Writing disabled characters as a disabled person is both liberating and painful. Having those experiences of chronic pain makes it easier for me to describe how my MC feels about his pain. For example, how it feels like burning knives are stabbed into his leg over and over. Or how you’ll push yourself to do something, you know very well you don’t have the energy to do. Pulling from these experiences has been more liberating than I thought. It has helped me deal with some of the trauma, and also come into this acceptance that I’m still as badass as anyone else. Which is why I think writing disabled characters is just as important as writing queer characters. Everyone deserves to feel themselves connected with a character, and to live vicariously through them. This it what fiction is made for, to have these stories where our minds can run free.
I’ve read both books with queer characters where their feelings of their sexuality have resonated with me, and make me cry over the feeling of being seen. And I’ve read books with disabled characters and had the same feeling. This is why it’s so important to have representation. To have queer, disabled and/or POC in rom-coms, fantasy, sci-fi and thrillers. To show that a character that looks like you, has the same feeling as you can be a badass hero. Which is what I want to do with “Ruins of Dawn”, yes I just name dropped the new and improved title for my WIP. I want to show that a morally gray character, who has nerve pain and limps, still can kick ass. That neither his disability nor sexuality defines who he is as a person, or if he can save the world. He’s Ed Johnston, the world’s most powerful super.
My latest work is out! Find on your favourite stores >> https://books2read.com/u/bxkdnk and kindle B0DPZL6N7G
Miray, a non-binary, aro-ace teen with a prosthetic leg, dreams of creating joy in a world that often misunderstands em. After a fateful encounter with a bitter teen who traps others in a dollhouse realm of vengeance, Miray's kindness and courage are tested. Ey must confront despair and hatred, using empathy to heal and forgive.
Joining forces with Kaelen Salix, a powerful intersex warrior who embodies balance and strength, Miray becomes part of a magical team dedicated to fighting despair and spreading hope. Together, they prove that even in the darkest times, compassion and unity can light the way.
Themes and Symbolism:
Healing through Emotions: Characters learn to embrace the full spectrum of emotions but not let despair take over.
Forgiveness and Compassion: The story emphasizes the transformative power of forgiving oneself and others.
Timeless Connections: Relationships transcend lifetimes, showing that love and bonds are eternal.
Diverse Identities: Characters like Miray and Kaelen celebrate the beauty of individuality and self-acceptance.
All of my books will be promoted on @Smashwords as part of their 2024 End of Year Sale starting on December 12! Be sure to follow me for more updates and links to the promotion for my books and many more!
A question came up about the presence of LGBTQIA+ dragons in my book, and the answer is yes! Within the pages of my stories, you'll encounter dragons who identify as gay and those who are part of loving polyamorous relationships. While the first installment may focus primarily on these aspects, rest assured that my upcoming books will introduce a diverse array of dragon characters, including lesbians, asexuals, bisexuals, and many more from the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. So, get ready for an abundance of LGBTQIA+ dragon representation in my tales!
Happy Webcomic Day! 🖊❤️🔥🎉 Are you a fan of fantasy, D&D, and queer art?
@voltergeists is the mastermind of the Alchemist Collective, a collection of stories surrounding a small cast of characters who each have something to hide. When their paths cross, they learn more than they bargained for about themselves, and each other. What lies beyond the veil of the archaic secrets of gods, and those that seek to control the unknowable? What is at stake when you have that control, and are the secrets you keep worth dying for?
Read the Alchemists Collective HERE: https://www.thealchemistscollective.com/
Our comics for sale are "Potions Guide" by @voltergeists, and "Thief Cute" by @kingrhapsody, both taking place in the same universe! 💜 You can find these and more in our shop: https://royalnightshade.bigcartel.com/
If you'd like digital downloads, you can find our Ko-fi here as well ☕: https://ko-fi.com/royalnightshade
HER feet pounded brutally against the uneven ground as her breaths became harsh and violent. She was running, but from what was quite a long story indeed. She hadn’t the time to recall it though as finding a place to hide seemed more crucial at this very moment. Especially when the voices were getting closer and closer.
The young, pale maiden tripped over a tree root, sending her tumbling towards a big spiky bush that pricked her oh-so delicate skin.
“Ouch!” she hissed as the bright crimson blood trickled down, illuminating itself under the waxing gibbous moon.
She was already covered head to toe in scars and bruises, and as for the rest of her appearance, it was almost depressing. Her grey, white spotted, hair was jagged; a complete mess, and her hooded dress was so torn and crinkled - even one of her sleeves were missing - when did it go missing?
She was fortunate that the hood of her dress wasn’t torn as brutally as the rest of it, as it fitted over her hair, covering her forehead and the glimmer of her grey-white locks.
The other voices were becoming increasingly clearer by the second as they drew near. “I heard something over there!” someone shouted.
The maiden was frantic now. She knew she was going to be found if she didn’t find a hiding place soon. She looked around before focusing back on the spiky bush behind her. Finding a little hidden passageway in amongst prickly twigs, she didn’t hesitate any longer.
As she crawled through the small space in between, the thorns tore at her hunter’s dress more, making sure not to miss her porcelain flesh. She fought the urge to hiss and curse in pain as she hid herself amongst the bristly bush and waited.
“Where is she?!” a tall, sturdy woman hissed.
The maiden peered through the little gaps to find a tanned woman, with red silk covering her neck. A metal weskeh sat around her collar, bearing two golden frames with a dark, pale green in the middle. This collar piece had a cross on the bottom of the golden frames, acting as an religious extension piece, despite the knight’s disbelief.
From under her weskeh, her bronze armour was evident, starting with pauldrons on each side, along with two almost isosceles triangles right next to them travelling towards the middle, and finishing off with then two sharp-curved pieces in between that acted like pincers getting ready to either pursue the cross or be its protector. The maiden couldn’t tell its true purpose.
The woman also wore a lorikion; the sleeves stopping halfway across her biceps and the hem of the clothing stopping at just above her knees, that were also plated with armour. From her knees and elbows, scales travelled towards her hands and feet, stopping only due to the metallic armour covering both - the feet being covered by silver and black boots, and the hands by black armour that stopped at the middle crease of her fingers and in between the creases of her thumbs.
In between her lorikion and elbow, and knee plate and same cloth waving above; the red silk that covered her neck peeked, colouring her fingers and thumbs as well.
Most knights wore the same thing, minus her weskeh; the only other differences being the almost-isosceles and pincers design, and her osiris belt, that helped holding her blade and its pouch in place.
The maiden really couldn’t help but focus her attention solely on this one knight; someone her sister praised and blabbered on about often - swooned, was probably the correct word.
Unlike the maiden’s white-grey hair, tucked firmly in the back of her hooded dress, the knight had curly leathery black hair. It was extremely untidy; bangs in an unruly but parted mess, fringe as unkempt as ever, bun frizzed in the frenzy and rest of the strands that didn’t cooperate when tying her hair into a bun.
She wondered why her sister admired her at first, criticising the knight’s atrocious aroma and her natural demeanour, but soon came to understand why when she joined her sister as an audience.
It was dark, the light from the moon and stars barely touching the knight’s figure, the Wolf barely at her peak, and still the maiden could outline the woman’s every detail. After all, a General who led her disciples into battle was someone extraordinary, (and again, her sister was quite mouthy).
Everyone in the Kingdom and in the villages nearby knew of her. She was a leader who trained her disciples to the best of their abilities, never failing once - hence why she was voted to be.
The only thing that the General and her knights lacked, however, was their ability to find the maiden herself. She was the best at hiding, her and her sister being an unbeatable duo! Even though her sister wasn’t with her now, she wasn’t going to give in - not even the monsters that roamed the night could deter her anymore.
One of the disciples spoke up. “I don’t know! I could’ve sworn she was over here!”
- and here she was, in a place that they’d least expect.
The General grew irritated. “Well, find her! She couldn’t have gotten far!”
The knights and the runaway trembled at the booming voice, one resistant to her demanding voice. It wasn’t like they hadn’t heard it before, but whenever the General got mad it was a time to worry - the maiden was just vulnerable to harsh tones.
The knights all scramble to form a straight line in front of her, the stray complying calmly, as they saluted.
“Ser, yes, Ser!” they all synchronised, a solitary knight sounding flat.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Sooner or later they all left in the same direction. The maiden, who witnessed the scene, slowly crawled out of her hiding place. Not bothering to remove the thorns that made her flesh and dressing their new home, she took off once more, the echoing of a metallic sound wishing her luck from afar. She was smart not to follow, she’d be crazy to do so!
Now looking back to where they all left, the maiden couldn’t help but be proud of herself. She managed to escape the General and her knights! Who wouldn’t be proud of something so unheard of? Surely she would’ve won part of the land - if it weren’t for her being on the run in the first place.
Tears pricked at her eyes, her lips twitching. Freedom was in her grasp at last. All she had to do now was take it and fly away. Do you hear that, Vykki? Adelfos? We’re going to be free at last.
Without much warning, she bumped into a commoner.
“Ow…” she hissed. The maiden looked to the woman who fell, and quickly arose from the ground in a hasted motion. “I’m so sorry, ma’am!!”
The runaway stretched out her hand, but the lady was more focused on the maiden’s torn dress and excessively damaged skin.
“Oh my, dear! You’re wounded!”
the commoner exclaimed,
as she picked herself up from the ground.
The maiden wanted to speak up, but found she was at a loss for words. She hasn’t spoken to a normal human besides her hunter in years.
What does she even say to one?
“Don’t worry, ma’am! I’m fine, truly!” Though that wasn’t convincing in the slightest.
The older one clicked her tongue.
“You’re not fooling anybody, sweetie.
Come with me.
We’ll have to treat those nasty wounds of yours
before they get infected!”
The maiden was a loss for words as she was dragged along by the commoner.
This lady is strong!, she noted.
The runaway saw no point in struggling or refusing the generous lady’s help. Was there any need to? None of the citizens outside of the Kingdom knew who she really was and the person’s scent was comforting, almost familiar; familial.
As long as I stay hidden, it’ll be fine, she convinced herself.
AquaHart WIP. These characters are Hawaii Five-0 OCs that me and my friends created. The dads, Pete and Nahuel belong to my friends, and their sons, Alika, Freddie, and Kai are mine. But we kind of all share them in a way. #procreate #ocs #queercharacters #h50 #h50ocs @smoothdog_ https://www.instagram.com/p/CDDqMrBpgPz/?igshid=xy1x9uc8i6z3
