April is Autism Acceptance Month, which means it’s time (almost past time) for my annual reminder that autistic people come in all shapes and sizes—including that of a dragon-riding surgeon. 🖤🐉🖤
Emilia Drakon, the protagonist of my Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons series, is autistic (like me), and though she deals with communication and sensory obstacles from time to time, no one aboard the Wicked Fate treats her like a burden because of it—because she’s not one. 🖤
Every year, I try to say a little about why lesbian visibility is so important to me—as a lesbian and as a lesbian author. I’m not exactly in the state of mind that I like to be in when I talk about these things, but I’m going to try, anyway. 🧡
I spent much of my life believing I was broken—because I didn’t have the right words or examples to make sense of what I felt and who I was. I spent most of my life hating myself for it. Even saying the word “lesbian” was a battle for me.
But I made it through that, and now, I’m passionate about writing the kind of stories I needed back then.
Representation saves lives, and as long as I’m able to write more weapon-wielding lesbians into the world, I will. 🧡
Happy Lesbian Visibility Day! 🧡🤍💖
I’m excited to share that Pirates of Aletharia (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 1) won the 2025 IAN Book of the Year Award in LGBTQ+ Fiction! This makes, I believe, the fourth literary award it’s won. 💙
It was also a finalist in Fantasy!
I’m beyond grateful. 💙
I finally made some book cards for Sapphic Book Bingo! (In my defense, I’ve been sick for AGES.)
If you’re participating in Sapphic Book Bingo this year, here are some of the categories Pirates of Aletharia and Goddess of the Sea fit! 💙
(The dragons would absolutely be offended by us calling them “pets,” but…I think they count. 😅)
Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2):
❤️ Autistic Main Character
🧡 Tattooed Main Character
💛 Character with a Disability
💚 Takes Place on a Ship or Boat
💙 Established Couple
Hidden Gems:
💜 Pirates
🖤 Unusual Pet(s)
Pirates of Aletharia (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 1):
❤️ Autistic Main Character
🧡 Tattooed Main Character
💛 Character with a Disability
💚 Takes Place on a Ship or Boat
💙 Character is Hiding a Secret
Hidden Gems:
💜 Pirates
🖤 Unusual Pet(s)
You can find out more about Sapphic Book Bingo on Jae’s website! 💙
If you’re at the ReadOUT Literary Festival in Gulfport, Florida this weekend, here’s where you can find me! 💙
P.S. — I’m operating on about two hours of sleep, so fingers crossed my brain even works! 😅
Friday:
I’m a panelist on the Building Queer Worlds panel at 2:15 PM.
I’m also a panelist on the Queering Romantasy panel at 6 PM.
Saturday:
I’ll be at the 6:30 Author Signing, (and I’ll have my gay dragon stickers again)! 🐉
I’m so excited to see you all! 💙
I really enjoyed doing this interview with I Heart SapphFic several weeks back about Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2)! 💙
I was having a bit of a scary flare-up at the time, and my mind wasn’t at its clearest. So, I might have dropped more hints about The Dragon Child than intended. If you enjoy those, you’re…welcome, I guess? 😅
Click the link below, if you’re interested! 💙
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.
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. 💙
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. 🖤
🐉 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)
🖤 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)
I think that’s all, but if I missed anything, feel free to let me know. 🖤
Happy reading!
PTSD and psychically-linked dragons aren’t always the best combination. 🐉
This snippet from Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2) was for the #lesficfri theme, “sleep.”
I’m still not at my best (and might still get sent to the hospital later), BUT…I managed to do our Friday snippet. I’m taking that as a good sign. 🖤
April is Autism Acceptance Month, which means it’s time (almost past time) for my annual reminder that autistic people come in all shapes and sizes—including that of a dragon-riding surgeon. 🖤🐉🖤 Emilia Drakon, the protagonist of my Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons series, is autistic (like me), and though she deals with communication and sensory obstacles […]
Every year, I try to say a little about why lesbian visibility is so important to me—as a lesbian and as a lesbian author. I’m not exactly in the state of mind that I like to be in when I talk about these things, but I’m going to try, anyway. 🧡 I spent much of […]
I’m excited to share that Pirates of Aletharia (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 1) won the 2025 IAN Book of the Year Award in LGBTQ+ Fiction! This makes, I believe, the fourth literary award it’s won. 💙 It was also a finalist in Fantasy! I’m beyond grateful. 💙
I finally made some book cards for Sapphic Book Bingo! (In my defense, I’ve been sick for AGES.) If you’re participating in Sapphic Book Bingo this year, here are some of the categories Pirates of Aletharia and Goddess of the Sea fit! 💙 (The dragons would absolutely be offended by us calling them “pets,” but…I […]
If you’re at the ReadOUT Literary Festival in Gulfport, Florida this weekend, here’s where you can find me! 💙 P.S. — I’m operating on about two hours of sleep, so fingers crossed my brain even works! 😅 Friday:I’m a panelist on the Building Queer Worlds panel at 2:15 PM. I’m also a panelist on the […]
Britney Jackson 
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