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.
Renee Roman, a sapphic author, shares a Caturday photo of a sweetie who makes an appearance in Renee’s latest book.
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 Jan Graham with Niccolo Would Like a Word.
If you’re looking for something to read this weekend, below you’ll find 17 books on sale.
Finally, scroll to the bottom of the post to see photos of TB and Miranda’s day in Maine.
We’re grateful to Kate Merrill for sponsoring today’s post. Please check out Lost Girls Club.
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 high school creative writing teacher was so discouraging that I pursued a doctorate in plant pathology instead of writing fiction.
2. I wrote my first full novel, a steampunk fantasy about a France where the revolution didn’t happen, after attending a steampunk convention where the theme was “alternate empires.”
3. My love for hats inspired me to set my new release, a sapphic historical romance, in a millinery.
4. I have an immense collection of board games.
5. Even though I’ve never actually visited France, I’ve set three novels and a novella in 19th century Paris.
Now it’s time to reveal their name. Drum roll please…
This week’s author is BJ Sikes!
Check out Her Runaway Lady, BJ’s new release!
Her ambition doesn’t leave room for longing.
An ambitious young milliner. A shy noblewoman fleeing an arranged marriage. Love is a risk neither can afford.
Solange doesn’t have time for love. She’s too busy working her way up in the Parisian millinery trade. Her goal: to become rich and lift her family out of poverty. So when a beautiful aristo whirls into the millinery fascinated by hat making, Solange isn’t interested. Or so she tells herself.
Louise-Marie hates the fancy parties she’s dragged to at Versailles and never wanted to marry. She just wanted to be left alone, making hats. Running away from home to become a milliner seemed like a good idea but the life of a working-class shop girl is harder than she imagined. And her new coworker doesn’t seem to like her much.
Thrown together in the cramped backroom of a millinery shop and a shared garret room, their tensions fray, tangle, then bind.
But ambition doesn’t leave room for longing. And love was never part of Solange’s plan.
Immerse yourself in this historical sapphic romance set in a Belle Epoque That Never Was, 19th century Paris with a hint of steampunk.
BJ’s bio:
BJ Sikes is a 5’6″ ape descendant who is inordinately fond of a good strong cup of tea, Doc Marten boots, and fancy dress. I live with one large cat, two sweet teenagers, and one editor-author, plus an array of chickens in a place very unlike my homeland. My fave genre is historical fantasy with themes of a woman’s struggle for agency but I also write gothic horror, historical romance, and science fiction. Queerness is a regular fact of life in my stories. I have published four full length novels, and a multitude of novellas and short stories.
I run the Authors’ Salon and Authors’ Alley at Clockwork Alchemy, a steampunk convention in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In my day job, I write and edit scientific publications for a university.
I like words.
I also like tea, chocolate, cats, and chickens, not necessarily in that order. When I am not playing with words, you might find me playing board games, mucking about in the garden, or making herbal concoctions in the kitchen.
The next Guess the Author will start on May 25, 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!
Trailblazing non-binary athlete Nikki Hiltz engaged to fellow runner Emma Gee — Congrats!
Could America elect its first Black transgender member of Congress? — That would be fab!
GOchella: The Queer Festival Lineup Of Our Dreams — Will have to listen to their music!
The Next Queer TV Show You Need to Watch, Based on Your Sign – Miranda has watched the show for her sign!
Not enough people know the story of Sir Lady Java. That’s going to change. — Get your history on!
These queer seniors organized for visibility & connection — Love this!
Meet the Gardening Gays, a couple planting the seeds of LGBTQ+ acceptance — Fabulous!
This last one isn’t technically queer news, but TB and Miranda are suckers for cute animal stories:
Woman Finds TINY Kitten All Alone — And Brings Him Home | The Dodo — So adorable!
Meet Maisie! Maisie has the look and personality of a Maine Coon, though she’s small, and she is smart enough to have learned some English. She is also a character in my March release, When Hearts Collide. Submitted by Renee Roman, a sapphic author.
K.B. Draper also sponsored today’s post. Please check out Demons Shemons.
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. Amazon has a habit of changing the price of permafree titles in stores outside of the US. We’ve only checked the sale prices on Amazon. We simply don’t have the time to check every store. Some of the books are only on sale today, May 23.
