#dianna gunn

[madcat-world]

Keeper of the Dawn - Reiko Murakami

#Keeper of the Dawn #Reiko Murakami #Dianna Gunn #dawn #sunlight #horse riders #cover art #fantasy art #digital art

[riotrecordz]

mwf?

let's see... just off the top of my head and recently requested: rosé, jisoo, jeongyeon, sana, mina, tzuyu, yoohyeon, siyeon, naomi mcpherson, cristal ramirez, lights, miley cyrus, aurora, sza, lynn gunn, taylor russell, ethel cain, haley lu richardson, barbara palvin, dianna agron, liz gillies, ayo edibri, lily james, charlotte sands, lauren jauregui, gracie abrams, daisy edgar jones, more ocs too!! members, sound off in the comments with any requests.

#riot.wanted #band rp #bandom rpg #bandom rp #band rpg

[haveyoureadthisqueerbook]

Hello! First of all: love this blog! Second: I read a lot of queer books and as it turns out a lot of them weren’t already on your spreadsheet so uh. Sorry in advance for what I’m about to do to your inbox/queue 😅

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

The Time Slip Girl by Elizabeth Andre

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

The Queen of Cups by Ren Basel

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron

Werecockroach by Polenth Blake

In the Vanishers’ Palace by Aliette de Bodard

Wain: LGBT Reimaginings of Scottish Folktales by Helene Boppert and Rachel Plummer

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

Tremontaine: The Complete Season One by Patty Bryant, Malinda Lo, Racheline Maltese, Joel Derfner, Ellen Kushner, Paul Witcover, and Alaya Dawn Johnson

This Other World by AC Buchanan

In Memoriam by Nathan Burgoine

The Dark Beneath the Ice by Amelinda Bérubé

Felix Ever After by Karen Callender

Last Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron

Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron

Once & Future by AR Capetta and Cory McCarthy

The Brilliant Death by AR Capetta

XX by Angela Chadwick

A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

The Vela by Becky Chambers, Rivers Solomon, Yoon Ha Lee, and SL Huang

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

The True Queen by Zen Cho

The Terracotta Bride by Zen Cho

The Water that Falls on You From Nowhere by John Chu

The Shape of My Name by Nino Cipri

A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djèlí Clark

Girlhood by Cat Clarke

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova

Dreadnought by April Daniels

Sovereign by April Daniels

Thornfruit by Felicia Davin

Nightvine by Felicia Davin

Shadebloom by Felicia Davin

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Stay Another Day by Juno Dawson

Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi

The Drowning Eyes by Emily Foster

Bingo Love by Tee Franklin

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

Knit One, Girl Two by Shira Glassman

The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez

We Go Around in the Night and Are Consumed by Fire by Jules Grant

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg

Keeper of the Dawn by Dianna Gunn

The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall

The Outside by Ada Hoffman

The Fallen by Ada Hoffman

The Infinite by Ada Hoffman

Mindtouch by MCA Hogarth

Sing the Four Quarters by Tanya Huff

The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by Shaun David Hutchinson

The City of Woven Streets by Emmi Itäranta

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

The Beast of Callaire by Saruuh Kelsey

The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion by Margaret Killjoy

An Excess Male by Maggie Shen King

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

Crimson by Niviaq Korneliussen

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

The Faerie Godmother’s Apprentice Wore Green by Nicky Kyle

Avi Cantor Has Six Months to Live by Sacha Lamb

When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb

Goldie Vance Vol. 1 by Hope Larson

Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie

Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie

The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie

Not Your Sidekick by CB Lee

Not Your Villain by CB Lee

Not Your Backup by CB Lee

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

The Fever King by Victoria Lee

The Fox’s Tower and Other Tales by Yoon Ha Lee

Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Adaptation by Malinda Lo

Inheritance by Malinda Lo

Natural Selection by Malinda Lo

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

The Hand, the Eye, and the Heart by Zoë Marriott

Luna: New Moon by Ian McDonald

Luna: Wolf Moon by Ian McDonald

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire

Forbid the Sea by Seanan McGuire

In Sea-Salt Tears by Seanan McGuire

The Unbinding of Mary Reade by Miriam McNamara

An Accident of Stars by Foz Meadows

A Tyranny of Queens by Foz Meadows

All Out: The No-Longer Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages ed. Saundra Mitchell

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

Princess Princess Ever After by K. O’Neill

The Tea Dragon Society by K. O’Neill

The Tea Dragon Festival by K. O’Neill

The Tea Dragon Tapestry by K. O’Neill

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Loveless by Alice Oseman

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Stormsong by CL Polk

Soulstar by CL Polk

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Tiger’s Daughter by K Arsenault Rivera

The Phoenix Empress by K Arsenault Rivera

The Warrior Moon by K Arsenault Rivera

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

Birthday by Meredith Russo

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

Dying for a Living by Kory M. Shrum

Two Dark Moons by Avi Silver

History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding

The Traitor’s Tunnel by CM Spivey

Nimona by ND Stevenson

Chameleon Moon by RoAnna Sylver

Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time by KM Szpara

As I Descended by Robin Talley

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh

Drowned Country by Emily Tesh

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull

Crier’s War by Nina Varela

Iron Heart by Nina Varela

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo

Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

System Collapse by Martha Wells

A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White

The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang

The Red Threads of Fortune by Neon Yang

The Descent of Monsters by Neon Yang

The Ascent to Godhood by Neon Yang

Waiting on a Bright Moon by Neon Yang

Taproot by Keezy Young

Phew! Finally got all of these queued! Thank you so much for the list, and for arranging them so neatly, which definitely made it easier to transfer over to a spreadsheet!

#Anonymous #submissions

[ericbalchauthor]

ARC Review: Moonshadow's Champion

Moonshadow's Champion by Dianna Gunn

Title: Moonshadow’s Champion Author: Dianna Gunn Genre: Dark Fantasy Rating: 5/5 Available: Amazon

Warning: Possible Spoilers for Moonshadow’s Guardian

I received an ARC for this review.

About the Book

In the weeks after the events of Moonshadow’s Guardian, Riana finally has what she’s always wanted: a free life in the human world. No more commands. No more restraints on her will. No more being used as a living weapon. Yet the scars she earned escaping her old life don’t just mark her body. Nightmares haunt her sleeping hours and news of Jacob VIII’s plans to exterminate the telars harry her waking thoughts. If she wants to keep the fragile place she’s built for herself and the peace she secured for Moonshadow, she must decide if she will once again take up her blade—this time against her former master. Elsewhere in Moonshadow, unrest and discrimination have roiled into a deadly storm of force. Revolution is brewing—and even Jacob VIII’s death might not be enough to stop it from sweeping over Moonshadow.

Review

Moonshadow’s Champion is the sequel to Moonshadow’s Guardian and the conclusion to the Moonshadow Rising Duology. Following the events of Moonshadow’s Guardian, Riana now serves Moonshadow directly rather than answering to its ruler, King Jacob VIII. As the king grows increasingly paranoid, he plans a crusade of exterminate the telars entirely while also lashing out at his subjects. Riana is put in the difficult situation of how to deal with a king who seems to be going insane, with the best solution seemingly being a treasonous one. Meanwhile, a new leader has emerged among the telars, a woman named Fiona, who gathers forces and forms alliances behind the scenes. Moonshadow’s Champion is an excellent story. Riana desperately wants to move on from her past and live a life of her own, but keeps getting pulled back into being a living weapon. She expresses deep regrets about her past, which repeatedly comes back to haunt her. King Jacob VII is paranoid and unreasonable, descending into madness that effects even the loyal subjects of his own court. Jacob’s son, Marcus, just wants to do the right thing, but is put into situations where he must do horrible things for the common good. Fiona is stubborn and vengeful, wanting nothing more than true freedom for her people, even if that means wiping out the royal bloodline. All the characters involved are unique and well-portrayed with their own desires and motives. Overall, Moonshadow’s Champion is an entertaining and well-written story. Like Guardian, it is a dark tale, but easily enjoyable by those who prefer lighter fantasy. Dark Fantasy fans will enjoy this book as much as the first. Moonshadow’s Champion is an excellent conclusion to the duology, but fans of Dianna’s work will certainly be hoping for additional stories within the world of Moonshadow.

About the Author

Dianna Gunn is a freelance writer by day and a fantasy (and occasional science fiction) author by night. Her fantasy novel, Moonshadow's Guardian, was released in November 2018.  When she's not writing, Gunn can be found working to develop the indie author community. She hosts the #weeknightwriters Twitter chat at 7PM EST and is a co-host of #ReviewPit, a quarterly event designed to connect indie authors with review bloggers. Read the full article

[gealach-in-a-misty-world]

Beneath the waters by the islands of Gelle-Geu, a star sleeps restlessly. The celebrated new starkeeper Ranra Kekeri, who is preoccupied by the increasing tremors, confronts the problems left behind by her predecessor. Meanwhile, the poet Erígra Lilún, who merely wants to be left alone, is repeatedly asked by their ancestor Semberí to take over the starkeeping helm. Semberí insists upon telling Lilún mysterious tales of the deliverance of the stars by the goddess Bird. When Ranra and Lilún meet, sparks begin to fly. An unforeseen configuration of their magical deepnames illuminates the trouble under the tides. For Ranra and Lilún, their story is just beginning; for the people of Gelle-Geu, it may well be too late to save their home.

"To heal, you must first become trusted".

R.B. Lemberg's The Unbalancing is a quiet story of salvation, an Atlantis-like story set in a world governed by a Bird goddess, where stars are kept by starkeepers and people do magic with their names. The main characters, a nonbinary demisexual poet and a loud starkeeper with much hurt in her past, come together to save their island from destruction, and they find love with each other.

The poet is a quiet character, unwilling to take on the role that others are sure should be hers; the contrast with the starkeeper, who took what she could to emancipate herself, makes for an interesting dynamic. The starkeeper is an extrovert, taking on many lovers, but behind the exuberant veneer is someone who is deeply hurt. The poet is still questioning, attempting to find their place and the precise iteration of their nonbinary identity, for this is a world where nonbinary people can be of five different types, and they signal it through hair tokens and complex hairstyles. This is a story of acceptance, too, and finding one's worth, and overcoming one's past.

The worldbuilding is immaculate, painting with deft strokes a world that is complex and different and deeply accepting, where consent matters to acts of magic and the stars come from afar. It is a slow unraveling, when the mystery of the stars' origin is revealed, and it is deeply touching. The ending feels just right in its inexorability, with pages of exquisite prose.

The Unbalancing is a quiet treasure of a novel.

✨ 4 stars

.

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* Keeper of the Dawn, by Dianna Gunn

for: community, consent

[You can find more of my reviews about queer speculative fiction on my blog MISTY WORLD]

#rb lemberg #the unbalancing #lgbtq books #queer lit #queer books #queer #sff #queer sff #sff books #books #book reviews #reading #gealach reads #gealach writes

[leanstooneside]

Big splash

◊ KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN'S TOE (CLOSED)

◊ KYRA SEDGWICK'S TOE (LEGGY)

◊ SIMON COWELL'S TOE (VEGETAL)

◊ KRISTA ALLEN'S TOE (CIGAR BOX)

◊ CARMEN ELECTRA'S TOE (HERBAL)

◊ DIANNA AGRON'S TOE (SMOKEY)

◊ DANIELLE STAUB'S TOE (FULL)

◊ ALICIA KEYS'S TOE (CASSIS)

◊ MADONNA'S TOE (RAISINY)

◊ LAUREN CONRAD'S TOE (CAT PEE)

◊ MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY'S TOE (LEGGY)

◊ ABBIE CORNISH'S TOE (CORKED)

◊ KIM KARDASHIAN'S TOE (CONNECTED)

◊ JORDANA BREWSTER'S TOE (HEAVY)

◊ RAMONA SINGER'S TOE (UNOAKED)

◊ TIM GUNN'S TOE (ELEGANT)

◊ ANDY COHEN'S TOE (TIGHT)

◊ NATASHA BEDINGFIELD'S TOE (CHOCOLATY)

◊ TRAVIS BARKER'S TOE (VANILLIN)

◊ JENNY MCCARTHY'S TOE (TANNIC)

◊ CHER'S TOE (LEES)

◊ NICOLE SCHERZINGER'S TOE (STEELY)

◊ MARC ANTHONY'S TOE (HARD)

◊ TIFFANI THIESSEN'S TOE (BALANCED)

◊ CHRISTIAN BALE'S TOE (GREEN)

◊ SHARON OSBOURNE'S TOE (ELEGANT)

◊ CALEB FOLLOWILL'S TOE (ALCOHOLIC)

◊ JASON ALDEAN'S TOE (SPICY)

◊ ZACHARY QUINTO'S TOE (COMPLEX)

◊ EMMA WATSON'S TOE (SMOKEY)

◊ CAITLYN JENNER'S TOE (BALANCED)

◊ BRANDY NORWOOD'S TOE (TART)

◊ LISA MARIE PRESLEY'S TOE (CHOCOLATY)

◊ SEAL'S TOE (UNOAKED)

◊ KELLIE PICKLER'S TOE (COARSE)

◊ SPENCER PRATT'S TOE (UNCTUOUS)

◊ MARK SALLING'S TOE (REFINED)

◊ ALEXANDER LUDWIG'S TOE (HARD)

◊ DAISY DE LA HOYA'S TOE (COMPLEX)

◊ NICK LACHEY'S TOE (CONCENTRATED)

◊ SHAILENE WOODLEY'S TOE (HERBAL)

◊ VAMPIRE WEEKEND'S TOE (VANILLIN)

◊ BARRY ZITO'S TOE (SILKY)

◊ BETH OSTROSKY STERN'S TOE (COMPLEX)

◊ ANNA KENDRICK'S TOE (HARD)

◊ ALICIA SILVERSTONE'S TOE (BUTTERY)

◊ DEAN MCDERMOTT'S TOE (UNCTUOUS)

◊ KATE MOSS'S TOE (BALANCED)

[queergirlslit]

Sapphic Books 15/?

KEEPER OF THE DAWN by Dianna Gunn

All Lai has ever wanted is to become a priestess, like her mother and grandmother before her, in service to their beloved goddess. That’s before the unthinkable happens, and Lai fails the trials she has trained for her entire life. She makes the only choice she believes she can: she runs away.

From her isolated desert homeland, Lai rides north to the colder, stranger kingdom of Alanum—a land where magic, and female warriors, are not commonplace.

Here, she hears tales about a mountain city of women guardians and steel forgers, worshiping goddesses who sound very similar to Lai’s own. Determined to learn more about these women, these Keepers of the Dawn, Lai travels onward to find their temple. She is determined to make up for her past failure, and will do whatever it takes to join their sacred order.

Amazon | Goodreads 

#keeper of the dawn #dianna gunn #sapphic books #fantasy books #bookblr #wlw books #f/f books #f/f fantasy #wlw fantasy #sapphic fantasy #wlw reads #f/f reads #f/f #wlw #lgbt #lgbt books

[lesbianfantasybookreviews]

The Dark Wife

by Dianna Gunn

Author: Is a lesbian

Story/Plot: 1/5

I think I’d better enjoy the story if the author didn’t re-contextualize a pre existing mythology. Too much incest between the gods if you ask me. Also Zeus is a terrible rapist.

Characters: 3/5

The characters are fine.

Tension/Drama: 3/5

I didn’t really feel any tension, but that’s not a bad thing.

Happy Ending?: 3/5

Two women end up happily together in the end, but they’re long distance half the year.

Spoilers below:

The Main character is Persephone. Zeus, Demeter, and Hades are siblings. Zeus and Demeter are her parents and Hades becomes her wife. That’s all I have to say about that. Also, Zeus is a terrible rapist.

#review #lesbian fantasy #lezfic #tw rape #tw incest #Dianna Gunn #The Dark Wife

[book-quotes-and-moodboards]

Sometimes you must smile even when there isn’t anything to celebrate.

Keeper of the Dawn (by Dianna Gunn)

#keeper of the dawn #dianna gunn #books #book quote #quote

[nanowrimo]

NaNo Prep: A Quick-and-Dirty Guide to Building a Fantasy Religion

We’re deep into NaNo Prep Season, and this week, we’ve asked participants to share their thoughts on how to craft great plots and build immersive worlds. Today, columnist and ten-time participant Dianna Gunn offers three tips for creating an authentic religion in your speculative fiction:

So you've decided to write your NaNoWriMo novel in a fantasy world. This is a great idea! Fantasy is only limited by your imagination, and there's always a sensible way to work in ninjas when you get stuck.

But creating your own world isn't as easy as it seems, which is probably why you've come here seeking aid. After all, it's almost halfway to November and your planning... well, let's not talk about the state it's in, shall we?

I’ve spent an entire decade building worlds at record pace for NaNoWriMo, and I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. Today, I'll show you three of the most powerful tricks I've learned for quickly building a believable fantasy religion, since religion is a driving force in most fantasy worlds.

Follow these three steps to create a fantasy religion on the fly:

1. Choose between monotheistic and pantheistic.

Monotheistic religions feature only one god or goddess; there is usually also an opposing devil-type force, though not always. Pantheistic religions follow many deities, often both gods and goddesses.

Choosing a monotheistic religion is usually easier, and allows you to easily draw parallels with Judeo-Christian religions. Developing a pantheistic religion requires more work, but there are several ways to speed up the process, and you can draw parallels with many different mythologies.

2. Draw on familiar archetypes.

The easiest way to make a religion's gods and goddesses believable is to take familiar mythological archetypes and modify or expand on them. This allows you to give a clear image of your fantasy religion with a few well-placed images.

Using familiar archetypes can also save you a lot of time up front, since you already know what you like—and hate—about those archetypes. For example, I like the common association of fire and war, but I'm tired of hyper-masculine fire gods. So I created Taelanna, a fire goddess closely associated with the phoenix, for my book Keeper of the Dawn.

What religious archetypes do you love? What archetypes drive you crazy? Start with these and fine tune them to fit your world.

3. Write a creation myth.

At the root of every great religion there lies a creation myth: a story that attempts to explain not only human origins but also human nature.

The nature of these myths has a huge ripple effect on your religion, and the rest of the world you build. For example, if your religion believes a goddess created the world on her own, they'll likely respect women more than if they believe humanity was created by a male entity. If your characters believe in a creation myth that casts women in a purely supporting and reproductive role, their world will most likely be plagued by systematic misogyny.

If you only write one myth before starting your novel, make it the creation myth. You can find plenty of inspiration for mythology—and its impact on your society—in Crash Course World Mythology: Social Orders and Creation Myths. Once you've got an idea, give yourself a solid half hour and free write the myth—you can refine the details after NaNoWriMo!

Bonus: Use an element of this creation myth as the basis of a common prayer or curse. A few of these little details sprinkled throughout your story can make it look like you've done more world-building than you actually have, bringing your setting to life.

These three steps will help you create a solid background religion, but if religion is going to be a major part of your story you'll want to develop it more. If you want to build a detailed religion, I've compiled a special world-building resource list for fantasy science fiction writers with many resources dedicated to building fantasy religions.

Dianna Gunn is a ten year NaNoWriMo participant with a lifetime word count of over 1.3 million (and that's just during Nanowrimo!). Her debut YA fantasy novella, Keeper of the Dawn, came out in spring 2017 through The Book Smugglers Publishing. She blogs about mental health and writing on her blog, The Dabbler, and runs two writing advice columns at Write Plan Editing. Between columns you can find her ranting about anything and everything on Twitter @DiannaLGunn.

Top image licensed under Creative Commons from chiaralily on Flickr.

#nanowrimo #nanowrimo 2017 #nano prep #by oll guest #Dianna Gunn #writing #worldbuilding

[queershipblog]

How much magic should you include in fantasy?

When you're building a fantasy world, many of the first questions you need to answer involve magic. Should there be magic at all? What type of magic? And how much of it/how many people can use it?

Magic is typically considered a prerequisite for fantasy, and exploring different types of magic would take several articles, so today I'm going to discuss the first question.

Like anything in worldbuilding, the answer to this question depends entirely on the story (or stories) you want to tell. Different levels of magic give readers different expectations.

Some of these expectations also have more weight than others. If we see extremely powerful wizards and a variety of mythical creatures, we expect a large, world changing story. Generations of stories rooted in Tolkien's era of fantasy have cemented this expectation in our minds. You have to be an incredible writer to break it and still have fans.

Worlds with low level magic, on the other hand, can feature stories on any scale. They can be novella sized like Keeper of the Dawn, or they can be epic series like A Song of Ice and Fire (AKA Game of Thrones).

Read more about magic in fantasy on Queership!

#ya lit #ya books #queerlit #booklr #writing #dianna gunn #keeper of the dawn

[lgbtqreads]

Why There's No Sex in My Book: a Guest Post by Dianna Gunn, author of Keeper of the Dawn

Why There’s No Sex in My Book: a Guest Post by Dianna Gunn, author of Keeper of the Dawn

Why There’s No Sex in my Book (It’s not the reason you think) by Dianna Gunn When a lesbian romance emerged partway through Keeper of the Dawn I found myself faced with a difficult decision: do I include sex? This was a tough decision for many reasons, but none of them were fear of censorship. I have always believed my fiction should challenge boundaries and that having your book banned is a…

View On WordPress

#Asexual #Asexuality #Book Smugglers #Dianna Gunn #f/f #Keeper of the Dawn #Lesbian

[comingupforblair]

If she is used in Suicide Squad 2, who should play Killer Frost?

#dceu #killer frost #james gunn #the suicide squad #dc fancast #I 'd love to see Teresa Palmer in the part #to complete the trend of getting actors from the unmade JL film in the DCEU #Dianna Agron would also be great #but I'm open to ideas

[booksandtea]

The Dragons Who Inspired Me|Guest Post by Dianna Gunn

The Dragons Who Inspired Me|Guest Post by Dianna Gunn

The Dragons Who Inspired Me | written by Dianna Gunn

Last time Dianna was on the blog she shared an exclusive excerpt of her newest release – Moonshadow’s Guardian and today I’m thrilled to welcome her back to talk about the Dragons who Inspired her.

I hope you enjoy this guest post, I’ve had a lot of fun working with authors and bloggers to share these with you and hope to continue to bring…

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#Author: Dianna Gunn #Books #Guest Post

[between-the-blurb]

B|t|B: Book Review - Moonshadow's Guardian by Dianna Gunn

B|t|B: Book Review – Moonshadow’s Guardian by Dianna Gunn

Title: Moon Shadow’s GuardianAuthor: Dianna GunnPublished: Nov 18th 2018Pages: 262 Hello my fellow Bookworms and page turners. Today we are having a look at Dianna Gunns ‘Moonshadow’s Guardian’. The story is about a girl named Riana, and her quest to be free. For you see, Riana is bound by her demonic blood, therefore destined to live out the same pain and torture over and over again, with no…

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#amreading #book review #book talk #bookish #books #bookworm #Crime #cyberpunk #dark fantasy #dystopian #fantasy novel #gangster #gritty #murder mystery #Novel #reading #worldbuilding #writing

[sportsintersections]

16 Awesome Queer Sports Books: Books with LGBTQIA+ Athlete Representation

Image: Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images.

In some ways, the last few years has been a golden time for LGBTQIA+ athletes. The 2019 Women’s World Cup was a record tournament for LGBTQ+ visibility, with at least five players on the U.S. women’s national soccer team being openly queer (Ali Krieger and her now-wife Ashlyn Harris, Megan Rapinoe, A.D. Franch, and Tierna Davidson), as well as coach Jill Ellis, and another player coming out in the moment captured in the photo above, kissing her girlfriend in celebration. Rapinoe’s girlfriend, Sue Bird, another out lesbian athlete who plays in the WNBA, wrote an open letter to the President of the United States. A blockbuster movie told the story of iconic out lesbian tennis star Billie Jean King. Jason Paul Collins came out in 2013 (but retired the following year). Michael Sam was the first openly gay man to be drafted into the NFL in 2014 (but he has since retired).

But, according to the Human Rights Campaign, 70% of LGBTQIA+ people don’t come out to their teammates while still playing a sport, and 82% of athletes have witnessed homophobic and/or transphobic language in their sport. It is still more common, especially for male athletes, to come out after they have already left their sport (TW for homophobic slurs/statements and suicidal ideation), and many athletes who are still playing face backlash (TW for misgendering & general transphobia).

These books, from memoirs by professional queer athletes to YA romances with LGBTQIA+ athlete protagonists, explore these issues and more. 

Books are YA fiction unless otherwise noted.

Spinning, by Tillie Walden (graphic memoir)

This beautiful graphic novel memoir captures Tillie’s experience with figure skating and why she eventually decided to give it up. Full review here.

Girl Crushed, by Katie Heaney

Quinn thought her senior year would be perfect: college scouts recruiting her to her dream school for D1 soccer and her best-friend-turned-girlfriend at her side. But then Jamie dumps her, a month before the school year begins, and it’s getting a little late to have heard back from schools, if she’s going to end up on one of the top teams. Over the course of the school year, Quinn learns that her binary black-and-white, gay-and-straight, success-and-failure ways of seeing her world could stand to be a little more complicated. This book is about identity, self-esteem, friendship, crushes, and soccer. There are also many fun USWNT references! TW for some (challenged) bisexual erasure.

The Reappearing Act: Coming Out on a College Basketball Team Led by Born-Again Christians, by Kate Fagan (adult memoir)

Kate was thrilled to be playing basketball for a nationally-ranked school and to have a close-knit group of teammates. Her best friends were part of Colorado’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and she tried to join them and learn about their church, but she started to realize that she might be one of those people whose “sinful lifestyles” they talked about. She had to figure out how to come out without losing her friends, and her team.

Check, Please! Volume 1, by Ngozi Ukazu (graphic novel)

This adorable graphic novel (which was originally published as a popular webcomic) follows Bitty, a former junior figure skating champion and enthusiastic baker, who somehow ended up on the Samwell University hockey team. He’s terrified of checking (what if he gets hurt??), trying to figure out if he can win over the guys with pies, and also feeling some kind of way about the hot but grumpy captain.

Keeper of the Dawn, by Dianna Gunn

Lai wants to become a priestess, like her mother and grandmother were before her, but first she must prove herself in the trials she’s been training for her whole life. Nothing goes according to plan, but she can still depend on herself and her skill as a fighter and a horseback rider and take matters into her own hands. This fantasy novel features an asexual protagonist and a f/f romance.

The Passing Playbook, by Isaac Fitzsimmons (2020/2021 release)

This book hasn’t been released yet, but there are so few (if any) own voices YA sports books with trans characters that I decided to include it anyway. A queer, biracial, trans soccer player is benched, and has to decide whether to fight the ruling, even though that would mean coming out to everyone…including the Christian teammate he’s falling for.

Running with Lions, by Julian Winters

This coming-of-age novel follows Sebastian, a bisexual rising senior who’s excited for his last summer at soccer camp, where his teammates are great and the coach doesn’t expect anyone to stay in the closet. But then Emir Shah, a Muslim British-Pakistani new recruit, shows up. He also happens to be Sebastian’s former best friend, and they left things on pretty bad terms. So why is he finding himself attracted to Emir all of the sudden?

None of the Above, by I.W. Gregorio

I am hesitant to recommend this non-ownvoices intersex representation, but it’s the only book I know of about an intersex teen athlete, and, while it is imperfect and seems geared towards a non-intersex audience, there are certainly some good things to be said about it. It is informative, well-researched, and moving. Kristin, a homecoming queen and champion hurdler with a cute boyfriend, seems to be having a great high school experience. But a doctor’s visit reveals that she’s intersex, and, while she’s still coming to terms with what that might mean for her and her identity, her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school. TW for transphobic/anti-intersex slurs and bullying.

Forward: My Story, Young Readers’ Edition, by Abby Wambach (memoir)

U.S. Women’s National Team soccer star Abby Wambach tells her story with honesty and vulnerability, sharing how she came to lead her team to a World Cup win in 2015. She is open about her sexuality and romantic life (including a named mention of a certain pink-haired teammate, who also happens to be her ex-girlfriend) and how it affected her career.

We Ride Upon Sticks, by Quan Barry (adult fiction, with teen protagonists)

The 1989 Danvers high field hockey team finds themselves winning…a lot. Is it because they all wrote their names in a mysterious notebook with Emilio Estevez on the cover, and pledged themselves to dark forces so they could make the state championships? This darkly funny story explores friendship, sportsmanship, and what means to find power and sense of self as a teen girl.

Beautiful on the Outside, by Adam Rippon (adult non-fiction)

In his comedic memoir, Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon shares his journey from poverty and uncertainty to success and becoming a self-professed American sweetheart. He opens up about anxiety attacks, coming to terms with his sexuality and coming out, and some enjoyable behind-the-scenes gossip. He also narrates the audiobook.

Ana on the Edge, by A.J. Sass (middle-grade, fall 2020 release)

Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie is the reigning U.S. Juvenile figure skating champion, but that doesn’t mean everything feels easy or figured out. When Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy, at the rink, Hayden mistakes Ana for a boy…and Ana doesn’t bother to correct him. In fact, it feels good to be seen as a boy. Now Ana must decide which identity feels the most right, in time for a big competition coming up. This book isn’t out yet, but it’s due to be released in fall 2020, and it is written by a non-binary (and autistic) author, who is also a figure skater.

Heartstopper, Volume 1, by Alice Oseman (graphic novel)

Charlie is neurotic and openly gay (after he was outed last year and bullied for months), and hoping that Year 10 at the British all-boys grammar school will be better. He meets Nick, an upbeat, sweet rugby player, and they become friends. Soon he finds himself hoping that their friendship turns into something more.

Fearless: Portraits of LGBT Student Athletes, by Jeff Sheng (non-fiction)

This is a memoir of an American artist who uses his story as a closeted high school athlete in the 1990s as a jumping-off-point to depict hundreds of photos of other LGBTQ+ high school and college athletes in the U.S. and Canada between 2003 and 2015.

Amateur, by Thomas McBee (adult memoir/non-fiction)

In this memoir, Thomas McBee describes grappling with the meaning of masculinity, violence, and sports. As a trans man, he has noticed since his transition that the world treats him completely differently and expects different things from him. But what does he want, and how does he want to define masculinity and strength for himself? He decides to train for a charity boxing match at Madison Square Garden as a way to find out.

Dryland, by Sara Jaffe

Julie is a cynical teen in Portland at the height of the grunge movement, struggling to define herself and her sexuality. No one in her family is willing to talk about her older brother, who at one point seemed destined for the Olympics but then fell off the map. Julie has never considered swimming herself, but then the swim team captain convinces her to join. Is this what she’s been looking for -- a way to get closer to her brother and maybe herself?

[All book covers belong to their respective publishers].

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