During her first rehearsal, she is surprised and intrigued to meet Vivian Kensington, the formidable by reputation board president who also happens to be…deaf.As Kate treads the waters of a rocky relationship with the young and foolhardy Ash, she develops a tentative friendship with her cold-hearted boss. As she does, she finds a kindness and a warmth that she never expected.As their friendship grows into something more, Kate wonders, is Ash really who she wants? Or is Vivian who she desires? Is it possible for two women, one from a world of sound and one a world of silence, to truly understand one another?

    But the main thing about decisions? You don't get to stop with one.Fandom: The Devil Wears Prada (2006) Relationship: Miranda Priestly/Andrea Sachs Words: 271,584Chapters: 7/7

    On a trip to New York she sees the artwork of artist Kris Milano, whose talent is not the only thing she's attracted to. Undercover of email, she begins a correspondence with the artist . When she comes to New York for filming and finally meets her, will she tell Kris the truth ... all of it?Themes: Romance, lesbian. Length: approx. 195,000 words

    Isabella Martinez, a former CEO turned writer, is stuck in a platonic relationship in Florida with her baby boy.One sleepless night on social media, they strike up a conversation that changes their lives and makes them question everything. Over midnight cups of coffee, they try to resist the powerful chemistry that builds between them. They soon discover their connection could be the key to unlocking their personal issues.Questions remain though. Are they more than friends? Could they be right for each other? And if they are, how will they handle a relationship a thousand miles apart?A lesbian romance about closing the distance.65,000 words

    Her love life, however, is lacking, as those closest to her keep pointing out.At the persistent urging of her closest friend, Elena reluctantly agrees to a string of blind dates if she can find a suitable babysitter for Lucas.Enter Allison Sawyer, a free-spirited senior at New York University.Elena is intrigued by Allison’s ability to push her out of her element, and the young woman’s instant and easy connection with a normally shy Lucas quickly earns Allison the job.After each blind date, Elena returns home to complain to Allison about her lacking suitors. As they bond, Elena begins to realize that the person possessing all the qualities she most desires might just be the woman who has been in front of her the entire time.The vast difference between the two women’s social statuses, however, may be an obstacle not easily overcome.Length: approx. 160,000 wordsThemes: humor · Lesbian · romantic comedy

    She spends her solitary days walking childhood trails and reminiscing, trying to reconcile the conflict within her as she struggles with survivor’s guilt. Hannah Larson, after the death of her husband, needs a change. At the suggestion of her mother-in-law—and against her better judgement—she and her nine-year-old son, Jack, move to tiny Utopia and into her husband’s grandmother’s house. When Jack and Lindsey form an unlikely friendship, Hannah reluctantly joins them and the three spend the summer swimming and healing as laughter eventually replaces tears. After Jack goes back to school, Hannah assumes their summer fun is over. Instead, Lindsey continues to come around and now—as they find themselves alone—Hannah realizes just how close they’ve become. Soon, she finds herself struggling with her feelings as their friendship threatens to shift into something much deeper…something she fears she won’t be able to fight. Something she fears she won’t want to fight.Genre: Romance

    She always promised herself she wouldn’t be there forever, and she’d pave a good path for her son, Cameron. Vivian Silva, a hotel heiress bred from money and opportunity, goes against the family fortune in the hopes of making a name for herself as a budding photographer in New York City. She’s well on the way to that path when she happens upon a bar with a beautiful bartender. Alyssa and Vivian’s worlds collide that night. By some twist of fate, or by pushy best friends, they continue to see each other as intrigue and romance spark. But coming from different upbringings may be the very thing that will keep them apart.

    When they meet, there is a connection for them both. But can they overcome their fears, regrets and an old love to find a future in each other?BadSquirrel's Page on The Athenaeum

    After immigrating from Mexico when she was nine years old, she’s content with the life she’s made for herself in sunny San Diego. She works hard at her mother’s housecleaning service by day and spends the evenings with her quirky eight-year-old daughter, Grace.From a very young age, Emory Owen had several concepts drilled into her head. Success is everything. Be the best. Fight your way to the top. Expectations were high in the Owen household and the world was watching. Born into a high society family, Emory never wanted for anything…at least anything money could buy. When she meets Sarah, hired to sort her mother’s home, her sterile life suddenly sparks into color.But when the emotional logistics of combining two very different worlds proves to be too much, a terrifying turn of events spurs the question: If love exists, can it really find a way?

    She's a very successful real estate agent, happily married to a man who encourages her to live the independent life she loves; and they're actively working to have a baby.The wrench in the works is that Blair favors adoption, while her husband David desperately wants to have a biological child. The fates are against them, and they finally seek the help of a group of reproductive specialists. One of the doctors, a surgeon named Kylie Mackenzie, eventually becomes a good friend to Blair. And she needs all of the friends she can get when things start to go horribly wrong at home. As her marriage teeters on the brink of collapse, she relies more and more on Kylie's friendship.Kylie's happily gay; Blair's happily straight. But the way they structure their relationship leads friends and family to privately question whether the pair is setting themselves up for heartache. They eventually come to a crossroads, which could either destroy their friendship or turn it into what each of them has been seeking. The question is whether each woman can change her view of herself and her needs. The answer is all that matters.

    A gruelling transatlantic schedule means she is in the air nearly as much as she is on the ground and desperately misses her five-year-old son.On board she meets Olivia Lewis, who is a literal high-flying business executive with a weekly commute, a meticulous schedule, and terrible social skills.When a personal emergency brings them together, will Emily be able to swallow her pride and accept help from Olivia? And will Olivia be able to prevent herself from saying the wrong thing?79,000 words

    Not until its most celebrated daughter returns for one last performance.Four women, Manon, Eryn, Vivian and Mike, whose lives unexpectedly intersect in a small town by the sea share one thing in common--they all have secrets. Despite tragedy, past and present, each learns that life holds more than they dared dream. Manon Belmont, socialite and president of a wealthy foundation, leads a closeted life. She thrives helping others, but denies herself happiness for reasons she shares with no one. Nothing is the same after she meets Eryn Goddard, a reporter who has lost track of her dream of a grand writing career years ago. Eryn is suddenly rescued from her mundane assignments at the local paper when Vivian Harding, East Quay's only world famous celebrity, returns for a farewell performance. Vivian carries with her a secret that she fears has not only ended her career, but will also destroy her life. She finds an unexpected source of understanding in Michaela "Mike" Stone, a street smart and brilliant café owner. Mike, in turn, works hard developing her business, and even harder at overcoming the shadows of her past. She feels utterly protective of Vivian, but will she dare to eron her heart again?

    She might be more than successful, her body more than sinful and enough offers from the right kind of girls to satisfy anyone, yet there has always been something missing. Until Jo re-appears one day. In need of a friend. --------------------------------------- A short story I wrote earlier this year after catching sight of someone I hadn't seen in fifteen years, the instant recognition that makes you question your sanity.

    She plans to hold onto her niece and gain custody of her, but there are some factors against her. Her girlfriend doesn't want the baby around. Her mother wants to take the baby from her, and her brother has disappeared. Things only seem to get worse when Gus Tucker comes into her life.Gus Tucker's life isn't going much better. She recently divorced her wife and moved into a new home. She's looking forward to a new start and spending time with her sister. Before she can do that, though, she ends up causing trouble for Jayce Newton, getting her fired from her job and kicked out of her home. She tries to make it up to Jayce by taking her in during her time of need. Now, it's just a struggle to see if they're able to coexist in the same house with a baby between them.Words: 98,820

     From the outside, Kasey James had the perfect life. She had a rich husband, two perfect kids, and a big house in Eastside with a pool in the backyard. None of her friends understand why she left her husband and went back to a stressful job teaching high school. She knows they’ll understand even less when she tells them she’s started dating a woman from Westside. *If* she tells them, that is. After all, Kasey has her kids to think of, not to mention the upcoming school board election. What if her neighbors withdraw their support when they find out she’s seeing a woman? Drea Robbins has a good life, too. She owns her own home and operates her own business, making enough money doing what she loves that she can support her mom, sister, and niece. She wishes she had a “special someone” in her life, but in the grand scheme of things, being single isn’t that big of a deal. Kasey James, a white woman living in Eastside, is the absolute last person Drea expects to fall for. Kasey’s recently divorced from a man, she’s got two kids, she lives in the middle of rich suburbia — to say her lifestyle is different from Drea's would be the understatement of the year. But it’s like Drea’s mom says — we can’t control whom we fall for, and whether Drea likes it or not, she’s falling for Kasey. Hard. Opposites attract… right? But when a real estate development controversy puts Drea and Kasey on opposite sides of a battle line, will their new love prove strong enough to survive? Or is it just unrealistic for two women with so many differences to find a common ground they can hold against all the world’s pressures? Eastside / Westside / Love is a story about race, class, gentrification, and inequality. But more than that, it’s a story about hope, and about finding out that what brings us together is stronger than what pulls us apart.