Hi friend,
After our thrilling author announcements this week, I wanted to take the time to answer some FAQs about Lilith Lit: Women Reading Women. And if you’re new here since I wrote last, welcome!
Hopefully I’ll cover all your burning questions, but please drop any lingering queries in the comments and I’ll respond there.
So it’s a book club?
Yep! Lilith Lit is a virtual book club for women featuring contemporary works of fiction and nonfiction by luminary women authors, with live community meetings and author convos + weekly reading guides including behind-the-scenes nuggets from the authors themselves.
Named in honor of Lilith, one of our earliest feminist ancestors, we gather as a radical act of community, to reclaim women’s stories told by women.
Who picks the books we read?
Lilith Lit is curated and guided by me, Lily Diamond—a writer, editor, two-time author, full-time plant whisperer, community-building enthusiast, library addict, and eternally devoted reader.
How are the books selected?
Lilith Lit books explore how we as women are navigating, surviving, and sometimes thriving in the world today. Every season, I curate a collection of books that dazzle me, change my heart and mind, and illuminate truth.
These books interrogate sex, patriarchy, family, the polycrisis, feminism, colonialism, ecology, grief, utopia, hypercapitalism, the internet, spirituality, relationship, community, religion, politics, oppression, liberation, and every other facet of being alive.
View our thrilling slate of 2026 authors here. Titles will be announced as we go.
How long do we have to read each book?
We’re not into rushing. Each reading cycle will be 6 to 8 weeks.
Do we have to finish the book in order to participate?
Absolutely not! Whether you loved it but didn’t have time to finish or it triggered you so much you DNF (did not finish)’d or anything in between, you’re welcome—so long as you have a sincere curiosity for the book and the themes at hand.
So…we get to meet every author?
Yes! Each of our luminary authors will join us for a live author conversation and community Q&A at the end of our reading cycle for their book.
I know. It’s thrilling.
Not only will you discover seven new favorite books, but you’ll get to connect with their authors from your couch or kitchen or bedroom. Possibly while wearing your pajamas. Peruse our author announcements to get jazzed.
Where & when do we meet?
We’ll meet virtually over Zoom:
One 1-hour author reading, conversation & community Q&A at the end of each book cycle.
&
A few times a year, we’ll have 1-hour community book club meetings to dish about the books we’ve read thus far.
Meetings will be on Sunday afternoon / evening, depending on your time zone.
What happens during the weeks we’re not meeting?
You’ll receive a weekly missive from me, filled with context, thematic cues and insights, and juicy tidbits and stories from the author to enrich your reading and deepen your connection to the book.
Because these missives will be posted on Substack, you’ll be able to gossip amongst yourselves in the comments.
How will we connect with other Lilith Lit readers?
Lilith Lit readers can connect virtually at our meetings (we’ll gather two times each reading cycle, more on that above), on Substack (the app is especially fun for this), and on Instagram and Threads.
If you decide you want to find other Lilith Lit readers IRL in your hometown...how cool would that be?
Is there a membership fee?
Yes. Membership is $8 a month, $90 yearly, or $150 to become a Lilith Lit Luminary—a membership tier that funds a limited number of scholarship memberships each year. Your membership at any level supports my work and an honorarium for each guest author.
Are scholarships available?
Also yes. A limited number of scholarship memberships are available each year.
Reply to this email to inquire.
And wait, who’s Lilith?
Lilith was one of our earliest feminist ancestors. Alternately demonized, sexualized, defanged, and appropriated, she was first written about in Sumerian poetry in 2000 B.C.E.
The biblical version of Lilith was created from earth at the same time as Adam, before Eve. When Adam demanded her subservience, she decided she’d rather leave Eden, telling him, “We are both equal because we both come from the earth.” The price of Lilith’s defiance was her demonization in religion, mythology, history, art, and more.
Aren’t we all a little bit Lilith?
When do we begin?
Our first reading cycle starts next week—make sure you’re subscribed to get the intel on our inaugural book title!
xo,
Lily