Milo Todd

The paperback edition of The Lilac People is out in the world! Please tell your local library and bookstore! Song: A Fertile Wood at Heart by James Currier and Ryan Borbone (Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion) Note to self: Don't use such a shiny surface again. Not only did that turn into double the rig removal, but poor Puck was sliding all over the place. The amount of times I had to reposition him to get even a semi-consistent shot... Note to all: A paperback you order may not yet have seals on it. A ton were already printed before we got the wonderful news.

One year ago today, The Lilac People debuted! It’s been a wonderful and surreal ride, and I have you all to thank. Anybody who’s bought a copy, requested it from the library, posted about it, or spread the word has made a difference. Thank you all for your help and support! And an extra thank you to @lgrlit and @counterpointpress for believing in The Lilac People from the start and putting so much love, care, and hard work into its existence! The paperback edition comes out May 5th!

My first free session, “Modern United States vs Nazi Germany: A Comparison Guide for Wellbeing,”—which is actually an entire deep dive course—has been getting quite a bit of attention. Now that I’ve also uploaded my two other planned free sessions—“Event Safety for Queer Authors” and “Why Bother?: Making Art During Troubled Times”—I’m pivoting to posting some of my paid sessions on the craft of creative writing, the business side of publishing, and other related subjects for the rest of this year. Stay tuned for the lineup announcement later this week! — Modern United States vs Nazi Germany: A Comparison Guide for Wellbeing This course digs deep into the similarities (and differences) of authoritarianism between the modern United States and Nazi Germany, provides context and perspective, answers big questions, and provides steps on what to do next in the US. Available at: bit.ly/4lzYHV8 or milotodd.podia.com

Monday! I'll be at @belmontbooks in conversation with @lindsey.danis.writer about their debut book, (Out) On The Road! Come say hi!

I recently got a haul of 50 colors of New Zealand Corriedale wool roving from @weircrafts , and Puck is thrilled that we'll finally start building out his world. (Note: They shipped it all really nice. I unpackaged everything for the effect.) It'll probably be a while until you see Puck again. Aside from all the book travel and writing deadlines I have for the next couple of months, I want to start building out his world, make him props, and all sorts of other things that will take the time that I don't have. I have so many ideas for him. Also, he needs a spa day. He needs some general fixing up after so much handling, but also I want to lengthen my short king's arms and legs a bit. I love him so stubby, but it's left him with virtually no elbows or knees, which has been a big restriction on his movements. And yes, he's going to get a friend. Eventually. I have plans.

Saturday! I'll be at the @gburgbookfest and in conversation with the acclaimed author @louisbayardwriter ! Come stop by!

The amount of joy this brought me… (I swear I’m working on the next book. It’s just going slower than anticipated due to important projects like this.)

I recently created an animation for an award acceptance speech. I probably won’t end up posting the video, but here’s a photo. 🏆

Wednesday! I'll be in conversation with @aidengracesmith at @distractionbeer , courtesy of @rozzieboundbooks ! (Also, I had a wonderful interview with Aiden earlier this year for Necessary Fiction. I thought I'd mentioned it already, but it was only in my head.)

THE LILAC PEOPLE is on sale now in paperback! 🏳️‍⚧️ Here are just some of the incredible accolades @todd_milo has accumulated over just ONE year of publication! ⭐ A NATIONAL BESTSELLER ⭐ ⭐ Stonewall Book Award for Fiction Honor Title ⭐ Finalist for the New England Book Award ⭐ Runner up for James Patterson and @bookshop_org Prize ⭐ Finalist for the @lambdaliterary Award for Transgender Fiction ⭐ An @amazon Best Discover Read of the Year ⭐ & many more! 🏳️‍⚧️ "In dual timelines, Milo Todd thoughtfully portrays the plight of queer and transgender people in Germany before and after World War II." — @washingtonpost 🏳️‍⚧️ "Milo Todd’s breathtaking debut, The Lilac People, unearths an essential chapter in transgender history, one long obscured by stigma and oppression . . . Well-paced and expertly crafted, the novel’s shifting timelines and intricate plot structure are reminiscent of Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See." — @bostonglobe 🏳️‍⚧️ "[A] beautiful, necessary story, full of enthralling action and sharp moral questions, The Lilac People reminds history of what happened to the trans community during WWII, and asks us to see it as a warning for what might be happening in this country today." — @pittsburghpg #bookstagram #transauthor #lgbtq #indieauthor #indiepress

Friday and Saturday! I'll be in Gloucester, MA for my popular talk, "A Trans History of the Weimar Republic," and then facilitating a 2-hour writing workshop on character development. Everything is free (but requires registration) and is hosted/sponsored by @capeannpride , @sawyerfreelibrary , @bookstoreofgloucester , and @gloucesterwriterscenter . Thank you to everyone for making this a reality!

The Lilac People by Milo Todd is out on paperback today!! This was one of my favorite books of 2025. It is a historical fiction story that centers the trans and queer experience before, during, and immediately following WW2 in Germany. Join us for a very special virtual book club with author Milo Todd on Wednesday, May 20th at 6pm PT. Registrations with book order include signed bookplate. Local delivery or in store pick up for local Portlanders and we ship across the US for our out of town friends. Register at the link in our bio! #NewBookRelease #IndieBookstore #Portland #Queer #TransHistory