Queer Books

Spring is the perfect time to usher in some Romantasy reading so for the month of April we’re reading Olivia Atwater’s Half a Soul 💜🧚 You can find us at Foyles Charing Cross’s 5th floor cafe. This month’s book will be on the table for easy identification.

Join us at Pints & Pawns by Yas Queen! Chess Club for a fun evening of chess and drinks! Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, come hang out with us at Lord Palmerston and enjoy some friendly games of chess in a queer friendly space. It's the perfect opportunity to meet new people, learn new strategies, and of course, enjoy some cold pints. We'll bring the boards, you bring yourselves. Don't miss out on this awesome evening! More about us on [yasqueen.uk](https://www.yasqueen.uk) Instagram [yasqueen.chessclub](https://www.instagram.com/yasqueen.chessclub) *Yas Queen! Code of Conduct:* We are an LGBTQ+ friendly club. All allies are welcome. We reserve the right to exclude anyone from our events in case of any behaviour (at our events or otherwise) which does not support our aim of creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ club members.

Freelancing and working from home can be lonely. Come and sit in a bookshop and meet some other freelancers and creatives! Open to all who are trying to make a living from freelance or creative work. Share tips, advice and support - maybe even network a little. Free event (but if you'd like to donate or buy books/coffee, we'll love you).

You're very welcome to a free meetup at Central Station this Friday. We normally sit chatting, drinking and/or having a bite to eat in our private space upstairs, before drifting down into the main bar later in the evening. It's a great way to meet new people and have some chilled chats and laughs. All LGBTQ+ people and their allies are welcome. Everybody is equally welcome! Don't worry if you've not come to an event before: the host will introduce you to everyone and make sure you feel welcomed and included. Please RSVP if you are attending. Your RSVP encourages others to attend. Their RSVP...etc etc please join the WhatsApp group for all our events, when you arrive please ask for the host, me Kwashie, and say hi...even if I'm chatting to someone... I can introduce you to some cool people, or newbies etc. ________________________________ We ask that new members that enjoy our events to make a voluntary donation which helps keep the group events running for free. To send a donations please use the reference "Donation" to the following account Mark Geer 03450947 04-00-04 Whatsapp invite which we use for events - https://chat.whatsapp.com/HOKXRrCEnFwFawuQYDbNFO?mode=ac_t Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lgbtqlondon?igsh=MWJpN2c0c3ZxNnV1cw==

April's Dinner Club is a return to an old faithful friend, Bistro1 on Frith Street in Soho. For those of you who have never been to Bistro1 before, here is some information about them from their website. *We serve some of the most amazing foods from around the Mediterranean. Our food is simple, delicious & flavoursome.* *We have been serving London for over 20 years. It goes without saying that we’ve been in central London long enough to know what our customers enjoy.* *You’ll find simple yet delicious Mediterranean dishes on our menu. We are confident you’ll enjoy our food & restaurant.* Bistro1 is not fine dining but they serve delicious food at very reasonable prices and are always very accommodating to us as a group. Their menu can be viewed using the link below. [Bistro1 Menu](https://bistro1.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Bistro-1-Set-Dinner.pdf) Our evening will start for those of you who would like to meet for a pre-dinner drink. This month we will meet in Village on Wardour Street from 6pm. Dinner at Bistro1 is at 7.30pm. You can come straight there if you can't or do not wish to come for a pre-dinner drink. To RSVP, you need to pay a deposit of £11. £10 will go towards your meal (we always split the bill evenly between all who attend). The remaining £1 is split between PayPal and Meetup Costs. Following the meal, some of us often head off for a a post-dinner beverage. We decide this on the night. Spaces for this meal are limited to 18. If you have always thought about coming along for a meal or have not been for a while - it will be great to see you/welcome you. Please also inform me of any food allergies that I can pass on to the restaurant.

Join us for our regular **Tabletop Games Night** at The Moorings Sociable Club! 🎲 Taking place on the second and fourth Fridays of each month, we play a variety of board games, card games and TTRPGs (tabletop roleplay games). There'll be separate tables depending on what you'd like to play, and you're also very welcome to bring your own games too. TTPRGs that we've previously played include Dungeon Crawl Classics, Honey Heist, 'Til The Last Gasp and Mausritter. New players and game observers are always welcome! You're also welcome to bring any friends with you who are allies of the LGBTQIA+ community. You're welcome to bring whatever food, snacks and drinks you like, including alcoholic drinks. However, we ask you to please avoid any food containing nuts for the safety of other players with allergies.

**A fresh take on dating for straight and LGBTQIA+ singles in their 30s, 40s and 50s, brought to you by LoMAZ. We visit a different museum on the last Friday of each month, before heading to the pub.** This month, join us for a relaxed evening of conversation and connections at the **National Gallery**. It's just like a usual LoMAZ event except for one thing: everyone there will be single. Come for friendship, come for dates, come along! [https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/](https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/) **HOW DOES IT WORK?** **6.00pm - 6:30pm: Meet and greet in the foyer of the main “Sainsbury Wing”Entrance of the National Gallery.** [Floorplan](https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/media/n1jh0au4/ng_online_map_downloadable_nov25.pdf) * Look out for LoMAZ hosts wearing a 'host' sticker in a yellow frame and they will welcome you. * You can choose to wear a LoMAZ logo sticker or a LoMAZ rainbow sticker, or both. Wearing stickers means everyone can see who is part of the group and helps you find us as we move around the museum. If you see someone with a LoMAZ sticker, feel free to chat to each other. **7.00 - 8.00pm: Explore the museum** * We'll then explore the museum together. Hosts will always be there to chat to. **8.30pm - late:** **Head to the pub.** * We'll carry on the evening in a nearby pub. ***Venue can be found in the event comments (visible only to members who have RSVP'd to this event).*** * As this is a free event we won't have a private space, but will aim to have a few tables reserved. So please expect some standing and mingling. **TICKETS:** Tickets are free and we do have a group booking however, if you arrive or choose to meet us inside the National Gallery then you need to book your own for 7pm using the following link. (https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/plan-your-visit/general-admission) **CONTACT AND GROUP LOCATION ON THE NIGHT:** * **We'll regularly update where the group is throughout the evening in the event comments.** * You can also message a host via Meetup if you have questions or any difficulties finding us. * Lates for Dates events do *not* have a WhatsApp group. **PLEASE NOTE:** * LoMAZ events are hosted by volunteers. Please change your RSVP if you can no longer attend. * This is a mixed orientation event. Let’s keep it friendly and respectful—please report any concerns to the hosts or Meetup. * All attendees at this meetup are coming as individuals and are responsible for their own security, and health and safety. Please check the Meetup Help section and the National Gallery for their policies. **Thank you for your interest in the LoMAZ and our Museum Lates for Dates event.** Image credit: Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

📚 **Foyles Bookshop @ charing cross** Forget the mindless scrolling. We’ve been "reading" people since we were born, but the art of getting lost in a book is becoming a lost skill. Since I started reading more, I’ve become a sharper listener and a better communicator. It’s time to reignite that focus. We’re heading to **Foyles** on Charing Cross Road—five floors of pure inspiration—to hang out, browse, and actually talk about things that matter. This isn't just a social; it's about building a better self and a stronger community. **The Game Plan:** We’ll grab a coffee (or snack) and dive into one of these four topics: 1. **Smart Money:** Not a "who earns what" brag-fest. Just real tips and tricks on how to save and stay ahead in the expensive UK. 2. **Class vs. Trends:** How do you stay timeless and "classy" when everyone else is just chasing the latest 24-hour trend? 3. **The Good Stuff:** What are you reading? Bring a fiction or non-fiction recommendation that actually made an impact on you. 4. **Hidden UK:** Where are the best places to travel in the UK when you need to get out of the London bubble? **Vibe:** Productive, intentional, and relaxed. We will meet up at Soho Square Garden, Sutton Row entrance. Have quick introductions. And then walk(3 mins) to Foyles. **Location:** Foyles Bookshop, 107 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0DT

Calling all Queer singers, songwriters, poets, public speakers, and performers... Join Queer Open Mic London at legendary venue [The Cock Tavern](https://www.thecocktavernlondon.com/) for a night of artistic expression from the LGBTQIA+ community. **If you'd like to perform please get in touch with Josh (co-organiser) beforehand to secure your slot. You can click on his profile to message him, give him a shout in the event chat on this page, or contact him [on Instagram](www.instagram.com/joshandthejumpstarts/).** This event is designed as an informal showcase for Queer performers. Non-Queer friends and allies are more than welcome in the audience. **Sunday 26th April, 2026** **5:30pm-8:30pm** **The Cock Tavern** 340 Kennington Rd London SE11 4LD Local buses within minutes of the venue include 3, 59, 133, 155, 159, 196, 333, and 415. Oval Underground station is 8 minutes walking away while Kennington Underground station is 10 minutes walking. Vauxhall station is 14 minutes walking from the venue, or a short bus ride. *Queer Open Mic is a free entry event and you can support the event and the venue by purchasing drinks at the bar. Absolutely no outside drinks are permitted.*

📚 Reading of Colour – Book Club Meetup Join us for this month’s Reading of Colour, a book club dedicated to exploring stories from different cultures and celebrating the diversity of voices in literature. Each month we read a book by an author from a different background and come together to share perspectives, insights, and thoughtful discussion. This month we will be reading The Enlightenment of the Greengage tree by Shokoofeh Azar is a magical realist novel about a family fleeing persecution after the Iranian Revolution and trying to rebuild their lives in a remote Iranian village, narrated by the ghost of a young girl. Whether you’ve finished the book or are still making your way through it, everyone is welcome to join the conversation. Come along to share your thoughts, hear new perspectives, and enjoy a friendly discussion with fellow readers. 📖 All are welcome—bring your curiosity and love of books!📕 We will be having drinks afterwards at a near by pub, come along 🌸

Der verzweifelte Kampf um Integration Aus der Rückschau des Jahres 1959 erzählt Pilenz vom bewunderten und verachteten Klassenkameraden Mahlke im Danzig der Kriegszeit, den sein übergroßer Adamsapfel zum Außenseiter macht. Mahlke führt einen verzweifelten Kampf um seine Integration, um die Schließung des existentiellen Risses zwischen »Katz« und »Maus«, und wird doch im Sieg endgültig scheitern. Auch das Ritterkreuz, von dem er sich - Perversion der Zeit gemäß - Erlösung durch Bedeckung seiner Blöße erhofft, verhilft ihm nicht zum Frieden mit der Welt. »Die große Danzig-Saga, als deren zweites, aber gewiß nicht letztes Stück ›Katz und Maus‹ sich darstellt, ist eine Suche nach dem verlorenen Raum. Unerreichbar und unerschöpflich, doch deutlich wie Vineta in der Flut, liegt Danzig auf dem Grund dieser Prosa da.« Hans Magnus Enzensberger

Join us for our May Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *[Cantoras](https://caroderobertis.com/books/cantoras/)*[ ](https://caroderobertis.com/books/cantoras/)by [Caro de Robertis](https://caroderobertis.com/bio/) in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**

Welcome, readers! Our April read is **_Martyr!_ by Kaveh Akbar.** The story follows a young Iranian American poet grappling with grief, addiction, and the aching question of what makes a life meaningful. Drawn into an unexpected friendship with a terminally ill artist, he begins to confront faith, love, and the seduction of self-destruction. Lyrical, darkly funny, and emotionally piercing, the novel wrestles with beauty and despair in equal measure. It’s a story about longing—to be seen, to be forgiven, and to matter. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

Posting this early because seemingly all Sundays in May are holidays or busy! I picked a shorter thriller that's hopefully a fast read/listen. [Columbus library link to book](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3458940) Location: Grandview Cafe, *1455 W. 3rd Ave*, Columbus, OH 43212 [Menu](https://www.grandviewcafe.com/menu) Book summary: Daniel leads a rich life in the university town of Athens, Georgia. He's got a couple close friends, a steady paycheck working for a regional airline, and of course, for a few glorious days each Fall, college football tailgates. He considers himself to be a mostly lucky guy -- despite the fact that he's suffered from a debilitating disease since he was a small child, one that has left him unable to speak or to move without a wheelchair. Largely confined to his home, Daniel spends the hours he's not online communicating with irate air travelers observing his neighborhood from his front porch. One young woman passes by so frequently that spotting her out the window has almost become part of his daily routine. Until the day he's almost sure he sees her being kidnapped.

WQC has weekly Thursday night social nights at the Westerville Java Central. Come and grab a coffee and connect with the community: low stakes, chill environment, and tasty drinks. No registration is required; come as you are.