Recently, I’ve been fortunate to connect with the lesbian writer Jae from Germany and to be included on her Sapphic Book Advent Calendar. Since I was raised secular, I don’t have much knowledge about Advent.
But many of my books are inspired by or have religious (as well as queer) themes, so it’s a good fit. In fact, my romance novel Loving Artemis, an endearing tale of revolution, love and marriage (published in August 2022 by Thorned Heart Press) was chosen by Kittredge Cherry, publisher of QSpirit, as one of the top LGBTQ Christian books of the year.
In the past decade, I have become a Unitarian Universalist (and a lay minister) as well as a qigong practitioner and I am increasingly drawn to the light which is quite beautiful and different in my region this time of year.
In thinking about Advent, the first thing that came to mind was “Take back the light.”
When I first heard someone talk about Advent, it was several years ago when our then new Unitarian minister talked about the importance of Advent to him growing up in the Christian tradition. He talked about the practice of waiting which I liked.
There is much to be said about inhabiting each moment and there is much to be said about waiting (which is different).
I might be used to inhabiting the moment but being included in the Sapphic Book Advent Calendar is what I’ve been waiting for.
For more information on my most recent novel Loving Artemis, an endearing tale of revolution, love, and marriage, click here:
Janet Mason, author 