Welcome new readers!

We're happy to announce that the Strong Woman Giveaway was a rousing success! We have so many new subscribers and we can't wait to welcome you all! We'll be sending out an introductory email with a new story shortly, and a newsletter next month!
XOXO Shannen and Sarah

Our hearts are with Orlando.

I've been thinking about and processing the news of the Orlando shooting for the last few days - the largest U.S. mass shooting since the battle of Wounded Knee in 1890, but the sixth this week. And I think it's important for all of us to ponder and talk about a few things: 
1. This attack targeted the LGBT+ community. This wasn't just an ISIS attack on America, and framing it as such erases not only the lives of the Orlando victims, but the thousands of lives of queer people - particularly queer people of color - throughout history. This was an attack on a queer sanctuary, something nightclubs have been since pre-Stonewall. And leaving that out of tweets and speeches makes it disappear. I'm not having it. The shooter was a U.S. born American citizen who loved the police force, was obsessed with firearms and hated gay people. It doesn't get more American than that. And the sad part is, for the queer community 
2. This isn't new. We have been murdered, raped, burned at the stake, beat with baseball bats, fists and feet. We have been denied housing, denied safety, routinely victimized and criminalized. So this, this is the result of years of societal violence, of acceptable homophobia, of legalized transphobia. We aren't surprised. But you might be, to find out 
3. It's your fault. And mine. And all of ours. Every time you hear a homophobic comment and can safely refute it but refuse to do so, you are responsible. Every time you see an LGBT person being harassed but convince yourself it's none of your business, you are responsible. EVERY TIME you hold up or vote for or silently agree with a person like Mike Huckabee or Donald Trump, who oozes hatred from his very pores, or one of the hundreds on U.S. senators who have introduced more than 100 anti-LGBT bills in the last year, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE. Which brings me to a little reminder, 
4. That your thoughts and prayers are worthless. They do absolutely nothing for a community that has been repeatedly marginalized. Posting a rainbow flag and a hashtag on Facebook are MEANINGLESS. Don't pray for us. Be active. Protest. Get involved. Volunteer. DO SOMETHING, because hypocritical thoughts and prayers do nothing for me. At the moment, one of the best things you can do is donate blood. No, no. No excuses. Just do it. It really is the least you can do. Keep in mind that non-celibate gay men are still discriminated against and cannot donate to help their brothers and sisters. And another thing, 
5. People keep saying ‪#‎stayproud‬. But if this hasn't demonstrated that pride is the last thing on many of our minds, I don't know what will. I will be proud and vocal and loud and obnoxious because so many of us can't. So many, including those that will be outed against their will and without their consent because of this tragedy. I've noticed time and again that allies love Pride, but don't appreciate or even know about the work that went into allowing such an event to happen. So to my LGBT+ family, I want you to be able to #stayproud. But more importantly, I want you to ‪#‎staysafe‬.

Work vs. Corg

Look at this little face! I'm getting married later this year, and this is our little pup during our engagement photos.  His cuteness: great for pictures, not so great for my productivity. All I want to do is snuggle this tiny goofball. Sigh.

New S. Brady novella, coming your way!

Exciting news, wonderful people! We're currently in talks with a publishing company to produce our new novella! We've gotten a number of emails from folks wanting a story on Iris, and they're in luck; our novella is the story of how Iris Kosta finds love - and a little trouble along the way! We're super excited about the process, so watch this space! As soon as we've signed contracts and finalized plans, we'll be posting about it here. :)

Healer - now available on Amazon!

Healer in now available on Amazon! You can purchase our debut novel here.  
We would love for each and every one of you to give Healer a read, and if you like it, leave us an Amazon review! It helps people find our book and lets potential readers know that it's good stuff. ;) 
Ta-ta for now - happy reading! 

It's Bi time we talked about this...

Today is Bisexual Visibility Day. And I feel a bit like a hypocrite, because I am bisexual, and up to this point I have been anything but visible.  

I am bisexual. While a very close circle of people know this, most don’t, because I have been afraid to live “Out and Proud.” Coming from a small Eastern Washington town, it’s easy to internalize the beliefs of those around you – while not inherently homophobic, those beliefs told me to keep to myself, because people would not accept me.

But I’m a writer, and I write about people, gay, straight and undecided, who live their truth. And it’s gotten to the point in my life where I don’t think I can continue to write about my characters living honestly without doing so myself.

Up to this point there was no coming out. There was only inviting a few select people to share my closet.

No more.

I am bisexual. I am also a writer, a booty-dancer, an animal lover. I have purple hair and hate beets. My bisexuality is simply one part of me, not the sum of my parts. I have known this about myself since I was 12 years old. I am bisexual, but more importantly, I am happy with who I am. 

Bisexual people tend to get a bad rap from people on both ends of the sexuality spectrum. Straight people say it’s a phase or – for women – a way to impress heterosexual men. Gay people say it’s a cop-out or an excuse to blend in. And people of many different orientations accuse bisexuals of being “greedy” or using the term “bi” as a pit stop on the way to full-on Queersville.

To those who don’t or can’t or won’t understand – I’m not sorry. I refuse to be apologetic for something that is an integral part of my being. I won’t be ashamed of my right to exist.

Here’s the thing: I want to fall madly, truly, deeply in love. I want to hold hands with my significant other 25 years from now. I want to find love notes on my dresser, my favorite food in the fridge, tickets to that thing we love on the kitchen table. I want to dance with my lover in our living room on a Saturday afternoon. I want witty banter, sultry looks and constant laugher. I want to make out in the damn nursing home. And if I find this person, to love and be loved by in return…then their gender really doesn’t matter a bit.

I am bisexual, and I have an amazing support system. My immediate family and incomparable significant other have been there for me throughout this process, and I never would have made it through the confusion-tornado of coming out without them. From here on out, I’ll be tackling queer issues and specifically bisexual issues head on, so let me know in the comments if there’s any you’d like me to talk about specifically.

Ultimately, I leave you with a quote from Oscar Wilde – a writer, a bisexual, a flawed personality. At the end of the day, all you can do is be yourself. Everyone else is taken. 

Updates, change, and lots of excitement

In the constantly changing literary world, your book isn't set in stone until it's being bought by the masses - and sometimes, not even then. We experienced a bit of this recently when one of our books underwent a (completely necessary) title change. The novel formerly known as "Fire and Water," contracted with Dreamspinner Press, will now be known as "Sweet Fire." It's sexier and won't compete with other works by the same name. In conclusion? Change is good, and that's the book you should search for when it comes out, probably sometime in January of 2015.

We also just received news that Healer may be available for pre-sale as soon as Monday. SQUEE! This is where shit gets real, right? This is where we as authors have to implore you to BUY OUR BOOK! Plug, plug, plug. I'll post the link as soon as we have a pre-sale page. Be on the lookout for that, and keep an eye out on this site as well - we'll be posting all our updates right here!

Dat cover

We have a cover for Healer!!  We're more than a little in love with it. Somehow it all feels real now.  The promotional beast breathing down our necks is intimidating as all get out but that’s the next mountain to climb. We hope to have some swag for the Emerald City Writer’s Conference in October.