Jade Hernández and Aleera Anaya Ceres on Writing Romance with a Dual Identity

From gritty contemporary to fantastical shifters, today's guest is a USA Today Bestselling author with a dual identity. On We Read Smut, we're exploring the incredible worlds that Jade Hernández, who also writes as Aleera Anaya Ceres, creates under both of those names. Join us as we discuss Jade's journey from a disappointing publishing experience to the freedom of indie publishing, and how she writes diverse characters that break stereotypes and reflect the world we live in.Jade Hernández is a proud Mexican-American woman who strives to bring more Latinx stories to life within the contemporary romance genre. You may know her as Aleera Anaya Ceres, the USA Today Bestselling Author of diverse fantasy and paranormal works. Under this new penname, she aims to represent her culture by writing sweet, dark, gritty, and fun stories for all. As an introvert, Jade prefers to stay inside with a good book, collect tarot cards, and she's recently found a love for book boxes! She currently lives in Tlaxcala, Mexico with her husband and children.In this episode, we're discussing:How a small press whitewashed her character on a book cover, leading her to discover the creative freedom and control of self-publishing.The importance of using Spanish in books to reflect character authenticity, and why readers need to be more understanding.The physical toll of signing thousands of books and how readers can be more conscious of authors' capacity and personal circumstances.Jade's fantastical shifter romance, where she creates a unique and badass world of mermaid motorcycles and gargoyle demons.Jade's journey is a powerful reminder of why representation matters, and how authors fight to bring their authentic stories to life. We're so excited to see the worlds she creates, especially her new gargoyle romance!CONNECT WITH JADE:WebsiteJade InstagramAleera InstagramBOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:Ink by Jade HernándezQueenie and the Krakens by Aleera Anaya CeresBaby and the Late Night Howlers by Katherine MoonSteel Demon Series by Crystal AshRunning list of books mentioned (Doc)Support the showJoin the After Dark Substack CommunityConnect with Alesia:StorygraphInstagramThis podcast was produced by Galati Media.Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.