Book News and a New Pen Name!
First, if you haven't seen the front page of my website (or my Facebook or my Twitter... seriously, am I even doing this right?) I'll be in Evernight Teen's YA LGBTQ+ Anthology, Just Me, along with fantastic ET authors Roxas James, Medeia Sherif, and Kate Larkindale (whom I've interviewed here)!
I wrote Wilde Girls for this anthology, and I'm so fond of these two characters.
Sixteen-year-old Aislynn considers the local flower shop her sanctuary. Run by an old woman more accepting than all the churches in town combined, it’s a place where Aislynn can be her queer, pansexual, untraditionally feminine self. Wilde Flowers is her safe space until her childhood bully Phoenix waltzes in, as infuriating and beautiful as when she moved to Utah two years ago. That's when Aislynn learns, to her horror, Phoenix will be working in the flower shop all summer... right alongside Aislynn.
If you like queer stories, creative minds, silly hearts, and enemies-to-lovers, Wilde Girls will be out along with three other amazing stories this spring!
Oh, and there's more news.
I'm writing under a pen name for erotic romance. I've signed the contract, so it's official:
Laelia West will make her debut this year! The first story - tentatively titled Warning: Rigid Standards - will be my experiment with this pen name.
I hear the questions already. Let's answer them!
"Why a pen name? Don't you already have a few steamy adult stories under Deidre Huesmann?"
Good question! I want to separate these stories from my current name. Not because it's queer, not because it's adult, but because the brand of adult is, inevitably, not everyone's cup of tea. Basically, Deidre Huesmann will write primarily YA fantasy/queer stories and some steamy adult now and then, while Laelia West will release erotic romance with kink.
"What kind of kink?"
Let's paint a broad stroke and say Laelia West leans more toward menage and BDSM.
"Will there be a separate website I need to check for news and updates?"
Nope! I'll just have a page strictly for Laelia West. You can find the placeholder page at the top with everything else, so if you're antsy for updates, that's where you'll want to go.
I'm super excited to start this new experiment. Thanks again for all your support, and let's start 2020 with some great reading! Also, with new releases I love handing out little freebies, and since there are two coming up, there will be prizes galore. Stay tuned for contest/drawing news!