My publishing contract is with Pride Publishing. A few people have asked me 'why them?.
Well, the answer is pretty simple. Pride is a 2SLGBTQ+ publishing house, and my main character, Katya, is gay.
I never intended to write a gay character. In fact, when I created her back in high school, as an 18 year old, I envisioned her eventually hooking up with a male elf.
However, as I grew and changed, so did she. I fleshed out her world and her character and that aspect of her personality just fit the direction of where the story was going.
Being 2SLGBTQ+ doesn't define Katya. She's not a 'gay elf', she's an elven warrior and leader who happens to be gay.
It's not something she's grappling or fighting with or attempting to deny, as is a point in many stories, but it absolutely shapes her recovery and growth throughout the novel.
Now, I can't picture her in my mind when she wasn't gay. Although her character has changed immensely in the intervening years, I have too, and being able to reflect my growth in Katya's character has been a true gift as a writer.
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