Casey Wolfe's Blog

I had the chance to chat about my books, TTRPG’s, and the zombie apocalypse with the team at Paper Phoenix.

Q) You describe your work as own voices content. Do you think it’s important for people to see themselves in media?

Very much so. It’s also important for people to read about people different from themselves – especially children. I think it’s one of the best ways to learn empathy. I know being able to read more stories (or ANY stories in most cases) about characters like me, would have made a big difference in how I perceived myself growing up.

Read the full interview here.

We’ve had some amazing authors spotlighted the last few months. With the holiday season upon us, we’re taking a break and will hopefully be back in the new year with some more content for you. In the meantime, here’s a master list of all the interviews so far:

Beyond the Blurb:

Love Lorena, Ivy L. James

Returning to You, Gwen Tolios

The Inquisition Trilogy, Casey Wolfe

Kitten and Blonde, Eule Grey

Stolen From Tomorrow, Fox Beckman

Behind the Bio:

Matt Doyle

Lee Welch

Shannon Blair

Ivy L. James

Stay Magical, Wolfe Pack! And Happy Holidays!

Stolen From Tomorrow (Trust Trilogy, Book 1)

Ravi Abhiramnew’s job is simple: hunt down and neutralize supernatural threats. That is until he meets Cayenne, a charismatic time traveler who claims to know everything about him—even his most closely guarded secrets.

Going to dinner with Cayenne is probably a bad idea, and a romantic island getaway definitely is.

When a monster picks their resort as its hunting ground, Ravi’s combat skills and Cayenne’s time magic should make it a breeze to kill the monster and get their vacation back on track. But it turns out the real danger lurks much, much closer…

Beyond the Blurb

Beyond the blurb, tell us about your book. 

Stolen from Tomorrow is the first in a genre-bending trilogy, an action-packed time-travel romance with monster fights, lots of snark and spice, and generational trauma—all the fun stuff! 

Professional monster hunter Ravi grew up knowing that there very well could be a monster under his bed, along with half a dozen different ways to kill it. More comfortable on the battlefield than he is in a conversation, Ravi is used to keeping his true self hidden, and everyone around him at arm’s length. Beneath his thorny exterior, he’s dedicated, good-hearted, and longing for connection.

Cayenne [last name unknown] was born in the year [unknown] in [unknown location] and discovered their innate ability to travel freely through time at age [unknown]. Never revealing anything incriminating about themself, Cayenne is a perpetual mystery, and that’s just the way they like it. Here’s what we do know:

Ravi and Cayenne both have secrets. Neither can afford to get caught. But whether it’s a good idea or not, Ravi and Cayenne are drawn to each other like moths to flame. Only time will tell if that spark burns down everything in its path.

What are the main themes? How about tone?

I go into any book with one or two Big Ideas I want to explore, but with The Trust Trilogy, “one or two” just wasn’t gonna cut it. For what looks on the surface to be a spicy supernatural romp, there’s a lot going on here. We got:

1.) The Mortifying Ideal of Being Known, 

2.) The Value of Found Family, 

3.) Subverting the Chosen One Trope, 

and most of all, 4.) The Transformative Nature of Love and Trauma. 

Also, there are some pretty peppery sex scenes.

What was the biggest challenge writing this book?

Piece of advice, never write a time travel story! Keeping the complex, twisty timeline nailed down over the whole trilogy was a serious challenge. You should see my murder wall of sticky notes.

What inspired you to write this story?

The Trust Trilogy is my first foray into contemporary urban fantasy. My roots are in historical/high fantasy, but Stolen from Tomorrow was inspired by the ‘Monster of the Week’ genre found in all sorts of media, and especially inspired by those with mythic story arcs—Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, the Dresden Files, and TTRPGs to name but a few.

Another (less fun) inspiration for The Trust Trilogy was partly a desire to speak on my experiences with manipulative narcissists. (Sometimes, the real monsters are the friends we’ve made along the way!) For me, Ravi’s journey throughout the books was enormously healing, and I hope it helps others who’ve lived through similar struggles.

Are you the type of writer that plans everything out or do you fly by the seat of your pants?  Some combo therein?

I always have some rough outline in my head, but in the process of writing, I like to leave enough room to surprise myself. Sticking to a rigid plan never works for me.

Do you write in order or skip around?

Mostly in order. Sometimes I’ll have a future scene stuck in my head that I must write down before I forget it. Then I’ll go back to fill in the gaps.

Be honest. Do you control the plot, or do your characters take over?

Honestly, the plot is whatever the characters choose to do! My secret to ‘controlling plot’ is knowing my characters well enough to predict what kinds of situations will make them grow—or break them. I just plunk them in a scene and watch the fireworks!

Do you have a favorite side character?

An impossible choice! The first book introduces a diverse cast of engaging characters that you’ll see much more of later in the series, and they’re all a blast to write! If I had to pick, I’d go with Constance, a hedgewitch tossed forward in time from the 1200s with her talking cat Griswold. Her uncertain grasp of modern-day English continually delights me.

Have you learned anything while writing this book?

Tons! I’m an avid researcher. I will absolutely get lost for days down the research rabbit hole. For my last novel (m/m fairy-tale romance Brendan & the Beast) I learned enough about Baroque-era France to fill two books! Similarly, with Stolen from Tomorrow I got deep into monster folklore, South Indian cosmology and culture, and martial arts. My search history and bookmark tabs are wild, believe me.

What do you plan to write next?

While the next two books of The Trust Trilogy are being published, I’ve been drafting up a new m/m fantasy adventure-romance, tentatively titled Red Wolf. It’s got all my trademarks—magic as allegory for otherness, talking animals, and emotionally stunted boys falling in love. Plus, fantasy geopolitics and cultural revolution, so that’s a fun bonus!

Fox Beckman (she/they) is an author with a penchant for spicy stories about swords, sorcery, and smooching. Her books feature strong, nuanced characters that interrogate the status quo and subvert expectations. A member of both the Loft Literary Center and the Author’s Guild, Fox lives in the Twin Cities with too many hobbies and a very patient spouse.

Representation For All

Characters They Write About: Oodles of queer rep! The whirlwind romance of Stolen from Tomorrow is between a closeted gay Indian man and a flamboyantly flirty nonbinary character of mysterious origins. Ravi’s team of monster-hunting weirdos is comprised of a pansexual witch, an asexual angel, a bisexual professor, and there’s even one or two straight characters sprinkled in, if you squint.

Where you can find Fox:

Website: https://www.foxbeckman.com/

Twitter / Instagram: @foxbeckman

Ivy L. James wrote her first story on Post-it notes as a child. Since then, she has graduated to regular paper and enjoys writing inclusive romance, short fiction, and poetry. Her queer romances Border Ctrl+Esc, Make the Yuletide Gay, and Love, Lorena are published by NineStar Press. Her work has appeared in the Stygian Collection (Stygian Society), Seers and Sybils (Brigids Gate Press), HerStry, Snowflake Magazine, and Scavengers Literary Magazine, among others. Ivy lives in Maryland with her wife and their corgi, cat, and two snakes. 

Behind the Bio

Tell us something about yourself that isn’t in your standard author bio.

I’m the DJ in my house! I love to make a good playlist.

Do you have any hobbies or special interests outside of writing?

I enjoy D&D (both playing and DMing), witchy stuff, community theatre, and Switch games. I also edit other people’s writing on the side.

How do you unwind after a stressful day?

After a long day, I like to play with my corgi or read a good book. I’ve been especially into poetry lately.

What genres do you prefer writing in?  Are there any you plan to try in the future?

Queer adult romance has been my go-to genre for several years now. I’m planning to keep that up, but (!) I’m also currently on track to make my poetry debut in 2024. I’m so excited!

Do you have a signature of some sort or repeating symbolism you include in your writing?

If I publish a book without family drama, it’s not me. Call the police.

What is a piece of writing advice you’ve gotten that was actually helpful?

I don’t know if this counts as writing-specific advice, but life comes in cycles, and nothing is active all year round. Fields need to lay fallow. The moon isn’t full all month. Winter is just as important a season as summer. It’s important to take breaks and take care of yourself.

Is there a goal you hope to achieve with your writing career someday?

This is gonna sound so simple, but I’d love to go on a writing retreat and bury myself in a manuscript for a week or two! (Does that count as a goal?)

What’s next up for you?

I’m working on The Winner Takes It All (Virginia Is for All Lovers, book 2) and The Orange and Pink Sunset (my upcoming poetry chapbook). I also have a few other chapbooks in progress; 2024 might be a poetry year for me. 

SPEED ROUND!

Last Halloween costume: Princess Peach

Dogs or cats: Cats

Ideal weather: Thunderstorm

What is your go-to video game: Bioshock

What career did you dream of having as a kid: Forensic scientist

What piece do you choose in Monopoly: the Scottie

Early Bird or Night Owl: Afternoon Pigeon

Love Lorena

Lorena García Fernández has built her matchmaking company, “Love, Lorena,” from the ground up, but her parents refuse to acknowledge the business as legitimate. Hoping to impress them, she travels to Ìovoria to find Crown Prince Callum a match. However, when Callum unexpectedly abdicates, his wild sister, Rosamund, becomes the crown princess and Lorena’s new client.

Lorena knows “Rowdy Rosamund” from the news headlines, but as she helps the princess, she learns there’s more to Rose than her public persona. The two women grow closer with each date Lorena sets up for the crown princess, and Lorena finds herself falling for Rose.

With only a month to find the perfect match, each failure increases the pressure to succeed. How will Lorena choose between her duty and her heart?

Representation For All

Author Identities: I’m a cis white lesbian woman. I’m neurodivergent and mentally ill. I’m kind of…between religions? I was raised Christian, and I still sort of believe that, but I also work with witchy stuff and other deities.

Characters They Write About: Love, Lorena stars two cis bi women, one Latina/Hispanic and one white. Overall, I have written about cis lesbian, bi, demi, and pan characters. I do write BIPOC characters, though I don’t tell stories that are essentially based in those cultures. Most of my characters have mental illness of some kind, especially anxiety. I’ve written Christian (Baptist, Catholic, lapsed Eastern Orthodox), nonreligious, and witchy/pagan characters.

Where to find Ivy:

Website: www.authorivyljames.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorivyljames/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaUz2_8kj8boi9FUDG8rQ9w

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorivyljames

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorivyljames

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/authorivyljames.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorIvyLJames

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/authorivyljames

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorivyljames

Shannon Blair is a fantasy author with a fondness for elves, goblins, and general otherworldly goodness. Their love of fiction and storytelling drove them to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing from Regis University, where a short writing exercise spiraled out of control and eventually became Dawn’s Light. When they aren’t on a quest to make the fantasy genre a more LGBTQA-friendly place, Shannon can be found attempting to master the art of baking – with varying degrees of success. They live on the outskirts of the Denver metroplex with their partner and two spoiled rotten cats.

Representation For All

Author Identities: Queer, non-binary with some trans-masculine leanings, mixed race, agnostic

Character They Write About: Currently, all my main characters just fall into the gay/lesbian/bi/pan/etc. category, but I’m trying to embrace my trans-ness more in my future/in-progress projects.

Behind the Bio

Tell us something about yourself that isn’t in your standard author bio.

In high school, I used to “type” drafts of my stories on my graphing calculator during supervised study times and boring parts of math class. None of my teachers ever caught on. 

Do you have any hobbies or special interests outside of writing?

Lots! There’s reading, of course, and I really enjoy playing video games (though I can’t say I’m a fan of the current online multi-player trend, so it’s hard to find new ones these days). I have a lot of great memories of baking with my grandmother as a child, so that’s something I love doing when I have the time and ingredients for it. I also collect ball-jointed dolls, which are wonderful for either delighting or terrifying visitors to my home, depending on how many doll-themed horror movies they’ve seen. And I learned to crochet this year!

How do you unwind after a stressful day?

It depends on how stressful. For mild to moderate stress, curling up on the couch with one of my cats and a cup of tea is usually enough to get me into a better headspace. On my worst days, I’ve never found a stressful situation that didn’t feel at least a little more manageable after re-watching the Lord of the Rings extended editions.

What genres do you prefer writing in?  Are there any you plan to try in the future?

I don’t think I’ve ever written anything that didn’t fall under the fantasy romance genre, so I’m pretty consistent, haha. With another two Duskblade books in my writing queue, I’m at least partially going to be staying there for the foreseeable future. I’m definitely branching out into more subgenres with some future story ideas, though, so I’m excited to give those a try! My current body of work is all high/”other world” fantasy, but I’m in the outlining stage of a new project with some horror elements and I have a partial draft of an urban fantasy novella/novelette/episodic short story collection/thing.

Do you have a signature of some sort or repeating symbolism you include in your writing?

Hair is definitely my biggest use of symbolism in my work. Hair and haircuts specifically have always had a lot of significance for me in real life (despite me keeping mine cut as short as possible), so any time one of my characters’ hair undergoes a significant change, it’s related in some way to a corresponding change in their life. Plus there’s the entire “braid complexity as a symbol of social status” system I based my elven society around in Dawn’s Light.

And it’s probably always been there, but I’ve recently come to realize that most of the conflict in my writing stems from some form of trauma. Whether it’s harrowing personal experiences, societal inequity, or collective traumatic experiences like natural disasters, disease, etc., my characters are all shaped and scarred by some core wound. That’s probably why I wouldn’t consider most of my antagonistic characters to be villains in the traditional sense of the word. It feels more natural for me to write imperfect characters reacting imperfectly than characters doing cruel and hurtful things just for the sake of causing harm. People tend to be at their worst when they’re scared and hurting, but those situations are also an opportunity to let people’s best selves shine through if they’re able to pause and make a conscious decision to react in a more constructive way.

What is a piece of writing advice you’ve gotten that was actually helpful?

You can’t edit a blank page. I’m pretty sure I got some variation of that in every writing class I’ve ever attended, and I honestly think it’s the single most important lesson to learn as a writer. Nothing teaches you how to write a book better than actually finishing a full draft of a book, regardless of how messy that first draft is. 

Is there a goal you hope to achieve with your writing career someday?

Being rich and famous someday would be nice, of course, but I’d settle for just finding the time, energy, and good health to get all my ideas onto paper and into print. I tend to gravitate toward series instead of stand-alone books, so it’d be a real achievement just to know I managed to get everything finished.

What’s next up for you?

Finishing up the sequel to Dawn’s Light, and then FINALLY moving on to the last book of the Duskblade series. I did not fully comprehend the effect that adding a third POV character would have on my overall word count when I started this venture, and the real world has not been very cooperative these past couple of years. 

I’m also hoping to start work on a side project that’s been aggressively rolling around my head lately. It has magical trees!

SPEED ROUND!

Favorite book of the moment: Katherine Addison’s The Goblin Emperor

Do you eat your veggies? Yes! I’ve been obsessed with zucchini lately.

Dogs or cats: Definitely cats. They’re the most emotionally intelligent domestic animal I’ve ever interacted with, and they’re an absolute delight to have around the house. Also, their purrs have healing properties! I love other people’s dogs, but they’re too high-maintenance for me to ever own one myself.

Any unusual pets: Not technically a pet, but there is currently a really cool wolf spider living in my basement window well. His name is Wendell.

Colors you’d never wear: Beige – it always ends up being weirdly flesh-tone on me, which I do not enjoy. Also not a fan of bright/saturated shades of blue.

A genre of book/movie that you’re starting to get into: I’m currently trying to figure out if I’m actually a science fiction fan, or if I just really like The Murderbot Diaries.

What is your go-to video game: It’s a toss-up between Dragon Age: Inquisition and Fire Emblem: Three Houses. I’ve sunk a frankly embarrassing number of hours into both of them (with my partner watching in the background and asking me to try silly actions and/or character builds), and both have spawned countless household in-jokes. I wouldn’t actually consider either game my favorite in its respective series, but the shared memories make these ones the most special to me.

Favorite thing about where you live: You can see mountains, trees, and various woodland creatures pretty much everywhere you go. I live in a pretty urban area, but we still see lots of wildlife, and I can get a tiny glimpse of the mountains if I look out the bedroom window just right.

Dawn’s Light

Moranthus is an elf who has lost everything. With his lover dead and his career stagnating, he jumps at a chance to redeem himself by rescuing a human prince from the goblins hunting him—even if failure means death or eternal exile from his homeland.Gerrick, a human soldier who bears an uncanny resemblance to his prince, has always chosen duty over desire. As the sole parent of his young daughter, he needs the extra coin that working as the prince’s body double provides—even if it may one day cost him his life.

When a case of mistaken identity puts the prince in the hands of a goblin raiding party, Moranthus’s and Gerrick’s paths collide. With winter closing in and miles of hostile goblin lands ahead, they must set aside their differences and work together to bring the prince home safely.

Their deepening connection comes with a growing certainty that rescuing the prince may be fatal. Moranthus and Gerrick must each find a way to reconcile his heart’s desires with his homeland’s needs—or die trying.

Where to find Shannon:

Website: https://shannonblair.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mx.ShannonBlair

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonblairauthor/

Kitten and Blonde

Mostly Paranormal. Sometimes alien. Always gentle.

Mave Kitten is ecstatic when she lands a dream job as a paranormal journalist for a local newspaper, the Echo. It’s a chance in a lifetime for a neurodivergent Witch. She’s a little nervous about the boss, leather-clad motorcyclist Lisa Blonde. But Lisa’s got a heart of gold, and Mave soon settles into her new role. There’s even an office cat to help out. Only one tiny problem remains—Lisa doesn’t believe in the paranormal. How is Mave to change her mind?

Beyond the Blurb

Beyond the blurb, tell us about your book.  What is/are the genre(s)?  If a romance, is it HEA or HFN?

Sealed With a Hiss is the first of my Kitten and Blonde series; a set of hilarious fantasy/paranormal books with a sapphic witch as the main character. The books are set in the north of England and feature a host of diverse characters, including a vampire with a personality disorder, a sexy swamp woman, and a haunted doll’s house.

The two main characters work for a tiny newspaper. Mave is a neurodivergent witch, while her boss, Lisa, doesn’t believe in the paranormal… Yet!  Of course, the ladies eventually get kissy-kissy. There’s a scare or two, but nothing to keep you up at night.

What are the main themes?

The themes of this series encompass the importance of laughter, inclusion and identity. At the heart of all my books is my passion for giving people a voice and a chance – especially those who don’t get much of a chance in real life.

What inspired you to write this story?

In my personal life, I’ve really struggled to meet the demands of jobs such as conflict mediator and teacher, while juggling disability. My vision with the Kitten and Blonde series is to highlight the strengths and beauties of ND and disabled people without belittling our challenges. I’ve completed the first three books, and it has been hugely rewarding, not to mention fun.

Do you have a favorite side character?

My favourite side character is Lisa’s brother, Tom. He is bipolar, funny, caring, and very fashion-conscious.

Have you learned anything while writing this book?

Something I’ve learned while writing this series is the importance of humour when writing about difficult issues. Using a character like Lisa, who is straight-talking and brash, has helped me to write those scenes that keep me up at night. Instead of worrying, she’d more likely get drunk and dance.

I’ve also learnt that I don’t have to tackle every social/world issue. It’s okay to go easy on oneself.

What do you plan to write next?

Next, I have a craving to write a story about nonbinary opposites who are forced together. Perhaps a YA?

Thank you for having me, Casey!

Eule Grey writes LGBTQI books with the kind of characters she’s been seeking since childhood—Disabled women, neurodivergent characters, characters with mental health issues, conflicted thoughts, and a massive cupcake fetish. She loves mystery, darkness, humour, and stories with a hopeful ending. Eule doesn’t mind having her heart squeezed as long as the experience comes with hot chocolate, extra marshmallows.

Eule writes romance, sci-fi, YA, horror, fantasy, and paranormal. She won’t be squeezed into one genre—She’s not tidy enough.

Representation For All

Author Identities: Eule is a disabled and neurodivergent author.

Characters They Write About: Eule writes gay romance, lesbian fiction, nonbinary fiction, trans fic, and questioning fiction. Many of Eule’s characters are disabled and/or neurodivergent.

Where you can find Eule:

Carrd: https://eulegreyauthor.carrd.co

A Mage’s Power (Inquisition Trilogy #1)

Built on the bones of an ancient city, modern-day Everstrand is where master mage, Rowan, has set up his enchantment shop. When not hanging out with his werewolf best friend, Caleb, or studying, he dabbles in herbology and the controversial practice of blood magic. A prodigy who has already earned two masters, Rowan’s bound and determined to reach the distinction of grandmaster, a mage who obtains a masters in all five Schools of Magic.

Shaw works for the Inquisition, the organization charged with policing the magical races collectively known as magicae. Recently, it has come under scrutiny as magicae begin to disappear and reports of violence increase. With secrets of his own on the line, Shaw is willing to risk everything to find out just what is going on behind all the locked doors.

When Rowan and Shaw are entangled in each other’s worlds, it becomes evident that their hearts are as much at risk as their lives. They must find the truth and stop a conspiracy before it’s too late.

Beyond the Blurb

Beyond the blurb, tell us about your series.  What is the genre?  If a romance, is it HEA or HFN?

The Inquisition Trilogy are contemporary fantasy books.  They are set in a different world, named Eiocha, but in a modern setting that looks rather similar to our own in regards to technology and advancement.  At the same time, there is magic and fantasy/paranormal races all living together.  One of my favorite things when writing the series was figuring out how magic would have changed how society progressed and what new things that would have created.

While each book has its own contained plot, the trilogy as a whole has an overarching plot.  These are not standalone novels.  And, like my motto says: Everyone deserves a happily ever after, so you know that it ends with a nice HEA.

What are the main themes?  How about the tone?

Main themes include found family and healing.  Each of the main characters have various things from their past they are either already healing from or will start to heal from over the course of the books.  Some of it is trauma based, with multiple characters dealing with PTSD.

Despite that aspect, and the challenges both political and social the characters are dealing with, they aren’t dark books.  There are sorrowful, serious moments, and even some violence, but the overall tone is kept rather light.  Many awful things may happen around and to them, but the deep friendship and bonds they all carry help to elevate things and keep things from spiraling into eternal angst.  Humor and fluff are two things that always win the day for me.

What was the biggest challenge while writing?

In my infinite wisdom, I decided to write all three books at the same time.  A big challenge was keeping time straight and having continuity throughout all three books.  Actually writing out a timeline of events really helped in that regard.

Is this a type of story you’ve written before?

I am all about paranormal and fantasy, so doing this was like coming home after having my debut novel be pure contemporary – a genre I’d never tackled before.

What inspired you to write this series?

I’m a huge fan of fantasy in general, but especially so when it’s something other than classic high fantasy. I love to read and watch how magic can be worked into contemporary, sci-fi, and historical settings other than your atypical medieval one. There wasn’t really any one inspiration for the series. It was done more as a love letter to the genre, inspired by various video games, movies, and books.

How do you go about character creation?

I have a character bio form I fill out for all main characters.  I don’t necessarily fill in everything, but it makes a good starting point.  It also helps me keep track of things as I start to flesh out characters as I write.  Especially handy when you’re writing a series with 8 main characters.

Do you have a favorite side character?

As an overall series, I think I’d have to go with Hale.  He’s the very best vampire daddy (take that as you will, haha).  Individual books?  A Mage’s Power (book 1), I think I’d go with Quail, the eccentric mage that never failed to make me laugh.  A Vampire’s Redemption (book 2) would have to be Snowbird, an interesting vampire who was a tribute to an old highschool friend that had passed while I was writing the trilogy.  An Elf’s Fate (book 3) goes to the bad boy elf, Kolvar.  Cause…well…bad boy elf.

Are you the type of writer that plans everything out or do you fly by the seat of your pants?  Some combo therein?

Combo.  I write out as much as I can into an outline.  The outline will grow and change as I write, but I like starting from at least some basic idea of what I’m doing.  Not that it ever stays that way.

Do you write in order or skip around?

I write out of order, which makes the aforementioned outlines all the more important.  I just write what is of most interest at the time.

Be honest.  Do you control the plot, or do your characters take over?

I will not pretend to be in charge of anything.

Have you learned anything while writing this series?

I may or may not have looked up the logistics of making alcoholic blood (hey, there’s vampires involved here). There were quite the interesting Reddit threads on the topic and I ended up learning a bit about various brewing processes.

What do you plan to write next?

I have a few things in the works and unsure where my muse will finally land.  I have an alternative history, steampunk-esque story that I’ve described as “Mortal Engines meets Bioshock meets Waterworld.”  Then there’s an F/F Sherlock Holmes which I’ve been wanting to write for about five years and finally started to pen now that all the Holmes stories have hit public domain. Oh, and the prequel story to the Inquisition Trilogy I swore I wouldn’t be working on so soon, but here we are. Which will be the next release?  Your guess is as good as mine.

Casey Wolfe is a self-described history nerd, film buff, avid gamer, and full-time geek.

They prefer being lost in the world of fiction—wandering through fantasy realms, traveling the outer reaches of space, or delving into historical time periods.

Casey is non-binary, ace, and disabled, writing about their many experiences in fictional form.

Representation For All

Author Identities: Non-binary, asexual (demi and grey), polyromantic, disabled, chronically ill, mental illness (including PTSD), Pagan

Characters They Write About: Disabled, mental illness (including PTSD), gay, lesbian, bi, poly, ace, trans, non-binary, genderfluid, BIPOC

Where to find Casey:

Carrd: https://authorcaseywolfe.carrd.co/

Returning to You

Monica’s relationship with her father is falling apart, made more obvious when her return to Madison after years aboard results in him throwing her out of the house. Lisa Carson, her BFF and old college roommate, takes her in. Turns out Lisa has her own issues with her parents – they’re pushing her to date despite her lack of desire. So when Monica joins a Carson family dinner, she lies and says it’s starting a relationship with Lisa that brought her back to America.

Lisa goes along with the ruse – it gets her parents off her back and it’s only until Monica repairs her relation-ship with her father and moves out. What Monica failed to take into account however is that crush she had on Lisa in college? Yeah, that didn’t go away.

Beyond the Blurb

Beyond the blurb, tell us about your book.  What is/are the genre(s)?  If a romance, is it HEA or HFN?

I usually describe Returning to You as a romantic drama. It’s got an HEA, but with the full understanding that the couple will have work ahead of them to get it right (and the expectation that they will). There’s a fair amount of family and workplace drama, so I wouldn’t call it a light beach read.

That said, it’s full of romantic tropes – best friends to lovers, forced proximity, fake dating. And one shared bed scene too.

What are the main themes?  How about the tone?

A big theme is boundaries – specifically how to deal with them being crossed (and crossing them). There’s a lot of missteps in this book, from both romantic leads, from family members, and some are easier to deal with than others. Communication is key need, which can get in the way as Lisa is not much of a talker.

Another theme is thinking and planning for the future. Lisa’s on the career path. She knows she can’t continue the American dream like her parents have, and so instead is focused on amassing money to retire before the age her father does. Monica has to face head-on the fact that her dad is aging and has to start thinking about providing him care. They both come against these blocks – life won’t be as you planned – and have to work through that.

What was the biggest challenge while writing?

A big challenge was that this book hadn’t started out as a romance – it was supposed to be about the ending of a friendship (told you this is a romantic drama!) – but early readers picked up such strong romance vibes that I decided to commit and turn it into a romance. 

It meant a few structure changes – originally Monica’s dad lived in California, not Wisconsin, so many of her plot points weren’t integrated with Lisa’s. Lisa’s stuff happened, then Monica’s. With that came implications to their relationship too.

Is this a type of story you’ve written before?  If not, what made you deviate from the norm?

This was my first romance! While I hadn’t originally set out to make this story one, I had purposely set out to use romantic tropes. I blame my bookclub. 

My bookclub is an ace bookclub – we only read books with ace or aro rep, and after reading a handful of them I was craving a different style of representation. A lot of characters were aroace, or authors didn’t separate out aro and ace identities and lumped it under ace. The characters were also often in best friend roles, and aceness almost always came out in terms of the character not wanting a relationship (which is more aligned to aromanticism). As a romantic ace I was desperate for representation of aspec people in a relationship. 

So I knew I wanted ace lead with romantic desires, to show that not all aces wanted singlehood. I wanted my own relationship some day, so the romance was a wish fulfillment add. For drama, I’d originally figured I’d pair what looks like on paper opposite identities (a person who doesn’t like sex but wants romance with a person who loves sex but not the idea of a relationship) and wanted to blow it apart, but I’m so, so glad that I did, in fact, turn this into a HEA romance for multiple reasons. 

What inspired you to write this story?

Eric’s plot is based conversations I started having about planning parent support, and realizing I didn’t see that in fiction a lot. It made me want to have it be an issue for one of my romantic leads. At the time I started writing this, there were a lot of family conversations I was on the edge of about how to care for my grandparents, and I had at least one friend whose mom had slipped into dementia early. It’s also when a lot of my grandparent’s generation started to go, prompting conversations with my parents about what they wanted. Senior care is stressful and expensive, and it felt like an overlooked issue in a story with young professionals where some of them might be starting to have to think about it. 

How do you go about character creation?

I start with a template – maybe an archetype I like, or a character I’ve seen in media I was fascinated with – and build from there to fit them to my world. Characters often change – Lisa was originally someone obsessed with optimizing everything and had a thing for biohacking. But I trimmed that back to just have her know all the steps needed to get a promotion and an avid runner. 

Do you have a favorite side character?

Scott! He’s just the best supportive dad.

Are you the type of writer that plans everything out or do you fly by the seat of your pants?  Some combo therein?

I like to think of myself as a discovery writer – I discover the story as I go. But I usually have a premise and maybe the start of an arch when I start.

Do you write in order or skip around?

In order! Always

Be honest.  Do you control the plot, or do your characters take over?

A bit of both? I very often feel like I’m channeling characters, and as I go things happen because I think from their mindset. But there are times where I totally go ‘let’s make this sense more messy!’ and toss in extra drama or a reveal just because I can. And then I have to make it into a plot point T.T

Have you learned anything while writing this book?

I did a bit of research on the digital nomad life for this, and while I sounds lovely I also think I’m too much of a introvert to do it. I want a small, solid friend group and moving around constantly would get in the way of that. I also did more research on dementia, I had no idea there were different varieties and that it could impact anything other than memory and make people a little paranoid. When charting out what symptoms to give Eric, I will admit I leaned into rarer ones, but I think it’s good to know how dementia is often portrayed in tv and movies isn’t always the way it shows up. 

What do you plan to write next?

Not sure yet! I need to figure it out soon, as NaNo is around the corner and that’s always when I write new projects. I keep slowly rotating a sequel to Returning to You in my head however, with an ace lead who doesn’t know she’s ace and then settles into a QPR.

Gwen Tolios (she/her) is a queer Chicago-based author, staring at excel sheets by day and writing at night while trying to coax her cat to cuddle. While she got her start in SFF short stories, Gwen has also written contemporary romance novels.

Representation For All

I identify as biromanic asexual, and that identity, especially the ace bit, is really important to me and has an impact on my life. Only a few of my characters are ace, or aspec, but many of them are queer. 

I’m also a first generation – ish. My mom came over so young she lived through a lot of experiences typical of a first generation and I’m solidly American. How I relate to her culture comes up occasionally in my work. Not quite part of the diaspora, but with enough family traditions for show and tell. I want to bring that connection to removed culture, as it were, into more stories.

Where to find Gwen:

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/gwentolios

Lee Welch lives on top of a hill in the windiest city in the world: Wellington, New Zealand. She shares the house with her family, two cats, a dog and quite a lot of spiders. Lee studied ancient history at Auckland University and creative writing at Birkbeck, University of London. By day, she works as a writer for a large government department. By night, she writes escapist m/m romances, usually with magic in them.

Behind the Bio

Hi everyone, and thanks very much to Casey for inviting me here today!

When Casey put the call out for romance authors interested in talking about representation in romance, I leapt at the chance to come and talk about an issue dear to my heart: the representation of older characters.

So many romances feature characters in their twenties or thirties. In mainstream romance they generally have perfect abs and gleaming hair as well. But older people dream of love and passion—and find it too—and I get particular satisfaction from writing about older characters who bring a wealth of experience to their love stories.

My last book, a fantasy m/m romance (Seducing the Sorcerer), featured two men in their mid-forties. I loved writing this book because they were both middle-aged cynics. They both had pasts, positions in society, responsibilities, and long histories of certain kinds of relationships. They also had entrenched beliefs about the world and what sorts of things they could hope—or not hope—for. Other people in the book had certain expectations of them because of their ages too.

Of course, younger characters have pasts and positions and responsibilities too, not to mention entrenched beliefs, but they usually have less life experience. I really enjoyed playing around with the effects of long-term experience on my two characters. I think the book could have worked with younger characters, but not so well. One of the main themes of the story is hope vs hopelessness – and I felt I needed older characters to really bring that out, because maintaining hope under duress for 20 years is harder than maintaining it for two or three years. There’s a doggedness required.

Have you written any other books with older characters?

My contemporary novella Mended with Gold has an age-gap relationship: one character is 45 and the other is 26. That was an important book for me in terms of representation too, because I was keen not to make a fetish of the age gap. It’s there, and the characters acknowledge it and occasionally worry about it. But they address it and in the end are pretty matter of fact about it, which is how I think it should be.

A few quick personal questions – do you have any hobbies or special interests outside of writing?

I have a dog! She’s not a hobby, but she’s the reason I don’t have any. Bess is a border collie cross (pictured above), bred as a working dog for herding sheep. She’s so quick and keen to please it’s like she reads my mind. She’s surprisingly chill for a working dog, but she’s also got lots of energy. So we spend a lot of time out walking, mostly in the hills or the bush. My social media is basically pictures of Bess.

Plus we have two cats. The rest of my social media is pictures of them. I spend a fair bit of time sitting extremely still because I have a cat on me. Cats are very conducive to plotting novels, I find.

How do you unwind after a stressful day?

I take Bess out. She’s so happy it’s infectious, plus I always feel more relaxed after a walk. 

Then, if it’s been a really hard day, I encourage Turple, our big cat, to lie on top of me. He’s very heavy and has a great purr. Nothing’s more comforting than lying underneath a big, soft, warm, gently rumbling cat.

What is a piece of writing advice you’ve gotten that was actually helpful?

Find your own creative process and stick to it.

I like this because it’s empowering. It acknowledges that no one way is right. Lots of writing advice is well-meaning, but only works for people with a particular kind of imagination. The secret to finding your own process is to try lots of different things – experiment! Be free! Follow your actual interests and inclinations (not what other people think you should be interested in or do).

What’s next up for you? 

I’m writing another fantasy m/m romance about magicians falling in love. Ironically, having just talked about the importance of older characters in romance, both characters in this book are in their twenties. 

But this book is very different – it’s about mistakes, magical and otherwise, and how we navigate them. It’s also about learning that achieving a dream doesn’t necessarily bring happiness, and I think that’s a lesson more likely to be learned by a younger person. 

But it’s a romance as well, because I do believe that finding true love with the right person is one of the surest ways to long-term contentment.

Lastly, favorite book of the moment?

I gotta choose two, and series at that. First, I know I’m late to the party but I’m loving Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries. I just read the fifth in the series and can’t wait to get to the next one.

Second, I went on a Nghi Vo bender recently and read everything she’s written. The Empress of Salt and Fortune series is tremendous. I loved her alt-Great Gatsby book the Chosen and the Beautiful too. I’m telling everyone to read that.

Seducing the Sorcerer

Homeless and jobless, Fenn Todd has nearly run out of hope. All he has left is his longing for horses and the strength of his own two hands. But when he’s cheated into accepting a very ugly sackcloth horse, he’s catapulted into a world of magic, politics and desire. 

Fenn’s invited to stay at the black tower, home of the most terrifying man in the realm: Morgrim, the court sorcerer. Morgrim has a reputation as a scheming villain, but he seems surprisingly charming—and sexy—and Fenn falls hard for him.

However, nothing is as it seems and everyone at the tower is lying about something. Beset by evil hexes, violent political intrigue and a horse that eats eiderdowns, Fenn must make the hardest choices of his life.

Can a plain man like Fenn ever find true love with a scheming sorcerer?

Content Warnings: graphic sex scenes including consensual rough sex/spanking/humiliation; kidnapping (named character is tied up and gagged); gun violence (gun is held to a named character’s head); death by crushing (non-named character); mention of suicide.

(Pictured: art of Morgrim and Fenn from Seducing the Sorcerer.)

Where you can find Lee:

Website + newsletter sign up: https://leewelchwriter.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/leewelchwriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leewelchwriter

Bluesky: leewelchwriter@bsky.social

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/wwwgoodreadscomlee_welch

Love Lorena

Lorena García Fernández has built her matchmaking company, “Love, Lorena,” from the ground up, but her parents refuse to acknowledge the business as legitimate. Hoping to impress them, she travels to Ìovoria to find Crown Prince Callum a match. However, when Callum unexpectedly abdicates, his wild sister, Rosamund, becomes the crown princess and Lorena’s new client.

Lorena knows “Rowdy Rosamund” from the news headlines, but as she helps the princess, she learns there’s more to Rose than her public persona. The two women grow closer with each date Lorena sets up for the crown princess, and Lorena finds herself falling for Rose.

With only a month to find the perfect match, each failure increases the pressure to succeed. How will Lorena choose between her duty and her heart?

Beyond the Blurb

Beyond the blurb, tell us about your book.  What is/are the genre(s)?  If a romance, is it HEA or HFN?

Love, Lorena is a queer (bi FF) adult romance about a matchmaker who falls for her royal client. It’s HEA as a standalone.

What are the main themes?  How about the tone?

As with all romance, “love conquers all.” This book deals with family drama on both sides, and the main characters coming to terms with themselves. The overall tone is quirky and lighthearted, like a Hallmark movie with adult content. It’s meant to be a good time.

What was the biggest challenge while writing?

The biggest challenge was figuring out the story itself. It started as a novella where Princess Rosamund was only helping Lorena find a match for her brother, but I got most of the way through and realized it wasn’t enough. So I completely redid the outline and rewrote it as a full-length novel where Rose is the client.

Is this a type of story you’ve written before?  If not, what made you deviate from the norm?

I enjoy writing trope-heavy love stories, so Love, Lorena is similar to my other books in that way. It was my first time setting a romance in a fictional European country, though, and I did a lot of research to make Ìovoria feel real. 

What inspired you to write this story?

I wanted to write a FF opposites-attract love story about a matchmaker and a princess. I also, uh, watched a lot of the Hallmark movie “Royal Matchmaker.” Like, a lot.

How do you go about character creation?

I come up with a general storyline first, and then design characters who will make that story happen. It’s pretty rare for me to come up with characters before a concept.

Do you have a favorite side character?

Rose’s brother, Callum, makes me tee-hee-hee. I had to do a lot of horse research to write him, but he’s so funny to me.

Are you the type of writer that plans everything out or do you fly by the seat of your pants?  Some combo therein?

I’m definitely a big planner. I write out a full synopsis and fill out character worksheets before I start a book!

Do you write in order or skip around?

I write chronologically. Occasionally I’ll write a scene ahead of time if it’s really calling to me, but for the most part I write in order.

Be honest.  Do you control the plot, or do your characters take over?

I keep a firm hand on my drafts, haha. I know what I want to happen, so if a scene isn’t working, it’s on me, not my characters.

Have you learned anything while writing this book?

I learned more than I ever wanted to know about horses and dressage. On a more serious note, I also came to terms with the fact that sometimes the people I love will never be happy with my choices, and I have to be able to enjoy my life without their approval.

What do you plan to write next?

I’m working on The Winner Takes It All (Virginia Is for All Lovers, book 2) and The Orange and Pink Sunset (my upcoming poetry chapbook). I also have a few other chapbooks in progress; 2024 might be a poetry year for me. 

Ivy L. James wrote her first story on Post-it notes as a child. Since then, she has graduated to regular paper and enjoys writing inclusive romance, short fiction, and poetry. Her queer romances Border Ctrl+Esc, Make the Yuletide Gay, and Love, Lorena are published by NineStar Press. Her work has appeared in the Stygian Collection (Stygian Society), Seers and Sybils (Brigids Gate Press), HerStry, Snowflake Magazine, and Scavengers Literary Magazine, among others. Ivy lives in Maryland with her wife and their corgi, cat, and two snakes.

Representation For All

Author Identities: I’m a cis white lesbian woman. I’m neurodivergent and mentally ill. I’m kind of…between religions? I was raised Christian, and I still sort of believe that, but I also work with witchy stuff and other deities.

Characters They Write About: Love, Lorena stars two cis bi women, one Latina/Hispanic and one white. Overall, I have written about cis lesbian, bi, demi, and pan characters. I do write BIPOC characters, though I don’t tell stories that are essentially based in those cultures. Most of my characters have mental illness of some kind, especially anxiety. I’ve written Christian (Baptist, Catholic, lapsed Eastern Orthodox), nonreligious, and witchy/pagan characters.

Where to find Ivy:

Website: www.authorivyljames.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorivyljames/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaUz2_8kj8boi9FUDG8rQ9w

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorivyljames

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorivyljames

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/authorivyljames.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorIvyLJames

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/authorivyljames

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorivyljames