LGBTQ Fiction

LGBTQ+ Storytelling and a thriller from Patrick R. Field #Paranormal #Fantasy #LGBTQ+

December 15, 2023 by Adriana Kraft

On the fifteenth of every month I write a column on LGBTQ+ romance at the Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas blog. Today my guest is Patrick R. Field, with his latest release, Servant.

Here’s what readers are saying about this book:

“Finally, a story where a gay couple’s biggest issue ISN’T being gay.”

“It’s really gratifying to see a gay couple as the lead characters in a book who just ‘happen to be gay, and not a main plot point. Refreshing and a welcome addition to the gay fiction genre.”

I hope for a future in which what is true for this book can be true for all of us – that variations in sexual orientation are normal, unremarkable, and valued.

Head on over to his post to find out more:

https://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com/2023/12/lgbtq-storytelling-servant-by-patrick-r.html

New Release: Rise ~ Queer Sci Fi Anthology #Giveaway #LGBTQ #FlashFiction

October 27, 2023 by Adriana Kraft

Queer Sci Fi has a new flash fiction anthology out: Rise. And there’s a giveaway.

RISE (Noun, Verb)

Eight definitions to inspire writers around the world, and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell:

An upward slope or movement
A beginning or origin
An increase in amount or number
An angry reaction
To take up arms
To return from death
To become heartened or elated
To exert oneself to meet a challenge

Rise features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

About the Series

Every year, Queer Sci Fi runs a one-word theme contest for 300 word flash fiction stories, and then we choose 120 of the best for our annual anthology.

Publisher | Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Google Play | Kobo | Scribd | Smashwords | Thalia | Vivlio | Goodreads | Universal Buy Link

Giveaway

Queer Sci Fi is giving away a $25 Bookshop.org gift card with this tour:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47301/

Excerpts

It’s a simple recipe.

Passed down in whispers and hands tracing hands through flour and faith. Never written down, paper being too precious for such a small spell, some might say. Like something must be loud to have worth.

A common myth, one that serves her quiet magic well.

She sits pretty in commonhalls and houses, empty eye-sockets and a cloak of harmless charm enough for most to dismiss her. Certainly, her weaving or kneading is all her pretty head can handle.

She listens, and her hands move. Each stitch another secret, gossip kneaded into every loaf.

—From Simple Recipes for Small Magics – Ziggy Schutz

It wasn’t the principles that Matt Harden objected to. The principles were fine: Limited planetary resources. Circle of life. The wrongness of playing God.

But, he thought as he spread the herbs on the basement floor in the prescribed way, the principles were bullshit when you were faced with reality. When the only man who’d ever held your heart was stolen from you by a moment’s distraction behind the wheel. When you never had the chance to even say goodbye. When your body in bed was as cold and alone as a corpse in a coffin.

When the night mist was clammy on your neck and the grave-dirt heavy on your shovel.

—From Principle and Reality – Kim Fielding

“He’s here,” Matt said, slamming the door behind him. “You ready?”

“Think so,” Rory said. He’d finished the salt circle, and quickly moved on to placing the candle in the center.

“Will this work?”

“It’s this or nothing.” Once Tiff told them she’d survived a run in with the killer known as The Hook, Rory knew they were as good as dead. Supposedly this bastard had been killed before, but he never seemed to stop. Much about The Hook seemed unreal, but Rory thought it was the only weapon they had – the unbelievable. Besides, they were gay; those characters always died first.

From Best Served Cold – Andrea Speed

“You do realize,” the nurse said gravely, “that without your parent permission form, this procedure can only be temporary.”

“I do,” Sharon said nervously. Sharon. That was a good name, right? Sounded like Shawn, but wasn’t. Was a girl’s name. A woman’s name. She liked Sharon.

“And that given your parent’s lack of support for this, there will be a counselor assigned to your home to ensure your safety?” The nurse continued, checking the talking points on her tablet with precision.

“I won’t need it,” Sharon said nervously. “They think it’s a phase, but they’re not, you know, hostile.”

From A New Day – Amy Lane

Author Bio

This year, 554 authors entered the Rise contest. 120 of them were chosen, and their stories are included in this anthology:

Jordan Abronson
Aisling Alvarez
CJ Aralore
Ellery Arden
Anusha Asim
K. Aten
Drew Baker
Jeff Baker
Evelyn Benvie
Eytan Bernstein
L. R. Braden
Sorren Briarwood
Kayleen Burdine
Siri Caldwell
Sonja Seren Calhoun
Jennifer Caracappa
T. D. Carlson
Caro
Minerva Cerridwen
Amanda Cherry
Dawn Spina Couper
Monique Cuillerier
Lynden Daley
Claire Davon
Ef Deal
Francine DeCarey
Nicole Dennis
Sarah Doebereiner
Kellie Doherty
Allan Dyen-Shapiro
Markus McCann Edgette
Kim Fielding
Tom Folske
Athena Foster
Ani Fox
Beáta Fülöp
Jendia Gammon
Storm Grant
Chad Grayson
Gabbi Grey
Kaje Harper
Narrelle M. Harris
Kelly Haworth
Chisto Healy
Megan Hippler
Joanna Michal Hoyt
Grace Hudson
Meghan Hyland
Jeff Jacobson
Erin Jamieson
W. Dale Jordan
Adrik Kemp
Olivia Kemper
Jamie Lackey
Aidee Ladnier
Amy Lane
Tris Lawrence
Brenda Lee
Katrina Lemaire
Gordon Linzner
Jayne Lockwood
Clare London
Nathan Alling Long
Patricia Loofbourrow
J.C. Lovero
Ilyas M.
Stacey Mahuna
Paula McGrath
Atlin Merrick
Amanda Meuwissen
Eloreen Moon
Jaime Munn
RJ Mustafa
Oliver Nash
Annika Neukirch
Jess Nevins
Rory Ni Coileain
K.L. Noone
Milo Owen
Chris Panatier
J Piper
Nia Quinn
Mere Rain
D.M. Rasch
Kazy Reed
LS Reinholt
Alexei Madeleine Reyner
Emerian Rich
Rie Sheridan Rose
Anna Rueden
Curtis Rueden
Carol Ryles
Jamie Sands
Rodello Santos
Sumiko Saulson
Aradhya Saxena
Ziggy Schutz
C.J. Scott
Alex Silver
Roxanne Skelly
sparks
Andrea Speed
Chloe Spencer
Robin Springer
Andrea Stanet
Nathaniel Taff
O.E. Tearmann
Tori Thompson
George Underwood
Avery Vanderlyle
Joz Varlo
Dawn Vogel
Rhian Waller
Dean Wells
Devon Widmer
B Wilkins
Holli Rebecca Williams
Paul Wilson
X. Ho Yen
Jamie Zaccaria

Queer Sci Fi Website: https://www.queerscifi.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/qsfdiscussions

Mastodon: https://mastodon.otherworldsink.com/@queerscifi

“I can still turn heads at 59…” #EroticRomance #LGBTQ #LaterInLife #MFRWAuthors

October 6, 2023 by Adriana Kraft

Picture this: The year is 2006. You’re a bisexual woman in your late fifties, and your only significant love relationship was with a woman who died of cancer four years ago. What does your future hold? What do you hope for?

I thought it was time to give Claire Johnson her moment to shine. She was interviewed last spring…

Interview

Name: Claire Johnson
Nickname: The one I sometimes hear whispered? The Ice Queen.
Age: 59
Gender: Female
Birthplace: Manhattan
Profession: Sex Educator? Marketing Expert? I co-direct a center whose goal is to help others of all ages, from all walks of life, safely discover and enjoy the many gifts of sexual pleasure in their lives. It was my first job after college, and I do whatever’s required to advance our purpose.

Please provide a physical description of yourself.

Thank you for asking – call me vain if you like, but I’m really proud of the fact that I can still turn heads at age 59. I’m a tall trim blonde, and yes, I do touch up my hair color a tad. I used to keep a severe short hairstyle, but I’ve let it grow out a bit. By now I can rely on my presence and my stature to intimidate when I need to. Did I mention trim? I work out and I watch what I eat.

What are your pronouns?

She/Her. That’s never wavered; I’m pleased there are more options now than when I was young, though.

What is your middle name?

I don’t have one.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

No. At least, it’s never happened to me. I’ve only ever had one love, and she left our Center eight years ago and cut off all contact. She died of cancer four years later, and I barely learned in time to get to her funeral. Our open relationship was complex but profound and deep, but I’d never say I fell in love with her at first sight. She was the one who pursued me.

What is your MBTI type?

Wow. It’s been a long time since I took that test, for some team building we were doing at the Center several years back. I remember getting pissed off at some of the questions – nothing in life is dichotomous, either/or, and I hated having to choose when neither was quite right. But I really can’t argue with the type that surfaced: ESTJ. I’m definitely an extrovert, which places me well to schmooze with potential donors and drum up funds for the Center. I’m extremely organized and analytical, quick to assess when something might be useful for Center goals and take advantage of it. No one would ever accuse me of being touchy-feely. It’s not that I don’t have emotions, but I learned long ago how to keep them under wraps so they wouldn’t interfere with my goals. And yes, quick to judge and make decisions…even if they’re wrong sometimes.

Do you enjoy dressing up or prefer to dress casually?

You truly want to know this? I’m most comfortable being fully nude, and I love the privacy of my Manhattan condo. Even so, I’ll often wear a silky coverup or lounge dress, especially during the winter. When I go out? Classic and stylish, however formal or casual. I can still rock a little black dress and love to circulate among our donors at fund raisers.

What color best describes you?

I’ve never thought about that. I wear a lot of blue, both pale and jewel toned. I think it sets off my blue eyes and blonde hair nicely, so yes, blue, but never a sad blue. Plus I suppose blue would go with Ice Queen. I might have left the impression I don’t like that nickname, but secretly, it’s something I’ve cultivated. Or perhaps not so secretly, by now.

Who is the one person who can convince you to do something you know you shouldn’t?

I used to think there wasn’t anyone. But ever since Melissa Hopkins (now Hopkins-Gage) joined our center, she qualifies. She’s a full three decades younger than I am, but what an effervescent bundle of energy! Very creative, and just as dedicated to our purpose as myself. I have to add that everything she talked me into turned out to be exactly what I needed, but every single time I was convinced otherwise. For example, she’s the one who convinced me to go back on camera for our videos on sex and aging. That changed my life—but I’m not allowed to give you spoilers!

If you could choose a theme song to play when you entered a scene, which one of the following would fit best:

LOL Been there, done that – in book one of this series, Smoldering Passion. The perfect song for me? I’m a child of the sixties: Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman.” Readers who missed book one might want to go back and catch that sexy scene. It’s another example of something Melissa persuaded me to do…

~

My thanks to Kayelle Allen at the Romance Lives Forever blog for these marvelous interview questions and her permission to re-blog the interview.

Ripening Passion by Adriana Kraft
Genre: Erotic Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R

BUY LINK

Universal Buy Link

https://books2read.com/u/4D82BP

Book Blurb:

Can Max melt the Ice Queen? Should he even try?

Claire Johnson’s dedication to sex—the cornerstone of her career—led her to help found the Center for Sexuality and Sex Practices. Now in her fifties, she knows the Center must keep pace with the rapidly growing Baby Boomer market, so she agrees to go back on camera for a series on sex and aging. But work with her nemesis?

Former English Professor Max Wilson has championed the cause of the Center ever since his now deceased wife sought the Center’s help to rekindle the nearly extinguished sexual flames of their relationship. He loves working on camera and welcomes the challenge to perform with the svelte but icy temptress.

Sparks fly immediately on and off camera. The jury is out on whether either Max or Claire can transform those sparks into a fire of sexual desire for their viewers—let alone for each other.

Blog Tour: Enchanted Ink, by Robin Lynn #LGBTQ #Giveaway #GayRomance #gaybookpromo

May 26, 2023 by Adriana Kraft

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Enchanted Ink

Author: Robin Lynn

Cover Artist: Art by Gio Guimaraes, Design by Katie Marlin

Release Date: June 1, 2023

Genres: LGBTQ Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy

Tropes: Fantasy/Magic/World-building, Tattoo artists, Hurt/Comfort, Meet-Cute, Secret Identities, Celebrities, HEA, Queer romance

Themes: Self-acceptance, trauma recovery, transformation, Demisexual representation.

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 60 000 words

It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger

Pre-Order Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK

When it comes to transformation, magic only fixes what’s skin deep…

Blurb

In a world where an artist’s magic brings tattoos to life, ink gone wrong can spell lasting heartache for those unlucky enough to experience it. Jaded and cynical on both life and love, tattoo artist Ashton is about to find out that even the most deeply-etched scars can be transformed into something beautiful when the right person is holding the pen.

“Enchanted Ink” is a ground-breaking romance that showcases how, with a bit of ink, some love, and a whole lot of trust, even the ugliest scars can be transformed into something impossibly beautiful.

Using the art of tattooing as a metaphor for life, “Enchanted Ink” makes it a mission to show even the most cynical and scarred of us that it’s possible to heal, to find love, and that it’s never too late to start all over again.

Excerpt
The twelfth annual “Enchanted Ink” Tattoo Convention has been in full swing for hours, but Ashton has yet to venture inside. It’s not as if he doesn’t know what he’ll find there: a fairly standard convention space, divided using equally standard black curtains hanging from predictable portable frames creating both booths and stations offering displays that are anything but ordinary. Various tattoo artists and their work, in the flesh—the best of the best, by both fact and opinion.

In addition to the booths, there are always several centralized showcase stands, right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle. Elevated platforms where human works of art strip down to their underwear and pose, proudly displaying full-body and wildly colorful tattoos boasting some of the most intricate and beautiful imagery that probably exists in the entire inked world.

This particular convention admits artists by invitation only, and while Ashton isn’t technically here to work this year, it’s an event he’s enjoyed immensely in the past. It’s bittersweet—perhaps a touch heavy on the bitter—hovering on the outskirts, wondering whether he’ll ever find himself behind a booth and promoting his work again. While that remains to be seen, there’s plenty here to worry about in the meantime.

The thought of Whitaker working somewhere inside the building behind him crosses Ashton’s mind and makes him grimace. He can practically feel the tentative nerve he’s so painstakingly gathered, the courage to finally wander through the front door, trickling away like water through a sieve.

Again.

Good thing it’s a nice day out, today. Sixty-eight degrees and sunny, not a cloud in the sky, and Ashton brought a book. He can wait. The courage to go inside will come.

Probably.

Sighing, Ashton rubs the sleeve of his too-dressy collared shirt across the backs of his eyelids. The button on the cuff pokes his eye, and it feels like a call-out. He’s too dressed up, he looks out of place. Too covered, if nothing else. Which isn’t to say that tattooed folks can’t be modest—naturally, that’s false and would be a terribly judgemental view to hold. Either way, the whole point of a tattoo convention is to show off one’s body and as much art decorating skin as possible. It’s supposed to be a positive, empowering experience.

That’s definitely the point, and his body is aesthetically pleasant to look at, both sculpted and toned—yet here Ashton is, buttoned up solidly from head to toe. Acting like he cares more about looking the part of a corporate stooge rather than flaunting the walking canvas he is. Lame. So lame.

Lame, but necessary, he reminds himself.

About the Author

Robin Lynn is a 36-year-old queer, autistic mother of two, an unabashed fangirl sometimes known as “Wings,” and a disabled former firefighter, paramedic, and registered nurse. She writes for queer audiences with the goal of reflecting and centering the lgbtqia2s+ community in more media, because everyone deserves to see relatable, imperfect main characters who mirror themselves simply existing and getting their happy endings.

Find out more and follow Robin for additional content and future projects