I’ve been blogging about writing, culture, diversity and inclusion, and LGBTQ+ issues since the early 2000s.
Sometime around 2011-12, I started my own author newsletter to keep readers updated on my book news, and I continued to blog, particularly about LGBTQ+ young adult books and for Diversity in YA (since shuttered). In 2017, my newsletter got a name, Lo & Behold, courtesy of author Kiersten White. In fall 2019, I moved the newsletter to Substack, where I published biweekly for about a year and a half and offered paid subscriptions. In March 2021, I moved it back to my own domain to separate myself from the Substack brand due to these issues.
As a professional writer, I believe that writers deserve to get paid for their work. At the same time, monetizing blogging has been extremely difficult. My experiment at Substack showed me that it’s possible, and I’m grateful to the readers who valued my writing enough to pay for it regularly. However, it also made me realize that committing to a subscription fee removes some of the freedom that I value in writing these essays.
I love blogging (even if it's in a newsletter!). But I don't feel right charging a regular subscription fee unless I commit to writing on a schedule, and although I have done that and could continue, it simply takes more time than I have. My day job is writing novels, and that has to be my priority. So I'm kicking off another experiment.
I promise to write interesting, engaging essays, and to share them with you regularly via my newsletter and online. If my writing makes your life more enjoyable or shows you a new perspective, please consider supporting my ability to write with a donation. Your support means the world to me.