#Romancelandia

[scarlettgauthor]

This is a reminder that you have until January 1st to take advantage of my holiday sale! 20% off books in all forms, which includes audiobooks!

Scarlett's BIG HOLIDAY SALE

What's up, Tumblr, it's CYBER MONDAY and you know what that means! CYBERSEX ON MAIN -

Wait. What's that? I'm being told that it's actually a made-up holiday intended to sell things digitally. That seems much less fun, but I guess I can do that instead.

What's up, Tumblr, it's CYBER MONDAY and that means you can buy yourself some cozy kinky romance at an incredible discount! Use code GAY&FESTIVE24 on my website for 20% off my books in all forms! They're perfect for binging under the table while ignoring your shitty aunt at holiday gatherings this season.

The code is good through January 1st. Happy reading!

[capesandshapes]

As someone who is part of the indie romance community I need you to understand that part of the problem with Susan Meachen is that she was disappointed by a lack of sales and had been informed as to the reasons why (bad covers, unappealing blurbs, plain language in stories that didn't fit her genre) and took it as bullying instead of valid criticism.

Like people tried to help her and instead of listening to them she thought she knew better and for some reason decided to turn around and instead of improving her books and taking the ideas she obviously had to make something better, she decided to fake her death?

That being said, please for the love of God if you want to write professionally... learn how to take criticism.

[fated-mates]

If you're still not sold on Fated States, a political scientist studied us and published her findings in the Washington Post.

Three main themes emerged as these women talked with me. First, they truly feel part of a community, even if it is purely online. Most laughed about “knowing” MacLean and Prokop for years through the podcast. While many authors use social media and podcasts to sell books, MacLean and Prokop have gone beyond that, creating a space in which they felt safe and welcome to discuss romance and politics, among other things. The phone-bankers described their attitudes toward the duo using words like “respect,” “trust” and “admire.” Second, this sense of community translated into relaxed phone-banking sessions. While Indivisible Action provided phone numbers and training, MacLean and Prokop recruited their community members. They made a daunting task fun by organizing a massive party via Zoom for the phone-bankers, complete with special guests, bingo and swag donated by other romance authors. The two-hour sessions were very structured, something the women lauded. One woman said it couldn’t have been simpler; she just had to show up with her phone, and MacLean and Prokop took care of the rest. Finally, the women felt connected even without physical proximity. Most mentioned how isolated they have felt during the pandemic — which was overcome by the “Fated Mates” Zoom call during the phone-banking. Seeing the group helped participants feel as if they weren’t alone in their calls. The Zoom chat was quite active during the sessions, celebrating wins and seeking support for difficult calls. Many mentioned that this camaraderie was missing from other phone- and text-banking opportunities they had attended through national campaigns.

[queerromancerecs]

searching for a good romance to read?

Looking for a good romantic queer read or did you just read a queer romance so good you want to share it with the world?

Consider Queer Romance Recs right here on Tumblr! Give us your favorites or just scroll through the tags! Reblog stuff you also liked or maybe think your mutuals will like! Share some queer joy!

Queer Romance Recs

[emeryleewho]

I don't remember if I posted about this here, but if you want:

Romcoms

Gay shit

To know what the fuck "sexy Totoro" means

or to help me to stick it to the man by getting me paid in a way that actually gives the money to me, an artist, instead of a mega corporation trying to suck me dry

My new book is up on Goodreads for people who actually use Goodreads and want to add it. If you don't use Goodreads, but still want to do all of the above, you can subscribe to my updates only newsletter so you'll know when you can grab the book somewhere (or get a copy for free!)

[sunflowerromcom]

My wip: Project Biscuit

🌾 small beach town

☕️ bakery/cafe

🌼 flower shop

⚽️ lil bit of football

🧸 single parents

💐 slow burn

🔥 spice

While I love being fanfic author with my whole heart, there’s something I’ve been working on to maybe publish that’s finally been taking form. I don’t know yet if I’m going indie or traditional. All I know is that I’m going to keep this one close to my chest a little bit and not publish it on AO3.

I will, however, be posting snippets and dropping mood boards here and there.

But I’ll need betas! If you’re interested in reading it send me a message I’d love to share it, because I’d love all the feedback I can get from the fandom.

And don’t worry, I’m still working on all my other stories. 🥹

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

seeking recs: Black LGBTQ romance novels!

hiiiii besties! I'm currently planning some upcoming polls for my patreonites, who get to vote on a new romance novel for me to subject myself to every month, and I thought that since in June we celebrate both Pride and Juneteenth, combining the two and focusing on queer Black romances would be fun.

FAQ:

this needs to be a *Romance* *Novel*, please, not a novel that happens to have a romance in it. there is a difference!

no YA sorryyyyy

I am seeking Black authors, non-negotiable.

LGBTQ romance, also non-negotiable, but that could mean a lot of different things. gay, lesbian, bi, ace, trans, nonbinary, you name it, I want 'em.

the author does not need have openly identified as part of the LGBTQ community to qualify.

the book doesn't have to be "good," however you define that. I'm seeking as many options to been from as possible; quantity > quality in this case lmao.

if the book is only available as an e-book I'm sorry but that's a no from me, I'm a print girlie

pls don't recommend D'Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding, I've read it!

okay thank you, pls pop off now and don't let me down the single time I have ever asked for book recommendations.

[bonobochick]

Misogynoir in Hollywood and in romance books is soooo exhausting. 🤧. Black women deserve more and BETTER.

[mslanna]

Working hard on my first selfpub. Made a test paperback to see how it turns out. Put a lil something for me on the back. This is so much work. I deserve a lil treat.

WATCH THIS SPACE!!! (I guess. Or not. I'll announce the thing. Early next year, methinks.)

[measuredandslow]

Spent all week teaching myself CAD software so I could design my own dragon fainting couches, 10/10 would recommend as a solid use of time, materials, and brain power 😂

[bettslovesromance]

Kate Canterbary can do no wrong, all of her books are perfect for me and Change of Heart was no exception.

This book is so sweet, complicated and perfect. Henry is the perfect golden retriever, I loved that he knew what he wanted, Whit, and fought for her, always respecting her boundaries, which is SO IMPORTANT.

The competence in this book is just top tier, and the fact that Henry respected Whit professionally, as the badass surgeon that she was, damn, it was the hottest thing ever.

Alsoooo, it was so so nice to see familiar faces 💜💜💜

This was one of my most anticipated books this year and I'm so happy that I read an ARC and that I loved it.

Thanks to the author for the free ARC.

[marvelousgeeks]

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eagerly awaiting Miss Scarlet and the Duke Season 4! And, if you’re that much like me, you are probably already craving more stories with its dynamic.

Eliza and William are, without a doubt, one of our favorite ships on TV right now. The appeal isn’t just their slow burn in a world where networks cancel shows willy-nilly and slow burns never actually spark. It’s their shared history, their shorthand, their ability to annoy each other one moment and comfort each other the next. It’s watching William become completely undone by the revelation that he loves her and seeing Eliza fight against being vulnerable, even though her own heart is telling her otherwise.

In other words: it’s the good stuff, folks.

So what else is a romance lover like me to do, but pull together a list of reading recommendations? I’ve scoured my shelves for some old favorites and new discoveries perfect for Miss Scarlet fans. Get your shopping list or library card ready, and happy reading!

Continue Reading

[fated-mates]

Elda Minger was the first romance novelist to put condom use on the page. When we spoke to her about the choice she made, she told us about the realities of the world before Roe, when abortion was neither safe nor legal. This remains one of the most powerful conversations we’ve had on Fated Mates, and we are so lucky that Elda came to talk to us.

As we watch women die throughout the country in the wake of draconian abortion bans, we hope you’ll listen to Elda, and make a plan to vote for this Tuesday.

-

Transcription:

I remember the reason I put in the condom, and this is funny 'cause I hadn't thought about this in years, this will sound like the Stone Age to you guys because you're much younger. I grew up in a town, I went to high school in a town of 1200 people. It was still very much a, I would call it a boy's town, like lots of hunting, fishing, ice fishing, skiing, sledding. Women were, you know, married young, had their kids and kind of disappeared is the only way I can put it. They disappeared. And marriage, I remember Jessie Bernard once said, a sociologist, she said, "Marriage is a great deal for men and children, but not so great for women." And I remember reading that and thinking, "Yep." When women did not have access to birth control, and biologically, the sex drive is strong. I had numerous friends who got pregnant, and back in the day, there was no abortion. If you could find a doctor you could go, you could get someone to do the job, and then if you started bleeding out, you went to the emergency room. And I had two friends, older sisters, they told me later on, it was like the most terrifying experience of their lives, which is why abortion must always be safe and legal. But you had two choices. And I had two girlfriends in high school who, their beginning of their senior year or summer of their junior year, whatever, they went to visit their aunt, and they came back and they looked gutted. And I never forgot the look in their eyes, like dead eyes, because they had had their baby and given it up for adoption, because that was the option or you cornered the guy and married him, and if he thought he was trapped, it was not a good marriage, and it usually ended up in divorce. So birth control back then, I worked at a drugstore and the condoms were in a glass case behind the pharmaceutical counter. You could only buy them if you were married. This is how bad things were. You know, when I look back, it's like God, it was like the Stone Age. But the thing was, I couldn't in good faith, and all the romances, the historicals of course, they would have sex and then she'd be pregnant and there'd be a big brouhaha, but in the end he would love the baby. But with a contemporary I thought, "I can't do this. I can't do this." And I had interesting parents because my mother is from Puerto Rico, staunch Roman Catholic, could not have the sex talk with me. So my dad was like, "This is very embarrassing, but we're going to have the sex talk, and I don't think I can look at you while we do this, but you need to be protected." And I remember he told me, "Teenage boys will do anything. They would do a knothole in a plank. You have to understand this about male nature. And he said, "They will tell you, "I love you." They will promise you the moon and you are a very romantic girl, and you will have sex with him. And Monday morning he will be telling all his friends at school and you will be brokenhearted." And that did happen to one of my girlfriends, where she gave it up to a guy, and she was the town pump for the last two years of high school, and she never had a boyfriend because she didn't dare. And I remember thinking, "God, that's awful!" But you know, my dad taught college and he said, "Many a woman's college career was derailed because some guy said, "I love you. I'll be with you forever." And she ended up raising the baby with her and her mom and dropping out of school. And he said, "I don't want that for you. I don't know how more plainly to put it." And I was like, "Got it, Dad. Got it." Because he was pretty, I mean he said, "I don't expect you to be a virgin when you're married. It's different times, but pick a man who likes women." And I was at 16, so stupid, 14, "Daddy, all men like women." And he's like, "No, they don't. Pick a man who really does like and treasure women." So when I approached Untamed Heart, I thought, "Okay, I've got to somehow put birth control into it." And I said to Vivian, "Can I do that?" And she said, "If you can figure out a way to make it work, I'm all for it."

[queerromancerecs]

Hello hello and welcome!

Queer Romance Recs, is, as the name suggests, a place for queer romance recommendations. Why? Because queer writers and romance writes tend to be indie, and they could use some love and support, and we could all use more things to read.

This blog was created in an effort to build more of a queer romance community, but tbh, since none of the promotion has encouraged much widespread sharing, I'm going to keep it going, but I suspect most of the recs going forward will be by me, the mod.

This is not a problem; I like to rec whatever tickles my fancy. However, while I do read f/f, I do not read much published, contemporary f/f. (Original Fic, historical, fantasy, yes but the majority of published romance is still contemporary and I just don't read that much.)

I mention this because recs from you all are still very much welcome. The guidelines are below. If you want to contribute, feel free. Also remember that contributing can even just mean reblogging posts that interest you. We are here to support each other and authors!! Share the love!!

This is for recs of published queer romance and romantic fiction. What does that mean? Romance must central to or a significant part of the story, and at least one of the main characters must be lgbtqa+.

Published works means traditionally published, indie-published, or self-published. This includes free works and works published by authors available through their blogs or websites. It does not mean fanfiction. Fanfiction rec blogs exist already, please use them.

Fiction includes purely prose work as well as webcomics and graphic novels.

Romance means genre romance and also fictional works with a strong romantic element. The difference between the two is that genre romance requires a happy ending or a happy-for-now ending, and romantic fiction does not. This should be made clear in the rec itself under Genre. If the story is part of an ongoing series and the ending is not yet clear, please say so in your recommendation. Erotic romance is also allowed but again, indicate that under Genre.

(e.g. for a genre romance book that is also fantasy, label it Genre: Romance and then add a sub category if you like. If it's a fantasy novel primarily, then label is just Fantasy.)

Lgbtqa+ means queer. It can mean m/m. It can mean f/f. It can mean nb/nb. It can mean an m/f romance with a bi heroine, a trans f/m love story, an aro character finding a life partner and feeling weird internal feelings about it, three ace people falling in love and never having sex, and so on and so forth.

Content tags: You don’t need to list all triggers, as that is impossible. But please at least list any of the obvious ones under "content tags" Suggested content tags would be like: SA, attempted SA, CA, CSA, graphic torture, etc.

Recs can be only a few sentences or a full essay. Just say what you like about it and why you feel others should read it.

Recs must also include a link to the work: the author’s website, Smashwords, Amazon, wherever, but at least one, as well as a picture of the cover. (In the case of art-heavy work, more pics can be used.) Please use alt text for any images.

No self-promotion from authors. No non-romantic genre fiction.

And please, if you want your name in the rec, please add it to the bottom or top. I thought Tumblr kept the names attached with submissions but it doesn't. Whoops.

Required format:

Cover Image (if it has one)

Title (including series name if applicable)

Author

Summary: (c & p the professional one or write your own)

Genre:

Ship type: (m/m/m, f/f, nb/trans m, etc)

Why you like it:      

Content tags if applicable              ��                                                           

Link

If you have questions about a rec, you can ask about it.

Entries with incorrect format will not approved but you will be contacted for any necessary corrections/additions.

Hate speech and harassment are not allowed. I will happily block you.

In the interests of disclosure, this blog is run by R. Cooper, a queer romance author. Obviously, I will smile and be very happy if my work gets recommended here, but I am not going specially tag it or comment because it feels a little sus for me to do that. If the format is correct, I will just approve any such posts like the others.

[emeryleewho]

So I deleted my romantasy poll, not because people were being pedantic, as is usually the problem, but because almost all of the reblog replies included people saying that a story can't function with a romance as a main plot and reducing romance to things that are not at all what romance as a genre is actually about, and that was enough to tell me that at least a decent number of votes were from people who objectively do not like romance as a genre, which also meant they were literally the people I told to not vote in the poll, as it was a poll about fantasy romance and not about fantasy, as these are two different genres.

Anyway, if you're seeing this post and you read romantasy, as herein defined as "a romance story set in a fantasy world", which do you find yourself more invested in--the relationship between the main ship or the fantasy elements? Do you prefer the story to be driven by a "fantasy"-type plot, i.e. "clan wars" but where the romance is a pivotal aspect of that, or do you prefer the story be driven by a "romance"-type plot, i.e. "rivals to lovers" but against a fantasy backdrop?

You cannot have a fantasy romance in which the romance is not pivotal to the plot, so again, if that is the kind of fantasy you like, you enjoy *fantasy*, NOT *fantasy romance*, so I do not need to hear from you. I already know what you like. Thanks ^.^

[booktineus]