I love many mannnnny things. This is so easy. It might seem kinda plain, but, this is true happiness in my book.
Five months ago, I set out to write a shorter novel and have done it! Brevity, as I’ve stated before, is my weakness. I am a long writer who enjoys 100k+ word counts. I am not apologizing for that. I still prefer them, but I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to put my ass through it. I needed this exercise. It was a great lesson. Now, my shortest book is 43k not, 91k. I went in with a 15k goal. Clearly, I was off by a couple thousand. Lol. But, I still set out to accomplish this thing. This goal I made for reasons other than to prove to myself I could do it. For those like me, writing short stories is unfamiliar and hard. Cutting details and world-building down to a chapter or two is not fun.
My typical genre is paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Those books are known to be longer but in the world of indie, standards such as word counts do not exist. We can write a 30k hard fantasy if we want. We can write a 20k hard sci-fi epic if we so please. My point is, the industry standard is no longer my goal post, however, I will STILL prefer longer novels for paranormal romance but that doesn’t mean I won’t write shorter ones. It’s difficult, not impossible,
If you’ve set a personal goal, and it seems unreachable, REACH FOR IT! You can do this thing! I doubted myself for a long time. Said I could never write a shorter novel, it was too hard. Well, I did it and I pushed through until typing ‘The End’. Believe in yourself and whatever it is you want to achieve, I promise it’s worth the work.
“From my point of view, your life is already a miracle of chance waiting for you to shape its destiny.” ~ Toni Morrison
I make it my business to read queer books every day. Not just in June. I’ve stressed this, often. I don’t focus on June because reading books with queer characters is my every-month, every-year thing. But! I will only give you my queer and queer ONLY for June.
This is my first read by Nikki Clarke and I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did the steam deliver, but the plot was meaningful. Now, keep in mind, I don’t read dark romance (much) I’m not sure if this counts, but tonally? It is an off-black. With past traumas and hell-on-earth flashbacks of their time as slaves, I thought it was dark and heavy. Which, is fine. I often write about the same subjects when talking about vampires. If, I am writing urban fantasy.
Though the topic may be hard to read for some, don’t let that stop you. This is a story of BLACK LOVE and I for one, loved the moments between Noah and Li were cute and sooooo spicy. They served the latter up quick and in a hurry. Coming in at sixty-ish pages, Taste is a shorty but packed with life and love. I adored it and would categorize it as Erotic Romance. Though my knowledge of the subgenre is loose, I read HELLA erotica shorts. I enjoyed the story of everlasting love and vampires. That is my shit! It’s my bread, butter, jam (i hate jelly), and peanut butter! These two gave me fangs and blood in equal doses!
But again, read them Content Warnings! Pleeeeease. There is on- page, blood, memories of murder, and attempted murder. Also, I’m on the fence about the consent. I think Taste is a solid dubcon. I don’t read books with that trope much but I’m sure it fits.
One thing I love most about himbo characters besides their blissful, confident ignorance is their wisdom during heated moments. They transform into arrogant intellectuals who have the answers to all your more personal problems.
Scrap may not know the difference between temperature and temperamental, but he knows enough, honey.
After forty years of never getting there, Zion is about to learn what, ‘reach the mountain top’ truly means.
I’m not taking this book seriously at all. It’s cute, fun and sexy. Just a little 25k novella. Nothing too much. It’s a release, a cleanser, a break, and freedom. Low plot, cozy, and warm. Letting other ideas flow and float while writing a series saves my sanity.
This one doesn’t even have a title yet. A himbo lamia (MMC/35), and a chameleon shifter nerd (FMC/40) have crossed paths thanks to the FMC escaping death. I have no idea where they’re going, but I know the FMC has to stay alive long enough for me to find out. Two idiots falling in love. My favorite trope.
Zion and Scrap! Sitting in a tree, K.I.S.S my ass to everyone who tries to gatekeep when it comes to older FMCs and romantasy!
In my youth, I was so worried about what my bible carrying father would do to me if he found out I was bi. I played the straight role for more than half my life. Though, my choice in attire had folks assuming I was a lesbian.
Because you know, keeping shit androgynous instantly makes someone queer.
[INSERT EYEROLL]
When I was ten years old, I watched as a family member was shunned and condemned by relatives after coming out. Their cruelty made a lasting impression. My own father stopped talking to this person and had nothing but terrible things to say about them.
Can you imagine how scared I was? His reaction caused me to withdraw and cower. I pushed my queerness down and forced myself into a box I never fit in.
It was rough for many years. I am proud to say I have gotten over and grown out of that hellish religious trauma.
Three immediate family members still don’t know I’m bisexual. Yes, one being my father. The other two, I just don’t care enough to tell them. I know how they’d take it and I don’t need that, type of negativity in my life.
Fuck that, I don’t want a lecture, I don’t need to be read scriptures that gave me nightmares as a child. I don’t need their opinions or upturned noses.
We’re not obligated to disclose our sexuality. You don’t have to tell a soul. I live in my truth daily. I don’t need their validation or support, because I have learned to love and accept myself.
Those of y’all who know, KNOW. Growing up in a Baptist environment will have you hating yourself and projecting. This is a struggle! I don’t withhold this information due to shame, no.
I JUST DON’T CARE ANYMORE.
I’ve reached a certain age where I truly don’t give damn. I look at my reflection and smile. I love her. I love this woman. I love who she is and what she has done and will do.
I’ll be damned to let anybody badmouth me for extending myself grace and love. You cannot let them steal your joy!
Puritan culture is going to kill the arts. Sterility is what they seek and I loathe it. To say this generation is more sexual than the last is not only ignorant but false. To speak on sex in novels without having any knowledge of old works of fiction is absurd. I can understand if you’ve read every book on planet earth and have facts to back your claims. Then I’d say good day, sir, ma’am, ENBY you have stunned and stumped me.
But nah! Hell nah.
Most who recite these points on intimacy in literature and film haven’t read enough. They haven’t researched enough or cared to. They have a ‘me’ mentality about it. ‘I don’t like this so I don’t think it’s called for’. SAD! Please, go sit down and open a book which has what you crave within those pages.
There are too many novels and movies out there w/out sex for them to complain and gripe. If you wanna nitpick about the resurgence of sexuality, genitalia and nudity then fine! Has if ever occurred to them, some may be squeezing in these sex scenes out of spite?!
I have written my fair share of sex scenes because of this. I have made certain in my recent works to make those characters fuck! I can’t take a world filled with this evangelical approach to all things linked to passion and carnality.
Sex will sell! Nothing you can do will stop it. Even if these bible thumping Neanderthals ban erotica and ‘displays of intercourse’ it won’t put an end to this.
Sex and art have ALWAYS been and will always BE one!
Some who enjoy external will find low stakes a bore. I love low or high, it doesn’t matter to me. But I will say, after reading cozies for a long time. even they, have some form of conflict. Without the internal struggle there’d be nothing. What is this character’s goal in life and how will they get there? What’s stopping them from getting it?
Sally wants to bake bread. She kneads a lump of dough until her hands hurt. Satisfied, Sally throws it into the oven.
Cool. But you know what would be awesome? Conflict.
Sally opened the flour jar and gasped. She was out. With only pennies to her name, she couldn’t afford much else. Most nights all she had was a warm loaf of bread to fill her belly. A five-mile hike to the market was her only option, and quite risky with an approaching snowstorm.
WILL SALLY STARVE TO DEATH OR RISK HER LIFE?
Will she get injured? Will a charming passerby help her, or will she perish in a blizzard?! I don’t know, but I kinda wanna find out.
Here I go, jumping into the unknown. Leaving fear of failure, and criticism behind, I’ve started my journey as an author. I have twenty-five completed novels that no one has read. Since I was nine years old, writing has been my solace. It’s where I find peace during times of grief, and sorrow. I write when I’m stressed, I write when I need an escape and solitude.
Creating a new world is an exhilarating experience and I love it! From grade school short stories to middle school poetry, and high school screenplays, I am here, writing full-length novels! For the past five years I’ve been hard at work honing my craft, in whatever way I can. I tried to write my first novel at nineteen, but I later dropped it. At twenty-two adulting had begun its siege to try and destroy all I hold dear, like my imagination. I emerged as the victor, thank fk! After life failed to push my passion aside, I marched onward and kept writing, but never once had I thought about ever publishing.I was writing for me, a fat black girl who loved Paranormal Romance and NEVER saw her type represented. I wanted to read about women who looked like me get the strapping vampire, or be the head mistress leading a coven, or be the one mate that werewolf desired above all others. It’s rare to read about women like me who is both the love interest and a preternatural being. And I reallly wanted to read that! So, I started writing and haven’t stopped since. For quite a while, I was totally fine with never putting anything out into the world, because I am terrified of negative criticism.
Despite my fears, I am ready, prepared, and excited for this new adventure. I know it won’t be filled with rainbows and sunshine all the time; I don’t expect that. I just wanted to choose courage, and confidence for once. I’ve spent years doubting who I am, what I’m capable of and my art. I’m done with that, and over the whole idea that somehow what I write isn’t worth a read or two.
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
Maya Angelou
J. T. Frost 