Tessera

Crystal Leigh (is querying)

@crystalleighwrites.bsky.social

I write spicy contemporary romances with social agendas. Querying NOW: THE RACING LINE, a sapphic F1 romance. WFWA, DFW, VP of Membership at RWR

27 Posts218 Follower 300 Folgt

Jessica BOOOOlin: Preorder Getting Hairy, out October 31!@olinj.bsky.social · last yr.

THE UGLIEST MAN IN HOLLYWOOD is *Notting Hill* meets *Teach Me* by Olivia Dade meets “What’s Love Got to Do With It” by Tina Turner, but Jewish and queer (bi4bi). #UnhingedPit #A #R #LGBT #Q

Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It (Official Music Video) [HD Upgrade]

YouTube video by Tina Turner Videos

youtube.com

Stephanie Raye @stephanieraye.bsky.social · last yr.

#AITA for Setting Up A Fake Wedding Agency? My 3 friends & I began sabotaging the weddings of our former high school rivals by creating a fake wedding agency. Once a wedding went to shambles, we ran like hell & skipped town. TL;DR #AITA or is karma really that bitch? #UnhingedPit #A #WF #R

a woman wearing sunglasses and a scarf around her head is driving a car .

ALT: a woman wearing sunglasses and a scarf around her head is driving a car .

media.tenor.com

Maya Rose @ohreallytheatre.bsky.social · last yr.

AITA for falling in love with my client? Orpheus here. Hermes (my-not-dad) said I had to defend this girl called Eurydice to obtain my godhood. Apparently she committed suicide. And apparently that’s illegal? And her godly revenge plan is super hot? Is this bad? #UnhingedPit #Q #A #F

Ashleigh UpChurch @myquirkywriting.swifties.social · last yr.

Black Swan meets Miranda Presley, Rebekah Harkness was the maddest woman a town has ever seen. But were the rumors steeped in truth? Or was Rebekah a strong-willed woman in a patriarchal society? #UnhingedPit #AG #NF #A

An image Taylor Swift whispering to Travis Kelce. The text reads "can you believe this random writer wrote an updated Rebekah Harkness biography"

Ahhh-lex Is Writhing @alexfromawen.bsky.social · last yr.

Mona Elliott: You're a vampire, wow. Can you tell me how it happened? Her Aunt Gwen: Well, you see, it's a very long, tragic story Mona: What's the worst that can happen telling me?? #unhingedpit #a #f #h #lgbt

Community 'apartment is on fire' meme, with text over the characters.

Text over Troy holding pizza looking shocked: Mona leaning from Aunt Gwen 'Peter & Wendy' is real.
Text over Jeff shaking a burning towel: Peter Pan: Vampire
Text over the fire on the ground: Wendy/Gwen: Also vampire
Text over Abed & Annie on the ground: Neverland: Their Warzone
Text over Britta: Capt. Hook: Lesbian pirate into Gwen.

Crystal Leigh (is querying)@crystalleighwrites.bsky.social · last yr.

I need this book ASAP!

Tisha Chevonne@thewritegirl.bsky.social · last yr.

"It's your #GirlBoss J. Gatz. Come get ready w/me before brunch @ WestEggCafe. 🥂" A Gatsby remix but she's Black , Fine, and Famous. Think race +gender bent glam with influencer culture, Black girl luxury, and a splash of ATL The Making of Jordyn Gatz #UnhingedPit #A

Drew B. Morgan 📖@drewbmorgan.bsky.social · last yr.

You know that feeling when your dad gives you a magical war eagle but the new hire bungles the whole operation and now you both have wings and your dad might actually end you if you can’t get rid of them? No? Just Ikaros then? #UnhingedPit #F #R #A #Q

a man in a leather jacket is surrounded by cool words

Alt: Jake Peralta of Brooklyn 99 says “Oh, cool cool cool, no doubt, no doubt.”

media.tenor.com

Emma Al-munshi @emmaalmunshi.bsky.social · last yr.

Sausage Dog's Book Review of To Ruin the Sky⚡️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Woof woof woof woof woof *itches leg* woof woof *sniff* Woof woof woof! Translation: Excellent Urban Romantasy with supernatural beings, a potential apocalypse, banter & tatted MMC. Would recommend #UnhingedPit #Q #NA #RF

Sara Duran ✨is AGENTED✨@saraduran.bsky.social · last yr.

I know they call this the trenches, but I never expected my own CHARACTERS to reject my queries 😅 #UnhingedPit #YA #F #LGBT #amquerying

A mock query rejection email with a pearl bead background:

Text:
Dear Sara,
Thank you for wasting my time with your query for THE PIRATE, THE PRINCESS, AND JOHN. For future reference, please note that I'm only open to multi-POV YA fantasy where the sapphic childhood-besties-turned-lovers don't get a happily-ever-after.
Side note: A scorned ghost pirate trapped inside the head of a closeted princess until they both learn to help each other come out? How original.
Regrets,
Princess Mira

View your query status page at QueryTracker.net/portal/give-up-dummy.

A mock query rejection email with a gold coin background.

Text:

Sara,
Thank you for considering me for the most torturously feel-good, insufferably hopeful-even-in-its-bleakest-moments novel I've ever had the displeasure of reading. I suggest you jump ship on writing and take on a more practical hobby like swashbuckling, rum drinking, or breaking the curse that has me stuck inside the head of this whiny princess (thanks for that, by the way).
Kick bricks barefoot,
Captain Amir

View your query status page at QueryTracker.net/portal/I-hate-you

A mock query rejection email with an ocean wave background.

Text:

Hi Sara,
Thank you so much for your query for THE PIRATE, THE PRINCESS, AND JOHN. While I truly admired the 82,000 word count, non-Western fantasy setting, and LGBTQ+ representation, unfortunately, I will have to pass. I would, however, like to offer a minor suggestion to change the title to THE PIRATE, THE PRINCESS, AND JOHANNA, as I believe this better reflects the titular character's gender identity.
Best wishes,
Johanna
View your query status page at
QueryTracker.net/portal/Protect-Trans-Kids

A mock query rejection email with a bloody background.

Text:

Ms. Duran,
The empire has scrupulously reviewed your query for THE PIRATE, THE PRINCESS, AND JOHN, and has found that beneath the lighthearted, adventurous story of queer joy and acceptance is a truly blasphemous critique of the colonization of the Global South. We will be passing, but please do keep us in mind for any future projects featuring white, male, cis-het protagonists, preferably in settings inspired by medieval Europe.
Regards,
General Genovese
View your query status page at
QueryTracker.net/portal/is-this-one-pushing-it?-maybe-lol

Crystal Leigh (is querying)@crystalleighwrites.bsky.social · last yr.

Formula 1 is never a dull sport, especially when you're the first female permanent driver and your ex is a reporter. Querying now: THE RACING LINE, a sapphic F1 romance. #UnhingedPit #A #R #LGBT #Q #f1romance #querying

A meme format where a man is bringing pizzas to a party that is a disaster. Text reads: Over the man - "Jill Hunt being first female f1 driver. Just wanting to do her job and drive, damnit!"
Over the disasters: "world champi0on leaves team in Jan, leaked meeting recordings, sexism in motorsport, ex-girlfriend is a reporter, rumors of replacement by third seat"

An image made to look like a reddit post. Text reads:
username: TotesNotMaeveLinden
AITA for going after the girl i ghosted? I (26F) dated this amazing girl in my teens. But then I got some personal ne3ws and I couldn't handle it so I moved across an ocean and never returned her calls. Cut to now and she's smashing glass ceilings in her profession and I've been assigned to report on her. And I kind of realized I'm still in love with her. WIBTA if I, like, flirted with her... a LOT?"

Image made to look like radio comms during an F1 race. Text:
HUNT RADIO #52
"Jill, do not try to overtake."
"oops, sorry couldn't hear you. what was that? Did you like that awesome overtke, bestie?'
"[cursing in spanish]"

Crystal Leigh (is querying)@crystalleighwrites.bsky.social · last yr.

Now #querying: THE RACING LINE, a sapphic F1 Romance. THE RACING LINE gives you: 🏎 2nd Chance Romance 🎤 Bisexual Rep 🏎 Friends to Lovers 🎤 Fake Dating 🏎 Women in male-dominated fields 🎤 Sports Romance 🏎 Series Potential #Agents: look for this in your query inbox or DM me for more information!

Crystal Leigh (is querying)@crystalleighwrites.bsky.social · last yr.

Is cancelling a Kylie Minogue concert because of basketball playoffs a hate crime? Cause it feels like it maybe should be.

Crystal Leigh (is querying)@crystalleighwrites.bsky.social · 2y ago

THE RACING LINE is Drive to Survive meets Lauren Asher's Dirty Air series with some Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur and it's coming to the query trenches this summer! #PosterPitW #R #PosterPit #LGBTQ #amediting

A movie poster with a race car at the top and two women at the bottom: one is brunette and looking at the camera, the other is redheaded, wearing sunglasses, and leaning against the car.
Text:
Second Chance Romance, Lesbian X Bi Babe, Smashing Glass Finish Lines, First Loves
A sapphic F1 romance by Crystal Leigh
The Racing Line
What happens when the woman breaking barriers in Formula 1 comes face-to-face with the girl who broke her heart?
Querying Soon

Crystal Leigh (is querying)@crystalleighwrites.bsky.social · 2y ago

I have a lot of THOUGHTS about the romance novel discourse and they’re going out in my newsletter tomorrow. Sign up to get them hot off the press: CrystalLeigh.beehiiv.com

Reading, Writing, and Randomness

Words about reading, writing, and whatever other random topics come to mind.

crystalleigh.beehiiv.com

Crystal Leigh (is querying)@crystalleighwrites.bsky.social · 2y ago

When I started my newsletter I went with beehiiv instead of Substack because of the whole Substack n*zi problem. I’m seeing lots of folks starting on or moving to it now (away from X/Meta props. Q: Did Substack sort out the n*zi issue or has the cycle just moved on enough that we all forgot?

Crystal Leigh (is querying)@crystalleighwrites.bsky.social · 2y ago

At this point, nothing is accidental. EVERYTHING is intentional. That man is very aware what gesture he was making and exactly who he was speaking to. The subtext is now text. We need to protect each other now because what’s posing as a government from today on will not.