LGBTQ book
LGBTQ Workshop Event UPDATE – Partnering with SheLoves!
You may have seen my post about recording a video workshop telling my gay Christian story, for a Christian conference, and then them dropping the LGBTQ speakers. (Original story here.)
I am SO excited to share I have a NEW PARTNER to share my story – shelovesmagazine! This event will be open to EVERYONE whether you are in Canada or the US (or beyond!). So PLEASE friends all over, come join us Saturday, Jan 23 @ 10AM Pacific Time! We will all gather virtually, screen my video workshop and have a Q & A time after. I would LOVE to see some friendly virtual faces so it’s not just me alone in a Zoom room. š
Tickets are available on Eventbrite – fee is a sliding scale, so if things are tough, please don’t worry about paying anything and just come. More info is below.

About this Event
LIBERATION STORIES: Join us for a powerful personal story from Artist Stacey Chomiak on Owning Her Gay Christian Story (Plus Q & A)
WHAT:Ā LIBERATION STORIES: Owning My Gay Christian Story, with Stacey Chomiak.
WHEN:Ā Saturday, January 23 at 10am PST / 1pm EST / 6pm GMT
WHERE: Register on Eventbrite and hosted on Eventbrite.
COST:Ā Tickets available at a sliding scale, starting from free through $20 plus fees. (Limited quantity.)
“For 13 years, I fought against my body and my heart and its innate desires,” says Stacey Chomiak, an artist in the animation industry. “I grew to hate them, because I was taught to do so. I believed my desires were bad and therefore I believed I was bad. I had to finally admit that I couldnāt pray my gay away any more than I could change the color of my eyes. I didnāt want to leave my faith, because Jesus and I had a very deep relationship.”
Join us for this powerful hour of Liberation Stories.
ABOUT SHELOVES:
SheLoves is a global sisterhood conversation on personal and collective liberation. We focus on deconstructing faith, practising allyship, antiracism, decolonization and the Jesus kind of feminism.
This entry was posted in blog, Books, Gay Christian Mamas, lgbtq, Still Stace YA book, Thoughts on LGBT + faith. and tagged faith, faithfullyLGBT, gay christian artists, gay christian stories, gaychristian, Kids book, lesbian artist, lesbian Christian, lesbian mom, lesbian speaker, lgbt, lgbt book, LGBT families, lgbt speakers, lgbtq, LGBTQ book, lgbtq Christian, own your story, queer faith, SheLoves, speaking, Still Stace, YA book.
BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT!
Friends, I canāt believe I get to announce this dream come true. If you donāt mind indulging me, I will give you a quick timeline of how I got here:
I have always wanted to do a project combining my art and faith journey as a gay Christian. In late 2018 I thought of doing a kids book so that my kids, and other kids, could read it. I called it āDear Younger (gay) Meā.
Nov 2018 – I had a call with Jennifer Knapp (childhood icon!) about an unrelated project we were going to collaborate on, and I brought up my book idea. She encouraged me to do it.
Feb 2019 – I started sketching storyboards & writing on the train to and from work. I was shocked at how quickly it all came pouring out of me. I reached out to Rachel Held Evans. (I wrote a guest post for her blog in 2014 and had kept in contact with her.) She wrote me back saying: āWhat a beautiful book, Stacey! I’m happy to share far and wide. Thank you for making this.ā
May 2019 – I sent out my book idea on a whim to see if I could get an agent to represent me. Within four hours of sending it out, and to my total shock, I had two offers of representation. I signed with The Bent Agency in NYC a few days later.
July 2019 – My agent Claire sent out a formal book proposal to a bunch of editors and we wait. (I am learning publishing is a slow game!) Claire helps me evolve and expand my story from a kids book to a YA illustrated novel.
Oct 2019 – We are approached by Beaming Books who are very interested.
Nov 2019 – Beaming Books sends Claire a book offer to publish! Claire goes back and forth to negotiate the terms as I vibrate with excitement in the corner.
Feb 5, 2020 – I officially sign the book deal with Beaming Books!! They start a discussion about changing the name of the book to be more suitable for a YA audience. They land on āStill Stace: My Gay Christian Coming of Age Story (An Illustrated Memoir)ā.
March 5, 2020 it is officially announced in Publishers Marketplace (above image) I can fiiiiiiiinnnnnnally share this with you all!!
I am beyond grateful for this opportunity. I am trying to do my best writing and drawing for the privilege to be able to represent a voice for theĀ gay Christian community, and for younger me. ALL. THE. FEELS.
Children’s Bookshelf also shared my book deal in their list (below), and I still can’t believe this is happening. But it’s been a long road, so I’m going to celebrate each milestone! (In a perfect coincidence, I was having a dance party with the kids when the tweet came in! š) Click image for link.
Stay tuned for updates as I continue to work on it!
This entry was posted in Books, Freelance, illustration, Still Stace YA book, Thoughts on LGBT + faith. and tagged announcement, art, creative writing, creativity, dear younger gay me, design, dream come true, dreams, faith, gay christian, gay christian artists, gay christian stories, illustrated memoir, inspiration, lgbt book, lgbtq, LGBTQ book, queer faith, Still Stace, truth, writing, YA book, YA memoir.