A Conversation with Author Charlotte Sullivan Wild

We had the opportunity to speak with the book’s author, Charlotte Sullivan Wild, to learn more about what inspired her to write Love, Violet and get her thoughts on the SCOTUS case.

Our featured book this month is Love, Violet, one of nine books at the center of a lawsuit that was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court this week.

We had the opportunity to speak with the book’s author, Charlotte Sullivan Wild, to learn more about what inspired her to write Love, Violet and get her thoughts on the case.

A Conversation with Author Charlotte Sullivan Wild

Of all of the stories you’ve dreamed up, why was Love, Violet the one you chose to share with the world?

When I finally realized I was lesbian in my early thirties, I was stunned. I was even more surprised, looking back over my life, that I hadn’t known. The clues were obvious! But I’d grown up in the 70s-90s, when Q+ representation was censored. Even more important, I was an Evangelical preacher’s kid. In addition to the silence, I was pelted with cautionary tales about how dangerous Q+ people were. Every time I started to notice my orientation as a young person, I had harshly erased myself. I shut down part of my soul. Late in my teens I even stopped writing for a while. It’s impossible to create good art without truth.

But once I realized the truth, I was relieved, flooded with joy! I felt so free, so myself. If you’ve felt like you didn’t fit in your whole life, that you weren’t quite capable of full love, coming out to yourself is a profound liberation. I also remembered the joy of my earliest innocent crushes, though I lacked language for them. Those memories and stories from many loved ones about early crushes inspired Love, Violet (Chua, FSG).

But when it came to telling my family and community who I was, there was so much fear and misinformation already there—like the myth that children can’t be Q+ or that Q+ experience isn’t ordinary like heterosexual cisgender life. That made coming out terrifying. Would my grandma associate me with the worst stereotypes? In the end, my parents have become bold allies. I’m so thankful! And very lucky. But it took work and courage on their part to research, to see beyond how Q+ people had been painted.

That fear, those myths, had been carefully constructed to keep me in the closet and to inspire others to lock Q+ people out of social acceptance and civil rights. Those lies inspire bullies and some of the violence people I know have survived—my friends, students, and young people seeking shelter at Thrive Youth Center (San Antonio, TX), most of whom were rejected by their families and still face prejudice at school or work.

But what if children could grow up with ordinary, realistic images of Q+ people? Children might feel kindness is normal, rather than bullying. And Q+ children could see themselves, from the beginning, as not alone.

Out of the damage of the silence and stereotypes that had so warped my life, came this honest story of joy. Out of the joy of coming out, out of the memories of innocent young love, grew Love, Violet, the truest story of my heart, in the hope that young hearts would be filled with kindness and love.

How did it feel putting this deeply personal story out there for others to read?

It is always overwhelming to have your heart on the page! I remember feeling so vulnerable the first time I held a fold and gather version of my first book, The Amazing Idea of You (Lundquist, Bloomsbury). It’s a lyrical celebration of the potential in every young living thing, perfect for new parents and young nature explorers. Those first words: “Hidden in this apple is the idea of a tree…” captured my whole philosophy of teaching. It’s beautiful! Even in this case, it was scary to be vulnerable!

Likewise, Love, Violet captures the emotion of one of the biggest moments of my life. Violet needs the courage to share her heart, even though it’s pounding. And the reward is joy! But I, too, needed courage to come out, to write, to keep writing even when it’s hard. Again, the result has been joy!

For all that vulnerability, the greatest reward is when children love your work. That is worth more than any prize. That IS the prize! We create for children!

We watched your acceptance speech for the Stonewall Award on your website. Tell us what winning the Stonewall Book Award for Love, Violet meant to you personally.

Winning the Stonewall Book Award was humbling and the honor of a lifetime. Love, Violet is in the company of so many books that have healed, moved, and inspired me personally. I came out of a childhood and teaching career in which erasure of queerness was expected. This award meant that a queer love story would be read by so many children who would see themselves and know they are not alone! What a gift!

Love, Violet is headed to the Supreme Court this week. How did you find out that Love, Violet would be in this case and what was your reaction?

Thank you for this opportunity to throw confetti for Tasslyn Magnusson, superhero of sass, defender of reading liberty! Please follow Tasslyn and send her some love! She tracks and documents book challenges and supports those of us affected, including community members seeking to organize.

As with past challenges, Tasslyn informed and connected me with supportive organizations, including PEN America, and the other authors and illustrators (we call ourselves the SCOTUS Banned Book Club). Some in our group have been especially targeted with doxing and even death threats. This supportive community has been a gift in a challenging time!

Personally, this case has been stressful and exhausting. A few people congratulated me, which felt jarring, given the stakes. Yes, it has opened the door to speak and connect with community—I’m so grateful! But a staff member at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) confided to me that many teachers are already self-censoring, even though the plaintiffs have lost twice at court. And children in this district have been exposed to a bitter battle—which has harmed everyone—including religious and Q+ children.

It is impossible for me not to identify with the closeted Q+ children in these religious communities, even if they are invisible to the public. I know that pressure. I know what it’s like to hear horrible things said about you, to your face. To want to be devout and good… and know you won’t be accepted unless you lie. This breaks my heart.

Worst of all, I wrote Love, Violet so children might enjoy a safer, more loving and accepting world than many of us experienced. Yet this case, which might have started with genuine, benign intentions, could be used to erase Q+ representation in public schools across the nation.

That is no badge of honor.

I have much respect for the families bringing this case and for religious liberty. (My spouse is a military chaplain!) But I’m concerned that the lawsuit itself promotes bias. It repeats dangerous stereotypes that are often used to justify dismantling our civil rights, and abuse and violence against Q+ people, even if that is not the petitioners’ intention.

Specifically, the bizarre mischaracterizations of our books—and by extension, Q+ people and children—sounds eerily similar to the hate mail I’ve received. Which puts children in danger. But Dana Rudolph (Mombian) and illustrator Julie McLaughlin point out that even a quick glance at our books reveals the truth. When in doubt: Read the books!

Even if this case doesn’t go well, I’m encouraged by how many people support children and their First Amendment rights! Your efforts help! And they will especially matter if the Supreme Court opens up new restrictions on inclusive children’s literature. We will need allies in every community supporting educators, advocating for the freedom to read. Every child deserves to feel seen and to see their classmates, not through the distortions of stereotypes, but through the clear glass of authentic, humanizing stories. We are all human family. Our best books remind us of that, that kindness is the way we all thrive.

How can readers best support stories like yours that have been impacted by the rise in book challenges and bans?

I’m so moved by the myriad people already doing this work together on behalf of children! First, thank you! Also, breathe! None of us can do everything. But in our own little corners, many little things add up. Some of us involved with the Supreme Court case Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case that names Love, Violet and eight other beautiful Q+ picture books, created a “Call to Action Guide” full of ideas of how to help! Many of them are free—like requesting and checking out books, or writing thank you notes to educators and librarians. These actions really matter. Publishers need to know there is still a supportive audience, and educators need to know people will have their backs if they keep sharing inclusive books with their students!

Bring the Story to Life

Show your support for Love, Violet and the rest of the SCOTUS Banned Book Club by hosting a book event now through June (when the court’s decision will be announced). Use this Event Toolkit along with SCOTUS Book Activity Pack and Call to Action Guide to get started.

Want to hear more from Charlotte Sullivan Wild? Gather your family and join her for author story time.

What’s Next

Charlotte’s incredible journey of self discovery and unwavering dedication to LGBTQ+ representation in stories is what drew us to her book. We hope you found Love, Violet and the story behind it as moving as we did! We will continue following Mahmoud v. Taylor and the potential impact it could have on curriculum nationwide.

We’ll be back soon with our featured book for May and the story of a community where the freedom to read is currently on the ballot.

Have a story about book banning in your community? Drop us a note and share your story.