I mentioned that I had a playlist for myself. I decided it was time to talk about it and let it out there. Maybe this music will help other people someday or at least reassure someone that there were others like them. Click to continue reading.
Category Archives: What I’m Up To
Planning for 2026: The Creative Side
It’s a little early, I know, but I thought I’d try to think through some planning for 2026. A lot of this is, honestly, based on some hope that things do not go entirely insane in politics here in the US, but sometimes you just have to try to have some faith. Click to continue reading.
Plans and goals for the rest of November.
Even though I’m late on it, still: new month, new energy, new goals.
Here’s what I’m focusing on for this month: Click to continue reading.
A Re-introduction.
I realized it’s been a while since I gave a proper introduction of myself, so here goes:
I’m Jen Dantes, a trans woman living in the United States Greater Northeast (what William Gibson referred to as the BAMA or the Sprawl) while writing books and looking for a job.
I’ve written one book, The Ballad of the Grey Swan, and my second book, Fiendblood, is in its final stages of preparation as I take a few moments to write this. My books are romantic fantasy adventures, with queer heroes, magic, and swordplay in an idealistic fantasy empire that’s being threatened from within and needs heroes to save it – the kind of books I want to read, and I hope they resonate with you if you choose to read them. I currently have two more books in the Chronicles of Taeliana planned, tentatively entitled Shadeborn and Scarlet Bard, and ideas for a couple more beyond those.
Whether you’ve been here a while or just joined, I’m glad you’re here. It’s a weird world out there, and it’s good to have some friends hanging out and talking.
I’ll make this one also an “Ask Me Anything”, so if you have a question, drop it below and I’ll answer it as best I can. (Note: Anything does not include my ID number, bank account info, credit card number, or any passwords. I’m a little smarter than that…)
Announcement: A site reorg, and the store is now open!
Greetings, friends.
I’ve rearranged the site a little bit, to take into account a few things.
The Joys of Small Business Setup
This was yesterday’s “laugh or scream, I cannot tell which” moment: Apparently, if I want to get some more of the advertising I want to do working, I need a state of Pennsylvania business license, because:
- I live in Pennsylvania
- These sites want you to have a business license to do advertising.
Happy Independent Bookstore Day!
Today is Independent Bookstore Day! It’s a day to celebrate booksellers outside of the corporate ranks, the little place in your town, the used bookstore on the side street, places like that.
It’s also a place to celebrate online independent stores, like those on itch.io, selling you books that you might not be able to find in the big stores.
For example, if you go to the Taeliana Books itch.io store you can buy my independently created book The Ballad of the Grey Swan in DRM-free epub and PDF formats.
And if you go to the top level of itch.io, there’s a lot of other authors there selling their books. Mine might not be your cup of tea, but maybe someone else’s book could be!
Keep the indy bookstores alive!
Transgender Day of Visibility 2025
Hello. My name is Jen Dantes. I am:
- a married transgender white woman
- a technical support professional
- a writer
- a diabetic
- a person suffering from depression
I am all these things. All of them help to define me.
This is me being visible in the face of a government that wants to stifle me, deny me, say I don’t exist or am mentally ill (well, I knew that part) or am some kind of horrible person for the sheet reason of what I am. I am standing up and telling them no, in this little way.
Doesn’t matter what the press says. Doesn’t matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn’t matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world — “No, you move.”
– Captain America
No, transphobes and MAGA and TERFS and all the rest of you who hate me for claiming my own identity.
You move.
If you don’t like it? Go to hell.
Happy New Year.
It’s 2025.
A lot of crap is not looking at making people happy this year. The new administration is not going to be fun for a lot of people. So I’m going to need to do it myself for myself.
The Ballad of the Grey Swan Merch!
I decided to make some merch with a pair of images inspired by The Ballad of the Grey Swan and a good old-fashioned LGBTQIA+ slogan!
All are available through RedBubble.