Guess what, guys! Here’s the (somewhat belated) cover reveal for Scorched Earth, the second installment of the Phoenix Burned serial! Jacqueline Sweet outdid herself bringing Abeni to life in all of her vivacious glory.
Tag Archives: romance
Cover Reveal for Reaper!
Following the cover reveal for Inkubus’s new cover, here’s Reaper! I’m a sucker for colors, so the newer, brighter ones had me from the start!
The Inkubus series is getting shiny new covers!
Sickness is a funny thing. Sometimes one task will be all but impossible, and you’ll have to shift to do something else. And even tasks that are both “creative” pull different things from the brain. Case in point, I can’t write while I have a migraine… but I can handle Photoshop. Go figure.
I tell you this because part and parcel with the pretty updated formatting I’ve been working on are pretty new covers. You can’t stare at the same piece of art for years without periodically getting the urge to try something different.
So that’s how the Inkubus series ended up with a whole new series of covers. If you follow me on Facebook, you may have seen me sharing these already. But just in case…. taadaaaa!
I’ll be back soon with the covers for Reaper, and Chameleon, and maybe I’ll even show off a few cards from the de Long tarot. I’m still moving slowly from August’s surgery, and am still pretty sick, so you’ve got some time to catch up on your TBR list while you wait for new books from me. And with so many awesome new books coming soon- (Any Lili st. Germain fans waiting for Gun Shy?) that list’ll be full again soon enough.
Next up, the new Reaper cover!
<3
Romance is political. Period.
I wrote a political book. Not a “well, I’ll try to toe the line between subversive and mainstream, and try to seed new ideas in quietly” balancing act, but a make-your-eyes-bleed polemic diatribe of a story.
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Political things are not always well-received in our pop culture, including in romance. “I read to escape.” “I’m tired of the negativity.” And so on and so on.
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But can I let you in on a secret?
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Romance is political.
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Love is political.
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It was when women were expected to marry strangers for stability or economic need, and come to discover good traits in their partners after the wedding. In such an environment, a romance that showed a woman that she shouldn’t have to be unhappy was a deeply political act of rebellion against those who would rather she bore her distress in silence.
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It was when the Lovings were forbidden from marrying by laws against miscegenation. When the “white slavery” panic created laws such as the Mann Act to punish interracial couples by portraying men of color and foreigners as evil, lustful deceivers who would lure good (white) men’s wives into prostitution and sin.
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It was when same-sex couples were forbidden from marriage. (Or are, if a new Supreme Court and Congress overturns that precedent). In many areas, small public displays of affection such as handholding or kissing are still deeply political acts.
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For a woman to read a book that tells her that she deserves someone amazing who enriches her personal growth is a deeply political act in a world in which half the population still thinks she should be legally required to be submissive to her male partner.
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For a woman to read a book that explores her sexuality, and treats her sexual wants as relevant and necessary to the success of a relationship is a deeply political act in a world in which women’s sexuality is still held up for public contempt and harassment.
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For a woman- especially a woman of color- to read a book in which people of color are portrayed as desirable, it is a political statement. And the reverse. When we only consume entertainment showing white couples, or straight couples, it is a political statement.
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For millions of women to spend billions on books that affirm these values despite being treated like a cultural punchline is a deeply political statement.
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So yes. I wrote something political. If I’m lucky I’ll never write something so political again.
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And by choosing to read it, or similar political works, or not, you’re doing something just as political, too.
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Anarchist’s Lullaby is now available for preorder, with a March release.
On romance, community, and isolation as a bisexual in a monosexual world.
TW: homophobia, sexual violence, rape culture, biphobia, violence against LGBT people.
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Note: this piece primarily speaks from my point of view as a white cisgender bisexual woman, referring to the behavior of other cisgender people. I would love to hear trans people speak on how their experience of bisexuality differs, but as that’s an experience I can’t speak to, I’m not going to claim their experience is similar to mine. Same with bisexual people of color. That’s intersectionalism, the idea that everyone’s story is affected deeply by which “isms” their existence straddles. Bisexuality and Pansexuality, as I use them, are synonymous, meaning “attraction to people who are the same gender, OR who are a different one.” And monosexuality is the attraction to only ONE gender, for instance, gay, lesbian, and straight.
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Normally, when the subject of my bisexuality comes up, my go-to answer is that it only means “that some of my exes, my current partner would also be crushing on.” My current partner is plumb-line straight. But I’ve had my bi-dom on my mind a fair amount lately, with the violence toward LGBT people getting worse, especially the demonization of trans people’s access to gender-affirming bathrooms, the Orlando massacre, and the person who was believed to be targeting LA’s gay pride event, as well as the everyday violence and discrimination leveled at genderqueer or trans people.
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First up, though my bisexuality is a huge part of me, I’ve never found community in it. I don’t do Pride, because I’m antisocial and easily frightened in crowds, thanks to my PTSD. I’ve never found LGBT-specific communities to feel any safer to me than normal ones, in large part because bisexuality/pansexuality gets such a pervasively bad rep even among LGBT people.
Continue reading On romance, community, and isolation as a bisexual in a monosexual world.
Dancer Playlist: Malia
With Malia live, it’s time to talk about her music! She likes it slow, a little aggressive, and if it has an orchestral hook, all the better.
Oftentimes, Malia’s music isn’t clubworthy; when it can be incorporated into a set, it’s entirely because of her capacity as a performer. Rules are meant to be broken and all that.
But it’s lyrical, often melancholy, and it suits her.
Queen of Clubs: Malia is now available!
The second Queen of Clubs story, Malia, is now widely available!
The exotic dancers and employees of the Queen of Clubs walk a fine line, with only wits, beauty, and market savvy to keep them from toppling into the shark pit. Ride shotgun through lapdances, romance, and sexual awakenings. Don’t worry, these girls won’t ask what your hands are doing under the tip rail.
A former ballet dancer turned stripper ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. What could be worse than ending up in your first love’s lap…at his brother’s bachelor party?
Where To Buy:
Also available in the What To Read After FSOG Gemstone Collection, Part Eight.
I’m excited to share some excerpts, and Malia’s dancer playlist. In case you missed Cora, here’s an excerpt, and don’t forget to read it first! These stories are standalone, but some of the vocabulary has an easier entry point in Cora.
And… here’s Malia!
Love and Lapdances!
Katie
The WTRAFSOG 8 collection is now available, including Queen of Clubs: Malia!
Super psyched by this, everyone! Malia is close to my heart, and she’ll be available exclusively in this collection through December 15th. Then, you can get her on her own.
Coming November 23rd: Queen of Club: Malia in the eighth WTRAFSOG anthology!
Exciting news! Malia will release a little early as part of the WTRAFSOG Gemstone anthologies. I’m pretty psyched, since WTRAFSOG is a great source of recommendations, and has steered me to some amazing books. I’ve had a lot of fun with the amazing members of that community.
It’ll be widely available on its own December 15th, but exclusive in The Gemstone Collection until then. So get it for a great price, and meet several other amazing authors at the same time! Something to keep you occupied until Tori comes out, in January.
I’ll share a purchase link as soon as it’s available, but in the meantime, you’re all invited to come hang out on facebook for the launch party. Lots of giveaways, including some handmade wearable pretties I’ve been working on, and good natured pervy fun with an amazing batch of authors.
Love and Lapdances!
Katie
Queen of Clubs: Cora’s Playlist
Okay- so a dancer’s playlist is a very personal thing. Sometimes, it strikes a balance between her persona and her clients- grown men don’t want to listen to Taylor Swift, no matter how confident her music makes the dancer feel- and sometimes it’s something that says a lot about the dancer.
Cora’s music is slow, sexy, and sometimes at odds with the club’s playlist. But it’s perfect for a night at home, with low lighting.
Cora’s Playlist
Goapele Play
Janelle Monae Primetime
Of course we would begin with those two, since they’re her first set ever, and such a memorable one, at that. But it goes on.
Nick Cave Cannibal’s Hymn
Tom Waits Going Out West
Miranda Sex Garden Peepshow
Doja Cat So High
Lovage Strangers On A Train
Lovage Stroker Ace
Handsome Boy Modeling School I’ve Been Thinking
Tinashe 2 On
Lissie Mother (Danzig Cover)
DJ Logik Spider Song
Massive Attack Five Man Army
Pearl Jam Pendulum
Bastille No Angels
What’s on your dream playlist?