Edith Pilaf
@tjwest3.bsky.social
Queer Appalachian ex-pat writer who loves all things pop culture. My debut queer Appalachian rom-com, Country Road Romance, is available now.
It's Swoony Sunday at Omnivorous, where I reviewed Edward Underhill's The In-Between Bookstore, a beautiful little trans story that's equal parts time travel story and queer romance. I loved it, and I think you will, too.
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
Swoony Sunday Book Review: "The In-Between Bookstore"
Edward Underhill's adult fiction debut is a beautiful, hilarious, and at times devastating time travel story with a healthy dash of romance.
open.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 12:05 AM
It's Swoony Sunday at Omnivorous, where I reviewed Edward Underhill's The In-Between Bookstore, a beautiful little trans story that's equal parts time travel story and queer romance. I loved it, and I think you will, too.
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
Currently watching Twinless. And I love it. Funny. Poignant. Sexy. Twisted. Just like queer cinema should be.
November 30, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Currently watching Twinless. And I love it. Funny. Poignant. Sexy. Twisted. Just like queer cinema should be.
I decided to start redrafting my Appalachian gothic horror novel, and I like where it's going so far. Aiming for a September '26 release.
Looking forward, I have enough material to release 3 novels (two romances and one romantasy) and 2 novellas (one horror, one romance) next year.
Let's go!
Looking forward, I have enough material to release 3 novels (two romances and one romantasy) and 2 novellas (one horror, one romance) next year.
Let's go!
November 30, 2025 at 8:18 PM
I decided to start redrafting my Appalachian gothic horror novel, and I like where it's going so far. Aiming for a September '26 release.
Looking forward, I have enough material to release 3 novels (two romances and one romantasy) and 2 novellas (one horror, one romance) next year.
Let's go!
Looking forward, I have enough material to release 3 novels (two romances and one romantasy) and 2 novellas (one horror, one romance) next year.
Let's go!
This Small Business Saturday, please consider preordering a copy of my forthcoming queer Appalachian romantasy, A Bond of Blood and Stone. It's Appalachia meets Ancient Rome, with star crossed lovers, queer sex, and a brewing revolution.
You won't want to miss it!
a.co/d/8Suk1nU
You won't want to miss it!
a.co/d/8Suk1nU
A Bond of Blood and Stone (Bound Hearts Book 1) - Kindle edition by West, TJ . Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
A Bond of Blood and Stone (Bound Hearts Book 1) - Kindle edition by West, TJ . Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
a.co
November 29, 2025 at 2:32 PM
This Small Business Saturday, please consider preordering a copy of my forthcoming queer Appalachian romantasy, A Bond of Blood and Stone. It's Appalachia meets Ancient Rome, with star crossed lovers, queer sex, and a brewing revolution.
You won't want to miss it!
a.co/d/8Suk1nU
You won't want to miss it!
a.co/d/8Suk1nU
Happy Saturday, everyone! For today's edition of Omnivorous I reviewed the collaborative novel, Song of War, which features a number of interconnected stories that breathe new life into the tale of the Trojan War. It's a definite myst-read!
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
Book Review: "A Song of War"
This collaborative novel breathes new, exciting, and tragic life into the age-old story of the Trojan War.
open.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Happy Saturday, everyone! For today's edition of Omnivorous I reviewed the collaborative novel, Song of War, which features a number of interconnected stories that breathe new life into the tale of the Trojan War. It's a definite myst-read!
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
Happy Friday, everyone! I haven't yet finished Philip Pullman's The Rose Field, but I'm loving it so far. I'm almost done, so I thought I'd share my thoughts before I take the plunge and say goodbye to Lyra's world.
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
Reading Update: "The Rose Field"
The third volume of Philip Pullman's magnificent "The Book of Dust" is an evocative and thought-provoking read.
open.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Happy Friday, everyone! I haven't yet finished Philip Pullman's The Rose Field, but I'm loving it so far. I'm almost done, so I thought I'd share my thoughts before I take the plunge and say goodbye to Lyra's world.
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
A Bond of Blood and Stone has been submitted for preorder on both Amazon and IngramSpark. Release date is December 16, 2025, so watch this space for when it goes live!
November 28, 2025 at 9:03 PM
A Bond of Blood and Stone has been submitted for preorder on both Amazon and IngramSpark. Release date is December 16, 2025, so watch this space for when it goes live!
Seeing the American president call a sitting governor the r-word really does bring our country to a whole new level of debased uncouthness.
Definitely hanging my head in shame today.
Definitely hanging my head in shame today.
November 28, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Seeing the American president call a sitting governor the r-word really does bring our country to a whole new level of debased uncouthness.
Definitely hanging my head in shame today.
Definitely hanging my head in shame today.
TodayI'm thankful for many things: a wonderful family and partner; friends that make my life better every day; enthusiastic readers and editors who've made this indie writing journey such a success and a joy; a cat that's a beautiful little asshole.
Readers, my heart is full.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Readers, my heart is full.
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 28, 2025 at 1:26 AM
TodayI'm thankful for many things: a wonderful family and partner; friends that make my life better every day; enthusiastic readers and editors who've made this indie writing journey such a success and a joy; a cat that's a beautiful little asshole.
Readers, my heart is full.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Readers, my heart is full.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thursday, everyone! For today's edition of Omnivorous I reviewed the final two episodes of King & Conqueror, which is a beautiful and tragic piece of historical TV storytelling.
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
TV Review: "King & Conqueror" (Season 1, Episodes 7-8)
The period drama comes to a devastating and tragic conclusion as William and Harold meet on the bloody and grisly field of Hastings.
open.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Happy Thursday, everyone! For today's edition of Omnivorous I reviewed the final two episodes of King & Conqueror, which is a beautiful and tragic piece of historical TV storytelling.
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
Love the feeling when a romance novel really comes together. Some might like to deride the genre for being predictable, but as a queer Appalachia who sets stories in my home state of WV, I find the genre a really effective tool for grappling with the issues facing our region and those who live there
November 27, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Love the feeling when a romance novel really comes together. Some might like to deride the genre for being predictable, but as a queer Appalachia who sets stories in my home state of WV, I find the genre a really effective tool for grappling with the issues facing our region and those who live there
Today on Thanksgiving I’m thankful for this handsome asshole.
November 27, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Today on Thanksgiving I’m thankful for this handsome asshole.
I’m now at that age where I’m far more excited for the Broadway parts of the Macy’s Parade than the pop performances (partly bc I don’t know most of the music acts. 😭)
November 27, 2025 at 2:40 PM
I’m now at that age where I’m far more excited for the Broadway parts of the Macy’s Parade than the pop performances (partly bc I don’t know most of the music acts. 😭)
I decided to channel some creative energies into outlining Hittin' the Right Note, my second-chance queer Appalachian romance. Country boy meets pretty boy. Guitars and pop music. Northern WV vibes. It's all coming together.
November 27, 2025 at 3:45 AM
I decided to channel some creative energies into outlining Hittin' the Right Note, my second-chance queer Appalachian romance. Country boy meets pretty boy. Guitars and pop music. Northern WV vibes. It's all coming together.
He does “vaguely disgusted with my human’s nonsense” so well.
November 27, 2025 at 2:03 AM
He does “vaguely disgusted with my human’s nonsense” so well.
Okay I’m going to have to stop skimming my Goodreads reviews and ratings. I can’t control how people respond to my work, and as someone said, it’s a safe space for readers. I just need to focus on getting my next book out and let the others fend for themselves.
November 27, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Okay I’m going to have to stop skimming my Goodreads reviews and ratings. I can’t control how people respond to my work, and as someone said, it’s a safe space for readers. I just need to focus on getting my next book out and let the others fend for themselves.
Not me making myself cry by remembering Glinda singing “the wicked die alone” and thinking Elphie really did die alone. 😭
November 26, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Not me making myself cry by remembering Glinda singing “the wicked die alone” and thinking Elphie really did die alone. 😭
Dude, what you looking at?
November 26, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Dude, what you looking at?
Happy Wednesday, everyone! For today's early edition of Omnivorous I reviewed the fifth and sixth episodes of King & Conqueror, which continues to be one of the best pieces of historical television I've seen recently.
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
TV Review: "King & Conqueror" (Season 1, Episodes 5-6)
The fifth and sixth episodes of the historical drama see both Harold and William continuing down the road to tragedy, as their fateful confrontation at Hastings looms on the horizon.
open.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Happy Wednesday, everyone! For today's early edition of Omnivorous I reviewed the fifth and sixth episodes of King & Conqueror, which continues to be one of the best pieces of historical television I've seen recently.
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
I loved the first four episodes of The Beast in Me but found the last four quite lacking, though it's still a gripping watch, thanks to both Matthew Rhys and, in particular, Claire Danes.
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
TV Review: "The Beast in Me" (Episodes 5-8)
The Netflix thriller loses its bite in its second half, though it still remains a compelling watch.
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I loved the first four episodes of The Beast in Me but found the last four quite lacking, though it's still a gripping watch, thanks to both Matthew Rhys and, in particular, Claire Danes.
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
Okay, the book is typeset, the templates are back from the cover designer. All that's left is for me to put the thing together. Doing that Friday, and then, Lord willing, the book will be ready for preorder!
November 25, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Okay, the book is typeset, the templates are back from the cover designer. All that's left is for me to put the thing together. Doing that Friday, and then, Lord willing, the book will be ready for preorder!
Just saw a piece claiming that Glinda knows Elphaba is alive at the end of Wicked: For Good and was praising this for providing closure and being fan service and I'm just like...no. I disagree with both the interpretation and the sentiment.
November 25, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Just saw a piece claiming that Glinda knows Elphaba is alive at the end of Wicked: For Good and was praising this for providing closure and being fan service and I'm just like...no. I disagree with both the interpretation and the sentiment.
Well, today's the day I'm hoping to be completely done with my romantasy, with preorders being submitted soon.
The question is: matte or glossy? I went with the former for my rom-com, but I'm thinking glossy is a good fit for romantasy.
Thoughts?
The question is: matte or glossy? I went with the former for my rom-com, but I'm thinking glossy is a good fit for romantasy.
Thoughts?
November 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Well, today's the day I'm hoping to be completely done with my romantasy, with preorders being submitted soon.
The question is: matte or glossy? I went with the former for my rom-com, but I'm thinking glossy is a good fit for romantasy.
Thoughts?
The question is: matte or glossy? I went with the former for my rom-com, but I'm thinking glossy is a good fit for romantasy.
Thoughts?
To the surprise of no one, I absolutely adored Wicked, so of course I wrote a very weepy review of it!
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
Film Review: "Wicked: For Good"
The second half of Elphaba and Glinda's saga is beautiful and achingly, devastatingly tragic.
open.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:31 PM
To the surprise of no one, I absolutely adored Wicked, so of course I wrote a very weepy review of it!
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...
open.substack.com/pub/omnivoro...