Ever read a book where the disabled character is either a tragic inspiration or magically “cured” by the final chapter? Yeah…same. In this episode, Avery Roberts and Kelly Berger are joined by the brilliant Erin Hawley – writer, book reviewer, and creator of Erin’s Library and the Disability Readathon – to talk all things authentic disability representation in literature. Erin spills the tea on harmful tropes and why disabled authors deserve more space on your bookshelf. They dive into how storytelling shapes public perception and where to find books that actually get it right. Plus, Erin shares her faves and what’s next for the future of inclusive lit. Come for the hot takes, stay for the book recs, and leave ready to diversify your TBR pile – with stories that see you.
Links Mentioned:
The Disability Readathon: https://www.disabilityreadathon.com
From Erin’s Library: https://www.youtube.com/@FromErinsLibrary
The Moonlit Margins Book Society: https://www.themoonlitmarginssisterhood.com
Connect with Erin Hawley
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website
Connect with Kelly Berger
Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Connect with Avery Roberts
Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Intro/Outro music created by Andy Rusch
Image Description: Features three women engaging in a virtual conversation. On the left, Kelly has shoulder-strength brown hair and is wearing a cream-colored sweater, wireless earbuds, and brown earrings. In the middle, Erin has shoulder-strength brown hair and is wearing a white shirt with green stripes. On the right, Avery has long brown hair and is wearing a blue shirt and wireless earbuds, and is speaking into a microphone. Speech-to-text captions appear towards the bottom of the screen, following their conversation.