BGSQDBureau of General Services—Queer Division
BGSQD
Please join us for a conversation with Nicole Zelniker, author of FROM WHERE WE ARE, and Marcia Bradley, author of THE HOME FOR WAYWARD GIRLS. Moderated by Karis Rogerson.
FROM WHERE WE ARE: Gabi Keefer flees Holocaust-era Germany with nothing but her husband, her nephew, and the clothes on her back, but that isn’t the whole story. Over generations, her granddaughter, Lena, struggles with drug addiction and an unplanned pregnancy; her sort-of nephew, Zane, grieves for his wife three years after her death in an antisemitic mass shooting; and her great-niece, Miranda, advocates for Palestinian liberation against her family’s wishes. Each character’s tale begs the questions: What does it mean to be part of a family, what does it mean to survive, and is that enough?
THE HOME FOR WAYWARD GIRLS: While other adolescent girls are listening to grunge rock or swooning over boy bands and movie stars, Loretta knows little of life beyond the Home for Wayward Girls, the secluded ranch where her parents run a program designed to “correct” teen girls’ “bad behavior.” Many are failed runaways desperate to leave their controlling and sometimes brutal homes. Few have any idea of the suffering that lies ahead. Loretta witnesses firsthand how the adults use abusive discipline to crush these young women’s spirits and break their wills, until the day a horrifying act of violence forces her to make her own terrible choice. Terrified and with no other option, Loretta flees the ranch and hitchhikes across the country, ending up in New York, where she dedicates herself to working with lost, vulnerable, and defenseless teens, determined to prevent the same thing from happening to other girls like her.
This event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center, 208 W. 13th St., NYC, 10011.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.
Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
Suggested donation to benefit the Bureau: $10.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD
Nicole Zelniker (she/they) is the author of several books, including UNTIL WE FALL, which was a finalist for the Forward Indie Awards in LGBTQ+ adult fiction. She’s also the founder and editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Knee Brace Press. In her free time, Nicole enjoys re- reading her favorite books, listening to musicals, and bothering her cat.
Marcia Bradley earned her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College after receiving her BA from Antioch LA. Winner of a Bronx Council on the Arts BRIO Award for fiction, she has been published in literary magazines and journals. Marcia is very proud of THE HOME FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, her debut novel, and hopes readers feel a kinship with the protagonist, Loretta, and her journey.
Karis Rogerson is a passionate reader of all things, but especially YA fiction and adult romance, and a writer of essays that focus on books and their authors; mental health; relationships; and so much more. Karis is also represented by Eric Smith at P.S. Literary Agency and has written seven YA novels (and counting). She hopes someday you’ll be able to read her queer romances.