L B Shimaira

Dark stories, reading challenges, dreams and polyamory rep!

(Discussions of trauma and abuse, mentions of sexual abuse. The one more detailed discussion of sexual abuse is deliberately noted in the text so that readers can skip if desired)

Hey folks,

Amazing interview today with the wonderful L B Shimaira, queer author of dark fiction that often includes polyamory and fantasy/horror. This was a really fun interview, and for those concerned by any trigger warnings please know that this space will always treat triggers respectfully and with the understanding that fiction is very often a comfort to some of those with these experiences, even if it may not be to others.

Chaos Gays: So first, I’ve introduced you... but introduce yourself! What is it that you do? What works of yours should we be going to look at?

LBS: Thank you <3 and I always find this awkward so be glad this is in text as it greatly reduces incoherent rambling from my side.

I'm Shimaira and I write dark fiction inspired by dreams and nightmares. Most of my short stories are actually retellings of dreams I've had, and even my novel, MY LORD, got a whole new ending when I selfpubbed the second edition. I had a dream about how it ended and just had to include that instead of what I had in the first edition (the dream ending was a lot better and added more of the lore that was in my head on page).

My next publication, THEY CALL HIM LUCIUS, started as a novelette where I retold several nightmares, stringing them together with an overarching narrative. It ended up getting two more parts, bringing it to a novel length, and multiple parts there are also based on or full retellings of nightmares (the antagonist, Lucius, kept returning every now and then).

Chaos Gays: Incoherent rambling is ALSO welcome, for the record! I do a lot of it myself. So... I've got to ask... you're writing nightmares, and some very dark subjects... there's even a challenge linked to at least one of your books... What are people's reactions to that?

LBS: Haha, yes, the "I survived Lucius" challenge was somethings friends and readers of mine came up with. One (Dee) challenged the other (Emily) to read my book, and while Dee did complete it (hence the challenge), Emily noped out a few chapters in. I consider it a huge compliment when my horror is considered too horrific. Another friend of mine, who is also a horror writer, took the challenge and completed it, but did confess they had to take multiple breaks.

Over on wattpad I had multiple readers throughout the years who noped out or had to ask for a puke bucket, so the challenge felt very fitting and I hope more people will play. I should add that I include a long list of content warnings at the start, because while I love to horrify my readers, I want to do so consensually—I don't want to cause harm.

The published version will differ from the one that is/has been on wattpad, and I hope it'll be even better and more horrific—I included a few new nightmares!

Chaos Gays: I love that! I also really like that you include content warnings, because it's something I hear a lot of people ask for, that makes darker fiction safer for them. Is there a particular reason you're so careful with them?

LBS: For MY LORD the MC goes through sexual abuse at the start of the book (fade to black), and another character has a similar thing happen later. I don't want survivors to get an unsuspected gut-punch. The book is supposed to help show how one can help cope and heal, so it would be counterproductive to potentially trigger readers with unexpected content

For THEY CALL HIM LUCIUS there is just a lot of violence and abuse, including gaslighting, and also self-harm and suicide (attempts). Those are things that can be very triggering to some, so I want readers to be informed so they can decide if they want to read it now, later, or just not. That book is about overcoming hardship and trauma, so again it's very important that readers are in the right headspace to engage with that content.

If the content warnings are sufficient enough is hard for me to judge. I just hope that for those who need it, they can help and if they get to those parts in the book and they find it is too much, I hope they can either put it down and come back later when in a better headspace, they skip ahead, or they DNF without feeling too upset.

Chaos Gays: That makes a lot of sense to me. I've definitely found that a lot of people writing dark fiction are often very understanding of anyone who struggles with that, for whatever reason. I know that's one of the reasons I often enjoy talking to horror and other dark fiction authors, but for you... why is it that you enjoy WRITING it? What makes the things you write 'your niche' and what feels special to you about that?

LBS: I started writing to help me process my own trauma and nightmares, so I consider that my "niche". Turning my nightmares into stories and them scaring others also feels a bit validating. If other people can be disturbed by them, it's not weird I am too.

I also enjoy writing dark fiction because I love seeing characters go through hell and making it out. It brings hope, in a way <3.

Chaos Gays: So the beauty of your dark fiction, for you, is knowing that the nightmare isn't forever, without having to deny that it's there? Have you heard anything from readers that confirms that? What's been your favourite sort of reaction/feedback on your work?

LBS: Basically <3 though I should add that for my short stories, a "good ending" isn't always guaranteed.

Reader responses on for example THEY CALL HIM LUCIUS have been awesome, where people were just elated at the ending and what the MC did. Some people wanted the MC to get even more revenge though. I can't remember there being anyone who was disappointed by what the MC became. (I was actually hoping some people would question if the ending was good or bad, if I'm honest, because of what she'd become (morality and such) but maybe that'll come once it's published.)

My favourite sort of reaction though... Is when people react viscerally to my intense horror scenes. People who ask for a bucket to be sick in because of the gore, or people who toss their phone/tablet because they can't handle the tension. (I do tend to ask if people genuinely tossed a device as I'd feel bad if it got damaged).

Chaos Gays: That's very fair. I've actually talked to authors before about the idea of 'good endings' and what counts as good - because for many of us, 'good' isn't always 'happily ever after'. It's what works for the narrative! I do love the sound of those reactions - sounds like a lot of strong emotions! So, as I know personally, it can be hard to find space for queer rep that's darker, and yet you include some already underrepresented queer rep in underrepresented genres! Do you want to share anything in that regard? Personally I just wanted to highlight it for anyone reading the interview!

LBS: I just want to have my queer characters do what non-queer characters have been allowed to do for a long time. But I'd be lying if I don't worry at times that people might get upset with me for having an evil character be <queer rep>. But then I just think to myself, that character just happens to be queer and ALSO evil, they're not evil because they are queer.

I just do my best to feature as many queers as I can in all the different roles--good, evil, and morally grey.

So for MY LORD I have bi and pan rep, Deminas is actually demiromantic - I really hope people can read between the lines and spot the moment where he actually realises that, oh fuck, there's something more going on here. Andreas on the other hand is very much aro, something that will also be visible in THEY CALL HIM LUCIUS (semi-spoiler: they're the same character ). Amy from TCHL is aroace but reciprosexual and pan in that regard. Khalida is ace and I think aro, too, but I'm giving that character room to show me more when I get to writing the sequel. Rory is trans.

In some books I'm currently rewriting I have more bi and pan characters, some aces, and genderfuckery. And because I see romance being pushed a LOT lately, my aro-ass has been feeling the need to make more characters aro, so will see what happens on that front...

Oh, and for NIGHTMARE STALKER one of the MCs will be using fae/faer pronouns because at some point the character was just going !!! when I came across those and well, I have to listen to my characters.

Chaos Gays: I love that, though. Please give me ALL the queer evil! I also love those representations. As someone under the ace and trans AND queer umbrella, it's wonderful to see us represented! So, you mentioned sometimes struggling with worry that people will be upset with the queer rep, but is there anything in your books you've had to reduce and/or censor for pure horror factor?

LBS: I've toned myself down on multiple occasions if I'm honest.

One story I even took down from wattpad because I feared I went too far. It was a story based on a nightmare I had and almost a one-on-one retelling at that - except even the version that got posted for a while had been toned down a bit.

CW: SA

In the nightmare/story, two sisters are home alone and a man breaks in and attacks them. He tries to rape the youngest sister, but the dad comes home right in time and the almost-rapist meets a very violent end.

I ended up taking this story down because it involved harm of a child (stab wounds) and I didn't want to risk it being found in violation of the content guidelines. I should add that I presented the story with a clear content warning at the start so I didn't worry too much about readers - they knew what they were going to read.

In the past I've written detailed SA scenes, but the book those were in is currently being rewritten and I don't know yet if the new version will have such scenes. At the time, I needed to write that to help myself process stuff. The new version, so far, has a lot more depth to the characters, so I don't even know yet if they will be capable of doing the same acts with the same level of violence.

I wrote those things for the horror factor, wanting to show just how horrible and awful it is to experience that (again, also to help myself process stuff). Seeing people post about how they hate SA being used in books tends to make me uncomfortable. It's not for everyone, sure, but I wish people would stop acting like it shouldn't be done at all. Some people need to write it, just like some need to read it. Writing, and reading for that matter, is therapy.

But yeah, looking at all my works... I take a lot of inspiration from my nightmares and I tend to exclude or reduce the SA bits.

END CW: SA

Chaos Gays: I think that makes a lot of sense. As someone that, as I've said before in interviews, has experience of trauma, sometimes it can be very hard to find where the 'line' is for most people, since as people our lines have been adjusted for us and put in a very different place. I definitely feel as though there is a place for those things, especially when they are clearly warned as yours are! My next question is a little vague, but I'm curious: what is it that feels MOST important to you in your writing? Whether that's something that's done for you, or for the reader?

LBS: That is a tough one...

One of the things I find very important in my writing is authenticity I want to stay close to my muse (my dreams and nightmares) and will try and wrangle a plot to fit all the oddities that only dreams can come up with. (Of course, not all my works/scenes are from dreams.)

However, the MOST important thing? It might sound weird but: quality. I edit and polish my stories a lot because I just find it very important to have a finished product that is good—especially if someone is going to pay for it.

I take pride in my books and will ensure they have the least possible mistakes and that they're properly formatted. (Commas are slippery assholes though and don't count.)

That's also why I welcome people notifying me of any mistake they might find. Being selfpubbed means I can easily fix and update my books.

Chaos Gays: I think that's really interesting. So if you polish your stories a lot, do you have a particular process for that, or for writing? Or is it just screaming at a computer like most of us? (joke)

LBS: Before I start writing, I always reread and edit/polish the previous chapter. I'll also use text-to-voice to listen to what I've written to help catch any mistake or clunky sounding sentences. After a story is fully done, I prefer to let it stew for a bit before I return to it, listen to it in full via text-to-voice, and then do another polishing round.

I know a lot of writers tend to hate editing, but I honestly like it.

Chaos Gays: That's a whole lot! I'm impressed, maybe you should be giving me tips! Now, this is my second-to-last question but I really wanted to make sure I asked you... what do we have to look forward to from you in the future? Any plans, releases, things we should watch out for?

LBS: I'm working on THEY CALL HIM LUCIUS for my next novel release. I hope to make it a 2025 release but I'm not going to push myself: I want quality first and no stress!

I'm also working with a team of friends and lots of other authors on a folklore anthology that should release before the end of this year.

And on top of all that I really need to get more of my short stories polished and up in my payhip store (the really short ones will be free).

Chaos Gays: That's so exciting! We'll definitely try and include links below where people can find those. So, it's time for the official Silly Question: You’ve got a challenge for They Call Him Lucius that’s about whether people can even FINISH it, but if you had to make a challenge for one of your CHARACTERS that would defeat them, what would it be?

LBS: Ooh that's a fun but difficult question, especially considering how much Amy already ends up doing that she would want to nope out of but can't.

Okay, how about for Amy: hold a ritualistic sacrifice with Latin incantations (iykyk haha)

For Lucius: let Amy go (this is apparently surprisingly difficult for him)

Oh, also a challenge for Lucius: go to therapy and actually have a proper session (though I'm not sure if there is any therapist I would want to put through that ordeal or if it would even do anything, Lucius simply being Lucius).

Chaos Gays: Thank you so much for talking to me. I’m looking forward to They Call Him Lucius and seeing the many reactions to your work!

As always, I 100% encourage anyone who is interested to check out L B Shimaira’s work on the links below - it looks like we have a lot to look forward to coming up as well!

Links

Website: https://shimaira.com

Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/picturesquebyrenee - Please also support artists!

Cover Art Credit: https://www.instagram.com/obi_bunn_kenobi