Good morning everyone. First, I would like to thank Michael for hosting my new release! Thanks Michael!!!

Now, what am I here to talk about? That’s always a fun thing for an author to figure out. In my case, I want to discuss non-standard characters and genre labeling. You see, in Desires’ Guardian, as well as its sequel due out in September (Temptations of Desire) you meet and journey with characters that are not your typical m/m characters.

First, you have Chase and Rhys, the main characters of the story. Chase is a total twink and is presumed to be a total bottom. Rhys is 6’5” ex-Marine, PI/Bodyguard, and built like a wall… so he’s a top, right? Um… well… NO. Then you have Dal, Rhys’s brother, who is bi and gets upset when people say accuse him of being gay or straight. As he puts it, “There’s this thing in between. I like both men and women. I’m bi.” Finally, you hear about and briefly meet Dal’s partner Alex. Alex is gender fluid and terrified of losing his lover over it.

Then you have labeling. I hate labels in many cases and in others; there just aren’t good words to use. I do not call myself an m/m author, even though all my main characters—and the only bits shown—are biologically male. I write gay characters, gender fluid gay characters (gay is based off the bits the person has, not their true gender), bi characters, and in time more will be added to that list. So what do I call my stories and my writing style? I am a homoerotic romance author. Plain and simple. If it falls under GLBTQ, then I’m interested in bringing them to their perfect matches of the heart.

However, this is not something that is easy to do. Because Dal is with a biologically male partner, many will call his story m/m or gay. He would be very unhappy about that. Many will assume the bedroom rolls for Chase and Rhys based on their outward appearances, nothing could be further from the truth. Still others will say Alex is trans but not accepting of this. Again, incorrect. Each character is a person you and I know.

We all know people that don’t fit into the nice little boxes society tries to place them in. This is something I vehemently am against. Each person has to find their truth, their heart, and learn to embrace it. Whether that’s being a twinky top, a sexy person who dresses the gender they feel they are that day, or they see all genders as sexy and open to find love with.

Labels are great for soup, kid’s undies at camp, and on freezer packs so you know what’s in them, but for people? No. Never make assumptions. Never judge what you do not know. Moreover, never try to hide from who you are! Our very own Thorny is an inspiration for many (me included) and in part is who inspire part of my writing. So keep yourself and your mind open, even when reading romances, because you never know when you might find your own truth, even if it is just a character that you resonate with. And remember, the person next to you, just might be perfect just the way they are, label conforming or not.