I am often asked where I get my ideas for my books. I am not Stephenie Meyer; as lovely as it would be, I do not have dreams that direct my writing, word for word. For me, Fighting Gravity was a response to several social phenomena surrounding my life. It was a knee-jerk reaction to wanting to protect the young people in my bubble of the world and wanting to show others the vast rainbow of diversity in their worlds: high schools, relationships, families. The novel became my personal handbook to compassion. I wanted it to be honest, [...]

By: Sarah Deimer I'm twenty, at a party with people mostly older than me.  Everyone's drinking around the bonfire, and I'm sipping my glass of water, talking and laughing, mostly about ridiculous, nerdy things.  It's the beginning of summer, the scent of wood and smoke in the air, the insects buzzing a melody. "I've gotta talk with you..." says one of my friends, her hand at my elbow.  She leads me away from the fire, beer sloshing out of her plastic cup.  "I've been thinking a lot about it.  You," she says, waving her hand over me under [...]

Originally published on Loup Dargent as "QUILTBAG Protagonists in SF/F YA literature." Reposted on YAtopia, March 16, 2013. There is a lack of diversity in young adult fiction especially when it comes to QUILTBAG characters having the starring role in genre fiction. For those unsure, QUILTBAG stands for queer, unisex, intersex, lesbian, trans, bi, asexual and gay - a handy acronym to encompass various sexualities. The only one missing is the fairly new, pansexual, denoting a lack of preference or an all inclusive sexual preference. Science fiction and fantasy, as both a literary and movie/TV genre, has been [...]

I'm awkward and it's something I've accepted I will never grow out of. In fact, it seems to have worsened with time. Looking back on the years I spent as a teenager with body issues and a twisting tornado of sexual confusion chasing my every thought, I wish I could go back and give my teen self a hug, point to some recent events and explain how at least my teen self hasn't gone through this yet. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm better on paper. In person, I'm a sweaty mess of stumbling [...]

Imagine you’re a seventeen-year-old cowgirl living on an isolated cattle ranch in Montana, being raised by your father, a redneck Texan who thinks gays and lesbians are, “unnatural and disgustin’.” Imagine your mother abandoned you when you were twelve and the only sex education your father provided was, “You’ve seen the critters go at it. Figure it out from there.” Imagine that what you want most in life is your father’s love and approval. Imagine you discover you’re gay.   In my paranormal thriller, Threshold, the pieces of seventeen-year-old Leah Dillon’s confused sexuality fall into place during an [...]