What a Girl Wants : A (True) Story of Sexuality and Self-discovery by Roxy Bourdillon
I am 13 years old and these are my secrets.
1. I have a crush on Jet from ITV gameshow Gladiators. So strong! So pretty!
2. I still play with Barbie dolls. It’s mostly making them scissor. Or snog. Or lie on top of each other with feeling.
3. I just kissed my best friend. Spoiler alert: she’s a girl.
From the suburbs of Leeds to the streets of Sydney, from the queer clubs of London to a quiet life by the sea, through love, family, friendship and heartache, join Roxy Bourdillon on a journey to work out exactly who she is.
A relatable and moving coming-of-age memoir, What a Girl Wants is the perfect read for anyone who’s searched for their place in the world, for anyone who’s ever been catcalled, anyone who's despaired about their body, fallen in love, had their heart broken and found friends who can put it back together.
From overcoming shame and finding your tribe, to surviving the dating scene and learning to really express yourself, this is a book about joy, empowerment and freedom.
“I loved this book on so many levels. . . Beautifully written, a truly uplifting and engaging read.” — VG Lee
'Unabashed, bold, even confronting at times . . . exhilarating' – Laura Kay
'A joy to read' – Rosie Jones, comedian
Roxy Bourdillon is the award-winning writer and the editor-in-chief of DIVA, the world's leading magazine for LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people
Our Shadow Selves by VG Lee
Trauma, revenge, and the price of reinvention…
Artist Shona Blake believes she’s left her violent past behind. But moving in with Richard, the man who once exploited her darkest moments, reopens old wounds.
Sharing a home with Richard in the crumbling seaside town of Hawksbridge, Shona finds kinship with the eccentric Gifford family living illegally in the derelict Miller building. Mrs Gifford, clinging to her lost youth and Sonny, her troubled son for whom she does everything, including procuring potential partners from the street.
Their stories of survival give Shona the courage to paint again, until she finds a decomposing body in a roll of filthy carpet in the shadow of the Miller building and everything starts to unravel.
VG Lee is a comedian and critically-acclaimed author of five novels and a collection of short stories.
"Lee writes with unfailing warmth and wisdom" – Sarah Waters
“A new book by VG Lee is a always cause for celebration.” - Jim MacSweeney, Gay’s the Word
Accessibility
Whilst small is size, Gay's the Word is wheelchair accessible. There is a small fixed ramp at the front door, and a portable ramp will be placed by staff when required to provide access to the sections at the back of the bookshop. We have a toilet on the ground floor level but sadly this is not wheelchair accessible.
If you are on limited income and don't have the funds to cover the ticket price please email us at gaystheword@gmail.com putting the words 'Event Access" in the subject-header.
Please feel free to email us if you have any questions about access at all.