As a queer fantasy author, my work strongly focuses on detailed plots and lush world-building, but as a reader, I have to admit that the things that hook me on a story are vibrant charactersāparticularly when they come in couples. After all, itās the characters that explore their lush worlds and who bring detailed plots to life. One of my absolute favorite reading experiences is following a dynamic couple as they play off each otherās strengths and defend one anotherās weaknesses to overcome all odds. Itās just the best feeling, in my opinion. So if youāre looking for a great fantasy bookāor seriesāfeaturing gay couples, here are five of my favorites!
This is a book Iām particularly excited to share because I
was given the chance to read it in advance of its release. And I can say that
itās fabulous fun! A swords and sorcery tale brimming with assassins, magical
music, battles for a throne, and dynamic lovers!
Balen is a gallant paladin who has made tough sacrifices to
win his post as the kingās personal guard. One of the most painful of those
sacrifices was leaving his witty and musically talented lover, Zavrius. So imagine
his shock and chagrin after a series of mysterious assassinations leave Zaverius
as the sole heir to the throne and Balen sworn to never leave his side! Awkward
doesnāt even begin to describe itā¦but in the very best way ā I promise!
The banter between the characters never failed to make me
smile. And I adored that I could side with Zavrius for aā¦
Since time immemorial the warriors of the Paladin Order have harnessed arcane powers to protect their rulers. For Balen, who has given up his chance at love and fought his way to the top of the Paladin Order, there can be no greater honor than to serve his king. But when assassins annihilate the royal family, Balen suddenly finds himself sworn to serve the very man he abandoned. Now with their nation threatened by enemies both within and outside the kingdom, Balen must fight hidden traitors and unnatural assassins, while also contending with the biting wit and dangerous charm ofā¦
I usually write queer fiction with an urban fantasy or magic realism bent, although Iāve dabbled in dystopian novels and a couple of romance novellas. I have an interest in bringing to light modern queer works that arenāt rooted in erotica or romance because I know firsthand the misconceptions that are placed on writers of gay fiction. And too often Iāve had to find tactful ways to explain what I write when people assume Iām limited by genre.
Charlie is homeless and lives in an abandoned carnival, just one of the places full of wonder and mystery in this novel. He is sometimes fed by a mature-aged gay couple and has an unrequited love. But he dies and we continue reading his story in a surreal version of the world he inhabited while alive. Yes, Charlie is a ghost. The carnival he still lives in has a life of its own, and he needs to protect the living who showed him kindness. A truly beautiful tale.
My nameās Charlie. Iām many things, though none of them having to do with any real talent. Iām a runaway, a hustler when I need to be, a ghost when I have to scare hoodlums away from my home, and a loner who maybe reads too much. But most of all, Iām the keeper of the carnival. Thatās how I see myself. I look after the place ācause even dying things need to be cared for. Maybe itās illegal. Maybe that rusty metal fence around the carnival is supposed to keep me out too. Or maybe me and this placeā¦
