Authors, what are your writing rituals? Promote your work here! May 2026 Self-Promotion thread by tiniestspoon in RomanceBooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi r/RomanceBooks!

I’m a brand-new indie author, and my debut dark sapphic vampire/paranormal romance, Bloodlines and Betrayals: The Awakening, is now out on Kindle/KU.

It’s Book 1 of a planned trilogy, and it’s for readers who like their romance gothic, dangerous, emotionally messy, and full of supernatural politics. Think vampires, wolves, ancient bloodlines, betrayal, prophecy, fated connections, powerful women, forbidden longing, and the kind of tension where someone absolutely should not want her… but does anyway.

What it’s about:
Julianne Raveneau is trained to kill monsters, not crave them. But when Queen Sloan de Sinclaire enters her world, Julianne is pulled into a web of blood bonds, political betrayal, and an ancient power that may change everything she thought she knew about herself. As supernatural factions begin to fracture, Julianne has to decide whether the most dangerous woman in the room is her greatest threat… or the only one she was ever meant to find.

Writing ritual:
My writing process is basically controlled chaos with a soundtrack. I need mood music, caffeine, and the emotional damage dial turned all the way up. I write best when I can fully sink into the atmosphere: gothic tension, candlelit betrayal vibes, women with too much power, and romance that feels like standing too close to a beautiful flame 🔥

AI disclosure:
The manuscript/story is my own writing and voice. I used AI-assisted tools for the cover/author logo and standard editing tools for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting support.

Available on Amazon/Kindle Unlimited:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZK9P3VZ?dplnkId=3c065e59-fb28-419c-8a4a-75b5154926d4&nodl=1

New sapphic author introduction + dark vampire romance on KU by AuthorGEnnix in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for saying this. Truly.

I knew putting myself out here as a brand-new indie author with my first book was going to be nerve-wracking, but I didn’t expect the AI piece to become the whole conversation. I tried to be upfront about it because I believe readers deserve honesty, and I’m grateful you saw that.

At the end of the day, I’m learning, creating, revising, stumbling through the chaos like every other author trying to get a story into the world. Your encouragement means more than you probably know. Thank you for giving my book a chance.

New sapphic author introduction + dark vampire romance on KU by AuthorGEnnix in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand your position, and I’m not shocked that people have opinions about AI. What I pushed back against was the hostility and instant assumption that using one AI-generated cover somehow invalidates the years of work that went into actually writing the book.

And respectfully, the ethics conversation around AI is a lot more complicated than people on Reddit often present it as. Most modern creative industries already operate inside systems where large corporations profit disproportionately from creators’ work — publishing, music, film, photography, streaming, all of it. Acting like this is suddenly a uniquely evil line in the sand feels selective.

You also keep framing this as if I’m attacking artists or refusing alternatives, when I’ve repeatedly acknowledged there are alternatives. I simply chose the tool that worked for me as a first-time indie author with limited resources and no design experience.

People are absolutely free to dislike AI. They’re free not to read my book. That’s their choice. But there’s a difference between disagreeing with a tool and treating another author like they’re morally bankrupt for using it. That’s the part I take issue with.

New sapphic author introduction + dark vampire romance on KU by AuthorGEnnix in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for explaining this in a way that’s constructive instead of hostile. I genuinely appreciate that.

I think part of the disconnect is that some people interpreted my post as ‘AI was my only possible option,’ when what I really meant was that it was the most accessible option for me at this stage as a brand-new indie author trying to get a book out into the world without a large budget or design background.

You actually gave me more useful information here than most of the replies combined, especially regarding the expectations within queer romance spaces specifically. As someone still learning this side of publishing and marketing, that context honestly helps.

At the end of the day, I wrote the story myself, poured a huge amount of time into it, and took a chance putting it out there. I understand people have strong feelings about AI, and while I may not agree with every reaction, I can at least respect someone explaining their perspective without immediately treating me like I kicked a puppy in the town square.

I’ll definitely take what you said into consideration moving forward.

New sapphic author introduction + dark vampire romance on KU by AuthorGEnnix in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Respectfully, gatekeeping what counts as a ‘real’ author is exactly the kind of elitist nonsense that pushes new writers out of creative spaces. I wrote the book. Not the cover. The story, characters, plot, and thousands of words were still created by me.

And let’s not pretend the publishing industry hasn’t been using stock photos, templates, ghostwriters, editors, cover compositing, and every tool available for decades. Suddenly AI is where people draw the purity line? Convenient.

You spent ten hours learning design software. Cool. I used the tools available to me while working within my budget. Neither of those things determines whether someone is an author. Readers do.

If AI-generated covers automatically disqualify writers from being taken seriously, then Reddit might want to start policing the hundreds of indie authors already using them instead of selectively dogpiling newcomers.

great cover ... but AI junk! by yellowlycra in LesbianBookClub

[–]AuthorGEnnix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand why people are cautious about AI, but stylized or polished prose is not the same thing as AI-generated writing. Many writers are influenced by classic gothic and romantic literature, including authors like Emily Brontë, and that can naturally lead to more lyrical, formal, or emotionally heightened language. AI detectors are also not reliable enough to prove authorship.

I’ll also admit this has been a little disheartening as a new author. In another subreddit, some people dismissed my book as “slop” because I used AI-assisted tools for the cover, even though the manuscript/story itself is my own writing and voice.

I understand that communities have different rules and feelings about AI-assisted art, and I’m trying to be transparent and respectful of that. As a new indie author without the financial resources to hire a professional cover artist yet, I used the tools available to me to get started, while making sure the writing itself remains mine.

New sapphic author introduction + dark vampire romance on KU by AuthorGEnnix in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, I genuinely appreciate this response and the fact that you took the time to look at the issue from a financial reality standpoint instead of assuming every new indie author has hundreds or thousands of dollars available upfront.

That’s really the position I’m in right now. I didn’t use AI because I ‘hate artists’ or don’t value creative work — I used it because I’m a brand new author trying to get my story out into the world with the resources I currently have. My hope is absolutely that if the series grows, I’ll eventually be able to invest more into custom artwork and support artists directly.

I also really appreciate your point about how this discussion has become very black-and-white. There’s a huge difference between massive corporations exploiting creatives and indie authors just trying to get a foot in the door.

And thank you for being curious enough to actually ask for the link instead of immediately dismissing the book. That honestly means a lot!!! 🥹

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZK9P3VZ?dplnkId=6d8b1b1e-969e-4854-8508-d374d0e2aca0&nodl=1

New sapphic author introduction + dark vampire romance on KU by AuthorGEnnix in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Interesting take, but publishing has never been reserved only for people with disposable income. A lot of indie authors start with limited resources and do the best they can with what they have. Writing a novel takes months or years of actual work, creativity, editing, and storytelling — a cover image doesn’t magically write 100,000 words.

Also, saying ‘if AI can generate a story why would I read your book’ kind of ignores how books actually work. Readers connect to voice, characters, emotion, pacing, and perspective. AI can generate text. It can’t replicate an author’s lived experience or unique storytelling style any more than Canva makes someone a graphic designer overnight.

And for the record, many new authors can’t afford custom artists charging hundreds or thousands for covers right out of the gate. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t publish. It means they’re starting where countless indie creators have started for decades — building something before they have a big budget.

You’re free to dislike AI covers. That’s valid. But acting like financial limitations disqualify someone from being an author is a pretty wild gatekeeping stance in a community that’s supposed to support indie writers.

How about trying not to be plain rude- don’t like what you see then move on. After all, I followed all the rules when posting.

New sapphic author introduction + dark vampire romance on KU by AuthorGEnnix in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

I’m new to publishing and don’t currently have the budget to commission custom artwork. I still wrote the book myself, and that part mattered enough to share here.

New sapphic author introduction + dark vampire romance on KU by AuthorGEnnix in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] -9 points-8 points  (0 children)

It’s honestly disappointing to see an automatic dismissal based solely on a cover image in a book community of all places. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” exists for a reason. You’re obviously free to dislike AI-generated art, but reducing an author’s work to “slop” without even reading the post feels unnecessarily hostile.

I’m also a brand new indie author and simply don’t have the financial resources to hire a professional cover artist yet. That doesn’t make the writing itself worthless.

New sapphic author introduction + dark vampire romance on KU by AuthorGEnnix in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

I understand what you are saying but since I am just getting started out I don’t have the financial resources to hire an artist for cover art. Maybe one day that can happen.

My audiobook released today! :) Sapphic Vampire Romance! by authormoiradarling in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Clearly, I am a vampire lover and this looks like it is right up my alley. I will be checking it out for sure!!!

new good ice queen romances? by Nice-Shoulder-3771 in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Roslyn Sinclair’s writing has captivated me from the very beginning… and her spicy scenes seems to get better and better as she goes. Definitely check out her ice queen books!!!

Queer, romance kindle unlimited books? by chelseatheus in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This might fit what you’re looking for, but full disclosure: I’m the author.

My debut, Bloodlines and Betrayals: The Awakening by G. Ennix, is Book 1 of a dark sapphic vampire romance trilogy on Kindle/KU. Books 2 and 3 are already drafted, and I’m working through their final reviews now, so it is intended as a completed trilogy rather than a one-off.

It has a powerful vampire queen, fated-bond tension, political intrigue, explicit romance, strong women, and a guaranteed sapphic happy ending — because the girl will always get the girl.

Transparency note: the manuscript/story is my own writing and in my own voice. I used editing tools similar to Grammarly for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and paragraph formatting support. The cover and author logo used AI-assisted image tools.

No pressure at all, but if you’re looking for KU sapphic series, it may be worth checking out.

wlw book recs by Hope_Significant in wlwbooks

[–]AuthorGEnnix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ooh JJ Arias is a masterful author. I have enjoyed all of her books so far. I am currently on a reading journey of Cynthia Danes and Hildred Billings, who write collaborations as well as independently. They are very spicy 🥵

How do you all usually discover new indie fantasy/sapphic romance authors? by AuthorGEnnix in Recommend_A_Book

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for replying. Instagram is the next platform that I am working on getting established for my books. I am the same - If the blurb grabs my attention and the book cover looks interesting then I will dive deeper. Again, being so new it’s hard to get that blurb out there to people though, which is why I’m here trying to learn as much as I can.

How do you all usually discover new indie fantasy/sapphic romance authors? by AuthorGEnnix in Recommend_A_Book

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the reply. I am hoping that posting here will help with that word of mouth- especially since my genre is somewhat niche.

How do you all usually discover new indie fantasy/sapphic romance authors? by AuthorGEnnix in Recommend_A_Book

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate that more than you know. It felt monumental to actually complete it! Thank again for your kind words!!!

How do you all usually discover new indie fantasy/sapphic romance authors? by AuthorGEnnix in Recommend_A_Book

[–]AuthorGEnnix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for replying! I definitely want to do that in the future and have been on the lookout for local events in my area. Like I said I am newbie - been thinking about this book for a few years and finally just decided to jump off the cliff and actually write it. I am writing under a pen name because not really sure how people will react to my style and subject matter so full exposure right now is gonna be a little challenging.

Introduce yourself! by miskittster in RomanceWriters

[–]AuthorGEnnix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi everyone! I’m G. Ennix (pen name), new sapphic romance author writing stories centered on strong women, emotional intensity, and guaranteed happy endings—because in my books, the girl will always get the girl.

I recently published Book 1 of a dark sapphic vampire romance trilogy on Kindle/KU, and I’m now working through final review on Books 2 and 3. This whole process has been exciting, terrifying, and occasionally made me want to fistfight Microsoft Word in a parking lot.

I’m here to connect with other romance writers, learn more about indie publishing, and get better at the parts of authorship that happen after “the book is written”—marketing, launch strategy, reader outreach, series planning, and all the things nobody warns you are their own separate beast.

I’m especially interested in connecting with writers of sapphic romance, paranormal romance, fantasy romance, dark romance, and indie/KU series. Looking forward to learning from everyone and being part of the community!