Judy Folger's Blog: Judy Folger: Lesbian Romance Author

Writing a Unique Holiday Collection with a Good Friend

I've never been a person who goes crazy over the holidays. Still, when my friend and editor Debra Stang suggested we write a book of lesbian Christmas stories together, I thought the idea had promise. The holiday season brings out both the best and the worst in people. It intensifies emotions and situations. In fact, the dramatic possibilities are endless.

I told Debra I was in and started to work on my stories. I soon realized, however, that the material I was producing was both romantic and related to Christmas, but it bore no resemblance to the sweet fluff I'd read in other holiday collections.

I called Debra. "I think what I'm writing is a little too intense for a book of holiday stories," I said. She burst out laughing. "You think that's bad?" she said. "I'm just about to kill off Santa Claus."

After a brief debate, we decided to finish writing our stories and see what happened. When we were done, we swapped stories. Debra was crazy about mine. I loved hers.

What the hell? we thought. Our visions of Christmas might not be to everyone's taste, but the stories deserved to see the light of day. And so far, based on the reactions I've gotten from my fans, our collection is being very well received.

So, if you're in the mood for lesbian-themed Christmas stories that are likely to engage both your thoughts and emotions, checkout LESBIAN YULETIDE LOVE STORIES: LESBIAN CHRISTMAS ROMANCE. You won't be sorry you did!

Family Pride Takes on Transgender Issues

Like most Americans, I watched in amazement as Olympic champion Bruce Jenner transitioned into the lovely and eloquent Cait Jenner. It was obvious that Cait was finally comfortable with her identity after a painful struggle that had taken many lonely years.

Curious, I began researching the lives of other transgender people. Even in today's relatively accepting society, the picture I uncovered was sometimes an ugly one. Many transgender people still face intolerance, ridicule, and bigotry from heterosexual society as well as rejection from gay and lesbian communities. Many women's spaces, for instance, cater only to women who were born female.

I attempt to tackle some of these issues and prejudices in my newest book, FAMILY PRIDE: A LESBIAN ROMANCE. The main character Dawn has a younger brother, Eric, also known as Erica, who is in the process of transitioning from male to female.

Erica is lucky in that she enjoys the support of a close, loving family, but her interactions with strangers don't always end as well. She also endures the pain of knowing that some of her friends have been abandoned by their loved ones.

Erica is not the main character in the book, but she does serve as a catalyst for bringing the two heroines, Dawn and Sylvia, together...and almost dragging them apart again.

Her subplot is one that is close to my heart because I admire her courage and her unwillingness to be anything less than who she is.

Do you have a transgender friend or family member? Any thoughts on transgender issues? If so, please comment or send me a tweet @Judy_Folger.

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, But Moving On Is Harder

We've all had bad breakups, relationships that we thought were going to be "forever" and turned out to be "for now." There's no point in going through every accusation, false or otherwise, and hurtful phrase.

It is useful, however, to look at what comes next. Some women choose to stay single. Others throw themselves into the arms of the very next lesbian who comes along. Still others play the field, refusing to commit to one person so that one person can never again hurt them so deeply.

This is the strategy used by Julie, the main character in my newest novel, THE PLUMBER AND THE PIANIST: A LESBIAN ROMANCE. Dumped by the love of her life, Christina, Julie drops out of graduate school hits the bottle pretty hard, and begins to sleep her way through the female population of Overland Park and Lawrence. She's through with love.

But love may not be through with her, especially after she meets music professor and concert pianist Lilly Cummings. Lilly makes her feel things she never has before, and Lilly makes it clear she isn't content to be just one of the girls.

So, Julie has a choice to make, a choice that has probably faced all of us after a breakup: Give love one more chance or decide you're finished with that foolishness? What will Julie decide?

More importantly, what did you decide? Don't forget to leave comments!

An American Tragedy

A few years ago, I was watching CNN. An interview with a female helicopter pilot came on the screen. She was attractive, articulate, intelligent, and witty. She was also doomed. A few months later, her helicopter was shot down in Iraq. There were no survivors.

I was never able to get that interview out of my mind. It seemed impossible to believe that the life of someone so promising had been snuffed out as casually as you or I might blow out a candle.

At about the same time, I began to hear about the high rate of suicides among veterans. I learned that as of 2014, 22 veterans were completing suicide each day. This number, while accurate, seemed tragically high. Imagine serving one's country with honor and, on one's return, finding nothing worth staying alive for.

After a time, I did what all writers do when we are troubled by the things I see around us. I wrote about it.

From my keyboard sprung the story of Shane Warner, a young helicopter pilot shot down in Iraq. Unlike the pilot in the interview, Shane survives her initial injuries, though she suffers a devastating above-the-knee amputation that turns her into little more than a desk jockey.

Shane is also nursing a broken heart. When she chose to enter the military, her childhood sweetheart, Pia Arnoni, turned her back on Shane. Pia wanted nothing to do with the closeted secrecy that defined military life at that time.

The two have not spoken in years when Shane's father dies suddenly. Shane returns home for the funeral and finds Pia living right next door. After a few false starts, Shane and Pia start talking again and even try to rekindle their relationship. But can their simple childhood love stand up to adult realities?

Pia is engaged to marry one of the most powerful female surgeons at the local hospital. Shane has developed post-traumatic stress disorder and an addiction to alcohol. And in the middle of the duo, fighting to make things work out for them, is Shane's longtime friend, Cody, a mysterious woman who catches Pia's attention.

Ripped from the headlines, CRASH LANDING is the story of a veteran wounded in her body and soul and of the sweet, long-ago romance that may not be strong enough to save her.

NOTE: If you are a veteran-or even if you're not-and you are considering suicide, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. We've lost too many wonderful people to death at their own hands. We can't afford to lose you, too.