Tag: Oak King Holly King

Happy Book Birthday to Tales from Blackthorn Briar

Happy Autumnal Equinox! Three years ago today, Shrike and Wren embarked on their second voyage out into the world – alongside Mr Grigsby, Daniel Durst, and all their other friends from Oak King Holly King, with new friends gathered along the way.

Shrike and Wren hold a special place in my memory for getting me through some rough moments, and I am so beyond grateful for every single reader who has taken their story to heart.

If you enjoy happily-ever-afters, hurt/comfort, and catching up with old friends, I wrote this book for you.

Tales from Blackthorn Briar is a collection of sequels to the fae romance Oak King Holly King – including…

Mabon

  • Wherein Shrike and Wren repay their debt to the Court of Hidden Folk.

Mr Grigsby’s Clerk

  • Wherein Mr Grigsby finds a replacement for Wren – and perhaps more than he bargained for.

Jack in the Green

  • Wherein a certain Horse Guard wanders into Blackthorn Briar.

Winter Solstice

  • Wherein the Holly King surrenders to the Oak King.

The Holly King’s Peril

  • Wherein Wren and Shrike discover danger in the wilds of the Fae Realms.

The Ballad of Daniel Durst

  • Wherein Daniel embarks on his authentic life in a bold new land.

Amazon • Apple Books • Barnes & Noble • Bookshop dot org • Kobo • Payhip • Scribd • Smashwords

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

Oak King Holly King (audiobook!) on Right Here Write Queer

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

Please enjoy this special sneak peek into the audiobook of Oak King Holly King – a gay Victorian fae romance by Sebastian Nothwell, read by Gary Furlong.

Shrike, the Butcher of Blackthorn, is a legendary warrior of the fae realms. When he wins a tournament in the Court of the Silver Wheel, its queen names him her Oak King – a figurehead destined to die in a ritual duel to invoke the change of seasons. Shrike is determined to survive. Even if it means he must put his heart as well as his life into a mere mortal’s hands.

Wren Lofthouse, a London clerk, has long ago resigned himself to a life of tedium and given up his fanciful dreams. When a medieval-looking brute arrives at his office to murmur of destiny, he’s inclined to think his old enemies are playing an elaborate prank. Still, he can’t help feeling intrigued by the bizarre-yet-handsome stranger and his fantastical ramblings, whose presence stirs up emotions Wren has tried to lock away in the withered husk of his heart.

As Shrike whisks Wren away to a world of Wild Hunts and arcane rites, Wren is freed from the repression of Victorian society. But both the fae and mortal realms prove treacherous to their growing bond. Wren and Shrike must fight side-by-side to see who will claim victory – Oak King or Holly King.

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

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

Sentiment – Oak King Holly King short story on Patreon!

Surprise! We interrupt your regularly-scheduled Theo to bring you a rough draft of a short story featuring Shrike and Wren from Oak King Holly King.

~

“Sentiment,” Shrike had told him, “is the highest value any artifact may attain. It would grant powerful magic to its wielder. Your milk-teeth, imbued with a child’s innocence and a mother’s love, would prove potent indeed.”

~

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…
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)

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+)

See you on Patre♡n!

Oak King Holly King on Ask A Medievalist

E. H. Lupton very kindly interviewed me on the Ask A Medievalist podcast about Oak King Holly King and the Peasants Revolt!

See also…

  • the Shakespeare’s Histories fandom
  • the ties between the Peasants Revolt of 1381 and the Chartist movement of the early 1800s
  • Victorian fascination with medieval history
  • the Eglinton Tournament (possibly the first Renaissance Faire? discuss.)

Listen now on Spotify or wherever you find your fave podcasts!

Oak King Holly King on Right Here Write Queer

A new episode of Right Here, Write Queer just dropped! Catch it in your favorite podcast app.

“Big guys that stab things also deserve to be soft and squishy.” Noah Hawthorne (he/they) interviews Sebastian Nothwell (he/him) about his queer romantasy Oak King Holly King, including historical research, fae folklore new and old, and the surprising discoveries that occur when creating an audiobook.

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

Sebastian Nothwell (he/him) is the author of Oak King Holly King, now available in audiobook format narrated by Gary Furlong.

The Oak King Holly King audiobook is finally here!

The Oak King Holly King audiobook is finally here! Narrated by the incredible Gary Furlong and available wherever you find your favorite audiobooks, be it Audible, Spotify, libro.fm, Kobo, or through your local library via Libby and Hoopla.

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

Perfect for readers who enjoy…
• fae folklore
• Victorian shenanigans
• 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.

Shrike, the Butcher of Blackthorn, is a legendary warrior of the fae realms. When he wins a tournament in the Court of the Silver Wheel, its queen names him her Oak King – a figurehead destined to die in a ritual duel to invoke the change of seasons. Shrike is determined to survive. Even if it means he must put his heart as well as his life into a mere mortal’s hands.

Wren Lofthouse, a London clerk, has long ago resigned himself to a life of tedium and given up his fanciful dreams. When a medieval-looking brute arrives at his office to murmur of destiny, he’s inclined to think his old enemies are playing an elaborate prank. Still, he can’t help feeling intrigued by the bizarre-yet-handsome stranger and his fantastical ramblings, whose presence stirs up emotions Wren has tried to lock away in the withered husk of his heart.

As Shrike whisks Wren away to a world of Wild Hunts and arcane rites, Wren is freed from the repression of Victorian society. But both the fae and mortal realms prove treacherous to their growing bond. Wren and Shrike must fight side-by-side to see who will claim victory – Oak King or Holly King.

~

Audible • Hoopla • Kobo • Libby • libro.fm • Spotify