Mel Starkicker
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starkicker.bsky.social
Mel Starkicker
@starkicker.bsky.social
260 followers 420 following 940 posts
"I'm a song about the song that once said something new."
Teacher. Drummer. Author. Cocker spaniel fan. ❤️ music.
🏳️‍🌈🥁🎸🐶
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starkicker.bsky.social
Mel Starkicker @starkicker.bsky.social · 7d
👋 I'm Mel. I write character-driven wlw romance with a healthy dose of comedy and music. Usually slow burn, sometimes sloth burn.
I have 2 WIP in editing, and 2-3 WIP in my brain currently trying to escape.
#WIP #lesfic #amquerying #writesky #amwriting #amediting #writingcommunity 🌈✒️
A screen grab of a synopsis for work in progress #1 . It reads: Julie Gatensby and Isabell Brewer have been friends since Julie saved Izzy from a mishap with some iced tea. When they start a band together, they finally start to feel like the cool kids they knew they were. After a concert at a local bar, their friendship is put to the test—and fails. Several years later, Julie returns home in the hopes of regrouping after a disastrous breakup from her band, her job, and her boyfriend. She also hopes she can revive a friendship that had long since ended. Izzy, however, is less receptive to Julie’s overtures. Years of hurt on both sides make relationships strained. Thankfully, everyone else around them seems to see what the women simply cannot: they are meant to be together. If only Izzy could admit her feelings. If only Julie could get over her self-hate. If only one of them would say what they really want. If only someone would turn off the home shopping channel. And if only everyone would stop telling drummer jokes! A screen grab of the synopsis for my 2nd work in progress. It reads: Jacqueline Lamont likes control. She controls her life, her career, and her emotions by one guiding principle: attachments are dangerous. Fortunately, her career as a well-known folk singer makes that easy. Jacqueline lives out of tour buses and hotels, drifting from town to town and lover to lover, never staying long enough to belong anywhere. She’s happier that way—or so she tells herself. Then a phone call rips her off the road, sending her back to a family she long believed had abandoned her and to a life she never meant to return to. Back in Toronto, Jacqueline struggles to find her footing and maintain any semblance of control. Especially when she keeps running into a charming young nurse who looks oddly familiar and seems determined to insert herself into Jacqueline’s carefully contained life. Shannon MacCartney is everything Jacqueline tries to avoid: rooted and compassionate. Worse yet, she has an unsettling ability to see past Jacqueline’s raised eyebrows, biting remarks, and relentless need for control. Jacqueline’s tight grip on control is challenged, as the universe and an infuriatingly determined nurse show her that letting go might be the only way to get what she truly wants.
starkicker.bsky.social
From WIP 2.

Jacqueline made a tarte aux framboises

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity 🌈✒️ #lesfic
An image of white text on a black background. There is an old-fashioned microphone on the bottom right that is lit up by a stage light outside of the image. The text reads: “Go wash up,” she said gently. “We’ll talk over dinner. I made a tarte aux framboises. My grand-mère used to make it when we visited.” Shannon didn’t move. Jacqueline’s expression was inscrutable, but there was something soft and earnest in her eyes. She bit her lip and considered what Jacqueline's presence in her kitchen meant. Slowly Shannon’s brows drew together as her colour began to drain from her face as understanding crept in. "No," she whispered. Jacqueline closed her eyes. Shannon’s grip tightened on Jacqueline’s hips. "Jackie—" "It's okay, Shannon," she said, drawing her into a hug. “What happened?” Shannon asked into Jacqueline’s blond hair. Jacqueline released the hug. "Go get washed up and I’ll explain everything." -Wishing You Knew, chapter 36
January 19, 2026 at 1:40 PM
Reposted by Mel Starkicker
starkicker.bsky.social
From WIP 1. I've posted this before, but since it's the inspiration for the book *and* the current title of WIP 1, it's getting posted again.

Julie finally writes lyrics and plays it for Izzy. 🎸🥁

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts 🌈✒️ #lesfic
A black-background photo with stacks of white and chrome drums on the bottom right. On the left side of the image is text from a work in progress. It reads: I’m trying to tell you, but I turned away And every chance is one I failed to take And everything now is starting to show My heart’s on my sleeve, or it’s on the floor I’m trying feel confident and strong But the words coming out they’re jumbled and wrong I’m breathing so fast I can’t catch my breath And it goes around and around in my head And I can’t find the words, the words that need to be said Secrets and smiles that get lost in the dark Where I wanna feel that little spark And I’ll be the one who tries to hold on And you’ll be the one who drags me along I needed to go, but I wanted to stay Where all of these words I’ve been trying to say They hang in the air and get left unsaid And it goes around and around in my head And these words remain unsaid And when the words finally come And I’m tired of feeling numb Your words are all I want Your voice is all I need Running Around and around in my head And these words remain unsaid. - and these words remain unsaid, chapter 30
January 18, 2026 at 9:16 AM
Reposted by Mel Starkicker
bywaterbooks.bsky.social
🏳️‍🌈 2️⃣ Two girls.
😍 An epic fanfic crush.
📱Endless late-night messages.
🔋Dear Unrequited Love Girl is peak queer crush energy.
➡️ Preorder today ➡️ everywhere queer books are sold.

#SapphicSlowBurn #SapphicRomance #LGBTQBooks @BookSky @AudreyWilsonAuthor
A square yellow to orange image featuring the paperback cover for Dear Unrequited Love Girl by Audrey Wilson. It also has a white Bywater Books logo and says: Preorder your copy today. Available Everywhere May 19, 2026.
January 18, 2026 at 2:01 PM
starkicker.bsky.social
From WIP 1. I've posted this before, but since it's the inspiration for the book *and* the current title of WIP 1, it's getting posted again.

Julie finally writes lyrics and plays it for Izzy. 🎸🥁

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts 🌈✒️ #lesfic
A black-background photo with stacks of white and chrome drums on the bottom right. On the left side of the image is text from a work in progress. It reads: I’m trying to tell you, but I turned away And every chance is one I failed to take And everything now is starting to show My heart’s on my sleeve, or it’s on the floor I’m trying feel confident and strong But the words coming out they’re jumbled and wrong I’m breathing so fast I can’t catch my breath And it goes around and around in my head And I can’t find the words, the words that need to be said Secrets and smiles that get lost in the dark Where I wanna feel that little spark And I’ll be the one who tries to hold on And you’ll be the one who drags me along I needed to go, but I wanted to stay Where all of these words I’ve been trying to say They hang in the air and get left unsaid And it goes around and around in my head And these words remain unsaid And when the words finally come And I’m tired of feeling numb Your words are all I want Your voice is all I need Running Around and around in my head And these words remain unsaid. - and these words remain unsaid, chapter 30
January 18, 2026 at 9:16 AM
starkicker.bsky.social
Shannon would, but she would hate it because she won't feel like she's helping enough.

Jacqueline would, but she would hate it for different reasons than Shannon. Truthfully, she'd probably get eyebrow strain from lifting it people all day long.

#QueerPrompts #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt 🌈✒️
cjaralore.bsky.social 🌈CJ Aralore @cjaralore.bsky.social · 1d
#QueerPrompts January 18: Would any of your characters be a fair ruler of your story's world?
Graphics: The background is clocks. The border has snowflakes in the colors of the pride flags and gold 2026. Text: "January 2026" on top and "#QueerPrompts" and "Host: @CJAralore" on the bottom in a rainbow font. Center text is: #QueerPrompts January 18: Would any of your characters be a fair ruler of your story's world?
January 18, 2026 at 7:11 AM
starkicker.bsky.social
End of book answers:

The gif is a an accurate depiction of Izzy cooking. Julie doesn't let her anywhere near the kitchen anymore. So if she shops, she gets what Julie tells her to get, plus she's getting twizzlers & storm chips (if applicable.) >>>

#AwesomeCharacters #WritingPrompts 🌈✒️ #lesfic
January 18, 2026 at 6:50 AM
starkicker.bsky.social
I'm on draft #4 of WIP #1.
Draft 1 was written in 7 weeks
Draft 2 was the first round of revisions
Draft 3 was what was sent to an editor
Draft 4 is me working on the revisions sent by the editor

I just finished the first draft of WIP 2. I suspect it'll be similar
#pretendpanel #WritingPrompts 🌈✒️
hiriadunning.com Hiria Dunning @hiriadunning.com · 2d
#pretendpanel, I will get to your answers from yesterday shortly, thank you for your patience. Meanwhile...

January 17th: How many drafts, then vs. now? (see image and/or alt text for further prompting if needed)

#WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts
#pretendpanel a daily prompt tag hosted by @hiriadunning.bsky.social January 17th: How many drafts, then vs. now? For those of you deep in the process, tell me, how many drafts exist of your first major work? Contrast with how many drafts you'd do now for a novel-length work. If you're newer to this game, feel free to drop your current number of drafts on what you're working on. No shame here, we've all been there in one way or another! Please support your fellow #pretentpanel posters with replies, likes and reposts New #pretendpanel questions every Friday and Saturday. Hop in any time!
January 17, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Reposted by Mel Starkicker
bywaterbooks.bsky.social
🏳️‍🌈📚 At Bywater Books, queer stories aren't niche.
👊 They're who we are.
💯 Bywater Books 👉 We are all stories.
✅ Check us out today ➡️ www.bywaterbooks.com

#LGBTQBoooks #SapphicBooks #QueerLit #BookRecs
Square white image with an owl leaning in from the left side. Behind it is snowfall. The image reads: Queer Books Are Necessary. That's it. That's the message. Beneath the message is a blue Bywater Books logo.
January 17, 2026 at 6:45 PM
starkicker.bsky.social
From WIP #2.
Shannon and Jackie end up at a restaurant on Spadina Ave in Toronto in 1969.

Now I want dim sum.

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity 🌈✒️
A picture of text and an old-fashioned microphone. The text reads: Shannon’s senses went into overdrive as soon as they stepped inside. From the street, the restaurant appeared unassuming, but inside it was a vibrant space filled with colour and noise. The deep reds and golds warmed up the room, while the steady clatter of plates and the layered murmur of conversation made everything feel hectic and alive. The smells emanating from all of the unfamiliar dishes were intoxicating and unlike anything she had encountered before. A new world, brought on by culinary exploration, was presented in neat little steam baskets. -Wishing You Knew, chapter 13
January 17, 2026 at 11:35 AM
starkicker.bsky.social
There is a significant moment in WIP 2 where both Jackie and Shannon make a promise (to a 3rd party) & neither of them enter into their promise lightly. Both intend to keep the promise, but there is a factor that could halt that fulfilment. >>

#AwesomeCharacters 🌈✒️ #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social ❄️Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta ☃️ @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 2d
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Let's talk promises! Does your character make them easily, or does it take a lot to get them to make a promise? Does it depend on the promise, or the person?

What would it take to make them break that promise?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
January 17, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Reposted by Mel Starkicker
bywaterbooks.bsky.social
🏳️‍🌈👊 Fierce & unapologetically sapphic.
❤️🔥 This one proves some fires were never meant to be tamed.
♨️ This Means War by @BennaBos
➡️ Preorder today!

#SapphicRomance #EnemiesToLovers #SecondChanceLove #SmallTownRomance #HotAndTangled #BookSky
A square image. On the left is a geometric pattern with a copy of the This Means War by Benna Bos paperback cover. Beneath the cover, it reads: Preorder today. Every queer books are sold. On the right side is an orange box that reads: One night of perfect passion years ago supercharges an epic battle between two headstrong women, each determined to get what they want in this feisty enemies-to-lovers sapphic romance. Beneath it is a white Bywater Books logo.
January 16, 2026 at 3:13 PM
Reposted by Mel Starkicker
bywaterbooks.bsky.social
🏳️‍🌈💣Fierce. Sapphic. Dystopian. Rebellious.
🔥📚🎧 This is the kind of book you read or listen to when you want to support a queer author who’s poured her heart & about a quart of lighter fluid into her writing.

Available everywhere f*ing good queer books are sold!

#SapphicBooks #LGBTQBooks
Square light blue image with black geometrical design on the right. It features a burning copy of the book cover for Reclamation by Kristen Zimmerk. In white type over the black, it says, Available Everywhere. and Get Your Copy Today. In the bottom left-hand corner is a white Bywater Books logo.
January 16, 2026 at 2:05 PM
starkicker.bsky.social
From WIP #1.
"Cool" Good job, Julie! 🫣🤦‍♀️

#WIPSnips #lesfic #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts 🌈✒️
A photo of white text on a black background. At the bottom right of the photo are white and chrome drums stacked. The text reads: Three little words, and all of the secrets and shame would be out. But she knew it would only add to her problems. What if she reacts badly? What if she hates me? What if she stops talking to me? Izzy didn’t want to risk it. And yet, when she opened her mouth to say she was okay, her body or her brain, or both, betrayed her. “I think I am gay.” Fuck. Fuuuck! Why did you say that? Maybe she didn’t hear you. Izzy’s eyes drifted up to meet Julie’s. Oh God, she definitely heard you. Fix it. Take it back. Say something. Say anything. Julie stared, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. Say something, you moron. Open mouth, wag tongue, make sounds. You do it all the time. It’s not hard. “Cool.” Cool? That’s what you managed to say? Moron. -And These Words Remain Unsaid, chapter 6
January 16, 2026 at 2:17 PM
starkicker.bsky.social
I love slow and sloth burns because it lets me really build up the characters/relationships. I ❤️ writing characters.

As for how I make them mine, that author/creator self-doubt into play here big time. I guess time will tell how/if I do this

#LoreOutLoud 🌈✒️ #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
darylmarez.bsky.social Daryl Marez @darylmarez.bsky.social · 3d
Day 016 // WEEK 3: MAPPING THE PATH
---
Repost the daily prompt with #LoreOutLoud to feature your entry in Queer Authors 🌈✒️ Dive into the feed to explore all the amazing stories unfolding during our community event: bsky.app/profile/did:...
---
#WriterSky #Writingcommunity #WritingPrompts
#LoreOutLoud, a community event logo against a globe; Hosted by Daryl. A textured pink and blue sky as the background; Day 016 Known Roads - What familiar tropes or genres do you love, and how do you make them yours?
January 16, 2026 at 7:27 AM
starkicker.bsky.social
Izzy & Jackie both have actions with their hands that happen when trying to process things they are not ready to deal with.
Jackie's is what I'll call a musician's twitch in her left hand.
Izzy runs her thumb over her purlicue / palm

These are big tells for people who know them

#AwesomeCharacters
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social ❄️Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta ☃️ @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 3d
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Are there any words, descriptors, or actions that you only use for one specific character?

Something that gives a particular flavor to moments that character is in?

Does it tell us something about them?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
January 16, 2026 at 7:04 AM
Reposted by Mel Starkicker
philburns.bsky.social
January 15, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by Mel Starkicker
lousytshirt.bsky.social
Just for my BlueSky followers!

🍂 Bring Me To Life 🍃 Deal: 50% off!

Proofreading & Beta Reading services for books over 10k words
Available from January 15 to March 31
DM w/ word count & genre - Let's connect!

#writesky #writingcommunity #authors
January 15, 2026 at 2:17 PM
Reposted by Mel Starkicker
bywaterbooks.bsky.social
🙈 We've heard that some major publishers are shadowing queer books.
👀 We aren't.
👊 We are Bywater Books.
🏳️‍🌈📚 LGBTQ+ stories—named, visible & unapologetic.

#BookSky #LGBTQBooks #QueerBooks #QueerLit #QueerOwned #IndiePublishing #PublishingIndustry #WeAreBywaterBooks
A square rainbow-striped image that says: LGBTQ+ Book Publisher. Proud of our books. Proud of our authors. Proud of our community. On the bottom stripe is a white Bywater Books logo.
January 15, 2026 at 3:13 PM
starkicker.bsky.social
Jackie likes knowing where she is. She just doesn't like keeping track of it herself.

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity 🌈✒️ #lesfic
A photo with some text. On the right side of the photo is an old fashioned microphone in the spotlight. The text on the left side reads: By noon, Oliver would be ushering her through forced-smile interviews, a local radio call-in show, and then sound check. Then dinner, the concert, before she climbed back on the bus for an all night drive to—somewhere. Jacqueline rarely kept track any more. That’s what managers were for. It didn’t matter where she was anyway. Every day was like chocolate on a hot dashboard—melted, blended, but largely the same. A knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts. Jacqueline expelled a long breath. “Show time.” -Wishing You Knew, chapter 1
January 15, 2026 at 3:01 PM
starkicker.bsky.social
Izzy and Julie are both into video games given that they grew up in the 80s and 90s. But if we're going modern, I think they'd enjoy Little Big Planet or Borderlands (the pre-sequel and they'd fight over who got to play claptrap).

#AwesomeCharacters
January 15, 2026 at 7:00 AM
starkicker.bsky.social
"This is fine. We can be just friends" — literally all of my characters to themselves/everyone else in the books.

#WritingPrompt 🌈✒️ #lesfic #WritingCommunity
January 14, 2026 at 3:54 PM
starkicker.bsky.social
From WIP #1.
Who doesn't get philosophical at the sight of ducks?

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity 🌈✒️ #lesfic
a screen grab from a work in progress. it reads: “So what do you say, Jules? When can you start?” “I…” She stopped and tapped her finger on her cell phone for a moment. She looked at a duck that landed in the river and was swimming frantically against the current. Julie wondered why it didn’t just land further up if it wanted to be there. Why fight against the current when you could use the current to your advantage? She shook her head and looked down at the letters still in her lap. “I’ll let you know, Carlos,” she said finally.
January 14, 2026 at 12:59 PM
starkicker.bsky.social
This is tricky. I wonder if I can synthesize a 300 pg answer to 300 char.

I guess it comes down to representation. Honest, nuanced, meaningful representation that honours those who came before and those who come next.

Queer writing is resistance of erasure.

#LoreOutLoud 🌈✒️ #lesfic #WritingPrompts
darylmarez.bsky.social Daryl Marez @darylmarez.bsky.social · 5d
Day 014 // WEEK 2: STEPPING THROUGH THE DOOR
---
Repost the daily prompt with #LoreOutLoud to feature your entry in Queer Authors 🌈✒️ Dive into the feed to explore all the amazing stories unfolding during our community event: bsky.app/profile/did:...
---
#WriterSky #Writingcommunity #WritingPrompts
#LoreOutLoud, a community event logo against a globe; Hosted by Daryl. A textured pink and blue sky as the background; Day 014 Claiming Space - What does it mean for you to take up space on the page as a queer writer?
January 14, 2026 at 7:47 AM
starkicker.bsky.social
Izzy is really not a fan of clowns

#QueerPrompts #lesfic 🌈✒️
January 14, 2026 at 5:52 AM
starkicker.bsky.social
Julie and Izzy (WIP 1) are aware of their flaws, but it's the moving past the fear(s) connected to those flaws that's a challenge for them.
#AwesomeCharacters #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social ❄️Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta ☃️ @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 5d
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Let's talk self-reflection. How good is your character at assessing their flaws?

Do they usually have a good sense of how they are coming across to others?

If not, which way are they usually wrong?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
January 14, 2026 at 5:48 AM