FAQ's Answered: Why do I write about LGBT people?

I write sci-fi stories, and over the years, I've been occasionally accused of humor - and even wit. Sometimes my work has been rather flatteringly compared to several well-known authors in humor, fantasy and sci-fi - not that it's ever gone to my head - one day if my books ever start making me actual money, it might. For now however, I concentrate on telling my stories - and telling others about them.

Unlike any of the authors I've been compared to however, I write stories that feature LGBT characters in a positive, affirming light. Some of my main characters are like me - in one or more times in my own life - lesbian, gay, bi, or transgender. One of those characters is even a plant - and another is a talking cat - not that I am or have been one of those before, but oh well, now you can see what I mean by humor!

The question I'd like to explore with you today is "Why"?

Why do I write about LGBT people? More to the point, why bother to use LGBT characters to tell my stories through?

Where Else Will You Find LGBT Heroes In Fiction?

"LGBT characters, in Engela’s work, follow narrative arcs that occasionally intersect with their sexual or gender identity, but are more often driven by the human characteristics shared by all people—hope, fear, ambition, humor, and love." - Sarah Rutledge Fischer, Focus Mid-South magazine

Action! Adventure! Space Opera!

Don't Scroll Past Without Thinking Rationally

I'm so tired of seeing posts like these in my Facebook feed. They're click-bait at best - and that's saying a lot. At worst, they're mindless, narcissistic time-wasting tripe designed to draw people into a vicious circle of cultist fantasy and a celebratory rejection of reality.

You know the posts I mean, right? Pictures of infants, men, women or children injured, abused, sick, dying - and sometimes even suffering animals - "don't scroll past without praying or saying 'amen'" they proclaim in the accompanying texts.

Why?

A Brief Summary Of My Publishing Career So Far

One of the very many downsides to living in a shit-hole country like South Africa - is that even if you have all the talent in the world, you can do absolutely sod-all with it.

Goodness knows it's hard enough to be an indie author anywhere - but here? In South Africa?

All I was trying to do today was to get my 13 already published books turned into audio books... and this happens.

This was the fourth site doing audio books that I've tried. Either they don't allow South African writers to register, or they don't have royalty-sharing deals for their authors, which means the author has to pay in $$$ for the job.

Let me give you a brief summary of my publishing career. I'm sure you will find it amusing:

Don't Read Books By Christina Engela - You Might Get An Open Mind!

Back in 2017, after seeing all the hate vented against me on some of my FB posts coming from Angus Buchan fans - some of whom claimed I was a "fake profile" and "didn't really exist", a Facebook friend in the USA sent these images to me on condition of anonymity since she feared reprisals from her narrow-minded conservative townie neighbors.

Newsletter #28: April 2019

Read my latest newsletter here! Enjoy! :)

______________________________________________________________

If you would like to know more about Christina Engela and her writing, please feel free to browse her website.

If you’d like to send Christina Engela a question about her life as a writer or transactivist, please send an email to christinaengela@gmail.com or use the Contact form.

All material copyright © Christina Engela, 2019.

________________________________________

Newsletter #27: March 2019

Read my latest newsletter here! Enjoy! :)

______________________________________________________________

If you would like to know more about Christina Engela and her writing, please feel free to browse her website.

If you’d like to send Christina Engela a question about her life as a writer or transactivist, please send an email to christinaengela@gmail.com or use the Contact form.

All material copyright © Christina Engela, 2019.

________________________________________

Awesome Sci-fi On A Budget!

Two brand new editions of "Black Sunrise" and "The Time Saving Agency" - books 1 and 2 in the Quantum Series by Christina Engela - are now available (along with the entire Galaxii Series) on GGG mall, a local digital content provider based in the Eastern Cape, South Africa!

Newsletter #26: February 2019

Read my latest newsletter here! Enjoy! :)

______________________________________________________________

If you would like to know more about Christina Engela and her writing, please feel free to browse her website.

If you’d like to send Christina Engela a question about her life as a writer or transactivist, please send an email to christinaengela@gmail.com or use the Contact form.

All material copyright © Christina Engela, 2019.

________________________________________

Newsletter #25: January 2019

Read my latest newsletter here! Enjoy! :)

______________________________________________________________

If you would like to know more about Christina Engela and her writing, please feel free to browse her website.

If you’d like to send Christina Engela a question about her life as a writer or transactivist, please send an email to christinaengela@gmail.com or use the Contact form.

All material copyright © Christina Engela, 2019.

________________________________________