Happy weekend!
Saturdays are when we curate all the sapphic book news and queer happenings of the week into one convenient location. Think of it as your personal reading directory! After all, we know the weekend is when so many of us are able to unwind for a minute and want to get lost in a good woman loving woman book. What could be better?
In today’s post, you’ll find cheerful LGBTQ+ news stories to combat all the negative ones bombarding our screens.
Sapphic author Zuri Amara shares a Caturday photo of her sweet Blue Russian cat.
One of the things we love about the weekly author selfie is getting to know the personality behind the words. Check out the picture of Leo (Jamey Moody’s adorable dog) with the Wishing Stars Series.
If you’re looking for something to read this weekend, below you’ll find 19 books on sale.
Finally, scroll to the bottom of the post to see photos from TB and Miranda’s visit to see a special exhibit in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
We’re grateful to Kim Hunt for sponsoring today’s post. Please check out The Corrector.
It’s time to reveal the identity of this week’s Guess the Author!
Every week we provide five clues about a sapphic author. On Saturday, we reveal the author’s identity.
Before we unveil this week’s author, here are all 5 clues in case you missed them:
1. My name has romantic vibes.
2. Two of my novels are set in the Australian city where I live.
3. My second novel spans three countries and the characters meet in the middle (kind of).
4. My Boston Terriers feature heavily in my Insta stories.
5. I did a lot of research on drag kings for my new novel.
Now it’s time to reveal their name. Drum roll please…
This week’s author is Samantha L. Valentine!
Check out King Love, Samantha L. Valentine’s new release!
Sometimes the only way to be yourself is to be someone else…
Callie Johnson has everything she needs in her curated safety bubble: her family, her home and her job at Brisbane’s hottest drag king bar, Club Sappho. All that’s missing is what she secretly craves most of all: love. When she notices a beautiful woman turning up at the club each week to watch her perform, she feels compelled to meet her. But off-stage, Callie can’t seem to summon the confidence and swagger of her drag king alter ego.
Maya Freeman has decided this is going to be the year she finally lives in her authenticity. She’s ready to tackle her perfectionist and overthinking tendencies, celebrate her sexuality and find love. She might even try reviving those long-buried performing dreams. So when Maya finds herself returning to Club Sappho to watch a charismatic drag king, she has an uncanny sense they’re destined to be part of her new life.
As Callie and Maya step out of their comfort zones and into each other’s, they soon discover that falling in love has a way of making you face who you really are. But when one is scared to step into the spotlight and the other is scared to drop the act, can they find the happy ever after they both long for?
King Love is a low-angst, lesbian romance about love, self-expression, gender and performance.
Samantha L. Valentine’s bio:
Samantha L. Valentine writes contemporary sapphic fiction, both romance and life lit. She is passionate about diversity in fiction and would love the world to read more diverse Australian stories. She is the author of three published novels, two published short stories and many unpublished drafts. She lives in Brisbane with her wife and two Boston terriers.
The next Guess the Author will start on January 12, 2026!
No matter what happens in these difficult times, TB and Miranda remain committed to bringing you good news from the queer community. While it’s important to stay informed, it’s also vital not to lose sight of all the kindness in the world. Below are the happy queer stories that made us smile this week. They’re queer news links worth clicking!
National team footballer comes out as trans in sweet post with ‘wonderful’ wife — Be you!
How this Minnesota city redefined LGBTQ+ rights 50 years ago — We need this on a federal level!
Latina trans women are celebrating the quinceañeras they’ve always dreamed of — Love this!
All about the Mattachine Society, the first enduring U.S. gay rights group – Dive into some queer history!
Lesbian thanks ‘stupid MAGA alpha males’ for a very valid reason — Hilarious!
Cardi B celebrates her transgender glam squad: “These are the dolls. I can’t live without them.” — So sweet!
This last one isn’t technically queer news, but TB and Miranda are suckers for cute animal stories:
Disabled Duck Uses A High Chair To Eat His Meals | The Dodo — A reader shared this and it brough tears to TB’s eyes!
Meet Spring! My beautiful, sweet Blue Russian cat, Spring, likes to sit on the back of my chair as I write. I swear she can read, because she seems to disapprove of the sex scenes. She hops down and stalks off. Here she is giving me the evil eye because I forgot to feed her again because I was writing. Lol! Submitted by Zuri Amara, a sapphic author.
We’re grateful to J. C. Rycroft for sponsoring today’s post. Please check out The Blood-Born Dragon.
Please note, sale prices may change without notice, so check the price before clicking a buy button. International prices may vary, especially for permafree titles. Some of the books are only on sale today, January 10.
