It is Hispanic Heritage Month, time for some queer reads to celebrate!
Hispanic Heritage Month
Author: Noah Hawthorne
Sapphic September
It’s Sapphic September, and I’ve rejuvenated the book rec stash with fresh titles! I have to say, I think my favorite types of sapphic stories are the ‘she’s a little bit fucked up and a lot bit haunted’ and the good ol’ ‘I shall protect you with my life, my lady.’
What about you?
Patreon Update
After the chaos of the last year, and some consideration, I have decided to thin my Patreon tiers one last time. Instead of two tiers with content divided, there is now one which provides access to everything. Chapters excerpts, art, full short stories, the NSFW stuff, writing resources, all of it.
I hope this will make things more accessible, and less confusing. I have updated the layout, and collections.
When it comes to new stuff, the next few months are going to be chock full of it. Between the short stories, Mochizuki and Xlato, and Witchtober, there is a lot of new writing content coming to Patreon. As much as I love the explorers, it’ll be nice to switch it up and write about some new folks, and give you something different to read.
For art, there will be upcoming sneak peeks at the VOWP hardback cover, and a potential commission for one of my anthology stories.
For writer talk, I was thinking about a post-kickstarter discussion about what it was like to release a book that way, and how it’s gone so far.
Anything else you’d like to see from me on Patreon? I would love some feedback!
August Reads
August was a great month for reading! I finished relistening to my favorite comfort books, the Big Bad Wolf series, and picked up a few I’ve had stashed away for awhile.
I love Lily Mayne’s work, and was a little nervous about starting Mortal Skin for some reason. But it was as fantastic as the rest of her books, and I can’t wait to start the next one.
I’ve been holding off on the Hazard and Somserset books because while they are wildly good, they are also incredibly dark and relevant. This is the first book in their second trilogy, and it kicks off with a severely depressed character trying to find his footing in life. One thing I love about these books is they are unflinchingly honest, and it was really cathartic. But that ending was probably the most messed up thing I’ve ever read, which means I need the next book so I can find out who the evil Moriarty-like villain is.
Mr. Collins in Love was given to me by the author as an ARC, and I really enjoyed this story! It was sweet, tender, and historically immersive. I do wish it was longer, and that I could’ve seen the aftermath of Collin’s decisions.
And the epic, romantic tale of Goldheart. Flowers growing out of the skin, loyal bodyguards, and a fantasy world built of layers upon layers of beauty, lore, and tricksy gods. Also, shout out to the cast of characters that are flawed, growing, and each as vital as the last.
September hopefuls are books that have been staring at me longingly from my shelf for far too long. I’ve already started The Devourers and Dudes Rock, but I had to take a break because the mood wasn’t right. Phantom and Rook may wait until October, but I want to start my reread soon in preparation for writing book three.
13 Days of Witchtober
🍁Witchtober Prep Time ! 🍁
Gagakuma Draws is hosting this fun challenge next month, and I’m tagging along ! We have done a Witchtober prompt list in the past, which was a great time and yielded many short stories for me. (Including what would become the prologue to Mochizuki and Xlato, and the lesbian blacksmith short)
Instead of 31 days, we’re doing 13. Burnout and all that. Feel free to use the prompt list as you wish for any kind of creative activity, from art to writing, and more. Do it consecutively, spread them out, or however you like.
Give it a share, share your work, and let’s revel in the finer months of the year. If you’d like us to share, use the tag! #13DaysOfWitchtober
Funded, Two Stretch Goals, And Screaming
All aboard, this ship is getting ready to take off. The Kickstarter is funded, and we met two stretch goals !
This means bonus short stories, a special hardback edition illustrated by Crossroad Art, and one grateful and overjoyed indie author.
There are 112 backers who all get first stabs at the special hardbacks. These will be ready to go shortly after the new year, and I’ll be opening pre-orders for everyone else in December, starting with Patreon and newsletter folk.
Stay tuned for more updates !
Explorers in Love
There was a distinct click behind him, one that had become familiar in the past week and a half. Watt looked over his shoulder, spying Cornelius looking a tad sheepish behind his camera. Three times now Cornelius had taken his photo, having asked before the first time if he had Watt’s permission to take candid shots.
Watt rather thought that him brooding in a hotel room was a waste of film, and was surprised to find himself saying so.
Cornelius chuckled. “Every explorer needs a good before and after photo, you know, before they’re beaten to hell by their perils.”
“Then what were the photographs on the ship for?”
“Practice,” Cornelius said. There was an easy air about him this morning, which Watt was grateful for. He wasn’t sure if he could handle prickly Cornelius today.
Watt straightened from the wall, extending a hand towards Cornelius. “Then you should have a before photo as well, yeah?”
Cornelius cleared his throat. “Oh. I suppose so.”
Moody Before the Perils illustrations by Gagakuma Draws! This scene is one of the early icebreaker like scenes with the fellas, and stuck out to us both of us when it came to Cornelius’ photographs. Their postures and expressions speak so much to their inner turmoils during the beginning. Watt wears his heart on his sleeve, while Cornelius hides everything behind that proud mask. And of course, this beautiful and romantic moment between the explorers.
He kept hearing Andrea’s words over and over again, followed by Severino’s distant plea from weeks ago. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop either time, but last night had been the final nail in Watt’s heart. “They’re doing good work here, real work. I can go on alone. This isn’t—I won’t drag you into madness, Cornelius.”
Cornelius closed the small distance between them, slow enough to give Watt time to back away. He did not.
Cornelius gazed up at Watt, their chests inches apart. His steely eyes seemed to glitter in the dark, like Lake Michigan under full moonlight. “I made a promise, and I intend to keep it.”
“Aventurier,” Watt whispered, overcome with an intense desire to bend down, and kiss Cornelius.
He—he wanted to kiss Cornelius.
He wanted Cornelius.
Cornelius’ eyes flared and he lifted his chin a fraction of an inch, lips parting.
Oh, and he was wanted in return. He was wanted by, and wanted, a man. Not just any man, but his—his Cornelius. He wanted to. It could’ve been easy, should’ve been easy.
But no matter how much he wanted to, Watt could not break through that wall. It would shatter everything, demolishing the foundations of everything they had built in the last few months. And he couldn’t—he wasn’t—
Cornelius’ lips curled into a small, sad smile. Like he knew. And he probably did, because who else knew Watt better than this man?
His best friend. Because yes, that was what Cornelius was to him, now and always.
🧭
There are now 94 backers! Hello to all of you, and thank you so much for supporting this campaign. We only have 22 hours left, then it’s time for Kickstarter to do its thing so I can do my thing and order books, stickers, bookmarks, art prints, all that good stuff to pass onto you. With all of the new art that has come out seen the Kickstarter began, don’t be surprised if there are extra goodies in the adventure boxes.
whispers: Do you think we can reach an even 100 backers?
Big thanks to Gagakuma Draws for drawing the gay explorers in love!
Hitting Stretch Goals and Tugging Heartstrings
Thank you to everyone who has backed the Kickstarter, it is now fully funded !
Not only that, but we have hit our first stretch goal, a short story that takes place after The Voice of Wild Places, and there is a chance we may reach the second one, a special edition hardback!
Despite my Big Feelings about all this love for the Kickstarter, I have already set to work on the short story, it feels so good to be with these characters again. Yes, I know we haven’t been separated for that long, but it still feels like coming home.
Speaking of coming home, I wanted to take a moment to talk about the Adventures in Levena books, which some people added to your pledge. It is cozy season after all, which is what these books feel like. There is some angst as characters heal and face the past, but they are overwhelming wholesome and romantic.
There are currently two novels and two novellas out, each book follows a different couple. The first novella has multiple perspectives, and an interesting first half that technically takes place after all the books. It’s an immortal thing, you know?
The third book, Mochizuki and Xlato, comes out in October of next year. Illustrated by Crossroad Art, the same artist who we hopefully will have for the special hardback of The Voice of Wild Places!
You can find out more about the series here.
I can’t wait to order prints, bookmarks, stickers, and wield my new highlighter and pens to go full historical nerd mode for annotating time. Not to mention signing and/or painting the books themselves.
The Tale of Epiphany and Qoresis
I first wrote this story for the Rainbow Crate winter anthology, and now I’m able to share it. Here’s a sneak peek, you can check out the full thing on Patreon.
In most places, eldest children wore the metaphorical burden of sacrifice with a begrudging sort of pride. But in the frostbitten woods of Savasby Peaks, the youngest children were true sacrifices, and pride was worn like a medal of honor. Not all children in this unforgiving stretch of mountains and snow were subject to such a fate, only those of a royal lineage. Or the closest thing a remote village had to such things.
Unfortunately for Epiphany Theriault, he made for the perfect gift to an unappeasable god. Undeniably royal, and full of star dust.
Epiphany sat tall upon his mount, an enormous dregtzal with a dappled gray coat that was so long, he could bury his arms up to his shoulders in its fur. The beast followed the others in the convoy with vague interest, traversing through the man-deep snow with ease. The thick wool of Epiphany’s cloak rubbed back and forth across his nose, and he longed to pull the fabric up over his eyes, to block out the blizzard and his impending end. Despite his family’s optimism, Epiphany had no reason to believe he’d survive this, especially when no other sacrificial lamb had.
Epiphany has known he would die young since he was old enough to understand truth and legend, lies and myth. He simply accepted it as fact then, more gracious and noble than any before him. He didn’t cry and shy away from his purpose when he was a child, and did his best not to now. He wiped away a few escaped tears before they could freeze onto his cheeks, then lifted his chin against the storm.
Epiphany assumed Gods loved the taste of fear, and he would not give Qoresis that satisfaction, only his life. And then his people would survive for another decade, feasting on his blood, flesh, and sinew the same as if they were God of the Mountain themself, slurping fat and provisions from his marrow, gold and knowledge from his cranium. He wondered if Qoresis had ever eaten a God’s Star before, and what the dust in his blood may glean for his people.
Power of the Indie
A couple of weeks ago I asked for queer indie books, and you all delivered. I have so many more in my arsenal, but these are all I could fit in a post!
Should we do a part two?
Neshama Publishing 