Quilted Press is the culmination of the efforts of three incredible people—two of them former or current Whale Pod staffers—who saw a gap in the publishing process and sought to fill it, creating a press that is circular in its support of its contributors. Alex, Caroline, and K.G. built this from the ground up, and with the tremendous support of their communities via Kickstarter, three beautiful new books are in the world. These works, though each incredibly personal, all explore queerness, identity, and collective liberation. It is White Whale’s absolute honor to celebrate their publication with this event!

Quilted Press is a collective of independent authors. Its books queer the traditional narratives of love, family, and identity—to offer new visions of ourselves and the future.

Like the many pieces of a quilt, Quilted authors maintain their individuality while drawing from—and contributing to—the strength of the collective. Although every Quilted artist initiates and owns their project, the entire Quilted collective works together to bring each author’s vision to fruition. Quilted Press practices writing as community. Together, they publish works that are as beautiful, powerful, and multifaceted as the individuals who create them.

ALEX ALBERTO is a queer and polyamorous storyteller and educator. They grew up in Montreal and currently live in upstate New York. Their essays have been published in Huffington Post, Write or Die Magazine, and elsewhere, and their plays have been featured at Dixon Place and Theatre Row in New York City. Entwined: Essays on Polyamory and Creating Home is their first book. You can connect with Alex on Instagram and TikTok @thatalexalberto and learn more about their work at alexalberto.com.

CAROLINE SHANNON is a queer writer, mother, and educator. Her writing lives at the intersection of motherhood and mental health and has resulted in bylines at The Cut, Narratively, DAME, Catapult, Vice, and other publications. She is an MFA candidate in Antioch University’s creative writing program. Mother-Eaten: Notes on My Postpartum Body and Identity is her first book. Caroline lives in Pittsburgh with her daughter and beloved cats. You can find her on Instagram @bycarolineshannon and learn more about her work and coaching services at carolineshannon.com.

K.G. STRAYER is a trans/non-binary writer and artist from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They live and write across genres. Stellare Nursery: On My (Trans) Body and My Choice is their first book. Follow along on Instagram @kgstrayer or visit kgstrayer.com for more.

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This event will be in-person at White Whale Bookstore. Masks are required. If you are not able to make it to the store, we will also be livestreaming the event via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZAtd…

Head to our website to order the books: whitewhalebookstore.com/events/20240418

And browse many other titles, including all our books for upcoming events: whitewhalebookstore.com/lists/LV5JV1l3fXRQ

For general questions, check out our FAQ: whitewhalebookstore.com/events/event-faqs

Our events are first-come, first seated. If you need to reserve an accessible seat in advance or have any other questions, please email us at events@whitewhalebookstore.com.