A photo of the seaside town of St Peter Port in Guernsey rises roof upon roof up the ridge amid dark green trees. There is a long granite pier, perpendicular to the town, leading to the castle out in the bay. The tide is out and is very blue.

OUT NOW: The Santa Pageant, a second-chance Christmas romance between a lonely lesbian and a chilly non-binary bisexual . . .

The book cover shows an island harbour coastline at sunset, with the two main characters wearing Santa suits. Effie's suit is in the lesbian colours, and Tove's is a little black dress with a red coat. Effie tilts Tove's chin upwards with her hand.

Lillian Barry

ROMANCE AUTHOR writing about queer Channel Islanders falling in love

Headshot of Lillian. They are a white British person with mid-length auburn hair and round, pink-framed glasses.

Join my newsletter below for news and a free ebook of short stories set before The Santa Pageant!

© Lillian Barry. All rights reserved.

Photo taken in Cork on the south coast of Ireland. Brown granite cliffs glow in golden sunlight, lightly covered in grass and browning gorse. The sea is far below, frothing white on the rocks, and looks rather cold and cruel from up here.

About

Lillian Barry (they/she/he) writes in short spells when the world stops spinning, which, when you have vertigo, isn’t all that often. Every word that makes it onto the page feels like a small miracle. But that’s the way they like it—progress in small miracles like the smell of the sea through an open window or putting a name to a feeling you’ve always felt or a small kiss that says more, later.They write until the world spins again, only this time it’s a different type of spinning, the kind you get from creating love stories, a love you don’t want to ever end. Other things Lillian loves include playing brass instruments, watching anime, and getting sucked into the microcosm of a niche video game.A Channel Islander by childhood, they now live in Ireland with their partner. Find them @SoLillianBarry on all social media.

Trope graphic. Romance on a small island, Santa cosplay competition, second chance, sunshiney lesbian MC, found family, ex-best friends, only one tent/bath/bed, rejection sensitivity dysphoria, grumpy non-binary bisexual MC, mid-20s ennui.

Content warnings: This book contains discussion of emotional abuse within a past relationship, the aftermath of a broken engagement including the reappearance of the ex, and one flashback. It also features emotionally immature parents (of adult characters); mentions of polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, and postnatal depression; mentions of C-PTSD, RSD, anxiety, and undiagnosed ADHD; some lesbophobia and biphobia; misgendering; ableism; gaslighting; divorce; strong language; sex between consenting adult characters; consumption of alcohol; pipe smoking; and mentions of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is also ableist language used to hurt a main character.front cover illustrated by Annalise Jensen

THE SANTA PAGEANT is out now!

Buy anywhere books are sold (Linktree)
Add to Goodreads
Audiobook narrated by Kaylynn Creighton out now!
30% of all income from The Santa Pageant will be donated to three causes: 10% to homeless support in Dublin; 10% to domestic abuse victim support in Guernsey; 10% to Palestinian aid
~~~Effie is going to win the Santa of the Year Pageant.Her family are adamant that Santa isn’t a lesbian, but Effie has a pink Santa suit and a pocketful of festive puns. She’s definitely going to win. All that’s standing in her way is Tove, the grumpiest Santa in the grotto…who also happens to be Effie’s estranged best friend (who she scared off ten years ago with a really poorly timed kiss).Too bad Tove wants nothing to do with her. Or do they, considering they keep asking for Effie’s help in the week leading up to Christmas, as they confront all that’s happened in the years since they parted?

Contact

If you'd like to get in contact, please message me using this form or find me @SoLillianBarry on socials. I'd love to hear from you!

Thank you! Please check your Spam for my newsletter welcome email and mark 'Not Spam'!

Thank you for your message!
Have a great day!