It’s been an exciting month for rainbow authors and readers down under. Belonging to three active online LGBTQ groups has given me a fabulous sense of community.

When Gillian St. Kevern and I first founded the New Zealand Rainbow Romance Writers group we had no idea—although we hoped and dreamed—that we’d be now sitting at 24 members. I love the community and support within the group, especially as we’re all Kiwi writers going through the same issues that come with being isolated geographically from the rest of the world.

At some point we’re hoping to have our own mini in person writing retreat, and put together an anthology.

I particularly enjoy our weekly sharing goals post, and knowing our group is a safe place to chat, ask advice, and give support. If you’re a Kiwi rainbow romance writer, we’d love to have you join us.

Several of us are going to the RWNZ conference in Christchurch in August, so I’m very much looking forward to meeting people I’ve only chatted to online up to this point, and am already starting to get organised for that event.

Some of us from the writers group—me, Jay Hogan, Naomi Aoki/Mandy Greenwood, Zoe Piper, Belinda King, and C.J. Vincent—have joined together to form Kiwi Authors Rainbow Readers. Although we’re New Zealanders, you don’t have to live here to join our readers group. We’re an active group and suddenly exploded with members this month. There are now over 100 of us. We have regular themed days—Monday Musings, Author Promo Thread, WIP Wednesday, and What Are You Reading on Sunday.

One of our new members was very excited to find us as she didn’t know there were MM writers in New Zealand. This shows me there was a real need for our group, and I’m very happy about the way it’s taken off. I’ve never had a readers group before, and it’s a lot less scary doing it in the company of other authors I now think of as friends.

The other exciting thing that is happening down under is the Gay Lit Con in Sydney from 12-13 March 2021. I always thought I’d never get to an event like this because travelling to the other side of the world is way out of reach, so hoping I can get to this one!

I should probably think about organising a passport just in case. The last time I went to Australia I didn’t need one, which shows how long ago that was. Sad really, considering I’m half Australian and have family there.