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Ash Roberts is a transgender author who writes books about dragons, and those who ride them. She has loved dragons ever since a family friend lent a precocious fourteen-year-old her copy of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonflight. She was hooked.

She credits Rick Riordan with saving her life because of a trans character he wrote. To pay it forward, she now writes books with plenty of LGBTQIA+ characters so that queer kids can see themselves in stories and not feel so alone.

When not writing, she spends her time in Northern Colorado with her wife and their family, including 2 ¾ cats.

Author interview – Ash Roberts

Hi Ash, glad you finally made it to my blog! Please share, when did you start writing, and why?

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Attorney and Author Shannon Humphrey writes science fiction featuring heroic women and minorities. In 2013, Shannon released her first young adult fiction novel Hope Defined. As a fiction author, she was a Hedgebrook resident in 2018. She is re-publishing the Hope series in 2019, her series Skin Trials, and the upcoming Blood Republic series.

A graduate of the University of Arkansas, she was also a trial attorney, who fought for poor families across Los Angeles.

Author interview – Shannon Humphrey

When did you start writing, and why?

I’ve been writing since I was a kid. Maybe age 8 or 9, inside a bunch of colouring sheets I took from school, stapled together, and made my diary. My mom discovered it in my bed, told me to stop cursing in my journal, and she bought me a real one.

Writing was second nature. More natural than talking to people actually, and I love words—reading them, absorbing them, and processing their meaning and power. No one else can interfere with the bond between your mind and words. No other voices can interfere. No other opinions or objections can break in and force their will upon you. Reading is a very intimate process outsiders can’t disrupt, and so is writing. I’m very comfortable, in my element, when I’m doing it. If I’m writing a story I actually love.Read More →

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Just over three years ago, I started a blog series on representation in writing—Writing Diversity. After the third post, my life turned into somewhat of a rollercoaster and, while the subject remained close to my heart, any thoughts on writing about it were put on the backburner.

Last December, when looking at my achievements of 2019 and pondering what I wanted to focus on in 2020, the topic of representation cried out for attention. And who am I to heed that call?

After all, diversity is still a hot topic.

In previous posts, I’ve explained what representation is, how it works, and why it matters. I talked about the dangers of essentialism and tokenism. Today, I want to discuss another pitfall, something I’ve been calling exclusive inclusivity.Read More →