Happy Friday!

This weekend I’m off on a life-changing adventure, which I’ll share more about soon.

Today I’m thrilled to welcome Bold Strokes Books author Aurora Rey. She’s giving away a copy of Summer’s Cove to one lucky winner. More details about the book and giveaway are below.

Please welcome Aurora.

FROTHY ROMANCES

I like my lesfic like I like my coffee—sweet, steamy, and…frothy. No, really.

When my second novel, Built to Last, was reviewed in Publishers Weekly, the first line of the review read, “Rey’s frothy contemporary romance brings two women together to restore an ancient farmhouse in Ithaca, N.Y.” I was giddy to have a review in a mainstream publication, but I confess I cringed a little at the qualifier. Frothy?

Frothy evoked a worry that my writing lacked substance, that it wasn’t something to be taken seriously. And I very much wanted to be taken seriously. (I’ll spare you my lecture on why romance as a whole is often not taken seriously, and why that’s a problem.) It was hard to think that, even within romance, I was on the “frothy” end.

But then Ruth, the Bold Strokes Books editor and marketing guru, assured me it was the perfect word. Frothy was my brand and I should embrace it. And if you know Ruth at all, you know that when she tells you something, she’s invariably right. Besides, some of my favorite things—lattes and bubble baths and whipped cream—are frothy.

Sheena, of The Lesbian Review, has a similar taxonomy. She categorizes romances as either gentle or angsty. Any guess how she classifies mine?

But here’s the thing. Some of my favorite authors write gentle romance, frothy romance. Light and fun—the perfect escape when life feels anything but gentle. Enough conflict to make the story interesting, of course, but not awash in drama and disaster.

It’s not for everyone. Some readers love the angst. Others love murder and mayhem (just ask my friend, Ali Vali). Some don’t like fiction at all. And that’s great. There are millions of books out there, something for everyone.

Even within frothy, I’ve got my own special flavor. My characters are usually a butch/femme pair, for example. I choose locations that are special to me and often become a character themselves. Oh, and I’m a foodie and I love the way people come together when cooking and eating.

I’ve learned that if you try to please everyone, you’re likely to make a mess of things. You may even find that you end up pleasing no one. It’s true in life as much as in writing. It took me a long time to learn the life lesson part, but I got there eventually. I like to think it primed me for settling into my writing niche, which is good, because I like it here. The stories are fun and the people—readers and writers alike—are delightful.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Aurora Rey grew up in a small town in south Louisiana, daydreaming about New England. She keeps a special place in her heart for the South, especially the food and the ways women are raised to be strong, even if they’re taught not to show it. After a brief dalliance with biochemistry, she completed both a BA and an MA in English.

When she’s not writing or at her day job in higher education, she loves to cook and putter around the house. She’s slightly addicted to Pinterest, has big plans for the garden, and would love to get some goats.

She lives in Ithaca, New York, with her partner, two dogs, and whatever wild animals have taken up residence at the pond.

CONNECT WITH

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GIVEAWAY

Enter here for a chance to win a copy of 

SUMMER’S COVE

All you need to do is fill in your email, check the box confirming you aren’t a robot, and hit enter. In addition to tossing your name in the giveaway hat, you’ll be added to the I Heart Lesfic newsletter.

Thanks so much Aurora for stopping by today.

Best of luck to everyone who enters the giveaway.

Have a wonderful weekend!