Claudie Arseneault's Blog, page 3

Navigating Queer Book Community as an Aromantic

This post didn’t start as a list. I had some nice paragraphs about how my writing statement mission had shifted from “queer sff adventures” to stories that would center platonic relationships. I had some Feels about why that is important, to me and others. And part of the why is how hostile queer lit is to aromantic people, and as I got started on this I… kinda got really started.

I haven’t trashed the entire post. I’ll return to talk about my mission–about positive stuff. But below is the an...

Summer Sale!

Hey all!

It’s May 22nd, 2017, and everything I have written is on sale! All of it, no exception, until the end of the month!

Viral Airwaves – $1.99 (Kindle) / $0.99 (all others) Asexual MC, enemies-to-lovers plotline between a gay captain and a bisexual rebel leader, established couples being

Henry Schmitt loves his noodles and would like nothing more than chill, stay safe, and eat them. Old friends of his fathers get him wrapped up in their rebel group, and soon he’s trying to take down a g...

Gritty Stories, Humanizing Villains, and Narrative Consequences

For as long as I remember, I have loved villains. It’s not really a surprise. Main characters usually are pretty bland and have telegraphed romances, while villains have rich motives, a lot of drive, and are so often coded as queer (and heck, often more precisely as aromantic and asexual). I lived for Redemption Arcs and absolutely loved novels who created complex villains who weren’t Beyond All Hope.

And yet… I’ve been thinking about how and when narratives humanize villains. Who gets that...

Interview with RoAnna Sylver, Author of the Chameleon Moon

Hello ladies, gentlemen, and nonbinary friends! I hope you like my author interviews because today we welcome the sweetest, most beautiful author-writer of my entourage (I have an entourage now, apparently): RoAnna Sylver!

The second book in the Chameleon Moon series, The Lifeline Signal, was the first I had the honour of editing, and it released on March 21st! So we’re here to talk about that amazing bit of fiction.

1. The Lifeline Signal is the second book in the Chameleon Moon series, but...

A Tiny Indie Editor’s Guide To Writing Call for Submissions

I strongly believe that being indie is no excuse for not running an overall smooth show. Sure, you’ll run into hurdles. Everyone has unexpected issues. But if you mean to publish other writers, it is your responsability to gather as much information as you can before launching into your project. Know the business, even if you never ran it yourself.

So this post is a sort of… run through of what I know about building anthologies. I’ve talked about my experiences with Wings of Renewal twice in...

Interview with Tiffany Rose, (Co)Author of HELLO WORLD

February seems a good month to host asexual authors, so why not one more? Tiffany Rose’s first novel releases one day before City of Strife, and we figured we’d exchange some cool questions!

First, though, here’s a quick peek at Tiffany’s book in case you haven’t run into it yet!

Scott’s skills as a surveillance expert come in pretty handy when he’s breaking down firewalls. But hacktivism isn’t enough; he’s going after the holy grail—UltSyn’s Human Information Drives, human assets implanted w...

Problems Daughter: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction by The Future Fire

Always on the lookout for anthologies to submit to and support? I might have one for you!

Problem Daughters will amplify the voices of women who are sometimes excluded from mainstream feminism. It will be an anthology of beautiful, thoughtful, unconventional speculative fiction and poetry around the theme of intersectional feminism, focusing on the lives and experiences of marginalized women, such as those who are of color, QUILTBAG, disabled, sex workers, and all intersections of these.

Soun...

The Dive – An Exclusive Jaeger/Diel Isandor Short Story

It feels like these days, my blog is full of cool announcements. That’s good, it’s how I like it!

So what is today’s? Simple: I have written a bonus short story to go along with City of Strife, featuring the two very gay elves at the heart of House Dathirii. More specifically, how they (Diel and Jaeger) met and fell in love some hundred thirty years before the novel’s events. If you want sappy and adorable, I’ve got your back (and I don’t mean the trees).

So how do you get your hands on it? F...

Cover Reveal – Cheerleaders from Planet X by Lyssa Chiavari

Yes, you read that title well: Cheerleaders from Planet X.

Welcome to the cover reveal of Lyssa’s next book, a thick concentrate of the funniest, hammiest alien invasion tropes, with bonus cheerleaders and lesbians!

Tada! Honestly, I am so here for an unashamed dive into good old story tropes, refreshed by 100% more queer characters and a good deal of snark. This is a glorious cover for a book that promises to be one hell of a fun ride.

Aliens are among us. And humanity’s only hope just hap...

Interview with Lauren Jankowski, Author of The Shapeshifter Chronicles

Last week I had the great pleasure of hosting Lauren’s cover reveal for her latest book,  The Dwelling of Ekhidna , and you know what, I wanted to hear more about it! So today, we’re moving from covers to character and book, and having a quick interview with Lauren!

So, shapeshifters! You must love that, to have an entire series with them! What’s your favourite part of the concept?

I really like the idea of people with extraordinary powers existing alongside us and I’m fascinated by the id...