Our story “Adjunct Hell” comes out today as part of the Young Love, Old Hearts anthology featuring both M/M and F/F May/December couples from Supposed Crimes Press. Throughout this week we’ll be welcoming our fellow authors in that anthology to our blog to talk about their characters, processes, and writing romance featuring older heroes and protagonists. We’ll be visiting their blogs as well, and will post those links to Avian30 and on our media page as well!
Today, we’re pleased to welcome Adrian J. Smith, author of the F/F story “A Blizzard’s Blow” in Young Love, Old Hearts, here to talk about why she loves writing age gaps”
I don’t know what it is, but there’s something deep inside of me that absolutely loves older women. So when this anthology opened up, I knew I had to jump at the chance to write a story featuring my favorite type of relationship.
In this short, Lollie is the youngin’ and Andrea is our beautifully aged love interest. They run into each other (almost literally), and they don’t stop there. It’s one of those, what if scenarios. Those moments we all think in the back of our head, or maybe we all should think, but we don’t.
There’s not much discussion on age. There isn’t fear or trepidation. There’s just understanding in that their relationship will be what it is, and that’s that. No need to have deep discussions, especially if they’re only going to be together for the short time of the blizzard itself.
This is what I love about May/December relationships. Usually, age difference isn’t the issue. It’s the inability to understand that a person is a person now matter who or how old they are that causes the issues. Other than that, it’s just a matter of making sure you don’t get mad or make stupid jokes when the other person in the relationship doesn’t get a reference because of their age.
Age isn’t something we talk about unless it seems odd or abnormal. But not everyone falls in love with a clone of themselves, and likewise, not everyone makes very good decisions.
Excerpt:
The sleek black car turned into the driveway she was standing in, the bright lights blinding her. Lollie put her hands up, protecting her eyes. The wheel on the passenger side of the vehicle hit the slush puddle at the edge of the street and splashed it all over Lollie. She swallowed and stumbled backward as the car barreled forward, nearly knocking her down.
Brakes ground as the driver slammed on them, and the car slid on the ice already forming in the below freezing temperature. Lollie shivered and bit her lip to prevent the curse words from slipping and the screaming from beginning. She’d already shouted enough that night; she didn’t need to do it anymore.
She expected the driver to be a man, for him to be wearing a business suit and rushing home for a dinner his stay-at-home wife was making him and he was late for. Instead, when the driver stepped out of the driver’s seat, her dark hair danced around her face, her baby-blue eyes locking on Lollie. Lollie gasped, clutched a hand to her heart and took a step back as the woman raced around her vehicle, sliding on the ice and shouting.
Author Bio:
Adrian J. Smith is a Christian, author, editor, spouse and all around crazy person. She’s constantly doing something at any given time and never learned to practice the word “relax.” AJ loves stories with a dramatic flair, stories that aren’t afraid to take risk and characters that are as real as the person sitting next to her.
Where to find me!
Website: adrianjsmith.wordpress.com
FB page: www.facebook.com/adrianjsmithbooks
Twitter: www.twitter.com/AdrianAJSmith
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/adrianjsmith
Young Love, Old Hearts
A Supposed Crimes Anthology
Editor: C. E. Case
Stories by: A. M. Leibowitz, Adrian J. Smith, Erin McRae & Racheline Maltese, Geonn Cannon, Helena Maeve, Kassandra Lea, Lela E. Buis, Ralph Greco Jr., & Stacy O’Steen
Everyone hears “He’s too young for you.” “She’s too old for you.” Not between these pages. This anthology crosses the age gap with nine enchanting stories of cross-generational relationships. Some are sweet, some are sexy, some are heartbreaking. One is downright murderous. The protagonists are gay men or women searching for true love or trying out what’s right in front of them.
Lesbian
“Verso and Recto” by Geonn Cannon
Discovering their mutual love of reading leads a literature student and her professor to take a step neither of them expected.
“A Blizzard’s Blow” by Adrian J. Smith
Lollie dashes from the house in the middle of a blizzard in search of something she’s not sure she’ll find, but she hopes to never again see the same cold, blank stare Kimberley gave her.
“Slice” by Ralph Greco Jr.
When Germane relinquishes her more-than-slight kinky relationship with Lila to begin a new one with younger A.J., she finds a flirty, fun and wholly different “Slice” of life opening up for her.
“That December” by Lela E. Buis
Celia finds that older women and the politics of genetic engineering aren’t what they seem.
Gay
“The Arrangement” by Helena Maeve
When he is summoned into his Dom’s study after a mutually satisfying scene, Cyril knows he’s in for something worse than the play they normally get up to.
“New York Minute” by Stacy O’Steen
Stuck in his depressing hometown for far too long, Colton jumps at the chance to return to his beloved New York City. But when some odd coincidences click into place, he needs to find the truth hidden in the lies.
“The Artist as an Old Man” by A. M. Leibowitz
1985 is a big year for Kenny Anderson. Sent to interview artist Aaron Rubenstein, making a grand reappearance after a three-year absence, Kenny digs beneath the surface to understand Aaron’s life—and maybe his own.
“Adjunct Hell” by Erin McRae & Racheline Maltese
Phil may be in his 50s, but he’s still a student, and the fact that Carl—who’s barely 30—is dating him would bad enough even if Carl wasn’t waiting for good news from the tenure committee.
“Say You Do” by Kassandra Lea
Keegan Bancroft is hoping to avoid a complete meltdown before his date. But there’s something he really wants to ask Richard.
Buy Links:
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About the Publisher
Supposed Crimes, LLC publishes fiction and poetry primarily featuring lesbian characters and themes. The focus is on genre fiction–Westerns, Science Fiction, Horror, Action–rather than just romance. That’s how we set ourselves apart from our competitors. Our characters happen to love women and kick ass.
“Supposed crimes” refers to the idea that homosexuality is outlawed, and that our authors are being subversive by writing. As times change this becomes more tongue-in-cheek, but can still apply broadly to our culture. Christians writing lesbians and men writing lesbians are also subversive ideas in this industry, and we promote people bending the rules.
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