Ch. 5 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – m x nb romantasy on Patreon

Chapter Five of A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty – is now on Patre♡n! Wherein a puppy is protected.

Breath burst from Emlyn’s lungs in a plume of bubbles swept away by the current. Xe resisted the instinct to draw water in its place. Instead xe flailed towards the faint hazy light that marked out the surface. The current dragged xir down. Panic seized xir heart. Xe kicked out against it. Darkness pulsed at the corners of xir eyes. Xir ribs burned for want of breath. None-too-distant memories flashed through xir mind—

Then xir face broke the surface. Cold air stung xir cheeks and brow as xe gulped down acrid fog.

Xe was stupid for even trying—beyond foolish. Xir limbs plunged into fathomless depths. Xe would never find the sack in the dark—the current must’ve dragged it far off by now—forever out of reach. Still xe struck out xir arms, fingers grasping through the roaring waters, desperate to touch even a fleeting hint of canvas. The city lights blurred through the fog and glistened off the river’s torrent—

Save for a shadow that did not reflect the gas-lamps.

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You’ll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!

A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)

Completed works…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas – John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job – Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 – Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)

See you on Patre♡n!

Ch. 4 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – m x nb romantasy on Patreon

Chapter Four of A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty – is now on Patre♡n! Wherein an acquaintanceship is attempted.

“Rat, everyone,” Emlyn declared when Rat drew up to the table, casting xir wrist out in the vague direction of the coterie at large. “Everyone, Rat.”

Hardly an introduction. Rat supposed Emlyn didn’t think xir friends required anything more.

The devil of it was that Rat did know them all. To a point. Every letter from Emlyn at the academy and university alike regaled Rat with minute descriptions of xir friends’ physicality, behaviour, opinions, and every adventure and misadventure they’d all enjoyed together. Rat wondered if Emlyn had spoken as oft of him.

Given the five blank looks regaling him in a chorus of stony silence now, he doubted it.

Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)

See you on Patre♡n!

Ch. 3 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – m x nb romantasy on Patreon

Chapter Three of A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty – is now on Patre♡n! Wherein a penny dreadful is perused.

Rat had explained most of the preceding hundred-odd chapters to Emlyn on their way over. How the titular pirate king ruled the seven seas with an iron hook. How the quartermaster would do anything for his captain, including sacrifice his leg. How the youthful bo’sun didn’t seem like much on the surface but had featured in almost every chapter since his first appearance and boded more than met the eye.

“Bit like you, really,” Rat said before he could halt his tongue.

Emlyn just smiled.

Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)

Completed works…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas – John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job – Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 – Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)

See you on Patre♡n!

Ch. 2 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – m x nb romantasy on Patreon

Chapter Two of A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty – is now on Patre♡n! Wherein a prince is imperiled.

Angels didn’t get sick.

At least, Rat didn’t think they could. He’d never heard tell of it during Sunday sermons in the workhouse.

His drowned angel, however, fell into a fever within an hour of his rescue.

It crept into the drowned angel’s bones gradual-like. Quiet enough while they sipped coffee in the penny university. But as the coffee drained away, a cough started to come between sips, and by the time they’d got down to dregs, the drowned angel shivered.

Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)

Completed works…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas – John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job – Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 – Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)

See you on Patre♡n!

Goldheart with Tess Carletta on Right Here Write Queer

There’s a new episode of Right Here Write Queer waiting for you in your favorite podcast app!

Tess Carletta (she/her) chats with Sebastian Nothwell (he/him) about her successful Kickstarter campaign for her queer romantic fantasy novel Goldheart.

You may remember Goldheart from such hits as “consensual cannibalism in the form of erotically consuming the body-horror flowers that sprout from your beloved’s flesh.”

Goldheart is a story about chosen family, choosing love, and the impossible feat of staying good in times of darkness. Coming to a bookshelf near you on June 25th, 2025!

Tess Carletta (she/her) is the author of Kit & Basie, a queer cozy fantasy romance, its sequel collection Patchwork, and the forthcoming fantasy novel Goldheart. You can connect with her at her website: tesscarletta.com/

Smashwords Read-an-Ebook Week Sale!

It’s Read an Ebook Week over on Smashwords!

My books are 75% off today through March 8th, including…

• Fiorenzo, cross-class romantasy featuring swordplay and hurt/comfort.
• Oak King Holly King, historical romantasy with a fae/mortal pairing.
• Mr Warren’s Profession, cross-class historical romance featuring neurodivergent heroes and hurt/comfort.
• The Haunting of Heatherhurst Hall, gothic historical romance.
• Hold Fast, historical romance featuring whaling and hurt/comfort.

Check ’em out on Smashwords!

Ashland Public Library RomCon!

Come join us on Saturday, May 17th for the 4th Annual RomCon – Romance Authors Festival – at the Ashland Public Library! Meet some of your favorite romance authors, get signed books, listen in on panels, play along with romance jeopardy, and mingle with other romance lovers. It’s going to be a fabulous day!

Authors include…

Jenny L. Howe
Caroline Linden
Jocelyn Montana
Riss M. Neilson
Sebastian Nothwell (yours truly!)
Kass O’Shire
Tara L. Roi
Joanna Shupe
and Tara Tai!

Along with our panel moderators…

Meena Jain, librarian
Evelyn Richardson, historical romance author
and romance author Barbara Tanner Wallace!

Our panel theme is Bucking the Romance Trends – how authors are forging their own paths in their genres, in romance, and in the publishing industry!

Schedule of Events:

9:30-10:30
Caroline, Sebastian, and Joanna
Topic: Historical Romance Panel
Moderated by Historical Romance Author, Evelyn Richardson.

10:45-11:15
Romance Jeopardy or Family Feud!
All Authors

11:15-12pm
Dedicated booksale/signing. (Note: Joanna will be leaving at 12:15pm!)

Lunch Break – 12-1pm – BYO

1:00-2:00 pm
Contemporary Romance Panel
Tara, Tara, Jenny, Riss
Moderated by Contemporary Romance and Mystery Writer, Barbara Tanner Wallace.

2-2:30pm
Dedicated Booksale/Signing Times

2:30-3:30pm
Monster Romance Panel
Jocelyn & Kass
Moderator by librarian, Meena Jain.

Books for sale and signing will be provided by Aesop’s Fable. You can also PREORDER books from our authors through Aesop’s and Aesop’s will bring them to the Fest for you to have signed. And, finally, if you have books by our authors at home, please feel free to bring them and have them signed (limit is 3 per author).

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library.

Happy Book Birthday to Oak King Holly King!

Happy book birthday to Shrike and Wren! Three years ago today, Oak King Holly King was published.

Oak King Holly King is a queer Victorian romantasy wherein a fearsome fae warrior destined for ritual sacrifice seeks a mortal clerk fated to save him.

Perfect for readers who enjoy…
• big buff guys who just wanna be soft
• sharp little guys who are tired of being kicked around
• lush fantasy worlds
• liminal spaces
• cozy cottagecore vibes
• and queer community.

Amazon • Apple Books • Audible • Barnes & Noble • Bookshop.org • Chirp • itch.io • Kobo • libro.fm • Overdrive • Smashwords

Cozy Fantasy with Meg’s Tea Room on Right Here Write Queer!

There’s a new episode of Right Here Write Queer waiting for you in your favorite podcast app!

Meg (she/her) of Meg’s Tea Room joins cozy fantasy authors Noah Hawthorne (he/they), RK Ashwick (she/her), and Sarah Wallace (they/them) for a roundtable discussion on the subgenre’s growing popularity, what they’d like to experience in cozy stories going forward, and how to cope with cozy burnout—plus, all the cozy recs you could ever dream of.

Meg (she/her) is a fantasy bookish influencer creating cozy books through Bindery. You can follow along with the publishing journey for Recipes for an Unexpected Afterlife and get cozy on instagram @megs.tea.room, on TikTok @megstearoom, and on Bindery at cozyquill.binderybooks.com

Noah Hawthorne (he/they), also writing as Aelina Isaacs, is the author of the queer cozy fantasy series Adventures in Levena, beginning with Phantom and Rook. You can connect with him at their website: neshamapublishing.com

RK Ashwick (she/her) is the author of the cozy fantasy A Rival Most Vial and its sequel A Captured Cauldron, as well as the Lutesong trilogy beginning with The Stray Spirit. You can connect with her at her website: rkashwick.com

Sarah Wallace (they/them) is the author of the cozy Regency romantasy series Meddle & Mend beginning with Letters to Half Moon Street and coauthor with S.O. Callahan of the Fae & Human Relations series beginning with Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms. You can connect with them on instagram @sarah.wallace.writer

Crossword – Fiorenzo

Across

A ruthless prince.
A victim of operatic machinations.
A poison allegedly used by the Borgias; no real-world analog has been found.
One who knows his price but not his worth.
The fantasy-of-manners genre.
A newspaper, named for the coin it costs.
The ideal novel contains no fewer than five instances of this.
One who wears a beaked mask with glass eyes.
A mask that hides scars carved deep by betrayal.

Down

The bestest boy.
An opera house master and producer, not unlike Vivaldi.
A master artisan who knows Fiore better than he knows himself.
A knight of Halcyon.
The most fun a man can have with his clothes on – or off, frankly.
Curtained cabin aboard a gondola.
Begging for the chance to be someone’s righteous blade.
A devoted sister.
A city of serenity wed to the sea.

Fiorenzo is a queer fantasy-of-manners romance featuring swordplay, hurt/comfort, and a happily-ever-after.

Fiore has a plan. Find a wealthy elderly gentleman, delight him until the end of his days, and retire on the resulting inheritance. It’s the best outcome a low-born courtesan in the city of Halcyon can hope for.

And it seems a perfect scheme… until a mysterious masked man upends it.

Banished from university after a disastrous duel, Enzo wanders the city searching for scraps of the affection he’s lost. His public mask conceals private agonies. A single night in the company of a courtesan, however, balms his wounded heart, and he finds himself returning again and again to Fiore, revealing more of himself than he’s ever dared before.

Furthermore, and more astonishing still, Fiore finds he returns Enzo’s affections.

But while Fiore wears no mask, he nonetheless has secrets of his own. And when the ghosts of their pasts return to haunt them, only the bond of trust between them will carry them through.

Amazon • Apple Books • Barnes & Noble • Bookshop.org • itch.io • Kobo • Smashwords