I was warned off writing characters with disabilities early on in my career because it wasn’t “relatable for most people”, but I’m glad I didn’t take that advice.ĬJC: Which novel has been your favorite to write and why?ĮM: That’s a tough one because I feel that way about every book I write haha. The most challenging part was honestly convincing myself that I had stories people wanted to read. I started with my series Irons and Works, I quit my day job, and I haven’t looked back since!ĬJC: What do you find to be the most rewarding and challenging part of being an author and what hurdles have you overcome while striving towards your goals?ĮM: The most rewarding part for me is getting emails from readers who don’t often see themselves in romances telling me how excited they are to read their story or their journey in my books. It wasn’t until 2018 that I realized that there was an indie market for MM romance, and that I could make a living off being a writer. I eventually finished the final draft of Verismo in 2013, but it took me a few more years to finally put it out there. In 2011 I began working for a small-press publishing house and I realized that I wanted to keep going with my book.

Back in 2006 I started my first novel while working on my undergraduate degree, but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to go anywhere with it because there wasn’t much of a market for queer romance, and at the time, self-publishing wasn’t much of a thing. CJC: How did you get started as an author and what made you want to pursue that field?ĮM: I’ve always wanted to be a writer.

Shades of Lust by E.M. Lindsey