Tag: sebastian nothwell

Fiorenzo Bibliography + Paperback

FIORENZO is a queer fantasy-of-manners romance featuring hurt/comfort, swordplay, and a happily-ever-after. And it’s finally out in paperback! Shown here with some of the books that inspired it.

The World of the Castrati by Patrick Barbier
Not just a thorough examination of individual castrati lives but also the operatic world that created them. Highly recommended, even (or especially) if you know nothing of opera.

Nicoletto Giganti’s The School of the Sword
A swordfighting guide by a fencing master of Renaissance Venice. This book, combined with As You Wish (see below) and Vico Ortiz’s Fencing 101 class proved absolutely essential to making the fight scenes in Fiorenzo possible.

M: The Man Who Became Caravaggio by Peter Robb
Come for the art history lesson about a queer Renaissance painter, stay for the tennis court castration duel.

Art and Life in Renaissance Venice and Private Lives in Renaissance Venice by Patricia Fortini Brown
While the general history of Venice was necessary (see below), the more specific focus of Brown’s books provided absolutely invaluable insight into the the day-to-day habits of Venice’s historical citizens.

John Singer Sargent: Venetian Figures and Landscapes, 1898-1913
Sargent’s mind-blowing skill with oil portraits is well known, but his watercolour sketches of cityscapes and Venice architecture are truly astounding in their mastery of light and form. Seeing the city through his eyes over a hundred years ago was wildly inspiring.

Sargent, Whistler & Venetian Glass
This was an incredible traveling exhibit of Venetian glassware, lace, and other amazing examples of skilled craft alongside paintings by American artists who drew inspiration from Venice in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I had the good fortune to catch it as it came through Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. It also included an actual Venetian gondola (dry-docked, no felze) which gave me an invaluable sense of just how absolutely huge those things are.

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes and Joe Layden
Invaluable insight into the training, choreography, and filming process for one of the greatest swordfighting scenes in cinematic history.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman
It’s a swordfighting romance. Enough said.

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner
It’s a queer swordfighting romance. Enough said. (Although I have said far more.)

Ruskin’s Venice: The Stones Revisited by Sarah Quill
Venice through the eyes of a Victorian.

Venice: A New History by Thomas F. Madden
A general history of Venice was essential in creating Halcyon.

~

FIORENZO is a queer fantasy-of-manners romance featuring hurt/comfort, swordplay, and a happily-ever-after. Available now wherever fine books are found!

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

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 18 up on Patreon!

Scene 18 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein Lindsey and Aubrey attend the theatre.

~

Aubrey relented with a grin. “I hope you’ll forgive me for distracting you from the play.”

In a breathless laugh, Lindsey declared, “What play?”

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

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.

A new scene 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…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 17 up on Patreon!

Scene 17 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein Lindsey attends an opera.

~

“But he’s so much more than an engineer,” Lindsey said, leaning forward in earnest despite the pang in his almost-healed ribs. “When I went to meet him after the accident—”

“Giving yourself pneumonia in the process,” Carlisle cut in.

Lindsey ignored him. “He brought me straight home and put me to bed.”

“As any good citizen should do for their prince,” said Carlisle. “One must take care not to mistake mere patriotic duty for affection.”

Lindsey stopped. Though he was sure Carlisle hadn’t meant any offense, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his dearest friend had just slapped him in the face.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

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.

A new scene 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…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Oak King Holly King audiobook update!

Thrilled to announce that Gary Furlong will narrate the Oak King Holly King audiobook!

If you’re a queer romance audiobook enthusiast you may recognize him from…

  • The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by KJ Charles
  • The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian
  • The Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian
  • The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian

Keep a weather eye on the horizon for the Kickstarter in January to preorder your copy! Audiobook release anticipated for June 21st 2024.

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 16 up on Patreon!

Scene 16 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein Lindsey receives some long-awaited hurt/comfort.

~

Lindsey lay in his own bed in his own bedroom. But it was not morning and he was not at the hunting lodge. This was his townhouse bedroom. Which meant, somehow, he had fallen asleep in the countryside and woken up in the City.

Also, for some reason, Aubrey was here.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

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.

A new scene 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…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 15 up on Patreon!

Scene 15 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein Aubrey takes charge of a convalescent Lindsey and accidentally meets a princess.

~

“Rowena!” said Lindsey. “What on earth are you doing here?”

The woman, apparently called Rowena, stared at him. “Looking for you.”

“Oh,” said Lindsey. “Well, you’ve found me, so you can go back to the country house and tell Mother all about it. Go on!” he added, encouragingly.

She did not seem inclined to take such encouragement. Her gaze slid over to Aubrey. “Who is this?”

“This,” Lindsey declared with evident pride before Aubrey could apologize or introduce himself, “is Mr Aubrey Warren!”

Stunned silence greeted this announcement.

Aubrey cleared his throat. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady.”

“Charmed,” she replied, as automatic as a self-regulating pump.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

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.

A new scene 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…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 14 up on Patreon!

Scene 14 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein Aubrey, unaware of Lindsey’s fate, goes to meet him for a coffeehouse date.

~

Artists comprised most of the Keyhole Coffeehouse’s patronage, and as Halloway himself proved by lived example, artists mixed with all classes of society. Thus, Aubrey’s own threadbare wardrobe inspired not the suspicious glares of the wealthy who suspected a pauper had invaded their elite establishment, but the indifferent glance of the demi-monde assuming Aubrey, like so many others before him, had adopted the dress of the impoverished in an effort to make some manner of statement.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

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.

A new scene 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…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Queer Audiobook Seeking Narrator!

The hour has arrived to turn Oak King Holly King into an audiobook – and I need YOUR help to find its voice!

Oak King Holly King is a gay Victorian fantasy romance between a fae warrior and a mortal clerk. It has high heat and high adventure to the tune of 150k words.

Ever since its release, readers have demanded an audiobook version. To that end I’m now seeking…

  • male narrator
  • well-hydrated
  • capable of British accents beyond RP (Northern accents particularly sought!)

This is a PAID gig! Standard industry rates to be crowdfunded through preorders on Kickstarter. The Kickstarter campaign is planned for January or February of 2024. If possible I’d like to have the audiobook itself ready for release by June 21st 2024. Regardless of whether the Kickstarter campaign succeeds or fails, you will be paid in full up front to record narration for the Kickstarter video (explaining the project, why it needs funding, etc.) and the first chapter of the book to use as a sample for the Kickstarter page. If the Kickstarter campaign fails, the audiobook will not go into production.

Auditions are open now through November 30th.

Please email nothwellsebastian@gmail dot com for the audition script.

And as always, thank you for reading!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 13 up on Patreon!

Scene 13 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein Lindsey suffers a riding accident.

~

Lindsey wrenched his boots from the stirrups as he tumbled out of the saddle. His left foot caught. In an instant, he envisioned himself trampled by his steed, his corpse dragged through the woods by galloping Bellerophon. Then, with a sharp twist, he pulled free and fell.

Eighteen hands high at the withers. A considerable height, taller than Lindsey himself, and furthered by Bellerophon’s mighty leap.

His left side struck the ground. His forearm gave a sickening crunch beneath him as he rolled. A sudden blow halted him, knocking the wind out of him with a crack like a gunshot. Flies clustered in his vision. Stabbing pain came from all quarters.

Bellerophon’s hoofbeats echoed off into the forest.

Squinting, Lindsey glimpsed a confused kaleidoscope of sparkling green. Then a knife in his side forced his eyes shut.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

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.

A new scene 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…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!