Lilac Peril Press

A yellow graphic with an anatomical drawing of a head. The text reads: save the date! next workshop on April 5, 2026 with LUCIE FIELDING. in-person in Washington DC note - this specific workshop is 18+

Save the date for our April workshop:

Sunday, April 5 with Lucie Fielding

IN-PERSON at Rhizome DC

**note that this one will be 18+!

The Instagram page for DC Trans Abolitionist Collective (@dctransabolitionistco)

A graphic from the same organization. Text reads: ABOUT OUR WORK: We seek to fight carceral violence by comprehensively supporting our incarcerated trans siblings on an individual level. We do this by: • Building "pen pods" for friendship and emotional support • Supporting inside organizing efforts and advocacy • Consistent fundraising

…the DC Trans Abolitionist Collective! You can send funds to @ Moss_Rocks on Venmo or $ Mrihn on Cashapp

A yellow graphic with a picture of Benny and illustrations of neurons. The text reads: BENNY PETERSON Benny B. Peterson (they/them) is a writer and editor based near Washington, DC. A contributing editor at Washingtonian magazine, they have also worked at Foreign Policy, The New Republic, and Street Sense, DC's street newspaper. They have written about culture, politics, gender, and LGBTO+ issues for the New York Times, Washington Post, Elle, Slate, and the Atlantic, among other places, and received an MFA in fiction from Bennington. Their first novel, The Maidenheads, is coming out from Dutton Books in May 2026.

A yellow graphic with an anatomical drawing of the intestines. The text reads: Who is this workshop for? trans, non-binary, and Two-Spirit writers of all experience levels. we welcome you whether its your 1st or 100th workshop. How much does it cost? this workshop is free to attend. if you're able to, we ask that you donate to a mutual aid org instead. Why should I go? to build community, to fight despair, and to get inspired for that writing project you've been meaning to work on.

Benny is a local, and their debut novel THE MAIDENHEADS is out this spring!

Workshops are always free, but we ask that you give to a mutual aid org instead. This month we’re highlighting…

A graphic with a yellow background and a drawing of an anatomical heart. The text reads: Lilac Peril presents CREATING CHARACTERS FROM THE BODY Rhizome DC Sunday, March 15 at 11:00 AM a free trans writing workshop with BENNY PETERSON

A graphic with a yellow background and an anatomical drawing of a brain slice. The text reads: Workshop topic: CREATING CHARACTERS FROM THE BODY In fiction, we talk about very vivid characters as feeling "embodied" - through some mysterious creative alchemy, these words on a page take on a form that feels corporeal. As writers, how do we create characters that feel so real we can almost touch them, hear them, smell them? And what can we learn from our own experiences being a body in the world that we can then translate into an imaginary character's bodily experiences? In this workshop, we will read and discuss some examples of character-development to understand how writers create embodied characters. Well also do some somatic exercises to help us think about what physical reality actually "feels" like in our own bodies and how we can evoke that sensation through words. And we'll do some writing exercises to work on conveying that felt reality on the page. It will help to have a character in mind for this workshop- either one you've already written about, or one you're hoping to write about. But there will also be space for creating a character during the workshop, if you don't have one already in mind.

MARCH WORKSHOP!

We’ll be writing IN-PERSON with Benny Peterson on Sunday, March 15 at Rhizome DC 🧠🧠🧠

ALSO: the offsite reading is FREE and OPEN TO ANYONE!!! You do not need to be a conference attendee to join :)

A graphic with a white background and an illustration of Gregor Samsa waking up in bed as a bug. Text reads: Reading Baltimore's Big Trans and 'Hon'-Binary Reading Thurs, Mar 5 at 7:00 PM The Club Car 12 W NAve, Baltimore MD 21201

A flyer for Baltimore’s Big Trans and Hon-Binary Reading. It’s the Norman Rockwell painting “Freedom of Speech” but edited with a blahaj over the original guy’s head.

Aaaand we’ll be tabling at THE offsite event of the week, Baltimore’s Big Trans and Hon-Binary Readings, along with @littlepuss.net and @feministpress.bsky.social. Just look at that line-up 🤯

A graphic with a white background. Text reads: Panel Trans Publishers, Then & Now Thurs, Mar 5 at 10:35 AM Publishers, Then & Now Thursday, Mar 05, 2026 10:35 AM - 11:50 AM EST Location: Room 326, Level 300 Description: Recent years have seen a trans literary renaissance. What's it like to be an indie trans publisher working behind the scenes to make that renaissance? This panel will speak to the literary and logistical trials and joys of trans publishing, with representatives from trans publishers new and old from the US, UK, and Canada. We will share wisdom, horror stories, triumph stories, and strategies for successfully publishing trans books in 2026 and beyond.

We will be represented by Luke on the panel Trans Publishers, Then & Now with the lovely @caseyplett.com @reversibledestiny.bsky.social @ngrosenzweig.bsky.social, and Oliver Fugler!

A graphic with a map of the book fair floor plan and an arrow pointing toward our table. Text reads: Book Fair Booth T110 Sharing a table with Metonyny Press!

We’ll be tabling all three days at the book fair, 9 am - 5 pm, sharing a table with our friends @metonymypress.bsky.social!

A graphic with a white background and an illustration of a Hand of Glory. The text reads: Lilac Peril @ AWP Baltimore Convention Center March 7th - 9th

AWP is TWO WEEKS AWAY and it’s our first time 😏🍒 see where you can find us ⬇️

Our friends at @neonhemlock.bsky.social need help with funding! They’ve been putting out queer sci-fi bangers for years, and WHAT ELEGANT STARS will be killer. Give it a pre-order or commit to a higher tier if you’re able!

THAT’S A WRAP!!! We are CLOSED for submissions!

Thanks so much to everyone who submitted, we more than doubled our numbers from last year 😱

Find the full guidelines in this thread: bsky.app/profile/lila...

A graphic with a bright orange background and a framed black and white photo of Marsha P. Johnson holding a Snoopy doll. The text reads: idolization = transformation. What makes and idol? How do trans people worship-deities, ancestors, each other? What does idolization do-does it help us or disappoint us, save or betray us?

A graphic with a bright orange background and the image of a marble statue of a sleeping person’s head. The text reads: Who can submit? trans, non-binary, and Two-Spirit writers and artists. if you think that includes you, then we think so too! Is there a submission feel nope! submissions are free. What are we looking for? we'll consider writing of any genre, but our tastes skew towards the subversive and experimental, work that you might find difficult to quote in front of your mother.

A graphic with a bright orange background. The text reads: GENERAL GUIDLINES - Send work to submissions@lilacperil.com - 2500 words or less - Black and white art only - Include a bio - Acceptance includes a small honorarium and a free copy of the finished book FULL DETAILS IN THE CAPTION

Procrastinators, now is your time!

A graphic with a bright orange background and a frame black and white photo of Loren Cameron holding a bouquet of flowers. The text reads: IDOLS. FINAL DAY! Submissions due by 11:59 pm EST on 2.7.26

We at LP love “normal” literature

SUBMISSIONS CLOSE TOMORROW 2/7 AT 11:59 PM EST 📣📣📣

‼️Applications are open for the inaugural TJA Reporting Fellowship!

Seven fellows will receive:

💰$5000 stipend over six months to offset reporting costs

👍🏾Dedicated mentorship and reporting guidance

🎯Targeted professional development

Find out more info www.transjournalists.org/reporting-fe....

Thanks for reading!

Issue 01 of Lilac Peril Press, Taboo.

Loving Issue 01 of @lilacperil.bsky.social — “Taboo” 🔥

Find the full details in this thread: bsky.app/profile/lila...

A graphic with a bright purple background and a framed black and white photo of Venus Xtravaganza. Text reads: idolization = transformation. What makes an idol? How do trans people worship—deities, ancestors, each other? What does idolization do—does it help us or disappoint us, save us or betray us?

A graphic with a bright purple background and an empty picture frame. Inside, text reads: GENERAL GUIDLINES - Send work to submissions@lilacperil.com - 2500 words or less - Black and white art only - Include a bio - Acceptance includes a small honorarium and a free copy of the finished book FULL DETAILS IN THE CAPTION

We’re looking for work on idolization—religious, interpersonal, or otherwise. All genres welcome!

A graphic with a bright purple background and a framed black and white promotional photo of the cast of Paris is Burning. Text reads: SUBMISSIONS DUE SOON!! IDOLS. Due by Feb. 7th SEEKING TRANS WRITERS! Fiction, essays, poetry, art.

🕯️ ONE WEEK LEFT until submissions close for our next print anthology IDOLS 🕯️

four days left to get your applications in

**February 😰

Our workshops are always free, but this year we’re asking participants to donate to a mutual aid effort in lieu of a registration fee. Whatever is in your means!

For March, we ask you send something to Minneapolis. We reccomend this fundraiser: gofund.me/2969ed216

ICE must be abolished.

A graphic with a brown background and a large illustration of a blue butterfly. The text reads: Save the date! next workshop on March 15, 2026 with Benny Peterson (in-person in Washington DC)

Save the date for our March workshops with local sweetheart Benny Peterson:

March 15, in-person in DC. Topic to come!

A graphic with a brown background, butterfly illustrations, and a photo of KB Brookins reclining on the ground. The text reads: KB Brookins is a Black queer and trans writer, educator, and cultural worker from Texas. KB's poetry collection Freedom House (2023) won the American Library Association Barbara Gittings Literature Award and the Texas Institute of Letters Award for Best First Book of Poetry. KB's memoir Pretty. (2024) won the Lambda Literary Award in Transgender Nonfiction, the Great Lakes Colleges Association New Writers Award, and the Dorothy Allison/Felice Picano Emerging Writer Award. They are currently a Black Mountain Institute Shearing Fellow at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Follow KB online at @earthtokb.

A graphic with a brow background and several illustrations of butterflies. The text reads: Who is this workshop for? trans, non-binary, and Two-Spirit writers of all experience levels. we welcome you whether its your 1st or 100th workshop. How much does it cost? nothing! the workshop is 100% free. Why should I до? to build community, to fight despair, and to get inspired for that writing project you've been meaning to work on.

We are totally thrilled to have KB lead our first workshop of 2026!

A graphic with a brown background and an illustrations of a large lunar moth. The text reads: LILAC PERIL PRESENTS Writing for Trans Justice: the who / what / when / where / why of writing, pitching, and landing op-eds about trans issues with KB BROOKINS a free virtual workshop Feb 21, 2026 1 - 2 PM EST

A graphic with a brown background an illustration of a butterfly on a branch. The text reads: WORKSHOP TOPIC. Writing for Trans Justice: the who / what / when / where / why of writing, pitching, and landing op-eds about trans issues. We'll be going over the basics of writing and pitching opinion editorials (op-eds) and what op-eds can do for trans rights! Free, trans led, and community oriented.This will be a 1-hour time commitment.

WORKSHOPS ARE BACK, BABY 🫦

Writing For Trans Justice with KB Brookins

Join us for a free, virtual workshop about how to write and pitch op-eds, and what op-eds can do for trans rights!

Register here: Writing for Trans Justice with KB Brookins www.eventbrite.com/e/writing-fo...

Orange background with bold white and black text reading "trans writers of colour wanted," along with the Spectra logo.

Invitation to contribute to an anthology of short stories themed on "folklore & futurism", presented with abstract black shapes on orange background.

Call for anthology contributors: trans people of color, UK-based, 18+. Submit a 500-word writing sample and story synopsis by Feb 8, 2026.

Black abstract shapes on an orange background with the words "apply now" in bold, black and white text. Spectra logo at the bottom.

Are you a trans writer of colour? Contribute to a new anthology of short stories dreamed up and written by trans people of colour. We will pay you a fee of £1000. Submissions are open now.

https://form.jotform.com/253423694960060

Deadline: 8 Feb, 2026

Questions? Email: comms@spectra-london.org.uk

See this thread for the full guidelines: bsky.app/profile/lila...