WPS 2026 Day 8: Kestrel Martin

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 8: Kestrel Martin

Welcome to day 8 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Kestrel Martin. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Kestrel Martin's LGBTQ+ Releases

• The Cost of Vices
• Wars in Wonderland

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Lesbian"

2. What rep do your books have?

"Lesbian, pansexual, and mental health rep in both books"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"Honestly, I already write in all the genres I want to be in (fantasy, romantasy, horror, thriller, mystery) so I'm not really sure which genre I'd pick outside of those😅"

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"The weather. I tend to have more inspiration and more productive writing days when it's cool and rainy. I also sometimes find inspiration in certain songs."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"I have a new erotic thriller coming out later this year! Date TBD but I'm hoping for September :)"

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"This might sound like a cop out but every queer person doing the work and fighting for our rights is someone worth looking up to. Especially my town's local drag queens because they are seriously some of the most amazing people out there!"

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 7: Brad Peacock & James Crews

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 7: Brad Peacock & James Crews

Welcome to day 7 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Brad Peacock & James Crews. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Brad Peacock & James Crews' LGBTQ+ Release

• Love is For All Of Us 

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Gay married couple"

2. What rep do your books have?

"BIPOC and LGBTQIA+"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"James: Fiction

Brad : Fiction"

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"James: I try to find inspiration in the everyday material of life, and all the small wonders already around me. This is the most consistent source of my work. 

Brad:  I would definitely say nature is a huge inspiration in my work.  Being a vegetable farmer for over 20 years, I spend much of my time out amongst our natural world.  Compassion, empathy and community also align very closely with my writing"

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"James: I am publishing a new poetry collection with Andrew McMeel this fall called The Sacred Everyday, and a children’s book in the spring with Beaming Books called Helpers All Around, which is about finding kindness in our lives around us.

Brad:  We are currently collaborating on another poetry anthology that we are both very excited about, and is scheduled to come out in 2028.  I would say another very exciting prospect on our horizon is our search for our own farmland so that I can start my own vegetable farm and nursery, with a focus on native plants to the Northeast.  We plan on building a gathering space on the farm so that we can host other creatives and authors to come share their work, and allow us to hold workshops.  We look forward to conserving the land we find so that it will stay in farming for generations to come."

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"James: Andrea Gibson is someone I look up to immensely. Their poetry still affects me each and every day, and has had a deep influence on my own work as well. Their message of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary life we are given aligns with my own intentions for writing and living.

Brad:  Harvey Milk first comes to mind.  His legacy certainly inspired me to get involved when our home state of Vermont was debating passing gay marriage.  I was barely out at the time, but I felt called to speak out and was able to voice my opinion in front of the legislature that year, which not only was empowering, but helped me to become my authentic self.  He truly sacrificed his life, for the empowerment of all queer people.  I also believe Alok Vaid Menon has been inspirational and transformative in our current history, helping to further queer causes and inspiring many to be their authentic creative selves."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 7: Simone Holiday

 

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 7: Simone Holiday

Welcome to day 7 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Simone Holiday. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Simone Holiday's LGBTQ+ Releases

• Let Them Fall
• Falling Forward

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Bi/omnisexual"

2. What rep do your books have?

"Let Them Fall: BIPOC, Lesbian, Pansexual, and Bisexual

Falling Forward: Lesbian, Pansexual, and Middle-aged MCs, BIPOC"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"Well I do (haha), I love writing contemporary romance, but I also dabble in paranormal/fantasy under a different pen name. No matter what I write it will likely always have some element of queer romance because of HEA factor, which I think is so needed right now. I will say, that one day I'd love to write a memoir though!"

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"This is going to sound corny but I really believe in the power of art to process and to encourage progressive change. So my inspiration is truly the world around me, and all of the things going on in it. Anyone who reads my work will see this, though at varying degrees. In terms of actually getting my butt in the seat and doing the thing? My kiddo is a huge inspiration for me. I saw my mom pursue her dreams growing up and it had a profound impact on me. I want to demonstrate the same thing for my kiddo, and also let them know that the world can be diverse and beautiful and that people always have the option to choose love and acceptance. Lastly, it is deeply important to me that they see that no matter who they choose to love or how they express themselves, they belong in my world (and as main characters, not just supporting figures)."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"I am still so new at this that this is ALL exciting. Exhausting, but exciting! I can't wait to see where I go as a writer and also, where my books go!"

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"There are so many in my life because I grew up around queerness in all forms. So I have plenty of familial and personal people I look up to but cannot name here. If I had to think of a public figure it would be Marsha P. Johnson. She was such a stunning force and laid everything, including her life, on the line for a chance at happiness and freedom. That type of bravery is unbelievably admirable but I also hate the fact that it probably came down to 'do or die' for her. Because of that, I want to do my best to honor what she, and so many other queer individuals (especially queer women), fought for and gave up their lives for by using my voice, art, and anything I can."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases! 

WPS 2026 Day 6: Lacie M. Lou

 

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 6: Lacie M. Lou

Welcome to day 6 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Lacie M. Lou. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Lacie M. Lou's LGBTQ+ Releases

• Prophecy of Blood and Flames
• Children of Gods and Monsters
• Guardian of Fate and Vengeance

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Asexual"

2. What rep do your books have?

"Anxiety, depression, SA survivor, abuse survivor, grief, asexual, pansexual, bisexual, trans (books 2&3), nonbinary"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"It's so hard to choose. I think I would write horror, or dystopian. Both have been such major influences for me and my writing, and I think getting to explore the emotional storytelling and themes of those genres could be really fun! Incredibly devastating to my readers, so even more fun, haha."

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"I think it's true for many authors, not just me, but my lived experiences and my own journey are heavy inspirations for my writing. Having gone through a lot of hardship, there's no end to the depth of raw emotion I can pull from -- so there's some good and some bad to that. Being able to escape into books during those dark times in my life gave me such peace... I want to do that for readers."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"I am publishing my first romance-centered book this year! It's still fantasy, still dark and epic -- but queer love is the driving force to the story. I'm so excited to dive into a new story, and to stretch myself as an author, but it's also a little scary. This is so different from my other writing, so it will be a new experience not only for me, but also my readers."

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"I have to give all the roses to my fellow queer authors, especially those that have been trailblazing this space for everyone else. This community has meant so much to me. I continue to meet incredible authors across social media and in person, and readers, too. I love this little corner of the community I am building and all the wonderful people who build me up. I couldn't do this all without them!"

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases! 

WPS 2026 Day 6: Farhad J. Dadyburjor

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 6: Farhad J. Dadyburjor

Welcome to day 6 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Farhad J. Dadyburjor. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Farhad J. Dadyburjor's LGBTQ+ Release

• Queerly Beloved

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Gay"

2. What rep do your books have?

"Gay"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"Anything with humor and a queer romance in it, even if it was a murder mystery."

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"Books by Martin Amis, JG Ballard, Bret Easton Ellis and Hanya Yanagihara."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"Right now I’m enjoying promoting my new book ‘Queerly Beloved’, a romcom about a big fat Indian gay wedding."

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"Tom Ford. His fashion, aesthetics, and eye for detail is incomparable."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 6: Alex Amore

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 6: Alex Amore

Welcome to day 6 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Alex Amore. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Alex Amore 's LGBTQ+ Release

• House of Lilith: Rise of The Morningstar

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Queer and genderfluid"

2. What rep do your books have?

" Sapphic Female MC (spent 4 years as a psychiatric patient), Gay Male MC (anxiety & depressive disorder), Pansexual Male MC. (Alcoholism)"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"I would love to write in every genre! I have so many stories that I want to write and I might be starting in dark fantasy, but that's just the beginning."

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"I'm most inspired by stories in mythology or fairy tales. As a kid I was usually by myself and in those stories I found such possibility, endless potential that made the lonely little child I was, feel like I was capable anything."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"Yes! In June, I'll officially begin posting chapters (weekly) of my own original web novels. This will include five ongoing series! I'm also planning on releasing 'Heart of The Fallen' the sequel to my debut dark fantasy novel 'Rise of The Morningstar' in October of this year!"

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"I feel kinda tacky for saying this but...myself? I amaze myself with everything I've done, because I never thought I was capable of most of it, especially writing a book. Not only that, but I've made it my mission to create a platform and space for all members of the queer community to feel seen and safe, especially the queer people of color. I write for them and for myself, so we can live in a world where we don't feel alone."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 5: Lowri Charles

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 5: Lowri Charles

Welcome to day 5 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Lowri Charles. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Lowri Charles's LGBTQ+ Release[s]

• Call It Fête

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Demisexual and pansexual"

2. What rep do your books have?

"Call It Fête: Gay and bisexual

This Is Going to Ruin the Tour: Demisexual"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"I would love to write Horror. I find the way writers piece together all the twists and turns, keep me hooked AND scare the beejus out of me so clever, and I'd love to pull off the scariest story of the year."

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"I adore Ali Hazelwood for her quirky stories, millennial references and how she writes about people in love. I also love Alexis Hall's queer stories."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"My next book is due out on June 25th, and I'm excited for people to get to know Lucy and Rhys' story. Plus, it's based in Wales, where I'm from, and we absolutely need more love stories from Wales."

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"Honestly, my friends. I play roller derby, which is one of the queerest sports, and I love everyone living their true lives <3"

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 5: Stevie Hosler

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 5: Stevie Hosler

Welcome to day 5 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Stevie Hosler. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Stevie Hosler's LGBTQ+ Release

• Shadow of Lilith

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Bisexual"

2. What rep do your books have?

"Bisexual FMC in a WLW relationship, depression and anxiety including anxiety attacks and her coping mechanisms. BIPOC characters: Black, South Asian, and Southeast Asian. MCs are immigrants to the US from Poland."

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"Right now, I write paranormal, but I definitely want to dip my toes into dystopian/post-apocalyptic. I have a zombie apocalypse book loosely outlined that I think is a fresh take and will bring new readers into the genre."

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"Honestly, television and movies. I am incredibly moved by screenwriting. I think it's evident in my writing, which is character and dialogue driven, that screenwriting is where I draw inspiration, especially the shows I grew up on like True Blood, Charmed, Gilmore Girls, and of course, Buffy."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"My second novel, The Stars in Our Hearts, is releasing in July. It's a witchy fantasy about best friends who cast a spell and are reincarnated over five lifetimes together. I am drafting the sequel to my debut, Shadow of Lilith, and I have a sapphic fantasy series that I am currently working on. I'm outlining the world-building and magic system. I do have the cover and some character art for book one in that series. No one told me how difficult it is to create and name your own continent and all of its provinces! It's daunting!"

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"Harley Laroux. I think what they have done as an author and a public figure in standing up for LGBTQIA rights and against facism in this country is truly inspiring. They unapologetically bring their whole self to the table and I absolutely admire that and seek to do the same. We have a platform. We're writing stories in a time when diverse storytelling is at risk. We need to use our voices now more than ever to keep these stories and characters alive."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 4: Cait Gordon

 

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 4: Cait Gordon

Welcome to day 4 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Cait Gordon. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Cait Gordon's LGBTQ+ Release

• Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space!

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Abrosexual (fluid, pan attracted, ace spectrum)"

2. What rep do your books have?

"Disabled, deaf, blind, neurodivergent, selectively speaking or non-vocally speaking, ace/aro, bi, gay, and trans."

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"Even though I love space opera, I would also love to do more queer retellings of fairy tales! In Speculative Shorts: Stories that fell out of my brain, I wrote my own 'little mermaid' story, 'Ranger of the Sea,' starring a non-speaking mermaid-siren, who in my head is ace/aro. Her passion is protecting the creatures of the sea and not having a romance with a prince!"

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"My biggest inspiration is seeking a world where disability is considered first and not as an afterthought. That’s why I wrote Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! during the pandemic. After listening to all the eugenic-based messages that said only someone like me will get sick or die, I needed to go to a place where no matter what your body-mind is like, accessibility and accommodations are the norm!"

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"I am so thrilled to be releasing Hot Wings and Sauciness this late summer. It’s got the meet-awkward of the 25th century and stars a disabled and autistic FMC in her fifties who’s a bit sweary! I have zero clue how I came up with her. *cough*"

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"I admire my BFF and co-editor of the Nothing Without Us (Too) anthologies, Talia C. Johnson. She’s fearless in her activism and always cares about boosting trans and autistic voices."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 4: Any Gravelle

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 4: Any Gravelle

Welcome to day 4 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Any Gravelle. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Any Gravelle's LGBTQ+ Release

• Y'a d'la fierté dans l'air

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Pansexual"

2. What rep do your books have?

"LGBTQIA+ and depression"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"I would try to write either a sport or a dark romance and maybe a thriller, but I don't plot enough to write a good one. I like to be surprised by my characters. "

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"My own life and people around me. I also get inspired by the music I listen to, the movies or the series I watch, even by other authors."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"I'm working on a new contemporary romance short story for an anthology with Ignite by books next year and a secret project that I hope will see the light."

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"Coeur de Pirate, she has an amazing voice. I also like RuPaul, the funniest person on television."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 4: Steven Gellman

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 4: Steven Gellman

Welcome to day 4 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Steven Gellman. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Steven Gellman's LGBTQ+ Release

• Somewhere in Nowhere

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Gay"

2. What rep do your books have?

"LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, a neurodivergent character with mental health being the main focus of the story"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"I'm currently writing book three of my loosely-connected contemporary YA trilogy, but I'm also in the very early stages of planning an adult cozy magical realism series which I'm quite excited about. So the question of 'if' might become 'when.'"

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"Judy Blume is my muse. When I set out to write my debut novel I knew from the get go it was going to be a classic coming of age novel in the vein of Judy Blume. Her books kept me company in my youth and taught me about the world. I wanted to do the same, except for all the queer kids."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"Yes! Somewhere in Nowhere just came out, but I've already turned in my second novel to my agent and I'm super excited about it. I really love it and I can't wait for the world to meet Tobey Mackintosh. Also I just released a limited edition hot pink vinyl record with songs inspired by my novel. More info at hiddenpoet.com"

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"So many! But to keep it brief. 

In writing books it's Rex Ogle. 

In music it's the Indigo Girls: Amy & Emily. 

In activism it's George Takei."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 3: BJ Sikes

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 3: BJ Sikes 

Welcome to day 3 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing BJ Sikes . Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

BJ Sikes 's LGBTQ+ Releases

• Her Runaway Lady
• The Archimedean Heart
• The Vitruvian Mask

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Queer"

2. What rep do your books have?

"The Archimedean Heart: ace

The Vitruvian Mask: bi, nonbinary, gay

Her Runaway Lady: lesbian"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"I already write in multiple genres! I'm all about historicals but the genre shifts. I started out with steampunk with queer vibes, then published a gothic horror, and now a sapphic historical romance."

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"Music lyrics are really inspirational for me. The seed for my next book was an Unwoman lyric: 'I am making peace with the emptiness, the hollowness, because I refuse to fill it with lies.'" 

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"I'll be publishing a queer climate sci-fi this summer with Water Dragon Publishing. I've always been an indie author writing historicals so this is definitely a new direction for me!"

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"A gay author friend of mine who works his tail off promoting other queer authors while continuing to write his own work at an astonishing pace (without AI!)."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 3: Jeza Belle

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 3: Jeza Belle

Welcome to day 3 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Jeza Belle. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Jeza Belle's LGBTQ+ Releases

• Secrets in the Tallgrass
• Abomination-The Story of David & Jonathan
• The Freedom to Love; Blood Rouge
• Jeza's Jesus Juice-A Drag Queen's Christian Devotional
• The Harlot's Guide to Classy Cocktails-Delicious Drink Recipes and Drunk Drag Queens

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Yes- G/Q/+"

2. What rep do your books have?

"Secrets in the Tallgrass: an intersex main character. It is part of a collection of historical fiction novels featuring LGBTQIA+ main characters in settings where our existence has been minimized or overlooked."

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"I consider myself a genre-fluid author so there's not a genre I wouldn't [dip] a toe-point into...at least once. 

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"I am inspired by queer existence across time and spaces. Through all of my work I like to shine a light on our endurance in times of trouble and in daily existence, as that existence is often seen as a challenge merely by our being alive."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"Yes! I have a new comedy show June 20 in NYC for Pride called Hated Rivalry at the Copacabana. I host a virtual reading event called Book-A-Licious where I bring together LGBTQIA+ authors and readers from literally around the globe to provide a space for marginalized authors to read from their books. The next one is July 25. Follow me on insta to sign up for the event or to get tix to Hated Rivalry!"

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"I always say when I grow up I want to be Lady Bunny. I think she is disgustingly funny and I find her to be someone who really stands her ground."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 2: Marie Allen

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 2: Marie Allen

Welcome to day 2 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Marie Allen. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Marie Allen's LGBTQ+ Releases

• Finding Our Forever
• Searching for Forever
• Understanding Our Forever
• A Demon for Christmas, Building Our Forever
• My Epic Summer Part 1
• My Epic Summer Part 2
• My Epic Christmas Break
• Daddy Bear
• Sold by my Parents-Pt 1: How It All Began

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Bisexual"

2. What rep do your books have?

"LGBTQIA+"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"It would still be queer. So far I've done paranormal and some contemporary (set to release in 2027). I think probably mystery.  I love a good mystery, but I'm just not sure if I'm ready to tackle that.  I'm not good at planning, I'm more of a start writing and see what happens.  I just think for a good mystery you probably need to plan more of it out."

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"My kids, they are a lot of the reason I write all over the rainbow. I think everyone should be able to find books that have characters similar to themselves in the story. I love seeing myself in MC's that I read and I know other people feel the same way."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

" I've got some stories coming out next year in a couple of different shared world author collabs I'm excited for. I'm also taking part this holiday season in a charity anthology. I've loved having the chance to work with other authors on these projects."

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"This would once again be my kids. I look at them in amazement at how unapologetically authentic they are. Growing up in the 80's you hid your differences to fit in. But now, they are just themselves. They are so comfortable in their skin and identities, it amazes me. I just wish more people could realize that it doesn't matter how you are different. Take that chance, get to know the 'weird' kid or co-worker, they are probably an amazing fun human!"

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 2: J.T. Adria

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 2: J.T. Adria

Welcome to day 2 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing J.T. Adria. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

J.T. Adria's LGBTQ+ Releases

• Forest of the Stars
• The One Who Slept

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Bisexual and transmasc non-binary"

2. What books of yours have LGBTQ+ representation, and what rep do they have?

"Forest of the Stars: One MC is a gay trans man, the other is a queer cis man. One of the MCs is BIPOC (and multiple side characters are too). It has a sentient spaceship that's ADHD-coded and an MC who is autistic, but neither is clearly labeled on the page.

The One Who Slept: All three MCs are bisexual. One of the MCs has ADHD (likewise not labeled), and another MC's story centers around her CPTSD."

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"There's always something weird about my ideas, so I think I'd still write some kind of speculative fiction. I've recently gotten into horrormance, and I'd love to write something like it, if the right idea ever found me."

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"I love impossible and fantastical things, but I want them with feels and happy endings. And, for a long time, there weren't a lot of books like that. Anne Rice's vampires got me started on gothic fantasy but it was Freya Marske's A Marvellous Light where I went "THIS! I need to write something like this." Now I write gaslamp fantasy and science fiction because I like hopping genres and find the right world for every story."

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"It turns out, there's a lot! You're going to see a range of transmasc characters from me over the coming months. Forest of the Stars is getting a sequel, I have a short I'm extremely proud of in the H.O.T. anthology coming this September, and there's something else that's brilliant but I can't talk about yet.💜"

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"Marlene Dietrich, for her noncomformity. I remember some of my non-supportive family members clutching their pearls when I unapologetically found her really cool in men's clothes. Which only made me like her more, of course.😂"

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 1: Finn Dixon

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 1: Finn Dixon

Welcome to day 1 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing Finn Dixon. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Finn Dixon's LGBTQ+ Releases

• Rings of Lust
• Floored by Love
• The Forever Vault
• Dickathlon
• Snowballing
• Jack Frosting
• North Pole Dancer
• Frat Ghost Wingman 
• The Key Holder
• Swim Crush
• The Neighbor

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Gay"

2. What books of yours have LGBTQ+ representation, and what rep do they have?

"Dickathlon: Black MC, gay

Dickathlon, Jack Frosting: Gay and bisexual"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"If I weren't writing gay romance, I'd probably be bouncing between the distant past and the near future. Mary Renault and Michael Crichton are my two favorite authors, so I’d love to tackle sweeping historical fiction or pulse-pounding sci-fi thrillers. Honestly, I have an idea for both of those with a gay romance as the main relationship. I even have tentative titles, but I have so many other ideas, I'm not quite sure when I would get to those. The historical I am currently writing is taking some time because it's an entire different time - the culture and language is very different from today. No one is jizzing on anything."

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"My biggest inspiration is definitely my husband—specifically his incredibly dry sense of humor. I just take his witty banter and mix it with my very healthy, very normal fantasy of falling for the sarcastic, goofy jock next door. I love writing characters who already know exactly what's going on between them, and have no shame about any of it, so that playful, low angst energy is always at the core of my stories.

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"It’s going to be a packed summer! I’m officially starting my Master's program this May, and I’ll be heading to Romanticonn in CT in July—definitely come say hi if you're going to be there! I give great hugs. On the writing front, I’m deep in the trenches with my next release, The Fake Unicorn. It’s my very first foray into hockey romance, and I am already head over blades for captain Ric and golden boy Flynn."

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"It has to be Howard Ashman. I grew up loving the Disney Renaissance films he worked on, but as I got older and understood his story, my appreciation deepened into something more. He essentially saved Disney animation by infusing it with Broadway theatrics and incredible emotional depth, all while secretly battling HIV during the height of the AIDS crisis. When you listen to a song like 'Part of Your World' or look at the overarching themes of Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, it’s hard not to hear those hidden allegories for queer longing, feeling like a complete outsider, or searching for a place where you belong. He poured his own isolation, trauma, and pride into stories that resonated with the entire world, and he did it while facing unimaginable personal tragedy. As a gay storyteller, his ability to weave that kind of raw, emotional truth into such beautiful and enduring narratives is inspiring."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

WPS 2026 Day 1: A.E. LeMercier and Tyler Laux

  

Wonderland Pride Spotlight Day 1: A.E. LeMercier and Tyler Laux

Welcome to day 1 of the 2026 Wonderland Pride Spotlight! This is my way to help champion LGBTQ+ books and authors this Pride month! Today I am interviewing A.E. LeMercier. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

A.E. LeMercier's LGBTQ+ Releases

• Seeking His Command
• Held in His Command

The Interview

1. Are you LGBTQ+? If so, how?

"Sapphic"

2. What books of yours have LGBTQ+ representation, and what rep do they have?

"Gay, bisexual, demisexual and mental health"

3. If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

"I’ve been in love with Sci-Fi and Spec-Fi since I first joined my father watching Star Trek TNG at 8 - the more speculative, the better. "How would things change if the world was like X?" I indulge with things like my ‘alternate universe’ short story collections, and my fantasy Omegaverse series was born from creating a magic system based on the intersection of secondary genders and intimacy."

4. What is your biggest writing inspiration?

"Maybe this is a bit stereotypical, but my inspiration is love and relationships, romantic and otherwise. It’s fascinating! There’s so many ways we can be empowered by the love and connections we form with each other; I love hearing things like 'I could never do this for myself, but I’ll do it for my wife.' The essential, base essence of all my writing is always an exploration of growth through love. Spice and k!nk are then lush, diverse avenues for such explorations. ;)"

5. Anything exciting for you on the horizon?

"Tyler is producing the audiobook for book 3 of my Intricate Ties series, Sharing his Command, with multicast support from some incredible female narrators. We're aiming to release it and #4 by the end of the summer, which puts the full first season in Audio.

A Queer Romantasy release is coming out in July, Silverfin, co-authored with my wife, Simona Niles. It's both MM and Sapphic with big found family vibes, and we've partnered with another incredible queer narrator, Luulu Soul (@luulusoul) to lead a duet production for the audiobook."

6. Who is a queer figure you look up to?

"I love having so many to pick from! Bryan Fuller's brought such fascinating queer rep to TV. Tegan and Sara are my hometown girls, I love the work they do to help queer and trans youth, especially enabling community and grassroots. So many talented drag queens like Jinkx Monsoon are huge inspirations to me both creatively and socially, and I'm super blessed to be able to work with the Canadian drag community in throwing a big all-ages drag show in my home town every May. And I adore Alan Cumming for basically every reason - but especially his loud and glamorous stance against bisexual erasure. Plus... those outfits on the Traitors. ;)

7. Can you tell me about your queer partnership and audiobooks?

"As a Sapphic writer of MM, I’ve been incredibly blessed to be surrounded by supportive (and oversharing) gay friends much of my life, so when the universe (tiktok algo) connected me with Tyler Laux of @lauxandfound productions it felt like kismet. The incredible performance talent and ‘own voice’ authenticity he brings to our audiobooks have elevated the “heat with heart” in my high-spice stories exponentially. It’s crucial that my collaborators share my values when it comes to sharing diverse and inclusive stories, and Tyler’s lived experience and online community-building have been the most valuable part of my indie writer growth this year."

Outro

I adore this excuse to conduct little author interviews! Happy Pride everyone! Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their LGBTQ+ releases!

CWW: The Shippers

 

This week's book is.... The Shippers

Author: Katherine Center

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Release Date: May 19th, 2026

Series: n/a

Blurb:

One of the hottest, fastest-rising rom-com stars delivers her latest swoon-worthy novel about a destination wedding on a cruise ship.

After a whole lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton decides to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sister’s destination wedding on a cruise ship. With the help of a little pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest ), and she decides to woo him during the cruise for some long-delayed closure. Only problem is, her sister’s a little busy being a bride at the moment—so JoJo ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wing man. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but then showed up, anyway. Cooper: who left town without a word four years earlier and moved to London. Cooper: who was, if she’s honest, the worst heartbreak of JoJo’s life. It’s bliss for her to see him again, and it’s agony, too—and the more they team up for Project Conquest, the more she obsesses over questions she can’t bring herself to ask.

Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance—as JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way.

No one does summer romance quite like Katherine Center. THE SHIPPERS will take readers on the cruise of a lifetime in a story awash with romantic longing, top-notch banter, long-held secrets... and true love rediscovered.

Explanation:

This will actually be my "make or break" book for this author. There was one of hers I really liked, and one of which I read that was not for me. I want to see if she will be an author for me to keep up with or not so much.

I have an ALC for this one, so you will see my review soon!

T10T: My Latest 5-Star Reads

        

Welcome back to Top 10 Tuesday, following the list from That Artsy Reader Girl! As I missed last week, I will be throwing back to it this week.

This week's prompt is..... my latest 5-star reads

These are from most to least recent

1. Cambria by A.R. Tyler
2. The Weight of Ashes by Erin FitzGerald
3. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
4. Everything is Spiritual by Rob Bell
5. Ain't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton by Martha Ackmann
6. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
7. Better Not Pout by Maren Moore
8. Half-Light Harbor by Samantha Young
9. Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations by Alton Brown
10. Burning Down the House by Dani Galliaro

I am actually quite picky with my 5-star reads. They are likely what some people would consider 6-star reads. My 5-stars are only books I know will stick with me forever. As such, only the first three are from 2026.

Here it all is in a pretty lil' graphic as always

How picky are you with your 5-star reads? Please share your 5-star recs as I am due for one! See you tomorrow for some gushing!