Ivy L. James – Behind the Bio – Representation For All
Ivy L. James wrote her first story on Post-it notes as a child. Since then, she has graduated to regular paper and enjoys writing inclusive romance, short fiction, and poetry. Her queer romances Border Ctrl+Esc, Make the Yuletide Gay, and Love, Lorena are published by NineStar Press. Her work has appeared in the Stygian Collection (Stygian Society), Seers and Sybils (Brigids Gate Press), HerStry, Snowflake Magazine, and Scavengers Literary Magazine, among others. Ivy lives in Maryland with her wife and their corgi, cat, and two snakes.
Behind the Bio
Tell us something about yourself that isn’t in your standard author bio.
I’m the DJ in my house! I love to make a good playlist.
Do you have any hobbies or special interests outside of writing?
I enjoy D&D (both playing and DMing), witchy stuff, community theatre, and Switch games. I also edit other people’s writing on the side.
How do you unwind after a stressful day?
After a long day, I like to play with my corgi or read a good book. I’ve been especially into poetry lately.
What genres do you prefer writing in? Are there any you plan to try in the future?
Queer adult romance has been my go-to genre for several years now. I’m planning to keep that up, but (!) I’m also currently on track to make my poetry debut in 2024. I’m so excited!
Do you have a signature of some sort or repeating symbolism you include in your writing?
If I publish a book without family drama, it’s not me. Call the police.
What is a piece of writing advice you’ve gotten that was actually helpful?
I don’t know if this counts as writing-specific advice, but life comes in cycles, and nothing is active all year round. Fields need to lay fallow. The moon isn’t full all month. Winter is just as important a season as summer. It’s important to take breaks and take care of yourself.
Is there a goal you hope to achieve with your writing career someday?
This is gonna sound so simple, but I’d love to go on a writing retreat and bury myself in a manuscript for a week or two! (Does that count as a goal?)
What’s next up for you?
I’m working on The Winner Takes It All (Virginia Is for All Lovers, book 2) and The Orange and Pink Sunset (my upcoming poetry chapbook). I also have a few other chapbooks in progress; 2024 might be a poetry year for me.
SPEED ROUND!
Last Halloween costume: Princess Peach
Dogs or cats: Cats
Ideal weather: Thunderstorm
What is your go-to video game: Bioshock
What career did you dream of having as a kid: Forensic scientist
What piece do you choose in Monopoly: the Scottie
Early Bird or Night Owl: Afternoon Pigeon
Lorena García Fernández has built her matchmaking company, “Love, Lorena,” from the ground up, but her parents refuse to acknowledge the business as legitimate. Hoping to impress them, she travels to Ìovoria to find Crown Prince Callum a match. However, when Callum unexpectedly abdicates, his wild sister, Rosamund, becomes the crown princess and Lorena’s new client.
Lorena knows “Rowdy Rosamund” from the news headlines, but as she helps the princess, she learns there’s more to Rose than her public persona. The two women grow closer with each date Lorena sets up for the crown princess, and Lorena finds herself falling for Rose.
With only a month to find the perfect match, each failure increases the pressure to succeed. How will Lorena choose between her duty and her heart?
Representation For All
Author Identities: I’m a cis white lesbian woman. I’m neurodivergent and mentally ill. I’m kind of…between religions? I was raised Christian, and I still sort of believe that, but I also work with witchy stuff and other deities.
Characters They Write About: Love, Lorena stars two cis bi women, one Latina/Hispanic and one white. Overall, I have written about cis lesbian, bi, demi, and pan characters. I do write BIPOC characters, though I don’t tell stories that are essentially based in those cultures. Most of my characters have mental illness of some kind, especially anxiety. I’ve written Christian (Baptist, Catholic, lapsed Eastern Orthodox), nonreligious, and witchy/pagan characters.
Where to find Ivy:
Website: www.authorivyljames.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorivyljames/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaUz2_8kj8boi9FUDG8rQ9w
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorivyljames
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorivyljames
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/authorivyljames.bsky.social
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorIvyLJames
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/authorivyljames
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorivyljames
