Trigger Warnings and Dark Romance

Introducing: ISOELLEN DARK

#ISOELLENDARK

Trigger warnings for my books and other thoughts on dark romance.

As I grow as an author, exploring what I write, I have discovered while readers might love my romance stories, not all readers are going to love all stories I write. It seems like a simple concept to understand but I actually had to learn this.

I am on a constant learning curve of understanding more about trigger warnings, marketing, getting things flagged as "adult" on amazon, and what my readers need. 

My first series focused on giving the omega's in omegaverse a choice in who they bond and love. No matter how fierce or frightening the alpha or terrible the situation—even with pheromones and seduction skills—an alpha that wanted a future with an omega would not force her. Some of the other consent situations would be considered shaky in a non-fiction world but within my character’s raw, earthy, highly physical relationships unspoken consent and deep acceptance of a partners needs and wants is a part of their deeply spiritual bond.

I don’t just write fantasy. I explore fantasy romantic relationships. This is all the escapist, do-not-try-this-at-home stuff.

My focus is on m/f romance set in non-contemporary, ruined, patriarchal and misogynistic, dystopian worlds. Not everyone’s cup of tea, so I label all my books as dark fantasy or dark romance. And while all my readers may be fine with these categories, the alpha-holes and non-consent/capture/forced seduction tropes I sometimes explore aren’t for everyone.

To make it easier and rather than starting a second pen name for dark romance, I’m going to start putting my books into the Isoellen Dark or and Isoellen Gray categories.

Isoellen Dark Books #ISOELLENDARK

Featuring non-consent and capture/force scenarios at the start of the relationship. “Stockholm syndrome romance.”

  • Claiming Starlight
  • Finding Her Luck
  • The Commander

Isoellen Gray Books  #ISOELLENGRAY

Featuring some possible dark non-consent situation, but with full consent from both parties when it comes to mating, falling in love, and bonding. The women in these books will all want their partner or fully agree to a partnership.

  • The 12 Sectors Series
  • Caught- Balancing Magic
  • When It Burns (Aka The Burn Garden)
  •  Finding Her Heart

I hope this helps readers. I’ll try to keep this list updated and be better at listing this difference.

Triggers in dark romance

That said, when in doubt, if you have sensitivities when it comes to sexual situations and relationships, and raw, messy personal contact, please, don't read my dark romance books. If death, blood, gore, violence and random bursts of sword usage to settle a dispute in public bother you, please, don't read my dark romance books.

My books are for consenting adults

Since, I would never knowingly sell my work to the under twenty-one crowd, since I would never willingly want to harm anyone with stories meant for pleasure, escape, and fantasy dreamscape, please do not read anything I write if you are not sure it is safe. 

I can assure you; it isn’t safe. It’s messy. It’s sometimes oppressive. It’s nothing like how people really behave or should behave. I’m not writing, and will likely never write, real-world, cozy situations.

Some readers have mentioned that there is BDSM in my books. That is my very last intention. I must agree that there are plenty of kinks, however.  Some of those kinks made BDSM famous, but within those sexy interactions is every level of consent, non-consent, dubious consent, seduction and unwilling participation enough to make your BDSM lover highly object. 

If any of what I have just written makes you uncomfortable, my books may not be right for you.

I write what I like to read and I love the dark romance genre.

Quite honestly, I love unrealistic true-love-conquers-all scenarios set in the worst kind of soul crushing worlds.  I don’t want a hero that asks permission. I want an antihero who takes what he wants. When he wants it. How he wants it. A man who is willing to destroy the world to get it, keep it, and protect it forever. This type of hero will feature in all my books, in one form or another.

The #ISOELLENDARK antiheros are just more impatient than the #ISOELLENGRAY men.

Don’t let the alphas kid you. They are just biding their time to get what they want.

Omegas choose.

But alphas always dominate.

Happy reading, 

Izzy