This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Amanda Murr will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Lily is a conscientious college student with a gift for songwriting and a passion for music. Life on Ember Island is pretty conventional until the morning Lily wakes up to a transformed world. As she begins to discover her roommates and entire campus have been impacted by some sort of fiendish disease, Lily finds herself all alone and heads for the city in an attempt to understand what is going on. In the scramble for survival, Lily meets the charming yet unpredictable Halen, and comes to understand they are now living in a dystopian society.
Although the quick-tempered Halen has a distrust for almost everyone she encounters, she seems to make an exception for Lily. They have an instant attraction to each other, which Halen is more forward about and finds enjoyment in making Lily nervous by this sudden attention.
With only each other to depend on, they face dangerous obstacles to escape the island. As they fight for their lives, Lily finds herself fighting her feelings for Halen just as much while Halen develops a strong urge to protect Lily. Will the two be able to trust their connection and find refuge on the mainland and within each other?
Read an Exceprt
I go to another place for a while on my drive to the city. I think I’ve hit my max of what I can process, and it all still feels surreal. As I turn off the highway, I begin to look for any signs of life. Nothing. Not even bodies. I turn down the narrow street where my grandma lives, park my car, grab my backpack, and head to the gate. Three men stumble toward me in the parking lot, their pale skin glinting in the dim light. I quickly close the gate behind me as more stagger my way. I take off running through the alley, hoping to get inside the building, when I slam into someone.
She’s standing there, emerald specks in her eyes. “Are you a being?” she asks. I barely have time to respond before she yells, “Then we need to go. There’s a swarm on this side.” She boosts me onto a dumpster, guiding me toward the fire escape. My arms strain as I grab the ladder, her strength helping me up. Heights aren’t my thing, and panic sets in when one of them grabs my shoe. Suddenly, a loud sound erupts, dampness splashes over me, and their grip loosens. I look down—blood, but safety above.
On the rooftop, she trains a gun on me. “Did he scratch you?” she asks coldly. “No!” I stammer. Satisfied, she puts the gun away. Then we hear them shaking the ladder below. She tucks her curls behind her ears. “They need to feed,” she states. My heart pounds as I watch her flip a body over the ledge to distract them. Chaos, blood, survival—this is my new reality, and I can’t catch my breath.
Guest Post:
Q: Discuss the pros and cons of writing in your genre.
A: I write across a mix of genres like sci-fi and fantasy, but there is one thread that stays the same in all my stories, which is that they are always rooted in sapphic romance. For me, that is the heart of the story every time. One of the biggest pros of writing in this space is the community itself. The sapphic writing world is smaller, but it feels close and supportive. Most writers here are not chasing trends or trying to write what they think will sell the most. We are trying to tell stories that reflect the kinds of love and relationships we want to see in the world. It feels personal. It feels intentional. Readers who find these stories are often deeply invested because they finally see themselves on the page, and that creates a special kind of connection between the writer, the work, and the audience.
One of the biggest cons in my opinion is that sapphic romance does not appeal to every reader, and some people will dismiss a story the moment they realize it centers around women loving women. That can shrink your audience, even when the story itself could easily stand beside any mainstream romance, fantasy, or sci fi novel. Sometimes it means fewer marketing opportunities, less visibility, or slower growth. You know your work may not reach everyone, not because of the quality of the story, but because of bias or lack of interest in WLW narratives.
Still, I think the rewards outweigh the limitations. Writing sapphic romance lets me contribute to a space that matters. It lets me add another voice to a genre that is still growing, still finding new readers, and still carving out room in the larger book world. Even if the audience is smaller, it is passionate, loyal, and deeply appreciative of stories where they feel seen. And that makes it worth it to me.
Amanda is a sapphic romance author based in Westminster, Colorado, where she balances her love of storytelling with her role as a People Development Manager and devoted mom to a spirited little girl. When she’s not writing about the supernatural and soul-deep love, she can be found exploring local coffee shops and bookstores, experimenting in the kitchen, or going on various adventures with her daughter. Known for her warmth, humor, and passion for human rights, Amanda brings equal parts compassion and imagination to everything she does—both on and off the page.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda.murr.sapphic.author
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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mortal-Escape-Amanda-Murr-ebook/dp/B0CJ2DWP73/ref=sr_1_1
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