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Non-practicing intellectual.

@xiaq / xiaq.tumblr.com

Xiaq on A03. EL Massey for published work.

Hello! I love your stuff. Do you have any update on when your works will be released on audio? And do you know who's going to be doing the narration?

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I literally JUST got this information today so your timing is impeccable.

Like Real People Do Narrator: Lance West Audio Publication Date: July 8th, 2025 Landing Page: RBmedia | Like Real People Do

Like You’ve Nothing Left to Prove Narrator: Lance West Audio Publication Date: October 7th, 2025 Landing Page: RBmedia | Like You've Nothing Left to Prove

All Hail the Underdogs Narrator: Lance West Audio Publication Date: December 30th, 2025 Landing Page: RBmedia | All Hail the Underdogs

Free From Falling wasn’t published yet when the deal happened, so we’ll see if that pick it up as well.

Anonymous asked:

does rome (having a mechanic background) ever make fun of Damien for having a range rover once they're dating

YES. YES HE DOES. CONSTANTLY. "Hey," Rome says seriously, when they're sitting on the side of the road one day waiting for a tow. "I just wanted to thank you again for your contribution to keeping mechanics in business. Your sacrifice is noted."

"Oh, fuck off," Damien says.

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It’s giveaway time!

I have 2 signed/personalized copies of All Hail the Underdogs up for grabs (shipped to you for free if you’re in the US). You have 2 ways to enter:

1. Like + Reblog this post 2. Make your own post rec'ing one of my books (or fic, if you'd rather) and tag me in it.

Or do both for 2 entries. The contest closes and I'll announce winners on Friday the 6th. There's another contest happening on Instagram as well if you want to improve your chances of getting one!

Also! I ended up having to order more author copies of AHTU since I oversold the first 100 I offered. If you just want to pay ($20 w/shipping) for a signed/personalized one, you can email me at [email protected].

Ok, ok. Here’s the blurb so any unfamiliar folks can be enticed into buying it:

When seventeen-year-old Patrick Roman is offered a scholarship to a top hockey preparatory school, he thinks maybe his notorious bad luck has finally ended. With a hearing for his legal emancipation on the horizon, he dreams of getting scouted and securing a place on a D1 college team. There’s only one problem: Roman has serious beef with his new winger on the team, Damien Bordeaux. They’re supposed to be perfectly in sync on the ice. But Roman, with his buzzcut and tattoos, has nothing in common with trust-fund-kid Damien, his floral scrunchies, and designer T-shirts that cost more than all of Roman’s secondhand hockey gear combined.

When eighteen-year-old Damien Bordeaux starts his senior year, he tells himself he’s going to focus on hockey and school. No more making out in the stacks, no more dorm parties. He needs to decide what his future will look like. Does he pursue his long-held dream of becoming an author? Or stay in his lane and do what he’s good at: hockey. Regardless, he’s not going to let any pretty boys distract him from figuring his shit out. Except his new center, Roman, is possibly the most beautiful boy Damien has ever seen. And his hockey—the way he moves on the ice—might be even more beautiful. Too bad he’s also probably a homophobic, racist asshole.

But their antagonistic beginning turns into an unlikely friendship and then turns into something much scarier for them both. Navigating relationships is hard enough for normal teenagers. It’s a lot harder when contending with lawyers, NHL scouts, and mutual past trauma. Roman and Damien have to decide: What do they really want in life? Are they willing to fight for each other—including fighting against their own pasts and prejudices—so they can have a happy ending?

LAST DAY TO ENTER. I'll make my final spreadsheet updates at 11am central tomorrow (Oct 5) and announce the winners after work, so around 6pm.

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So you know, every now and again you come across a story that makes you feel more than it probably should, and that you re-read more times than what's probably healthy.

All Hail the Underdogs by @xiaq is such a story.

I haven't watched hockey in ages, but this story makes me remember sitting on the edge of my seat, slamming my hands into my thighs until they bruised and muttering until my throat ached.

This story makes me remember awkward teenage crushes, and the rush of just having realised it was returned.

It makes me ache for a lost boy with freckles and a hedgehog's personality on the surface, who offered to have my awful ex fucked up and held his niece like she was the most precious thing ever.

This story moves me, and I love everything stray tear it causes.

It’s giveaway time!

I have 2 signed/personalized copies of All Hail the Underdogs up for grabs (shipped to you for free if you’re in the US). You have 2 ways to enter:

1. Like + Reblog this post 2. Make your own post rec'ing one of my books (or fic, if you'd rather) and tag me in it.

Or do both for 2 entries. The contest closes and I'll announce winners on Friday the 6th. There's another contest happening on Instagram as well if you want to improve your chances of getting one!

Also! I ended up having to order more author copies of AHTU since I oversold the first 100 I offered. If you just want to pay ($20 w/shipping) for a signed/personalized one, you can email me at [email protected].

Ok, ok. Here’s the blurb so any unfamiliar folks can be enticed into buying it:

When seventeen-year-old Patrick Roman is offered a scholarship to a top hockey preparatory school, he thinks maybe his notorious bad luck has finally ended. With a hearing for his legal emancipation on the horizon, he dreams of getting scouted and securing a place on a D1 college team. There’s only one problem: Roman has serious beef with his new winger on the team, Damien Bordeaux. They’re supposed to be perfectly in sync on the ice. But Roman, with his buzzcut and tattoos, has nothing in common with trust-fund-kid Damien, his floral scrunchies, and designer T-shirts that cost more than all of Roman’s secondhand hockey gear combined.

When eighteen-year-old Damien Bordeaux starts his senior year, he tells himself he’s going to focus on hockey and school. No more making out in the stacks, no more dorm parties. He needs to decide what his future will look like. Does he pursue his long-held dream of becoming an author? Or stay in his lane and do what he’s good at: hockey. Regardless, he’s not going to let any pretty boys distract him from figuring his shit out. Except his new center, Roman, is possibly the most beautiful boy Damien has ever seen. And his hockey—the way he moves on the ice—might be even more beautiful. Too bad he’s also probably a homophobic, racist asshole.

But their antagonistic beginning turns into an unlikely friendship and then turns into something much scarier for them both. Navigating relationships is hard enough for normal teenagers. It’s a lot harder when contending with lawyers, NHL scouts, and mutual past trauma. Roman and Damien have to decide: What do they really want in life? Are they willing to fight for each other—including fighting against their own pasts and prejudices—so they can have a happy ending?

When you ask for a “surprise” inscription.

This weekend I got 25 copies of AHTU (and a couple of LRPD and LYNLTP) signed, personalized, boxed, and ready to head out tomorrow. My goal is to get another ten ready and sent each day this week and hopefully by the end of next weekend all 120(!!) will be shipped. Keep an eye on your email if you ordered one from me!

My copies for signing are finally here! 🎉These guys are all already claimed—they’ll be personalized and sent next week.♥️ If one of them belongs to you, thanks for your patience through my shipping woes and keep an eye on your inbox the next few days. 😊

Additional bad news. Whoever shipped my author copies did a super shitty job. Thin boxes. No packing material. Over half the books arrived damaged and I will NOT be sending out damaged books. The last several times I ordered books I had a great experience (though something similar happened with my first ever order). Not sure what’s going on but I’ve messaged my publisher to make sure the replacement batch I order doesn’t follow the same path.

Anyway, apologies for the delay now in getting signed copies sent.

We are back from our marriage adventure and I'm trying to catch up on work-work as well as book-work (our Airbnb, despite advertising fast Wifi, did not actually have working wifi the whole time we were there).

If you're in the US and emailed about a signed copy of AHTU, you should have a response. If you're outside the US, you'll have a response within a few hours once I've got shipping estimates for you.

I ended up over-committing (once again) to signed books because I was monitoring my email but not taking into account that some folks would request more than one book. So I've just ordered an additional 25 copies (and a few extra copies of LRPD and LYNLTP). So if you were wanting a signed copy (of any/all of the above!) feel free to email [email protected]'ve got a few more I can send (first come first served, as usual).

Thanks for your patience!

I'll get to send out the digital ARCs for All Hail the Underdogs TOMORROW.

I am slightly unprepared because when my editor told me book three was moved up in the publication queue we were thinking of a late 2023 release rather than an early 2024 release. But surprise! Now the release date is August 29th. This means I very nearly published three books within one year (I missed that by a month). Holy cow! Thanks for all the support :) I never would have sent that first query letter if it wasn't for my Tumblr friends saying "Hey, have you considered trying to publish this?" so uh, thanks Tumblr friends.

I view it as a personal victory when the copyeditor leaves content notes. I got three on LRPD, two on LYNLTP and have just broken the record today with FOUR on AHTU. To quote said editor: hell yeah.

Also, this means we're not only on track but ahead of schedule for late winter/ early spring publication. Hurray!

Hey folks. I know AHTU is gone on AO3. I'm working on it. And while it's definitely the most frustrating interaction I've had with support, it's the only frustrating interaction I've had with support over 10 yrs and I definitely do NOT want anyone sending messages/causing angst for other volunteers just because of one situation. I'm doing my best to get it resolved and while I appreciate the offers, messages on my behalf would be....harassment. And not actually help.

FAQ

Hi! I’m Xiaq or E.L. Massey IRL.

You can find me on:

Instagram Here

AO3 Here

Substack Here

My published works are Like Real People Do (2022), Like You’ve Nothing Left to Prove (2023), All Hail the Underdogs (2023) and Free from Falling (2024) which started nearly a decade ago as OMGCP fic. The latter two are standalone books, the first two must be read together.

If you’re looking for downloaded fic versions of LRPD and AHTU, I can’t send them to you for contract reasons, but I CAN direct you here and here where you may find folks who are willing to assist :)

5% of royalties from my first book, LRPD, goes to a queer charity each month. If you want to suggest a charity for future donations, you can do so via chat or any of the above listed ways to contact me.

Deacon is my 13 yr old, retired, service dog. He's a Belgian Mal and I do not recommend Mals, as a breed, for service work. He's a special boy. Feel free to message me if you want to talk about SD stuff.

If you're looking for student stories/tales from my time in academia, the tags are #shitmystudentssay or #shitmystudentswrite.

If you’re looking for DIY/renovation content, the tag is #DIY

For posts about my partner, the tag is #B

If you’re looking for paramotor/flying content the tag is #paramotor or #x learns to fly.

I will not share or donate to any fundraisers unless I know the beneficiary, or someone I know can confirm they know the beneficiary.

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