#queerprompts

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts June 3: Summer reading recs ⛱️📖

Some queer YA books that take place during summer or have a summer vibe:

🚣 Caught in a Bad Fauxmance by Elle Gonzalez Rose 🪄 Before We Disappear by Shaun David Hutchinson 🚀 The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper 🧜 Out of the Blue by Jason June 🖼️ Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender ⚽ I Like Me Better by Robby Weber 🔥 Heat Wave by T.J. Klune 🤠 A Little Bit of Country by Brian D. Kennedy 🏴‍☠️ In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens 😎 Hot Boy Summer by Joe Jiménez

[uncannyarcana]

And Day 2!

For Uncanny Arcana, I'm extremely proud of how far I've come since starting it ~5 years ago, from tweaking the worldbuilding to physically seeing technical improvement. My voice is better than it was before and writing feels easier (and more fun now that I've learned not to take it too seriously! Do it for fun and it'll be fun is something I have to remind myself once in a while)

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts January 18: What influenced your story? 📝

In case it's not obvious, Nix is based a lot on me. He's a hopeless romantic, klutz, breaks technology, likes drawing and making things, and ends up with his dream guy. That said, the events came to me while listening to music.

[cjaralore]

🎉 Happy Pride Month! 🎊

🌈 #QueerPrompts is your chance to talk about your WIP/book, meet other queer authors, and have fun! 🏳���‍🌈

❤️🧡💛 Include the the tag #QueerPrompts and join at any time and any days you want. 💚💙💜

[cjaralore]

#FantasyIndiesApril 23: Last 5-Star Read & #QueerPrompts April 23: Queer book you reviewed

I almost never really give 5 stars, but since Goodreads doesn't have half stars, I tend to round up my 4.5 star reviews. 🐲Under the Dragon Moon🌕 by @mawcewrites is definitely close to that illusive 5 stars though! Check out my review:

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts April 17: Queer children's book(s) 📚

Here are a few that I enjoyed:

😼Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty 🚪The Insiders by Mark Oshiro 🐧Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima 🦆The Language of Seabirds by Will Taylor 🐈Princess Puffybottom… and Darryl by Susin Nielsen 🐶You Only Live Once, David Bravo by Mark Oshiro

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts March 5: Unnoticed side character 🙇🏼‍♂️🍃

Leif prefers to read comic books than talk (when he does, he's blunt) and is only with Nix's friend group because he's Stephanie's cousin. That is, until he meets Autumn and the two shy sophomores immediately connect.

While Leif may seem like a forgettable background character because he has so few lines, he represents who Nix might have been had he never met Lex, as Nix doesn't seek out friends, prefers 1-on-1, and would sit alone during lunch whenever Lex was out sick.

Although I don't include their backstory in Gravity's Fire, Stephanie met her BFF Tien when she thought she was "supporting" Leif by making him go to a queer youth group. He sat in a corner reading while she made friends, including with the sassy Tien.

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts December 21: MC's/your childhood toys 🧸

Nix likes to make things, so he made clay figures and decorated shells. He also had boy dolls that he pretended were boyfriends and took with him on "dates."

My favorite childhood toys were flocked poseable animal figures.

[cjaralore]

🌈 Hi queer writers! #QueerPrompts is your chance to talk about your WIP/story/book, meet other queer authors, and have fun! 🏳️‍🌈

🍁🙏 It's Trans Awareness Month and Queer Family Gratitude time! Join at any time and any days you want. 🥧🍂

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts October 31: Monthly Wrap-Up

I managed to get a lot done this month, though never as much as I hope since I'm an over-planner. 🫠

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts October 28: Pictures/description of what your MC/characters would dress as for Halloween 🎃

Here's Max and Nix in their Halloween costumes posing for a photo that they'll both then set as their phone's wallpaper. Max is a tree and Nix is a phoenix. And, yes, this is in the book!

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts October 25: Free Friday or post pumpkins 🎃

How about Max and Nix from my YA fantasy romcom Gravity's Fire holding pumpkins carved to look like them? 😉 After many tries, I finally managed to draw this chibi style where they don't look overly freakish, so yay! In fact, I kind of like their eyes better than my usual style. 😅

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts October 22: Queer YA Horror Reading Recs

🏕️ Camp Damascus by @drchucktingle 🏫 Fraternity by Andy Mientus 🦹 Your Lonely Nights Are Over by @theadamsass-blog 🌕 The Alchemy of Moonlight by David Ferraro (A Vile Season out TODAY!)

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts October 18: Free Friday: Opening Scene Narration 🗣️

This is a practice narration for the opening scene of Gravity's Fire. My plan is to record an audiobook (without music/sound effects). Besides mic quality, please offer suggestions!

Gravity's Fire is a YA BL/MM Contemporary Fantasy Romcom about a runaway teen who discovers magic is real when he meets the boy he's dreamed of all his life.

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts October 11: Free Friday Art Share 👱‍♀️

Emily Solaris is Nix's biological mother, who is so relieved to find her son, but then becomes cold and wary of him because of a secret that her and her husband share that will change Nix's world even more than meeting Max already has.

[cjaralore]

#QueerPrompts October 10: Halloween Party 🎃🪩

Nix goes to his first ever Halloween party with Max and their friends, where he and Max dance for the first time and where they plan to confess their feelings for each other…

Here, have a quick poorly-drawn sketch!