CharCharChar

I have decided to postpone the Aro Writing Awards .  I considered calling it "year zero" or a "trial run," and committing to trying harder to recruit judges next year. But the truth is, I am one person with one point of view. I feel the Aro Writing Awards need to be judged by multiple people with diverse aro experiences and diverse intersections in order to adequately reflect the aro community.  If you are interested in being a judge (reading and selecting works for shortlists to be voted on by the community) please comment or email arowritingawards@gmail.com. Time requirements are flexible as judges do not need to read ALL works in their category because we will rely on each other's notes.   In the meantime I'll keep collecting, reading, and taking notes on aro writings so we'll have a strong pool to pull from when the time comes to select shortlists for the community to vote on. The nominations form will remain open. 

 Here are the first half of the "B"s from  145 Romance Tropes , but meant for aspec characters. Your aspec character is involved in a bait and switch. Be cautious of aspec stereotypes around gullibility and manipulativeness.  Is your character in-the-know, are they being tricked, or are both parties confused? Why would your character agree to a bait and switch? Who is the person they are switching with? Why would someone try and trick your character? What do they want from your character? Your aspec character is involved in a "Beauty and the Beast" scenario. Is your aspec character the beauty or the beast? Are both characters aspec? What is the beast's character flaw to overcome and what is the "beastly" characteristic they will learn to accept (Shrek) or be cured of? Did beast capture beauty? Are they trapped together? Does beauty visit of their own free will? What role do the villagers and Gaston play? Why are they against the relationship between be

Because lists of 2021 upcoming ace and aro books already exist [Rosiee Thor's 2021 list  (17 titles). Kristine Vitola's  2021 list  (36 titles)], I've decided to highlight a handful coming in 2021 that I'm excited for, and then list any 2022 and 2023 titles I could find.  Happy Reading! 2021 This Golden Flame  by Emily Victoria  (February 2021) An aroace main character and a sentient automaton sidekick are off to rescue her brother.  ARC Review [Image: The cover of  This Golden Flame. A spinning golden orb shedding tendrils and specks of light and reflecting either a room with a hanging bare lightbulb, or an outdoors space with a street lamp.]  Common Bonds: An Aromantic Speculative Anthology   (April 2021) A collection of speculative short stories and poetry featuring the platonic relationships for aromantic characters.  Goodreads   [Image: ( source ) The "common bonds" title surrounded by vines.] In the Ravenous Dark  by A. M. Strickland (May 2021) Author of

It's time for the  Carnival of Aros ! 🎊 The Theme: Stories Life is full of stories: the ones we tell ourselves, the ones we tell others, and the ones we are told. Stories shape perception, expectation, and the fabric of reality. Okay, I'm getting grandiose - the point is I love stories. I love stories so much I would rather talk about how they work than write them or read them 😂 . (I'm working on that.) What is a story you want to tell? What is a story you no longer believe? What is a story you feel is harmful? What kind of story do you want to see? Take this theme anywhere you want to go. Tell a story, real or fictional. Complain about a story, or a recurring theme in stories. Analyze the story line of a movie or fanfic or a podcast. Create an adoptable character sketch for another writer to use. How to Participate Write a blog post  (or any public digital content I can link to) related to the theme. Share the link  in the comments or email me at charcharcharace@gmail.co

 The Carnival of Aros' prompt for December 2020 is Happy Ending . Oh, I just realized that's probably because it's the "end" of the year :P Happiness is an ongoing process, not a one-and-done-dead-end-deal. Happiness takes work to set up and maintain and problem solve. Happiness can require you to push through discomfort, like risking rejection, or starting a passion project you will probably do terribly at first, or flossing. Happiness is paying attention to small happinesses along the way. My neighborhood has been decorating the path with ornaments and holiday knick knacks. I saw a little gnome in a tree, it was cute and surprising and new and heartwarming that the community is doing this together to make each other happy.  What makes me happy may change. I may discover that in reality the kinds of relationships I thought would make me happy, don't. But I can't know that until I try. And I can't really try while there's quarantining (I could kind