FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Marina Justyaoi: Queer historical fiction that plays fast and loose with reality – does it irritate you or make you wish it had been that way? (Particularly with LGBTQ+ relationships). What are your faves? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat
QSFer Wendy Rathbone has a new MM alternate Earth slow burn romance out, book one in the Kingdom of Slaves series: The Slave Palace. Conquered. Captured. Sold as a pleasure slave. After being taken as a prisoner of war, Wulf fights his captors and is sold as a One-Night Thrall to be used and abused, then put to death. He is purchased by a high ranking master of the famous Slave Palace. Why Locke buys him, Wulf has no clue, but something about this master is intriguing. Instead of abuse, Wulf is plied with luxuries he has never known by … Read more
Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer J. Scott Coatsworth: Do you like alternative history? Readers, looking back, what are some good inflection points where you’d like to see an alternative history story start? Writers, what are some of the points in history you have changed in your stories, and why? Writers: This is a writer chat – you are welcome to share your own book/link, as long as it fits the chat, but please do so as part of a discussion about the topic. Join the chat
QSFer Lee Welch has a new paranormal historical romance out: Salt Magic, Skin Magic. Lord Thornby has been trapped on his father’s isolated Yorkshire estate for a year. There are no bars or chains; he simply can’t leave. His sanity is starting to fray. When industrial magician John Blake arrives to investigate a case of witchcraft, he finds the peculiar, arrogant Thornby as alarming as he is attractive. John soon finds himself caught in a dark fairytale, where all the rules of magic—and love—are altered. To set Thornby free, both men must face life-changing truths—and John must accept that the brave, … Read more
QSFer Erin O’Quinn has a new MM historical fantasy out, the first one in her new Renegade and the Runaway series: Unkilted. Gregory MacGregor is a Highlander, a moody, angry outlaw who calls himself Grier Black. The British crown has taken his clan name, his tartan, his dagger, and his very honor. His mission in life is one of lawless rebellion. Iain Stewart is Grier’s uncle, a man who has lost both his brother and his beloved wife. He lives apart from his family in the tall dark city of Edinburgh, where he follows his wits and instincts to help … Read more
Some End-Of-the-Year Rambling By Jeff Baker The end-of-the year is a time for reflections. On the year, on life, on history. Maybe on the future. A few weeks ago, we saw “J.F.K.: Reckless Youth,” a mini-series from the 1990s. Watching it made us remember how young the boys were who went off to fight World War Two. And that John F. Kennedy, still to many a symbol of youth and vigor, was born in 1917 while World War One was still going on. World War One, now … Read more
Title: A Hymn in the Silence Series: Dark is the Night Book 2 Authors: Kelley York and Rowan Altwood Genre: historical, horror, romance, paranormal LGBTQ+ Category: m/m, cis, gay, bisexual Publisher: x-potion designs Pages/Word Count: 291 pages Buy Link: http://mybook.to/DitN Blurb Since graduating from Whisperwood School for Boys, William has found a sense of normalcy in his life with James. He has a steady (albeit secret) relationship, a home, and a job—even if it doesn’t pay the greatest. Nevermind that he lacks James’ reckless bravery when it comes to dealing with spirits; he does his best and it hasn’t killed … Read more
FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Heather Rose Jones: When we write queer stories set in history, how do we deal with the historic reality of queer lives? Or, from another point of view, are queer historic novels held to a different standard of “historical accuracy” than straight ones with respect to the lives of their characters? Join the chat
Title: A Light Amongst Shadows Series: Dark is the Night #1 Authors: Kelley York, Rowan Altwood Genre: historical fiction, supernatural, horror LGBTQ+ Category: m/m, gay, bisexual, cisgender Publisher: x-potion designs Pages/Word Count: 342 pages Blurb James Spencer is hardly the typical “troubled youth” who ends up at Whisperwood School for Boys. Instead of hating the strict schedules and tight oversight by staff, James blossoms, quickly making friends and indulging in his love of writing, while contemplating the merits of sneaking love poems to the elusive and aloof William Esher. The rumours about William’s sexuality and opium reliance are prime gossip … Read more
QSFer J. Scott Coatsworth has a new MM paranormal/horror book out just in time for Halloween: Gargoyle. James Matson – Mattie to his friends – has it bad. It’s 1974 in Alabama, not the best time or place for a young gay guy to have a crush on his college football quarterback. But James can’t help himself. Randy Paxton is a football player with needs. His girlfriend isn’t putting out, so he takes what he can get. A warm mouth is a warm mouth, after all. And Daniel O’Malley has a crush too… on James. But James hardly gives him … Read more