild BeautyBest Book, Children's Literature, Older Readers (finalist)[54]
2022National Book AwardSelf-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby RemixNational Book Award for Young People's Literature (Longlisted)[55]

Notes and References

  1. News: Anna-Maria McLemore Creates Space For Queer Latina Fairy Tale Protagonists With Their Books & Twitter Feed . Bustle. 2018-11-10. en.
  2. Web site: About .
  3. Web site: The Love That Lives Here: On Queer Girls, Transboys, and Sex on the Page – YA Pride. June 1, 2016. www.gayya.org. en-US. 2018-11-10.
  4. News: Q&A with Author Anna-Marie McLemore . CBC Diversity. 2018-11-10. en.
  5. News: Young Adult Authors Honor Hispanic Heritage Month, Share Why 'We Need Diverse Books'. Tejeda. Valerie. 2014-09-17. Huffington Post. en-US. 2018-11-10.
  6. News: The Latest in Y.A. Fantasy. The New York Times . 11 November 2016 . 2018-11-10. en. Giles . Jeff .
  7. Web site: Anna-Marie McLemore Twitter bio . 5 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210615173852/https://twitter.com/LaAnnaMarie . 15 June 2021 . bot: unknown .
  8. Web site: Interview with Anna-Marie McLemore . Young Adult Review Network . Wilson. Kip. July 25, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181110080429/http://yareview.net/2017/07/interview-with-anna-marie-mclemore/ . 2018-11-10 . 2018-11-10.
  9. Web site: THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS by Anna-Marie McLemore . Kirkus Reviews. en-us.
  10. News: Gender Expressions: Transgender Books, 2016. PublishersWeekly.com. 2018-11-10. en.
  11. News: Meet the LGBTQ+ Authors Who Are Revolutionizing YA Literature. 2016-03-17. The B&N Teen Blog. 2018-11-10. en-US.
  12. Web site: New Books Oct 10, 2016. link.bookriot.com. 2018-11-10.
  13. News: Anna-Marie McLemore Previews their New Book and Reveals Cover. EW.com. 2018-11-10. en.
  14. News: 2011 Emerging Writers Retreat Fellows. Valenzuela. Tony. 2011-07-03. Lambda Literary. 2018-11-10. en-US.
  15. News: Amid uncertain times, 11 new and necessary Latino books to read. NBC News. 2018-11-10. en-US.
  16. News: 12 Awesome YA Novels Featuring POC Protagonists. Kovach. Catherine. Bustle. 2018-11-10. en.
  17. News: Exclusive Cover Reveal: The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore. 2015-02-09. The B&N Teen Blog. 2018-11-10. en-US.
  18. News: 2016 Morris Award finalists announced. ALAM. 2015-12-03. News and Press Center. 2018-11-10. en.
  19. Quealy-Gainer. Kate. 2015-09-15. The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore (review). Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. en. 69. 2. 102. 10.1353/bcc.2015.0723. 143114285. 1558-6766.
  20. News: 2016 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults. ALAM. 2016-01-13. Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2018-11-10. en.
  21. News: LGBTQ Lit for Children and Teens Comes of Age. PublishersWeekly.com. 2018-11-10. en.
  22. Web site: 2016 James Tiptree, Jr. Award « James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award. James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award. 29 November 2015 . en-US. 2018-11-10.
  23. Web site: Stonewall Book Awards - Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children's & Young Adult Literature Award . American Library Association . en. 2018-11-10.
  24. Web site: Best Teen Books of 2016 by Category. Kirkus Reviews. en-us. 2018-11-10. 2019-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20190418002945/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/issue/best-of-2016/section/teen/lists/. dead.
  25. Book: When the Moon Was Ours, by Anna-Marie McLemore . Booklist Online . 2018-11-10.
  26. Web site: WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS by Anna-Marie McLemore . Kirkus Reviews. en-us.
  27. News: When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore . School Library Journal. 2018-11-10.
  28. News: Children's Book Review: Wild Beauty by Anne-Marie McLemore. Feiwel and Friends, $17.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-250-12455-5. PublishersWeekly.com. 2018-11-10. en.
  29. Web site: WILD BEAUTY by Anna-Marie McLemore . Kirkus Reviews. en-us.
  30. News: Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore . School Library Journal. 2018-11-10.
  31. Book: Wild Beauty, by Anna-Marie McLemore . Booklist Online . 2018-11-10.
  32. Web site: Best Fiction of 2017 by Category. Kirkus Reviews. en-us. 2018-11-10. 2018-11-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20181110120101/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/issue/best-of-2017/section/fiction/lists/. dead.
  33. Web site: Book Awards. NCIBA. en. 2018-11-26. 2019-11-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20191111081617/https://www.nciba.com/book-awards.html. dead.
  34. News: This New YA Book Is A Latinx 'Swan Lake' With Feuding Sisters — & You Can Start Reading Now. Trombetta. Sadie. Bustle. 2018-11-10. en.
  35. News: Children's Book Review: Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore. Feiwel and Friends, $17.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-250-16271-7. PublishersWeekly.com. 2018-11-10. en.
  36. Web site: BLANCA & ROJA by Anna-Marie McLemore . Kirkus Reviews. en-us.
  37. News: Blanca & Roja. School Library Journal. 2018-11-10.
  38. Book: Blanca & Roja, by Anna-Marie McLemore . Booklist Online . 2018-11-10.
  39. Web site: Best Books 2018 . School Library Journal. 2018-11-26.
  40. Web site: Dark and Deepest Red. Goodreads. 2019-10-01.
  41. News: Rights Report: Week of May 1, 2018. PublishersWeekly.com. 2018-11-10. en.
  42. Web site: 2020-09-22 . Q&A With Tehlor Kay Mehia and Anna-Marie McLemore, Miss Meteor . 2022-08-08 . We Need Diverse Books . en-US.
  43. Book: THE MIRROR SEASON Kirkus Reviews . en.
  44. Book: LAKELORE Kirkus Reviews . en.
  45. Book: SELF-MADE BOYS Kirkus Reviews . en.
  46. Web site: Remixed Classics: Series . Macmillan . 2022-11-28 . en.
  47. Web site: Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix . Goodreads . 2022-11-28.
  48. Book: VENOM & VOW Kirkus Reviews . en.
  49. Web site: Adler . Dahlia . 2017-10-02 . Better Know an Author: Anna-Marie McLemore . 2022-08-08 . LGBTQ Reads . en-US.
  50. Web site: 2016 James Tiptree, Jr. Award « James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award. Notkin. Debbie. James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award. 29 November 2015 . en-US. 2019-10-15.
  51. Web site: 2016 Morris Award. NGILBERT. 2016-12-01. Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). en. 2019-10-15.
  52. Web site: National Book Awards 2016. National Book Foundation. en-US. 2019-10-15.
  53. Web site: Stonewall Book Awards List. admin. 2009-09-09. Round Tables. en. 2019-10-15.
  54. Web site: Book Awards. Northern California Independent Booksellers Association. en. 2019-10-15. 2019-11-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20191111081617/https://www.nciba.com/book-awards.html. dead.
  55. Web site: National Book Awards 2022. National Book Foundation. en-US. 2022-11-30.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Anna-Marie McLemore".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.