Writing in a Tumultuous Time!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you. I have been detached from my writing space for a while. I have still been writing, but the public face has been difficult to connect with in the face of all the political rhetoric and other pressures in my personal life. On this special day, and with the advent of the Flower Moon tomorrow, I felt that it was time to begin to reconnect with my readers and to take a look at what is important.

As mentioned, I am still writing. “Hands Together at the Rocker”, my newest title, is officially underway. I am excited to return to a familiar voice, similar to that in “Fly” and “Lesley”. This romantic tale weaves the lives of two women as they explore who they are and what their lives become together. It is a joy to return to my old stomping ground in the Bay Area of California, and to explore one of my favorite regions, Denver, CO.

As with my other works, this book is truly an opportunity to get to know a new group of people. As I have expressed in book talks and workshops, my writing process is not an outlined or planned framework. I build relationships with my characters and grow to know them and their lives. I cannot tell their histories until I come to know them. The book cannot evolve until I have developed a relationship with the people who make the story. I am enjoying the journey of coming to know Natalie and Zoe. I am looking forward to introducing you all to them.

 As an LGBTQ author (emphasis on the L&T), I am nervous in this tumultuous time. I worry about many issues, from freedoms to book bans. I worry about my children’s education and healthcare for myself and my family. Perhaps more than anything, I worry about my safety and the safety of others. I see the noise echoing from Washington emboldening the fray that seems to want to follow this rabble. With this inappropriate sense of entitlement, they are willing to make, and in some cases, carry out threats: physical, legal, and emotional. These actions are harming, and in some cases killing people, not just in the LGBTQ community, but in all walks of life.

Over the past 100+ days, the dictator who occupies the White House, the person that I refuse to acknowledge as president, has wrongfully imprisoned innocent people, stripped people of gainful employment, and in the process damaged national and natural resources, and violated his oath of office by endangering the well-being of the country when his only duty as a sworn president, which he arguably is not, is to uphold the constitution and protect the country.

I believe that we, as individuals, need to continue to find joy and escapism. We also need to have a political voice and rise against the tyranny. To this end, I will continue to work on my books. I will continue to edit my past novels and write new novels to bring you the most romantic and beautiful love stories I can imagine. I will also leverage this blog to share with you my progress and my voice in writing and in resistance.

Be Safe! Be Bold! Find Love! Find Joy!

Sierra.