Ash

Honouring the relationships that last

Ash is an important character in my novel series, Margins. She’s strong, cynical and full of love. I miss her. I haven’t had the chance to write her a story in a while but she’s still there, in my heart, having adventures and conversations in my dreams from time to time. I hope we’ll meet again some time.

Ash is also one of my most beloved trees, one who looked over me as a child while I planted her seeds into the cold soil behind the school grounds. It was my first act of guerrilla gardening and one of my earliest memories of mutual care with my ecosystem.

A relationship like that is for life and it continues today. Ash shows up on my queer ecology tours with some wonderfully complex sex stories - and now, this week, as I release a brand-new set of queer plant postcards, Ash is there, in a gorgeous illustration by a talented friend, Lewi Kreeb. Each postcard carries a short text from me on the back. They are available from my shop from Monday (in the EU only for now) and they are a partial fundraiser for Solidarity Apothecary. My novels and colouring books are also there in case you’re looking for winter holiday gifts.

My other news is that I’m on my way to Brussels this weekend to present at the Ecopolis festival. I’m not entirely sure what awaits me, but I’m excited to reconnect with loved ones there. I’ll be offering a writing workshop and I’ll be on some panels talking about environmental defence, queer mutual aid and collective care. Come join me if you’re around!

And finally, last weekend I was in Vienna at the European Literature Days, very much illuminated on a giant stage (you can watch it here, my part starts in english after 35 minutes). My life feels ridiculous sometimes and just sharing something like that with you makes me cringe. I guess it’s also good to remember that this year I’ve had only 5 days holiday, almost no weekends and still brought in less than minimum wage… a working-class writer’s life is not all as glamorous as it might seem at first glance. But I was cute.

In that vein, here’s a reminder that there are so many ways for you to support my work if you want to. Thanks to everyone who sent me their bookshop recommendations in the comments of the last newsletter. It led to some really lovely conversations and hopefully will sell a few books as well. I really appreciate you being with me on this adventure.

Sending you all lots of love,

Kes