Being Aro

by Madeline Dyer (Editor), Rosiee Thor (Editor)

These twelve stories showcase aromantic people breaking generational curses, finding acceptance, and protecting the vulnerable while highlighting the infinite ways people find connection and love without romance.

A high school matchmaker learns a lesson about love. A rebellious spaceship pilot defies his culture’s compulsory coupling. A boy magically transforms banned romance novels into living dragons. A teen immune to romance, and the zombie virus, fights to survive the apocalypse. Being Aro is full of stories throughout real and imagined worlds that cross genres and disrupt the status quo.

Contributors include a mixture of established and emerging YA writers, such as Lammy Award-finalist Madeline Dyer, Lammy Award-nominated Rosiee Thor, USA Today bestselling Kemi Ashing-Giwa, and NYT bestselling authors Kalyn Josephson and Laura Pohl.

Genres: Young Adult, Anthologies, Short Stories, Contemporary, Queer

Unknown Binding

Expected publication May 26, 2026

About the author

Madeline Dyer is a Lambda Literary Award finalist. A novelist, poet, and anthologist, she is drawn to all things dark, spooky, and scary.

Reviews

[Ann Zhao · Rating 5 out of 5]

i wish this book existed when i was an aroace teen but i suppose i’ll have to settle for contributing to it as an aroace adult

seriously though i’m so excited for this to come out and i can’t wait for you to meet kimberly ma and all the other lovely characters in the lovely stories in this collection!!