fantasy – magical realism

Word Count: Click here to reveal73000 (Click here to hide)

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Summary: Can’t get enough of the River City? Here are five more tales to whet your appetite: The Bear at the Bar: A gay fish out of water tale with just a pinch of Freaky Friday magic. Between the Lines: Ben is a Republican chief of staff for a state Senator. Sam is Brad’s handsome young assistant. When Brad finds an antique medallion that lets him read minds, all hell breaks loose. Ten: After the death of his husband, Chris faces a gay mid-life crisis—at thirty-five—as he jumps back into the dating scene for ten dates in ten days. Flames: When a fire puts his partner Gio in a Coma, Alex has to help him find his way back, one memory at a time. Miz Fortune’s Lonely Hearts Salon: Chester the accountant finds his voice as Miz Fortune, helping lonely clients find the love of their lives. Enjoy these little bits of storytelling magic!

Word Count: Click here to reveal111000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Demigender, Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Transgender (Click here to hide)

Summary: IT'S NINE YEARS LATER, AND EVERYONE HAS A NEW SECRET. BUT SECRETS NEVER STAY BURIED FOR LONG Nine years have passed since a group of strangers first met at a magical little restaurant in East Sacramento called Ragazzi. They have all been touched by its subtle magic, and have become a family. With the tragic death of one of them, ripples spread through the entire group, exposing secrets and revealing truths that many of them would rather not face. Dave and Marcos are each battling their own demons. Matteo is hunting an embezzler at Ragazzi, while Diego struggles to hold on to his son, Gio. Carmelina fears Daniele won’t take no for an answer. And both Ben and Sam are dealing with tragic losses that have turned their lives upside down. Into the mix come a few new characters—Ainsley, a Sac State student studying to be a doctor; a mysterious stranger who is stalking someone in the group; and a few new love interests who may have their own skeletons in the closet. The cast of River City is back, along with some great new Italian recipes for you to try at home! What secrets will be revealed before the last page turns?

Word Count: Click here to reveal21400 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Christmas on the Beach. What could be better than battling it out in a rock band competition on the beach for Christmas? Daryl Keeley, drummer for the wild metal band, Lythium Madness, is ready to find out. Every aspect of his life is too cold. Only his bandmates have shown him warmth, and now he’s looking forward to the tropical setting and the hard rocking music to thaw his heart. During the competition, he meets Micah Bray, a bassist from another band, and when they play together…more than sparks fly. The beautiful music they could make together is overshadowed by all that threatens to keep them apart.

Word Count: Click here to reveal87000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Lesbian, Transgender (Click here to hide)

Summary: Penny Hartwell’s dreams of being a celebrated artist have been reduced to sketching between shifts at a Boston gas station. Rent is overdue, inspiration has dried up, and her once-bright future feels like it’s slipping further out of reach. Anthea Corey has spent centuries guiding artists to greatness, but after too many betrayals she vanished from the world. Now, reluctantly back from a decade-long retreat, this weary muse is determined to keep things simple—and her heart well-guarded. Neither expects to collide in the hushed halls of the Boston Public Library on a bitter winter’s day. But when Penny and Anthea meet, something stirs—something neither talent nor time can deny. For Penny, it’s the return of inspiration. For Anthea, it’s the dangerous pull of hope. And for both, it could be the beginning of something that blurs the line between art and love.

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Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: They planned to skip Christmas. The universe had other ideas. Best friends Manny and Kyle are both freshly single and entirely over holiday cheer. Their solution? A winter getaway to the tropics—no mistletoe, no heartbreak, no drama—just sun, sand, and hookups. But when their plane vanishes over the Bermuda Triangle, they crash-land in a snow-covered world that shouldn't exist. Saved by two unbelievably attractive men, Roman and Luca—sculpted perfection wrapped in an intoxicating aura (the kind of men you dream about long after you wake up)—they find themselves guests at the most magical place on earth: the North Pole. Here, hot cocoa is spiked, the elves are flirtier than should be legal, and sex might be the most powerful magic of all. But as Christmas Eve approaches, the truth about the crash—and their impossible, growing connection to the elves—will change everything they thought they knew about fantasy, friendship, and getting over exes. Hot elves, cocoa-fueled kisses, and one impossible holiday they’ll never forget.

Word Count: Click here to reveal56000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Straight (Click here to hide)

Summary: Grayson sneezed. This in itself is not unusual but it's what happened next which freaked him out. A small pink elephant appeared. Enter Penelope, a glamorous cottage witch with a drinking problem. She's been sent to help Grayson master his new wizard powers. And she's here to fix his sneezy magical mishaps. Grayson has also fallen in love. His new boyfriend, Milo, is the best friend of bitchy social influencer, Summer. She doesn't approve of their relationship and has video proof of one of Grayson's mystical screw ups. With the threat of being exposed, Grayson soon learns he'll need more than magic to keep him out of trouble.

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Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: The Primordial Protectors of Clan Denarius have been tasked with protecting the gems, the heart of their existence, from falling into the wrong hands. Book 2, Emerald Waves is Caro and our beloved Dragon Archivest Emerson's story. What on earth were the fates thinking?

Word Count: Click here to reveal130000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: A queer Anthology that explores the romantic life and happy ever afters of gay men navigating the LGBT landscape. All stories are written by Own Voice gay authors! Includes: Daryl Banner - Spruce, Texas Romance J. Scott Coatsworth - Black Cat R Frank Davis Hallow-Weekends and the Beat Adam J Ridley - Heart of Shadows Kristian Parker - Kisses in Prague Gene Rusco - Puck-ered Hearts Kelvin Young - Skanksgiving M.D. Neu - Whispers of the Crescent Moon Shane K Morton - Fall Break Releasing on September 19th, this is a follow-up to this spring's Romance is a Drag.

Word Count: Click here to reveal139000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: A queer Anthology that embraces the romantic life and happy ever afters of drag queens navigating the LGBT landscape. All stories are written by Own Voice gay authors! From small towns to big cities, drag queens are the heart of the gayborhoods they belong to. Stories by Shane K Morton, Blake Allwood, Jole Cannon, Kelvin Young, J. Scott Coatsworth, Kristian Parker, Brent Archer and M.D. Neu.

Word Count: Click here to reveal74000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealLesbian (Click here to hide)

Summary: In March of 2029, the world faces imminent collapse and catastrophic environmental upheaval. The leaders of the United States have issued a warning that everyone must take a government-issued NeverSleep pill, meant to control intense vertigo, mental distress, and common sicknesses, to survive the world-wide climate crisis catalyzed by an anti-government faction that is trying to melt the polar ice caps. Jill has hopped from job to job for years expressing malcontent. Having lost her parents as a child, she is looking to settle down and curate a family. Mary thinks Jill just needs some motivation. Jill and Mary were partnered almost a decade ago, broke up, and have started to slowly rekindle their relationship. But the world is changing. The climate has changed. Jill and Mary attempt to recouple and explore the NeverSleep, a side effect of the issued NeverSleep pill. The NeverSleep is a lucid dream space where a person can actively rebuild our world to be actualized in the future. Jill and Mary fight to survive in their relationship, carve out their place in the NeverSleep, but all of it could fall apart if the government and the world dissolves before them.

Word Count: Click here to reveal82000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Reggie Orrick is a talented English magus and Philosophical Archeologist tasked with a unique mission—to hatch a long-lost dragon egg. He never expected his life to be upended by Ian "Kelp" McGinty, an Unfortunate with no magical abilities but an uncanny knack for guiding Reggie right where he needs to go. Their connection deepens as they face spectral encounters and dangerous adversaries, all while safeguarding a rare dragon and uncovering the hidden truths of the magus world. But just as they find their footing together, Kelp's sudden disappearance leaves Reggie questioning everything. Reunited and faced with family tragedies, curses, and political intrigue, Reggie and Kelp's bond is tested like never before. From the Irish countryside to the halls of power in the magus community, their love and loyalty are put to the ultimate test. With the stakes rising, the two must confront not only enemies at their doorstep but also the internal doubts that threaten to tear them apart. "Surprised At Nothing: A Reggie/Kelp Trilogy" is a story of love, loss, and courage set against a backdrop of magical realism and deep emotional stakes.

Word Count: Click here to reveal72000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Welcome, Traveler, to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries!  What you see before you is no mere vagabond circus. Indeed, our show is full of wonders and delights that will leave you breathless, but whether that is with amazement or dread depends entirely upon you. We are unlike any other band of creatures you have ever encountered -- and you few brave souls who choose to step beyond your mundane expectations and join us may witness sights beyond your wildest imaginings.  So sit back, relax, and let us entertain you. For time and worlds are fleeting, but each soul has a tale to tell. What happens when a life full of secrets goes up in flames in order to save all you love? Solomon Windham protects the realms, but secrets warp around and alter his life when shadows start flickering around Lunore Academy. Dangers that involve Solomon, his magic and altering his life of a quiet professor. An adventure and plan drags him far beyond the quiet Nucira Realm and deep into the hard of danger. Only he can stand in the middle of a battle to save the realms, his friends and the beating magic of his heart. What could survive on the other side of broken secrets? Flames of the Arcane is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries Series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book contains a pair of reluctant heroes, a vast adventure, swords and fighting, several sets of interfering vines, and the beginnings of a guaranteed HEA.

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Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Cole Ryan is bored. He’s lived in the same small town his whole life and has the same job. Nothing changes there and every morning when he goes for a run, those thoughts echo on repeat through his mind. Until today, on this day, something big happens and if he survives it, his life won’t be the same. Maybe boring old Hickory Crossing wasn’t so bad after all. Driving in the rain, on his way to a delivery, Bobby Sanders is focused on the road, when a flash of blue light in the distance catches his eye. He witnesses a bolt of lightning strike a man running on the road ahead of him. He never suspected that bolt of lightning could change both their lives, not just the poor guy who was blown out of his shoes right in front of him. When the persistent sound of whispering won’t go away, Cole questions his sanity. But maybe he’s not the only one experiencing strange things.

Word Count: Click here to reveal16,000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: When Colby learns that Ash was forcibly shifted into his squirrel side by a rogue hedgewitch and is running around the streets of Salem, possibly oblivious to his human side, the hunt is on. On the drive home from Boston, Colby and Daniel note an odd-acting squirrel on the outskirts of town and stop to snag him, only Ash isn’t being very cooperative. Before Luca can arrive and break the spell, Ash bolts, with Colby giving chase. Can they find their mate before he disappears into the trees forever? This 16,000 word short novella originally appeared on Kelex’s Patreon, written for a patron. It’s a funny, sweet, and sexy sneak peek at a day in the life of Colby, Ash, and Luca. It can be read at any point after book one in the series, Only Skin Deep.

Word Count: Click here to reveal11000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual (Click here to hide)

Summary: Killian is old. He doesn't look it and he doesn't act like a senior citizen, but then 16,000 is a bit outside the normal rage. He's bisexual, but also currently in love with Iris Hill. Human don't live very long under the best of circumstances. His problem is that even though she is probably in love with him too, she does not believe in anything supernatural! At all, not even a little bit. Killian is almost always pretty upfront with being an immortal werewolf. He can prove it to, and for Iris that's also a problem. What if he does prove it and men in white coats carry him off?

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Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Genderfluid, Non Binary, Questioning, Polyamorous, Transgender (Click here to hide)

Summary: Hell hath no fury like a Gideon scorned. Gideon Goode is clever as the devil and twice as pretty. He even has the t-shirt to prove it. When the coven takes down a den of demons, it’s him they turn to in order to clean up the mess. While they search for a permanent solution, Gideon uses his power over memory to trap the beasts, caging them within the very humans they possessed. But the search for the right spell eludes the coven, much to Gideon’s chagrin. The continuous enchantments siphon off his magic, causing him to grow weaker as time passes. Sexual healing helps, but he’s mateless and there’s only so much random d*ck he can take before that gets old. Not that he’d admit that to anyone. He has a rep to maintain. The instant someone starts killing off his prisoners, Gideon senses it. The coven goes on high alert to search for who’s targeting their otherwordly captives, but not before Lucifer gets involved—and—Gideon’s mates show up in town. What’s a boy to do but to go to Hell and back to protect what’s his?   *Book 2 in this series, Magic, Demons, and the Hunter was written by JP Sayle

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Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Since Bran Tanda started working at the morgue, his life has changed. He’s spent most of his life denying his necromancer abilities, but now he knows there’s no other choice but to embrace it and learn as much as he can about it. No matter how much he hates it. Jordan Amid is becoming more comfortable being around the dead. But they still overwhelm him and terrify him. The coldness and the heavy emotions he associates with being near a spirit are nearly too much for him to take. But for Bran, he’ll try. Bran and Jordan soon realize there is more going on than they understand, and even Janis isn’t sure how to handle what she knows is coming for them. Mysterious markings continue to appear and unless they can learn more from the journals Bran finds at his house, there may be no hope for anyone.

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Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Luca Galioto is just coming into his powers when he meets a new arrival in town, Ash Montgomery—and sparks fly. Yet the pair are like oil and water. Luca is a tatted and pierced ancient Calé progeny, aka a witch, whereas straight-laced Ash is a squirrel shifter who’s just joined the Salem Police Department. Opposites attract? Sure—but can two men so vastly different trust that Fate got it right?

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Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Seeing spirits is one thing, but feeling the pain of their death is an experience best left alone. Restless spirits, a ghost dog, and two men connected to the spirit world. What could go wrong? Bran Tanda works at the hospital morgue despite the fact he can see and hear all the spirits that tend to congregate there. He wants to help them, even if they terrify him with their aggressive tactics to get him to acknowledge their existence. Jordan Amid is Bran’s assistant. He’s reluctant to interact too much with the dead since he can feel all the pain from their death and the confusion they’re left with. But he’s drawn to work there with Bran, and his ghost dog Buddy. Bran and Jordan are thrown into a world where things are changing, and without their help everyone will suffer the dead. Stronger together than separately, they’ll both need to face their fears and find the strength they’ll need to fight the evil forces that threaten them and all of humanity.

Word Count: Click here to reveal50000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: It’s been a year to the day since Matteo Segreto’s biggest mistake ruined the best thing he ever had, and nothing’s been the same. All he can do is try to move on, but his world is empty without the love of his life. Alone and consumed by regret, Matteo would do anything to undo the past. Then his ex shows up, panicked and begging for his help… with no memory of their breakup. Owen Carter just woke up to a world that’s all wrong. Everything in his condo is different. The streets outside have changed. Worst of all, his boyfriend clearly doesn’t live with him anymore. To his horror, he discovers that a year has passed since he went to bed last night. His memory of that entire time is wiped clean, and only a receipt from a creepy fae shop offers any clue as to how or why. While they work to recover Owen’s memory, the exes slam face first into the past that Matteo wishes he could forget. Despite the hurt and betrayal, they also can’t help but remember how much they once loved each other. But if Owen gets his memory back and truly remembers the hell Matteo put him through, is there enough love or forgiveness to keep them together? Forget & Forgive is a 50,000-word standalone amnesia romance with fantasy/paranormal elements. Content warning: infidelity (off-screen and past, but major part of the story)