A.L. Heard
LightNews LightNews
banner
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
A.L. Heard
@ashheardwrites.bsky.social
290 followers 100 following 690 posts
writer, teacher, hockey player, mom || writer of mm hockey romance & historical fantasy
https://ashheardwrites.com/
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
A.L. Heard @ashheardwrites.bsky.social · Dec 31
Look at these beauts... signed copies available at my ko-fi shop ko-fi.com/jhoom (coupon code coming out in my newsletter on Friday afternoon though 🤫)
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
Anders whenever he thinks about Lars and Ryan: now I have two little brothers :) and one of them is nice to me :) and plays on my team :) and makes my real brother be nice(r) to me :)

Ryan is low-key the favorite in the Nilsson household
February 18, 2026 at 3:16 PM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
This week:
- new hockey romance q&a
- hockey bois 🍻🏒♥️
Ashheardwrites.com
February 18, 2026 at 3:11 AM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
tfw your kid wins a tournament but you can't post on socials about your kid winning the tournament because you were "sick" from work today so your kid could play in said tournament. whomp whomp
February 16, 2026 at 10:45 PM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
i leave little notes in scrivener summarizing what happened in that chapter/section. and for most, it's plotty notes. major event here! moving towards other major event there! PLOT.
then there are just chapters where the summary is "dat first time" and "dat second time" and "sex chicago morning"
February 16, 2026 at 12:55 AM
Reposted by A.L. Heard
kaizeal.aquakatpublishing.com
Happy discount candy day (Feb edition)! If you're looking for something to enjoy with your discount candy, check out the aro-spec itch bundle -- with 23 different aro-highlighed stories, there's sure to be something for you 👀

🔗 itch.io/b/3517/aroma...

#BookSky #QueerSFF #QueerAdultSFF
A graphic featuring 23 covers in a ring around center text that reads "Aro-Spec Bundle. Celebrate Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week with a Bundle of 23 Works Starring Aromantic Characters. February 15th - 22nd. $23!"
February 15, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by A.L. Heard
duckprintspress.com
Happy Valentine's Day y'all! Whether you're looking for the perfect gift for that special something or for a cozy book to curl up with to read on your own, there may be the read for you on our list of queer books about (romantic) love!

(1/2)

list in text format: duckprintspress.com/2026/02/14/4...
Graphic 1 of 5. Four book covers, text, and a clipart of a heart inside an envelope on a background of the Rainbow Flag. The text reads: Queer Books About Love for Valentine’s Day. The books are: Conveniently Hers by Ivy L. James; When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley; The Trade Deadline by A.L. Heard; A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall. Graphic 2 of 5. Ten book covers on a background of the Rainbow Flag. The books are: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz; Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites by Joy Demorra; The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite; Snow Fairy by Tomo Serizawa; Comic Party Wonder Love by Deco Yamano; The Hellion's Waltz by Olivia Waite; Her Pretty Knight by Mariah Rae Birch; The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun; Make Room for Love by Darcy Liao; Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall.
February 14, 2026 at 12:37 PM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
If you see this, post a character that starts with L.
February 14, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Reposted by A.L. Heard
duckprintspress.com
We will be doing a re-release of Trade Deadline with a special hardcover edition later this year! We'll be getting to work on a re-edit in June.
nerdjoy.social Jill (she/her) @nerdjoy.social · 4d
Yay!
"Hockey Bois" is a great little novel about beer league hockey love. Very cute.

A.L. Heard's "Trade Deadline" is also cute!
duckprintspress.com unforth | Claire Houck | Duck Prints Press @duckprintspress.com · 4d
Also if anyone is wondering why...

...this is why...
February 14, 2026 at 2:11 PM
Reposted by A.L. Heard
duckprintspress.com
Also if anyone is wondering why...

...this is why...
A graphic featuring a photograph of someone on an ice rink playing hockey. In the center is the cover for the book Hockey Bois A Beer League Romance by A. L. Heard. It is orange and blue, and two hockey players are shown from behind in a loose embrace, done in simple stylized art. Text below this reads "this might be my favorite one, honestly. It's about beer league hockey and two men who are on the same beer league team who fall in love. I think it's really sweet and kind of very different because it's not professional hockey," and the quote is attributed to Rachel Reid.
February 14, 2026 at 2:07 PM
Reposted by A.L. Heard
duckprintspress.com
wut WHAT?

From draft2digital's author advantage monthly newsletter.

(for anyone wondering how many sales this means, the answer for print is: somewhere around 350 (I don't have the exact data accessible at the moment cause I'm on mobile at a con 🤣))

@ashheardwrites.bsky.social stay winning!
A screen capture of a list entitled Bestselling Indie Print Books January 2026. It is followed by ten book covers and a text list that says top 10 print fiction. Hockey Bois by A. L. Heard is first. A screen capture entitled Bestselling Indie Ebooks January 2026. It has ten book covers and a list below that says Top 10 Fiction. Hockey Bois by A. L. Heard is in 8th.
February 14, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Reposted by A.L. Heard
duckprintspress.com
Happy #boskone weekend, #boston!

Arrived safe and sound, set up unusually quick, and am now chilling til the vendors room opens. Our hours are not as long as the con runs each day, of course. We'll be here:

Fri 4 to 8
Sat 10 to 6
Sun 10 to 5

Come say hi!
A photograph of a vendor's table with a bookcase on the left, a book display on the right, a pin board with enamel pins, and stickers laid out flat. A banner in the front says Duck Prints Press we print diversity www.duckprintspress.com
February 13, 2026 at 7:46 PM
Reposted by A.L. Heard
duckprintspress.com
The Valentine’s Day Bundle on itch.io includes 29 romance books, some queer, some not – some spicy, some not – some short, some long – but all focused on love! Our novella The Salt in the Sea by J. D. Rivers is in the bundle. It’s a bittersweet romance-mystery, m/m, fantasy.

itch.io/b/3515/valen...
A graphic with a simple motif and text that reads, "Valentine's Day Romance Book Bundle. 29 Books for $25. Fantasy, Sci-Fi Contemporary, and more! February 9 - 14. Only on itch.io." A graphic with a mosaic of 29 book covers. Text reads 29 books for $25. Feb. 9 - 14. Only on itch.io. The books are: Return the Rose by Joachim Hejindermans; The Cradle of Eternal Night by Ladz; The Mischievous Letters of the Marquise de G by FeliciaDavin; Silver Blood by Talli; Have it All by Beverly Anne Michel; Love in the Liner Notes by Katta Kis; Frenzied Overlords by scarletleewinters; This is How Immortals Die by Nic_Hidalgo; Dirt-Stained Hands, Thorn-Pierced Skin by Tabitha O'Connell; Changes in the Wind by Niranjan; Vietato by Bailey Elizabeth; Between You, Me, and the Moonlit Sea... by Platinum Soul Press; Song of the Wolf by T.C. Smith; The Hand that Feeds by Sass Everett; Because You Asked by A.E. Bennett; The Dragon Next Door by Vanessa Ricci-Thode; Lust and Found by Sylvie Helstaff; The Wolf and His Witch by Elis Madsen; The Fine Line Between Us by Ruth Miranda; The Salt in the Sea by J. D. Rivers; Emergence: a short postapocalyptic queer cozy romance by A.M. Weald; Devil Deal by Janina Franck; Anthologies of the Ullrd: A Thief in the Night by Nikki Flynn; Pirates and Poise by Zack Prince; The Exile and His Fool by JeremyRayne; A Different Life: What If? by JoyceReynoldsWard; and Javawocky by Lou Ella Stone.
February 12, 2026 at 4:42 PM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
god, it'd be so much fun to write an olympics hockey story. IF ONLY PEOPLE KNEW WHO THE FUCK HENRI AND DYLAN WERE.
February 13, 2026 at 4:07 AM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
i usually outline a novel a bit ahead of time. then at some point i get to writing out later parts of the novel and it's like "damn, this is so out of character, what dummy wrote this?" i'm the dummy, i just hadn't met these idiots yet and didn't know half of these notes make no fucking sense
February 13, 2026 at 1:16 AM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
Me at work during Olympic hockey: give me two seconds before I answer your question, just let me watch Wilson smash this guy...... Alright, what do you need?
February 12, 2026 at 5:24 PM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
What are five things in your upcoming release?

🏒 Hockey
🦃 Albuquerque Turkeys
🇨🇦 French-Canadian Center
🇺🇸 American Winger
♥️ Yearning
daxaeterna.ink Dax, sapphic fantasy author @daxaeterna.ink · 6d
What are five things in your upcoming release?

💀 Death Goddesses
🌈 Lesbians
🌑 Shadow Magic
⚰ Necromancy
🐍 Cute Animal Companion
typewriterlizard.bsky.social Alina Lee @typewriterlizard.bsky.social · 6d
What are five things in your upcoming release?

⚔️samurai drama
🏳️‍🌈lesbians
❓gods and spirits
🥷ninja
🤺a duel or two

Just a few days to go now.
February 12, 2026 at 12:30 PM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
I didn't mention this in my blog post, but realistic hockey also requires me to take an insane amount of notes on what I said everyone did and when. This is just my "what the heck year did everyone play on each team????" file.
February 10, 2026 at 1:07 AM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
i cannot emphasize enough how much i hate naming books. coming up with book titles is THE WORST.
February 9, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Reposted by A.L. Heard
duckprintspress.com
...and so many other sports!

Check back on 2/17 for our hockey recs!

(2/2)
Graphic 5 of 8, titled Cheerleading. A clipart of two cheer pom poms and three book covers on a light blue background with a border of a rainbow flag. The books are: Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier & Val Wise; King Cheer by Stephanie Kate Strohm & Molly Horton Booth; She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen. The text under the last book reads: Cheerleading & Basketball. Graphic 5 of 8, titled Cheerleading. A clipart of two cheer pom poms and three book covers on a light blue background with a border of a rainbow flag. The books are: Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier & Val Wise; King Cheer by Stephanie Kate Strohm & Molly Horton Booth; She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen. The text under the last book reads: Cheerleading & Basketball. Graphic 7 of 8, titled And More. Three book covers each described with a sport name on a light blue background with a border of a rainbow flag. The books are: Bunt!: Striking Out on Financial Aid by Ngozi Ukazu (Softball); Fence by C.S. Pacat (Fencing); 10 Dance by Inouesatoh (Competitive Balroom Dancing). Graphic 8 of 8, titled And Even More. Three book covers each described with a sport name on a light blue background with a border of a rainbow flag. The books are: Salad Days by Jing Shui Bian (Boxing); All the Painted Stars by Emma Denny (Knightly Tournament); The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic (Fictional Sport).
February 9, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by A.L. Heard
duckprintspress.com
Looking to extend the post-Superbowl glow? Enjoying the winter Olympics? Just enjoy sports? We've got you - check out our favorite queer sports books! (Hockey will be in a post next week...)
In text format: duckprintspress.com/2026/02/09/o...
buy on bookshop.org: bookshop.org/lists/sports...
(1/2)
Graphic 1 of 8. Text and a graphic of a sport whistle on a light blue background with a border of a rainbow flag. The text reads: Queer Sport Books we Love. Graphic 2 of 8, titled American Football. A clipart of a football ball and four book covers on a light blue background with a border of a rainbow flag. The books are: Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler; May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor; Commit to the Kick by Tris Lawrence; The Goat in the Bedroom by Amy Award. The text below the last books reads: Football & Rugby. Graphic 3 of 8, titled Baseball. A clipart of a baseball bat and ball and two book covers on a light blue background with a border of a rainbow flag. The books are: It's A Hit! by Arin Cole Barth & Marika Barth; Out of Left Field by Jonah Newman. Graphic 4 of 8, titled Soccer. A clipart of a soccer ball and two book covers on a light blue background with a border of a rainbow flag. The books are: Café Con Lychee by Emery Lee; Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner.
February 9, 2026 at 4:18 PM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
all the refs in my books waiting for the random banter to stop between the centers so they can play the fucking hockey game that everyone's there for
a man in a suit and tie stands in a field of flowers
ALT: a man in a suit and tie stands in a field of flowers
media.tenor.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:46 AM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
At Velum Fermentation today in Pittsburgh with lots of authors, vendors, and beer at High Street Society's Adult Book Fair - come say hi!
February 7, 2026 at 3:57 PM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
Writing Realistic Hockey

Part of why I write hockey romance is because I love hockey. Between my own playing, watching the Capitals, and my kiddos, I get a lot of hockey exposure that I draw off of in my books. When I describe scenes or plays, I'm usually envisioning a real scenario that I've seen…
Writing Realistic Hockey
Part of why I write hockey romance is because I love hockey. Between my own playing, watching the Capitals, and my kiddos, I get a lot of hockey exposure that I draw off of in my books. When I describe scenes or plays, I'm usually envisioning a real scenario that I've seen (or would like to see), and I hope my understanding and love for the game comes through in my writing.
ashheardwrites.com
February 6, 2026 at 11:35 AM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
Tomorrow! Subscribe at ashheardwrites.com
- Accurate Hockey Stats in Romance
- Short Story: Riley's Stupid Bet Part 2
February 5, 2026 at 9:24 PM
ashheardwrites.bsky.social
I started watching the show Barbaren on Netflix because I'm a slut for Roman stuff. And the whole fucking first episode, I'm like guys.... just tell me that one "Roman" guy's name. Tell me his name. Why are you not telling me his name. You're fine telling me that's Varus. But THAT GUY RIGHT THERE!?
February 4, 2026 at 12:22 AM