Ursula K. Le Guin

Would you believe that I've never actually read one of Ursula's books? I even own several of them, but my ADHD makes it difficult to get any reading done. No, my Le Guin fandom is based almost entirely on her as a person. Quotes, excerpts, anecdotes -- these are the things that have built up my love for her. A brilliant creative mind with some excellent views on gender and sexuality, I can't wait to dive into her body of work.

James Baldwin

My stint studying at a local college ultimately led nowhere, but one of several things I'm grateful to my short-lived college career for is its introducing me to the work of James Baldwin. He might genuinely be my favorite author. He's certainly my favorite speaker. I could listen to him talk for hours. Such a brilliant human being, both creatively and socially. Everything about the way he wrote and spoke really does it for me. And a gay fella, too! Good for him! Good for him! My only regret is not being able to see him speak in person.

Rachel Held Evans

What the fuck is a Christian author doing here? Well, I was raised conservative and Christian. Up until my early-to-mid 20s, I was a Republican. Now, Rachel's writing did not start toppling those towers, but it sure did help it along. She led me down the path that caused me to accept my own bisexuality as valid and real. She helped me challenge my own preconceived ideas of what Christianity was and how it was supposed to look. As I write this, I don't know exactly where I stand with religion. It seems likely that there is no God and nothing awaits us beyond this life. But Rachel showed me that I didn't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Christ was pretty okay. Cling to that much, if nothing else. Rachel passed several years ago, and her death still affects me deeply.

Langston Hughes

Another writer I was introduced to while in college. I don't actually have much to say about him, but his few poems I read were so good, he easily makes it on this list despite my lack of experience with his work.