Around this time last year, I was feverishly typing away to see if I could have enough short stories to put together a collection.
I felt like a superhero finally getting them together. But while I was editing, I felt like I had picked a fight with Thanos.
I'm glad I stuck with the process though, because it led me to birth several amazing tales, including "Her Story." It's about a young woman, Belinda, cursed with unwanted magic, who goes on a journey to learn that she doesn't have to be the side character in her own story. I had a lot of fun working on a tale where two women fall in love.
Since I'm not really an expert in the art of a woman falling for another woman, I asked Debra for some insight, which she generously provided. (Thank you, Debra, you rock!)
Do you have a favorite LGBTQ+ story? Tell me the title (and maybe why you like it) in the comments, for a chance to win a copy of the e-book. The contest closes on November 25th, midnight EST. The winner will be selected by me, and announced on the 26th back on my blog. Debra will also add the name of the winner to this post. Good luck!
The Trouble with Wanting, and Other Not-Quite Faerie Tales is available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
GIVEAWAY WINNER!
Congratulations, Kirk of Shadow of a Doubt blog! Rommy will be in touch with you by email shortly!
Oh, for a second I thought HRH took over Debra's blog again, the nasty feline :)
ReplyDeleteDebra is always so lesbiefriendly indeed!
LOL Dezmond, Thankfully she was otherwise involved with her royal affairs or I would have been sneezing my head off. :D
ReplyDeleteThe illustration of your book touched me deeply, Rommy … As a mother of a daughter turned trans, i know I poured my life blood into each and every one of my kids … and i do not understand her and why … and she does not understand why I do not understand. Anyway, much love, cat
ReplyDeleteBest of luck on your book Rommy, I love the cover art as well.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely interested in reading the book! Congrats and good luck.
ReplyDeleteLove the cover art.
@Cat - I don’t understand your comment. In “Her Story”, the story from my collection, the parents of the protagonist have a difficult time reconciling themselves to how nature meant their daughter to be. Are you in a similar place to where they were at the beginning of the story, having difficulty understanding who your child is?
ReplyDelete@Bob Johns - Thanks! The artist is marvelously talented. I was over the moon with the finished product.
@Holli - Yay! I am glad to have piqued your interest. Thanks, Holli.
Do novels count as stories? Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin comes to mind.
ReplyDelete@Kirk That certainly does count! I haven't read that one yet. *adds to her "To read" list*
ReplyDeleteI write fiction under a pen name. Just three books as one complete story, nicely wrapped as one package. I have several LGBT characters. One major character (though not the main) is bi (though in truth she's more pan since she doesn't have a preference at all) and another character is a lesbian.
ReplyDeleteThis is set in a fictional universe but back in more "olden times" kind of setting. So her love life and who she is (she at first thinks she's a freak because nobody else seems to have the feelings she does) becomes a major subplot in the story. She ends up having feelings for both the lesbian character and a male character and she has to choose which one she really loves and wants to be with plus all the "what ifs" of what could happen with either choice.
Like yourself, I had a lot of fun writing such a character and characters.
Multiple books - very cool Adam. I hope to have more out eventually too, though I'm savoring the feeling of finishing up this one.
DeleteGiving birth. A great analogy.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I think my tea cravings increased while writing.
DeleteRommy, funny ask about favorite LGBTQ+ stories because my very favorite is a novel which Debra recommended to me a while back, The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller. I just finished reading the second in the series, Circe, and it was yummy too. I love that Miller allows us to the see the figures of myth in a completely different way. Which is, in fact, what I love about your storytelling style, too.
ReplyDeleteThat series sounds good! I'm a sucker for mythological themes. *adds those to reading list too*
DeleteIs this contest open to cats? If it isn't, you'll be hearing from the CCLU (Cats Civil Liberties Union) on my behalf.
ReplyDeleteThe famous lesbian author, Rita Mae Brown, has written a series of 23 "cozy mysteries" over the years, co-authored with her cat Sneaky Pie Brown who also serves as the basis for the main cat character in the series, Mrs Murphy. The latest one (published in 2017) is called "A Hiss Before Dying."
See? My human isn't the ONLY crazy lesbo out there who co-writes stuff with a much smarter feline.
@ HRH Certainly felines are welcome to apply, especially when they are both royal and erudite.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard about that series before. *adds to to-read list* I'll confess, I specifically asked people for their favorite stories, because good stories are like catnip to me. I can't get enough. And letting me know about a whole series, that's hitting the jackpot. I'd cheerfully take a dosage of claratin to thank you in person if I could.
Ha! Your human can't be too crazy to have such august company at her side, though I will say she was crazy helpful to this crazy writer.
I gained some understanding from the novel Annabel by Kathleen Winter.
ReplyDeleteI've never had a quest to write something for my blog.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
@Marie Oh cool. What's the genre? *gets fingers ready to take notes*
ReplyDelete@Dora I'm more of a tea lady myself. I could probably write novels about my quests for tea.
What a great accomplishment in completing a book! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Jenn
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Rommy. It's a great title, intriguing. Debra is an invaluable resource too. At one point she mentioned the value of a good foot massage at my blog. =)
ReplyDeleteA good food massage is an exceedingly valuable thing! I think I ought to get one once the dust settles with book promotion stuff.
DeleteI thought maybe HRH was back.. Not so. I found this in my spam folder. Looks like an interesting book. I can't imagine being able to write a book. I have enough trouble commenting on blogposts.. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that all is well.
ReplyDeleteLOL, she is back in the comments section! I couldn't imagine myself writing a book - until I actually did it. I'm still in a bit of shock that it's done.
ReplyDeleteHi, Rommy! That's one helluva writing project. I don't think I can even speak that many words in a month.
ReplyDeleteThis does sound like a fun read Rommy. It would be interesting to briefly have the power of magic. Congratulations on such a great accomplishment!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see some activities on this blog again.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your book, Romey.
ReplyDeleteSorry, no stories to share....
ReplyDelete@ Jono - LOL, I'm pretty shocked that I managed to pull it off too. But it did take some dedicated editing to really refine the stories.
ReplyDelete@Miss Val - It would all depend on the magic I guess. Some types might well be more trouble than they are worth.
@Guillaume - Debra will be back to her bloggerly ways once she settles back in from her vacation
@Fundy Blue - Thanks!
@BJ - That's OK. A bunch of people have made some terrific recommendations.
Hi Rommy! Congratulations on your book. Debra is good people. I'm glad she shared her experiences with you. Oh to be a fly on that wall (or whatever the version of email exchanges is these days).
ReplyDeleteElsie
Congrats on your book Rommy! So happy and proud of you! Big Hugs!
ReplyDelete@Elsie, yes she is. I was quite grateful for her input, especially with a vacation to plan.
ReplyDelete@Stacy *hugs back* Thank you my kind friend!
Congratulations for the accomplishment dear Rommy!
ReplyDeleteStory sounds appealing.
Debra is such a sweet heart and much into humorous side of topics lol