Collection: Fantasy

A group of strangers meets at Ragazzi, an Italian restaurant, for a cooking lesson that will change them all. They quickly become intertwined in each other's lives, and a bit of magic touches each of them.

Meet Dave, the consultant who lost his partner; Matteo and Diego, the couple who run the restaurant; recently-widowed Carmelina; Marcos, a web designer getting too old for hook-ups; Ben, a trans author writing the Great American Novel; teenager Marissa, kicked out for being bi; and Sam and Brad, a May-September couple who would never have gotten together without a little magic of their own.

Everyone in the River City has a secret, and sooner or later secrets always come out.

These three tales tell the story of Tharassas before the Tharassas Cycle, including the origin of the hencha queens, the ce'faine, and the colonization of the Highlands, essential companions for the four novels that make up the cycle:

The Fallen Angel

Charlie Fah, Cha'Fah to most of the world, has never fit in with the other citizens of Gully Town, thanks to his darker skin that sets him apart. But one day, an Angel arrives on a supply run from Earth, and what happens next sets Charlie on a new path that will turn his life upside down.

The Last Run

Sera is the last runner from Earth, bringing badly needed supplies to the Tharassas Colony across a twenty-five year gulf between the planets. Jas works on a hencha farm to make ends meet, harvesting berries from the semi-sentient plants. Neither one that knows their lives-and worlds-are about to change forever.

The Emp Test

Jey awakens to find himself in the care of a handsome stranger-a cheff from one of the mountain tribes. Afraid for his life, Jey has no choice but to let the man take care of him and his broken leg. Avain is on his Aud'ling-the coming-of-age test that requires him to spend a couple months away from his own people. The two of them will have to come to an understanding if they're going to help one another.

The Last Run and The Emp Test have been published before in previous stand-alone editions, but The Fallen Angel is a new story written exclusively for this collection.

clarity

(noun)

Four definitions to inspire writers around the world, and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell:

1) Coherent and intelligible

2) Transparent or pure

3) Attaining certainty about something

4) Easy to see or hear

Clarity features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

Covered in blood, a knife in one hand and a gun in the other. This rescue attempt has gone terribly wrong.

I was finally getting used to life among the am'r (the name vampires use for themselves) in Romania, archiving a library of ancient texts, learning how to fight, and having lots of quality time with Sandu-who used to go by the name Dracula-perhaps you've heard of him?

But then the dreams started. Bagamil, the maker of Sandu (and, ahem, also my lover-life has gotten a lot more exciting recently), was supposed to be on a mission to the am'r of South America, but he has been missing for months now, and these nightmares tell me that something is terribly wrong.

So Sandu made rescue plans, and I insisted on coming along to help. But now I've been separated from all our (supposed) allies, and I'm trapped in a booby-trapped cave system down at the bottom of the world, chased by enemy am'r with knives and guns-not fair!

And I have two problems even on top of that. First, I'm now part-am'r, which makes me smell even more delicious to them, and secondly, well, there seem to be even more bad guys than expected down here, and it turns out they're all holding deep grudges against both Sandu and Bagamil. They want revenge right now, and they are happy to use me as part of it.

How can I find my beloveds without falling into a trap or being taken captive by the hangry bad guys? Once we're all together again, how do we figure some way out of all of this? If I've learned anything in my time amongst the am'r, it's only going to be by fighting our way out...

Blood Sine Qua Non is the second book in a fresh and unique dark fantasy series mixing horror, history, and blood-soaked passion featuring a snarky librarian in an adventure like no other, with thrilling plot-twists and characters faced with "personal growth or death." Ranging from Romania through gorgeous settings in Buenos Aires and Tierra del Fuego, get caught up in the clashes of personality and chaotic melees, fight for love with guns, knives, and the ultimate weapon against vampires: fire.

"What is the difference between me and a monster?"

This librarian became a half-vampire and fought for her life against all odds. Now, she must face an enemy she never expected-but he's not just unexpectedly powerful...he's disturbingly attractive.

I hadn't fully recovered from nearly dying while rescuing one of my beloveds-but they promised me a vacation! A vampire vacation, so I can only see the sights at night. But, being a librarian, sneaking into museums after hours isn't exactly a hardship!

Meeting the am'r (vampires) of London was stressful enough, but then a powerful and mysterious stranger demanded that Bagamil, the oldest of the am'r-and my lover, which is still a surprise to me-come to treat with him in the far North.

And that's when things got weird-even by my new standards. None of us expected this enemy. The upside? I finally get a chance to find out about my ageless lover, and hear the story of how the am'r began. The downside? I might not get a chance to write this story down, because our enemy wants vengeance on my beloveds, and as part of that, to turn me against them. If I won't choose his side, he's fine with killing me all-the-way dead.

The choice might seem easy to you, but he's older and more powerful than anyone guessed. And even if he didn't have overwhelming mesmerism, he's so strikingly handsome that I can't think straight around him. I'm in trouble in every way, now...

Blood Ad Infinitum is the third book in a brand new, dark urban fantasy series mixing horror, history, and blood-soaked romance. Featuring a snarky librarian heroine in an adventure like no other, with thrilling plot twists and characters faced with "personal growth or death." Ranging through England, the Middle East, and Russia, and through time from the Neolithic to modern day, get caught up in the passionate origin story of the am'r and a desperate fight throughout the centuries. The newest and least powerful must in the end decide who will lead them all-but will she pay the ultimate price for it?

What to expect: Uninhibited language, strong female lead who can fight, non-monogamy, LGBTQ+ characters, graphic violence, and blood-feeding imagery.

Six months after Itra and Danae were ejected from the Castle of Teskom, an alarming phone call sends them back and not by choice.

They're not alone aided by the support of the new alliance of descendants from the bloodlines of Zeus and Mui and the Protectors of Time. They arrive just-in-time to defend the castle from Ember's scorned ex-lover Chronos.

But the list of opponents evolves as they uncover an ancient prophecy of a new beginning of time between the four dimensions.

To begin again or tip the end. They must decide.

A day will come when this world is one.A divine bride will lead the guide inside to begin again.He must tip the end.Four worlds will bend and fold to derive a world untold.

Elis learns the dreams he's been sketching for months are visions of a near future. He's confronted with his greatest challenge since losing his mother, Iana. His task is simple, retrieve the urtar stone. His obstacles, monumental. The list of adversaries standing in his way begins with Perseus and his wife Andromeda and the god of time himself, Chronos. All while keeping three seven-year-olds with curious minds out of harm's way. His burden lightened with the support of the Protectors of Time, the descendants of Zeus and Mui but still a task he has to complete.

Before the day is one, Ember's compass will guide time inside to dial the light and retrieve the stone before night.

Danae and her brother Leon, descendants of Zeus, are thrust into a world they barely understand. A new responsibility to protect and serve the goddess Ember and the Castle of Teskom after Danae's husband, Itra, a descendant of Mui, family failed to protect the castle from an attack lead by Poseidon and Medusa. Their first assignment, finding and retrieving a stolen artifact to restore the barrier that hides the castle from each dimension. An adventure that leads them deep underground and high above the mountains alongside a few familiar and new faces.

The clock is ticking.

Will they restore order or create more chaos?

Six months after Itra and Danae were ejected from the Castle of Teskom, an alarming phone call sends them back and not by choice.

They're not alone aided by the support of the new alliance of descendants from the bloodlines of Zeus and Mui and the Protectors of Time. They arrive just-in-time to defend the castle from Ember's scorned ex-lover Chronos.

But the list of opponents evolve as they uncover an ancient prophecy of a new beginning of time between the four dimensions.

To begin again or tip the end. They must decide.

Shiny ember rocks are fuel for time; the dull rocks are a fool's dime.An old nursery rhyme, or so they think.

Itra and Danae stumble across an ancient secret kept hidden behind a reflection in time near their Albanian home. A faded memory and cryptic messages have propelled them to risk an encounter with foes from Greek mythology, altering their perception of Albanian folklore and reality. Itra and Danae grapple with events set in motion centuries ago and must choose to protect and serve or risk having the secret exposed.

Will love, loyalty, and lineage be enough to hold them together, or will they lose their way in a universe they are only beginning to understand?

A series of bizarre events lands Rozanne Rayvern in the emergency room. Gage Auburn, her lifelong best friend, steps up and pays a debt to help Rozanne. A headline in the local paper the following morning unravels a lead connecting Rozanne to a century old cold case. And by nightfall, they find themselves at the center of small town gossip and immersed in a search for a missing girl. But to everyone's surprise it all circles back to another case that was marked solved and sentenced.

Can they find the root of all the chaos before it ends an already broken Rozanne?

Ashlynn Amuso is a thirty-year-old woman having the time of her life. She works for a great company in New York with her brother, Glen, and her two amazing friends, Kaden and Roman. Every year they get a two-month vacation from work where they go wherever they want. One year they went to Mexico. Another year was Florida. Another was the Caribbean. And now, Ashlynn takes them to her family's cabin in Lake Minnetaha, Washington.

It is the perfect place. Peaceful and quiet. No one around to bother them, a large forest in the backyard to walk around, and a small town not too far away for shopping and drinking. They couldn't have asked for a better vacation spot.

But one day, Roman, Kaden, and Glen start leaving Ashlynn alone in the cabin with no word of where they're going or what they're doing. They continue to do so until they leave the cabin for good. Ashlynn is distraught. She doesn't understand why they left, but she wasn't about to leave them behind. She stays, searching for them, waiting for them to come back. Unfortunately, while waiting, something finds her.

With the help from her friend, Jack, she learns that she is not going insane. That whatever she saw was not a figment of her imagination. But what is it? Who is it?

Have you ever seen a story of a chosen one who is destined to fight a great evil and protect the world from encroaching darkness? Well this isn't one of those stories. There are no chosen ones, no great hero of legend or fantastic technology to be discovered. However, there is magic, monsters... and demons. Even without great heroes though, ordinary people can rise to any challenge presented. What if the witch hunts were trying to find actual magic users that went into hiding? Why is every Elf we see in media White? And why don't we have more stories where every person can find a character that is just like them? This world is full of so many myths and legends that have rarely been seen. All stories have a grain of truth and maybe the tales of these myhical beasts have far more truth to them than we thought.....

What Nigel and Ori know could change the magical world. But first they have to survive it.

In this propulsive sequel to The Spells We Cast, sunshine/grump soulmates Nigel and Ori must overcome magical corruption and an evil force inside Nigel.

Still reeling from their deadly encounter with the Knife and the revelation that the Culling was unnecessary, soulmates Nigel and Ori have been thrust into a resistance movement overnight.

They'll do whatever it takes to end the tradition of greedy elites taking power from teen magicians. But with Alister rallying the Guild against them, a mysterious spell erasing the memories of every ally they recruit, and a dark force threatening to take control of Nigel, the road ahead is treacherous. Can Nigel and Ori's newfound love protect them as they fight for justice--and their lives?

The action-packed follow-up to The Spells We Cast will make readers laugh, swoon, cheer, and hold their breath right down to the stunning conclusion.

Libby luta contra uma doença debilitante e está resignada com a vida de solteira. Quando ela sai uma noite com colegas de trabalho, a última coisa que ela espera é tropeçar com a mulher dos seus sonhos: Jo.

Não demora muito até que ela se apaixone por ela. Mas a impressionante revelação de Jo poderia significar o fim de seu novo relacionamento e, como se isso não bastasse, a meio-vampira de 150 anos tem inimigos poderosos - incluindo seu pai.

Ao entrar no perigoso mundo de Jo, Libby é atraída para uma teia de segredos e perigos. Será que ela pode superar as probabilidades aparentemente intransponíveis e sobreviver?

Uma revelação chocante sobre sua melhor amiga deixa Libby cambaleando. Quanto mais ela descobre, mais confusa ela fica. Mas o que ela sempre soube sobre Emma não combina com o que sua namorada Jo e seus amigos vampiros lhe dizem.

O preconceito óbvio de Jo serve apenas para tornar o quadro ainda mais confuso. Para piorar as coisas, Libby não tem ideia de como continua incitando a raiva de Jo. Logo fica claro que toda a família de Emma está em perigo e Libby não sabe se pode perdoar sua própria parte nisso. Quando Emma é levada, Libby se compromete a encontrá-la a qualquer custo.

Logo, Libby enfrenta uma escolha difícil: ser ela mesma e perder o amor de sua vida, ou arriscar-se a perder a si mesma para salvar o amor delas.