Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Shimaira ⛥

@shimaira.com

4.6K followers 420 following 9.2K posts

Writer of dark fiction inspired by dreams & nightmares 🌌 MH & PTSD 🌸 Autistic 🤘 Witch ⛥ 🏳️‍🌈 Queer, polyam, aspec 💜🖤💚 (she/they) 👩‍🔬 Works in a lab, developing vaccines 🧫 📖 My Lord art by @hollybunn.bsky.social 📚 shimaira.com 🚫 no genAI 🏡 Dutch 🍉

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · Jun 21

🔞 MY LORD: a queer, slow-burn erotic gothic horror novel about rediscovering yourself after trauma—with kinky, blood-drinking immortals & polyamory.

🎮 Now also on itchio
📖 Free via Kobo Plus
🔖 Free signed bookplates for paperbacks
mylord.shimaira.com

Art by @hollybunn.bsky.social
~
🖤📚😱🌈📚💙📢📚🌍🌶️📚🩸🌈💜

Queer, slow-burn erotic gothic horror
Lord Deminas is known to be cruel. Yet, he's rather protective of Meya, his new chambermaid, and punishes anyone who dares hurt her. Servants regularly vanish, and with the Lord now drinking her blood, Meya and her paramour need to avoid the same happening to either of them.
Sapphic, polyam f/f/m
hurt/comfort
Kinky, medieval lord
Consent is emphasised
overcoming trauma
harm her & suffer
Kill your abusers
healing blood
delicious long pig
vampires, but different
Foursome in the dungeon

Content warning: abduction, off-page and non-graphic sexual abuse (rape is condemned and sexual abusers are killed), explicit sexual content (consent is emphasised), kink (wax play, knife and blood play, primal play, bondage, and mention of spanking and breath play), graphic violence, gore, death, vampirism, cannibalism, and illness (pneumonia).

Shimaira dot com

5 star review reading:
“The perfect blend of spice and horror”
This book takes many dark and chilling themes and a creepy setting and blends them together with the spice just perfectly. I loved the romances between Meya and her two loves and how both unfolded differently but just as naturally. When we meet Meya, she is already on the run and just trying to survive, the full weight of what she has endured has not yet hit her when even more trauma comes her way. This book is about vampires and steamy romance, yes. But it's also about Meya re-learning how to be a human being and finding herself again after so much hardship has beaten her down. There is a scene at the start that sticks in my mind because even those the people who hurt Meya are dead, it's clear she still doesn't feel safe yet; her mind is still living through the trauma even though her body is safe (or as safe as it can be in the castle of a vampire....). This is true for most trauma survivors. It takes a long time for the mind to finally realize the danger is past and this was so perfectly portrayed in this book. Come for the spice and horror, stay for the healing and trauma recovery.
~ Lily

4 star review reading:
Erotica and horror can make for entertaining bedfellows, but they can be a difficult act to balance. If the story leans too heavily into horror, it can make the erotic scenes feel tawdry, there to shock the audience as much as the acts of violence. If its eroticism is the overpowering factor, it can make the horror itself feel cheap, giving it a B-grade type of feel.
Thankfully, My Lord by L.B. Shimaira manages to balance these two components, ensuring both aspects complement each other. With a strong sense of character that examines its protagonist’s trauma as it tells a story about her growth, My Lord becomes something stronger than a simple combination of erotica and horror.
~ W.A. Stanley

5 star review reading:
I just put this book down, and “WOW” is all I can say. I didn’t know what to expect going into this other than a dark fantasy full of polyamory and queer themes, but that’s just from what I know about the author. This book takes the reader into a dark fantasy world where men aren’t what they seem, human servants are disposable commodities, and love is found in the most unlikely of places. Whatever you’re thinking, this book will take you elsewhere. You won’t expect it, but you’ll love the ride. The mystery behind the darkness is worth wading into it, and the intrigue behind every twist and turn will have you turning the page with anticipation, wanting more.

Shimaira has penned a frightening story with BDSM aspects and polyamorous love, all with consent at the front and center. There are content warnings for this book that one should heed, but it is a lot of bloody fun.
~ Daniel Aegan

3 4 13

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 11h

Wow, that's amazing 🤩🙌

1 1

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

A.M. Weald - buy Fimbulvinter's Fires ❤️‍🔥 @amweald.com · 12h

"Fimbulvinter's Fires" is SO CLOSE to 100 books sold!! 💙📚

A.M. Weald - buy Fimbulvinter's Fires ❤️‍🔥 @amweald.com · 3d

🩸📚🪐📚💙📚🌈🚀💫💜😱

🥶 apocalyptic survival horror
🌈 gay man x pan enby (achillean)🌶️
🗣️ language barrier + conlang
❄️ there's only one snow shelter
😩 hurt/comfort
🪓 touch him and die
🤬 be gay do vengeance

info: amweald.com/fires
buy: books2read.com/fires
GR tinyurl.com/FIRESGR
SG tinyurl.com/FIRESSG

Fimbulvinter’s Fires

Fimbulvinter’s Fires: a queer sci-fi apocalyptic horrormance by A.M. Weald. Stranded after crash-landing on an unknown frozen planet, a musician turned fugitive must fight for survival agains…

amweald.com

1 4 6

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 4d

Just an urge to repost this cos it tends to piss off bigots. Yes <gasp> aces exist and <double gasp> we're queer 🏳️‍🌈 Yes, even if we fuck. And yes, even if we dress "sexy". Deal with it 💃

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · Oct 20

For #AceWeek here is my most viral tweet on the topic 💜

You can also read an article I wrote on the topic of "writing sex when (grey-)asexual" back in Nov 2020 here: shimaira.com#art2s
(In regards to the contents of the article: I've since read & own multiple very spicy books 🤭💜)

Screenshot of a tweet by Shimaira.
Hey, just a PSA:
Asexuality is a real thing. Same for demi- and grey-asexual, and all the other microlabels under the ace umbrella 💜🖤💜
It is not a fucking "made-up identity" 😤
Also, fyi: libido =/= sexual attraction. Some aces have sex, some don't, all are equally valid ace.

The tweet is from 25 Jan 2021 and has 1101 reposts, 24 quotes, 2700 likes and 32 bookmarks.

12 38

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 2d

Totally forgot to share this! Look at this beautiful anthology that was an event exclusive 🔥

📚💙

Photo of a book. Between the lines, the anthology of '25. Spicy and steamy book event. The cover image is a mix of chains, flowers, a pen and a page of text with burnt edges, all in purple hues.

Photo of the same book, showing the printed edges. The image on the page edges are also in purple hues and showcase a broken chain

A photo of the book's interior, showing the title page of Millennium by L. B. Shimaira. The page has a background image of smoke or ink in water.

2 6 12

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 2d

And for anyone curious about the story in this anthology...

🌶️📚💙🩸📚😱

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 2d

Aislinn is being hunted in her dreams by a demon, but her guardian angel should be arriving soon to save her…

Claim this free spicy horror fantasy novelette via my newsletter shimaira.eo.page

🔞 Contains graphic violence, gore, (attempted) murder & explicit sexual content (human x non-human)
🌶️📚💙🩸📚😱

$Excerpts from millennium, by Shimaira. An ebook cover in all blue shades, with a fractal background and a sketch drawing of a man with pointy ears and feathered wings.$

3 5

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 18h

Sending hugs if wanted 🫂 hope they figure out what's wrong soon and you recover swiftly 💜

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Matt Mason - One Chaotic Author @chaoticauthor.online · 2d

I don't normally do this, but I've been burning the candle at both ends.

Other half had a major op earlier this year and now I'm in hospital for an investigation.

Regardless of what's wrong, I need rest, but I've had little work this year.

I'd appreciate if anyone is able to help out.

Support Matt Mason ❤️

Become a supporter of Matt Mason today!

ko-fi.com

2 29 32

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Katherine "Kat" Silva @katsilvaauthor.bsky.social · 21h

Hey, my friend @chaoticauthor.online could use some good vibes and some readers to check out his amazing books! Give 'em a try here!

Matt Mason - One Chaotic Author @chaoticauthor.online · Aug 1

Sseeing as you all desperately want it to be autumn right now, I suppose it's acceptable to start promoting these 😂

🌈📚💙📚👀📢📚😱🩸📚💙📚🪐♠️🌈📚

Angel's Mass: books2read.com/angelsmass
Bronze Carriage: books2read.com/bronzecarriage
James Hotel: mybook.to/jameshotel
Spooky S'weird: books2read.com/salmonweirder

Icy cracked background. Cover shows a sketch of a medieval church. Text: Angel's Mass: A Medieval Ghost Story. At Tintern Abbey in Wales, brother Edmund is an ordinary onk haunted by a man only he can see and hear. And Edmund will uncover a mystery that has consequences for everyone.

Creepy forest background image. Book cover shows a simple sketch of a horse and carriage. Text reads: The Small Bronze Carriage on the Mantelpiece: A Gothic Ghost Story. Two men who had not seen each other in decades. An 80-year-old tales of newlyweds travelling across the country to see family. Both encounters linked by one curious and mysterious artefact.

A rainy tarmac background. Book cover shows a simple sketch of a smal manor house. Text reads: The Residents of James Hotel: A 1970s Ghost Story. Stranded at the side of the road one stormy November night, Vince is offered a complimentary room by a local hotelier.

Creepy cemetery background. Book cover shows the same. Spooky Salmonweird: Tales from the village. From the Iron Age to WWII, thirteen spine tingling tales from the periods in which these supporting characters lived.

1 1 1

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Shane💀Blackheart (they/them) @shaneblackheart.com · 1d

My trans mascs, Silver & Ifris (art by @/anspioradnaomh on Insta) Silver's an enby autistic trans masc, Ifris (the one with the purple hair) is a trans man. They're both dead, technically, & end up 'living' their best lives in the underworld after Ifris helps Silver figure out how they died. 1/2

Silver is a nonbinary trans masc person leaning back in surprise with an hand raised. Their hair is long and black, they're white, and they're wearing black square glasses. They have a gray sweater over a white button up, and black skinny jeans and a pair of black and white converse. Their neck is slashed. Ifris is standing in the background holding a brown leather diary. His hair is purple and short, he's white, and he's wearing a salmon-colored crop top with a pair of short ripped shorts and a black studded layered belt. The drawing is in a realistic style.

1 1 4

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Shane💀Blackheart (they/them) @shaneblackheart.com · 2d

It's my birthday this month. I'd love to sell some books 💙📚
You can find all my work on my books page.
There's queer rage, polyamory, kinky horror, & a lot of short stories.
Free support helps too 💜 You can sub to my free newsletter, leave reviews on my books, or share my posts about my work.

Shane Blackheart | Author

Agender author of dark queer speculative fiction.

shaneblackheart.com

1 12 13

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Shane💀Blackheart (they/them) @shaneblackheart.com · 20h

This appears to have gone live early!

Grab a bunch of great books that have/had 15 or fewer ratings on Amazon or Goodreads! Maybe you'll find your next favorite.

2 of my books, Everything Is Wonderful Now & Open Wound, books 1 & 2 in The Requiem Series, are in the bundle 💜
itch.io/b/3305/under...

Itchio under-rated bundle. October 9th through the 13th. Bringing attention to the best books you've never heard of. Five stars are above and below the text in the center of the graphic. Surrounding it are several books included in the bundle.

4 5

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

H.S. Kallinger (he/they) @xakana.bsky.social · 22h

We like to root for the underdogs, right? Well, here's a bundle of books that haven't received the attention they deserve.

It includes the 4th book in my Lost Humanity series, Predators! If you never got to continue past Bridges, this is your chance!

itch.io/b/3305/under...

Graphic that reads "Itch.io Under-Rated Bundle, Oct 9th-13th, Bringing attention to the best books you've never heard of." Text is brown on an off-white background with five yellow stars bordering it above and below. Around the text box are the following book covers: Predators by H.S. Kallinger, Zinmages by M.C. Burnell, The Spider's Friend by M.C. Burnell, Disappearance and Other Short Stories by PD Loupee, Memories of Sorcery and Sand by Joanna Maciejewska, Kranlian Rendezvous by Simon Wolfe, The Shadow of Arcadia by Alan K. Dell, Devil Deal by Janina Franck, The God Sun by Alan K. Dell, Water's Edge by Ellie Lieberman, The Third People by Lee Burton, The Crimson Knight by Zeta K. Pierce, The Lion by Lee Burton, Adventures In GameWorld : Game Start by Robert Rumery, All Through the House and Other Tales from a Random Place by Joachim Heijndermans, Soft Reboot by Joachim Heijndermans, Blue by Niranjan, Wizard's Debt by Niranjan, Ambushed by Natasha O'Connor, At First Belonging by Rob MacWolf, and Demon Hunters Inc : The Infestation by Robert Rumery.

Image of a redwood forest at night containing shadowy shapes with glowing eyes in the blue spaces between trees. H.S. Kallinger is written in green at the bottom. Title text, Predators, is a gradient of gray fading into blood red over the thin trees. The top reads 'Book Four of the Lost Humanity series' in white text.

11 11

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

A.M. Weald - buy Fimbulvinter's Fires ❤️‍🔥 @amweald.com · 23h

The reviews are in!! ✨

Thank you to all who have read and reviewed "Fimbulvinter's Fires" so far. I'm so grateful that others seem to like it as much as I do!

what readers are saying about
Fimbulvinter's Fires
$0.99 until mid-Oct
5 stars
“a fantastic survival tale”
“incredibly intense and emotional”
“lyrical writing”
“tender and emotionally resonant”
“really drew me in”

2 6

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 1d

These are so cool 😍

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 1d

The scratches on the photo frames glass plus the fingerprints, and even the kiss! Such little details! 🙌🙌
Also the 🪥🪥 and the towel 👣

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 1d

That made me go ! at first too but then they went hard against AI and how it's horrible and destroying the internet and how it is spreading misinformation.
The way I understood it is that they too, at first, fell for the trap and thought "hey, this might be handy" and upon closer look went NOPE 🙅🙅🙅

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 1d

They advocate for human art 💜 the only "AI" they state in the video that has a place is the kind in a paintshop program that helps you align (human-drawn) elements in a straight line instead of manually 1 by 1 😂😂 (And "align center" is def not genAI 💜)

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 1d

They actually explain their research process in this vid (and that if they make mistakes, they're human mistakes) and their experience with AI and how bad it is 💜 (they used AI search engines to investigate just how bad it is and explain how/why this happens)

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 1d

Let it die then 🔥💃

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

2 4 10

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 1d

Love @kurzgesagt.org 💜 great video on AI slop 🔥 support human artists! 💪
youtu.be/_zfN9wnPvU0

AI Slop Is Killing Our Channel

YouTube video by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell

youtu.be

1 6 5

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 @eliseswritings.bsky.social · 7d

What ADHD insights may this bundle provide?
My Manipulator's War includes
-restlessness, impatience & recklessness.
-two minds that do. Not. Stop. Thinking!
-the tendency to NOTICE things.
(The latter are useful in trying to understand a mysterious enemy's motives 😉.)

🌈📚🪐📚💙 itch.io/b/3300/adhd-...

Adhd Awareness Month Fiction.
By mostly ADHD authors, most with 1+ significant ADHD character(s)
22 Book. Oct 1st-15th

Covers:
The Lady and the List, Elizabeth Briars
Side Tracked, S.K. Kelly
The Harmony of Falling Snow, Andora Brokaw
Bestiary Beas
The Players Act 1, Amy Sparks
The Weight of Her Gaze, RJ Martin
He of the Trees, Rob Macwolf
Song of the Wolf, T.C. Smith
Tales of Yamato, Odessa Silver
The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle, Steve Hugh Westenra
Manipulator's War, Elise Carlson
A Demon to Save Me, H.S. Kallinger
Heart of Stone, Johannes T. Evans
Lantern, Burgundy Athena Pendragon
Wizard's Debt, Niranjan
Blood, D.C. Hart
Ancient as the Stars, Maya Darjani
A Dark Hole Darly, Drew Melbourne
Translucent, Wayward Spark
War of the Space Dargons, L'Poni Baldwin
Ants Waking, R.J. Huneke
Rage in a Cage, Joachim Heijndermans

12 19

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Joachim Heijndermans @jheijndermans.bsky.social · 3d

Wednesday is the start of the Under-rated books bundle on Itch, hosted by @chiefwritesbook.bsky.social . That is more than 60(!!!) books from over 40 authors, including 2 of my short story collections. Find the bundle here: itch.io/b/3305/under...

Banner for the Under-rated bundle on itch.io, that runs from oct 9th to 13th, bringing attention to the best book you've never heard of. A slew of book covers span the rest of the banner in a mosaic of awesome.

5 7

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 1d

😭

1 2

Reposted by Shimaira ⛥

Laika L. Gagarin @laikalgagarin.bsky.social · 1d

Living, and living in joy, is an act of absolute resistance. They want you miserable.

Dont let them make you that way.

Weasel Hills C.C. (Hole 19) @wildweasel486.bsky.social · Nov 6

If you are a marginalized person (in any way) and are worried about what the future holds for you: remember that the most badass thing you can possibly do is go on living.

Those who stand against you are threatened by your very existence. They fear you. Be that fear. Do not compromise.

1 7

Shimaira ⛥ @shimaira.com · 1d

Yikes 😨😨