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Author: Lia

A Personal Post From the Closet

A Personal Post From the Closet

Winter is Here

It’s a dark day, literally and figuratively as I write this from my parents’ house in Western Washington. In the other room they’re listening, gleeful, to crowds celebrating the affirmation of The Great Orange Disappointment to the Presidency of the United States. I do not know what the coming year will bring, but I am devastated.

I am afraid.

I’m 27 this year, having come to age during a time of amazing progressive democracy. The 2000s and 2010s have been by no means perfect, but in many ways they have brought so much joy and pride and hope to me as I watched the LGBTQIA+ community make so many strides in visibility and policy. But this fall has shown me that, for as many strides we have taken, there are just as many people who would tear us back down, and those people now have a majority control of the United States.

Even more than that, our tenuous social contract called democracy has been irrevocably tampered with.

I heard someone say once that Democracy is not about a result, it’s about a process–a process by which we, as the people, come together to bequeath governing power to our government. That process has been tampered with. I think that’s a fairly safe comment to make, when even the FBI concedes it happened–keeping in mind that for all intents and purposes, the FBI’s pick for POTUS was elected. That act of tampering has broken the sanctity of democracy in this country.

I never imagined myself to be sitting here in my lifetime, contemplating the end of democracy in America, but here I am. It is too horrible a moment to let pass without some acknowledgement.

Why My Identity is Political

Some people would argue that for my own business interests I should keep my mouth shut and keep my politics away from my work. Book writing is my business. This is my full time job. And there is not part of my writing that is not political. There is nothing about me, as a person, that hasn’t been made political. It’s not only my desire to discuss this, but it’s my duty to be informed and to discuss it.

I come from a conservative Protestant background. My entire family is radically conservative Christian. I was indoctrinated in Christian private schools from kindergarten until I graduated high school. I struggled with religion for most of my teen years. I’ve never shied away from saying as much to peers and friends, but it’s the more intimate details that I’ve guarded more closely. It’s only in the last couple of years that I’ve begun to come out to a very few select people–and only those I know will never encounter my family.

All I’m doing is trying to write the words and those are so hard I’ve spent a half hour staring at this blank page trying to form them.

It’s always seemed easier to just be vague than try to explain, but as I try to unravel why my identity as a person is intrinsically a political identity, I think it’s important here to do so.

I am demisexual. I’ve dated women and men. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that I tend to only form really strong connections with women. The last couple of times I’ve tried to form deeper connections with cismen, when it came right down to it we were philosophically incompatible, which for me, is a no-go in the romantic department. I feel most comfortable labeling myself “queer” as a catch-all term (because I’m not technically bisexual and while I’m demisexual, I’m more gay-demi-romantic, and that’s just a mouthful to try to say when someone asks). I’m cis. I use she/her pronouns.

I’m an atheist.

I write gay fiction (for now, it’s my plan to include more letters in my writing in 2017).

All of these things mean that my entire life is tied to politics because all of these identities are under attack by politicians. And that is why I think it’s important to talk about what’s happening both in the USA and around the world.

The fact that I am white is literally the only thing about my identity that is not in some way radical. Subversive.

The Future

Hard times are ahead. I don’t have a lot of hope for the next four years. I’m afraid, both personally and professionally. And while I am afraid, I’m also aware of how privileged I am to be white and unlikely to be pushed out of the closet in front of my family.

I am looking back to my contemporaries from times past, who too experienced these sort of regime upheavals. The only thing I know how to do is write and speak, as loud as I can, in the circles that I can. My corner of the internet I hope to be a safehaven for other queer radicals. I will not suffer any Trump apologists.

As we move into 2017, all I can do here is continue to work in my own radical way. I feel this deep, fearful drive to write as many of the stories in my head as fast as I can. Before my voice is silenced.

You can follow me here on the blog or join me on twitter @LiaCooperWrites. I wish I could say it’s a fun place, but winter has come, and there are dark days ahead of us. To all my readers I want to send out a big *hug* and remind you that despite any forces arrayed against us, we have each other. I love you all.

Thanks for letting me vent here a little.

Lia

New Release! Coy Trick – A Palouse County Romance 2

New Release! Coy Trick – A Palouse County Romance 2

New Release: Coy Trick!

cold-press-palouse-country-1Hello my lovelies! A few winters ago I wrote a sweet little romance short story set in the Palouse region of Eastern Washington called Cold PressI’ve been meaning to write a follow-up companion short in that same universe–indeed in that same charming small town called Belleville–ever since. A few days ago that sequel short went live, just in time for you to enjoy it as the weather (at least here in Washington) begins to turn dismally cold. While I no longer live in the Palouse, I have a lot of fond memories of the region and it’s always a pleasure to return there, even if just for short snippets of time.

palouse-2-resize-smallCoy Trick picks up not too long after the end of Cold Press and features both new and familiar faces. About a recently divorced literary novelist struggling with his ongoing attraction to the man who helped break up his marriage, it serves as the next step in this ongoing winter series, and introduces a new touch of magical realism. If that sounds up your ally, be sure and check it out!

Purchase Coy Trick for 99cent or read for free via Kindle Unlimited!

Coming in 2017

For anyone who missed my november wrap-up, I was super pleased to finish writing Vapor Trail, the second book in The Profane Series. Vapor Trail should be hitting shelves sometime near the end of January 2017 or early February, and I’ll be posting a couple of chapters in January for you to read so keep your eyes peeled!

Also in early 2017 I’ll be releasing a FOURTH book in the Blood & Bone Series, tentatively called A Sanguin Solution. I’m writing this novel right now and it picked up shortly after the end of The Symbiotic Law for those of you curious to see how Ethan Ellison and Pat Clanahan deal with the aftermath of that novel. I’m super happy to be diving back into these two characters and their struggles; it’s a lot like coming home to a good–if somewhat bitchy–old friend 😉

Lots of exciting books will be coming out in 2017. I’m excited. For updates on new releases make sure you’re subscribed here or on my mailing list.



Happy winter season to you all!

NaNoWriMo 2016 Day 1

NaNoWriMo 2016 Day 1

nanowrimo_2016_webbanner_participantHappy NaNoWriMo 2016!

Well, you guys, it’s that time of year again, when every author in your life starts busting out the wordcount widgets. Here’s mine:

I’ve been participating in NaNoWriMo for more than a decade to varying degrees. I first learned about the event from my girlfriend–I was 14 at the time and the longest thing I’d ever written was a couple thousand words of Angel fanfiction. It wasn’t until i was 16 that I really sat down and tried to seriously write a novel for the event and even then, I only managed 16,000 words before time ran out.

Some of you may not know that The Duality Paradigm began life as a Camp NaNoWriMo novel back in the summer of 2012. That was the first time I’d ever completed the 50k word challenge and at the time I was motivated to win it so that I could get a 50% off coupon for scrivener.

That summer and that camp nano really launched me as a writer. I’d dabbled here and there, writing bits and pieces of things, writing flash fanfic and fannish shorts, but until that summer I’d never written a completed novel (of course, at the time I wasn’t FINISHED with it, but I wrote the other 35k of Duality over the rest of the summer).

Even now that I write full time, the event still holds a special place in my heart, and I still love to participate in it, even if some years I stretch the limits of the rules.

What I’ll Be Up To This Month

Technically, you’re supposed to write a *novel* for NaNoWriMo, but after writing 61k words of The Profane Series Book 2: Vaper Trail in October, I won’t lie, I’m looking to break things up this November working on 2 longer novels as well as a couple of short stories.

NaNoWriMo Day 1 Check-In

2957 words on Vaper Trail, bread baked for the month, cookies baked for Week 1 writing fuel, and now I’m going to reward myself by reading a little more HP3.

Palouse County Series Announcement

cold-press-palouse-country-1About 2 years ago I wrote a little short story called Cold Press set in rural, small town Eastern Washington. If you haven’t read it and you’re looking for something cute and fuzzy perfect for a blustery day of reading, I suggest you check it out, it’s only 99cents on Amazon and free on KindleUnlimited!

I always intended to write more stories set in this small town, but I wasn’t sure how I wanted to do it. But then, lightning strikes as it likes to do at the oddest times. Going forward, the Palouse County series will feature short stories about the quirky residents of Belleville in and around the holidays!

So, keep your eyes peeled this December for #2

Blood & Bone Series Newsbb-3d-box-set-redesign

Did you notice the subtle title change there? The Blood & Bone Trilogy is officially no longer a trilogy! Starting near the end of November I should be breaking ground on a new follow-up novel to the original trilogy! I’ve mentioned this book a couple times off hand over the last year, but I’m finally in a position to say with certainty that it WILL be coming winter 2017, sometime after I release The Profane Series Book 2: Vaper Trail.

The working title for this book is The Sanguine Solution and it picks up a couple of months after the end of The Symbiotic Law. While I ended Symbiotic where I always intended to end it, I found that there was still a lot the characters had to say and work through, especially Ethan. And there is quite a lot in their world left to explore, so I’m really excited to be opening up that series again.

You can expect more news and excerpts from book 4 in December and January so stay tuned 😉

And I think that’s all for Day 1! I’ll be checking back in later in the week and I might even have a new vid up on youtube soon about what I’ve been reading this season…

Genre Poll

Genre Poll

So over the next four months I plan on wrapping up The Profane Series as well as writing a fourth book in the Blood & Bone Trilogy–which I really need to rebrand the Blood and Bone SERIES at this point.

I’ve got ideas for a couple of new series I’d like to work on in 2017 but I’m curious to hear from you guys what you’d be interested in reading first (genre-wise). Thus far I’ve stuck primarily in the paranormal-mystery genre and I’ve really enjoyed it. Paranormal/UF is my jam, but there are a lot of different books rattling around in the old brain of mine.

If you have any feelings one way or another gentle readers, feel free to vote in the poll and chat with me about genres in the comments or via email at liacooperromance AT gmail.com

Quick Reference Guide to the Blood & Bone Universe

Quick Reference Guide to the Blood & Bone Universe

a-quick-reference-guide-to-the-blood-bone-universe

The Blood & Bone Trilogy and The Profane Series take place in the same universe! I call them sister-series or companion-series because their timelines interweave with one another and they feature some of the same characters though they can be read independently of one another (though it should be noted that since The Duality Paradigm was written first, it does contain the brunt of this universe’s “exposition”).

Books Chronologically

  1. The Duality Paradigm
  2. The Convergence Theory / Medium Rare
  3. Vaper Trail (Coming Fall 2016)
  4. The Symbiotic Law
  5. A Sanguin Solution (Coming Winter 2017)
  6. The Profane Book 3 (Coming Spring 2017)

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