Ylva publishing Archives

Neurodiverse characters (Sapphic Reading Challenge #12)

March 6, 2023April 1, 2021

Today’s category–sapphic books about neurodiverse characters–might as well be one of the Book Unicorn categories because there still aren’t that many.

In case you aren’t familiar with the term: a neurodiverse person (also called neurodivergent or neuroatypical) is someone whose brain works differently compared to neurotypical people. They might be on the autistic spectrum, have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), dyslexia, dyspraxia, or Tourette Syndrome.

“One-night stand to forever” romance novels (Sapphic Reading Challenge #9)

August 21, 2022March 11, 2021

This week’s Sapphic Reading Challenge features romance novels in which the characters never intended to become involved in a long-term relationship with each other. The romance starts with a one-night stand, a fling, or a friends-with-benefits arrangement.

Character is a book lover (Sapphic Reading Challenge #8)

March 6, 2023March 4, 2021

This week’s Sapphic Reading Challenge features characters who love books.

Most of them work with books for a living. They are writers, librarians, book editors, cover designers, audiobook narrators, bookstore owners/employees, comic book artists, literary agents, translators, book bloggers, reviewers, or avid readers.

Character with a disability or mental illness (Sapphic Reading Challenge #7)

July 15, 2021February 25, 2021

Category #7 of the Sapphic Reading Challenge features another group of people that is definitely underrepresented in WLW & lesbian fiction: characters who have a disability.

It can be a book about a character with a physical disability, a chronic illness, or a mental disorder. When you pick the book you’re going to read, don’t forget that some disabilities are invisible or less apparent, for example, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, and mental illnesses.

Character with an everyday job (Sapphic Reading Challenge #2)

August 21, 2022January 21, 2021

It’s time for the second category of the Sapphic Reading Challenge. This one features sapphic books with main characters who have an everyday job.

As you probably know, a lot of books—especially in WLW and lesbian romance—feature characters who are actresses, famous musicians, surgeons, or CEOs of big companies. That’s why I’d like to spotlight protagonists who don’t have glamorous jobs. Instead, they make a living as a waitress, cashier, mechanic, massage therapist, or work in another everyday job.

WLW & Lesbian Opposites-Attract Romance Novels (F/F Fiction Crossword Challenge #36)

August 22, 2022December 17, 2020

This week’s F/F Fiction Crossword Puzzle features WLW & lesbian opposites-attract romance novels—a romance in which the two main characters have very different personalities. So, here’s the WLW & lesbian opposites-attract romance puzzle: You can either download the crossword grid by right-clicking on the picture below or download the PDF with the crossword grid and the clues. You don’t necessarily need a printer to play. You don’t need to send in the filled-out puzzle; all you need to do is email me the solution phrase. Here are the clues for the WLW & lesbian opposites-attract romance puzzle: Just …

“Wrong Number, Right Woman” Crossword Puzzle

September 24, 2020

To celebrate the publication of my latest romance, Wrong Number, Right Woman earlier this month, I thought I’d put together a crossword puzzle with clues from the book. Even if you haven’t read it yet, I think you have a chance to solve the puzzle because the answers to the first five clues are hidden in the first four chapters of the book, which you can read for free on Amazon and other online bookstores. To find the answers to clues number 6 and 7, read the excerpt, then take a look at my other contemporary romances. The prize: …

WLW & Lesbian Books Set Outside of the US (F/F Fiction Crossword Challenge #27)

August 22, 2022September 17, 2020

Most lesbian books and novels featuring women-loving women are set in the US, so today’s puzzle features books that take place outside of the US. The puzzle includes books set in South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Canada, and various countries in continental Europe and the United Kingdom. So, here’s the “WLW & lesbian books set outside the US” puzzle: You can either download the crossword grid by right-clicking on the picture below or download the PDF with the crossword grid and the clues. You don’t necessarily need a printer to play. You don’t need to send in the filled-out …

12 WLW & Lesbian Phone or Online Romance Novels

July 25, 2022September 16, 2020

I realized there aren’t that many WLW & lesbian romance novels around in which the characters meet online—maybe via a dating app—or start communicating via emails, texts, or phone calls and meet face-to-face only a little later in the book. Which is a little strange, since so many of us find love—or great friends—online, right? So I thought I’d put together a list of 12 f/f romances that start out on the Internet or via the phone. Make sure you scroll all the way down for a free bonus story. Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae Flirting has …

WLW & Lesbian Body-Positive Romance Novels (F/F Fiction Crossword Challenge #25)

September 3, 2020

This week’s F/F crossword puzzle features a really important topic: body positivity in romance novels. The romance novel industry is especially guilty of abiding by Hollywood’s standard of beauty. It’s rare to find plus-size characters in f/f romance novels (or any romance, for that matter). Most of the main characters are portrayed as slender, with perfectly sized breasts, and if they are a bit chubby, their goal in the story is probably to lose weight. I hope that going forward, there’ll be more body positivity in romance novels and that women of all shapes and sizes will find themselves represented …