This is pretty amazing news. I will take more time to digest it tomorrow, but … yeah. Mine too.

We talked about this back when the first trial for lenacapavir first said the magic words everyone wants to hear, "halted for efficacy"(*), so a recap: this is not a vaccine or a treatment. It's PrEP aka "pre-exposure prophylaxis": you take the drug so if exposed to the virus, you will not catch it.

If you were alive in the 1980s, this is among the most wonderful & truly incredible things you have ever witnessed in your lifetime.

#Booksky Author Heather Rose Jones @heatherrosejones.bsky.social is on the Hugo Award ballot this year for Best Related Work, but have you read her terrific fiction yet? THE LANGUAGE OF ROSES is a gorgeous retelling of Beauty and the Beast! queenofswordspress.com/product/the-...

Safeword Press is turning to its next book and ... well, it's increasingly clear I need some help. Specifically, with: * keeping up social media * proofing/editing * maintaining/updating the webpage * sourcing merch Please DM me here or email at [email protected]. What's in it for you?

By the way, the pride parade in Boston coincides with No Kings day, so I guess we’re going out to protest with rainbows and leather on… LIKE ALWAYS BC PRIDE *IS* A PROTEST as well as a queer holiday.

Some words on community and empathy. They’re trying to divide us, and make us easier to swallow. THIS is how we make them choke.

Anyone who buys beige pride merch from a corporation this year owes a real queer creator the same amount of money in compensation for their crime. shop.ravenswordpress.com

Folks, this Pride month, I ask that you talk about queer art you love. Not ours, just in general. Queer people put so much beauty out in the world. Being excited about it is such a boss move in this climate. Luv.

#Booksky IT’S HERE! My Alice B. Readers medal arrived yesterday afternoon. 💖 I have not yet determined whether or not I will wear it to 4th Street Fantasy next weekend, pinned to my bosom like a Napoleonic general, but I am sorely tempted! :-D www.alicebawards.org

Does anybody know of free or low-cost resources for attorney review of publication contracts? I believe there is such a thing in the UK, but not sure if it exists over here.

I know you’re all lying in wait until Sunday evening …. Fuck it. We bid $150. Stop waiting and start bidding, kittens.

Often, “just buying something” is closer to performative resistance. Buying queer art, queer books, and queer expressions? Milady, you are literally funding the resistance as well as participating directly.

#Booksky This year’s Pride StoryBundle, curated by Melissa Scott and Catherine Lundoff, is pretty terrific! Lots of great queer books by queer authors and you can support Rainbow Railroad when you buy the full bundle! Goes live tonight 9PT - watch this space! storybundle.com/pride

This is how long you have to bid, darlings. You know what to do.

Uhhh … this deserves more attention. Raising money for a great cause, and you can sniff … err, *own* a piece of Leather history.

To all of those “free Pride flag” and “make your own identity flag pin combo” grifters on Facebook who don’t have Leather flags “because that’s just a fetish, not an identify”: 🖕

Gay leathermen, in June 1975, the first issue of Drummer Magazine was published. I'm honored to have an article in the 50th anniversary issue. I can't link directly here, but you can find it online and order one of the limited-edition print copies and/or subscribe to the online version.

And someone with a camera is wondering at the twists and turns their life took to bring them to this place.

Pride Month is an overt act of defiance & serves as a symbol of resistance in the fight for equality. Be defiant by purchasing books from LGBTQ+ legacy presses, like Bywater Books & Amble Press. Commit your act of civil disobedience by visiting us @ https://bywaterbooks.com #LGBTQSky #PrideMonth

The work is happening. Even in these times, the work is happening.

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈✨

This is awesome news—this is how history gets preserved instead of washed away. Don’t sleep on the Queen of Swords. 🗡️👑

Some Sunday morning Chopin 🎵

Happy June.

Today is the last day for your #IML discount! Leather is year round. Pick up some more reading material and keep that feeling going! www.safeword-press.com

#Booksky: We had a big week! 1. Catherine Lundoff is a winner of the 2025 Alice B. Awards for writers of sapphic fiction and 2.POINT OF HOPES (Astreiant #1) by Melissa Scott and Lisa A. Barnett is a Midwest Book Award Finalist! Check out their respective books here: www.queenofswordspress.com

Wednesday doodle #art #queerartist

Don’t wait until these books are banned.

All of our books and most of our authors’ other works were stolen. We could do a whole lot of cool things with $526,000.

One of the most awe-inspiring #IML moments? Judy Tallwing, the first IMsL, talking about the friends she carries with her, on her jacket and in her heart. Those pins aren’t just decoration, y’all. @tallwing.bsky.social

Miss #IML already? Me too. Want to do something about it? Start studying for next year! Leather can be year round. www.safeword-press.com

Very proud of you! Take the time you need. This is A LOT EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE. And it probably won’t settle in until you’re washing dishes or something. 😂

Safeword Press wants to congratulate the newest #IML class and our new IML—René! The press is honored to give a set of its books as part of the prize package for the top three finishers. We’re looking forward to a spectacular year! See you all next year at The Thing We Do in May!

Yes, I’m sure that’s been happening. #IML

And if you’re having FOMO, there’s an easy answer: IML pay-per-view, sponsored by Recon. Be your own VIP box! www.recon.com/en/Blog/Arti...

Found outside the Great Room Balcony. IML’s a blast, y’all.

Deepest thanks to zero, who found a major cocktease in Chapter 3 of THE LEATHERMAN’S HANDBOOK--a couple of pages were missing from the middle of a hot scene! If you have purchased an EPUB/ebook version, whether through Safeword Press or Amazon, email me and I will send you a new version.

And consider me here for a perpetual AMA! Always happy to yap about this.

I don't know why (yes I do, it has to do with "rat studies when do we get to the rat studies"), but I have always envisioned @michaelhobbes.bsky.social as a pet rat lover. They are very cute and smart, and I always think of one perched on his shoulder.

100%

Definitely worth a read - an author fights back and wins a victory on a cancelled (you’ll never guess why! 🤔) school visit - www.slj.com/story/newsfe...

"What were all of those numbers and letters?!?" 1. Listen to the podcast and find out. 2. (SPOILER) It's the National Bear Code: groups.google.com/g/alt.sex.mo....

The podcast is up (for patrons)! I'm very excited about it and looking forward to continuing the dialogue on here. Fun fact: Larry Townsend (arguably) began the wider use of the hanky code after publishing it in THE LEATHERMAN'S HANDBOOK II. And that's me, looking very B5 f w d+ g+ k+ s+ r+/-

Be a Good Boy . . . .

Since papal politics are in the news, we have a fantasy take on the conclave of 1492, narrated by Giulia Farnese, mistress of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia. Things were... different... then.

Just finished recording a podcast with @kinkyboyspodcast.com and I am *SO* excited about it. Such a lovely conversation, and I can't wait to share it with folks.

Safeword Press is proud to be a sponsor of IML. Like the community as a whole, IML isn’t perfect, but is still the foremost in-person gathering for Leather in the U.S. No booth this year (maybe next year!), but I'll be there. And if you’re there . . . look for a surprise in the official guide. 😏

Hear hear!

A couple of words about how best to support Safeword Press with this release: It is an unfortunate truth that our biggest margin comes from the paperbacks distributed by A-. After that, it is EPUB through our site (www.safeword-press.com/shop), and then EPUB through A-.