ELLIE RENAE

They/them. The reason I’m doing all of this is my wonderful friends. I write for my friends, to see them laugh or cry. I want to help them find humor in even the tragedies we’ve seen together.

When no one is around to please and I’m writing only for myself, I create… knick-knacks. Glass bottles of “star shards” from a time traveler. Love letters, hand-written by immortals. A slice of the stump a magical creature resides within.

Hoarding is my second favorite hobby.

AVAILABLE WORK

Chinese Spoons - A poem within a collection by many artists.

The collection, RENAISSANCE, was published by Yellow Arrow Journal with the theme “cultural renaissance”. This concise poem captures the feeling of being torn between two identities, never fully acknowledged as one or the other.

Available here

in paperback

On the Subject of Control - A short science fiction story. Dark and sapphic.

This high-concept short, informed by an education in biological psychology, follows a pair of institutionalized lovers as they navigate their newfound relationship under experimental (not mind-altering, but behavior-altering) drugs.

Available here

in paperback

Violence Without Plot - A chapbook / single short story.

This dark comedy shines a light on the lack of agency given to feminine people in fiction. Its Patrick-Bateman styled protagonist is tossed from woman to woman, never getting the chance to make a plot-driving decision. His “hero’s journey” is to realize that the story was never about him.

Available here

in paperback

Available here

digitally

The Notebook of a Fictional Man - The photocopied notes of a time traveler.

The Notebook of a Fictional Man (a travel diary meant to impress historians), accidentally centers itself around the gentle giant with whom the writer is secretly in love.

Available here

in paperback

Available here

digitally

WIP LIST

Ouroboros Hivemind - Mind-bending sapphic erotica.

Two immortals, one who drinks blood and one who drinks souls, consuming each other to the point of becoming a single entity.

Its crazy how many people think everyone who works in tv and film is rich. The only rich people are the execs and the tippy top percentile of directors and actors. Listen to any actor who is well known for a tv show and they’ll tell you they make more money from cons than what they made on their show.

Support the writer’s strike and when the director’s guild and SAG go on strike support them too.

What popular social media platform would your OC be most likely to use?

best kind of character is “guy who didn’t die when he should have”

1. anne carson 2. moby dick, herman melville 3. breaking bad, fly, dir. rian johnson 4. grief lessons, anne carson

MISSION: Be Normal About That Thing

STATUS: [FAILED]

the art of book covers

in every workplace there should be a secret button you can press and if everyone presses it the workweek immediately ends and you can go outside and play instead of sending email

I'm looking at a poll that currently says people mostly read physical books (60%) followed by handheld devices, then e-readers, then audiobooks. Since I think this would be really useful data for independent writers to have...

I just want to take this chance to say if you’re buying online, please consider using Bookshop!

When I first heard about it years ago I thought it sounded fishy, but as someone who now works at an indie bookstore I can confirm that they really do pass on the proceeds they say they will to the indie stores. It’s only a tiny bit more expensive then Amazon, but they also often do deals or codes that can make up that difference.

I know my little shop benefits hugely from what we bring in from Bookshop.

(Also if you’re an audiobook only person, Libro.fm does the same thing! Support small/local!)

Also an indie bookseller here! W/r/t independent authors getting stores to carry physical copies of your book, it's really important that you understand what the distribution terms for your book are! Most indie bookstores will only carry something if 1) it meets the industry-standard retailer discount (which is typically 40-50%) and 2) it can be returned to the publisher. In most cases an indie title won't be able to meet that second requirement, BUT many indie bookstores will carry an authors title on consignment, so it's worth reaching out to your local bookstore to see if they offer that.

Regardless of whether or not a bookstore will carry your book on the shelf, if your marketing/word-of-mouth advertising is good enough, that people are seeking out your book to purchase, bookstores will be able to special order it for anyone who asks, as long as it's available through Ingram for at least some kind of discount.

**if your book is only available through Amazon (most) bookstores will not be able to purchase it point blank**

Something I found on Twitter that really puts things in perspective as a creator.

Me: Whoa, this character kills a lot of people

Me: They’re my favorite