Subversive Fiction

For the liberals too radical to fit into their society, who turn to books to find a way to the world they want.

Written by Elijah Merrill (he/him)

An eye with a teal iris and a narrow pupil, surrounded by green scales.

"My dear mama told me that I would be a queen without a crown. She said she had a vision while she was giving birth to me, that I would be a queen and protect the strange ones."

—From my novel Ironclaw New York

Fantasy. Historical. Queer. Disability. Immigrants. Justice. Neurodivergence. Literary Analysis. Hopeful Endings.

"The role of the artist is to make the revolution irresistible." —Toni Cade Bambara

And I can’t resist the revolution.

The queer fantasy corner.

  • A dark blue sky with meteors swirling across, with aqua northern lights on the horizon, over black hills. In aqua type, the words: "You Speak and Stars Fall: Historical Fantasy in New York City" and "crookedlovemedia.com."

    You Speak and Stars Fall

    Alte, a pansexual Jewish immigrant in 1896 New York City, must take care of friends who are as close as family, survive a deadly fire, and confront forces from the land-beyond-the-veil. Original historical fantasy.

    Bring it On
  • Light yellow background, green and blue feathers in the corners, text reading "Serathi and the Demon Wing: Mental Health High Fantasy" and "crookedlovemedia.com."

    Serathi and the Demon Wing

    Serathi, a lesbian bipolar healer who’s just immigrated to a swamp-city, must try to make a new home, help a new friend who has obsessions and compulsions, and confront a mind-reading demon. Original high fantasy.

    Tell Me More
  • An indigo background, with a brown branch and green and gold vines in the upper right corner. In gold type, the words: "Blue-Collar Apothecary: Mental Health Fantasy Romance" and "crookedlovemedia.com."

    Blue-Collar Apothecary

    A financially-struggling apothecary/parent and a bipolar sorcerer who deals with blood spells attend a magical conference that's more dangerous than they assumed—and maybe fall in love. Original modern fantasy.

    Sounds Great

Writerly tools.

  • On a grey background, a purple and yellow and green flying dragon, with a green tower, and a darker grey moon in the top left corner. In swirly type, the words "First Lines For You" and, in smaller plain type, "crookedlovemedia.com."

    First Lines

    First lines you are welcome to beg, borrow, or steal for your own creations. These tend to be fantasy, but feel free to alter them to fit any genre.

    I Could Use That
  • On an aqua background, a green and red hummingbird with gold wings, drinking from an orange flower on a vine. In white swirly font, the words "Queer Premises." In plain font, "crookedlovemedia.com."

    Queer Premises

    Queer premises I invented but will never have time to write, so feel free to take them, change them to suit yourself, and create your own story!

    I'll Have a Look

Fanworks and fan analysis.

  • A dark cloudy sky, with a grey and black castle with several towers on the right half, and black trees along the horizon. In aqua type, the words: "We Will Not Be Drowned: A Protector of the Small Fanwork" and "crookedlovemedia.com."

    We Will Not Be Drowned

    Kel, a young woman with a passion for protecting the vulnerable, goes to a school for mages and finds that this protection is needed more that ever. A fanwork of the Protector of the Small series by Tamora Pierce.

    Love It
  • A light blue-green background, with the dark silhouette of a witch with a pointed hat on a broom, with clouds nearby. In black type, the words "Iris May Potter: A Trans Harry Potter Fanwork" and "crookedlovemedia.com."

    Iris May Potter

    A young wizard, off to school, discovers her first friends, her surprising leadership abilities, that a mysterious villain wants to kill her, and her identity as a trans girl. A fanwork of the Harry Potter series.

    Give it Here
  • On a green and white background, the words "Jo's Gentlemanly Demeanor: A Trans Analysis of Little Women in 4 Parts" and "crookedlovemedia.com." Beneath the words, a book with a green cover and three sprigs of green leaves.

    Jo's Gentlemanly Demeanor

    A scholarly and impudent analysis of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, during which I prove several times over that Jo March is a trans man.

    I'm Intrigued

Want More? You’re in luck.

Enjoy the stories I’m posting for free? You’ll love what a little money can buy you—my best work goes on Patreon. Know me and love me and want to support me? This is the best way to do it. Whether you're looking for a cautious low price, want to have everything I offer, or something in between, please do check out my Patreon page. Want to know just what you’ll be getting? First chapters are available at no cost.

Against a dark blue curtain, a redhaired, white trans man with glasses and a grey and white shirt, smiling and holding a computer with stickers - one reads "Black Lives Matter" and the other is shaped like a witch on a bicycle.

An experienced theater artist with several plays workshopped or produced, a lover of history and books with tiny print, a scribbler of fiction since middle school, and the inheritor of the social justice gene on both sides of my family. Find out more below!

So who am I, anyway?