GAELYNN’S NEW BOOK It Wasn’t Meant to Be PerfectA Memoir RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2026PUBLISHER: Algonquin Books HOST A BOOK EVENT WITH GAELYNN LEA A love letter to every kind of body—an ode to music, to creativ…

📖+🎧 Get a copy of my audio+book here: violinscratches.com/book

🎟️ Get tix to my Book events: violinscratches.com/shows

Gaelynn and Leigh pose under a huge pink poster for Macbeth on Broadway that was hanging outside the NYC theater back in 2022

A graphic for the show in the Chicago area, at Winnetka Chapel on April 23rd. It has a yellow background and a big photo of Gaelynn Lea's book cover, as well as a picture of the conversation guest on the left side, Leigh Stein.

I'm SO EXCITED to see @leighstein.bsky.social tomorrow at my Chicago-area book launch at Winnetka Chapel w/The Book Stall! 🎉📖🎊

Leigh was my book coach, but we've actually only met once in person, when I was in NYC doing the score for Macbeth on Broadway! I'm super pumped to double those numbers! 🤣

A graphic with a yellow border that has the Gray, white and yellow Shelf Awareness logo at the top with a picture of Gaelynn Lea onstage with Walt Dizzo and Claire Kirch at her Duluth book launch event. Below that is an explanation of the event with the fact that Zenith Books sold out of 71 copies at the show

Thank you to @shelf-awareness.com for featuring my Duluth, MN book launch as their Image of the Day! 📸 I can't believe my memoir has already been out for a whole week... Many more adventures are in store on this book tour! 🛣️🚐

📖+🎧 Get a copy of my book (and audiobook!) here: violinscratches.com/book

Can't wait to return to Northern CA for my 4/27 Book Launch + Concert at HopMonk Tavern Novato with @mattjaffe.bsky.social, hosted by @kcturnerpresents.bsky.social! 🎉

Copperfield's Books will be selling copies of my book - stick around for a book signing after the show!

🎟️ Get tix: tr.ee/WTHVCtFWub

Gaelynn is sitting on an airport bench holding open a copy of People magazine which shows the article about her and her book!

Gaelynn's older sister Corry is holding the people magazine article open and smiling. There is a picture of all 4 siblings in the article, meaning Corry's photo and name are ALSO in People Magazine!

Gaelynn's friend and bandmate Dave Mehling is standing behind his little daughter, who is holding the people magazine article open as well!

A photo of the article spread, which features a large picture of Gaelynn playing her violin, as well as six other small photos. The title reads "I have an awesome, lucky life" and the People logo is up in the corner

Paul & I are flying back to the Midwest today for the Chicago-area show, and guess what we were able to pick up in the airport?! I still hadn't seen it in print!!! 😸🗞️ Thanks SO MUCH to People for publishing an awesome article about my new memoir in their 4/27 edition! 💖

👀 people.com/singer-gaely...

Madeline Jones, Gaelynn's editor, introduces Chloé Cooper Jones, Gaelynn Lea and Xian Horn onstage at Joe's Pub before the book discussion. The three conversation partners are seated in a row and Gaelynn's violin is sitting in an instrument stand at the edge of the stage.

Jane Pratt, Xian Horn, Michael Stipe and Gaelynn Lea all pose for a photo at a restaurant after the show.

Still smiling about that absolutely wonderful night at @joespub.bsky.social! Thank you to *everyone* who supported this show by being involved or being in attendance. It truly warmed my heart to see so many folks come together with disability culture at the forefront. ❤️♿❤️

🎟️+📖+🎧: violinscratches.com

📚 #bookmail
#itwasntmeanttobeperfect
#gaelynnlea
@littlebrown.bsky.social

Gaelynn and Paul pose with the director of the Stanley-Whitman House, Andy Verzosa, as well as three of the museum's staff members, after the show.

Andy Verzosa, director of Stanley-Whitman House, is seated in a chair next to Gaelynn Lea at the front of the room as he moderates the book discussion. The ASL interpreter is standing next to them.

Gaelynn smiles by the merch table with two women who came to her show at Stanley-Whitman House - they are both wearing masks because it was a masked show.

A graphic for the show in the Chicago area, at Winnetka Chapel on April 23rd. It has a yellow background and a big photo of Gaelynn Lea's book cover, as well as a picture of the conversation guest on the left side, Leigh Stein.

Paul and I had such a fun time seeing old friends and meeting new ones in Farmington, CT on Sunday... I love how every book discussion has its own "flavor", depending on the conversation partner! 😊

Next up, Chicagoland with @leighstein.bsky.social at Winnetka Chapel!!!

🎟️ violinscratches.com/shows

A picture of a women with long hair holding Gaelynn's open book on her lap and also also holding a baby who is sipping out of a bottle

Awww so excited to get this picture from my friend Emily reading my new book!! 📖 It feels so great to see it out in the world! 😁 Good thing her adorable baby can't read yet cuz I'd say a few chapters are PG-13... 😜

📖+🎧 Get a copy of my book (and audiobook!) here: violinscratches.com/book

I have LOVED playing some music at the end of my book discussions... Here's a little clip from @joespub.bsky.social! Hope to see you at one of my upcoming shows - every event has ASL interpretation! 🤟🏻

🎟️ Get tickets here: violinscratches.com/shows

📖 Get the audio/book here: violinscratches.com/book

Gaelynn Lea is sitting behind a table with a Joe's Pub tablecloth on it during book signing. Next to her is an Asian American woman in an electric wheelchair, Gaelynn's friend named Tabi, who is a disabled singer-songwriter from New York City!

More pics to come, but just wanted to say THANK YOU to all the dear friends who came out to support my book launch in NYC at @joespub.bsky.social!
🎭🎻🗽🎉

And thank you to Xian Horn and Chloé Cooper Jones for being fabulous conversation partners. It was such a beautiful evening & I'm still beaming! 😁

Gaelynn Lea pens memoir about key moments in her life, career With the Duluth singer-songwriter's memoir, "It Wasn't Meant to Be Perfect," hitting bookshelves April 14, she reminisced about a remarkable life that has led to fame far beyond the Zenith City.

For the Duluth News Tribune, NBCC member Jay Gabler interviewed Gaelynn Lea about her memoir, "It Wasn't Meant to Be Perfect":

Gaelynn Lea on the Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show YouTube video by Anne Leighton

My interview with singer-songwriter-violinist-public speaker-- and now author Gaelynn Lea is live on YouTube. She's on tour in support of her book, “It wasn’t meant to be Perfect." I'll be hearing her live at Joe's Pub Saturday. youtube.com/watch?v=HOPs...

all love to gaelynn lea 🥰

I somehow missed this 10 years ago, but today I learned that Gaelynn Lea not only exists and shares beautiful music with the world, but also just released a memoir.

If you'll excuse me, I need to go practice 🎻 and then listen to her audiobook 🎧

A vertical, eye-level shot on a dark bar counter featuring a Kindle in the foreground and a glass of beer in the center. The Kindle displays the cover of the memoir "It Wasn't Meant to be Perfect" by Gaelynn Lea, showing a black-and-white image of the author playing the violin. Behind it sits a tulip glass filled with a golden-amber beer with a light foam head. The background is a warm, wood-paneled brewery interior with chalkboard menus listing brews like "Irish Red Ale" and "Hop Drop."

Ending the week with some perspective. Gaelynn Lea’s It Wasn’t Meant to Be Perfect is already proving to be a moving read. It’s a powerful exploration of advocacy & the lived experience of disability—reminding me why the work we do to build more inclusive spaces is so vital. 💙📚

Yay!! 😁 I am so glad you are reading and enjoying so far! Thanks for letting me know! 📖🎉

ID: graphic announcing OI Life Spotlight Gaelynn Lea. The background is shades of gold with a framed picture of Tony Jacobson on the left and Gaelynn on the right. In the forefront is a picture of Gaelynn holding her violin and bow.

A new interview! @tonyjacobsen.bsky.social of O.I. Life - Osteogenesis Imperfecta - Lifestyle recently interviewed Gaelynn.

We wanted to share it and thank Tony!

You can watch it here: youtu.be/IHO1ff1wyP0

GAELYNN’S NEW BOOK It Wasn’t Meant to Be PerfectA Memoir RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2026PUBLISHER: Algonquin Books HOST A BOOK EVENT WITH GAELYNN LEA A love letter to every kind of body—an ode to music, to creativ…

Society can't normalize something it never sees or learns about, and a memoir is a good medium for these topics... Pushing conversations about disability forward is one reason I wrote the book! ☺️

📖 Get the book here: violinscratches.com/book

🎙️ Come to a book launch event: violinscratches.com/shows

Paul and I are relatively private when it comes to talking about romance, but it's REALLY important to me to help normalize concepts around sexuality and disability, like dating and marriage. So I knew that I wanted to write about it in my memoir!

A picture from Gaelynn and Paul's wedding reception where they are giving each other a sip of champagne with arms linked, and they are smiling at each other. Gaelynn's in a white wedding dress with a veil and Paul is in a black suit

Hello, Friends! Paul & I are flying out to NYC tomorrow for my Saturday Book Launch + Concert at @joespub.bsky.social with Chloé Cooper Jones & Xian Horn! 🥳

But before I go to bed, I wanted to share this follow-up story from People Magazine! 🗞️

Read it here & see thread: people.com/singer-gaely...

Haha yes, they do!!

6 of the Best New Book Releases Out April 14, 2026 This week's new releases include the life of an Upper West Side Stoic by Maria Semple, a gothic, time-traveling tale set in Japan, folkloric queer romantasy, and more.

Thanks to @bookriot.bsky.social for the shout-out today! 🎉

Logging off for the evening, but I just wanna say THANK YOU to everyone who made my Book Launch one of the most special days of my life. 💖 Hope to see you on the road!

bookriot.com/the-best-new...

GAELYNN’S NEW BOOK It Wasn’t Meant to Be PerfectA Memoir RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2026PUBLISHER: Algonquin Books HOST A BOOK EVENT WITH GAELYNN LEA A love letter to every kind of body—an ode to music, to creativ…

📖+🎧 Get a copy of my book (and audiobook!) here: violinscratches.com/book

🎟️ Get tickets to my Book Launch + Concert events here: violinscratches.com/shows

♿🤟💖 ACCESS: All Venues are wheelchair accessible + every show will have ASL interpretation!

A graphic of the article headline, with the logo for People at the top followed by the headline, "EXCLUSIVE: singer Gaelynn Lea as people assume she must be miserable because of her disability: 'I have an awesome life'. Then there is a picture of of Gaelynn Lea playing her violin on a stage at the bottom of the graphic

Woo-hoo!!! 🥳 Thank you SO MUCH to People Magazine for writing about my memoir, the perception of disability, and my music! I am so excited that the book is finally out in the world... Thank you to the many lovely people who are helping to spread the word! ❤️

Read it here: people.com/singer-gaely...

Forgot to add the details: The title is Gaelynn Lea: A Memoir It wasn't meant to be perfect. Here's the @libro.fm link: libro.fm/audiobooks/9...

Day 29: Gaelynn Lea - Someday We'll Linger in the Sun (2016, USA, NKC✅ PC✅ single✅)

Lea won the inaugural NPR Tiny Desk Contest with this song, which features her haunting voice and distinctive violin technique and makes the most of her unique physical presence. #THETENX5

Gaelynn Lea writes about her pet wheelchair and why she can’t shut up about Lake Superior Local nonfiction: Add “writer” to the list of the Duluth singer/songwriter’s gifts.

"I hope people realize that kindness really matters ..."
www.startribune.com/gaelynn-lea-...

A memoir cover featuring a black-and-white photograph of musician Gaelynn Lea playing the violin with her eyes closed in a moment of deep focus. The bottom half of the cover is overlaid with an intricate, colorful floral scrollwork design in shades of orange, pink, and purple. The text, set within a black banner, reads: "GAELYNN LEA: A MEMOIR – IT WASN'T MEANT TO BE PERFECT." A quote from Colin Meloy of The Decemberists is visible in the upper right.

A chaotic, high-action book cover for Dungeon Crawler Carl Book V. In the center, a muscular man wearing a black bandana mask and heart-patterned boxer shorts holds a severed doll-like head high above him. To his left is a humanoid goat in a purple robe, and to his right is a fluffy ginger cat wearing oversized sunglasses and a crown. They are surrounded by green insect-like monsters against a fiery, explosive background. The title, "THE BUTCHER'S MASQUERADE," is displayed in large, bold yellow-to-white gradient text, with the author's name, Matt Dinniman, in white at the bottom.

My weekend reads couldn't be more different. It Wasn't Meant to Be Perfect by Gaelynn Lea (@gaelynnlea.bsky.social) is a soulful, moving memoir on music & disability justice. The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman is chaotic, hilarious LitRPG mayhem.

It Wasn’t Meant to Be Perfect Folk musician, Broadway composer, and disability advocate Gaelynn Lea's warm, funny, poignant memoir is a love letter to every kind of body, to music, and to...

My friend Gaelynn wrote a memoir, and you should buy it because she is funny and smart and a good writer! www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/gaely...