Jutta Swietlinski's Blog, page 3
October 11, 2023
Happy Coming Out Day!
“And you don’t have the intention of coming out either,” Livia replies, now in a cool, controlled voice. “Now I get it. Then have fun in the closet! You have a lot of space in it. After all, you are alone there.”
Without even glancing at me, she flips the cigarette butt over the railing. Rushing past me with long strides, she slams the door shut behind her.
And I’m alone.
(Quote from my novel Returning Home to Her)
Hi everyone,
today I realized two things.
Firstly, that today is National Coming Out Day, and secondly, that coming-out is a recurring topic in my works. In fact, each and every one of my books deals with this subject in some form or other!
As a lesbian whose coming-out took place many years ago, this has amazed me somewhat.
How about you? Is coming-out a topic which is on your mind much? You you write about it? Do you enjoy reading about it? Do you think about it a lot?
Will you tell me about it? I'm very interested in learning more about it.
Come out of the closet and enjoy the day! 🏳️🌈
Without even glancing at me, she flips the cigarette butt over the railing. Rushing past me with long strides, she slams the door shut behind her.
And I’m alone.
(Quote from my novel Returning Home to Her)
Hi everyone,
today I realized two things.
Firstly, that today is National Coming Out Day, and secondly, that coming-out is a recurring topic in my works. In fact, each and every one of my books deals with this subject in some form or other!
As a lesbian whose coming-out took place many years ago, this has amazed me somewhat.
How about you? Is coming-out a topic which is on your mind much? You you write about it? Do you enjoy reading about it? Do you think about it a lot?
Will you tell me about it? I'm very interested in learning more about it.
Come out of the closet and enjoy the day! 🏳️🌈
September 24, 2023
Tropes – Reliability or a bore?
Hi everyone, here comes a question for the native English speakers.
I’m German, maybe that’s the reason why using tropes as subheadings for romance novels is news to me. For me as a reader and a writer, it only used to be important to know to which genres my books belonged. As long as I was aware that I was reading, or writing, a lesbian romance novel, I was satisfied.
That’s why I promoted my first English book Returning Home to Her as a sapphic romance novel, no more, no less.
But then I realized that in the English-speaking parts of the world, there’s much more information than that by now. If you’re looking for a romantic novel these days, you can read “second chance”, “age gap”, “ice queen”, “grumpy/sunshine”, “friends to lovers”, “enemies to lovers”, “fake dating”, “fake wedding”, “bodyguard romance”, “celebrity romance”, “paranormal romance”, and so on.
Why is that? Do the writers simply use all these tropes because of the sheer number of publications, to make their books stand out in the crowd?
Or is it that the readers really want to have all this information before, so that they’re able to choose their favorite tropes immediately?
Well, that’s useful, of course, because then the ice queen lovers can pick out their favorite icy MCs and the western romance fans can easily distinguish the Stetsons from the stethoscopes in the medical romance section. It’s a clear case of what you see is what you get. And perhaps it’s nice and reassuring to know for certain what you’re going to get into if you buy/download a book.
BUT: Isn’t that a bit boring?? If you’re aware of all these sub-categories and tags beforehand, all these stories are doomed to hold few or no surprises at all, aren’t they? Even before you flip the book open, you know already how the storyline is going to turn out. Which actually means that you wouldn’t really “need” to read it any more …
For my part, I enjoy being surprised as a reader, and I like to surprise others as a writer. I love twists and turns in a story – the more, the better. I love books that are travellers between different genres, books that break literary rules.
How about you? Do you like reading according to certain aspects? And why?
Or do you prefer to wait and see what happens in the stories you read? What do you think?
I can’t wait to read your answers.
For now, will you please excuse me? I’ll continue writing my fifth chance age correspondence fire queen lovers to enemies fake indifference contemporary romance.
I’m German, maybe that’s the reason why using tropes as subheadings for romance novels is news to me. For me as a reader and a writer, it only used to be important to know to which genres my books belonged. As long as I was aware that I was reading, or writing, a lesbian romance novel, I was satisfied.
That’s why I promoted my first English book Returning Home to Her as a sapphic romance novel, no more, no less.
But then I realized that in the English-speaking parts of the world, there’s much more information than that by now. If you’re looking for a romantic novel these days, you can read “second chance”, “age gap”, “ice queen”, “grumpy/sunshine”, “friends to lovers”, “enemies to lovers”, “fake dating”, “fake wedding”, “bodyguard romance”, “celebrity romance”, “paranormal romance”, and so on.
Why is that? Do the writers simply use all these tropes because of the sheer number of publications, to make their books stand out in the crowd?
Or is it that the readers really want to have all this information before, so that they’re able to choose their favorite tropes immediately?
Well, that’s useful, of course, because then the ice queen lovers can pick out their favorite icy MCs and the western romance fans can easily distinguish the Stetsons from the stethoscopes in the medical romance section. It’s a clear case of what you see is what you get. And perhaps it’s nice and reassuring to know for certain what you’re going to get into if you buy/download a book.
BUT: Isn’t that a bit boring?? If you’re aware of all these sub-categories and tags beforehand, all these stories are doomed to hold few or no surprises at all, aren’t they? Even before you flip the book open, you know already how the storyline is going to turn out. Which actually means that you wouldn’t really “need” to read it any more …
For my part, I enjoy being surprised as a reader, and I like to surprise others as a writer. I love twists and turns in a story – the more, the better. I love books that are travellers between different genres, books that break literary rules.
How about you? Do you like reading according to certain aspects? And why?
Or do you prefer to wait and see what happens in the stories you read? What do you think?
I can’t wait to read your answers.
For now, will you please excuse me? I’ll continue writing my fifth chance age correspondence fire queen lovers to enemies fake indifference contemporary romance.
June 10, 2023
Pride Sale - Sapphic Books!
Hi everyone!
It’s June ― Pride Month & Queer Reading Month.
The perfect occasion for a Pride Month Sale: For the whole month, the prices of all my novels are considerably reduced!
Sapphic & romantic, erotic & poignant, cheerful & dark, colorful & varied, German & English ― my books at a glance:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jutta-S...
Happy Pride & Happy Reading!
🏳️🌈👭🌈🏳️🌈👭🌈🏳️🌈👭🌈🏳️🌈👭🌈🏳️🌈👭🌈🏳️🌈👭🌈
It’s June ― Pride Month & Queer Reading Month.
The perfect occasion for a Pride Month Sale: For the whole month, the prices of all my novels are considerably reduced!
Sapphic & romantic, erotic & poignant, cheerful & dark, colorful & varied, German & English ― my books at a glance:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jutta-S...
Happy Pride & Happy Reading!
🏳️🌈👭🌈🏳️🌈👭🌈🏳️🌈👭🌈🏳️🌈👭🌈🏳️🌈👭🌈🏳️🌈👭🌈
June 1, 2023
Happy Pride Month & Queer Reading Month!
Hi everyone, I wish you all a happy and safe, beautiful and successful, wonderful and literary Pride and Queer Reading Month!
June is the perfect month to read more queer/LGBTQIA* literature. For example, my own (always lesbian/sapphic) books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jutta-S...
But it’s also the ideal month to ponder on queer sensitivity.
Lately, a non-binary reader criticized a text passage in Returning Home to Her, one of my novels, where my main character is reflecting on a drag queen, which is expressed in a way that might be perceived as misgendering or, at least, very insensitive. My reader felt hurt by the way the scene was written (and I’m really sorry about that!). I can actually understand why that was the case. In fact, I had fully been aware of that problem before I decided to publish it exactly like I had written it, because I did it for a particular reason.
My MC is a reserved person with a disability, who grew up in a very “normal”, straight, heteronormative world and spent many years of her life trying to protect herself from being hurt. That’s why it took her a long time to realize that she’s actually a lesbian, but she was too afraid to come out at first. In the scene in question, my MC is attending a Pride event, which is a completely new experience for her. The things she experiences feel weird to her (far too colorful, gaudy and extreme) and she feels out of place.
That’s why I chose to write it like that on purpose – so as to show that my MC desperately tries to distance herself from the queer world that’s still new to her and makes her uncomfortable.
I’ve never had the intention to annoy or even hurt (!) anyone with my words, I just tried to elaborate this trait of my MC, who is by no means to be perfect or the mouthpiece for me, the author of the book.
What do you think? Is it okay to write scenes like that if there is a certain reason to do so? Or are the (potential) feelings of the readers more important than my artistic license? Or should I, maybe, only try to make clearer that the whole thing is really an issue for my MC, but not for me as the author?
I’d be curious and glad to hear/read/know about your opinions. Many thanks in advance!
June is the perfect month to read more queer/LGBTQIA* literature. For example, my own (always lesbian/sapphic) books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jutta-S...
But it’s also the ideal month to ponder on queer sensitivity.
Lately, a non-binary reader criticized a text passage in Returning Home to Her, one of my novels, where my main character is reflecting on a drag queen, which is expressed in a way that might be perceived as misgendering or, at least, very insensitive. My reader felt hurt by the way the scene was written (and I’m really sorry about that!). I can actually understand why that was the case. In fact, I had fully been aware of that problem before I decided to publish it exactly like I had written it, because I did it for a particular reason.
My MC is a reserved person with a disability, who grew up in a very “normal”, straight, heteronormative world and spent many years of her life trying to protect herself from being hurt. That’s why it took her a long time to realize that she’s actually a lesbian, but she was too afraid to come out at first. In the scene in question, my MC is attending a Pride event, which is a completely new experience for her. The things she experiences feel weird to her (far too colorful, gaudy and extreme) and she feels out of place.
That’s why I chose to write it like that on purpose – so as to show that my MC desperately tries to distance herself from the queer world that’s still new to her and makes her uncomfortable.
I’ve never had the intention to annoy or even hurt (!) anyone with my words, I just tried to elaborate this trait of my MC, who is by no means to be perfect or the mouthpiece for me, the author of the book.
What do you think? Is it okay to write scenes like that if there is a certain reason to do so? Or are the (potential) feelings of the readers more important than my artistic license? Or should I, maybe, only try to make clearer that the whole thing is really an issue for my MC, but not for me as the author?
I’d be curious and glad to hear/read/know about your opinions. Many thanks in advance!
May 17, 2023
Happy IDAHOBIT!
It's IDAHOBIT today: the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, which "aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide" (Wikipedia).
So, what about reading books about this subject?
For example, my Sapphic novel Returning Home to Her deals with the internalized homophobia of my main character Linet and her process of overcoming it and becoming who she wants to be - a proud lesbian woman.
(Oh, and there are lots of love in the book as well! ;-))
Check it out:
So, what about reading books about this subject?
For example, my Sapphic novel Returning Home to Her deals with the internalized homophobia of my main character Linet and her process of overcoming it and becoming who she wants to be - a proud lesbian woman.
(Oh, and there are lots of love in the book as well! ;-))
Check it out:
May 13, 2023
New lesbian book project in planning stage!
Hello everyone,
Coming events cast their shadows before!
After publishing my first book in English, the lesbian romance novel Returning Home to Her, in April, which is (more or less) a translation of my German book Heimkehr zu ihr, I've come to the decision that there will be an English translation of my debut novel Fließen as well, before year's end.
Get ready for a lesbian/Sapphic romance novel about two women in their fifties who are surprised to see that they might not be as straight as they thought when they realize they're falling in love with each other ...
Stay tuned! :-)
Coming events cast their shadows before!
After publishing my first book in English, the lesbian romance novel Returning Home to Her, in April, which is (more or less) a translation of my German book Heimkehr zu ihr, I've come to the decision that there will be an English translation of my debut novel Fließen as well, before year's end.
Get ready for a lesbian/Sapphic romance novel about two women in their fifties who are surprised to see that they might not be as straight as they thought when they realize they're falling in love with each other ...
Stay tuned! :-)
April 26, 2023
Happy Lesbian Visibility Day!
Happy Lesbian Visibility Day, everyone! 👭
Lesbians live, love & write in all the colors of the rainbow! 🏳️🌈
Lesbian/Sapphic literature - that's romance, of course, but also nonfiction, thriller, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, horror, dark romance, erotica, ... or cross-genre books, which may be the most interesting of all ... 📚:
Check out my own books in several of these genres ✍️:
https://www.amazon.com/-/de/Jutta-Swi...
Happy reading! 😊
Lesbians live, love & write in all the colors of the rainbow! 🏳️🌈
Lesbian/Sapphic literature - that's romance, of course, but also nonfiction, thriller, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, horror, dark romance, erotica, ... or cross-genre books, which may be the most interesting of all ... 📚:
Check out my own books in several of these genres ✍️:
https://www.amazon.com/-/de/Jutta-Swi...
Happy reading! 😊
April 23, 2023
World Book Day
Happy World Book Day, everyone!
Wikipedia tells us: "World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book, is an annual event organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright."
So booklovers everywhere, please buy, read, enjoy, review and discuss books whenever you can!
My books, for example ;-):
https://www.amazon.com/-/de/Jutta-Swi...
Happy reading!
Wikipedia tells us: "World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book, is an annual event organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright."
So booklovers everywhere, please buy, read, enjoy, review and discuss books whenever you can!
My books, for example ;-):
https://www.amazon.com/-/de/Jutta-Swi...
Happy reading!
April 13, 2023
New lesbian romance novel - Paperback out now, too!
Hi everyone,
after the publication of the E-book version (Kindle Edition) of my Sapphic novel "Returning Home to Her", now the paperback edition is out, too!
And it's turned out really nicely, IMHO. :-)
So if you want to turn pages while reading about true love between women in San Francisco, this one's for you:
https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B0C1JB...
Enjoy!
after the publication of the E-book version (Kindle Edition) of my Sapphic novel "Returning Home to Her", now the paperback edition is out, too!
And it's turned out really nicely, IMHO. :-)
So if you want to turn pages while reading about true love between women in San Francisco, this one's for you:
https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B0C1JB...
Enjoy!
April 8, 2023
New lesbian romance novel out now!
Happy Easter, everyone!
In case you still need an Easter gift or don’t know what to read over Easter, I have a recommendation for you:
I proudly present my first book in English –“Returning Home to Her“, a Sapphic romance novel.
If you want to read about life and death, loss and pain, angst and hope, desire and passion, friendship and family, twists and turns, and, of course, LOVE – it’s all in there:
“Linet, a single mother in her forties with a walking disability, is still in mourning for her wife when she unexpectedly receives a letter: After a long silence, her old friend Janet invites her to the opening of her art gallery. Linet flies to San Francisco with her son to visit Janet and her husband. The two women are soon able to revive their former friendship and familiarity. On a walk, Linet surprisingly runs into Livia, the first woman she ever fell in love with. The old feelings flare up anew and they start a passionate romantic affair again. But then a fatal accident happens, which will change everything forever …”
Buy "Returning Home to Her“ (Kindle Edition) here at an introductory price of only $ 4.99:
https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B0C1TG...
Paperback coming soon!
In case you still need an Easter gift or don’t know what to read over Easter, I have a recommendation for you:
I proudly present my first book in English –“Returning Home to Her“, a Sapphic romance novel.
If you want to read about life and death, loss and pain, angst and hope, desire and passion, friendship and family, twists and turns, and, of course, LOVE – it’s all in there:
“Linet, a single mother in her forties with a walking disability, is still in mourning for her wife when she unexpectedly receives a letter: After a long silence, her old friend Janet invites her to the opening of her art gallery. Linet flies to San Francisco with her son to visit Janet and her husband. The two women are soon able to revive their former friendship and familiarity. On a walk, Linet surprisingly runs into Livia, the first woman she ever fell in love with. The old feelings flare up anew and they start a passionate romantic affair again. But then a fatal accident happens, which will change everything forever …”
Buy "Returning Home to Her“ (Kindle Edition) here at an introductory price of only $ 4.99:
https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B0C1TG...
Paperback coming soon!
