What is the Mangoverse?

Shira Glassman is a queer Jewish feminist and author of The Second Mango, Climbing the Date Palm, A Harvest of Ripe Figs, The Olive Conspiracy, and the short stories, f/f fairytales currently available from Amazon & coming soon to other places books grow. These novels feature women being supportive of each other and also include a Yiddish-speaking dragon.

The Mangoverse is a fantasy series starring a nerdy young lesbian queen and focusing on feminist themes, family of choice, and all the different types of female (and sometimes male) strength, not just physical prowess. The setting is a world with dragons, wizards, magic spells, and shapeshifting witches, and most of the characters are Jewish.

I recently got the rights back because my publisher started keeping my royalties, so this page is a little bit in flux. Most of my blog content lately has been book reviews — mostly LGBT and/or Jewish SFF or historical fiction, so if you’re looking for more books like mine you may want to check them out.

I also just got back the rights to my musician romance novelettes  Fearless (f/f violinists) and Lioness in Blue (m/f oboists) and my f/f paranormal short “Wet Nails“. Also for sale is the m/m short story  “The Artist and the Devil” and the Quebecois m/f “When Daisies Choose a Vase.”

Artwork

All artwork is Safe For Work (unless your workplace is anti-gay.) Art by Jane Dominguez, Rebecca Schauer, and others; art is labeled with its corresponding artist.

Family of choice • The Second Mango book poster • Closeup of poster • Rosh Hashanah at the ice cream parlor • Resting by the creek from Chapter 3 • Rivka shows Shulamit the inscription on her sword • Shulamit showing off one of her country’s most unusual crops to the other characters • Isaac showing off his wizard powers during Kiddush • Rainbow pride Passover • Shulamit doesn’t miss matzo • Friendship and femslash can coexist • Playful sparring in Aviva’s kitchen • Family portrait • The four lead characters in Purim costumes • It’s great to shop with your best friend when she’s also your bodyguard! • The sunset Shabbat scene from Chapter 11 • Cuddling in the rain • Rosh Hashanah 5775 • Sharing latkes • Firebreathing dragon lighting menorah • Going out for Chinese food on Christmas • Reading to the baby princess while the dragon listens •

Queen Shulamit, the early years
Introducing Princess Shulamit • Childhood memories of Passover • Princess Shulamit trying to come out to her father (contains mini-prequel ficlet) • When Shulamit gets lonely and sneaks into a book • Queen Shulamit sitting shivah after her father’s death • Shulamit in the style of a certain major Western animation studio • Princess Shulamit tubing on the Itchitucknee

 

Shulamit and Aviva
Life is an adventure (riding a giant flying swan) • Detective Shulamit/Shulamit and Aviva embracing by the passion flower vines • Shulamit and Aviva kissing • Romantic poster art (“She would find love even if she had to fly across her kingdom on a dragon”) • Their union is blessed • Aviva confronting aliens • Shulamit’s gluten intolerance gets the better of her • Aviva coming home from market • Two girls in love who bought more than they needed at the farmer’s market • Food is love • Stolen moment in the life of lesbian royalty • Romance in the herb garden • I love you but I’m sleepy • Lying in the grass daydreaming together • Feet in the water on a hot day • Your flame lights mine (Chanukah) • Cuddling in bed in pajamas • Sending gift citrus • Aviva with her arms around Shulamit • Shulamit uses her scarf to pull Aviva closer for a kiss • Relaxing by a riverbank • Ladies in love • Aviva protecting Shulamit from the Gluten Monster • Moment of intimacy • Shulamit and Aviva with their baby • An elegant couple • Love scene in Aviva’s kitchen • Aviva and the baklava • Chibi cuties • “Whatever you face, I’ll help you” • Aviva’s salad recipe • Sukkot femslash • Kissing chibis • Hugging • Chasing butterflies • Gluten-free afikomen magic carpet ride

 

Rivka (“Riv”) and her Dragon
Introducing Rivka / Rivka poster art (“She will rescue you, if you need her”) • Riv & Dragon • Introducing Dragon • Fierce and powerful Rivka with a lizard on her shoulder • Rivka hates knitting / Rivka knitting bag (Zazzle link) • Within the dragon’s wings, the warrior sleeps • Rivka’s treasured memory (learning to swordfight) • Guest artist’s vision of Rivka and her Dragon • Rivka in a scene of hetero passion • Leaping from the Dragon to fight • Isaac believes in Rivka • Isaac’s warrior crush • Dragon lighting the shamash (Chanukah art) • Even wizards get backaches (Rivka rubbing Isaac’s back) • Isaac the wizard, video-game style • Chibi style “power couple” • Portrait of Isaac • Rivka’s strength being admired by her Dragon • Little girls who grow up to love dragons • Rivka and Isaac flirting during target practice • The warrior’s prize (Rivka’s first kiss) • Rivka hugging her dragon • Romantic scene from the flashback (spoilery!) • 8-year-old Rivka • Rivka and Dragon bellyrub • Storytime with Isaac • Dragon guarding etrog • Rivka and Isaac in graphite • Isaac admiring Rivka’s biceps • Isaac’s thorny rose •

Climbing the Date Palm characters
Opening scene • Farzin and Kaveh in graphite • Farzin speaking truth to power • Rivka at Kaveh’s bedside • Aviva gives Kaveh a cooking lesson • Kaveh and Farzin in love • Jahandar and Aafsaneh • LGBT family day at the zoo (modern AU/two moms and two dads) •

A Harvest of Ripe Figs characters
Royal family listening to Esther’s private palace recital • Esther as a Florida Disney princess surrounded by Everglades wildlife • Micah, the trans teenager •

Blog commentary hub

Ladies rescuing ladies: my guest post on Muse Rising  Strong women, strong friendships between women, and feminist romance

Roundtable discussion: Interactions between female characters in fiction and their effect on real-life relationships between women

The queer female gaze and breasts What it’s like to grow up attracted to women in a world where “nice girls” don’t do that (a line that is obviously so much bull)

My experiences with bi erasure, and a guest post about the sensual aspects of The Second Mango

The importance of representation and community to LGBTQ+ teenagers

Awkward teenage bisexual confessions, and representation for young girls who crush on girls

The trope of the cisgender, heterosexual woman crossdressing for plot reasons, viewed critically by an LGBTQ+ audience

Warning: Curves Ahead features The Second Mango on her blog

Rivka as a different type of golem Jewish mythology’s role in the story and how Rivka represents multiple types of protection, including emotional

Dancing in lavender – the importance of proper identity terminology

Romantic love is not another way to say ‘sex’, even when you’re talking about same-sex couples

Ten years – how my marriage has affected the way I write my f/f couple

Glossary of non-English words in The Second Mango

My complicated relationship with Richard Wagner ** SPOILER WARNING **

Tumblr interview

The plea for diversity in fiction in the meta-narrative of “The Second Mango”

My guest post on the Women and Words blog: “Where should the queer woman look, to find her place in stories of dragons and magic?”

A fantasy novel with a gluten intolerant heroine?

Working with artists to commission promotional artwork for The Second Mango

Developing the characters and central relationship in The Second Mango, due out from Prizm Books on August 21 A gay woman, a straight woman, and a dragon? What?

Today in the Comfy Chair – Shira Glassman She asked me what I think makes a good villain and why, out of all genres, I chose to write fantasy

Guest post on Alex Beecroft’s blog about The Second Mango

Guest post on BA Tortuga’s blog about my book, “The Second Mango” Describes the inspiration for The Second Mango

Top 2 Bottom Reviews interviewed me about my novel “The Second Mango” Contains discussion of my motivation for writing

Cathy Hird and I interview each other One of Prizm’s other new authors and I discuss our works

(Note: comments below may be responding to an earlier version of this page.)