This is a show about individual experience and personal identity.

There may be times when folks use identifying words or phrases that don't feel right to you.

That's part of what we're exploring here.

Please listen with an open heart, and as always I welcome your polite engaged feedback and I encourage you to continue the conversation in your own life and with your own community.

Welcome to Quarry. I always have guests on the show introduce themselves.

Would you introduce yourself?

Yes, I am Terry J Benton Walker.

I am the author of the young adult contemporary fantasy, Blooddets,

which I like to pitch as a contemporary Game of Thrones set in New Orleans for Black

and Black Queer teams.

I am also the author of the Middle-Gray contemporary fantasy, Alex Wise versus the end of the world which

it is for fans of Percy Jackson and Tristan Strong and it's about a 12 year old boy

who spends his summer vacation fighting against the

four horsemen of the apocalypse to save his sister from death who has possessed her.

Yes, so I had to look up middle grade, like what that actual age range is because I mean my wife isn't publishing but I'm not and so it's like it's age 8 to 12 yes right is that the

Yes, I like to say ages 8 and up because I found that like even older kids like it too.

Yeah. And also like adults.

Yes, and like I just yes of, thank you for that correction for sure.

We can all get into like a good adventure slash,

you know, apocalypse story.

And we don't have to be only 12 but I I asked that because so

this is you know it centers there's it centers queerness it centers blackness it's and also just like

...