Tag: lgbt fantasy

Nightmares

Goddess of the Sea (Book 2 of Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons) is featured in this week’s Sapphic Book Bingo category, “Comforting the other character after a nightmare.” 💙

If you’ve read the book, you know this is a particularly significant scene for Em and Maria, so I thought I’d say a few words about it.

One of the hardest things about PTSD, in my opinion, is the way so many of the symptoms leave you feeling powerless. Powerless over your body, over your mind, over the past, and…during a nightmare or flashback, powerless over the present, as well. Especially when the trauma came while under the power of someone else, that feeling of powerlessness is…difficult. So, to say this scene is a personal one (that made me cry many, many, many times) would be an understatement.

It was also a huge step for Em and Maria, and I deeply love what it does for their progress. 💙

You can find fifteen sapphic books with this micro-trope at the link below.

sapphic books with this micro-trope

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Banned Books Week

It’s Banned Books Week, a week set aside each year to discuss the danger of banning books and the importance of the freedom to read. In a time when diversity and authenticity in literature is being attacked by those in power, it’s more important than ever to speak out against censorship.

Representation is important. It literally saves lives.

We will continue to write these books. We will continue to read these books. Diversity should be celebrated, not feared. Reading should be encouraged, not attacked.

I’m happy to stand with GCLS and SASS in defense of our stories. 💙

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Sapphic September

I meant to share these earlier in the month, but…well…it’s been a rough one.

For anyone participating in Sapphic September this year, if you need to know which categories my books fit, I’ve listed them below. 🖤

Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons:

🐉 Disabled Sapphics (Definitely)
🏴‍☠️ Indie or Small Press Author (Definitely)
🐉 2025 Release (Possibly? If you’re reading the audiobook version of Goddess of the Sea. The ebook and print came out in 2024.)
🏴‍☠️ Choose Your Own Prompt
🐉 New-to-You Author (Possibly)
🏴‍☠️ Book from Physical TBR (Possibly)

Image: Sapphic September bingo card on rainbow background with the covers of Pirates of Aletharia (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 1) and Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2) by Britney Jackson. Text: Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons. • Disabled Sapphics • Indie or Small Press Author

Creatures of Darkness:

🖤 Indie or Small Press Author (Definitely)
🩸 40+ Main Character (I think? Kara is over fourteen hundred, after all.)
🖤 Choose Your Own Prompt
🩸 New-to-You Author (Possibly)
🖤 Book from Physical TBR (Possibly)
🩸 Disabled Sapphics (Yes)

Image: Sapphic September bingo card on rainbow background with the covers of The Tomb of Blood (Creatures of Darkness: Book 2), The Assassins of Light (Creatures of Darkness: Book 3), and The Reign of Darkness (Creatures of Darkness: Book 4) by Britney Jackson. Text: Creatures of Darkness. • 40+ Main Character (technically) • Indie or Small Press Author • Disabled Sapphics

I think that’s all, but if I missed anything, feel free to let me know. 🖤

Happy reading!

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Goldie Award

My second Goldie. How is this real? 🥹

2025 Goldie Award for Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2) by Britney Jackson

For anyone who might’ve missed it, last week, in Albany, New York, Goddess of the Sea won a Goldie Award in Fantasy! 💙

I guess it hasn’t fully sunk in yet—because it still feels so strange to say. 😅

For those of you who were watching the Awards, either in person or online, sorry again for bawling on stage, instead of giving a normal acceptance speech.

I don’t know if there are strong enough words to convey how much it means to me, but…I hoped I conveyed at least a fraction of it.

I’m going to try to do a more official and…maybe more eloquent post soon, but for now, I’m just really grateful. 💙

I’m also so happy I was able to meet some of you at GCLS! 💙

I’m missing everyone so much this week.

Huge congratulations to the other winners, as well! 💙

Oh, and I believe you can still watch the Goldie Awards on YouTube, if you missed them. 💙

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Snippet (and Happy Pride)

With the way things have been, it felt like a good time to share one of Em’s PTSD scenes. 💙

I hope you’re doing okay—but if you aren’t, that’s okay, too. It’s understandable.

Try not to feel shame over it. 💙

Excerpt on light-blue sea background with a dragon separating the text: “Sorry.” “For what?” Maria said—with enough casual dismissiveness to stun Emilia into silence. She waved the flask impatiently, and Emilia took it. “Thank you.” Emilia lifted the flask to her lips. Maria's gaze didn't waver. “Anytime, love.” Emilia spat out the first sip and swallowed the next. Despite Maria’s dismissive response, the shame continued to press against Emilia's chest. She took a few more sips, but the weight only seemed to grow. “I didn’t realize l’d—” Emilia stammered, “that my mind had—” “I know,” Maria interrupted. Again . . . dismissive. Yet, her eyes didn't match her tone. Maria’s gaze didn’t flick away from Emilia the way her words had. No, those large, brown eyes remained steady and focused on Emilia—soft with concern. — from GODDESS OF THE SEA, LESBIANS, PIRATES, & DRAGONS: BOOK 2, by Britney Jackson.
Goddess of the Sea

This snippet from Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2) was for the #lesficfri theme, “lips.”

Also, I haven’t been on much this month because I’ve been in a bit of a depressive episode. So, I don’t think I’ve wished you a happy Pride through the website yet.

Happy Pride, and please, be safe. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Two women raising hands and Pride flag on rainbow background. Text: Happy Pride.
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Mental Health Awareness

May was Mental Health Awareness Month, and things have been so tough that I never even took a moment to talk about it. Ironic, right? 😅

If you’ve read my books (especially Goddess of the Sea or The Reign of Darkness), you know mental illness is a major theme. I try to be honest in real life (like now, for instance) about my own struggles with mental illness—because I think hiding it only increases the stigma. And I try to bring that same honesty into my books.

I believe sanitized portrayals of mental illness only hurt us. No human being responds perfectly to trauma, and fictional characters shouldn’t either. Mental illness isn’t meant to be pretty. It can be exhausting, overpowering, and scary, and some of the symptoms (the physical ones, I mean) might even be things people consider “gross.”

It’s hard to write honest portrayals of mental illness—because it often feels like no one cares about that. They just want excitement and action. On top of that, it means you’re going to see the word “unlikeable,” especially if your characters are women. People treat us this way in real life, too; they’re just a little less shameless about it.

But…someone out there is struggling and needs to feel less alone. Someone out there needs this story. That’s why we do it—even when it’s scary, even when it hurts, even when it feels like no one cares. 💚

Image: The covers of Pirates of Aletharia (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 1) and Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2) by Britney Jackson on a green watercolor background. Text: Mental Health Awareness. Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons. Arrows to each cover with the words: PSTD, Anxiety, and C-PTSD.
Image: The covers of The Stone of the Eklektos, The Tomb of Blood, The Assassins of Light, and The Reign of Darkness by Britney Jackson on green watercolor background. Text: Mental Health Awareness. Creatures of Darkness. Arrows to each cover with the words: C-PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder.
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A Book of the Year

While I was in catch-up-after-a-migraine mode, I realized there was a piece of good news I could’ve sworn I’d shared last month but didn’t. (Knowing me, it’s probably saved in drafts somewhere.)

Anyway, I’m happy to share that Goddess of the Sea was voted a Book of the YEAR in the Fantasy category on I Heart SapphFic. 💙

Thank you so much to everyone who voted for it! This is the book I was most terrified to release—because I was scared people wouldn’t understand the mental illness focus or wouldn’t appreciate the mental illness focus, because I was scared of being this vulnerable, of having so much of my own trauma out there. I was just…scared. So, for people to actually like this book, it just—it makes me cry. I’m so happy. 🥹

Thank you. 💙💙💙💙

You can view the other winners at the link below. 💙

Cover of Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2) by Britney Jackson on purple, gold, and black background with a purple and gold award image. Text: I Heart SapphFic 2024 Book of the Year. Fantasy.
2024 Books of the Year
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Audiobook Release

For my audio readers: the audiobook for Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2) is officially out! 💙🐉💙

Actually, it came out two days ago, but I was nearing the end of a pretty aggressive migraine (and the start of the depression spiral that likes to tag along with it) and couldn’t think clearly enough to put the post together. 😅

I’m so excited to listen to Lindsey Dorcus’s incredibly talented narration along with you. (I just downloaded mine! 😍)

And I really hope you enjoy it! 💙

The audiobook cover for Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2) by Britney Jackson.
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