Carmichael’s Bookstore in Clifton/Crescent Hill will host author Lee Mandelo for the launch of his new book, The Woods All Black, on March 19. This free event is part of Carmichael’s Bluegrass Books Series, which highlights authors from Kentucky and storytelling from Louisville.
The Woods All Black is an unsettling hybrid of historical horror, transgender romance, and revenge tale set in 1920s Appalachia. The novella explores themes of bodily autonomy and reproductive justice, the terrors of small-town American religiosity, and the struggle to live as your authentic self.
Lee Mandelo explores the intersection of speculative and queer fiction. His debut novel Summer Sons is contemporary Southern gothic with themes of queer masculinity, fast cars, and ugly inheritances. His short fiction published has been nominated for a Nebula award and won a Lambda award.
Aside from a period he calls “a stint overseas learning to speak Scouse” (officially known as Liverpool English), Mandelo has spent his life in Kentucky: He grew up in Bullitt County, and currently lives in Louisville while pursuing a PhD at the University of Kentucky.
Mandelo will be in conversation with Elias Eells, a Louisville-based writer and cocktail consultant. The creator and host of the YouTube channel Bar Cart Bookshelf, Eells pairs beverage recipes with books and video games. His debut book Cocktails and Consoles will be published in September 2024 by Hachette Book Group.
Carmichael’s Bookstore
2720 Frankfort Ave.
Tuesday, March 19
7:00 p.m.
Free admission
This article appears in Mar 13-27, 2024.
