July Theme: Freedom

The United States is coming off a landmark week with the U.S. Supreme Court making rulings in cases on same-sex marriage and universal healthcare. And with the U.S.’s Independence Day just a few days away, it’s a great time to be celebrating FREEDOM, our Lightning Quick Reads theme for July.

Of course, freedom isn’t just for Americans. And it isn’t only about big sweeping social movements. Freedom can be more personal than that. It can mean giving yourself the permission to be who you truly are. Or pushing yourself to pursue a dream long left on the shelf or to check off one thing on your bucket list. Perhaps your personal freedom lies in allowing yourself to succeed by ignoring those nagging doubts from others or from inside your own head. Even saying no to something that you don't want to do or to something that isn't working can be a powerful personal freedom.

This month, all the authors invite you to think about what freedom means to you and follow along with our characters as they search for freedoms of their own. So while my fellow Americans will be setting off fireworks and barbecuing, the sparks will be flying for everyone here on the blog with another set of amazing short stories, this month on FREEDOM!