December Drake | Pepper Dane
@decemberdrake.bsky.social
Indie author writing under December Drake & Pepper Dane (PNR). Spicy author of both sweet & very dark things. Beware dark corners; check triggers.
decemberdrake.com / pepperdane.com
decemberdrake.com / pepperdane.com
Pinned
Picked up new followers this week, so here's what to expect from me:
- Writer angst/commiseration
- Geeking out on smut-adjacent academia/discourse (insta-follow)
- Indie/wide author thoughts
- Geek stuff
- I write both sweet & dark things, so beware dark corners if you browse my back catalog ❌
- Writer angst/commiseration
- Geeking out on smut-adjacent academia/discourse (insta-follow)
- Indie/wide author thoughts
- Geek stuff
- I write both sweet & dark things, so beware dark corners if you browse my back catalog ❌
I'm on semi-hiatus to support my terminal cat through the last stages of his journey. On Oct. 22nd, my Ream will lock to new subscribers/upgrades. After which, all members will enjoy two months free.
All the sweet, spicy, and very dark, on Ream. 🌶️📚
reamstories.com/decemberdrake
All the sweet, spicy, and very dark, on Ream. 🌶️📚
reamstories.com/decemberdrake
October 19, 2025 at 1:29 AM
I'm on semi-hiatus to support my terminal cat through the last stages of his journey. On Oct. 22nd, my Ream will lock to new subscribers/upgrades. After which, all members will enjoy two months free.
All the sweet, spicy, and very dark, on Ream. 🌶️📚
reamstories.com/decemberdrake
All the sweet, spicy, and very dark, on Ream. 🌶️📚
reamstories.com/decemberdrake
Reposted by December Drake | Pepper Dane
The ideal outcome of the Visa/Mastercard campaign is not that they let most NSFW back on Itch, and cede most points. It's them changing policy in a way that gives us more than we started with.
That's how you combat a moral panic. You recognize how the fence is being moved, and *you move it back.*
That's how you combat a moral panic. You recognize how the fence is being moved, and *you move it back.*
August 16, 2025 at 7:43 PM
The ideal outcome of the Visa/Mastercard campaign is not that they let most NSFW back on Itch, and cede most points. It's them changing policy in a way that gives us more than we started with.
That's how you combat a moral panic. You recognize how the fence is being moved, and *you move it back.*
That's how you combat a moral panic. You recognize how the fence is being moved, and *you move it back.*
This morning I had a publishing distributor email me a screenshot of a paragraph in one of my short romances where I dared to mention genitals in an open-door love scene. I was taken to task for not labeling it as erotica
I'm so tired
Also wondering how that review of my books on Itch.io is going
I'm so tired
Also wondering how that review of my books on Itch.io is going
August 11, 2025 at 11:10 PM
This morning I had a publishing distributor email me a screenshot of a paragraph in one of my short romances where I dared to mention genitals in an open-door love scene. I was taken to task for not labeling it as erotica
I'm so tired
Also wondering how that review of my books on Itch.io is going
I'm so tired
Also wondering how that review of my books on Itch.io is going
Reposted by December Drake | Pepper Dane
Over the past month, independent content hosting platform Itch.io has been systematically banning queer & NSFW content. We talked to creators about how this impacted them, and how they’re fighting back.
Written by @thefreeradical.org and edited by @davidforbes.bsky.social
Written by @thefreeradical.org and edited by @davidforbes.bsky.social
‘I feel violated’ - Queer Creators Lose Livelihoods in Itch.io bans
The recent Itch bans on queer and NSFW content have damaged careers and put countless people out of work. Though some are now on the verge of homelessness, they’re still organizing and fighting back. TNN delves into what’s at stake on the frontlines of the fight against anti-queer censorship.
transnews.network
August 10, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Over the past month, independent content hosting platform Itch.io has been systematically banning queer & NSFW content. We talked to creators about how this impacted them, and how they’re fighting back.
Written by @thefreeradical.org and edited by @davidforbes.bsky.social
Written by @thefreeradical.org and edited by @davidforbes.bsky.social
Happy Friday! It's a fine time to check out some great romance and spicy reads from indie authors today on Kobo Plus! 📚🌶️
Be sure to browse BOTH links this time, because there's no overlap.
koboplusromancebinge.com
www.kobo.com/us/en/p/kobo-plus-romance-binge
Be sure to browse BOTH links this time, because there's no overlap.
koboplusromancebinge.com
www.kobo.com/us/en/p/kobo-plus-romance-binge
August 9, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Happy Friday! It's a fine time to check out some great romance and spicy reads from indie authors today on Kobo Plus! 📚🌶️
Be sure to browse BOTH links this time, because there's no overlap.
koboplusromancebinge.com
www.kobo.com/us/en/p/kobo-plus-romance-binge
Be sure to browse BOTH links this time, because there's no overlap.
koboplusromancebinge.com
www.kobo.com/us/en/p/kobo-plus-romance-binge
Reposted by December Drake | Pepper Dane
Yeah in the terms of marketing...they brought it on themselves. Had they done nothing they'd been alright. Even Stripe knew better and said straight up "We can't process NSFW material because of Visa and Master Card"
August 4, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Yeah in the terms of marketing...they brought it on themselves. Had they done nothing they'd been alright. Even Stripe knew better and said straight up "We can't process NSFW material because of Visa and Master Card"
I'd love to say Legend, but truthfully? Minority Report
Everybody runs
Everybody runs
August 4, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I'd love to say Legend, but truthfully? Minority Report
Everybody runs
Everybody runs
I'm extra cautious about triggering any readers, so I separate out my work with morally grey/black male leads into a category called Bad. Warnings all over it.
In my newsletter welcome sequence and on my site, everyone clicks it. Everyone. 😳
I might as well have labelled it: Don't Click This Link
In my newsletter welcome sequence and on my site, everyone clicks it. Everyone. 😳
I might as well have labelled it: Don't Click This Link
August 3, 2025 at 2:22 AM
I'm extra cautious about triggering any readers, so I separate out my work with morally grey/black male leads into a category called Bad. Warnings all over it.
In my newsletter welcome sequence and on my site, everyone clicks it. Everyone. 😳
I might as well have labelled it: Don't Click This Link
In my newsletter welcome sequence and on my site, everyone clicks it. Everyone. 😳
I might as well have labelled it: Don't Click This Link
"The terms and conditions of global payment service providers such as Visa, Mastercard, or Paypal must not conflict with European values such as freedom of expression or artistic freedom."
Go off. Wish we had this kind of backing in the US
Go off. Wish we had this kind of backing in the US
GAME, the German game industry trade association, released this *damn* good statement on the unjust NSFW game takedowns
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
July 29, 2025 at 9:20 PM
"The terms and conditions of global payment service providers such as Visa, Mastercard, or Paypal must not conflict with European values such as freedom of expression or artistic freedom."
Go off. Wish we had this kind of backing in the US
Go off. Wish we had this kind of backing in the US
Reposted by December Drake | Pepper Dane
I had "make a red velvet cake" slotted under Tentative Goals for the day, but being as I spent all night dreaming about mixing up cake batter, I guess the cake must happen
(This cake is absolutely coming out of a box)
(This cake is absolutely coming out of a box)
July 28, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I had "make a red velvet cake" slotted under Tentative Goals for the day, but being as I spent all night dreaming about mixing up cake batter, I guess the cake must happen
(This cake is absolutely coming out of a box)
(This cake is absolutely coming out of a box)
This is a good thread that breaks down the relationship between Visa, Mastercard, and payment processors which rely on them
For selling fully-sanctioned "adult" content, Steam, Itch, and even individual creators would need a high-risk processor with higher fees. It also requires full underwriting
For selling fully-sanctioned "adult" content, Steam, Itch, and even individual creators would need a high-risk processor with higher fees. It also requires full underwriting
Merchants/marketplaces like Steam and Itch.io don’t directly work with card networks (VISA/MC/etc.), but payment gateways and payment processors (often a combined service to the merchant; img 1). The gateway/processor space is dominated by a few behemoths (imgs 2 & 3), and … 1/
July 25, 2025 at 9:00 PM
This is a good thread that breaks down the relationship between Visa, Mastercard, and payment processors which rely on them
For selling fully-sanctioned "adult" content, Steam, Itch, and even individual creators would need a high-risk processor with higher fees. It also requires full underwriting
For selling fully-sanctioned "adult" content, Steam, Itch, and even individual creators would need a high-risk processor with higher fees. It also requires full underwriting
Reposted by December Drake | Pepper Dane
For people who don’t know/believe this - there are still romance book sites that will list all queer romances regardless of heat level (closed door, a single kiss) at their highest heat level because they view queerness in media as a kink designed to shamefully titillate straight cis people.
“banning pornography” is bad on its own but it is imperative that everyone understand that these people consider the very existence of queer people to be pornographic
they consider the most chaste depiction of a queer relationship, or an openly trans person, to be porn and they want it banned
they consider the most chaste depiction of a queer relationship, or an openly trans person, to be porn and they want it banned
You don’t have to like, approve of, or engage with porn and nsfw work to see how right wing extremists are using fear and stigma around smut to ban queer people from public life, define “good” sex as only between married people for procreation, and otherwise further force white supremacy on everyone
July 25, 2025 at 12:09 PM
For people who don’t know/believe this - there are still romance book sites that will list all queer romances regardless of heat level (closed door, a single kiss) at their highest heat level because they view queerness in media as a kink designed to shamefully titillate straight cis people.
A story I've heard too many times: You're a romance/erom writer. You set up a direct author store using Shopify or Lemon Squeezy (now owned by Stripe)
They ask you the nature of your writing. It goes into review, while they decide if your romance is explicit enough to be rejected as adult content
They ask you the nature of your writing. It goes into review, while they decide if your romance is explicit enough to be rejected as adult content
I think romancelandia, in particular, needs a reminder of why we should always listen to sex workers. Because a lot of ya'll thought that since your written porn is romantic, you would be exempt from the systematic oppression that sex workers face.
July 25, 2025 at 1:13 PM
A story I've heard too many times: You're a romance/erom writer. You set up a direct author store using Shopify or Lemon Squeezy (now owned by Stripe)
They ask you the nature of your writing. It goes into review, while they decide if your romance is explicit enough to be rejected as adult content
They ask you the nature of your writing. It goes into review, while they decide if your romance is explicit enough to be rejected as adult content
Reposted by December Drake | Pepper Dane
this entire thing with Itch is so depressing beyond even the baseline infuriating thing with NSFW works. Itch has become a big source of revenue for a lot of indie writers, devs, etc. and whether you make NSFW or not, people will turn away from Itch (understandably) and hurt everybody
July 24, 2025 at 6:01 AM
this entire thing with Itch is so depressing beyond even the baseline infuriating thing with NSFW works. Itch has become a big source of revenue for a lot of indie writers, devs, etc. and whether you make NSFW or not, people will turn away from Itch (understandably) and hurt everybody
Me: I can do this. Just write and get these hard chapters done. Zero distractions. Don't let the world in.
Teenager: THERE'S A BIRD IN THE HOUSE
Teenager: THERE'S A BIRD IN THE HOUSE
July 21, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Me: I can do this. Just write and get these hard chapters done. Zero distractions. Don't let the world in.
Teenager: THERE'S A BIRD IN THE HOUSE
Teenager: THERE'S A BIRD IN THE HOUSE
Not the best week to have a huge, west-facing picture window
(Sensor is registering 102F/39C behind the window curtain; the rest of the house is limping along on AC)
(Sensor is registering 102F/39C behind the window curtain; the rest of the house is limping along on AC)
June 24, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Not the best week to have a huge, west-facing picture window
(Sensor is registering 102F/39C behind the window curtain; the rest of the house is limping along on AC)
(Sensor is registering 102F/39C behind the window curtain; the rest of the house is limping along on AC)
Do not put that thing "in a safe place"
Put it in a stupidly obvious place so you don't forget and lose it forever
Tape it to the damn wall
Put it in a stupidly obvious place so you don't forget and lose it forever
Tape it to the damn wall
June 23, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Do not put that thing "in a safe place"
Put it in a stupidly obvious place so you don't forget and lose it forever
Tape it to the damn wall
Put it in a stupidly obvious place so you don't forget and lose it forever
Tape it to the damn wall
Want a freebie from my new author store? STOLEN VALENTINE is free to buy right now. A silver fox steals his son's neglected girlfriend during a carefully crafted Valentine's Day dinner in this ultra short romance 📚🌶️
All other titles (including audiobooks) are also 50% off!
store.decemberdrake.ink
All other titles (including audiobooks) are also 50% off!
store.decemberdrake.ink
June 23, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Want a freebie from my new author store? STOLEN VALENTINE is free to buy right now. A silver fox steals his son's neglected girlfriend during a carefully crafted Valentine's Day dinner in this ultra short romance 📚🌶️
All other titles (including audiobooks) are also 50% off!
store.decemberdrake.ink
All other titles (including audiobooks) are also 50% off!
store.decemberdrake.ink
As an introvert, I keep endlessly going through this cycle
June 22, 2025 at 5:52 PM
As an introvert, I keep endlessly going through this cycle
Positive Juneteenth vibes only today
June 19, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Positive Juneteenth vibes only today
This cover on Being Neighborly is both playful and intense and I love it
Friday Book Deals!
Annika Martin's SAVAGE MAFIA PRINCE is free today.
amzn.to/440YFz4
Meka James's BEING NEIGHBORLY is $0.50.
amzn.to/4mWb1kN
Annika Martin's SAVAGE MAFIA PRINCE is free today.
amzn.to/440YFz4
Meka James's BEING NEIGHBORLY is $0.50.
amzn.to/4mWb1kN
June 14, 2025 at 4:29 AM
This cover on Being Neighborly is both playful and intense and I love it
We've encountered four brown recluse spiders in our house in the last week. Two of which were in my bedroom, late at night. The other two were found in the last hour
I've now committed to just staying up forever and writing
I've now committed to just staying up forever and writing
June 14, 2025 at 3:54 AM
We've encountered four brown recluse spiders in our house in the last week. Two of which were in my bedroom, late at night. The other two were found in the last hour
I've now committed to just staying up forever and writing
I've now committed to just staying up forever and writing
Dark romance/fiction trends:
"These subject matters provide an outlet for readers to safely explore negative emotions such as sadness, anger, or anxiety – allowing them to feel connected and perhaps even comforted. I expect to see continued interest in these darker subjects in the year ahead.”
"These subject matters provide an outlet for readers to safely explore negative emotions such as sadness, anger, or anxiety – allowing them to feel connected and perhaps even comforted. I expect to see continued interest in these darker subjects in the year ahead.”
Romance Books with Dark Themes Among Leading Growth Categories | Circana
This year, I am watching a shift away from rosier romance subjects like romantic comedy and new adult romance in favor of authors and titles with darker themes. Combined with the growth in other more ...
www.circana.com
June 11, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Dark romance/fiction trends:
"These subject matters provide an outlet for readers to safely explore negative emotions such as sadness, anger, or anxiety – allowing them to feel connected and perhaps even comforted. I expect to see continued interest in these darker subjects in the year ahead.”
"These subject matters provide an outlet for readers to safely explore negative emotions such as sadness, anger, or anxiety – allowing them to feel connected and perhaps even comforted. I expect to see continued interest in these darker subjects in the year ahead.”
Claiming His Professor is FINALLY out and only $0.99 through Monday! books2read.com/u/3Rg0wR
This ends the original Primal Regression series, long live Primal Regression: Aftermath! Mafia, assassins, MCs, and there's something in the water..?!
So excited for the new spin-off! 🌶️📚
This ends the original Primal Regression series, long live Primal Regression: Aftermath! Mafia, assassins, MCs, and there's something in the water..?!
So excited for the new spin-off! 🌶️📚
June 8, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Claiming His Professor is FINALLY out and only $0.99 through Monday! books2read.com/u/3Rg0wR
This ends the original Primal Regression series, long live Primal Regression: Aftermath! Mafia, assassins, MCs, and there's something in the water..?!
So excited for the new spin-off! 🌶️📚
This ends the original Primal Regression series, long live Primal Regression: Aftermath! Mafia, assassins, MCs, and there's something in the water..?!
So excited for the new spin-off! 🌶️📚