Preorder my book!

"Morally Straight: How the Fight for LGBTQ Inclusion Changed the Boy Scouts—And America" is now available for preorder.

Lately, there’s been a lot to celebrate when it comes to LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Boy Scouts of America.

The National Order of the Arrow Conference last week capped off a years-long effort to create affirming spaces in a way that has never been done before. I wrote about the many, many successes that unfolded in Knoxville, and the incredible response from the young people who attended the conference.

A Facebook comment to this effect caught my eye this week: A NOAC staffer shared that some of the youth in his circle weren’t even aware that a ban on LGBTQ+ people in Scouting ever existed.

Progress, indeed.

But an equally important comment followed, from Erin Russ: “It is also concerning that we are not actively remembering, and reporting, our dark ages. We cannot hide, or hide from our past. … If we do not intentionally remember, we will inadvertently forget, and we will become [susceptible] to repeating our sins.”

I could not agree more. This is one of the primary reasons that I’m writing a book about this history. I believe it is absolutely essential to look at how we got here, with clear eyes, if we have any hope of moving forward as an organization.

And I’m thrilled to announce that my book is now available for preorder! When I announced the book a few weeks back, so many of you (very kindly) told me how you couldn’t wait to get your hands on it. Well, now’s your chance! While my book won’t be published until early 2024, you can preorder it now.

If you’re at all considering picking up a copy of this book at some point, I’d urge you to place your order sooner than later. It may sound like a small thing, but preorders are tremendously helpful for authors, especially first-time authors like me. When a book receives a healthy amount of preorders, it sends the publisher a really strong signal about the likely success of the book. That has all sorts of ripple effects, but it ultimately helps get the book into the hands of as many readers as possible.

I know it’s a long time to wait between now, when you’d preorder the book, and 2024, when it would show up on your doorstep. But I, for one, love preordering books far in advance. It feels great to support the writers I follow, and by the time their book comes in the mail, it’s a pleasant surprise! (Plus, sometimes preorders arrive before the book even makes it into stores.)

So, have I sold you yet? You can head over to the preorder page using either of the big buttons I’ve placed in the text of this newsletter. And please, feel free to share the link far and wide. The preorder page is not exclusive to readers of this newsletter!

Thank you all, once again, for sticking with me and reading along the way. I can’t wait to share this book with you.