Interview: Jason

Today we’re joined by Jason. Jason is a fantastic artist who loves to knit. They run a small business selling their knitted creations, which is all LGBTQIA+ themed. Their work is absolutely gorgeous, brimming with color and demonstrating an amazing craftsmanship. It’s clear they love what they do, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.

Ace

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I’m a knitter! I was taught as a child but seeing as I’m ADHD it didn’t go to well. I began knitting again after I had wrist surgery as a form of gentle rehab and fell in love with it all over again! I now knit several hours a day and am working on my first sock, but I prefer making small soft toys and such. I also run a small business selling my pride flag related knitting!

What inspires you?

Every time I get a message from someone saying, “I never knew I had a flag!” or “I’ve never seen my flag mentioned or sold!” it makes my day. The ace flags was one of the first I added on and I still get happy messages when people find it. Also, after my surgery I was so scared about what it would mean about the usability of my hand, so I keep knitting to make sure it stayed working.

Keychains

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

I took part in a project to raise money and awareness for the LGBTGIA+ community in Australia around the time my country held a vote on legalizing same sex marriage. I began knitting rainbow flags and selling them to raise money for charity. Looking back now, they were awful, but people loved them! I began expanding; got new yarn, got a website and now I have a popular Instagram account, a growing business and 130 sales under my belt! Due to chronic illness I can’t work, so this business has become my main source of income. I’ve always wanted to create things as long as I can remember but I never thought I’d get this far

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

I don’t but this has me thinking I should create one!

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Whatever you do, enjoy it. Even if the other style looking better, gets more likes, or whatever, the important thing is that you truly enjoy your art. My first creations were hideous. I wish I was kidding but they were truly awful. However, I was having a blast! The fact I was having so much fun with it lead me to continue. Also, likes are great and it fine to be sad if you get less than usual (I freely admit that I do!)/that you hoped, but the amount has no bearing on your skill.

Kitty in an Ace Cape

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

Plain, 100% asexual. I’m still not convinced sexual attraction is real 😉

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

People seem to think that the fact I stock the ace flag is the most horrifying, soul destroying heinous crime that exists. Before I was able to source the yarn for the lesbian flag, I was regularly the recipient of slurs because “ugh you don’t have the lesbian flag but you have the ace and non-binary flags and those aren’t even real!!!!!!!”. As a non-binary ace that wasn’t the nicest thing to experience. I did my best to explain to people why I had the flags I did and if they wouldn’t listen, I’d disengage completely. When I was really sad, id post photos of my ace and aro products in my Facebook groups and they’d hype me u and remind me that good people exist. Knitting is my happy place and gives me independence so I do my best to only share it with those that respect it and me.

Rainbow

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

Either the pure innocent child myth (completely false, my aroace friend and I are filthy minded) or that all aces/aspecs hate sex

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

I know that feeling. I know the pain. You are NOT alone. You have a whole community behind you and if you figure out that this isn’t your community, we’ll send you on your journey with a smile and a hug. Give yourself time and be kind to yourself.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

Website/store- www.proudknitting.info
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/proud_knitting/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/proudknitting/
Etsy- https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/ProudKnitting

Wristbands

Thank you, Jason, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Signal Boost: IDGAF Shareable

(Shared on Tumblr originally. Please visit there to see the accompanying video)

IDGAF is currently having a Weekend Pitch Party. Here’s the information:

Hi guys!

So IDGAF has just entered be in Stareable’s weekend pitch party! Winning gives us a chance to be featured in their newsletter which gives us a chance at having even MORE exposure and donors. All you have to do to help us accomplish this is go to the link provided below and LIKE the video! If you plan to share it with other friends and family make sure they like the original video as well and not the post that you share it on. It’s the only way the votes can count!

https://www.facebook.com/stareable/videos/792613157592700/

We’d really appreciate you guys helping us do this! Thank you thank you thank you!

Please log onto Facebook, signal boost, and show this webseries some love.

Also, they extended their fundraising deadline, so you can still contribute to getting this webseries made. Here’s the IndieGogo link: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/i-don-t-give-a-f-ck

IDGAF Cake Poster

Interview: Jordan

Today we’re joined by Jordan. Jordan is a fantastic author who currently has a short story out in the world, in the collection entitled Athena’s Daughters. When she’s not writing, Jordan does various crafts and even enjoys singing in a local LGBTQIA+ affirming chorus. Jordan is obviously an incredibly dedicated and passionate artist, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I’m a writer who dabbles in art and various and sundry forms of crafting. I mainly write curriculum material these days (I’m a high school English teacher), but I’m a Published Author (all-caps, so official, yes yes) with a short story out in the world. I enjoy making costumes, knitting, doing cross-stitch, writing fan-fiction, and baking. Oh! I sing, too. I’m a member of an LGBT-affirming chorus in my hometown.

What inspires you?

My family and friends, and often, my students. And books! Good lord, books. I read voraciously, and nothing is more inspiring than encountering a book that you can get yourself completely lost in for a few hours. I read a lot of historical fiction, and I’ve been diving into LGBT+ YA quite a bit since I started teaching. Glorious stuff, all.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

I’ve always been interested in the arts. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been writing stories. I remember a “series” I wrote when I was in first or second grade all about my favorite teddy bear. It was called “Cinnamon: Bear of the World,” and it chronicled the adventures of my teddy as he saved lives and spread love across the globe. I fell in love with anime in middle school and started drawing then — I’ve never stopped, really, although my anime obsession has fallen to the wayside (probably for the best). I was introduced to Broadway pretty early by my parents who recognized a drama student when they saw one, and after seeing “Beauty & the Beast” when I was 7, I’ve never looked back.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

I don’t necessarily include them in my “official” work, but I like to sneak opossums in whenever I can. I always draw opossums when I sign yearbooks, and I’ve gotten very good at drawing one on the spot in less than 10 seconds.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Do your craft. If you’re an aspiring writer, WRITE! Love art but not sure if you’re good enough to make it in the real world? Who cares! Draw! Paint! Sew! Bake! Even if you think your stuff is awful, you’ll never get better unless you keep getting your work out there and practicing like it’s your job (and maybe it will be). I look back at things I wrote even five years ago and I shudder. We’re always developing and growing, learning, as artists, and that’s OK!

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I identify as aro-ace.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

Not necessarily in my field (although there is plenty of ace-phobia out there on the Internet, and Tumblr is no exception), but in my personal life, I struggle to get myself recognized. I’m not “out” to most of my family, but when I express my desire to remain single and my apathy towards romance, the most common response is confusion or even exasperation. My parents are afraid that I’ll end up alone, and it’s difficult to convince them that having a partner and/or getting married are not the end-all-be-all. I try to explain asexuality, usually without using the actual word, as simple and logically as I can. It’s a work in progress.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

That you’ll “find the right person,” or that you should get into counseling. I take medicine for my OCD, and my parents have suggested that I talk to my doctor to get my prescription changed, as if that would alter my views on romance and sex.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

You are valid, you are not a freak, you are are not unlovable or unloved. Just like gender is a spectrum, so too is sexuality. Some people like girls; some people like guys; some people like both; some people like everybody; and yes, some people don’t “like” anyone, and that doesn’t mean you’re broken. Your life can be as full and rewarding as you want it to be: your worth is NOT measured by your libido. Be strong, loves, and surround yourself with people who love and accept you for who you are.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

My short story “As Far as Death This Way” is in the Athena’s Daughter’s 2 Anthology published by Silence in the Library and can be purchased in hard-copy or eBook form on Amazon at http://a.co/3fx7mPK

I’m on Tumblr at dozmuffinxc, Instagram at extermiteach, and I have a fledgling travel blog at http://www.anopossumabroad.wordpress.com.

Thank you, Jordan, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Casey Ashwood

Today we’re joined by Casey Ashwood. Casey is a wonderful author who recently just published his first ace book. While he mostly writes M/M gay romances, Casey is hoping to bring more ace characters into the romance genre. It’s a great and important goal. Casey is an incredibly dedicated and passionate artist, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to him for taking the time to participate in this interview.

“Chase the Ace” book

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I’m an indie gay (M/M) romance author. I focus a lot on the relationship between characters and how they experience intimacy. My stories tend to have contemporary settings and are on more of the light and fluffy side. My work does contain adult content because most romance readers very much expect to see sexy times in their stories.

Although my catalogue currently mostly contains books featuring gay cis men as main characters, I want to branch out and write more genders and sexualities. It’s tricky to market anything that isn’t gay cis men romance, but I’m hoping the audience will one day be more open to other representations of the LGBTQIA+ community.

I recently published my first ace novel, which I’d love to get more attention for! It’s called Chase the Ace and can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078BQ14Y5 I really enjoyed writing it and have gotten positive feedback from it so far. If I can get the novel enough attention, I’d love to turn it into a series. We definitely need more ace representation.

What inspires you?

The main drive behind writing what I do is the hope that I can put out some positive representations of the community, especially as someone that is LGBTQIA+ myself. I also want to challenge how a lot of mainstream LGBT romance stories are written. For example, a lot of books really hone in on homophobic themes. While I also have to include such themes sometimes just to sell my books, I try not to make it my main focus. Many of us face that kind of stuff in real life on a daily basis—the last thing we want is to read it in our books.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer, and have written stories since I was a very young child. I always have words in my head and stories in my heart, as corny as that sounds. Although I’ve bounced around awhile to make ends meet, I’ve finally been able to focus on being an author as my career. I hope to be able to keep it that way!

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

For my latest story, Chase the Ace, for those of us that are ace, the title is pretty self-explanatory. However, the phrase is also the name of a card game. I have a Newfoundland background, and the game is particularly popular as a lottery of sorts. The jackpots can become very high!

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

I don’t think I can offer anything that hasn’t already been said before. All I can say is just work at your craft and give it your all. Some days will always be more productive than others, so make sure you take care of yourself (both mentally and physically). On the days that you’re not feeling so productive, try not to beat yourself up over it. There’s always tomorrow.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I identify as ace, and have for a good few years now. I can’t 100% say that I’m not demisexual, but I feel much more contented to simply use asexual as it is.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

I haven’t come across any outright ace prejudice or ignorance in my field yet because I tend to just chug along and do my own thing. However, it’s very annoying to feel as though I have to write steamy scenes in my stories just to ensure it sells. I’d love to be able to showcase more that you can have a deeply loving, meaningful, and committed relationship without sex.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

The most common misconception I’ve come across is the usual “you just haven’t found the right one” sort of thing. I’m in my thirties now, though, so I don’t hear variations of it quite as often anymore.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

You don’t have to choose one label and stick with it your entire lives. Be fluid. Experiment. If something doesn’t sit well with you, try something else. Changing labels doesn’t make you a fraud. You’re just human, and we’re all wondrously intricate.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

People can learn more about my work through:

My Amazon product page: https://www.amazon.com/Casey-Ashwood/e/B01B4V13HW
My email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bMA8ir
My email address: caseyashwood@gmail.com
My Tumblr: https://caseyashwood.tumblr.com
My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caseyashwood

Thank you very much for your time!

Thank you, Casey, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.