Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Gemma Writes

Barack Obama @barackobama.bsky.social · 2d

Congratulations to new Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado for her courageous struggle to bring democracy to Venezuela.

Live Updates: María Corina Machado of Venezuela Is Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

www.nytimes.com

1.3K 8.3K 39K

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 23

Seventh full manuscript request yesterday (along with thirteenth rejection). Still no offers. Will I ever make it out of the querying trenches alive? #amquerying

3

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 19

🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

1

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 16

#posterpit #A #C #M #Q

4 full manuscript requests and placed in the top 5% of Bridport prize entries 2025, but still looking for agent representation for The Words We Don’t Say!

1 2 22

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 16

#posterpit #Q #A #C #M #amquerying

3 10 66

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 16

Long since finished! Just pitching 🤞🏼

1 1

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 15

Four full manuscript requests 🎉

When a lonely postie finds a bag of lost letters, she begins to deliver them, unravelling forgotten stories, unspoken truths & her own buried past.

Grief. Shame. Secrets. Redemption.
Warmth, wit, and a sapphic love story

#QueerPit #A #UP🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

2 2 1

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 15

Thank you for liking my pitch! Please may I have a link?

1 1

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 15

This sounds awesome!

1 1

Reposted by Gemma Writes

Emma Brand @emmalbwrites.bsky.social · Aug 15

So excited for #QueerPit 📚🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ and see all these amazing stories!
Heartstopper x Imogen Obviously
🏠queer care home
❤️fake dating
🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️queer gang of chaos
💔healing a broken heart
🥰meet cute
🏳️‍🌈 yearning/reuniting lost loves ❤️
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 found family
#CR #YA

2 4 4

Reposted by Gemma Writes

Jessie ☀️ @parchmints.bsky.social · Aug 15

Welcome to sunny Whistle Beach, where you’ll experience:

🌊Glistening oceanic views
👻A haunted lighthouse
🐶St. Berdoodles
🚴‍♀️Thrilling bike rides
🔍A mysterious disappearance, and…
☹️The hard life lesson of moving on after loss

Book now!

#QueerPit #MG #CON #SPF

1 6 1

Reposted by Gemma Writes

Ari(adne) @earthkids.bsky.social · Aug 15

DANNY PHANTOM x WEDNESDAY

Well, Denny Dragan sure messed up this time. He accidentally released a serial killer ghost who drowns people.

To make things messier, he needs help from a medium who would rather let people die than help out strangers.

#QueerPit #YA #H #F #M

7 3

Reposted by Gemma Writes

Dannye Chase is querying queer romance @dannyechase.bsky.social · Aug 15

#QueerPit Queer romance FOREWARNING
❤️ NB fashion icon prince
🧡 Hunky royal guard who crochets
💛 Forbidden romance but the internet ships it
💚 Psychic powers
💙 Royal murder mystery
💜 Best friends to lovers HEA
54k, on query #CR #F #R #RS #A #SPF 3 agent RQ's
ODD THOMAS as an upbeat queer romance

A mood board for Forewarning:

A 3x3 grid of 9 squares

Top L: a photo by Ana M. on Pexels of a woman's hand holding a crystal ball in the woods. The trees are reflected upside down in the ball.

Top center: the words "Prince Cole and Captain Lucas"

Top R: a photo by Tide_trasher_x on Unsplash of the right side of a dark-haired man's face. He wears a broad stripe of glittery rainbow makeup from forehead to chin.

Center L: a photo by Alexander Mass on Pexels of a glittering tiara nestled in dark hair.

Center: a photo by Ray Bilcliff on Pexels of a brown castle on a lake with pink and purple sunset hues

Center R: a photo by Pixabay on Pexels of a royal guard's torso wearing a red and gold uniform, holding an upright sword.

Bottom L: a photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels of two hands clasping in rainbow light

Bottom center: the words "Rumors of close bodyguarding behind palace doors"

Bottom R: a photo by Nadin Sh on Pexels of a blurred woman walking past a gold curtain

A pitch for my novel

Queer Romance FOREWARNING

Prince Cole doesn't know why he psychically sees people's doppelgangers acting out the future, but it does come in handy. Cole's other secret not so much—he's desperately in love with his childhood best friend, royal guardsman Lucas, not least because Luc staunchly supports Cole being an openly nonbinary royal.

Unfortunately, Cole can't marry a guardsman, and sweet, introverted Luc would never want to be a royal spouse anyway. But when a head of state is murdered and Cole's life is threatened, Luc steps in as Cole's 24/7 bodyguard.

Together they must find a legendary weapon of mass destruction that threatens their own lives—and millions more. (And really, it would be easier for Cole to concentrate if his gorgeous bodyguard wasn't wandering around their room half-naked, but whatever. It's fine.)

Comps for Forewarning

FOREWARNING is a bit like if Dean Koontz's ODD THOMAS was an upbeat queer romance. It will appeal to readers who enjoy K.J. Charles's DOOMSDAY series for its queer love story, strong B-plot, spice level, and titled/commoner dynamics; and the sassy tone of Alexis Hall's 10 THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED.

Details of Forewarning:

Logline: A psychic nonbinary prince trying to solve a royal murder mystery must hide his romantic feelings when his guardsman best friend (and forbidden secret crush) becomes his bodyguard.

Genres: Queer Romance, Low Fantasy, Adult, Contemporary

Length: 54,000 words

9

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 15

* 4 full manuscript requests *

When a lonely postie finds a bag of lost letters, she begins to deliver them, unravelling forgotten stories, unspoken truths & her own buried past.

🥺Grief
😳Shame
🤫Secrets
✨Redemption

Warmth, wit & a sapphic love story 🌈 #QueerPit #A #UP

7 2

Reposted by Gemma Writes

Mariah Stillbrook @mariahstillbrook.bsky.social · Aug 15

It's 1996 & 18 yo Roxy tragically just lost the love of her life. All she wants is to escape her small midwest town, but in a twist of fate, starts working at an antique store where she meets Betsy, a mannequin who will change her life, & the town, forever.

#QueerPit #H #A #F #Q

1 5 1

Reposted by Gemma Writes

Leo and Jules @breadcrumbs-barrel.bsky.social · Aug 15

#queerpit #FR #A

UNMAKING PERCY

Percy grew up being told he is the chosen one, only to discover that he is, in fact, the chosen one's assistant. Now he has to help the actual chosen one, Evans, in the epic quest that should have been rightly his.

And try not to fall in love in the process.

8

Reposted by Gemma Writes

Elaina Eiser @elainaeiser.bsky.social · Aug 15

THE MOON BLEEDS SILVER has all your favorite tropes
👫Found family
🤫Small town, big secrets
🤬Teenage angst
👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩Sapphic pining
🐺Wolf shifters
👩‍🦯Chronic illness rep
#QueerPit #YA #P #MR

This mood board has a wood panel background. A number of signs hang from the wall. One says Illness in typed print. Second says small town. Third is a picture of a farm. Fourth is a girl and wolf lying together. Underneath it says "big secrets". On the ground is a TV with a grainy picture of a wolf in it.

6

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 15

* 4 full manuscript requests *

When a lonely postie finds a bag of lost letters, she begins to deliver them, unravelling forgotten stories, unspoken truths & her own buried past.

🥺Grief
😳Shame
🤫Secrets
✨Redemption

Warmth, wit & a sapphic love story 🌈 #QueerPit #A #UP

2 3 2

Reposted by Gemma Writes

Adriaan 🏳️‍⚧️🇨🇦 @adriaan.braevitae.com · Aug 15

OK, So this book turned out to be basically Doctor Who fanfic, except if the Doctor is a humanoid cat, the companion (who narrates) is a trans woman, and the 'sonic screwdriver' trope is a mech person (NOT an 'AI' - rude to call people 'artificial'!)

#QueerPit #A #SF #T #own

Mood board of a snowfield, that cat-alien guy from Dr. Who, Earth's moon and a trans flag.

Credits to NASA, unsplash.com and www.doctorwho.tv

2 3 5

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 15

When a lonely postie in a small British town finds a bag of lost letters, she begins to deliver them, unravelling forgotten stories, unspoken truths & her own buried past.

🥺Grief
😳Shame
🤫Secrets
✨Redemption

With warmth, wit & a sapphic love story 🌈 #QueerPit #A #UP

1 4

Gemma Writes @gemmamaria.bsky.social · Aug 4

Keeping everything crossed that you might be mine! Queried 🦞

1