Genevieve Iseult Eldredge's Blog, page 3

Circuit Fae: News

Dear Readers,Just a few quick announcements in CIRCUIT FAE news today. First up, I've officially finished with CIRCUIT FAE 4: NEMESIS! Huzzah! After one more quick proofing read, I'll be sending it out to my publisher to be formatted, so it can look all pretty and badass on release day: September 10, 2019!Second up, soon (read: at an indeterminate date in the near future), THE CIRCUIT FAE serieswill come out of Kindle Unlimited for a time. I wish I could list an accurate date, but Amazon doesn't quite work that way.So if you haven't gotten your copies yet, don't delay! And don't worry: I'll still be doing PLENTY of promos, sales, and giveaways, especially around launch times.As always, thanks for all your love and support! I can't believe that, soon, I'll be drafting the LAST CIRCUIT FAE BOOK! xoxo,~GIE

Con Recap: In Your Write Mind 2019

This past weekend, I returned to my MFA alma mater, Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, for the In Your Write Mind 2019writers' conference. I got to reconnect with old friends like guest of honor, Mark Oshiro, as well as attend a Mystery Dinner written by our very own Victoria Thompson.Seton Hill is more than just the place I got my MFA. It was the first place where other writers told me my work had promise. For the first time ever, I got feedback on my writing, and people treated it like it was a real thing, worthy of time and respect. For many of my MFA-mates, it was the same. SHU was the place we could go where writing was not only respected but also deconstructed, torn apart, dissected, examined, and considered a legitimate business rather than a silly pastime. Plus, the campus is a beautiful castle on a hill. It even has a Troll Bathroom:Is it any wonder we call it Hogwarts?It sure felt like magic being back among so many amazingly talented writers. Just the energy was infectious. As a compensating introvert, I love being around my pack, but sometimes I want to just be around them. Hence, the writing desk.One of my favorite places on campus, this desk is an old altar thrown into a sunlit alcove in a non-air-conditioned hall. I make it a point to spend at least two mornings at it when I'm at IYWM. The desk allows me to see people as they come in but, generally, everyone's on their way somewhere, so I'm not disturbed. Visits give me welcome breaks!Plotting a new novel a year at this desk is one of the only writing indulgences I allow myself. I've plotted a lot of THE CIRCUIT FAE series sitting at this desk, sipping earl grey creme and listening to old-school Tori Amos. This past week, I planned Book One of my new series. Hint: it's got witches in it. As always, my visit to SHU was a whirlwind of awesome discussions on writing and craft, meeting new people, reconnecting, and dinner at Headkeepers. It was over too soon, but I'll be back next year, to plan my next adventure! xoxo,~GIE

Book Signing This Saturday!

Hello my pretties! I'm super excited to be returning to my alma mater, Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, for the In Your Write Mind conference this weekend. I'll be doing a panel on Making a Writing Career, and yes! Signing all the books on Saturday night at the SHU Performing Arts Center (PAC).I'll have all the CIRCUIT FAEbooks with me, so come chat me up, hang out, browse the other awesome author tables, get your book signed, and/or goob about Frozen 2 or my current obsession, Into the Badlands. Interested in the conference? Heck yeah. There's a ton of great programming for writers of all levels. Find the schedule here. xoxo,~GIE

NEMESIS Pinterest Boards: Syl & Rouen

Hello my pretties! I'm gearing up for the release of CIRCUIT FAE 4: NEMESIS on September 10. We'll get a glimpse of Rouen's dark side in this one as she and Syl are forced into the battle they've been avoiding forever (read: 3 novels and 3 novellas). I hope you're excited about their epic showdown as I am!Miss Jardin's back and badder than ever. Glamma gets a little more battle action. Pru and Lennon go through MAJOR changes . The dark Fae kids put in a cameo. And we find out the truth about Syl and Rouen's algebra teacher, Miss Mack. Plus, there may be dragons...Watch this space for more announcements and extras like Spotify playlists, sample chapters, If you want to check out a sneak peak of NEMESIS Chapter One,click here.Watch this space for Spotify playlists, Pinterest boards, and other cool sneak peaks!For now, I've got the official NEMESIS: Syl and Rouen Pinterest boards.SYLROUENDrop me a line at my Contact Page and let me know which you like best!xoxo,~GIE

Sneak Peak: NEMESIS

Dear Readers, In honor of Pride Month, I'm sharing the first unedited (and subject to minor changes) chapter of CIRCUIT FAE 5: NEMESIS, which launches this fall!Don't know what NEMESIS is about? Let me catch you up:Two Fae princesses. Mortal enemies turnedstar-crossed loversNow mortal enemies againWhat would you do if your beloved girlfriend suddenly became your worst enemy? That dilemma’s all too real for Syl Skye, the last princess of the fair Fae.Even though Syl is all things sun and Summer, she’s drawn to her polar opposite, Rouen Rivoche, the dark Fae princess-assassin of the Winter Court.They should be mortal enemies, but they’re best friends. Girlfriends. In love.That is, until Roue falls under a dark spell that makes her forget all about Syl, their lives and their love. Now Roue rules Dark Faerie as a cruel and cold Queen. A Circuit Fae who can harness the killing magic in technology, she wants nothing more than to destroy Syl and her fair Fae people. But when an old enemy brings both Faerie realms to the brink of destruction, only their queens, Syl and Rouen, can save the day—and only if they can put their differences aside for two seconds and team up.With the clock’s ticking on Syl and Roue’s relationship—not to mention all of Faerie—will Rouen remember the love she and Syl once shared, or is she destined to be Syl’s nemesis forever? Chapter One Syl When the weather in the mortal realm Goes crazy It’s a sign that Faerie magic is afoot - Glamma’s Grimm In all the books I’ve ever read, Faeries are immortal. Puck, Ozma, Gloriana the great Fairy Queene, even Tinkerbell—each one forever young, forever beautiful. Flitting through time, totally untouched by it. And me? I’m forever stuck in the mortal realm. At a pep rally, of all things. It’s not exactly the stuff Fae legends are made of. I’m the rightful Queen of the fair Fae and the Summer Court, but even with all my sunfire and white flame power, time’s been kicking my butt lately. Even today. I’m racing against it, on the trail of a major Bleed. The Faerie realms aren’t all that stable these days.I keep my eyes—and my Fae-sight—peeled. There’s no telling when or where the energies of Faerie will leak into the mortal world. Every inch of me is keyed up, waiting for the pop-pop-hiss that always comes before a Bleed. Outside, a freak September snowstorm rages, shaking the windows, snow and lightning lashing the black morning as hail pink, pink, pinks at the glass. The thick stink of ozone oozes through the windows, all the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.Weather’s gone crazy. I’ll have to act fast when the Bleed happens. I jump as the doors open ahead, and the noise from Richmond Elite High’s auditorium hits me like a fist. I can already smell the sweaty sports equipment. My classmates, all of us piled into the muggy foyer, hoot and chatter, filled with first-day-back excitement. I’m prodded along, everyone shuffling toward the doors in a mass exodus. They make it look so easy. Just shuffle along…Forget everything that’s happened. Forget that I’m in the middle of a Fae apocalypse, ever since the Dark Faerie realm literally smashed into the Fair Faerie realm. Forget losing Rouen, my soul-bound love.As the freshman class enters the auditorium first, the clock above the doors changes. 8:05 am. Two minutes from the last time I checked. Frustration hits me, furious as the storm outside. I’ve felt every month, every day, every second I’ve been without Rouen Rivoche, the rightful queen of the dark Fae. My mortal enemy. We defied the odds—and the ancient war between our Faerie Courts—by falling in love. Now, every breath without her hurts. It’s all I can do to stand here, captive to my mortal life.Our class bottlenecks in the foyer. As seniors we’re last, so it’ll be a bit of a wait while everyone else gets seated. Truth is, I wasn’t born Fae. I was a sleeper-princess, a rare type of Fae whose powers were locked away. I only Awakened when I met Rouen, my Summer powers exploding out of me to clash with her Winter, my sunfire and white flame against her cold lightning and thundersnow. She awoke something else in me too—confidence, pride, duty to my people, love. But as Glamma always says, Faerie giveth and Faerie taketh away.Well, Faerie took away, all right. It took my Roue, and I’m going to get her back if I have to burn all of Dark Faerie to its bones. I look down at my hand, white flames flashing across my skin. The dark Fae responsible? Oh yeah, she’s gonna get one heck of a suntan. But first, the Bleed.Lightning zaps the sky and thunder booms, shaking the entire building. Some of the kids around me get quiet, eyes round, as the lights flicker. Miss Mack waves everyone on. “No dawdling now.” Everyone keeps shuffling along. Miss Mack’s slate-grey eyes fall on me like she knows I’m up to something. I swear, the algebra teacher’s got a sixth sense or something.I put my head down. Shuffle, shuffle. Nothing to see here. The sophomores enter the auditorium to freshman shouting. I’m so over petty interclass rivalry. I should be out there, looking for Roue. Instead, I’m stuck at Richmond E on the first day of school, trapped between a pep rally and tracking down a Bleed.Here’s the thing though: Roue’s not lost. I know just where she is.In the collapsing throne room of FrankenFaerie (what I’ve been calling our jammed-together realms), under a wicked curse to obey only her dark side—the dark side that wants to kill me and rule over all of Faerie as Overqueen. All because of a certain meddling pocket púca (a malicious, mischievous shape-shifting dark Fae). Miss Jardin. My old librarian-turned-enemy. She used her woo-woo on Roue to bring out her dark side, and now, Roue’s hell-bent on rekindling the ages-old war between our peoples. Meanwhile, our two opposing realms, Dark Faerie and Fair Faerie, are fused, Summer and Winter locked into a battle for dominance that will tear all of Faerie apart, unless we can stop it. And if we don’t heal Faerie, it’ll tear the Shroud that connects and separates all the various dimensions.Faerie is the linchpin. Pull it out, and everything, the entire multiverse, every single dimension—the mortal realm, the underworld, Faerie, the Snickleways, Oz, freaking Narnia—they all come crashing down.Shuffle, shuffle. There go the juniors. The Shroud’s already weakening. The Bleeds are proof. That, and people eidolizing (turning into their hidden Faerie selves). Last week, a lady at the grocery store turned into a dark Fae foxkine and devoured the entire meat department. The week before that, a kid at Chimborazo Park eidolized into a redcap on the playground. Needless to say, a lot of other kids needed stitches. And probably therapy.“Quiet in the foyer.” Miss Mack scolds some unruly girls who are giggling at their phones. Me, I finally got a cheap smart phone with the money I saved from my delivery job, but all I seem to do on it is use ScanSnoop, the app I made that acts like a police scanner. Mom, Glamma, and I’ve taken to listening to the police scanners for anything “weird” or “magical,” then I go there and try to pick up the pieces. Or heal the pieces, to be more exact. As the rightful Queen of Summer, I have the power to heal too. Thankfully, my white flame’s up to the task.But the Bleeds are getting worse, more frequent. I can’t chase them all down. Meanwhile, the darkest, loneliest areas of Richmond (RVA to the locals) are also eidolizing, rogue Faerie energy transforming normal streets, buildings, and alleyways into hyper-realized Faerie landscapes. So far, they’ve all come with built-in Glamouries that shield their true natures from mortals. So far. Roue, I really need you.“Come on down!” Principal Fetch shouts from the stage, waving the juniors on with a red Richmond Elite spiders megaphone. He and the Cheer-Cheer Squad start up some kind of rallying cry. I swear, if I survive this chaos, I’m gonna need some kind of medal. Got Out of Bed This Morning, it should read. It can hang on my vanity right next to my other medals: Dressed Myself and Dragged My Butt to School. Meanwhile, my besties are practically vibrating with excitement. It’s the beginning of the school year.Our senior year.I should be excited too. On stage, Principal Fetch is listing all the cool stuff to get psyched about: spring formals, field trips, spirit week, senior prom. All of it without Roue.Hurry up already, Bleed. Pop-pop-hissssss! With a sound like an old radiator turning on, the air splits, and a shimmering energy vortex opens up on the left side of the auditorium. Ever see oil on the ground after it rains? A Bleed is like that, all swirly-dark rainbow energy, reaching out with multicolor tendrils. With my Fae-sight, I’m the only one who sees it, but over the crowd of seniors, I see—rabbit ears. Someone’s eidolizing. I get angle, and catch a glimpse of Mekhi Jackson, his ears elongating, sprouting white fur. Púca ears.That’s a hard no. We do not need another púca up in here.I need to heal that Bleed and now. But Miss Mack’s still watching. I need a distraction.Looking around, I spot Pru ahead of me in the crowd. “Pru! Hey!”She notices me right away. “Syl, there you are!” Pru’s the mother hen of our group—mermaid-blue hair, olive complexion, five-foot-eight inches of curvy sass and snark. She sweeps her vibrant hair from her brown eyes as she comes my way, shoving right through a group of football players and taking no crap.My Pru’s no pushover.“What’s up?” she asks.“I need a distraction,” I say, eying the fire alarm across the auditorium. Our class starts shuffling forward. It’s our turn. Mekhi’s ears are almost done growing. While some mortals are Wakeful, meaning, they can sometimes see Faerie energy, that doesn’t seem to be the case for him. Still, they’re his ears. He’s going to notice any second now… “Pru. Distraction. Now.”“Right.” Pru springs into action. “Lennon!” “Hi!” Lennon turns from reading some monster-girl comic on her phone. Where Pru’s sassy and curvy, Lennon’s quiet and adorable, with her long pin-straight black hair, Goth Lolita dress, and her cat-ear headphones glowing vibrant hot pink around her neck, pulsing in time with the tinny K-pop she’s listening to.“Gimme.” Pru grabs the headphones and unplugs them from Lennon’s phone. K-pop blares into the foyer, and several people whip around our way, including Miss Mack. Her eyes fixate on Pru, who dances away from me, dragging Lennon into the center of the foyer for everyone to see. All eyes turn to them. Score!With a wave of my hand, I throw up a don’t-see-me Glamoury. Shivers tingle across my skin as it settles into place, hiding me. It also has the helpful side effect of ensuring people don’t notice me vanishing either. Being a queen has its merits.I speed over to the fire alarm. Guilt seeps into my chest. I’m a play-by-the-rules kind of girl, so I hate the thought of pulling it. Mekhi’s fingers reach for his rabbit ears—Slam! I pull the fire alarm. Desperate times and all. Weee-oooo! Weee-ooo! Weee-oooo! The alarm blares, and Miss Mack immediately begins ushering everyone out. “All right, people! Single file. No pushing!” she shouts over the alarm. Groans and moans accompany all the students as they file out.I wait by the fire alarm, out of the way.Pru looks in my direction. She can’t see through my Glamoury, but she shoots a thumbs-up toward my vicinity. Whispering my thanks, I head into the now-empty auditorium. Outside, the storm crashes violently, wind and hail smashing at the long windows. The Bleed hangs in the air like an oily rainbow, seeping outward in tendrils, wrapping around the tables and chairs. Faerie toadstools begin to sprout on everything, crazy orange vines rushing up the walls. Tiny dragonflies buzz around everything. I’ve got only seconds to act.I crack my knuckles and shake out my hands. In a flash and pop, I summon my white flame. It flares up from my center, rushing heat through me, and my palms burn bright with it. All right, Bleed. Get ready for it. Syl Skye’s on the job.But as I blast it with my white fire, burning the vestiges of Faerie from the mortal realm and healing the vortex, I feel it in my gut. The Bleeds are getting stronger. One day soon, I won’t be able to heal them. All of Faerie will explode into the mortal realm.Roue, I really, really need you!Because the real kicker is—only two soul-bound queens can heal Faerie. CIRCUIT FAE 5: NEMESIS launches on September 10, 2019. Lock in your copy now:AMAZONBARNES & NOBLEGOOGLE PLAYITUNESKOBOxoxo,~GIE

EIDOLON: The Cover is Here

Dear Readers, in honor of Pride Month, I'm revealing the cover for CIRCUIT FAE 5: EIDOLON, the final chapter of Syl and Rouen's journey!I hope you love it as much as I do!DESCRIPTIONLong live the Faerie Queens!Syl Skye, Queen of the Summer Court and Rouen Rivoche, Queen of the Winter Court have finally brought peace to their warring Fae realms.Or so they think.Because Rouen's mom, the Adamant Queen, is back, and she's hell-bent on ruling--no matter what the cost! She tears the Shroud that shields mortals from Faerie and declares war on Syl, Rouen, and the entire mortal realm.Now all of Faerie’s breaking loose—along with every other dimension in the history of ever—and mortals are awakening to their Faerie blood and being swept up in the Adamant Queen’s war. Worse, the mortals fight back, and with every passing hour, the military draws closer to discovering Faerie’s whereabouts and exposing all its secrets.Beset by enemies on all sides, can Syl and Rouen heal the Shroud, stop the war, and defeat the Adamant Queen before Faerie, the mortal world, and everything in between goes kaboom?Their only chance lies in the evil dark circuitry magic they’ve been fighting all along—the Moribund. It’s a desperate plan, but Syl and Rouen’s enemies are about to find out:Faerie hath no fury like a Queen scorned.Now for the big-scale view. Oooh...ahhh!Who will win in the final chapter in the War for Faerie!Lock in your copy to find out!AMAZONBARNES & NOBLEGOOGLE PLAYITUNESKOBOxoxo,~GIE

Writer's Life: On Receiving

Dear Readers,I know many of you are also writers, so I thought I'd share one of my smaller, more subtle pieces of advice for surviving the day-to-day of the writing biz.Receiving.As always, there's a story. Back in 2011, right before I graduated from a grueling but amazing MFA program at Seton Hill University, I was deep in the daily word trenches. At the time, I was working in the medical field, 40+ hours a week at a long-term care facility. It was hard. It was depressing. It was, in truth, an interminable grind. I'd go to work at 7am, come home at 4pm, and then get to writing and schoolwork until about 10pm, then finally fall into bed exhausted. I did this every day. Even weekends. Even holidays. My MFA thesis was a massive epic fantasy of about 150K words. I'd already revised it twice and was on my way to completing a third revision. I had lofty daily goals. I met them, or I beat myself up about it. I learned to eat with one hand while typing with the other. It was hard, but I loved the writing part, and I desperately wanted to improve my craft, so I did it. As time ground on, I counted the days I kept this schedule. When I reached 435 days, I started to joke that my life was much like Frodo's in the end scene of Return of the King."I cannot recall the taste of food nor the sound of water nor the touch of grass."It sounds silly putting it down on paper, but looking back, I'm pretty sure I was slowly killing myself. And then, the chance to go to Ireland for two weeks on the cheap fell into my lap. The catch was: I wouldn't be able to write. I remember contacting my mentor in a near-panic. How am I going to do this? How could I POSSIBLY be away from my desk at this critical time? Because, yes, every second was critical. I'd convinced myself of that. I'd convinced myself that not writing = death.My mentor said to me, "You've been giving to your writing for a long time. Maybe it's time for you to let go and just receive for a while."I had only the barest idea of what he meant, but I went to Ireland, and I didn't write for one second while I was there. I remember the first meal I had there (fish and chips at a small pub) because it was the first time in 435 days I didn't eat at my computer. I nearly had an anxiety attack. I didn't know what to do until my travel partner told me, "All you have to do is eat your meal. No more, no less."And in that second, I slowed down, and I stopped giving every second of every day. Instead, I visited castles like the ones I was writing about. I saw lush, untouched land greener than any camera could capture. I witnessed natural wonders that took my breath and met so many wonderful and interesting people whose culture differed from American culture. I took it all in. I received whatever the day had to offer. More importantly, I gave myself time and space to just live. And it rejuvenated me completely. When I returned, I tackled my manuscript with renewed energy and insight. Reader, I finished that damn 150K-word manuscript, and I passed in all four categories, though only three were required. It's called The Gathering of Seven. You can read it at the SHU library.My MFA experience was very similar to an epic fantasy. It was wonderful and harrowing, illuminating and deadly. I graduated with my degree, but I learned an important lesson:To write about the world, you have to live in it. So, from time to time, take a break from writing, from giving, and simply open yourself and receive.Be in the world and just, well, BE. Thank you for reading,~GIE

What's New & Next!

Heyla Readers!I can hardly believe we're nearly halfway through the second quarter of 2019. It's been a busy year, so I thought I'd take a breath to touch base and let you all know what's going on with me and my various writing projects.First up, CIRCUIT FAE. Earlier this month, we released the CIRCUIT FAE BOXED SET, which includes MORIBUND,DERAILED,OUROBOROS, and DETHRONED, PLUS, BONUS CONTENT NEVER BEFORE SEEN! Originally, we looked into doing an iBooks special edition of both MORIBUND and OUROBOROS, which would have included these bonus chapters, but when that didn't pan out, I still wanted to make those chapters available to readers. Want to know more? Find the CIRCUIT FAE BOXED SET here!CIRCUIT FAE 4: NEMESISwill launch on September 10, 2019. NEMESIS pits Syl and Rouen against each other, as Rouen's dark side takes complete control, convincing her that Syl's her mortal enemy. Gah! Don't miss the explosive showdown between the Queen of the Fair Fae and the Queen of the Dark Fae! Mark your calendars! In more CIRCUIT FAE news, in honor of June being Pride month, I'll be revealing the jaw-droppingly gorgeous cover for CIRCUIT FAE 5: EIDOLON on June 7th!As it stands now, EIDOLON will complete Syl and Rouen's journey from princesses of warring Faerie courts to the reigning Queens of Faerie but, if you know anything about me, you know the final chapter will be filled with crazy plot twists, brushes with death, and all the angst and romance you can shake a Grimmoire at. EIDOLON releases on March 3, 2020. Lock in your copy now!I'm also working on a manuscript for my amazing agent, Linda Camacho at Gallt & Zacker. All I can say is: TEEN LESBIAN KNIGHTS FALLING IN LOVE AND KICKING ASS. I can't drop the title yet, but I use the hashtag #bladeheart on my Facebook page, if you'd like to follow my progress.What's next after that? I've got a new series brewing in my brain. Here's a hint: WITCHES. This new series will be set in the same world as THE CIRCUIT FAE, so you might see some cameos of Syl and Rouen (might = definitely). I'm slated to launch that series in Fall 2020, and I'll update you just as soon as I can. If you want to catch up with me, I'll be heading up the Diversity and Inclusion and Turning Pro panels at Seton Hill University's In Your Write Mindconference. If you're looking for an affordable, big bang for your buck writing retreat, IYWM is it! Many of my mentors and colleagues will be there, sharing their wisdom on all things writing--from drafting to publishing--plus, IYWM gives you the opportunity to pitch your manuscript to industry pros. I landed my agent through IYWM and have made many valuable contacts. I can't recommend it enough.Hope to see you there!xoxo,~GIE

The CIRCUIT FAE Boxed Set is Here!

Great news! Today's the launch day for the CIRCUIT FAE boxed set! That's right, you get MORIBUND, DERAILED, OUROBOROS, and DETHRONED all in one juicy boxset PLUS NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN BONUS CONTENT!!!- ALL FOR A SUPER LOW PRICE OF $9.99 -Also...it's CIRCUIT FAE's book birthday, but we're giving away presents. One lucky winner will walk away with a KINDLE FIRE. ENTER NOWDescriptionTwo Faerie princesses. Two warring realms. One forbidden love. The War for Faerie begins!From the fateful train crash that brought warring Faerie princesses Syl and Rouen together in DERAILED to their first meeting as mortal enemies in MORIBUND, their brush with death and Spring Formals in OUROBOROS, to the terrible wonders of the Dark Faerie realm in DETHRONED, follow Syl and Rouen's incredible journey as they kick ass, take names, and fall in love against the odds--all while saving the Faerie realms.“Come join Syl and Euphoria on their epic journey through the world of the Moribund and Circuit Fae and watch them as they light up the world together.” – The Avid Reader"If you're looking for a fun fast-paced journey, then definitely stop by this series!” –Married to Books“Cute lesbian couple where one of them plays the violin and is a glam-goth rock star? And the other one is the chosen one for the fair fae to save the world?? Sign me TF up!” – PaperEyed Girl“Genevieve Iseult Eldredge did a fabulous job bringing the story to life and making me BELIEVE in it, I can't wait to see where future installment(s) lead!” – Betwixt the Pages“The combination of Fae mythology infiltrated by dark circuitry and compelling, realistic adolescent drama makes this series deserve at least five stars (on a scale of four)!”– TBW, Goodreads“I found the writing to be on par with Queen Maas and Elise Kova; I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read that steps out of the box and makes a name for itself.” – Fairest Skye BooksAMAZONBARNES & NOBLEGOOGLE PLAYITUNESKOBOxoxo,~GIE

On Diversity & Representation

DIVERSITY AND REPRESENTATION – ONE READER’S PERSPECTIVEIt’s no secret that diversity is gaining ground in popular media. Our world is amazingly diverse, and marginalized people are rightfully demanding movies about protagonists like them. As part of the LGBTQ+ community and an own voices author (meaning, my protagonists and I share a marginalized lesbian identity), I can attest that we’re so ready for diverse books.So! Ready!We’re hungry for these books and to see ourselves reflected in print, and that’s a good thing, if I remember old-school economics supply-and-demand.However, there’s a slightly less positive side effect to all this demand. I began noticing it last year when I really dove into reading all the LGBTQ+ YA I could get my hands on. I also started paying attention to reviews on GoodReads and Amazon, and I uncovered a trend.Those authors who were perceived by readers as having done LGBTQ+ representation “wrong” were vilified in the reviews and, sometimes, even elsewhere on the internet.Okay, first, I want to say that, yes, it is possible to get representation wrong. You only have to look at past (and some present) LGBTQ+ representation in popular culture to see it’s rooted in homophobia (or transphobia, etc.), and there are some particularly tone-deaf cases out there.But what about the author who is really trying to get it right and falls a little short? Should we attack them with bad reviews when it was clear that their intention (if not their execution) was right?And why does representation seem like such a double-edged sword?As an own voices author, I’ve found myself being overly critical at times, and I started to examine my own thoughts and emotions about the lack of diversity in books and how this was related to my own critical thoughts.What I came to was this:Diversity in books and other media is just beginning to gain ground, so there’s a dearth of stories about LGBTQ+ characters. By now, we’ve read Malinda Lo, Sarah Waters, TJ Klune, and the trailblazers before us, and we’re hungry—starving—for more.Unfortunately, what’s falling from the literary table is crumbs. Some of them are amazing crumbs, but they are crumbs nonetheless, and not enough to satiate us. Oftentimes, too, those crumbs are more coming-out stories. This is not to say that coming-out stories are bad. On the contrary, I think we desperately need coming out stories, but… Those aren’t the only stories the LGBTQ+ community has to tell. We want our cheesy rom-coms, our fun action-adventures, our sci-fis and horror.And that’s where the frustration comes in and why, when we see an author try to include diverse characters and not do so well, we can be overly critical.When we don’t see our exact experience reflected on the page, we can’t help but feel disappointed. It makes sense. Everyone in the LGBTQ+ community has been dying to read stories about characters like us. So when we see something, and it doesn’t reflect our personal experience, we feel cheated.We’re so hungry for these books, and to see ourselves reflected in print that we tend to look at the books out there, to look at the characters, plots, and situations and hold these up as the be-all and end-all of LGBTQ+ characters, plots, and situations everywhere.I noticed a knee-jerk tendency to view every LGBTQ+ character as somehow representative of ALL LGBTQ+ characters, and that’s not what any sane author intends. What we intend is to tell the story of THESE particular characters in THIS particular situation.But when “representation” is the expectation the reader brings to the book, they can come away disappointed and feel underrepresented even by representation itself.The crumbs falling from the table—the crumbs that should keep us from starving—don’t. The result is that it’s natural to want to turn to the keyboard and give a scathing review.But here’s why that may not be such a great practice:First, the idea that one must be of a marginalized identity to write about marginalized identity is something I truly believe we need to shatter. Of course, I love all my fellow own voices authors, and I support them, but we need to empower others to write diversity, to educate themselves, and write it wellBecause diversity reflects the real world around us, and that world belongs to everyone.Second, by attacking well-meaning authors when they don’t get every detail right, by not having conversations about how to write better, stronger, more representation, we’re stabbing ourselves in the foot before the big race. Because only by supporting diverse books will we signal to the writing community to give us more diverse books.Which brings me to my point: the whole “stay in your lane” mentality is inherently harmful because it results in us Othering our diverse expressions rather than accepting them.That’s not to say we can’t thoughtfully critique someone’s work and their expressions of representation. In fact, we absolutely should! And we need to call out homophobia, transphobia, and other prejudiced viewpoints. But it’s by engaging in these conversations that we’ll do the best good—for the industry and for us.But it must be a conversation not an attack against a well-meaning author/creator. In checking my own behavior, I’ve decided on a few Rules of Engagement for myself:1. Don’t assume intent. Don’t assume that author is deliberately trying to be offensive and/or tone-deaf and don’t assume that the author is holding up these characters to be the be-all and end-all of LGBTQ+ expression.2. Approach the writing as one person’s (or character’s) experience, just as valid as any other, and if you see something that seems out of whack, have conversations about it—focusing on bettering our experience rather than assuming ill intent and attacking one another.3. Don’t be one of those people who deliberately takes things out of context. I’ve seen reviewers cherry-pick certain lines of dialogue or narrative and use them completely out of context to paint the author in a negative light. Don’t do this. It’s bad karma, and it really reflects the reviewer’s negativity than any failing on the author’s part.4. Go on the journey the author takes you on. Rather than approaching a book with loads of expectations, give the author the benefit of the doubt and see where they take you. Squelch criticisms rooted in thoughts like, “If I had written this…” or “I think it should have happened like this.” Those thoughts just foster negativity and hinder your enjoyment. And that’s one of the main reasons to read.5. Foster a community of positivity. I think some of the bloggers and reviewers have this idea that they should be really tough on books. Of course, if you don’t like a book, or you think there’s a valid criticism, bring it up. And yes, have intelligent debates about what was done well and what wasn’t—and how that author could improve. But leave the meanness behind.6. Support diverse books. Buy them. Review them. Ensure your critiques are well-thought-out and free from attacks on the author. It’s very possible to write a tough critique without resorting to ad hominem attacks.While not every scenario will fit into the above Rules of Engagement, and no one should feel like they have to be a queer ambassador, only by starting from a place of positivity will we break down the barriers between us, will we foster true acceptance—where LGBTQ+ books are perceived as not just for LGBTQ+ folks but for everyone.