Queers & Quills 2025

Dear Reader,

Every day, I sit at my computer and try to write sapphic romance novels in an ever-changing and complex world. Sometimes – and for me, it’s all the time – writing is a solitary activity. I like it that way, and it works for me, but I’m also the one making and posting all my marketing on social media, which means I have to be there, and that is how it feels sometimes. Going on any social platform these days can be a minefield. There’s a lot of good, but there’s also a ton of bad, and that can play with a writer’s mind. Hearing about people pirating books, boycotts, and AI scammers stealing the work of writers and other creatives can make me so discouraged sometimes that I wonder why I keep going. But this post isn’t about any of that. It’s about something good.

It feels like forever ago now that I was invited to attend the first-ever Queers & Quills event in Portland. Initially, I had to turn down the offer because a friend of mine was getting married that weekend, but luckily for me, she moved her wedding, which meant that I was able to reach back out to the organizers of Queers & Quills and tell them that I could go. They were able to make space for me, and for that, I am extremely grateful. Here’s why:

Normally, events are hard for me. I’m an introvert, like a lot of writers. I don’t get out much, and I like it that way. I’m always awkward and sometimes shy. I’m not great at walking up and starting conversations. I also get very tired incredibly quickly and struggle with ambiguity. I.e., what can I expect from this party? Where will I sit on the panel? Etc.

I’ve been to a few events since I started publishing, but Q&Q was, by far, the best book event I’ve ever been to. I’ll get into a few of the whys in a second, but first, I want to thank the amazing organizers, Marley and E’Shel, for getting the idea and putting this event together. Their communication prior to the event was thorough and frequent. I knew where I was supposed to go and when, what to expect when I got there, and what to do next. The app they used was also very helpful. On top of their communication, I swear, they thought of everything, and I’m saying that as someone who has put on work events in a past life. Accessibility and inclusiveness weren’t afterthoughts; they were priorities. There were calming rooms and accessibility access, as well as interpreters for the kick-off session. They even thought of us, introverted authors and narrators, and made sure we had a space to go to get away from it all as well. FedEx was there to ship books for folks. Lines never got too long (from what I heard from readers because I was at my own table), and even the minor snafus that happen at every event were communicated quickly and followed up on.

Marley and E’Shel were also everywhere. They didn’t hide away and leave it to the volunteers and hotel staff. If you had a question, odds were, they were right there to answer it. Something that I noticed when I was on a panel was so simple and yet, so very thoughtful: there was a QR code on the back of our name cards. When scanned, it took you to a Google Form where you could request whatever help you needed, and someone would be there. In addition, my wife and I are picky eaters due to allergies and insensitivities, so the fact that Marley and E’Shel made sure there was a special lunch just for us made me so thankful. Finding food at events is always difficult for us, and it wasn’t this time. It made the whole experience so much better to not be hungry the whole time.

As an author, I felt appreciated, taken care of, and the number of times I was told, “Thank you for saying yes,” to the invite… I lost count. I was welcomed when I arrived with my wife, who was acting as my assistant for the weekend (lol to that one). The hotel had good food and a great atmosphere, along with a kind staff, and it was in Portland, which was a great location. Friday morning, registration started, but because we’d already registered, my wife and I got to take it easy, which was a great way to get me in the right headspace and warmed up, so to speak. The kick-off was a nice way to begin the event, and I’ll paraphrase something Marley said there: she wanted us all to leave with our cups full. Every day, I sit alone in my office and speak into the void about the books I’m writing. Sometimes, us writers get messages telling us to stop selling on Amazon, to even stop marketing our books entirely, or to not do this or to do that, so I went into the event pretty run-down and worried that I might come back feeling the same way, but I didn’t. My cup is full.

I was surrounded by people who were welcoming and appreciative that I was there, and I haven’t even gotten to the fantastic volunteers yet. I must admit, I was worried that being a sapphic author in a pretty MLM-dominated space would be a problem for me, but it wasn’t. Everyone was just so happy to be there and so happy that everyone else was there that I felt more welcome at Q&Q than I have in some solely sapphic spaces, which was just so nice to see.

Let me get back to the panels for a minute. I was on a panel called “Bringing The Funny,” which was about comedy in our books, and I was worried I wouldn’t be funny enough. I hadn’t met the authors on my panel or my moderator prior to it, so I was also nervous about that, but everyone was great, and I guess I was actually funny because I’ve never gotten so many compliments about being on a panel in my life. Everywhere I went, someone was complimenting me on my panel appearance, going out of their way to make my day, and I am very appreciative of that. I had a great time on that little stage and found that being there with my MLM writing counterparts only added to my positive experience.

After my panel, there was a break, which was perfect timing. Timing is something else I’ll briefly comment on. There was a lot going on, and, yes, I know folks can only attend one panel at a time, which might mean missing another one, but from an author’s perspective, things were paced perfectly. I was ready for a break after my panel, and I was able to get one. Later, I went to the author’s lounge for dinner, which was included for authors, narrators, and their assistants; another amazing and thoughtful thing. Then, I went to watch all the talented narrators do a reading. Normally, I’m not one to attend the events at night because I’m usually so worn out by then, but I wanted to go, and I enjoyed it all when I did.

The next morning, it was time for signing table setup, and because I didn’t attend any of the morning panels, I had time to get some breakfast and then set up my table. I wasn’t sure what to expect from an event like this, so I didn’t bring too much. I didn’t want to have to come home with a lot of books or ship them back, and I have so many novels that it’s always hard for me to figure out which ones to bring, so I came with some and left the rest behind.

The signing started, and communication about this, from the author’s side, was also phenomenal, so I knew what to expect from an organizational point of view, but I also had no clue what to expect as far as how many readers or potential readers might stop by my table. I expected sapphic readers, but not much from the MLM or other genre crowds. More on that in a minute, but let me pause here to talk to you a little about the volunteer army, as I’ve come to call them.

First, I’m going to shout out Tacie Cherry (@sterling_sapphic_reads), who was the volunteer coordinator. (I say “the” because I’m not sure if there was more than one, and “coordinator” because I’m pretty sure that was her title, but I might be wrong). She was ON TOP OF IT all weekend. I doubt she got any sleep with how much work she was putting in to make sure that everyone had a great time (and that there was a way for people to meet and approach sapphic authors with her Sapphic Bingo for the signing). The whole volunteer army was ON IT. I’ve never had so many people check in on me at an event before. They made sure I had water, snacks, Wi-Fi access, and the tablecloth for my signing table. They told me where and when lunch would be, reminded me of things to make sure they got to everyone, and were unbelievably kind. It wasn’t a “Do you need anything?” It was always, “What can I get for you? Do you have anything you need? If you need something, just ask. We’re here for you.” And that made me feel safe asking questions that they probably got about fifty times already just that morning.

The signing itself was well-organized from my perspective and from what I’ve heard from readers as well. There were lines, but they were kept to a minimum and were organized well by volunteers with wristbands. Again, I wasn’t sure how many people would stop by my table, but I had some pre-orders to sign and hand out, so I expected at least those folks. Not only did I get more sapphic readers than I expected, but I got some MLM readers who told me they’ve never read sapphic before and they want to start with my books. I mean, what an honor that is! I got more compliments about my time on the funny panel. People dropped off gifts for me, which was so nice. I took pictures with the readers, chatted with other authors and narrators, and genuinely enjoyed my time. At one point, about halfway through, there was no one at my table, so I got up to use the restroom. I came back to a line of people and laughed because, of course, they’d come while I had to take a quick break, but they were content to wait for me to get back and talk about my books or their experience at the convention so far.

By the end of the signing, I won’t lie… I was tired. I was exhausted and burned out, but that didn’t bother me at all. I stayed until the very end, making sure that I signed for anyone who had taken the time out of their busy lives to show up for us authors. Again, communication was stellar, and we knew when we needed to tear down our tables and leave the room so that they could set up for the party later.

I’m terrible at taking pictures at events like this – like, so bad that I only have a picture of what I think is Mount Hood from the plane ride home and none from the actual event, which is why I wanted to write about it. I think I’m better with words than with photography anyway. So, I don’t have any pictures that I took myself to share, only my experience and my memories.

I sincerely hope the awesome organizers are able to do another event like this in the future, and I know I will be the first to sign up. I am exhausted, yes, but in the best way. I have the motivation I need to finish the book I’m working on now and to keep going. Sometimes, we authors sit in the dark on our own, and we take in all the good, but we also take in the bad. Queers & Quills was all good. Readers filled my cup. They gave me so much encouragement that my words matter just by sharing their kind words. The people in the panel room who laughed at my lame jokes and the person who told me that I’m cool filled my cup and made me feel like I might actually be cool and funny. The volunteers who bent over backwards to make sure that we had everything we needed and that everyone had a great time filled my cup. The organizers who not only put it together but saw it through and still walked around telling authors, “Thank you for saying yes,” filled my cup. My wife and I had a fantastic time, and 2027 (or if and when there’s another Queers & Quills conference) can’t come soon enough, but I hope everyone who worked hard this weekend takes the time they need to decompress and rest. You’ve earned it! And thank you!

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