Thank you so much for having me here today. I was invited to talk about how I blend hard topics and romance in my Thorn & Thistle series which follows the queer women that work in a tattoo shop. Two books into the series and I’ve already tackled cancer, alcoholism, and the death of a parent. Those topics might not scream romance to some, but they do for me. In fact, as I’ve learned when I try to write lighter things and failed, they are a necessity. For me, the presence of heavy subjects is true to life and helps me relate to the characters. We all have hard, heavy things in our pasts or present that we are dealing with. Current events are a perfect example of that.

Not only do heavy topics make the characters realistic for me, but it also creates so many opportunities for romance. It’s the chance to have the love interest see the character at their worst or most vulnerable and not run, but decide to stick around. This is a chance for the characters to bond, to see how they would face future hardships together. It’s a way you can see what they will do for each other, whether it be provide a moment of laughter, a respite, a shoulder to lean on. Sierra in Inked with a Kiss gives Jamie a much needed break by taking her for a picnic under the stars. It’s a simple thing, but for Jamie it means so much, because it showed that someone was looking out for her. Sierra and Jamie leave not only having shared a meal, but a connection. That feeling of a character in pain finding someone that gets them and being there so they don’t have to face it alone, is one of the most romantic to me.

Mostly I think the reason I’m attracted to heavy subjects is hope. There is so much hope in finding love. There is so much hope in conquering what you’re facing or dealing with pains from your past. There is so much hope that things will get better. Best of all, in fiction I can make all of that happen. When I’m done writing or reading a book that deals with hard topics I’m left feeling that the characters have faced their hard times and now it’s time for the good times. Best of all, they’ve found the perfect person to share them with, and for me that epitomizes romance.

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About the Book

Inked with a Kiss, Thorn & Thistle, #2 by Jennie Davids

Book Description: Tattoo artist Jamie Winston is used to caring for others. Between her assistant manager position at a tattoo parlor, single-parenting her twelve-year-old daughter and supporting her alcoholic parents, Jamie rarely prioritizes her own needs—unless Sierra Clark is in her chair. The bubbly younger woman somehow manages to make Jamie feel like the carefree teenager she never got to be, making anything seem possible.

For Sierra, time with Jamie is a much-needed escape. She takes her work as a social worker seriously, but with budget cuts threatening her job, there’s a lot riding on the fund-raiser she’s planning with Jamie. The fact that it means working closely with the sexy older tattooist is a bonus—a deliciously tempting bonus. Sierra isn’t one for relationships, but she’s never felt such a strong desire to mix business with pleasure.

Sizzling chemistry quickly erodes Jamie’s fears of being too old for Sierra, but navigating a romance with someone who’s at such a different stage in life is no easy task. They’ve each come to rely on themselves more than anyone else, but having a future together will mean letting their guards down and accepting each other as a safe place to fall.

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About the Author:

Jennie Davids lives in the Pacific Northwest with her rescue animals that somehow never end up as well-behaved as their bio promise. The sound of the rain inspires her as she writes or maybe it’s the gallons of hot chocolate she consumes to stay warm in the damp climate.

When not writing Jennie is reading, watching reality TV, or bemoaning how quickly weeds grow back and keep her from reading.

Connect with Jennie Davids:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jennie_Davids

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorJennieDavids/

Website: https://jenniedavids.com