I love the term “HopePunk”. I try to write in the spirit of it as often as possible. What is HopePunk? you may ask…
It’s a subgenre of speculative fiction, so it includes fantasy as well as science fiction, and it’s a reaction to the dystopian views that grimdark novels have. Where grimdark is violent and amoral, hopepunk stories feature characters who fight for positive change, communal responses to challenges, and even radical kindness.
It’s also an intentional ray of sunshine in what could be a bleak literary landscape. It’s taking a stand because it’s right, not because it’s profitable. It’s rebelling against an oppressive regime to improve everyone’s lot, not just your own. It emphasizes cooperation over conflict while realizing that a Happily Ever After isn’t guaranteed. And it’s everywhere.
Author Adam Gaffen has curated a HopePunk story bundle of eleven books. The most hopeful of HopePunks I’ve ever known, J. Scott Coatsworth, has a book in the bundle, The Ariadne Cycle. And I can easily recommend O. E. Tearmann’s The Hands We’re Given, as I’ve read it, loved it, and have enjoyed every book in that series that follows. Read all my reviews of the “Aces High, Joker’s Wild books at CeejayWriter.com. At least seven of the books in this bundle feature LGBTQ+ characters.
I can’t imagine a better way to learn more about HopePunk than to have eleven books in that genre to read! Get the bundle right here. At the site, clicking any of the book covers will give you a preview, synopsis, and even reviews of that book. Hurry, from the day I’ve posted this, you have 20 days to grab your bundle.
