Ch. 19 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – m x nb romantasy on Patreon

Chapter Nineteen 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 feelings are denied.

“Have you done that before?”

“Done what?”

“Kissed someone.”

An unaccountable shame bloomed in Emlyn’s chest. Xe’d never felt xe’d done anything wrong in this regard before. Now, however, with Rat asking xir the simplest question… Still, xe could do no less than answer honestly. “Yes.”

Rat deserved that much, at least.

Though he didn’t seem happy to hear it now. Nor did he say anything. No matter how dearly Emlyn wished he would. A horrible silence drew out between them.

Before Emlyn could stop xirself, xe added, “And more.”

This did nothing to improve Rat’s aspect. Nor did it induce him to speak. His eyes darted away from Emlyn’s. Over the room. Clear across it. Fixing on a point in the middle distance and focusing on nothing at all. His jaw clenched and unclenched. Yet he remained silent.

“Does it bother you?” Emlyn asked—though the answer was already evident.

“No,” said Rat.

There was something off in the answer. Too quick. Too sharp. It had a strange undercurrent that sounded utterly unlike the Rat that Emlyn had come to know and love.

All at once, Emlyn realized xe couldn’t recall Rat ever lying to xir before.

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]

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♡ 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!

Bookstore Romance Day 2025

WHAT

Bookstore Romance Day, a celebration of the romance genre at independent bookshops.

At LaLa we will be having local author readings and book signings, as well as a Romance Trivia game and a raffle for a book tote filled with romance reading.

WHO

Local authors, including Elizabeth Franta, Mary Hart, Molly Kerr, Nik Kiri, Elena Markem, Sara Marks, K. Nies, Becky Lee Whitehouse – and yours truly, Sebastian Nothwell.

WHEN

Saturday, August 9th

1:30pm – Reading & Signing 1
2:15pm – Romance Trivia
3:30pm – Reading & Signing 2

WHERE

LaLa Books
189 Market Street
Lowell, MA

There’s a parking garage just down the block and across the street from the bookshop. The bookshop’s handicap-accessible entrance is around back.

I can’t wait to meet you there!

Old(er) Characters in Romance on Right Here Write Queer!

From Professor X and Magneto to Our Flag Means Death to, yes, actual romance novels—unlock the potential of a lifetime (literally) with older characters in romance. Readers yearn for old man yaoi. (And, if we dare to dream, old lady yuri…?)

Carolina Cruz (they/them) is the author of the vampire horror romance Blood in the Water and the queer fantasy series The Creed of Gethin (beginning with The Unwanted Prophet). You can connect with them on instagram @ninawolverina

Noah Hawthorne (they/them), also writing as Aelina Isaacs, is the author of the queer cozy fantasy series Adventures in Levena, beginning with Phantom and Rook, and the solarpunk novel The Rebel Foxes, amongst other titles. You can connect with them at their website: neshamapublishing.com

And yours truly, Sebastian Nothwell (he/him).

Ch. 18 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – m x nb romantasy on Patreon

Chapter Eighteen 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 our hero parties against his will.

“Fernsby’s throwing a bash,” Emlyn told Rat.

It’d taken xir almost an hour to work up the courage to do so. An evening hour spent relaxing with Rat in their dormitory—or rather failing to relax. Emlyn’s nerves rattled on edge for reasons xe couldn’t understand. It was a commonplace proposition. And it was only Rat.

Yet Emlyn had seen almost nothing of him these past few months despite their sharing a room. Hardly more than a glimpse since the horse show. Xe wondered, not for the first time, what xe had done to make Rat avoid xir. Xe told xirself—again—that nothing was wrong; Rat was just busy. First year and all that. And in the medical college to boot. A far heavier course-load than Emlyn’s own philosophy degree. More stringent and more demanding in almost every regard. Understandable given how life and death literally hung in the balance. Still, Emlyn wished it weren’t so taxing on Rat. Not entirely for unselfish reasons.

A wry smile twitched at the corner of Rat’s mouth. “Bully for Fernsby.”

It was only a glimpse of the friend Emlyn had known prior to university. It lightened xir heart regardless. “You’re invited.”

Rat cocked an eyebrow. “Not by Fernsby, surely.”

Emlyn furrowed xir brow. A troubling insinuation. But one which xe could contemplate later. At present xe had to make the most of Rat’s fleeting notice. “I’m inviting you.”

Rat’s left eyebrow arose to join his right.

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

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Join me at RomantiConn!

What?

RomantiConn – a romance reader convention featuring over a hundred authors and books galore!

When?

Saturday July 26th from 11am to 4pm

Where?

Trumbull Mariott in Trumbull, Connecticut

Who?

Arden Coutts, D.C. Emerson, JL Gribble, K. A. Bauer/Kate Bauer, Melody Claire, RJ Scott, and many more – including yours truly, Sebastian Nothwell.

Check out the full author list over at the official RomantiConn site and grab your ticket today!

Ch. 17 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – m x nb romantasy on Patreon

Chapter Seventeen 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 whirlwind ensues.

Griswold frowned. “What sort of hound is it?”

“Bull-and-terrier.”

Her left brow arched. “Rat-catcher?”

Rat supposed it was rather funny for a man of his name to keep such a dog. “Aye.”

Whatever jokes Griswold might’ve made, she kept to herself. “Not catching rats at present, though.”

“Not in a pit. Though she does get hold of ‘em now and again in the corridors. Palace is big enough,” Rat added as Griswold’s right brow shot up to meet her left. “She’s plenty of room to find ‘em.”

“And they leave her to it, at the palace?”

Rat felt strange discussing palace life at university, where everyone play-acted as if they all stood on a level field. “She has a keeper. He sees to her needs particular.”

It hadn’t seemed right, throwing her in the kennel with the hunting dogs. She got on better with Iskandar’s long-shank cats and sleek sight-hounds. A palace pup through and through. Spoilt rotten, and who could begrudge her it?

“So she’s not wanting for company, then,” Griswold concluded.

“No,” Rat admitted with some hesitance. He couldn’t speak for the dog’s feelings on her constant companion abandoning her for greener pastures. But she wasn’t altogether alone, either. He hoped that might count for something.

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

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Ch. 16 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – m x nb romantasy on Patreon

Chapter Sixteen 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 lock is proffered.

In the penny bloods a lass giving a lad a lock of her hair meant she wished to marry him when they were reunited. But Emlyn wasn’t a lass. More than a lad, certainly, but if xe were a lass specifically Rat rather thought xe would’ve told him. Or at least mentioned it in the letter if it were a recent development.

Yet Emlyn had said nothing. Not even a word about the hair itself. From the ink on the page one might never know the lock existed.

Rat had no idea what a lock of hair meant between lads and more-than-lads. He knew the sight of that precious dark curl made his heart leap into his throat and flutter in its cage and plunge into his guts all at the same time. The faint and familiar scent of it gave him the sort of head-ache that foretold burning eyes. And if any of the boys Rat had known in London caught his tears falling over such a thing, they’d give him far worse to cry about.

He wasn’t in London anymore, though. Gods willing he’d never find himself there again.

And here, gentlemen danced with gentlemen.

Rat reined in his wild flying hopes. The thing with feathers, as Pandora and her box would have it. It fought him all the way down.

Gents might dance with gents here. More-than-lads might befriend lads.

But princes didn’t dally with paupers in this realm or any other.

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

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Oak King Holly King audiobook sneak peek!

This week’s episode of Right Here Write Queer is a preview of the Oak King Holly King audiobook, narrated by Gary Furlong.

Since we’re four chapters deep into the podcast version, I made a playlist of them on YouTube so you can listen in order easily.

Oak King Holly King is a gay romantasy wherein a fearsome fae warrior destined for ritual sacrifice seeks a Victorian clerk fated to save him – available now wherever fine books are found, possibly including your local library!

A New Story in the World of Oak King Holly King…

There’s a brand new Oak King Holly King short story awaiting you when you subscribe to my newsletter.

The Unveiling of Daniel Durst – wherein fae and mortal secrets alike are revealed, and Mr Grigsby learns the truth at last.

This brings the newsletter story total up to four. (And possibly more on the way…?) Including…

♡ Valentine (an Aubrey & Lindsey tale), wherein Aubrey is forced to celebrate his birthday for the first time in his whole life.
♡ Silver & Bone (a Fiorenzo tale), wherein Enzo fulfills a promise to Fiore.
♡ Bruises Bloom in Blackthorn Briar (an Oak King Holly King tale), wherein we see a pivotal scene from a whole new point-of-view.

In addition to these four free stories, you’ll also receive updates about beta reading opportunities, ARC offers, and new releases. (The number of readers who are to this day still surprised to discover that Oak King Holly King has a sequel? Don’t fall through the cracks like them. Be alert! Be the first to know! Be a newsletter subscriber!) You’ll never miss another book!

And thank you for reading!

Ch. 12 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow on Patreon!

Chapter Twelve 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’s worth is proved.

“Very well,” said the ambassador after a marked pause. “We thank you for your service to our prince. The clerk will direct you in how to collect your reward.” He nodded at the scrivener.

“Reward?” Rat echoed stupidly.

The ambassador served him a blank look. “The reward for our prince’s safe return.”

Then he named the sum from the pasted bill that’d sent Rat’s head spinning.

“The clerk will assist you in contacting your solicitor.” The ambassador paused. “Or perhaps in finding a solicitor for you. Someone to aid you in managing your fortune,” he continued in response to Rat’s bewildered look.

Rat still didn’t quite believe it. The sum would set him up for life—or anyone else, for that matter. He supposed the embassy might just send him on his way without the reward. Would certainly save ‘em a pretty penny if they did.

But he didn’t want the money. Not if it meant parting with Emlyn.

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

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